June 2018 | Howard County Beacon by The Beacon Newspapers

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A touching new profession

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PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER MYERS

By Robert Friedman Annie Hopson of Ellicott City worked as a certified massage therapist for over 20 years. But she noticed that some clients seemed to yearn for something more. “In my massage practice, I encountered people who were touch hungry,” she said. “They would have been better served by being held rather than kneaded” — but in a platonic way. And then Hopson discovered the growing field of professional cuddling, defined by its practitioners as non-sexual touching for therapeutic purposes. It includes such things as hand-holding, hugging, stroking hair and spooning. Cuddling is “the latest thing in wellness beyond yoga and meditation,” according to a recent article in The New York Times. Trained professionals, who call themselves “cuddlists,” make house calls, but also meet with clients on a one-on-one basis in home studios, on park benches, in movie theaters, etc. There are also cuddling cafes and parties, including in nearby Washington, D.C., where strangers get together for group hugs. Cuddle shops have opened in California and Portland, Ore. The fast-growing discipline, Hopson said, is “much more rewarding and different and important than I [originally] thought it was.” The 55-year-old single mother of two teenagers added, “I’m a ‘cuddlist’ because I know the magic of platonic touching.” Some 400 professional cuddlers, including Hopson, have gotten their training through the website Cuddlist.com, where they learn the philosophy and hands-on practice of their new profession. The website also connects clients to providers. Adam Lippin, the website co-founder

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ARTS & STYLE Professional “cuddlist” Annie Hopson hugs Tanith Roberts. Hopson, who spent decades as a massage therapist, has recently moved into the growing field of cuddling, satisfying her clients’ need for platonic human touch and conversation about feelings.

who got Hopson interested in the practice, has noted that “most clients are under some level of duress — anxiety, stress, loss or need.”

For all ages Hopson said that most of her clients are between 35 and 50 years of age, but about

one-third are over 50. She is, in fact, looking to find more older clients, possibly through senior centers. Cuddlist.com, says that medical researchers have confirmed that touch and physical interaction with caregivers is a See CUDDLING, page 12

What’s onstage this summer and beyond; plus, getting together with Jesse Colin Young, and the jurors for the Beacon’s Celebration of the Arts page 27 TECHNOLOGY k How websites track us

FITNESS & HEALTH k Glowing dyes ID cancer k Improve memory and focus

THE 50+ CONNECTION 15 k Newsletter from Howard County Office on Aging & Independence LAW & MONEY k Bitcoin. Should you bite? k Best guide to Social Security

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Feeling vulnerable Every year — in fact, almost every day below the sea can be cut. Satellites are vul— we gain more and more power over na- nerable to intercontinental missiles. Comture and over our lives puters worldwide are subject through technology. to viruses we can’t erase. This is true not only for inA recent alert from the FBI dividuals, but also for sociand Department of Homeland eties and governments Security warned that the dethroughout the world. structive power of malevolent On the one hand, it seems viruses is believed to already as though this is progress lurk in the computers that that solves real problems (as service much of our governwell as problems we didn’t ment and business sectors. even know we had), and that These viruses may (someday) it enhances peace and pros- FROM THE affect the functioning of our perity by enabling instanta- PUBLISHER electrical grid, as well as water, By Stuart P. Rosenthal neous worldwide communiaviation, nuclear and critical cation and sharing of informanufacturing sectors. mation. The alert focuses on a “multi-stage intruOn the other hand, sometimes it feels as sion campaign” believed to have been placed though each new solution simultaneously there by Russian government actors, but we makes us more vulnerable to a potentially may house similar Trojan horses from N. catastrophic problem. Korea and China as well. The more of an interdependent worldI suppose it’s possible, or even likely, wide community we become, the more re- that we have developed the same power liant we become on the technological sys- over those and other countries. What haptems that bring us together — the Inter- pens if one of us moves to act and then the net, satellites, computers and the like. other responds in kind? Will human beAt the same time, this reliance makes us ings be able to function anywhere on the more vulnerable to threats that may now planet other than in the most rural, off-line or in the future have the ability to partially communities that haven’t developed deor temporarily take over (or even destroy) pendence on computers? the systems we rely upon. Internet cables How did we come to this point? I don’t

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The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve, and entertain the citizens of the Greater Baltimore area, and is privately owned. Other editions serve Howard County, Md., Greater Washington, DC and Richmond, Va. (Fifty Plus). Subscriptions are available via third-class mail ($12), prepaid with order. Maryland residents add 6 percent for sales tax. Send subscription order to the office listed below. Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. • Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher ..............Judith K. Rosenthal • Vice President, Operations........Gordon Hasenei • Vice President, Sales & Marketing ....Alan Spiegel • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Art Director ........................................Kyle Gregory • Director of Operations ........................Roger King

think it’s due to something inherently evil in technology. I believe it’s far more likely because of many things inherent in human nature. A surprisingly large number of ordinary people engaging in perfectly normal behavior appear to play a role. They include the following: • the careless government employee or contractor who fails to protect access to his computer or account, • the clueless ordinary citizen who is easily scammed by responding to a phishing email or opening an attachment, allowing a virus not only to infect his computer, but to spread to every person on his contact list, • the government or business employee who feels personally aggrieved over something and posts secret passwords or hacking tools online or otherwise shares critical data with outside groups like WikiLeaks, • the agent of a rogue nation or enemy just “doing his job,” and • the con man out to make a buck, sending viruses worldwide and demanding ransom dollars, without regard to the damage he does. All of this is the stuff of nightmares and spy novels, but it is also, apparently, today’s reality. Major figures from the military, Congress and the press are warning

us of our growing vulnerability. People in a position to know are telling us that we are not taking the dangers seriously enough. What, if anything, can we do as individuals? We have a voice in electing our leaders, in calling/writing/emailing members of Congress, in writing to agencies and newspapers, and in speaking about these issues with friends — not just as cocktail conversation, but in order to form and support groups that may have meaningful influence. We may not be able to individually effect change, but we can communicate our views to those who can. We also ought to be more careful about our personal use of technology, and rethink how much of our private information we’re willing to share in order to be able to access the convenience of the latest app or website. Today’s (and tomorrow’s) technology enable us to do both far more good, as well as far more harm, in the world than ever before. Let us use our minds and our voices to call attention to the latter, and to share with our leaders how vulnerable we feel we’ve become as a result.

Letters to the editor 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 e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: Age discrimination and older adults in automotive predicaments [“A call to action by all drivers,” May] is close to the bone for me thanks to an experience of my dad’s. The fact that help is at our literal fingertips thanks to mobile phones, yet people don’t take a moment to help [others] sickens me. We ALWAYS stop or call 911 [when we see a driver in distress], even if it might be overkill. Thanks to CPR training, I know the rule about literally pointing at someone and saying “YOU! Call 911!” because of the

human failing of thinking someone else has “got it.” I don’t wish to infantilize older adults, but I just know that being in shock, injured, afraid, in pain makes everyone feel like a scared little kid. We are all in this together, and need to do better for our most vulnerable, especially including our older adults, whom we ought to respect and treasure. Victoria Hathaway President, Coalition of Geriatric Services (COGS) Columbia

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THERAPEUTIC DAY PROGRAMS Howard County Office of Aging and Independence provides thera-

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peutic social day programs for adults age 15 and over at three 50+ centers in the

................................Barbara Koscielski, Steve Levin • Assistant Editor ..........................Rebekah Alcalde

county. The programs designed to maintain independence, enhance memory and improve the overall health of participants. The centers and contact phone num-

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (410) 248-9101 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Submissions:

The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 31 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

bers are: Ellicott City 50+ Center, 9401 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City (410)3131425; Glenwood 50+ Center, 2400 Rte. 97, Cooksville (410)313-5442. and North Laurel 50+ Center, 9411 Whiskey Bottom Rd., Laurel (410) 313-7218,

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J U N E 2 0 1 8 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Technology &

Innovations By Anick Jesdanun Though Facebook gets the attention because of a recent privacy gaffe, the social network is far from alone in collecting massive amounts of data on you to help marketers sell you stuff. Google, for one, also does extensive tracking to power its advertising engines. And many other websites and apps run ads sold by Facebook and Google and exchange data with them. Beyond that, plenty of services, including Uber and Amazon, keep detailed histories on you.

that, or use the phone’s settings to tell advertisers not to target ads to you. Many browsers also let you install addons that block ad trackers. Notable addons include Ghostery or the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Privacy Badger. The trade-offs: You’ll still get ads, just not targeted ones. And clearing cookies makes your browser forget who you are, so you’ll have to sign back into any site that was saving your login. Tracker blockers can sometimes prevent websites from displaying or working properly.

Tracking IDs

Location services

Websites have long used unique IDs in “cookies” — data files stored in your computer browser — to know it’s you when you next return to the site. Cookies also let advertising networks run by the likes of Facebook and Google follow you as you visit multiple websites. Phones and tablets have a device ID that apps can use to track you as well. Combatting this: You can reset the cookie ID by clearing cookies periodically. Most browsers also have a private mode to limit tracking through cookies, though it’s not foolproof. Companies can still link you if you’ve signed in to the website, for instance. As for the device ID, you can reset

Many apps need to know your location in order to function properly. Mapping apps, for instance, can’t tell you when to turn without knowing where you are. Video services typically have rights only in certain countries, so they need to verify your location. But location can be used for much more. Google, for instance, keeps a fairly detailed account of your whereabouts through a feature called Timeline. Combatting this: You can turn off location services in your phone’s settings menu, though for apps to work property, it’s better to turn them off only for specific services that don’t really need them. As for

Timeline, you can pause or delete location history in Google settings. The trade-offs: Some apps won’t work without your location. Others, such as weather apps, will require you to enter your location manually. And you might miss out on recommendations such as better commuting routes via apps like Waze.

Signing in Signing into an online account gives services a sure-fire way of tracking you. Facebook won’t work at all without an account; Google merely works better with one. And you’ll generally need an account with any service that charges you, although sometimes you can sign in with your Facebook or Google ID instead. Combatting this: Resist creating an account or signing in whenever you can — such as when you’re merely browsing rather than buying. Avoid using Facebook or Google IDs whenever possible, as those companies could then track you. You can also use a different email address for each account to frustrate efforts to connect you across services, although that can be a major pain. The trade-offs: Some services require signing in, and creating accounts on each

service means more passwords to remember (though you might consider using a password manager). Whatever you do, don’t reuse the same passwords across services; that makes them easy to hack.

IP address The Internet Protocol (IP) address lists where your phone or computer lives on the Internet; it’s how you get messages and load websites. But IP addresses can also help companies remember who you are and link the various devices you use, since most homes use a single IP address for the whole network. Databases can also map IP addresses to physical locations. Combatting this: You can mask your IP address by using a secure intermediary. VPN services, common in corporate settings, will route your traffic through a separate IP address; a secure web browser called Tor automatically sends traffic through multiple third parties. You still need to avoid signing in. The trade-offs: Tor can slow down performance, particularly with high-data tasks such as video. And with VPNs, you need to trust the VPN operator, whether that’s your boss or a private service. — AP

Not-so-artificial intelligence needs people By Ryan Nakashima There’s a dirty little secret about artificial intelligence (AI): It’s powered by hundreds of thousands of real people. From makeup artists in Venezuela to women in conservative parts of India, people around the world are doing the digital equivalent of needlework — drawing boxes around cars in street photos, tagging images, and transcribing snatches of speech that computers can’t quite make out. Such data feeds directly into “machine learning” algorithms that help self-driving cars wind through traffic and let Alexa figure out that you want the lights on. Many such technologies wouldn’t work without massive quantities of this human-labeled data. These repetitive tasks pay pennies apiece. But in bulk, this work can offer a

decent wage in many parts of the world — even in the U.S. And it underpins a technology that could change humanity forever: AI that will drive us around, execute verbal commands without flaw, and — possibly — one day think on its own. For more than a decade, Google has used people to rate the accuracy of its search results. More recently, investors have poured tens of millions of dollars into startups like Mighty AI and CrowdFlower, which are developing software that makes it easier to label photos and other data, even on smartphones. Venture capitalist S. “Soma” Somasegar said he sees “billions of dollars of opportunity” in servicing the needs of machine learning algorithms. His firm, Madrona Venture Group, invested in Mighty AI. Hu-

mans will be in the loop “for a long, long, long time to come,” he said. Accurate labeling could make the difference between a self-driving car distinguishing the sky from the reflective side of a truck — a distinction Tesla’s Model S failed in the first known fatality involving self-driving systems in 2016. “We’re not building a system to play a game. We’re building a system to save lives,” said Mighty AI CEO Daryn Nakhuda.

Meet the annotators Marjorie Aguilar, a 31-year-old freelance makeup artist in Maracaibo, Venezuela, spends four to six hours a day drawing boxes around traffic objects to help train self-driving systems for Mighty AI. She earns about 50 cents an hour, but in

a crisis-wracked country with runaway inflation, just a few hours’ work can pay a month’s rent in bolivars. “It doesn’t sound like a lot of money, but for me it’s pretty decent,” she said. “You can imagine how important it is for me getting paid in U.S. dollars.” Aria Khrisna, a 36-year-old father of three in Tegal, Indonesia, said that adding word tags to clothing pictures on websites such as eBay and Amazon pays him about $100 a month, roughly half his income. And for 25-year-old Shamima Khatoon, her job annotating cars, lane markers and traffic lights at an all-female outpost of datalabeling company iMerit in Metiabruz, India, represents the only chance she has to See INTELLIGENCE, page 6

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In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s birth, the Library of Congress has made available online for the first time musical manuscripts and scrapbooks from the legendary composer’s personal and professional archives housed in the library. The public can now access for free more than 3,700 items — including photos, writings, correspondence, scripts, musical sketches, scrapbooks and audio recordings. New online content includes materials on Bernstein’s involvement in the civil rights movement, as well as West Side Story outlines, synopses and notes, including an early synopsis titled Romeo and Juliet in which the gangs pit Jews against Catholics rather than Anglos versus Hispanics. www.loc.gov/collections/leonardbernstein

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A significant number of folks over 50 have decided to join the “gig economy,” driving for Uber or Lyft, or running errands and the like. That means they’re also more likely to have the tax hassles that go along with earning freelance income — such as the complicated calculations to figure out how much you owe Uncle Sam, and the annoyance of paying quarterly estimated taxes. Now there’s an app to automate the tax process. Track.Tax is a soup-to-nuts offering. You link your bank account to the service during the app setup, and Track.Tax scans for deposits that appear to be nonsalaried employment income. It then estimates how much you’ll owe in taxes and automatically transfers the required amount to a dedicated savings account at its banking partner, Evolve Bank. Track.Tax will also submit your estimated quarterly payments for you, once you’ve approved the amounts. Cost: $10 a month after a free 30-day trial.

Leonard Bernstein centennial

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AARP members can get tax calculations and withholding for free at www.track.tax/?partner=freelancehub&utm_medium=AARP, but will need to pay $30 per quarter if they also want their taxes submitted to the IRS and their state tax authority. www.track.tax

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations

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Intelligence From page 4 work outside the home in her conservative Muslim community. “It’s a good platform to increase your skills and support your family,” she said.

An essential service for now The benefits of greater accuracy can be immediate. At InterContinental Hotels Group, every call that its digital assistant Amelia can take from a human saves $5 to $10, said information technology director Scot Whigham.

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June 25

TECH ANSWERS

Need help navigating Google Drive? Have an email-related question or curious about new apps? Drop in to the Central Library on Monday, June 25 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. with your everyday technology questions for volunteers to assist you in finding the answers. The library is located at 10375 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia. For more information, call (410) 313-7800.

June 2

DÉJÀ VU & NEARLY NEW SALE

The Howard County Historical Society will hold its annual yard sale on Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Ellicott City at the Circuit Court Parking Lot, 8360 Court Ave. Vendors are invited to set up their own tables for $20 fee. For more information or to reserve a table, call (410) 4803250 or visit www.hchsmd.org.

J U N E 2 0 1 8 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

When Amelia fails, the program listens while a call is rerouted to one of about 60 service desk workers. It learns from their response and tries the technique out on the next call, freeing up human employees to do other things. When a computer can’t make out a customer call to the Hyatt Hotels chain, an audio snippet is sent to AI-powered call center Interactions in an old brick building in Franklin, Mass. There, while the customer waits on the phone, one of a roomful of headphone-wearing “intent analysts” transcribes everything from misheard numbers to profanity and quickly directs the computer how to respond. That information feeds back into the system. “Next time through, we’ve got a better chance of being successful,” said Robert Nagle, Interactions’ chief technology officer. Researchers have tried to find workarounds to human-labeled data, often without success.

In a project that used Google Street View images of parked cars to estimate the demographic makeup of neighborhoods, then-Stanford researcher Timnit Gebru tried to train her AI by scraping Craigslist photos of cars for sale that were labeled by their owners. But the product shots didn’t look anything like the car images in Street View, and the program couldn’t recognize them. In the end, she said, she spent $35,000 to hire auto dealer experts to label her data. Trevor Darrell, a machine learning expert at the University of California Berkeley, said he expects it will be five to 10 years before computer algorithms can learn to perform without the need for human labeling. His group alone spends hundreds of thousands of dollars a year paying people to annotate images. — AP

Links & apps From page 5

Mona Lisa in Camelot First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy takes center stage in the latest episode of “The 1600 Sessions” podcast from the White House Historical Association. Margaret Leslie Davis, author of Mona Lisa in Camelot: How Jacqueline Kennedy & DaVinci’s Masterpiece Charmed and Captivated a Nation, sits down with association president Stewart McLaurin to tell the story of Kennedy’s ambitious plan in 1963 to burnish America’s international reputation and reinvigorate the country’s appreciation of the arts by bringing the Mona Lisa to the United States on an 88day tour. Davis describes the state dinner at which Kennedy convinced French Cultural Minister Andre Malraux to loan the painting, and its heavily guarded journey to the U.S. www.whitehousehistory.org/1600sessions/mona-lisa-in-camelot

Economic CheckUp The Economic CheckUp from the nonprofit National Council on Aging matches your needs against more than 2,500 public and private benefits programs from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Since 2001, more than 5 million people have used the service. Answer 23 simple questions, and you will get a personal report with tips on money management and budgeting, staying healthy, and protecting your financial information. All recommendations are designed to meet the needs of older adults. They will also include information on housing and employment. www.economiccheckup.org/esi-questions

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 8

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Health Fitness &

REMEMBER THIS To improve your memory, boost your heart health and stay socially active DRY EYES How dry eyes can sometimes be too watery, and how to alleviate symptoms ADVIL INSTEAD OF OPIOIDS A study shows that over-the-counter drugs may be better at pain relief RETIREMENT HARMONY How to get on the same page with your spouse once you finally retire

Glow-in-the-dark dyes to identify cancers By Marilynn Marchione It was an ordinary surgery to remove a tumor — until doctors turned off the lights and the patient’s chest started to glow. A spot over his heart shined purplish pink. Another shimmered in a lung. They were hidden cancers revealed by fluorescent dye, an advance that soon may transform how hundreds of thousands of operations are done each year. Surgery has long been the best way to cure cancer. If the disease recurs, it’s usually because stray tumor cells were left behind or others lurked undetected. Yet there’s no good way for surgeons to tell what is cancer and what is not. They look and feel for defects, but good and bad tissue often seem the same. Now, dyes are being tested to make cancer cells light up so doctors can cut them out and give patients a better shot at survival. With dyes, “it’s almost like we have bionic vision,” said Dr. Sunil Singhal at the University of Pennsylvania. “We can be sure we’re not taking too much or too little.” The dyes are experimental but advancing quickly. Two are in late-stage studies aimed at winning Food and Drug Administration approval. Johnson & Johnson just invested $40 million in one, and federal grants support some of the work. “We think this is so important. Patients’

lives will be improved by this,” said Paula Jacobs, an imaging expert at the National Cancer Institute. In five or so years, “there will be a palette of these,” she predicted.

Making cells glow Singhal was inspired a decade ago, while pondering a student who died when her lung cancer recurred soon after he thought he had removed it all. He was lying next to his baby, gazing at fluorescent decals above him. “I looked up and saw all these stars on the ceiling and I thought, how cool if we could make cells light up” so people wouldn’t die from unseen tumors, he said. A dye called ICG had long been used for various medical purposes. Singhal found that when big doses were given by IV a day before surgery, it collected in cancer cells and glowed when exposed to near infrared light. He dubbed it TumorGlow, and has been testing it for lung, brain and other tumor types. He used it on Ryan Ciccozzi, a 45-yearold highway worker and father of four from Deptford, New Jersey, and found hidden cancer near Ciccozzi’s heart and in a lung. “The tumor was kind of growing into everything in there,” Ciccozzi said. “Without the dye, I don’t think they would have seen anything” besides the baseball-sized

mass visible on CT scans ahead of time. Singhal also is testing a dye for On Target Laboratories, based in the Purdue research park in Indiana, that binds to a protein more common in cancer cells. A latestage study is underway for ovarian cancer and a mid-stage one for lung cancer. In one study, the dye highlighted 56 of 59 lung cancers seen on scans before surgery, plus nine more that weren’t visible ahead of time. Each year, about 80,000 Americans have surgery for suspicious lung spots. If a dye can show that cancer is confined to a small node, surgeons can remove a wedge instead of a whole lobe and preserve more breathing capacity, said On Target chief Marty Low. No price has been set, but dyes are cheap to make, and the cost should fit within rates hospitals negotiate with insurers for these operations, he said.

Promising for breast cancer Dyes may hold the most promise for breast cancer, said the American Cancer Society’s Dr. Len Lichtenfeld. Up to one third of women who have a lump removed need a second operation because margins weren’t clear — an edge of the removed tissue later was found to harbor cancer. “If we drop that down into single digits, the impact is huge,” said Kelly Londy, who

heads Lumicell, a suburban Boston company testing a dye paired with a device to scan the lump cavity for stray cancer cells. A device called MarginProbe is sold now, but it uses different technology to examine the surface of tissue that’s been taken out, so it can’t pinpoint in the breast where residual disease lurks, said Dr. Barbara Smith, a breast surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is leading a late-stage study of Lumicell’s system in 400 breast cancer patients. In an earlier study of 60 women, it revealed all of the cancers, verified by tissue tests later. But it also gave false alarms in more than a quarter of cases — “there were some areas where normal tissue lit up a little bit,” Smith said. Still, she said, “you would rather take a little extra tissue with the first surgery rather than missing something and have to go back.” Blaze Bioscience is testing Tumor Paint, patented by company co-founder Dr. Jim Olson of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle Children’s Hospital. It’s a combo product — a molecule that binds to cancer and a dye to make it glow. “You can see it down to a few dozen cells or a few hundred cells,” Olson said. “I’ve See DYES FOR CANCERS, page 8

Obesity may rob the tongue of taste buds By Lauran Neergaard Packing on pounds seems to dull people’s sense of taste, and puzzled researchers turned to mice to figure out why: Obesity, they found, can rob the tongue of taste buds. If these recent findings pan out, “this could be a whole new kind of target in treating obesity,” said Cornell University food scientist Robin Dando, whose lab led the research. “People don’t really look at the taste bud, but it’s so fundamental.” Diet, exercise and genetics are among many factors that play a role in obesity. But taste preferences influence dietary choices, and some earlier studies have suggested that obese people often taste flavors with less intensity than lean people. The theory, still unproven, is that people might make up for weakened taste by turn-

ing to higher-calorie foods or generally eating more.

Missing taste buds Dando’s team took a closer look at taste buds, those clusters of cells on the tongue that help perceive the five tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. They turned to lab mice, feeding them a high-fat diet that caused rapid weight gain, and then counting the taste buds in a spot on the tongue that’s normally packed with them. The obese mice wound up with 25 percent fewer taste buds than lean mice that were fed a normal diet, the researchers reported in the journal PLOS Biology. Taste buds constantly regenerate as the 50 to 100 cells inside them mature, die off and are replaced by new ones. Taste bud cells

have an average lifespan of about 10 days, and turnover of the entire taste bud takes about four weeks, explained Dando, who directs the Cornell Sensory Evaluation Facility. Both sides of that cycle were affected in the obese mice, as regular cell death sped up and resupply dropped. Could fatty food be responsible? No, the researchers found that mice genetically resistant to obesity chowed down yet didn’t lose taste buds.

Inflammation may be culprit The remaining suspect: the chronic inflammation that obesity triggers throughout the body. Dando’s team examined a common inflammatory molecule called TNF-alpha. Mice bred to be genetically incapable of making that molecule got fat but also didn’t lose taste buds. But inject-

ing that molecule directly into the tongues of lean mice resulted in faster die-off of taste bud cells, the researchers reported. The study “does underscore the relationship between taste sensitivity and weight,” said Dr. John Morton, a Stanford University bariatric surgeon who wasn’t involved in the new work. “It’s another reason why it’s hard to lose weight.” Several years ago, Morton gave his own patients taste tests before and after stomach-shrinking surgery, and found taste perception improved as the pounds dropped. Whatever the role of taste buds, Morton advises patients to eat mindfully — appreciating the sight and smell, and slowing down to chew 30 times before they swallow. “You get satisfaction from food in ways other than volume,” he said. — AP

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Ways to improve your memory and focus By Mary Kane When retired professor Darlene Howard taught in the psychology department of Georgetown University, she often had to remember the names of as many as 50 students a semester. So she used a memory trick: She created an association with each student’s name or face. A student with the last name of Brady might make her think of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. The next time she saw the student, she would tap that image to remember his name. If you struggle to recall a word that’s on the tip of your tongue, or have trouble putting names to faces, you may think memory decline is a normal part of aging that you have to accept. But you can strengthen certain memory skills, and improve your overall brain health and cognitive function. “There are a lot of ways you can facilitate the health of your brain,” said Howard, now age 70. “What we need to do is not get worried so much about the fact we’re not remembering something, and in-

stead think of ways we can remember it.” Start with techniques to help you improve specific skills. When meeting someone for the first time, repeat the name when introduced, to make sure you’ve got it, Howard said. Then create an association to help you remember — and practice it. “Even something ridiculous is good, and it will work,” Howard said. Take notes on your phone after the introduction to refer to later. If you can’t recall a word, that’s generally because it’s a word you don’t use that often, said Lise Abrams, a University of Florida psychology professor who has studied word-finding problems for 20 years. But consciously using other words that start with the same syllable as the word you forgot may be helpful in the future. For example, if you intended to use the word “denote” but couldn’t remember it, try frequently using words such as “decide” or “debate,” and it may help you recall the missing word the next time around.

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Boost heart health Brain training games are widely advertised, but the benefits are limited. Memory games may improve your memory slightly, and language games may boost your language ability a bit, but there’s no proof yet of any major changes beyond that, said D.P. Devanand, director of geriatric psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. “There simply isn’t enough evidence to recommend this strategy as a means to reverse memory impairment and decline,” he said. But research does prove that taking care of your overall brain health helps improve your brain function and memory. A healthy brain actually begins with your heart, Devanand said. Older people sometimes suffer small strokes without realizing it, so stopping smoking, lowering your cholesterol, and getting hypertension treated can reduce that risk. “What’s good for the heart is good for the brain,” he said. Add in exercise. But an occasional stroll isn’t enough. You need to combine aerobic and resistance exercises, such as using weights, Devanand said. Or walk for 45 minutes at least three

Dyes for cancers From page 7 seen neurosurgeons come out of the operating room with a big smile on their face because they can see the cancer very clearly.” Early-stage studies have been done for skin, brain and breast cancers in adults, and brain tumors in children. Avelas Biosciences of San Diego has a similar approach — a dye attached to a

days a week, and push yourself to go faster. If that’s too much, “any exercise or activity is better than none,” Howard said.

Be social or volunteer Being social helps, because social interaction stimulates the brain. Ask a friend to join you on a walk or at the gym. Or consider volunteering for a cause you care about. A 2009 Johns Hopkins University study showed that seniors who tutored in Baltimore schools had improved brain performance. Keep your brain active by taking classes to learn new skills, or teach yourself to use new technology. Or consider meditating, which can help you focus — a skill that declines with age. And don’t panic: You may forget words more often as you age, but it’s not a sign your memory is gone. Seek a medical evaluation, including a cognitive performance test, to rule out any major issues. Then practice memory techniques and healthy habits. That name is likely to come back to you eventually. © 2018, Kiplinger. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

molecule to carry it into tumor cells. The company is finishing early studies in breast cancer, and plans more for colon, head and neck, ovarian and other types. Cancer drugs have had a lot of attention, while ways to improve surgery have had far less, said company president Carmine Stengone. “This was just an overlooked area, despite the high medical need.” — AP

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 8

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Experts answer your health questions • Eye surgery. Lasik, the laser procedure performed on the cornea to improve vision, can affect the eye’s ability to produce tears for as long as six months after surgery. For people who make enough tears but have dry eye symptoms, warm compresses and gentle eye massage can stimulate the oil glands on the lid margins. If you aren’t making enough tears, the first approach is usually to replace the tears. There are several eyedrops labeled “artificial tears” that closely resemble the composition of normal tears. For more severe cases, your eye doctor may recommend prescription drops, such as those containing cyclosporine (Restasis) or lifitegrast (Xiidra). There’s even an in-office procedure to block tear drainage by inserting plugs into the tear drainage ducts. — Dr. Howard LeWine, an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Q: Why are nuts now considered an important part of a healthy diet? A: Indeed the consensus has changed about nuts. For a long time, the high fat content of nuts gave them a reputation of a food to be avoided. Not anymore. Multiple studies have shown that certain fats common in nuts — mono- and polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids — actually reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The FDA now allows nut producers to claim that a diet that includes one ounce of nuts daily can reduce your risk of heart disease. Nuts have the potential to: • Improve cholesterol profiles. The unsaturated fat in nuts helps to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good)

cholesterol. • Prevent arrhythmias. One type of unsaturated fat — omega-3 fatty acids — appears to prevent the development of erratic heart rhythms. • Reduce blood clotting. There is some evidence that omega-3s may work much the same way as aspirin does to keep blood from clotting. • Relax blood vessels. Nuts are rich in arginine, an amino acid needed to make a molecule called nitric oxide that relaxes constricted blood vessels and eases blood flow. • Raise levels of glucagon-like peptide 1. This hormone helps to control glucose levels and to lower insulin levels in people with prediabetes. • Contribute to satiety. Nuts are rich in fat, fiber and protein, all of which are more likely than foods high in carbohydrates to make you feel full. Perhaps that’s why people who eat nuts regularly are less likely to be obese. Like other healthy foods, nuts can be stripped of many of their nutrients during processing, so raw nuts are your best choice. Also, blanched peanuts and almonds can lose beneficial antioxidants and phytochemicals when their skins are removed. The general recommendation is to aim for 1.5 ounces of nuts or seeds per day.

They make great snacks. You can spread them (buy all-natural nut or seed butters or grind the nuts yourself), or scatter seeds and chopped nuts to add flavor and texture to salads, sandwiches, yogurts and breakfast cereals. — Dr. Howard LeWine Q: Why do I sometimes get congested in one nostril? A: Many people don’t realize that every four to six hours, one side of the nose becomes more congested, and the other side decongests. They switch back and forth in a normal cycle. If one side is more obstructed to begin with, from a deviated septum or swelling of the soft tissue structures, it will be more noticeable when that side decongests. Here are other reasons for congestion in one nostril: • Side sleeping. People also experience stuffiness in the nostril that faces down when they sleep on their side. • Deviated septum. If you have blockage that is continuous, it could be a result of a deviated septum. • Inflammation and nasal polyps. There are people who have chronic inflammation and nasal polyps. In rare cases, this can be due to a tumor, but these are uncommon. See DOCTORS Q & A, page 10

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Q: I was recently diagnosed with dry eyes. But my eyes seem to be watery all the time. How do you explain this? A: Usually, people with dry eyes have too few tears. But as strange as it may sound, dry eyes can also be watery. Tears are a mixture of oil, mucous and water. Dry eyes will water if there is not enough oil or mucous in the mixture. As we age, our tear production slows. If your lacrimal glands don’t make as many tears, you’ll have a problem with the quantity of tears. If some of the other glands slow, such as those that produce oil, you’ll have a problem with the quality of tears, since you need all three tear components for the tear film. You need the right amount and mixture of tears to avoid eye problems. A healthy film of tears cleans and protects your cornea and helps preserve your vision. In addition to aging, the natural loss of tears can be made worse by a number of things, including: • Environment. Low humidity can dry out your eyes as well as your skin. Air pollutants and allergens can cause inflammation, which decreases tear production. These may also cause your eyes to produce “reflex tears” that are too watery to lubricate the cornea properly. • Reduced blinking. Blinking stimulates tear production and spreads the tear film evenly over the cornea. But we tend to blink less as we get older. Moreover, driving, reading, working at a computer, or any other activity that causes you to blink less often can lead to dry eyes. • Medications. Dry eyes can be a side effect of a wide range of drugs, including antihistamines, anti-anxiety agents, antidepressants and diuretics.

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J U N E 2 0 1 8 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

OTC drugs better than opioids at pain relief By Lindsey Tanner A yearlong study offers rigorous new evidence against using prescription opioids for chronic pain. In patients with stubborn back aches or arthritis of the hip or knee, opioids worked no better than over-the-counter drugs or other non-opioids at reducing problems with walking or sleeping. And they provided slightly less pain relief. Opioids tested included generic Vicodin, oxycodone or fentanyl patches, although few patients needed the most potent opioids. Non-opioids included generic Tylenol, ibuprofen and prescription pills for nerve or muscle pain. The study randomly assigned patients to take opioids or other painkillers. That’s the gold standard design for research. If opioids don’t work better than less risky drugs, there’s no reason to use them, given “their really nasty side effects — death and addiction,” said lead author Dr. Erin Krebs, a physician and researcher with the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs

Health Care System.

Surprising findings The results likely will surprise many people “because opioids have this reputation as being really powerful painkillers, and that is not what we found,” Krebs said. The results echo less rigorous studies and bolster guidelines against routine use of opioids for chronic pain. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. About 42,000 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2016 involved opioids, including prescription painkillers, heroin and fentanyl. Many people get hooked while taking opioids prescribed for injuries or other short-term pain, and move on to cheaper, more accessible illicit drugs like heroin. Krebs said the strongest evidence from other studies shows that physical therapy, exercise or rehabilitation therapy works best for chronic pain. And she said noted that there are a variety of non-opioid drugs to try if one type doesn’t work for someone.

U.S. government guidelines in 2016 said opioids are not the preferred treatment for chronic pain, and they recommend nondrug treatment or non-opioid painkillers instead. Opioids should only be used if other methods don’t work for chronic pain, the guidelines say. Prescribing rates have declined slightly in recent years, although they are still much higher than two decades ago.

Veterans studied The study involved 234 patients from Minneapolis-area VA clinics who were assigned to use generic versions of opioids or non-opioids for a year. Follow-up ended in 2016. “This is a very important study,” said Dr. David Reuben, geriatrics chief at UCLA’s medical school. “It will likely change the approach to managing long-term back, hip and knee pain.” He noted one limitation — most study participants were men. But Krebs said the results in women studied were similar. The study’s opioid patients started on

relatively low daily doses of morphine, oxycodone or generic Vicodin. They switched to higher doses if needed, or to long-acting opioids or fentanyl patches. The non-opioid group started on acetaminophen, ibuprofen or similar anti-inflammatory drugs. They also could switch to higher doses or prescription non-opioid pain pills. Few in either group used the strongest medicines. Patients reported changes in function or pain on questionnaires. Function scores improved in each group by about two points on an 11-point scale, where higher scores meant worse function. Both groups started out with average pain and function scores of about 5.5 points. Pain intensity dropped about two points in the non-opioid group and slightly less in the opioid patients. Other research has also shown that over-the-counter medicines can work as well as opioids at treating short-term pain, including from broken bones, kidney stones or dental work. — AP

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May 31

CORE NUTRITION PRINCIPLES

Does it seem like nutritional advice changes from year to year? Are you a little confused but want to eat healthily? Nutrition specialist Courtney Carpenter provides an historical overview of nutrition, and offers practical advice on our current understanding of calories, antioxidants, inflammation, carbohydrate quality, and nutrient density. The program takes place on Thursday, May 31 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Central Library, 10375 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia. Registration is preferred by calling (410) 313-7800.

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Doctors Q & A From page 9 Chronic and persistent obstruction on one side should be evaluated by a doctor and probably an ENT (otolaryngologist). • Foreign objects in the nose. In small children, blockage in one nostril might be due to a foreign body that they put in their nose. If you see thick drainage or pus com-

ing out, it’s time to call your doctor. — Dr. Michael Benninger, chairman of the Head and Neck Institute at the Cleveland Clinic and professor of surgery at the College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. © 2018 President and Fellows of Harvard College and www.awellnessupdate.com. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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June 18

DEMENTIA-RELATED BEHAVIOR

Learn strategies to intervene with some of the most common behavior-related challenges of Alzheimer’s disease at a program at the Ellicott City 50+ Center. The event takes place on Monday, June 18 at 6 p.m. To register, contact Kathy Wehr at (410) 313-5955 or kwehr@howardcountymd.gov.

June 22+

FREE CANCER SELF-MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP

Starting Friday, June 22 Howard County General Hospital will present information and practical tools to help individuals manage symptoms, challenges and daily tasks in six weekly sessions ending July 27. The meetings are free and open to both those who are affected by cancer and caregivers. They will be held on Fridays, June 22 through July 27 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the hospital’s Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Dr., Columbia. To learn more about the workshop and to register, call (410) 740-7601 or visit www.hcgh.org.

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From page 1 decisive factor in seniors’ ability to recover from illness and to maintain a higher level of well-being. But people of any age can benefit, cuddlists say. Here is how cuddling is seen by Dr. Daniel Yadegar, an internist, cardiologist and longevity specialist, who teaches at Cornell Medical College, practices at New York Presbyterian Medical Center, and heads the Scientific Advisory Board for Cuddlist.com: “There is something transcendent about cuddling; it has the power to take energy from the outer world — human touch and intimacy — and influence our inner world, down to the molecular level. “Cuddling can improve immunity, enhance mood, and serve as an energetic elixir for all patients, especially those with chronic medical conditions.” There are also psychological benefits, for both the cuddler and the cuddlee. When she was practicing massage therapy, Hopson noted that “some people wanted... to touch back, to hug.” It was not in a sexual way, she said, but as a means to connect on some deeper level. However, offering mutual touch during a massage session is illegal in Maryland. “It was frustrating not to be able to serve my clients to their best interests within the bounds of my profession,” Hopson said.

“Touching is so very important. It’s been found that infants who are not touched will not thrive. Adults who do not have touching in their lives will also undergo a failure to thrive,” she added. Hopson also noted that the professional cuddler benefits at least as much as the client from cuddling. Indeed, she said she sees cuddling as “a radical act of self-love that is shared with another or other individuals. “When we make the conscious choice to nurture our bodies and feed our hearts through intentional touch…we show the world that we know we are worthy.”

Career changes A graduate of the University of Delaware, Hopson started out studying engineering, but found engineering was not the right profession for her. She discovered that the credits she had earned could go toward a degree in teaching mathematics and physics, and pursued that. Meanwhile, “I was giving massages to friends and other students at the university to help them relax,” she said. “I saw that I had a real aptitude for it. I thought it was cool, that I could help create a deep relaxation within people.” So after college, she went on to the Baltimore School of Massage, and practiced massage therapy for over two decades. She sees her move into cuddling as a way to help others solve their problems as they come to understand their needs bet-

ter through holding and being held. The need appears to be growing. The percentage of U.S. adults who live without a spouse or partner has risen from 39 percent to 42 percent in the past 10 years, according to a Pew Research Center study. One could even say cuddlists are engaging in talk therapy. “We are verbally touching also,” noted Hopson, referring to the meaningful conversations she has with her clients about their feelings and needs.

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER MYERS

Cuddling

J U N E 2 0 1 8 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Keeping it safe Her clients include both men and women. She said that there are strict rules on what should or should not happen in a session. Before any touchy-feely begins, the client must speak by phone to her and agree that the session will not turn sexual; and that either can end the session at any time. When the cuddler and the cuddled get together, permission is asked for and granted, or denied, on each move, Hopson said. “You make an offer: ‘May I put my head on your shoulder?’ ‘Would you like me to massage your back?’” Sometimes, though, some sort of arousal may begin to take place, Hopson acknowledged. “When that happens, I tell the client to take a couple of deep breaths, and we do something else, find other ways to cuddle.” Hopson spoke of the need in Howard County for cuddle parties. “I would love to teach people how to negotiate cuddling with one another.”

Tim Illig embraces professional cuddler Annie Hopson.

Not that the profession is a free for all. Clients pay cash for cuddles. Hopson’s rate for a one-hour cuddle session is $100, plus a $20 extra fee if she has to travel to the client’s home or a cuddling area outside her studio. She said she has a “sliding rate” for the less affluent. “I welcome people of all ages, genders, identities, orientations, abilities and cultural backgrounds,” Hopson said. She can be contacted through www.cuddlist.com/anniehopson.

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June 25+

“TURF & SURF” CLASS FOR ALL LEVELS OF FITNESS

Stretch out with light weights and squats, then move into the pool in a twice weekly aquatics class at Howard Community College Athletic Center beginning Monday, June 25 through Wednesday, July 11. The Athletic Center is located on the main campus, 10901 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. To learn more or to register, call (443) 518-7100 or visit www.howardcc.edu.

June 10

RIVER HILL HOSTS ANNUAL FLEA MARKET

The villagers of River Hill will hold their annual flea market on Saturday, June 10, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Village Center parking lot, 6020 Daybreak Cir., Clarksville. For more information including vendor space fees, call (410) 531-1749 or email events@villageofriverhill.org.

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Turn ‘my’ retirement into ‘our’ retirement Dear Solutions: but she’s still expected to continue doing Since I retired, my wife keeps making what she always did while you were workappointments for us to go ing. Changing “my retireplaces and do things conment” to “our retirement” may stantly. I told her that I be just the sleeping pill you worked very hard, and now I need. just want to stay home and Dear Solutions: listen to my music, read, It’s hard enough to know relax and do nothing. what to say besides, “Oh, So now, she doesn’t say how adorable” when people anything during the day but trot out pictures of their just goes out all day. The newborn grandchildren. problem is that as soon as But now there’s an added SOLUTIONS we get into bed at night she problem. What can you say By Helen Oxenberg, starts complaining, nagging when the potential grandMSW, ACSW and comparing with others. parent excitedly shows you I said I would move into pictures of the unborn another room, and that just started fetus? another argument. No matter what I My neighbor came to me with these say, she doesn’t stop until I fall asleep. pictures pointing out, “Oh, don’t you What should I do? see it? There’s his nose, and those are — Bill the eyes.” I hope that was a nose and Dear Bill: eyes, but all I saw was a blob. Don’t get into bed until you’re asleep What are you supposed to say? Or (kidding). It does sound like the only way maybe I should ask, what are you not you two can share the same bed at the supposed to say? same time is if you’re both asleep! Moving — L T. into another room will just move the con- Dear L.T.: flict to another time. “Blob” is out! Nods while exclaiming You looked forward to your retirement “oh, wow” is in. But don’t say, “I can see he so you could finally do nothing. She looked looks just like you.” forward to your retirement so she could fiAlong with “oh, wow,” say, “Isn’t technally do something — with you. nology fabulous?!” The only thing you’re sharing now is a It is. But let’s face it. Noses and things in a nightmare, and only compromise and un- sonogram are in the eye of the beholder — derstanding can change that into a pleas- and the beholder should behold them priant dream. vately in the bosom of their nuclear family. If you give up, you’ll gain. If she gains, If you thought nothing could be worse she’ll give up. Give up a little of your time than “come see our vacation pictures,” you alone, share some of her plans, and you’ll now know that that invitation can be at least gain a night’s sleep and probably topped by “come see our sonogram picmuch more. When she gains some of that tures!” time you’ll share with her, she’ll give up Dear Solutions: the complaining and nagging. I don’t know how to accept or deal Recognize that she’s feeling completely with a certain kind of hypocrisy, which left out from your grand retirement plan. makes me angry and nasty to the perYou’ve changed your activities drastically, son I have to deal with.

Tell them you saw it in the Beacon!

There is this man in a group I run. He is constantly voicing his religious beliefs and criticisms of others. But almost at the same time, he boasts about getting away with little robberies, and supporting politicians who keep doing the things he claims his religion is morally against. I don’t want to start fights with him, but how can I calm down and accept this religious hypocrisy? — A.

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Dear A.: How to accept this? Well, try thinking what he would be like if he didn’t claim any religion! Ignore him. Only a fool bothers fighting with a fool. Of course, if nothing else works — pray! © Helen Oxenberg, 2018. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

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H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 8

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A Publication from the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence

Volume 8, No. 6 • June 2018

Ombudsmen Advocate for Vulnerable Older Adults

n Howard County and across the U.S., long-term care ombudsmen are advocates for residents of nursing homes, assisted living and long-term care facilities. Ombudsmen at the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence (OAI) provide information about how to find a facility to meet the needs of a loved one, and what to do to get quality care; they are also trained to resolve problems and investigate complaints about poor or unfair treatment of a vulnerable adult. Each year on June 15, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day sheds light on the sobering fact that one in 10 Americans over the age of 60 has experienced some form of neglect or abuse – financial, physical, or emotional. Abuse may come from strangers in the form of identity theft or fraudulent schemes; or be the result of neglect from professional caregivers, staff or other residents at long-term-care facilities, or from family members who may be overwhelmed and frustrated from their caregiving role or simply not well enough trained to properly care for their loved one. Elder abuse affects hundreds of thousands of people each year, yet just one in fourteen cases is brought to the attention of authorities; individuals suffering from cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s Disease are particularly vulnerable. Elder victims tend to be the most isolated of all victims of family violence; they are likely to have fewer social connections to the community that

would normally be an avenue of help. That’s one reason the Office on Aging and Independence and its community partners created the Elder Abuse Awareness Guide. The free guide helps individuals, first responders and other professionals throughout the community to recognize the signs, symptoms and types of elder abuse, as well as develop strategies to reduce the incidence of abuse and spread awareness. The Howard County Police Department also works closely with the Ombudsmen to educate and encourage residents to take a stand against elder abuse, stressing the importance of speaking up and reporting suspected abuse to protect vulnerable older adults throughout Howard County. To learn more about what you can do, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/eldersafety. If you need the assistance of our Howard County Ombudsmen, call 410-313-6423. To report a case of suspected abuse, call 9-1-1.

LGBT Pride Month: Making the Invisible Visible

une is LGBT Pride Month! More than three million Americans age 55 and older identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). Of these, about one in three lives alone; 40 percent note that their support networks have become smaller over time (many LGBT older adults are estranged from their families of origin). In fact, 25 percent will eventually become informal caregivers for other LGBT individuals as they age. LGBT Pride month is celebrated each year in June to shed light on this often-invisible population, and advocate for greater support and resources. The LGBT Older Adults Task Force of Howard County seeks to improve quality of life for the county’s LGBT older adults by decreasing discrimination and social isolation while increasing access to information and resources to promote greater equality. Formed in 2014 in coordination with PFLAG Howard County, the group meets monthly at the Bain 50+ Center in Columbia. According to current Task Force co-chair Jessica Rowe, their ultimate goal is to “make the invisible visible.” “We provide education, information and outreach, share resources, and sponsor community events,” says Rowe. Over the past four

years the task force has participated in Howard County’s 50+EXPO to reach older LGBT adults, their families and friends; sponsored screenings and discussions of films relevant to LGBT aging issues; held holiday meet and greets for LGBT adults and their friends and families; and worked with assisted living communities in the county to help them provide inclusive, safe and welcoming services to LGBT residents and their families. Additionally, the LGBT 50+ Group, also held monthly at the Bain 50+ Center, provides an opportunity for LGBT adults 50 years and older to meet for support, education and conversation in a safe, welcoming and confidential setting. The LGBT Older Adults Task Force maintains a FaceBook page with information about issues related to the local LGBT older adult community (www.Facebook.com/lgbtolderadultsofhoco) as well as group meetings and special events (LGBTQI and Friends 50+ of Howard County). The LGBT 50+ Group is for LGBT adults only; other events and meetings are open to all. Call the Bain 50+ Center at 410-313-7213 (voice/relay) for details about the LGBT 50+ Group, and email lgbthoco@gmail.com for more information about the task force.

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The 50+ Connection

J U N E 2 0 1 8 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Extended Warranties — Smart Coverage or Unneccessary Expense? By Rebecca Bowman, Administrator, Howard County Office of Consumer Protection

Extended warranties are sold as extra protection for a product if something goes wrong. However, you may be better off saving the money instead of buying that “extended” warranty! Consider These Factors Before Purchasing an Extended Warranty • COST — The cost of many warranties is often about the same as the cost of repair. For example, the average three-year extended warranty for a dishwasher is $157.97. The average cost of a dishwasher repair is $159. In addition, many extended warranties charge a “deductible” each time you make a claim. • DURATION — Many extended warranties go into effect at the same time as the manufacturer’s warranty, not after its expiration. This means you are paying for duplicate coverage during the manufacturer’s warranty period. • EXCLUSIONS — Extended warranties often have long lists of fine print exclusions. For example, some warranties don’t cover repairs to specific parts, while others deny coverage if you don’t perform routine maintenance. • REPAIR HASSLES — Some extended warranties require you to ship your broken product to them for repairs (at your own expense), or only use repair shops that they choose. Even if the warranty company allows you to choose a repair shop, that shop will probably have to get approval before performing the repair. Some repair shops refuse to make repairs if they must be pre-approved.

Options to Research Before Paying for an Extended Warranty • CHECK YOUR CREDIT CARD — some credit cards extend the manufacturer’s warranty on products purchased with that card by a year or more. • EXERCISE IMPLIED WARRANTIES — Under Maryland’s “implied warranty of merchantability,” products must be fit for their ordinary purpose. A “warranty of fitness for a particular purpose” is implied if a seller tells you that a product will perform in a specific way. If a product doesn’t work, take it back to the retailer even if there’s a notice that says you can’t. • CREATE A PERSONAL RSA (REPAIR SAVINGS ACCOUNT) — Deposit the cost of an extended warranty into a “repair or replace savings account” and only use the funds when the product(s) need repair.

For more information on this and other consumer topics or to obtain this factsheet in an alternative format, call the Office of Consumer Protection at 410-313-6420 (voice/relay), email consumer@howardcountymd.gov, or visit www.howardcountymd.gov/consumer.

Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HoCoCommunity Stay connected to the Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services. Like us today!

P4C Pet Evaluations If you are interested in volunteering, or wish to receive a FREE evaluation for your pet, contact:

Ingrid Gleysteen, PROGRAM COORDINATOR igleysteen@howardcountymd.gov 410-313-7461 (voice/relay)

June 7 • 7:00 TO 9:00 PM Bain 50+ Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia 21044

Positive Thinking – A Path to Happiness Monday, June 4 • 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Elkridge 50+ Center 6540 Washington Blvd., Elkridge 21075 Join SeniorsTogether facilitator Mary Pat Donelan, as she presents ideas on how to change our attitudes and actions to reap the benefits of positive thinking on our health. A followup group will meet to discuss additional ways to make positive thinking a daily practice and help support one another. FREE

To register, contact Karen Hull at 410-313-7466 (voice/relay) or khull@howardcountymd.gov

www.howardcountymd.gov/sentog

The 50+ Connection

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon

SHIP Team Receives Governor’s Service Award The Howard County Office on Aging and Independence's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) staff and volunteers received an outstanding customer service award from Governor Larry Hogan for their outreach efforts to help answer questions about Medicare-related insurance issues and explain options for health insurance. The Governor's Citation was presented "as an expression of our great respect and appreciation for the commitment and service you have provided to our citizens." Congratulations! If you need help with a Medicare issue, contact SHIP at 410-313-7392 (voice/relay). REUSE

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Resources for Aging in Place at the Loan Closet By appointment Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday • 9:00 AM TO 4:00 PM Monday and Friday appointments are limited and as available. The office is CLOSED every weekday between noon and 1:00 p.m. Please call ahead to CHECK EQUIPMENT AVAILABILITY and SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT with a specialist.

NOTE: ALL EQUIPMENT REQUIRES A REFERRAL from an Allied Health Care Professional (PT, OT or MD). See additional requirement details at right.

The Loan Closet is a local clearinghouse of donated medical equipment — for those who cannot afford these items or simply have a short-term need, as well as those who may no longer need their equipment. The Loan Closet provides and accepts: • Bathing Aids • Canes • Ramps • Shower Aids • Therapy Aids • Toilet Aids • Walkers • Wheelchairs • and much more!

Additional Program Requirements • No appointment necessary for equipment donations and returns, which are accepted Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon; and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. • Client or caregiver must be a Howard County resident and be able to independently load/unload equipment in/out of their vehicle. • Manual/transport wheelchairs are available for 30 days, but may be extended upon request. • Delivery of equipment or pick up of donations is available on a limited basis by volunteers. • Equipment referral forms are available online at www.howardcountymd.gov/loancloset. Completed forms may be scanned and submitted via email to loancloset@howardcountymd.gov or faxed to 410-313-0369.

Long Reach Village Center, 8775 Cloudleap Court, Suite #11 Columbia, MD 21045 • loancloset@howardcountymd.gov The 50+ Connection is published monthly by the Howard County Office on Aging and Independence. This publication is available in alternate formats upon request. To join our subscriber list, email kahenry@howardcountymd.gov 6751 Columbia Gateway Dr., Suite 200, Columbia, MD 21046 410-313-6410 (VOICE/RELAY) • www.howardcountymd.gov/aging Find us on

www.Facebook.com/HoCoCommunity

Kim Higdon Henry, Editor • Email: kahenry@howardcountymd.gov Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the Office on Aging and Independence or by the publisher.

410-313-0363 (VOICE/RELAY) • 410-313-0369 (FAX) www.howardcountymd.gov/loancloset The Loan Closet is a Howard County Office on Aging and Independence program in collaboration with Rebuilding Together of Howard County; Rotary Club of Columbia; and the Way Station. Financial contributions are appreciated; all monetary donations are to be made payable to the Director of Finance, Howard County.

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The 50+ Connection

J U N E 2 0 1 8 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Howard County 50+ Centers

SPOTLIGHT ON THE

NORTH LAUREL 50+CENTER www.howardcountymd.gov/50pluscenters for all 50+ Center events

From Small Beginnings to a Bright Future By Trisha Olsen, Director, North Laurel 50+ Center

t took 20 years to cobble together the many small pieces of land that has become the site of the North Laurel Community Center (NLCC). Today, the building is home to the North Laurel 50+ Center, a Connections Social Day Program and Kindred Spirits (see below); the facility also houses Recreation and Parks programs, a County police sub-station and a branch of the Health Department. The Office on Aging and Independence programs offered at North Laurel started out small as well. In June 2011, what was once known as the Savage Senior Center — a one-room operation at the former Savage Library — was relocated to the new 55,000 square foot community center building to become the North Laurel 50+ Center, along with the former Owen Brown Senior Center Plus (now the Connections Program). NLCC’s bright expansive spaces include a full-sized gym, fitness room, computer lab, dance and art studios, indoor walking track, and more. During the week, our 50+ center members can be found using treadmills, learning new technology apps, taking salsa lessons or learning how to glaze a ceramic bowl. Volunteer and mentoring opportunities abound at the North Laurel 50+ Center. The original vision started with three high school students placed for career exploration and one older adult who assisted with the lunch program. Today, there are a multitude of options for volunteers of any age to be engaged, thanks in part to our expanded community partnerships. To date, over 75 volunteers have shared their time, skills and knowledge at North Laurel. North Laurel offers older adults ways to better manage their health by offering classes in nutrition, meditation, yoga, body toning and balance. Members also engage in the arts with workshops, monthly concerts, social dances and live performances. Our partnerships extend into the schools, as well; members and students share oral histories, musical and dance performances and craft projects.

SOCIAL CLUB A Program for People Diagnosed with Early Stage Memory Loss

Situated on 40 acres of parkland with an abundance of natural light, NLCC provides a canvas of unlimited possibilities for arts programming. One of our newer yet popular initiatives is the Mosaic Project, a collaborative effort with the American Visionary Arts Museum (AVAM). Older adults have joined AVAM artists to create two permanent mosaic installations in the center: Roots and Branches (2016) and Constellation (2017), pictured above. The 2018 project — The Exquisite Us — is a visual exploration of the way personality, intentional design, and chance processes unite seemingly disparate parts; the unveiling and reception will be held at NLCC on Friday, June 8 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Looking to the future, Howard County plans to add an Aquatics Center to NLCC in 2020, including an eight-lane lap pool and a zero-entry pool. Access to the swim center will be included in the GO50+ Fitness Pass to provide recreational swim opportunities for older adults, their grandchildren and the community. Stop by and enjoy all the North Laurel 50+ Center has to offer! For more information, visit us at 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road in Laurel, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/50pluscenters or call 410-313-0380.

For adults 18 and over, this specialized program is specifically designed to maintain independence, enhance memory and improve the overall health of participants.

Providing socialization, companionship, support, education, and a sense of purpose in a safe and nurturing environment.

Connections Social Day Program at North Laurel

Kindred Spirits at North Laurel

Monday through Friday • 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Tuesdays and Thursdays • 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

North Laurel 50+ Center 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel 20723 Nancy Riley, Director • 410-313-7218 (VOICE/RELAY) EMAIL nriley@howardcountymd.gov

A daily fee covers all program costs, trips, snacks and lunch; a sliding fee scale is available to Howard County residents.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Money

Law &

The book Social Security: The Inside Guide shows recipients how to make the most of their benefits. See story on page 20.

Bitcoin and blockchain. Why all the hype? By Bradford M. Pine I can’t tell you the number of phone calls I’ve fielded about bitcoin in recent months. The shocking rise of cryptocurrencies last year triggered a wave of media attention on this new form of money as an investment. Even my kids have asked me about it, and are investing themselves. For early adopters of cryptocurrency, 2017 was a good year. Bitcoin started that year at about $1,000 per coin and hit nearly $20,000 per coin by mid-December. It then lost 30 percent within a few days, fell to a low of about $6,500 in February 2018, and trades at around $9,000 as of press time. High price volatility has characterized other cryptocurrencies in recent months as well, including Ethereum, Litecoin and Ripple.

The market is changing so rapidly that this article is in danger of becoming outdated by the time you read this! So if you’re considering bitcoin or another cryptocurrency as a possible investment, I suggest you tread carefully. In this article, I’ll answer some common questions that I’m hearing about bitcoin, and I’ll offer a few insights into my perspective about cryptocurrency as both an innovation and an investment.

What is bitcoin? In my opinion, many of the people who are buying into the bitcoin rush know very little about it, or about blockchain and cryptocurrencies in general. That means they haven’t thought through some of the risks and realities of this kind of investment.

Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, which means that it’s a digital version of cash that relies on cryptography to protect and verify transactions — and to control the creation of more bitcoin. This system is built in something called blockchain, which is basically a new way of creating and maintaining a ledger of transactions. (I won’t get into the creation, or “mining,” of bitcoin here, but it’s part of the system.) Every time bitcoin is created or traded, it’s recorded on the blockchain, which is verified and shared across a network of participants instead of by a single institution, like a bank. Blockchain is special because it’s transparent, while remaining difficult to modify. It also runs forever, meaning there’s a record of every single transaction ever made.

For a simple comparison, think of an online message board: Everyone’s messages are automatically added and recorded where every other reader can see them. All the messages from the very beginning of the thread are logged and displayed for all to see. However, in a message board you can usually delete or edit your message later on — you can’t do that with blockchain.

What’s it worth? A November 2017 CNBC headline asserted, “It’s Official: Bitcoin is Bigger Than Disney.” In other words, the total dollar value of all the bitcoin out there was greater (at that time) than the value of a large and recognizable company with assets that you can put a dollar value on. See BITCOIN, page 21

Family financial facts wives need to know By Lisa Brown As a financial adviser for nearly 20 years, I’ve met and consoled several women who were devastated by the loss of their husband or the end of their marriage. While the emotional impact of no longer having their lifelong mate is hard enough, their mental anguish is often exaggerated by fear of the financial unknown. My heart goes out to these women. I’ve found that the women who struggle the most initially haven’t been involved in their family finances, and therefore don’t know how much they have available to live on for the rest of their lives. Even if they know the amount — which sometimes is in the millions of dollars — they may lack the confidence to know whether it’s enough. While both men and women need to have their eyes wide open when it comes to their money, it’s likely the woman will eventually be living on her own. According to a recent Gender Gap in Financial Literacy study, “the reality is that 90 percent of women will be solely responsible for their finances at some point in their lives due to the death of a spouse or divorce.” Women need to have a basic understanding of how much they have and how it is allocated — property, stocks, bonds and other assets. While a 2014 study by

Prudential found that 27 percent of married women say they “take control” of financial and retirement planning and manage it themselves, that means 73 percent of married women do not. Given this gap in knowledge, here are the three basic financial measures all married women should know about their money:

Annual household income Most people recently gathered their W2s and other documents to file their 2017 taxes, so it’s a perfect time to look at how much you and your husband earn together. Federal tax forms require information on income from investment accounts, jobs, rental real estate, pensions or Social Security, and business investments. If a marriage ends in divorce, the lists of assets and income are a critical part of the property settlement with your spouse. Review tax returns from the past two years, and be sure to keep a copy of each tax return going forward. Couples filing a joint return both need to sign the tax documents, so don’t be afraid to ask questions if the numbers look really different from last year’s taxes.

thing you own. This includes checking and savings accounts, 401(k) retirement plans, life insurance and real estate. It’s important to know your net worth. So next to each asset, make a note about any loans attached to each one. For example, your house may be valued at $750,000, but you may still owe $250,000 on the mortgage. My husband and I examine our combined balance sheet annually to check on the progress we’re making toward our financial goals, which includes our college savings plans for our three children, as well as our retirement accounts. This exercise lets us know where we stand — and celebrate if see we’ve made progress over the past 12 months. An annual review also helps ensure that couples don’t forget about any investment they may have made years ago, such as an investment in a stock that may not be performing well. Finally, use this meeting to determine ownership in each asset. For example, are your home and investment accounts owned jointly, or just in your spouse’s name? Ownership will matter if your spouse passes away, and could impact how much income tax you pay each year.

Amounts of all assets and debts At least once a year, sit down with your spouse or partner and make a list of every-

Make certain you have a will If you and your spouse do not have a

will, make it a priority to meet with an attorney. Bring the household balance sheet to this meeting. If there is a will, read it and make certain you know which assets you will inherit if your husband passes away. In addition, determine how much income will be available from life insurance and other sources to support you for the rest of your life. For example, if your husband’s job provides the bulk of the household income, will you need to find a job to pay the mortgage and other basic expenses? Also, if your attorney only provides an electronic copy of the will, print out a copy and keep it in a secure place that can be accessed easily. This will enable the executor to quickly access the will. Also, a printed version may be needed for probate court once you pass away. At the very least, women with knowledge of their household income and assets, and those with a will, can minimize any unfortunate surprises if their spouse passes away or their marital situation changes. It’s stressful enough dealing with the loss of a spouse, so plan now to make certain you have the financial knowledge to handle any unforeseen events. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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J U N E 2 0 1 8 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

An indispensable guide to Social Security There is no question that Social Security benefits, family benefits, survivor benefits, issues are important to the American public. disability benefits and Medicare. It is not unusual for me to reThere are references to ceive more than 100 responses available calculators for estifrom readers when I write a Somating your benefits, hints on cial Security-related column. effective filing, and a very imRegular readers know that I portant chapter on maximizfrequently reference Andy ing your benefits. Landis as a source. He has The chapter on maximizing just updated his book, Social Social Security benefits is parSecurity: The Inside Story ticularly useful. Landis dis(www.andylandis.biz), which I cusses the advantages of postconsider an indispensable reponing filing for benefits up to source on the topic. age 70, which increases your THE SAVINGS This book is up-to-date, com- GAME benefits by 8 percent for prehensive, well-organized and By Elliot Raphaelson every year you wait past full easy to understand. He proretirement age (FRA). vides numerous helpful examples. In each Another advantage in doing so is that widchapter, he includes Social Security refer- ows/widowers might be entitled to a larger ences so readers can read the associated benefit if you choose this option. Filing for regulations that were discussed. widow/widower benefits at one point does The book provides a useful overview of not preclude filing for benefits based on your Social Security and chapters on retirement work record at a later time.

Spousal only benefits The chapter also discusses “restricted application for spousal only” payments. This option allows you to file for your spousal benefit after you reach your FRA, and then to file for your benefits based on your work record up to age 70. Unfortunately, many Social Security representatives do not understand this option. When I have written about this option, I have been amazed at the number of readers who write complaining about the ignorance of many Social Security Administration representatives.

Note that this option is available only to individuals who were born before January 2, 1954. And to qualify, your spouse would have to have already filed for his/her benefits. You must not have received a reduced retirement benefit or spousal payment before. It would make sense to use this option only if your payment at age 70 is higher than your spousal payment at FRA. If you meet these qualifications, it can be a valuable tool.

You need expertise Many of the options and tools discussed in See SOCIAL SECURITY, page 22

BEACON BITS

June 9

FRANCHISING FUNDAMENTALS Howard Community College is offering a one-evening course on the

basics of purchasing a franchise on Saturday, June 9, at 6:30 p.m. at the Laurel College Center, 312 Marshall Ave., Laurel. The fee is $50, no waivers. For more information or to register, visit howardcc.edu or call (443) 518-1700.

Ongoing

CONSUMER QUESTIONS OR DISPUTES? The Howard County Office of Consumer Protection can help with identity theft issues, scams, landlord issues and more. Call (410)

313-6420 or see www.howardcountymd.gov/consumer.

June 1

SURVIVORS' STORIES Telling This Truth is an episodic play, a series of narratives of the stories and voices of survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

The event is presented by HopeWorks of Howard County, which provides support for victims of domestic violence. The performance takes place at Slayton House, 10400 Cross Fox Lane, Columbia. Admission to the play is free, but registration is required at www.wearehopeworks.org/event/tellingthistruth.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 8

Bitcoin From page 19 But an economic argument for what a “reasonable” price is hasn’t been so easy to come by. Bitcoin isn’t like a Disney: It doesn’t have assets you can sell, and it doesn’t have bonds that provide income, which you can buy. It also has limited use as a currency. Bitcoin doesn’t have a history as a reliable or broadly accepted store of value, like the dollar, and its “exchange rate,” or price, has rocketed up thanks to market demand — but not by the economic value of bitcoin itself. Add to this the reality that about 40% of all bitcoin is held by just 1,000 people. That makes bitcoin extremely sensitive to the whims of that very small group — and their actions aren’t regulated by securities authorities because bitcoin isn’t a security. Cryptocurrencies in general aren’t regulated, and it’s not clear they could be effectively regulated in the future. The government is not involved yet, and it may or may not get involved in the future — and it’s tough to know how it could affect prices and demand in the future. When you add all this together, it’s difficult to see how bitcoin could be worth the prices it is reaching today. Right now, it’s supply and demand that is driving the price, so there’s no true valuation — or even a valuation process — that you can rely on. That makes me nervous.

So why all the hype? Is bitcoin worth something? Probably. Blockchain is pretty widely considered a significant improvement on transaction recording, and the real-world potential for digital currency could certainly be there. The way I look at it is that blockchain is the arms dealer in the war between cryptocurrencies. No matter which one wins — or

even if none of them does — in my opinion it looks like blockchain will be here to stay. I’ve been around long enough to know the lasting impact that a new technology can have on financial markets and the world as a whole. (Do you remember the first “personal computers”? I sure do.) But I’ve also been around long enough to know that when you hear words like “new world order” it doesn’t always end well. There are unforeseen risks and even known weaknesses in the system. Just in December, a South Korean bitcoin exchange called Nicehash went out of business after hackers made off with an undisclosed amount of the currency, while earlier in the month $70 million was stolen from the Nicehash exchange. Exchanges can make promises about making investors whole, but this is an unregulated market — there are no guarantees. In other words, I think it’s important to understand that “new world order” doesn’t always mean “smooth sailing.” Back in 1999, people were laughing at Warren Buffett for not recognizing the world had changed in the dot-com era. Some of the companies founded in those days did end up changing the world (such as Amazon), but a lot of good people also lost their life savings in the hype (remember the doomed Pets.com and its sock puppet?).

What if I really want in? For those who are determined to be part of the bitcoin rush, I have three pieces of advice. First, do your homework. Understand the product and learn everything you can about how it’s being used, where the potential lies, and what could impact its price — for better or worse. Second, don’t invest money you’re not prepared to lose. My typical advice is to cap these types of investments at 5% of investable assets, but even that might be too

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

much, depending on your specific financial situation, personal financial needs and overall asset allocation. If you don’t know what you can lose without impacting your overall financial goals, check in with your adviser. Finally, prepare for any outcome. In my opinion, this is a “zero or hero” investment: It might work brilliantly, or it might amount to nothing. In these types of situations, where price is driven by demand and where there are few fundamentals to work from, you need to brace for volatility and the potential for heavy losses. Cryptocurrency may very well stick around and be a successful innovation, just like the tech sector was. The question is which cryptocurrencies will stand the test of time and go on to be successful — and at what price. This is notoriously hard to predict. For example, few could have foreseen that MySpace would be eclipsed by Facebook, or that Amazon would grow from online bookseller to retail juggernaut. In other words, I don’t know what’s going to happen in bitcoin, but what I see

right now is a lot of uninformed investors piling in — and very few reasoned arguments for where bitcoin “should” be in terms of value. In my opinion this is a problematic situation to walk into. My reasoning is simple: I think that when we stop acting like informed investors — or even informed traders — and start believing that something will be the winning lotto ticket, we’re likely to get in trouble. Are people making a lot of money on bitcoin right now, at least on paper? It sure seems that way. But I’m concerned about all the people who could be left holding the bag when and if the bitcoin rush turns. Like Warren Buffett, in this case I’d rather miss out on the upside than risk experiencing the downside. You can call it being a dinosaur if you want: I just call it being prudent. Written by Bradford Pine with Anna B. Wroblewska. Bradford M. Pine is a Wealth Adviser with Bradford Pine Wealth Group, © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Sol Levinson & Bros. s. Funeral Services, PA A 5560 Sterrett Place, Suite 204 Columbia, MD 21044 Restricted - Operating out of Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc., Pikesville, MD

410-730-7230 Pre ree-Planning Available le howardcounty@sollevinson.com www.sollevinson.com

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J U N E 2 0 1 8 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

BEACON BITS

Social Security

June 12

AUTHORS AND THEIR WORKS

From page 20

The Columbia Arts Center literary reading series will present talks

this book will help you make the right decisions. You cannot depend on advice from SSA representatives. Many financial planners are far from experts in Social Security as well. I recommend that it is in your best interests to become an expert in Social Security before it is time to apply for benefits. Making the right decision can provide you with hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional benefits. Many divorced individuals do not understand their Social Security options. If your previous marriage lasted at least 10 years, and you either have not remarried or remarried after age 60, you may have benefits you are not aware of. You can’t depend on the SSA to inform you, either. For example, many individuals believe that because their ex-spouse remarried, it affects their benefits. This is

by Baltimore author Rafael Alvarez and Clarinda Harriss, professor emeritus of English at Towson University, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12. The program, sponsored by the Howard County Poetry and Literature Society, will be held at the Columbia Art Center. 6100 Foreland Garth, Columbia. Admission is free. For more information, call (410) 730-0075 or visit www.ColumbiaArtsCenter.org.

July 1

EXHIBIT YOUR ARTWORK Artists who want to be considered for an exhibit in the Howard

County Arts Council galleries are invited to submit a general exhibit application by Sunday, July 1. Applicants should be age 18 and over and working in any style or media. To learn more and to request an application, call the Arts Council at (410) 313-2787 or visit info@hocoarts.org.

false; it has no impact. If your ex predeceases you, it is possible that you are entitled to larger benefits than you previously were receiving. For example, assume your ex worked until age 70 and was receiving $2,000 per month in Social Security benefits, and he/she died. If you are single, or remarried after age 60, you are entitled to whichever is greater, your exspouse’s benefit or the benefit you are now receiving. Landis’ book covers this and other topics in great detail. If you have any relatives approaching retirement age, one of the best gifts you can provide is a copy of this book. It can make their retirement much more prosperous. Making the right Social Security choices is critical. Making the wrong choices is expensive and difficult to undo. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. © 2018 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

We Turn Addresses

into homes

MOST COMMUNITIE S ARE 62 AND B ET T ER

June 14

EXPLORE HICKORY RIDGE ON FOOT

Learn about the natural attractions of Hickory Ridge in a guided walk led by environmental author Ned Tillman on

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

BALTIMORE COUNTY (CONT.)

Thursday, June 14. Walkers will gath-

The Greens at Hammonds Lane: 410-636-1141 Park View at Furnace Branch: 410-761-4150 Park View at Severna Park: 410-544-3411

Park View at Towson: 410-828-7185 Park View at Woodlawn: 410-281-1120

er at 10 a.m. at Clary’s Forest Pool,

CARROLL COUNTY

bia, to explore the woodlands and

BALTIMORE CITY

Westminster Overlook: 410-876-7600

streams of the area. For more infor-

Ednor Apartments I: 410-243-0180 Ednor Apartments II: 410-243-4301 The Greens at Irvington Mews: 410-644-4487 Park Heights Place: 410-578-3445 Park View at Ashland Terrace: 410-276-6440 Park View at Coldspring: 410-542-4400

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 Counsul: 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 Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665 Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375 Park View at Randallstown: 410-655-5673 Park View at Rosedale: 410-866-1886 Park View at Taylor: 410-663-0363

EASTERN SHORE Park View at Easton: 410-770-3070

11615 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Colum-

mation on the Explore Columbia on Foot program, contact CA Open Space Management at (410) 312-

FREDERICK COUNTY

6330 or Open.Space@ColumbiaAsso-

Taney Village: 301-663-0929

ciation.org.

HARFORD COUNTY Park View at Bel Air: 410-893-0064 Park View at Box Hill: 410-515-6115

HOWARD COUNTY

May 31

ALL ABOUT DIABETES This two-hour course

Park View at Colonial Landing: 410-796-4399 Park View at Columbia: 410-381-1118 Park View at Ellicott City: 410-203-9501 Park View at Ellicott City: II 410-203-2096 Park View at Emerson: 301-483-3322 Park View at Snowden River: 410-290-0384

is specifically designed for those new

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

successful lifestyle change. This

Park View at Bladensburg: 301-699-9785 • 55 & Better Park View at Laurel: 301-490-1526 Park View at Laurel II: 301-490-9730

course is also open to those who

to type 2 diabetes or who want a quick restart on their management. The course covers why diabetes occurs, meal planning and exercise options. Special emphasis is placed on

care for someone with diabetes. It takes place at Howard County General Hosptial’s Wellness Center, 10710 Charter Dr., Columbia. To learn more

Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour.

www.rhomecommunities.com

about the class, which costs $25, and to register, call (410) 740-7601 or visit www.hcgh.org.

MOST COMMUNITIES ARE PET-FRIENDLY

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Travel

Leisure &

Taking your first cruise? For tips on booking, packing and more, see story on page 24.

Exploring Sicily’s wide range of pleasures Very mini! It takes only about five hours to drive across the entire island. But despite its small size, Sicily’s varied landscapes provide a dramatic backdrop for its other attractions. Deep valleys rise up to rocky mountaintops. Fields and rolling hills are blanketed by the silver-green leaves of olive trees, low-lying grape vines and golden wheat.

PHOTO BY K. ROY ZERLOCH

By Victor Block “You can steal my money, but not my food.” “If lunch or dinner doesn’t have at least five courses, it’s just a snack.” “If you want things to go exactly as planned, don’t come here.” These words spoken by Alessio, our tour guide in Sicily from Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT), say a lot about the island. Because Alessio dearly loves his homeland, his comments also demonstrate the gently self-deprecating humor that Sicilians often use to describe their foibles. Yes food is important, plentiful and held in a place of near reverence. Plans don’t always work out as intended, and the locals have learned to go with the flow. And residents of the triangular-shaped island just off the toe of Italy’s boot exhibit a warmth, friendliness and joy of life that provide reason enough to visit there. Other reasons include a vast collection of archaeological and architectural treasures, intriguing chapters of history that await around every corner, and examples of Mother Nature’s most magnificent handiworks. One welcome surprise is how much diversity exists in such a small space. Packed into an area about the size of Maryland, Sicily offers enough variety that some visitors liken it to a mini-continent.

Phoenicians, Romans and more The many peoples who ruled here over the centuries left an assortment of architectural riches behind. By about 750 BCE, the island was home to three Phoenician and a dozen Greek colonies. Later, much of it fell into Roman hands, and it became Rome’s first province outside of the Italian mainland. Among those who held temporary sway over Sicily after the collapse of the Roman Empire were the Germanic Vandals and Ostrogoths, followed by Berbers and Arabs, Normans and the Byzantine Empire. Each left their mark. The Valley of the Temples is home to the remains of graceful Greek structures that were built between 510 and 430 BCE above the ruins of a Roman town. Sprawling across more than 3,200 acres, it’s said to be the largest archaeological site in the world. The Temple of Concordia is one of the

Volcano Mt. Etna rises beyond the ruins of the third century BCE Greek Theater, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Taormina, Sicily.

PHOTO BY RESTUCCIA GIANCARLO

The Villa Romana del Casale (Roman Country Villa) in Piazza Armerina, a well-preserved 43-room mansion, dates back to 320 CE. In the 18th century, archeologists uncovered more than 37,000 square feet of mosaic flooring in the villa, now on view to visitors.

best preserved edifices, and is ranked among the most notable remaining examples of Greek civilization. The Temple of Juno was damaged by a fire and restored in Roman times. Also strewn about the site are sections of defensive walls and gates, and portions of vats where grapes were pressed. The Villa Romana del Casale near the town of Piazza is a near-perfect preservation. Constructed in the 4th century CE for an unknown but obviously well-heeled nobleman, the 43-room mansion-like hunting lodge was lavishly decorated with what today are among the finest remaining examples of Roman mosaics in Europe. The scenes range from Homeric escapades to depictions of daily life. One large image portrays various areas of the Roman Empire at the time, including a veritable zoo of lions, tigers and other African animals, both real and fanciful. The most famous attraction in the town of Mazara, among a number of them, is the mysterious Greek bronze statue of the Dancing Satyr. In Greek mythology, satyrs were quasi-human figures who were believed to have been lecherous, and this eight-foot-tall sculpture is leaping with abandon as if in an ecstatic trance.

Uncovering the capital’s gems Other cities and towns throughout Sicily have their own unique claims to fame. Many people begin their exploration in Palermo, the capital, which is also the largest city and cultural center. At first glance, they may be disappointed, concluding that it lacks the magnificence and allure of other municipalities around Italy and the world. However, that judgment would be premature. Beneath its jumble of rather nondescript buildings waits a wealth of architectural gems, inviting and interesting museums, and other attractions. These include traces of Phoenician walls and gates, and magnificent Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque churches, palaces and other buildings. The Teatro Massimo (Greatest Theatre), which opened in 1897, is a reminder that hundreds of small opera houses were sprinkled throughout the city prior to the start of the 20th century. The ornate building is the third largest opera house in Europe, after those in Paris and Vienna. If it looks familiar to visitors, that’s because of its role in the movie Godfather Part III. The 10,922 foot peak of massive Mt. Etna, often hidden in clouds, looms over See SICILY, page 25

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J U N E 2 0 1 8 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Tips for those considering their first cruise the advice of family or friends, said Peter Giorgi, Celebrity Cruises’ chief marketing officer, and those first-timers frequently come back. “For someone to enjoy something so much that they can’t help but recommend it to their friends, family and loved ones is the greatest co-sign of all,” Giorgi said. “No amount of advertising dollars can buy that.” Another Equinox passenger, Aaron Humphrey of Columbus, Ohio, was on his first cruise, too. “I was surprised by how much there is to do on the ship,” he said while basking on deck in the warm Caribbean sunshine during a lazy sailing day between ports. “I was hooked on a cruise within the first couple of hours.” His wife Megan, who’d cruised before, said they picked the trip because “we wanted to chill and eat some local food in places we hadn’t seen before, and we decided that a cruise was the best of both worlds.” But if you’ve never done it, the idea of a cruise might be daunting. Here are some tips for first-timers.

Booking Choose cabins according to your finances. Inside cabins are cheapest, ocean view is next, then rooms with a balcony,

PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES

By Joe Kafka Honeymooners Zach and Alyssa Bynum of Louisville, Ky., had never been on an ocean cruise until last summer, when they sailed aboard Celebrity Equinox. They were immediately enamored with the shiny ship and impressed by the overall experience. They said they likely will cruise again. “We enjoyed the atmosphere and experience, including the excursions and onboard activities,” said Zach Bynum. “We have definitely talked about doing another.” After all, what’s not to like about cruising? Ocean views, exotic ports, and beautiful ships with fine food, abundant activities and great entertainment. Today’s ships are like floating cities, carrying thousands of passengers, and each year, new and bigger vessels are launched with ever more unique features. New ships offer everything from menus designed by celebrity chefs, to sophisticated fitness centers and spas, kids’ clubs, and recreation ranging from basketball to water slides to laser tag. Entertainment includes cabaret, dance clubs, blues clubs, Broadway shows, comedy and circus acts. The Bynums booked their trip after talking with Zach’s grandmother, who’d cruised before. First-timers often book on

First-time cruisers can take advantage of a variety of leisure activities, such as sunning and swimming, at this elaborate pool on Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Edge, which includes martini glass-shaped hot tubs and a huge artistic mirror installation.

and most expensive, suites. If you’re prone to motion sickness, lower decks and cabins closest to the ship’s center are the most stable. Peruse layouts online before picking a cabin and to familiarize yourself with the ship’s features. Every cruise line has a different style. To book the right ship for you, experts recommend using a travel agent. It doesn’t cost extra and might save money, because agents often have access to deals.

Packing, departure and boarding Plan your wardrobe carefully, depending on itinerary and expected weather. Laundry and dry cleaning onboard are expensive. The days of required formal wear at dinner — jackets, ties, evening gowns — are long gone, though some passengers choose to dress up. Pack a power strip. Most cabins have only one or two electricity outlets. Shampoo and soap are provided, but you may bring your own — and there’s no size limit like there is for flying. If you’re flying to your departure port, arrive a day ahead. You don’t want to miss the sailing if your flight is cancelled or delayed. Have reservation documents in hand when checking in at the terminal, along with required identification such as driver’s license or passport. Lines can be long as departure time nears. A mandatory muster drill — where everyone reports to a deck for safety and evacuation information — is held shortly after departure. Note: It takes a few hours for luggage to be delivered to cabins. And smoking on ships is restricted to certain areas and not allowed in cabins.

What’s free, what’s not No need for cash onboard. Cruises pro-

vide plastic cards (like credit cards) to charge purchases to your account, and also as ID for exiting and reboarding the ship at ports. Meals in dining rooms, buffets and poolside are included with cruise fare, and you may order more than one main course or dessert. Specialty restaurants on board charge extra and often get booked up, so make reservations ahead. Water, coffee, tea, juice and milk are free. Alcohol and soda are not, except for the most upscale cruise lines. Cruises sell daily or weeklong alcohol and soft drink packages that may save you money, depending on your drinking habits. Shows, gyms, water parks and many other facilities and activities are free. Some fitness classes are free, some are not. Spa services are extra. On a budget? Avoid the casino and gift shop. Using cell phones at sea, if service is available, is costly. Consider putting phones in airplane mode. Most ships offer Wi-Fi packages but they’re pricey, so you might wait to go online until you’re at a hotspot in port. On top of your cruise fare, cruise lines usually suggest an amount to tip the staff. Some automatically add daily tips to your bill for distribution among room stewards, wait staff and others. Tips are automatically added to alcohol.

Excursions Shore excursions may be booked through the cruise line, or you can go off on your own in port or hire independent tour guides. Booking through the ship guarantees you will not be left behind if your tour is delayed for some reason. If you go off on your own and return late, the ship will leave without you. For more on cruising, listen to the Associated Press’s @APTravel podcast “Get Outta Here!” at http://apple.co/2s2ruHY . — AP

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 8

Sicily From page 23 the eastern side of the island. “The Mountain,” as locals refer to it, is the highest active volcano in Europe, although fortunately that usually takes the form of lava flows rather than eruptions.

A gustatory celebration Drama of another kind plays out in the sprawling outdoor fruit, vegetable and fish markets, which are leftover vestiges of 9th century Arab souks. Crowds of people mill around the stands, as many looking as buying. Vendors alternate entreaties to passers-by to stop and shop with good-natured jibes about their competitors. Food plays a major role in a visit to Sicily, because it plays a bit part in the lives of Sicilians. Mealtimes are not just for eating, they’re as much about a celebration of food. A shared goal of restaurant chefs seems to be challenging diners to demonstrate their satisfaction by ingesting quantities of food that would be an adequate intake for days back home (just a slight exaggeration). Given its agriculturally rich land and sunny climate, Sicily served as the granary for the Roman Empire. Its long history of producing a variety of noted cuisines, influenced by those of Greece, Africa and the Arab world among others, earned it the nickname “God’s kitchen.” In this gastronomically rich and diverse setting, every region has its own specialties, which are vociferously touted by those who cook and consume them as il migliore (“the best”). That sense of pride also extends to wine, not surprising given Sicily’s 2500-year past as a center of viniculture. Italy ranks first in the world in the volume of wine produced, and Sicily does its part to contribute to that standing.

Occasionally, our guide took us off the formal itinerary for a unique treat. Once, he led us into a convent that houses cloistered nuns who are famous for making delicious cookies. Alessio passed some coins through a small barred window and several minutes later a plate of mouth-watering sweets emerged. He even managed to gain us entry to an adjoining room whose ceiling is covered by a magnificent fresco, and which usually is closed to the public. Against the background of Sicily’s treasure-trove of architectural gems and archaeological riches, it’s the joy of life, pride for their compact homeland, and intriguing multi-cultural mixture of the people that provide the most lasting memories for visitors.

If you go Accommodations on OAT’s Sicily trips range from city center four-star hotels to a stately stone farmhouse complex perched inside an archaeological nature preserve. Itineraries often include both hosted meals and dine-on-your-own opportunities to sample restaurant fare. Our overnight stay at the Vecchia Masseria, a traditional farm and lodging, included a gourmet dinner featuring a lavish spread of locally grown ingredients. They ranged from pasta with pumpkin cream sauce, and mushrooms stuffed with meat and cheese, to pork with Marsala wine sauce, all accompanied by liqueurs produced at the farm. Typical of dinners on our own was an excellent meal at La Tavernetta de Pier (59 via Cavour) in Syracuse (Syra-koosa], a 2,700-year-old city that is rich in ancient Greek history, culture and architecture. Its wide-ranging menu features more than a dozen pasta dishes ($10-$12) and, given the location on Sicily’s eastern coastline, a variety of fresh-from-the-sea entrees like simply grilled fish ($12). For more information, visit latavernettadapiero.com or

a river cruising experience like no other Let AmaWaterways introduce you to a world where dramatic sights are met with innovative and luxurious ships — our beautiful home away from home. Savor our award-winning, chef-prepared cuisine with the freshest local ingredients. Enjoy included shore excursions, guided hiking and biking tours — bold adventures as active as you choose to be. Join us aboard the highest rated ships in Europe.

SAVE UP TO $1,500 PER STATEROOM ON SELECT 2018 SAILINGS For more information, please call Destinations Inc. at 410-992-6656 www.DestinationsInc.travel Terms & Conditions: Promotional rates are valid in USD on new bookings for select 2018 sailings and based on double occupancy. Offers are not combinable with any other promotions/discounts, are limited to availability, are capacity controlled and are subject to change or termination without notice. Other restrictions apply. CST#2065452-40

4785 Dorsey Hall Drive Suite 102 • Ellicott City, Md.

call 39-0931-185-5291. Overseas Adventure Travel offers a choice of more than 60 itineraries in over 65 countries around the world, along with river cruises. Its 10-day trip to Sicily starts at $3,750, with no extra charge for singles. For information about OAT tours to Sicily and elsewhere, call (800) 955-1925 or visit www.oattravel.com. For information about

Sicily and all of Italy, go to www.italiantourism.com. Flights to Palermo in late June can be pricey. The lowest roundtrip price from BWI on a full-service carrier, Air France, is $2,425. You can cut this in half by going to Milan on Wow, a no-frills airline that will add fees for luggage and other items, and then take lowcost Ryanair to Palermo.

BEACON BITS

May 29+

NATURAL WORLD EXHIBIT

Local artists Ellen Corddry and Kathy Swan open their exhibit at Artists’ Gallery on Tuesday, May 29. The show “In Sight: Observations of Our Natural World”, will run through Sunday, June 24. A reception for the artists will be held on Saturday, June 9 from 4 to 6 p.m. The gallery is located at 8197 Main St., Ellicott City. For further information and gallery hours, visit www.artistsgalleryec.com or call (443) 325-5936.

June 1

STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL

Howard Community College will be the site of the fourth annual Maryland Student Film Festival, showcasing works of local college and high school students. The festival will present the films, free to the public, on Friday, June 1, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Monteabaro Recital Hall in the Horowitz Performing Arts Center on the main campus, 10901 Little Patuxent Pkwy. To learn more about the program about the festival, visit howardcc.edu or call (443) 518-1700.

June 18

HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE RESUME

Learn how to create an effective resume that impresses prospective employers, uses a format appropriate for the industry, and communicates your talents and experience easily and well. The seminar takes place on Monday, June 18 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Elkridge Branch Library, 6540 Washington Blvd., Elkridge. Registration is required by calling (410) 313-5077.

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H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 8

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Style

Arts &

Jesse Colin Young will bring hits like “Get Together” to Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis in June. See interview on page 28.

What’s onstage this summer and beyond the reading to the Church at Covenant Park in Ellicott City on Saturday, June 2 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, June 3 at 3 p.m. Admission is free. Steffi Rubin wrote the books and lyrics, and the music is by Miriam Kook. www.silhouettestages.com, (410) 637-5289 Meanwhile, the Chesapeake Shakespeare Theater — which has moved to Baltimore but still puts on outdoor plays each summer at Patapsco Historic Park in Ellicott City — will recreate the Forest of Arden for the Bard’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The comedy runs from June 22 to July 29. Tickets range from $33 to $45 ($29 to $38 for those 65+). Up to two children 18 and younger may attend free with each paying adult. Call the box office at (410) 244-8570 or visit www.chesapeakeshakespeare.com.

Fall musicals The song-and-dance productions continue after summer, when Rep Stage, the professional regional theater in residence at Howard Community College, presents Sweeney Todd, a 1979 Tony Award winning musical, to open its fall season. With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and filled with dark humor and psychopathic behavior, will run through Sept. 23 at the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center’s Studio Theatre. Call (443) 518-1000 or visit www.repstage.org. Silhouette Stages will kick off its 20182019 season in October with The Addams Family, a musical comedy featuring the ghoulish but hilarious relatives first por-

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHESAPEAKE SHAKESPEARE THEATER

By Robert Friedman While Kennedy Center gets set to pack ‘em in this summer, several revivals of other award-winning and audience-arousing musicals — such as Mamma Mia!, Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street — are set for staging by Howard County theater groups. Mamma Mia! will be moving and grooving at Toby’s Dinner Theater soon. The play, inspired by the songs of the Swedish group ABBA, opens on June 15 and runs through Sept. 9. The popular musical weaves together some of ABBA’s most beloved numbers, such as “Dancing Queen,” “Voulez Vous” and the title number, into an amusing, if somewhat forced, storyline about fathers, daughters, wives and errant husbands on an idyllic Greek island. Tickets range from $45.50 for children to $64, including all-you-can-eat dinner or brunch. Certain performances also offer a discounted price for patrons 65 plus. See tobysdinnertheatre.com or call (410) 730-8311. Coincidentally, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, a second movie based on the play, is set for release this summer. And ABBA has recently announced that, after a 35-year pause, it will soon start recording songs again. Silhouette Stages will have a two-night staged reading of My Other Mother, a new musical described as “about families, real and imagined.” The Columbia theater group will bring

trayed on TV and in the movies. Exact dates have not yet been announced for the play’s run, which will be at the Slayton House in Columbia’s Wilde Lake Village Center. Outstanding musicals continue at Toby’s with the presentation of Ain’t Misbehavin’ from Sept. 14 to Nov. 4. The revue won a Tony in 1978, and features the life and songs of jazz pianistsinger-songwriter Thomas Fats Waller. Waller composed, among other standards, the title song of the play, as well as “Honeysuckle Rose” and “What Did I Do to Be So Black and Blue?”. The show also contains many more of his hits from the 1920s and 1930s Harlem Renaissance. Toby’s has two more musicals on tap from November to March of 2019. The Little Mermaid, based on the animated The Chesapeake Shakespeare Theater re1989 Disney film of the same name turns to the Patapsco Historic Park in Elli(which was based on the classic story cott City, where it will stage A Midsummer by Hans Christian Andersen), is set to Night’s Dream in the ruins of the former girls’ school at the site. Shown here is a run from Nov. 9 to Jan. 13, 2019. scene from Comedy of Errors, performed Gypsy, which won numerous Tonys by the theater in 2015 at the park. not only for its original 1959 production with Ethel Merman but also for subse- Toby’s for a two-month run, Jan. 17 to quent revivals, will take to the stage at March 17, 2019.

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J U N E 2 0 1 8 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

Getting together with Jesse Colin Young By Barbara Ruben It was one of the anthems of the late 1960s, the Youngblood’s “Get Together,” playing from top 40s stations, at outdoor concerts, and repeatedly on TV ads as the official song of the National Council of Christians and Jews. “Come on people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together. Try to love one another right now,” was a folkrock rallying cry that was both Vietnam War protest song and a plea to heal the rifts that divided a turbulent America. Over the decades, the song has popped up in the Forest Gump soundtrack and twice on “The Simpsons.” Last fall, it played throughout a Walmart ad, in which people from all walks of life silently bring a variety of chairs to an outdoor table to share a meal. And says Jesse Colin Young, the lead singer of the Youngbloods, the song has more relevance today in an America fractured by political fault lines than it has since it debuted half a century ago. Young and his band will play at the Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club on June 7 and 8, followed by a show at the Ram’s Head On Stage in Annapolis on June 9.

All in the family Now 77, Young says one of the most exciting facets of his music today is playing

in a band with his son Tristan, 27. The band members, including Tristan, are recent graduates of the Berklee College Music in Boston. “His senior recital in 2016 just blew me away. I thought, ‘My God, before I leave the planet I want young people like him to play music with me,’” Young said in an interview with the Beacon. “This generation is all in their 20s, and they love my music. There’s something so powerful about them playing it and believing in it. No matter how tired I am [when we start playing], it’s so uplifting that I find myself grinning from ear to ear.”

A start in the ‘60s Young was barely in his 20s himself when he released his first album, Soul of a City Boy, at age 21. Born and raised in Queens, Young’s mother was a violinist with a beautiful singing voice and perfect pitch. His father was passionate about classical music, and the family spent evenings gathered around the piano singing. Young bounced around from school to school. He got kicked out of the elite Philips Andover Academy because he spent all his study time playing guitar. “I was swept up in the music,” he remembers. He then went to public high school and

Ohio State and New York Universities, but school never had the same appeal as the allure of music. In Ohio, he was allowed to take records home from stores to play and then return them. They served as his introduction to the blues, from BB King to Ray Charles, as well as country music. “I’ve always felt what you call rock and roll is the collision from these two streams, a Celtic stream and an African stream. It was very gritty and very attractive to a boy raised in the suburbs where life was very calm and cloistered,” he said. Along the way, he worked in hotels, a factory, even at the Rockefeller Foundation. “I hated all of it, and I thought, ‘Well, maybe I could make a living with my guitar,’” he recalled. So he used his connection with his sister’s husband, who worked at CBS, to wrangle a meeting with a jazz musician who worked with singer Bobby Darren. They liked Young, and “Soul of a City Boy” was recorded in just four hours in 1962. During those early days he played at well-known coffee houses like Gertie’s Folk City. One night he recognized a fellow singer as someone he had gone to elementary school with, but couldn’t quite place him. He just remembered his first name. “He looked at me after I told him about what I was doing, and said, ‘I make

records, too.’ I thought to myself, ‘Artie, Artie, oh, Art Garfunkel!’” Young released another album in 1964 and formed the Youngbloods in 1965. “Get Together,” written by folk-rock singer Chet Powers, rose to Top 5 charts around the world in 1969. The Youngblood’s album Elephant Mountain contained two of their other chart-climbing hits, “Darkness, Darkness” and “Sunlight.” Young’s first album after the group broke up was Song for Juli, considered by many to be his best work, the title song was a tribute to his daughter, born in 1966. Young continued to tour through the 1970s and played to his largest audience — 200,000 — at the 1979 No Nukes concert at Battery Park in New York, singing “Get Together” with such luminaries as Jackson Browne, Graham Nash and Stephen Stills. In 1993, Young and his wife Connie launched their own independent label, Ridgetop Music, from their mountain home in Marin County, outside San Francisco. Just two years later, a forest fire engulfed their property, destroying everything and leaving Young and his family literally with just the clothes on their backs. They moved to Hawaii, building a private school and growing organic Kona cofSee YOUNG, page 29

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H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 8

Jurors announced for amateur art contest The Beacon’s Celebration of the Arts — an online competition for amateur artists over 50 — continues to invite entries from throughout the Baltimore/Washington area in four categories: Painting and Drawing, Sculpture/Jewelry/Pottery/Mixed Media, Photography and Poetry. Prizes include cash awards and gallery showings. The judges who will select first, second and third place winners, as well as honorable mentions, have recently been announced. Entries in the Painting and Drawing division will be judged by Yumi Hogan, whose artwork, created on traditional Hanji paper with Sumi ink and mixed media, has been featured in art shows and museums in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, South Korea and more. In addition to her work as an artist, Hogan has juried numerous art exhibi-

Young From page 28 fee, called Jesse Colin Young’s Morning Sun Coffee, still sold today. In 2006, he moved to South Carolina to be near family. There he continued to record.

A new album His newest album, tentatively titled Dreamers, will be released in September, and features songs that resonate with today’s issues including the #MeToo movement and the young adult immigrant “Dreamers.” But he had to give up touring for a while as he battled Lyme disease, which he got a decade ago but which went undiagnosed for several years. He is still undergoing treatment for it. Young is now back to touring, with dozens of shows a year, many of them selling out.

tions, including statewide and national competitions for the Maryland Federation of Art. Hogan is also First Lady of Maryland, married to Governor Larry Hogan. Entries in the Sculpture/Jewelry/Pottery/Mixed Media division will be judged by Jereme Scott, who has served as MixedMedia Resident Artist at the Howard County Arts Council since 2009. In 2014, Scott opened a small boutique/ gallery called Cotton Duck Art & Apparel in Historic Ellicott City, where he showcases his artwork as well as his original graphics on clothing. His artwork has been displayed regionally and nationally, and his clothing designs have been featured at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Scott also teaches several arts courses at Howard Community College. Entries in the Photography division will be judged by Noe Todorovich, Executive Di“Having an adoring audience is still a thrill. I’m going to ride this wave as long as I can physically tolerate it. It’s a dream for someone like myself at my age to find this rejuvenation. “It’s like the gift of “Get Together.” If there is a thing called karma, it’s like the finishing of a circle. We need to play it and music like it….It’s time to not just try to love one another, because we know the difference between trying and doing. It’s time to do.” Young will be playing at the Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club, 7719 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, on June 7 and 8 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. To buy tickets, go to http://bbjlive.com or call (240) 330-4500. On June 9, he will be at the Ram’s Head On Stage, 33 West St., Annapolis . Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $55. See www.ramsheadonstage.com or call (410) 268-4545.

BEACON BITS

June 15

ISO ARTISTS

Howard County Arts Council is seeking visual and performing artists to present their talents to schools and other organizations interested in art displays and programs. For guidelines and online application, visit www.hocoarts.org. The deadline for applications is Friday, June 15. Questions may be directed to (410) 313-2787.

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rector of Exposed DC, a nonprofit organization connecting photographers of all levels with networking, mentoring and exhibition opportunities in the Washington, D.C. area. Todorovich is also a freelance photographer, whose work has been featured in the Washington Post, Washington Life, Northern Virginia Magazine, Huffington Post, and Capitol Romance. The Poetry division winners will be selected by Wendi R. Kaplan, poet laureate of the City of Alexandria, Va., who uses her post to bring poetry to people of all ages, teaching them to express themselves in writing, knowing that poetry gives people a

FROM PAGE 30 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

voice, even when they feel they have none. Kaplan is also a clinical social worker and certified poetry therapist who has worked in community services and has her own psychotherapy practice. She has taught at the American University and at the George Washington University School of Medicine. To learn more about the competition, including complete rules and entry links, visit mdfedart.com/BeaconCelebration or call the Beacon at (301) 949-9766. Entries are $10 each, but all entrants will be entitled to a free year’s membership in the Maryland Federation of Art (value: $70). Entries will be accepted through June 29.

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD I S N P O L A A W A K R A V E D O N O R O B I W R E N M Y C A M H N E W O P E T R J K L M S E N S

T R E N T O N R E D W I N E

M E N L U S A T T H A O W R A L D R U M

O V E N S E L M A R A Z E

B E T A T A G C R P A N S A B E S M I T

A N T I G U A

R E S C U E D O A G P O X S E T R L O E X

U B A P A L A R S A S L E E P

S T E E C R S S A

D U D E

U P S S E S S

J U N E 2 0 1 8 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

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Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus See If This One Flies 1

Stephen Sherr By Stephen Sherr 6

23 29

HC0618

Across 1. ___ It Romantic? 5. A Group of kangaroos (or criminals) 8. Day 12 port island on Celebrity Eclipse’s itinerary 13. Extremely Northern or Southern 14. She did not have to deal with in-laws 15. High elevation nation 16. Like most, at 2:00 PM 17. Badminton blockade 18. Bulgarian totalitarians 19. One with very ruffled feathers 22. Alcoholic’s shakes 23. Waters off the Spanish Islands 26. Lennon was her third husband 29. Horse feed 32. Airbnb user 33. Dating Spring chickens in one’s Fall months 36. Loud bird with silent start 37. Swiss peak 38. Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (acronym) 40. Those who instruct me exactly how I should build the nest 45. “She is my queen and I ___ king” 46. “Immediately!” 47. Brief free media message 48. One just promoted to top prosecutor 49. Shipping container 51. Wearing a tiny tux with winged collars 58. Microbiologist’s dish 61. 2016 returnee to Southern California 62. Bridge support 63. Consonant run, between two vowels 64. Israeli weapon 65. Ore jackpots 66. Fashion ___ 67. Held a committee hearing 68. Brad Pitt and Justin Theroux (to Jennifer Aniston)

Down 1. Across the Mississippi from Illinois 2. Eastern European

47 49

36 40

Scrabble answers on p. 29.

3. In one’s birthday suit 4. State capital on Eastern Time 5. List of flavors at Ben and Jerry’s 6. Microwave ___ 7. VHS rival format 8. Day 5 port island on Celebrity Eclipse’s itinerary 9. Retrieved labrador 10. The Englishman Who Went ___ Hill But Came Down a Mountain 11. Tavern 12. Former senators D’Amato and Franken 13. 72, on most golf courses 20. Entrance exam discussed in Legally Blonde 21. PENTAGRAMS’ center 24. Like most, at 2:00 AM 25. Aims an Acura 26. Options: N, S, E, ___ 27. Owner of the Bates Motel 28. Emperor’s demand 30. Lose one’s icy demeanor 31. 2014 film which starred David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr. 34. Warm-up exercises that look like a caterpillar’s movements 35. Some H&R Block employees 39. “The South” in the Civil War 41. Good pairing for prime rib 42. Like a Supreme Court argument 43. Catches red-handed 44. One of the first Christians 50. Technology company, listed as a verb in the Oxford English Dictionary 52. Ringo Starr’s instrument 53. Opposite of raise 54. Distribute light or sound 55. A ranch for guys 56. Activates The Force 57. Latter letter letters 58. Skimpy (worded) nightwear 59. Barely get, with “out” 60. The Learning Network, on a cable listing

Answers on page 29.

H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N — J U N E 2 0 1 8

CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on the right. CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment. EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

Financial DONATE YOUR CAR, TRUCK OR BOAT to Heritage for the Blind. Free 3-Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. CALL 1-844-855-7670. GOT AN OLDER CAR, VAN OR SUV? Do the humane thing. Donate it to the Humane Society. Call 1-844-230-2952.

For Sale 2 SALVADOR DALI woodblock prints from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Signed and framed. Asking $900 for the pair. Can email pictures if desired. Call Steve 410-913-1653.

Health STOP OVERPAYING for your prescriptions! SAVE! Call our licensed Canadian and International pharmacy, compare prices and get $25.00 OFF your first prescription! CALL 1-888-9817657 Promo Code CDC201725.

Say you saw it in the Beacon

Health DENTAL INSURANCE. Call Physicians Mutual Insurance Company for details. Not just a discount plan, real coverage for 350 procedures. 844-366-1003 or http://www.dental50plus.com/320 Ad# 6118. 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.

Home/Handyman Services ESTATE LIQUIDATION: One call solves it all when you hire us to handle your estate liquidation and/or home cleanout. We sell your treasures, take care of charitable donations and provide junk removal. We also purchase partial estate contents. Always buying antiques, jewelry, fine art, vintage toys, collectibles, advertising, sports memorabilia, militaria, rare books, Mid Century Modern furniture and more. We serve Howard and Montgomery counties, DC and NOVA. No home, barn or warehouse is too packed for us! Friendly, conscientious staff. Call Chris (202) 731-9447. www.OrionsAttic.com.

Legal Services WERE YOU AN INDUSTRIAL OR CONSTRUCTION TRADESMAN and recently diagnosed with lung cancer? You and your family may be entitled to a significant cash reward. Call 1-888-351-0312 for your risk free consultation. SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY? Up to $2,671/mo. (Based on paid-in amount.) Free evaluation! Call Bill Gordon & Associates. 1866-970-0779. Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington, D.C. Office: Broward Co. FL., member TX/NM Bar.

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 5th of each month. Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards. Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $10 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word. Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $25 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word. Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad. Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

The Beacon, Baltimore Classified Dept. P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 Personals

Wanted

CUTE, ATTRACTIVE FEMALE, FIFTIES — Looking for single white male, fifties plus, attractive, robust, warm-hearted, romantic. Enjoy dates, companionship, devoted relationship. If interested, call 240-418-4124, leave message.

MONEY, TIME TO SELL! Make the right choice. Call Greg, 717-658-7954. We buy jewelry, coins, silver, antiques, watches, gold, art, paper money, toys, bottles, etc. No middleman, no fees, no overhead means more money for your stuff. Give me a call, and let’s do business.717-658-7954.

LOVELY WOMAN, 50s, SHAPELY LADY, young at heart, easygoing, seeking to meet and date a very attractive SWM, age 50s or 60s, a gentleman. Prefer brawny build, who is caring, sincere, courteous, compassionate, affectionate, stable, secure and lives a healthy, active lifestyle, non-smoker. Have fun dates, laughter, friendship, possibly more. 703-863-5564. Please leave a nice message with phone number for reply.

TV/Cable

Miscellaneous ENJOY 100% GUARANTEED, DELIVERED to-the-door Omaha Steaks! Save 75% plus get 4 more Burgers & 4 more Kielbasa FREE! Order The Family Gourmet Buffet — ONLY $49.99. Call 1-844-302-3754, mention code 51689JCT or visit www.omahasteaks.com. DONATE VEHICLES. Your donation to Auted helps train disadvantaged at-risk youths in basic auto repairs and maintenance, also vehicles donations to low-income families. MVA Registered Charity Accepted to Receive Donated Vehicles. 100% Tax-deductible. Complete donation form at www.auted.org or mail@auted.org, 301355-9333.

DIRECTV. CALL AND SWITCH NOW — Get NFL Sunday Ticket for FREE! Every Game. Every Sunday. CHOICE- All-Included Package. Over 185 Channels. $60/month (for 12 Months.) CALL 1- 888-572-4953. DISH Network. 190+ CHANNELS. FREE Install. FREE Hopper HD-DVR. $49.99/month (24 months) Add High Speed Internet - $14.95 (where avail.) CALL Today & SAVE 25%! 1844-560-5837. SPECTRUM TRIPLE PLAY! TV, Internet & Voice for $29.99 ea. 60 MB per second speed. No contract or commitment. More Channels. Faster Internet. Unlimited Voice. Call 1-888366-7573.

BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201. CASH FOR ESTATES, PARTIAL ESTATES, DOWNSIZING. I buy a wide range of items. Buy-out/cleanup. Gary Roman, 301-520-0755. COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, knives, swords, bayonets, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars and countries. Also Lionel Toy Trains, and coin operated machines. Will pay top prices for my personal collection. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783. MILITARY ITEMS WANTED: Collector seeks to purchase military uniforms; flight jackets, patches, insignia, medals, etc. from the Civil War through Vietnam. Especially seeking U.S. Army Air Corps, USMC, Airborne, and German/Japanese/Italian items from WWII. ALSO BUYING old Boy Scout, Airline Items, Toys, Lighters. Call Dan, 202-841-3062.

Thanks for reading!

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Events COGS Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Funeral Services Going Home Cremations . . . . . . . . . . .29 Harry H. Witzke’s Family Funeral Home, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc. . . . . . . . . .21

Hearing Services Chesapeake Hearing Centers . . . . . . . .13

Home Health Care A-1 Action Nursing Care . . . . . . . . . . .10 HomeCentris Personal Care . . . . . . . . .8 Options for Senior America . . . . . . . . .12

Housing Alta at Regency Crest . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Charlestown/Erickson Living . . . . . . . .9 Heartlands Senior Living . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Homecrest House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Park View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Shriner Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Somerford Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Vantage House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Columbia’s Village Centers . . . . . . . . .28

Legal Services

Subscriptions

Angels of Eldercare Planning . . . . . . .20 Frank, Frank & Scherr, LLC . . . . . . . .21 Lifson Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Beacon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Medical/Health

Celebration of the Arts . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Chesapeake Shakespeare Theatre . . . .29 Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Baltimore-Washington Eye Center . . . .9 Medical Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 VitaScripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Real Estate Services Long & Foster-Nellie Arrington . . . . .20

Retail/Services Antwerpen Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Attitudes on the Boulevard . . . . . . . . . .5 Budget Bath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Senior Services Senior Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . .15-18

Theatre/Entertainment

Tour & Travel Destinations Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Eyre Tour & Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Nexus Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Voting Howard County Board of Elections . . . .6

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J U N E 2 0 1 8 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N

DIFFERENT

... because what surrounds you really matters.

tuesday, june 12, 2018 10:30 A.M. – 12:30 p.m. The meadows assisted living • 1635 hickory knoll road • Sandy Spring, MD 20860

For nearly 70 years, Brooke Grove Retirement Village has built a history of excellence in Montgomery County. Explore our residential-style homes, gardens and secure walking paths. Discover our innovative approach and programs including those designed to stimulate memory. Meet our staff, trained in assisting those with Alzheimer’s and memory loss. Enjoy our 220-acre campus and our live-in pets.

Please register with Toni Davis at 301-388-7209 or tdavis@bgf.org by June 10.

18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 301-260-2320 or 301-924-2811

www.bgf.org

Independent living assisted living rehabilitation a n memory support long-term care

ASSISTED LIVING OPEN HOUSE

simply