February 2013 Baltimore Beacon Edition by The Beacon Newspapers

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Entrepreneurs have the edge

FEBRUARY 2013

I N S I D E …

PHOTO COURTESY OF JANICE MCLEAN

By Carol Sorgen Some people are born with an entrepreneurial bent, while others decide after a lifetime of answering to someone else that it’s time to call their own shots. Whatever the reason, the number of older entrepreneurs is on the rise. In fact, the self-employment rate for adults 55 and older is 16.4 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Among the reasons cited for the growth — and success — of boomer (and older) business owners is accumulated capital, good credit, previous work and life experience, and a clear idea of what they have to offer the marketplace.

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L E I S U R E & T R AV E L

Exploring village life and wildlife in the heart of Africa; plus, this year’s top travel destinations

For love of the sea For Captain Tom Hallock, that means taking his lifelong love of sailing and giving people the means to bury the cremated remains of their loved ones at sea. It’s a traditional form of burial, dating back thousands of years, according to Hallock. Through Life Beyond Sea Burial (www.lifebeyondseaburial.com), the 76year-old Roland Park resident and his crew help family members plan, arrange and conduct a memorial service at sea. (Services are provided for pets as well.) Hallock has been in love with boats since he was a youngster in Havre de Grace, building his first small sailboat with his brother when he was just 10 years old. Through the years, he bought and sold other boats, finally realizing his dream with the Princess Myrtle Kate, a 65-foot, five-level yacht said to have been owned previously by broadcasting legend Arthur Godfrey (who started his career in the Baltimore/Washington area). During the 1970s and ‘80s, Hallock lived on board, and would take then-Mayor William Donald Schaefer and city officials out for excursions. Other well-known passengers included TV newsmen Walter Cronkite and Roger Mudd, and various diplomats. In the ‘90s, however, Hallock was forced to sell his beloved boat because of financial difficulties. “It broke my heart,” he said. But while taking one last ride on the boat, he said he heard a voice in his ear saying, “life beyond.” “I looked around, but there was nobody

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Captain Tom Hallock talks with Janice McLean on her TV show “Entrepreneurs Edge,” which highlights area entrepreneurs and their work. About 16 percent of Americans 55 and older are self-employed.

there,” Hallock said. He took the words, though, as a sign of what he should do next — help families bury their loved ones at sea. He was able to buy a new, smaller boat and thus began Life Beyond Sea Burial. Hallock will accept cremated remains and either perform a service on his own for a cost of $500, or perform a service with family present for $1,500. While he doesn’t perform that many burials at sea (around five a year), Hallock believes with the rising cost of funerals today, he is offering a service of which more and more people will take advantage. Still, he said he doesn’t do it for the money. “I used to make people happy by

helping them celebrate weddings and anniversaries,” he said. “Now I’m making people happy for their loved ones.”

ARTS & STYLE

Recalling Baltimore’s old movie palaces; plus, a tour of the BMA’s newly renovated contemporary wing page 26

TV show for entrepreneurs Hallock and his entrepreneurial spirit were recently profiled on the television program “Entrepreneurs Edge,” produced by JMD Entertainment Group in Baltimore. The program, which is hosted by Janice McLean, herself an entrepreneur-turnedTV personality, features tips and tools, information and resource-sharing on how to start, grow and expand as an entrepreneur or small business owner. See ENTREPRENEURS page 21

FITNESS & HEALTH 3 k Stem cells mend failing hearts k Cooling heartburn LAW & MONEY 14 k Many types of investment risk k Good online banking options VOLUNTEERS & CAREERS k Volunteering with a friend

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FEBRUARY 2013 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Reporter for a day I’ve been a publisher and editor since my application and to enjoy the privileges my wife and I started the Beacon newspa- of the Capitol press corps for a day. Sure, I could have watched pers 24 years ago. Still, it’s a both the Senate and House rare thing these days when I proceedings at home, live on actually “report” on anything C-SPAN. But was there any myself. substitute for being there at a During the quiet days at time like this? the end of 2012, as I was readAfter going through securiing about the fiscal cliff negotiations and Congress was ty and getting oriented, I debeing called back into sescided to start by observing sion over New Year’s Eve the House from the balcony weekend, I had a realization. seats reserved for the press. The year was ticking down FROM THE Across from me, on the to the dreaded “sequester” PUBLISHER other side of the House balthat would potentially push By Stuart P. Rosenthal cony, groups of tourists the country back into recesmarched in and out of the sion, and I finally decided I had to see the public gallery, taking seats for a few mingoings-on for myself at this presumably utes to observe the “action,” such as it historic moment. was. So on Sunday, December 30, I called the But in the press seats, for the most part, Senate’s Periodical Press Gallery, which I was sitting alone. Not that there weren’t plenty of rehandles press credentials for the Capitol, porters in the Capitol that day. But most of and asked for a press pass. Not surprisingly, I was told that obtain- them were back in the press rooms, doing ing official press credentials could be a their research, noshing, and keeping tabs months-long process. (The bureaucracy- on the House and Senate — by watching fighting press has its own bureaucracy, not C-SPAN and other news networks on the to mention the security issues of the Capi- many flat-screen televisions attached to the walls! tol and its inhabitants.) A few reporters and photographers However, I was invited to come down the next day, December 31, to hand-deliver were staking out hallways and paths be-

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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 Greater Palm Springs, Calif. Subscriptions are available via third-class mail for $12 or via first-class mail for $36, prepaid with order. MD 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 • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King

tween the House and Senate, hoping to catch the major players as they entered or exited. (There’s even a screen in the press room indicating where “stakeouts” — yes, that’s the word they use — are permitted and when.) But on the House floor, fewer than a handful of representatives were present, and they politely took turns reading their prepared remarks to the C-SPAN camera and (apparently redundant) court reporter/stenographer. Given that these days were meant to be vacation even for congresspersons, I was pleased to hear those present sharing concerns on international relations issues (should we reconsider giving our old military frigates to Turkey when that NATO “ally” has been less than friendly lately?) and addressing difficult constituent problems (what can we do for a man whose exwife absconded with their only child to Saudi Arabia when he had been given sole custody?). And even though the speakers had a minimal audience and left the room as soon as they were done, it was good to know they took a stand for things they believe in and that their words would be available in print and digital video to anyone with an interest. In the middle of the day, President Obama gave a televised speech assessing the state of the negotiations at that point (and blaming Republicans for the impasse). That attracted lots of attention on the various screens in the press room (and in the downstairs cafeteria), and I took that as my sign to visit the Senate chamber next. Sure enough, a number of Republican senators took turns expressing their feelings about the president’s “confrontational” remarks and his “ridiculing of Republicans.” They were interrupted after awhile, however, when Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

entered, in a blaze of flashing bulbs from the photographers outside the chamber. McConnell had come to report on his negotiations with Vice President Biden. As he started to speak, about two dozen reporters suddenly joined me in the press gallery and huddled around the front row with their pads. (I guess they also wanted to “be there” for the dramatic moments.) McConnell said an agreement had been reached, solely dealing with preserving the Bush-era tax cuts for most Americans, and that although this was not the deficitreducing deal Republicans had been fighting for, it was a hard fought agreement, and he felt his fellow senators should approve it. He then turned and left, as did all the other reporters. As you know, very little ultimately came of that day’s congressional activity. There was a deal, of sorts. A decision not to decide. A postponement of any truly difficult action to trim our deficits. But I left the Capitol feeling I had experienced something special, even so. It really is quite remarkable how accessible our government is to the people and to the press. Just a few miles from where most of us live, decisions are made daily that have an impact on our lives and on the lives of future generations. I’ve always thought Americans should take more advantage of the opportunity we have to express our opinions to our representative and senators. And now I think those of us who are fortunate to live a stone’s throw from the Capitol might find it edifying to stop by that building some day to get a close-up look and soak it all in.

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.

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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. © Copyright 2013 The Beacon Newspapers, Inc.

Dear Editor: I am indebted to Suzy Cohen for her monthly “Dear Pharmacist” column in the Beacon. In the January column about herbal remedies, she makes an interesting comment on bentonite clay. I was supervisor for kosher wine for over 15 years, and when I was constantly asked about what makes kosher wine different from other wines other than it’s watched by a rabbi, I would reply, “Non-kosher wines fil-

ter their wines through the bladder of an animal; kosher wines filter their wines through bentonite clay.” I added, “That is why kosher wines are constantly winning awards.” But maybe together with its superiority taste-wise, its contact with bentonite clay and its medicinal benefits outlined by Cohen may prove another valuable fact. It’s healthier, too. Lionel Chiswell Baltimore

BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2013

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Health Fitness &

EASIER READING Those with vision loss can read with more speed on an iPad BAD FISH, GOOD FISH A guide to finding fish that are healthy for you and the environment STRONGER BONES, WEAKER HEART? Calcium supplements are under attack due to possible heart attack risk DRIVING ISSUES How do you know when it’s time to give up the car keys?

Stem cells from strangers repair hearts By Marilynn Marchione Researchers are reporting a key advance in using stem cells to repair hearts damaged by heart attacks. In a study, stem cells donated by strangers proved as safe and effective as patients’ own cells for helping restore heart tissue. The work involved just 30 patients in Miami and Baltimore, but proves the concept that anyone’s cells can be used to treat such cases. Doctors are excited because this suggests that stem cells could be banked for off-the-shelf use after heart attacks, just as blood is kept on hand now. Results were announced at a recent American Heart Association conference in California and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study used a specific type of stem cells from bone marrow that researchers believed would not be rejected by recipients. Unlike other cells, these lack a key feature on their surface that would otherwise make the immune system see them as foreign tissue and attack, explained the

study’s leader, Dr. Joshua Hare of the University of Miami. The patients in the study had suffered heart attacks years earlier, some as long as 30 years ago. All had developed heart failure because the scar tissue from the heart attack had weakened their hearts so much that they grew large and flabby, unable to pump blood effectively.

sue had been reduced by about one-third among patients in both groups. All had improvements in how far they could walk and in quality of life. There was no significant difference in one measure of how well their hearts were able to pump blood, but doctors hope these patients will continue to improve over time, or that refinements in treatment will lead to better results.

Donated marrow

Cells on demand

Researchers advertised for people to supply marrow. The cells were removed from the marrow using a needle into the hip and then amplified for about a month in a lab at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins University, then returned to Miami to be used for treatment. The procedure did not involve surgery. Rather, the cells were delivered through a tube pushed through a groin artery into the heart near the scarred area. Fifteen patients were given cells from their own marrow and 15 others, cells from strangers. About a year later, scar tis-

The big attraction is being able to use cells supplied by others, with no blood or tissue matching needed. “You could have the cells ready to go in the blood bank so when the patient comes in for a therapy — there’s no delay,” Hare said. “It’s also cheaper to make the donor cells,” as a single marrow donor can supply enough cells to treat as many as 10 people. Dr. Elliott Antman of Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston who heads the heart conference, praised the work. “That opens up an entire new avenue for

stem cell therapy, like a sophisticated version of a blood bank,” he said. There’s an advantage in not having to create a cell therapy for each patient, and it could spare them the pain and wait of having their own marrow harvested, he said. The study was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. Hare owns stock in a biotech company working on a treatment using a mixture of cells. Juan Lopez received his own cells in the study, and said it improved his symptoms so much that, at age 70, he was able to return to his job as an engineer and sales manager for a roofing manufacturer and ride an exercise bike. “It has been a life-changing experience,” said Lopez, who lives in Miami. “I can feel day by day, week by week, month by month, my improvement. I don’t have any shortness of breath and my energy level is way up there. I don’t have any fluid in my lungs.” And, he said happily, “my sex drive has improved!” — AP

Some ways to prevent, or treat, heartburn Are you bothered by burning behind the breastbone after eating? You’re not alone. One-third of us suffer from heartburn, typified by a pain and irritation in the upper gut. The underlying trouble is usually a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Heartburn occurs when acidic stomach contents back up (reflux) through the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) into the lower throat, causing a burning pain. There are many stomach-soothing steps you can try before going to a doctor. These can help cool your symptoms and prevent bigger problems later on. “Heartburn indicates underlying reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus,” said Dr. William Kormos, editor in chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch and a primary care physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. “It can cause damage to the esophagus and even increase the risk of cancer if ignored and untreated.”

Steps to prevent heartburn 1. Eat smaller but more frequent meals: Stuffing your stomach puts pressure on

the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a valve-like constriction at the base of the food pipe that keeps acidic materials from backing up (refluxing) into the esophagus. Large meals also take longer to leave the stomach, giving acid more opportunity to back up and cause heartburn. 2. Eat in a slow, relaxed manner: Wolfing down your food fills the stomach faster, putting more pressure on the LES. 3. Remain upright after meals: Lying down puts more pressure on the LES, making reflux more likely. 4. Avoid late-night eating: Meals or snacks within three hours of lying down to sleep can worsen the reflux of stomach contents, causing heartburn. Leave enough time for the stomach to clear out. 5. Don’t exercise immediately after meals: Give your stomach time to empty; wait a couple of hours. 6. Tilt your torso with a bed wedge: Raising your torso up a bit with a wedgeshaped cushion reduces the pressure on the LES and may ease nighttime heartburn. Wedges are available from medical supply companies. But don’t just prop your

head and shoulders up with pillows, which may increase pressure on the stomach by curling you up at the waist. 7. Don’t drink carbonated beverages: They can cause belching, which promotes reflux of stomach contents. 8. Identify and avoid foods associated with heartburn: Some foods and drinks can increase acid secretion, delay stomach emptying, or loosen the LES and trigger your symptoms. Common offenders include fatty foods, spicy foods, tomatoes, garlic, milk, coffee, tea, cola, peppermint and chocolate. 9. Chew sugarless gum after a meal: Chewing gum promotes salivation, which helps neutralize acid, soothe the esophagus, and wash acid back down to the stomach. Avoid peppermint flavors, which may trigger heartburn more than other types of gum. 10. Rule out medication effects: Ask your doctor or pharmacist about drugs that can cause pain resembling heartburn. Some drugs, for example, can loosen the LES and cause acid reflux. Other drugs can cause inflammation of the esophagus. 11. Lose weight: Being overweight fuels

heartburn because it puts more pressure on the stomach (and the LES). The tightfitting clothing and belts associated with weight gain may also contribute.

Time for medication? If changing your eating habits and other preventive steps don’t get heartburn under control, the most effective treatment is a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). They drastically reduce acid secretion by the stomach. PPIs are available over the counter as omeprazole (Prilosec) and lansoprazole (Prevacid). PPIs will get heartburn under control, but people end up taking them indefinitely. This is not necessarily safe, since research has linked PPIs to increased susceptibility to bacterial infection and long-term risk of hip fracture, among other potential risks. However, you should not suddenly stop taking a PPI after prolonged use. “People end up getting ‘stuck’ on them because PPIs cause a rebound in acid production when stopped,” Dr. Kormos said. See HEARTBURN, page 5

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Health Shorts AMD or severe vision loss? Try an iPad People who have eye diseases that damage their central vision — such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) — can regain the ability to read quickly and comfortably by using digital tablets (such as

FEBRUARY 2013 — BALTIMORE BEACON

iPads), according to a recent study. The research found that people with moderate vision loss could increase their reading speed by 12 to 42 words per minute, depending on the device. Loss of central vision affects millions of people who have eye diseases such as AMD or diabetic retinopathy, which damage the light-sensitive cells of the eye’s retina. The retina relays images to the optic nerve, which transmits them to the brain. When treatments such as eyeglasses, medications or surgery are no longer effective, ophthalmologists help patients

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maximize their remaining sight by using low-vision aids. Before digital tablets came along, reading aids were limited to lighted magnifiers, which are cumbersome and inconvenient by comparison. In the study, which was conducted at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey, researchers found that all of the 100 participants gained at least 42 words-per-minute (WPM) when using the iPad tablet on the 18-point font setting, compared with reading a print book or newspaper. A more modest gain of 12 WPM, on average, was achieved by all subjects when using the Kindle tablet set to 18-point font. Patients with the poorest vision — defined as 20/40 or worse in both eyes — showed the most improvement in speed when using an iPad or Kindle, compared with print. The researchers believe the iPad’s backilluminated screen is the key to the significantly improved reading speed achieved by patients with moderate vision loss. The vision factor involved is called contrast sensitivity, which means being able see an object as separate and distinct from its background and to discern shades of gray. Loss of contrast sensitivity is common in people with low vision. The high word/background contrast provided by a back-lit screen is a big plus for such patients. The original Kindle, which was used in this study, does not have a back-lit screen.

The study also assessed low vision patients’ comfort while reading and found that their preferred mode was linked to their degree of vision loss. People with the worst vision found the iPad most comfortable, while those with the best vision preferred print. This information will be useful to ophthalmologists in advising patients with various degrees of vision loss. — American Academy of Ophthalmology

Your face may reveal heart risks Want a clue to your risk of heart disease? Look in the mirror. People who look old — with receding hairlines, bald heads, creases near their ear lobes, or bumpy deposits on their eyelids — have a greater chance of developing of heart disease than younger-looking people the same age do, new research suggests. Doctors say the study highlights the difference between biological and chronological age. “Looking old for your age marks poor cardiovascular health,” said Dr. Anne Tybjaerg-Hansen of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, who led the study. See HEALTH SHORTS, page 5

Treating Difficulty Standing or Walking, attributed to Arthritis, Spinal Stenosis, Neuropathy, Poor Circulation or Poor Balance I am a patient who had severe foot pain for 2 years, with no relief in sight....by the end of the 4 days I was 85% pain free in both feet. I thank God for Dr. Goldman and his passion for research in healing people with foot and leg pain.

How fortunate I feel to have found a doctor who could not only diagnose an underlying problem that many specialists missed, but who has been able to find a painless and rapid method of relieving the worst symptoms.

– Alvin, Baltimore

– Susan, Baltimore

As a podiatrist with over 30 years experience, I have always focused on non-surgical treatment of foot and leg pain. I find that most people with foot or leg symptoms (arthritic, aching, burning, cramping or difficulty walking) , even those who have had other treatments, including surgery of the foot (or back), can be helped, usually in 1or 2 visits. — Dr. Stuart Goldman

Stuart Goldman, DPM

410-235-2345

4419 Falls Road, Suite A, Baltimore 4000 Old Court Road, Suite 301, Pikesville

Fellow American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons Marquis Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare Author, multiple articles on Foot & Leg Symptoms

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❏ Anemia Studies (see ad on page 10) ❏ Cognition Improvement Study (see ad on page 10) ❏ Exercise Study (see article on page 10) ❏ Fall Prevention Study (see ad on page 11) ❏ Knee Pain/Sleep Study (see ad on page 10) ❏ Sleep Apnea/Somnos Study (see ad on page 11)

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Appreciating the dignity of each resident and encouraging them to be as independent as they want and can be, are the cornerstones of our care. At College Manor, no one compromises a quality lifestyle to receive necessary care.

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At College Manor, every aspect of our care, campus, activities and services are focused on creating a home-style residence with a strong family feel. After all, three generations of our family have operated College Manor since we founded it in 1952.

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Jane Banks, Owner and Administrator

❏ Aigburth Vale Sr. Community (see ad on page 17) ❏ Alta at Regency Crest (see ad on page 17) ❏ Atrium Village (see ad on page 23) ❏ Bay Forest (see ad on page 15) ❏ Charlestown Assisted Living (see ad on page 8) ❏ Charlestown Independent Living (see ad on page 18) ❏ Charlotte Hall (see ad on page 19) ❏ College Manor (see ad on page 5) ❏ Glen Forest (see ad on page 15) ❏ The Greens at Irvington Mews (see ad on page 18) ❏ The Meadows (see ad on page 15) ❏ North Oaks (see ad on page 7) ❏ Oak Crest Assisted Living (see ad on page 8) ❏ Park View Catonsville (see ad on page 16) ❏ Park View Dundalk(see ad on page 16) ❏ Park View Rosedale (see ad on page 16) ❏ Park View Towson (see ad on page 16) ❏ Pikeswood Park Apts. (see ad on page 25) ❏ St. Mary’s Roland View Towers (see ad on page 27) ❏ Wayland Village Apartments (see ad on page 18) ❏ Westminster House Apts. (see ad on page 19)

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After a PPI cools your heartburn symptoms, ask your doctor if you can taper it off and then combine good preventive behaviors with targeted use of over-the-counter medicines to keep heartburn from returning. H2 blockers are good for this purpose. They include cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid), and

nizatidine (Axid). If your symptoms persist, you may need additional testing such as endoscopy. Men who have damage to the esophagus (esophagitis) or precancerous changes (Barrett’s esophagus) will probably have to take a PPI indefinitely. — Harvard Men’s Health Watch © 2012 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

I N F O R M AT I O N

From page 3

The next time you’re looking for pain relief, try a little distraction. A recent study published in Current Biology found that mental distractions actually block pain signals from the body before

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Heartburn

Fool your brain, reduce your pain

to get the same effect. Gollub said you can use anything that brings you great pleasure. “Think about experiences when you’ve done something so pleasurable or meaningful that there was a moment where you were distracted from your pain, and then do more of that activity. Maybe it’s a visit with the grandkids or watching a favorite program.” You don’t have to limit your distractions to just one activity, either. “Using your brain to do more things that are rewarding tips the balance away from the negative aspects. The point is that you don’t want to live your pain all the time; you want to live your life,” said Gollub. — Harvard Health Letter

F R E E

A small consolation: Wrinkles elsewhere on the face and gray hair seemed just ordinary consequences of aging and did not correlate with heart risks. The research involved 11,000 Danish people and began in 1976. At the start, the participants were 40 and older. Researchers documented their appearance, tallying crow’s feet, wrinkles and other signs of age. In the next 35 years, 3,400 participants developed heart disease (clogged arteries) and 1,700 suffered a heart attack. The risk of these problems increased with each additional sign of aging present at the start of the study. This was true at all ages and among men and women, even after taking into account other factors such as family history of heart disease. Those with three to four of these aging signs — receding hairline at the temples,

they ever reach the brain. “Human brains have a limited capacity for attention. If you have a demanding enough task, you’ll have less attention to give to your pain,” said Dr. Randy Gollub, associate professor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Researchers found that challenging participants with memory games did more than just divert conscious attention from the body’s pain messages. The distractions may have actually released natural painkillers that blocked the incoming pain signals as they entered the spinal cord. But you don’t have to play memory games

F R E E

From page 4

baldness at the crown of the head, earlobe creases or yellowish fatty deposits around the eyelids — had a 57 percent greater risk for heart attack and a 39 percent greater risk for heart disease compared to people with none of these signs. Having yellowish eyelid bumps, which could be signs of cholesterol buildup, conferred the most risk, researchers found. Baldness in men has been tied to heart risk before, possibly related to testosterone levels. They could only guess why earlobe creases might raise risk.

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Health shorts

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FEBRUARY 2013 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Eat these fish, but avoid those fish By Brierley Wright, R.D You probably already know that you’re supposed to be eating fish twice a week. Fish are a lean, healthy source of protein.

And the oily kinds, such as salmon, tuna and sardines deliver those heart- and brain-healthy omega-3 fats you’ve also heard you should be getting in your diet.

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But then there are also concerns about mercury levels and choosing seafood that’s sustainable. Knowing what seafood is best both for your health and for the environment isn’t always easy. Fortunately, Seafood Watch, a program run by Calif. Monterey Bay Aquarium, has combined data from leading health organizations and environmental groups to come up with their list of seafood that’s good for you and the environment. They call the list “Super Green: Best of the Best.” To make the list, fish must: a) have low levels of contaminants — below 216 parts per billion (ppb) mercury and 11 ppb PCBs; b) be high in health-promoting omega-3 fats; and c) come from a sustainable fishery. Many other options are on the program’s list of “Best Choices” (seafoodwatch.org). The Blue Ocean Institute (blueocean.org) also has sustainability ratings and detailed information. Here are six fish that Seafood Watch said you should be eating: 1. Albacore Tuna (troll- or polecaught, from the U.S. or British Columbia) Many tuna are high in mercury, but albacore tuna — the kind of white tuna that’s commonly canned — gets a Super Green rating as long as (and this is the clincher) it’s “troll- or pole-caught” in the U.S. or British Columbia. The reason: Smaller

(usually less than 20 pounds), younger fish are typically caught this way (as opposed to the larger fish caught on longlines). These fish have much lower mercury and contaminant ratings, and those caught in colder northern waters often have higher omega-3 counts. The challenge: You need to do your homework to know how your fish was caught, or look for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) blue eco label. 2. Salmon (wild-caught, Alaska) Close monitoring, along with strict quotas and careful management of water quality, means Alaska’s wild-caught salmon are both healthier (they pack 1,210 mg. of omega-3s per 3-ounce serving and carry few contaminants) and more sustainable than just about any other salmon fishery. 3. Oysters (farmed) Farmed oysters are good for you (a 3ounce serving contains over 300 mg. of omega-3s and about a third of the recommended daily values of iron). They’re also good for the environment. Oysters feed off the natural nutrients and algae in the water, which improves water quality. They can also act as natural reefs, attracting and providing food for other fish. One health caveat: Raw shellfish, espeSee BAD FISH, GOOD FISH, page 7

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“Untreated hearing loss may increase your risk of Alzheimer’s”

ARCHIVES OF NEUROLOGY (FEBRUARY 2012)

“Hearing loss is twice as common in adults with diabetes”

ANNALS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE (JULY 2008)

“Older people with mild hearing impairment are nearly twice as likely as those with normal hearing to develop dementia” CNN HEALTHLINE (FEBRUARY 2011)

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At the Louis and Phyllis Friedman Neurological Rehabilitation Center at Sinai Hospital, we’re committed to giving people like Patricia Gardner-Smith a renewed sense of hope. Following a stroke, Patricia experienced right-sided weakness, which caused her difficulty walking, talking and even swallowing, but our team of dedicated physicians, therapists and nurses helped her regain her strength and relearn functional skills such as eating and grooming. Now at home with her husband, she continues to progress every day. Learn more at lifebridgehealth.org/sinairehab.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2013

Bad fish, good fish From page 6 cially those from warm waters, may contain bacteria that can cause illnesses. 4. Sardines, Pacific (wild-caught) The tiny, inexpensive sardine packs more omega-3s (1,950 mg.!) per 3-ounce serving than salmon, tuna or just about any other food. It’s also one of very few foods naturally high in vitamin D. Many fish in the herring family are commonly called sardines. Quick to reproduce, Pacific sardines have rebounded from both overfishing and a natural collapse in the 1940s. 5. Rainbow trout (farmed) Though lake trout are high in contaminants, nearly all the trout you’ll find in the market is farmed rainbow trout. In the U.S., rainbow trout are farmed primarily in freshwater ponds and “raceways” where they’re more protected from contaminants and fed a fishmeal diet that’s been finetuned to conserve resources. 6. Freshwater Coho Salmon (farmed in tank systems, from the U.S.) Freshwater Coho salmon is the first — and only — farmed salmon to get a Super Green rating. All other farmed salmon (all salmon labeled “Atlantic salmon” is farmed) still falls on Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch “avoid” list for a few reasons: Many farms use crowded pens where salmon are easily infected with parasites, may be treated with antibiotics, and can spread disease to wild fish (one reason Alaska has banned salmon farms). Also, it can take as much as three pounds of wild fish to raise one pound of salmon. Coho, however, are raised in closed freshwater pens and require less feed, so the environmental impacts are reduced. They’re also a healthy source of omega-3s — one 3ounce serving delivers 1,025 mg.

Fish to avoid A number of environmental organizations have also advocated taking many fish off the menu. The large fish listed below are just a few examples. We are highlighting popular fish that are both depleted and, in many cases, carry higher levels of mercury and PCBs. The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has also posted health advisories on some of these fish at edf.org. 1. Bluefin tuna In December 2009, the World Wildlife Fund put the bluefin tuna on its “10 for 2010” list of threatened species, alongside the giant panda, tigers and leatherback turtles. Bluefin have high levels of mercury, and their PCBs are so high that EDF recommends not eating this fish at all. 2. Chilean sea bass (aka Patagonian Toothfish) Slow-growing and prized for its buttery meat, Chilean sea bass has been fished to near depletion in its native cold Antarctic waters. The methods used to catch them — trawlers and longlines — have also damaged the ocean floor and hooked albatross and other seabirds. At present, there is one

well-managed fishery that’s MSC-certified. EDF has issued a consumption advisory for Chilean sea bass due to high mercury levels; adults should eat no more than two meals per month, and children aged 12 and younger should eat it no more than once a month. 3. Grouper High mercury levels in these giant fish have caused EDF to issue a consumption advisory. Grouper can live to be 40 but only reproduce over a short amount of time, making them vulnerable to overfishing. 4. Monkfish This strange fish resembles a catfish in that it has whiskers and is a bottom dweller, but its light, fresh taste made it a staple for gourmets. These fish are recovering some after being depleted, but the trawlers that drag for it also threaten the habitat where monkfish live. 5. Orange roughy Like grouper, this fish lives a long life but is slow to reproduce, making it vulnerable

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to overfishing. As Seafood Watch puts it: “Orange roughy lives 100 years or more — so the fillet in your freezer might be from a fish older than your grandmother!” This

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FEBRUARY 2013 — BALTIMORE BEACON

How can I reduce inherited cancer risks? Dear Pharmacist: My sister and mother have both had breast cancer. So far, I’m OK (but obviously worried). What is your number one recommendation for me, since my genetics are bad? Thanks. — K.B. Dear K.B.: When it comes to breast health, your weight matters the most in my opinion. But another important factor is hormone balance. Let’s start with weight. I do not know your particular size or weight, so I will speak from a general standpoint. Flabby abs and thighs can increase pro-

duction of dangerous cancer-causing hormones, including estrogen. Clinical trials will often conclude that “estrogen promotes cell proliferation in breast tumors” which could also be stated this way: Fat causes cancer. Fat cells hold on to estrogen, and estrogen drives certain cancers. Losing weight helps because doing so reduces estrogen load in the body, and this may slow growth of tumors (even before you find out they’re in you). Yes, even before diagnosis. Why wait for the cancer to be diagnosed? Remember, tumors don’t grow overnight. It has been growing for years — sometimes 10 to 20 years — before it’s

BEACON BITS

Jan. 30

FREE MEMORY AND SPEECH SCREENINGS On Wednesday, Jan. 30 from 9 a.m. to noon, Loyola University

graduate students will be offering free cognitive-linguistic screenings, which will screen for memory, orientation, attention, visual-spatial processing and speechlanguage skills, as well as a non-invasive oral examination to asses oral musculature and range of motion. The screenings are offered at the Parkton Senior Center, 8601 Harford Rd., and are available by appointment only. Call (410) 8875338 or register at the front desk.

picked up by an imaging scan. Supplements that increase production of Losing weight also works because this this 2 estrogen are sold nationwide at lowers serum insulin, and health foods stores as “I3C” high insulin is a risk factor in for indole-3-carbonol, or a rethe development of cancer, as lated type which is better for well as in 30 other disabling people with low stomach acid medical conditions. called “DIM.” Both I3C and You see, insulin increases DIM are proven to support an enzyme in your body called breast and prostate health. aromatase. This is the same Natural iodine supplements can help this pathway, too. enzyme that converts testosOn my no-no list are fried terone and androstenedione or fast foods, any boxed, to estrogen within cells. DEAR processed or heavily refined And, as I just told you, exPHARMACIST dinners, anything artificial, as cessive estrogen fuels cancer By Suzy Cohen well as a diet high in refined growth. I’ve posted an article I sugar. wrote on this at my website. Coconut, olive, avocado and grape seed Just use my search box to find “Many Disoil are all wonderful to include in your diet. eases Linked to High Insulin.” The point is, losing weight is critical, Spices such as curcumin and saffron are and choosing good foods can help you re- powerful herbs you should eat frequently gain your figure while slashing your risk of (or supplement with). cancer. And, obviously, monitor your hormones I think the best breast food you can eat is with a urine analysis each year. broccoli. Broccoli, as well as other crucifers This information is opinion only. It is not (cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, intended to treat, cure or diagnose your conturnips), has a positive impact on the way dition. Consult with your doctor before using you break down your estrogen. They bene- any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist fit breast health by reducing 4 and 16 estrogens (considered harmful) while increas- and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist ing a protective, potent anti-cancer form of and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To estrogen, called 2-methoxyestradiol. contact her, visit www.dearpharmacist.com.

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Calcium supplements and heart attacks Calcium is recommended as a way to help prevent osteoporosis, but calcium supplements have come under attack recently due to a possible heart attack risk. A study published last summer found a significantly increased risk of heart attack among women taking calcium supplements. Two other studies, in 2010 and 2011, had similar results. Since so many people take the supplements, these studies have received a lot of attention. But Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Mass., noted that such risks haven’t been found with calcium-rich foods. “Although I think the jury is still out on the supplement issue, it would be wise to try to get most of your calcium from food sources if possible,” she said. Current guidelines for calcium intake for bone health recommend between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams (mg.) per day, depending on your age and gender. “The calcium-rich diet has been linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular dis-

ease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and hypertension. Dietary calcium has not been linked to any increase in risk of cardiovascular events,” Manson said.

The case against supplements Why would calcium from dietary sources be heart healthy, but not calcium from supplements? Researchers have proposed that digesting calcium supplements might cause a surge in blood calcium levels. The calcium could accumulate in your arteries making them rigid, which contributes to chest pain, high blood pressure and heart attacks. Calcium may also build up inside artery plaques — little pockets of cholesterol that can block your blood flow or burst, causing a heart attack or stroke. But again, Manson noted that the evidence isn’t solid. “The evidence that calcium supplements are leading to increased calcification of plaques is not well established. There’s clear evidence that coronary artery calcium is a marker for increased risk of heart disease, but there’s also evidence

that plaques with calcium may be more stable and less likely to rupture.”

Don’t overdo it Manson said the real risk is when people exceed the daily recommended intake. “On average in the U.S., women get 700 mg. of calcium from dietary sources, so most women would need 500 mg. or less in calcium supplements. However, many women also take supplements of 1,000 mg. or more. This is concerning because high doses of calcium supplements have been linked to kidney stones, as well.” Whether you get your calcium from food or a supplement, make sure you get adequate vitamin D to help with calcium absorption: The Institute of Medicine rec-

ommends 600 IU per day for all adults 70 and younger. Adults older than 70 need 800 IU daily. Fortified dairy products are also a good source of vitamin D. Manson said it’s vital to get your daily recommended dose of both calcium and vitamin D, even if you already have heart disease. Good sources of calcium include milk, cheese, yogurt, soy products, sardines, canned salmon, fortified cereal and dark leafy greens such as kale and collard greens. “Read food labels and you’ll see that it’s feasible to reach 1,000 mg. of dietary calcium a day,” Manson said. — Harvard Health Letter © 2012 President and fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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Health Studies Page

FEBRUARY 2013 — BALTIMORE BEACON

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Studying patients with myasthenia gravis By Carol Sorgen Myasthenia gravis (which, translated from its Latin and Greek origins, means “grave muscle weakness”) is a condition that is often difficult to diagnose. It is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal muscles of the body. The onset of the disorder may be sudden, and symptoms often are not immediately recognized as myasthenia gravis. The University of Maryland and Baltimore VA Medical Center are conducting a

clinical trial to determine whether individuals with chronic, generalized myasthenia gravis can benefit from a three-month home exercise program with aerobic, resistive and pulmonary training. Volunteers with the condition are now being sought.

Signs of the condition In most cases, the first noticeable symptom of myasthenia gravis is weakness of the eye muscles, though some people may first experience difficulty in swallowing and slurred speech.

Do You Have Knee Arthritis and Difficulty Sleeping? Volunteers NEEDED for a Clinical Trial on New Non-drug treatment for problem sleeping Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine are looking for volunteers to participate in a research study examining new ways of treating insomnia, in people with osteoarthritis in their knee.  To participate in this study, you must be: • At least 50 years of age OR 35 years of age and older with prior diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis • Have frequent knee pain • Interested in sleeping better  This study involves: • Sleep studies conducted in your home • Sensory testing and knee exam at Johns Hopkins • Meeting with sleep specialist to discuss ways to improve sleep • Additional optional medical tests • All examinations, parking, & tests are provided at no cost.  Compensation up to $870.00

The degree of muscle weakness involved in myasthenia gravis varies greatly among patients, from involvement of only the eye muscles (ocular myasthenia), to a severe or generalized form in which many muscles, sometimes including those that control breathing, are affected. Symptoms may include a drooping of one or both eyelids, blurred or double vision due to weakness of the muscles that control eye movements, unstable gait, weakness in arms, hands, fingers, legs and neck, a change in facial expression, difficulty in swallowing and shortness of breath, and impaired speech. Myasthenia gravis occurs in all ethnic groups and both genders. It most commonly affects young adult women (under 40) and older men (over 60), but it can occur at any age. Most cases of myasthenia gravis are not as “grave” as the name leads one to believe, thanks to advances in current treatment. These include medications to reduce and control muscle weakness, and in some cases, removal of the thymus gland, which is often abnormal in myasthenia gravis patients. For most individuals with myasthenia gravis, life expectancy is not shortened.

Can exercise help? The overall fatigue that usually accom-

panies the disorder, however, can result in physical deconditioning that can reduce fitness and increase the risk of obesity, hypertension, elevated cholesterol and type 2 diabetes — all of which can result in serious health conditions. The specific aims of the study being conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland and Baltimore VA Medical Center are to define the baseline physical activity and fitness levels of the study participants, and determine whether a threemonth moderate intensity home exercise program is safe and feasible in sedentary, but medically stable, patients. It will also determine if the exercise can enhance fitness, strength and lung function in order to improve physical activity and reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Adults between 18 and 70 with stable myasthenia gravis may be eligible to participate in this study, which will include a home exercise program of three days a week for three months. The program will be progressive in duration (up to an hour daily) and intensity (including walking, resistance training with exercise bands, and core and breathing exercises). For more information on this study or to volunteer, contact Dr. Charlene Hafer-Macko at (410) 328-3100 or cmacko@grecc.umaryland.edu.

For free info about health studies, use coupon on page 5.

STUDIES ON ANEMIA Are you 65 years or older? Have you been recently diagnosed with anemia? OR Have you had anemia in the past? en you may be interested in: “THE JOHNS HOPKINS registry of older adults with anemia” • Several new research studies are being designed by researchers at Johns Hopkins University speciﬁcally for older adults with anemia. • By volunteering to join our anemia registry, you will be kept up to date on anemia research studies that match your situation.

Call us at 410-550-2113 to join the Anemia Registry today! Approved 8/16/10

Michael T. Smith, Ph.D., Principal Investigator Protocol: NA_00011802 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

For information, please call (410) 550-7906

We can conduct the study in your home. No travel is required. If you choose to come to Bayview to participate, your parking will be paid.

We look forward to hearing from you! Principal Investigator: Dr. Jeremy Walston, MD. IRB application No: NA_00035307

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2013

How to tell when it’s time to quit driving By Lauran Neergaard Families may have to watch for dings in the car and plead with an older driver to give up the keys — but there’s new evidence that doctors could have more of an influence on one of the most wrenching decisions facing a rapidly aging population. A large study from Canada found that when doctors warn patients, and tell driving authorities, that the older folks may be medically unfit to be on the road, there’s a drop in serious crash injuries among those drivers. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine last fall, couldn’t tell if the improvement was because those patients drove less, or drove more carefully once the doctors pointed out the risk. But as the number of older drivers surges, it raises the question of how families and doctors could be working together to determine if and when age-related health problems — from arthritis to frailty to Alzheimer’s disease — are bad enough to impair driving.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 12

ALLEVIATING LOWER BACK PAIN Personal trainer and

massage therapist Janet Gross will teach you about how to counteract chronic back pain from too many sedentary activities on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 9:30 a.m. at the Catonsville Senior Center, 501 N. Rolling Rd., Catonsville. For more information, call (410) 887-0900.

Ongoing

EAT BETTER WITH EATING TOGETHER

By one U.S. estimate, about 600,000 older drivers a year quit because of health conditions. The problem: There are no clear-cut guidelines to tell who really needs to — and given the lack of transportation options in much of the country, quitting too soon can be detrimental for someone who might have functioned well for several more years. It’s never an easy discussion. “It did not go over so well,” Benjamin Benson recalls of the time when his sons told the 87-year-old they feared his reflexes had slowed too much for safe driving. “I’ve never had an accident,” Benson told them. His family’s response: “Well, do you want to wait for the first one?” The retired accountant wasn’t ready to quit then, but he quietly began to analyze what would happen to him and his wife, who doesn’t drive, if he did. His longtime doctor wouldn’t advise one way or the other. So over a few months, the couple tried online grocery shopping. They

The Johns Hopkins University is currently recruiting men and women for a study examining the relationship between sleep apnea and glucose metabolism. Eligible participants will receive a sleep study, blood test, EKG and other medical tests. Participants will be compensated up to $860 for their time. Subjects must be between 21 and 75, and in good health.

See OLDER DRIVERS, page 12

Ask the people who matter the most – our patients and their families.

henry

The

Study

ManorCare Health Services specializes in providing post-acute nursing and rehabilitation services including physical, occupational and speech therapies, bridging the gap between hospital and home for patients.

those 60 and older and their spouses. Meals are served in 40 different locations throughout the county. For more information or to find a location

Today, the American Medical Association recommends that doctors administer a few simple tests in advising older drivers: — Walk 10 feet down the hallway, turn around and come back. Taking longer than 9 seconds is linked to driving problems. — On a page with the letters A to L and the numbers 1 to 13 randomly arranged, see how quickly and accurately you draw a line from 1 to A, then to 2, then to B and so on. This so-called trail-making test measures memory, spatial processing and other brain skills, and doing poorly has been linked to at-fault crashes. — Check if people can turn their necks

Henry came to ManorCare Health Services – Towson in a wheelchair, feeling very weak. Upon his discharge, he walked out of the building saying, “You all are a diverse, efficient and dedicated staff. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay longer but I’m ready to go home.”

Please call 410-550-4891 and ask for Kelly Devine, Project Coordinator, for more information.

federally-funded meals programs for

Some tests that might help

DonÕt take our word for it!

RESEARCH STUDY PARTICIPANTS NEEDED

Eating Together is a

near you, call (410) 887-2594.

took a taxi to the dentist, not cheap at $38 round-trip. But Benson calculated that maintaining and insuring the car was expensive, too, when he drove only 3,000 miles a year. A few weeks ago, Benson surprised his family by giving away the car, and he said he’s faring fine so far. “Most people in our age group know that it’s inevitable and play around with the idea that it’s going to come and the only question is when,” Benson said. “I didn’t want to be pushed into it.” Research by Dr. Matthew Rizzo of the University of Iowa shows some cognitive tests might help better identify who’s at risk, such as by measuring “useful field of view,” essentially how much your brain gleans at a glance — important for safety in intersections.

Principal Investigator: Naresh Punjabi, M.D., Ph.D. Application Number: NA_00036672

Planning for discharge to home begins on the day of admission for our patients. The interdisciplinary teams works with our patients and families to transition them home safely and quickly as possible.

Want to Prevent Falls in the Elderly? Seeking Men and Women to participate in a research study at the University of Maryland &Veterans Aﬀairs of Baltimore to better understand balance and the prevention of falls in aging individuals. You will receive:

• Health evaluation • Balance, step, strength, and/or ﬂexibility exercises • Compensation for your time If interested call: 410-605-7179 & Mention code: LIFT at Baltimore VA/University of Maryland Gerontology Recruitment Line *You must be at least 65 years old and in good health *Participants will be seen at the Baltimore VA Medical Center and University of Maryland School of Medicine *You will attend approximately 41 visits for 1 to 4 hours each per visit

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For more information, please call the location nearest you or visit www.manorcare.com: Dulaney

Ruxton

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FEBRUARY 2013 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Older drivers

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

HOME VISITS TO FRAIL ELDERLY

From page 11

Through the Baltimore County Home Team, volunteers provide serv-

far enough to change lanes, and have the strength to slam on brakes. Dr. Gary Kennedy, geriatric psychiatry chief at New York’s Montefiore Medical Center, often adds another question: Are his patients allowed to drive their grandchildren? “If the answer to that is no, that’s telling me the people who know the patient best have made a decision that they’re not safe,” said Kennedy, who offers “to be the bad cop” for families or primary care physicians having trouble delivering the news.

ices to eligible older persons who have limited social supports and need assistance to remain in their own homes. Some of the services volunteers offer include: friendly visiting once a week, telephone visiting via regular phone calls, running errands, escort trips for medical appointments, shopping, and limited handyman service. Volunteers are asked to make a six-month commitment of approximately one hour a week. The program provides ongoing training and recognition. Visit www.baltimorecountymd.gov and click on “volunteer opportunities.”

Assistance for families For now, advocacy groups like the Alzheimer’s Association and AARP offer programs to help families spot signs of driving problems and determine how to talk about it.

Others turn to driver rehabilitation specialists — occupational therapists who can spend up to four hours evaluating an older driver’s vision, memory, cognition and other abilities before giving him a behindthe-wheel driving test. Some doctors and state licensing authorities order those evaluations, but programs can be hard to find, often have waiting lists and cost several hundred dollars. For more information about AARP’s online seminar, “We Need to Talk,” visit www.aarp.org/home-garden/transportation/we_need_to_talk/. For the Alzheimer’s Association Dementia & Driving Resource Center, visit www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementiaand-driving.asp. To locate a driver rehabilitation specialist near you, visit www.driver-ed.org. — AP

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

ty check? The Baltimore County Department of Aging is beginning to enroll clients in a new pilot program called Safety Call, a free automated telephone reassurance network. This program provides older Baltimore County adults (60+) with an added measure of support within their homes, while helping to maintain their independence. Call Maryland Access Point at (410) 887-2050 for more information.

Ongoing

Service. Deliver Delivered.

JOIN A BCDA FITNESS CENTER The Baltimore County Department of Aging has 13 fitness centers, located at Arbutus, Ateaze, Bykota, Catonsville, Cockeysville,

Edgemere, Essex, Jacksonville, Liberty, Parkville, Pikesville, Reisterstown and Seven Oaks Senior Centers. The annual fee is only $100 to use all 13 centers, or $60 to use the smaller fitness studios at Arbutus, Edgemere, Essex, Jacksonville and Reisterstown. For more information, call (410) 887-2594.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2013

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When ‘being there’ for someone backfires Our mother, who’s divorced, is getting Dear Solutions: My husband retired recently. He’s remarried. Her future husband’s children are making a dinner for not sure yet what he wants their family and ours. My to do. He says he wants to mother says she’ll die of huplay golf, but makes very miliation if my sister and I little effort to start finding don’t come. people to play with. I’m willing to go, but my If I make a suggestion, he sister told our mother she gets angry at me. It’s the won’t come, and she’ll be same with anything else he in touch separately. I tried says he might do. As soon to reach my sister about as I suggest a way to make this, but I just can’t see it happen, he gets annoyed. SOLUTIONS how to try any more. I’ve made a very busy, By Helen Oxenberg, — Irma fulfilling life for myself, MSW, ACSW Dear Irma: while he was working, and How to try — put a blindI feel a little guilty, but I wish he would get busy. I’m afraid of fold on your eye. You don’t have to see him just hanging around all the time, how to try anything. This incident is between your sister and and I just want him out of my hair your mother. Tell your mother you tried. right now. How should I handle this? — Kate She really has to be honest about her family dynamics with her future husband, but Dear Kate: The only way you’ll get him out of your that’s up to her. The only thing that’s up to you is to go and hair right now is to take your hair elsewhere. When he gets angry at you for enjoy meeting your mother’s new family. making suggestions, the message is: “Let Dear Solutions: I went to a party recently, and there me alone — I’ll find my own way.” It may take time and a lot of experiment- was one person who cornered me for ing with different activities. When you keep the whole evening. I wanted to meet suggesting ways to make things happen as other people, but I didn’t know what soon as he mentions them, he feels your anx- to do or say to get away from this noniety to get him busy so he won’t bother you! stop talker. I ended up feeling blocked and Go about your business now, and don’t make suggestions unless he asks you for meeting no one. How can I handle this next time? them. — Terri Dear Solutions: I don’t know where to begin with Dear Terri: It’s your circulation that’s blocked. Even this. My sister and I are in our 40s. Because of something that happened, at a party, there are arteries leading to we don’t talk to each other, and she other people. You need to improve your circulation by has said she wouldn’t go anywhere if just saying, “It’s been nice talking to you, I’m there, too.

but I’d better start meeting some of the other people here.” Smile and move on. © Helen Oxenberg, 2012. Questions to be considered for this column may be sent to:

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inquire about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

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FEBRUARY 2013 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Money Law &

IRAs FOR HEIRS Fill out paperwork properly to pass down your IRAs to beneficiaries, including spouse and children PROTECTION FROM BILLS The healthcare law gives some patients protections from collection agencies ABCs OF FINANCIAL TITLES Learn the differences between CFPs, CPAs and other designations

Understanding risk is the key to investing Very few individual investors do as well as this inverse relationship: When interest rates market indexes on a long-term basis. One increase, bond prices decrease, and vice major reason is that they fail to versa. If you invest in bonds, develop long-range plans, inchanges in interest rates can stead creating portfolios that rehave a significant impact on the quire frequent major changes, value of your portfolios. Longwhich incur expenses and taxes. term bonds are much more If you are making dramatic volatile than short-term bonds. changes to your portfolio, and Credit risk refers to the your returns lag the major inpotential loss in investment dexes associated with your invalue when a corporation’s or vestments, then consider changgovernment’s credit rating is ing your approach. You have downgraded. After a debt ratprobably not looked closely THE SAVINGS ing downgrade, the value of GAME enough at the risks that are relean entity’s outstanding bonds By Elliot Raphaelson vant to your investments. or preferred stock will immediately drop. A disadvantage Five types of risk of buying individual corporate bonds with There are different types of risk — the low credit ratings (aka “junk” bonds) is major ones are interest rate, credit, infla- that they are more likely than investment tion, currency and market — and any one grade bonds to be downgraded. of them may affect you differently than it Inflation risk is an all too familiar conaffects other investors. cept to savers today. Short-term investInterest rate risk can be understood by ments such as Treasury bills and money

market instruments currently yield less than 1 percent. Even if inflation is 3 percent a year — a historically low rate — a portfolio of these “safe” investments will erode in value by more than 2 percent a year. Investors with a significant long-term portfolio in these instruments will be losers. Currency risk refers to the possibility of loss in your portfolio based on changes in the value of currencies relative to the U.S. dollar. Market risk refers to the possible investment loss due to fluctuation in security prices for other reasons. Fluctuations can occur within an entire asset class or for a specific security you own. When you invest in common stocks, you incur more market risk than you would for more conservative investments. The value of an individual stock may fall because of general market conditions, poor earnings, new tax regulations or unfavorable industry projections. If you invest in commodities such as

gold and silver, you are also subject to market risk because of the price volatility of the underlying commodity. You have to take some market risk to obtain capital growth, but you shouldn’t take more risk than you can afford. You should look at the price stability of any asset class you are considering investing in to make sure that you can afford shortterm fluctuations in value, and thus do not have to bail out at the wrong time. Diversification is crucial.

Investing for retirement When developing a long-term investment plan, take a hard look at the risks and make sure you are taking the right ones and avoiding the inappropriate ones. For example, if you are in the early stages of your career and need to save for retirement, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to have a large portion of your investment in See RISK, page 16

How you can lose money in ‘safe’ bonds When you purchase stock (“shares” or al direction of interest rates. Here’s how it “equity”), it represents ownership of a pub- works: If you own a 10-year U.S. government bond that is paying 5 perlicly traded company. As a cent, it will be worth more now, common stockholder, you get when new bonds issued by a piece of what the company Uncle Sam are only paying 1.6 owns (assets) and what it percent. Conversely, if your owes (liabilities). bond is paying 1.6 percent, and You are also entitled to voting your friend can purchase a new rights and dividends, which are bond paying 5 percent, nobody a portion of the company’s profwill be interested in your bond its that it distributes to its shareand the price will fall. holders. Stock prices move That’s why bond prices based on supply and demand: If RETIRE SMART move in the opposite direction more people think the company By Jill Schlesinger of prevailing interest rates, rewill deliver future financial regardless of the bond type. So, if you hear sults, they will buy it, and the stock will rise. Bonds work differently than stocks. that interest rates are on the rise, you can When you buy a bond, you are actually lend- count on your individual bond or bond muing money to an entity — the U.S. govern- tual fund dropping in value. Although often hailed as “safe,” bond inment, a state, a municipality or a company — for a set period of time — from 30 days to 30 vestors face a number of risks, in addition to years — at a fixed rate of interest (the term the interest rate risk described above. One “fixed income” is often used to describe the is credit risk, which is the risk of default or asset class of bonds). At the end of the term, that the entity does not pay you back. That is a pretty low risk if the entity is the U.S. govthe borrower repays the obligation in full. ernment, but it can be a high one if it’s a How bond prices work company or town that is in trouble. Bond prices fluctuate based on the generAnother risk is inflation. Even if the

bonds are paid in full, the promised rate of interest can turn out to be worth less over time due to inflation, which eats into the fixed stream of payments.

Should you buy a bond fund? Many investors prefer owning a bond mutual fund versus an individual bond because funds offer broad diversification at a low cost, and they offer the convenience of being able to buy or sell shares at any time and in any quantity. Additionally, there is no easy way to reinvest interest payments into individual bonds, but you can reinvest easily in a fund. However, individual bonds offer the certainty of a defined maturity date, which provides an investor with more control over the investment. If you hold an individual bond until it matures, you will get back its face value even if interest rates have risen. But you can lose principal if you sell shares in a fund at the wrong time (just as you can if you sell an individual bond — whose value has fallen — before it matures). Because bonds deliver a consistent stream of income, many investors view them as the perfect retirement vehicle. But as mentioned above, bond prices can fluctuate.

The worst calendar year for the broad bond market was 1994, when the broad bond market returned -2.9 percent due to an unexpected upward shift in interest rates (prices dropped more, but the interest from bonds helped defray some of those losses). Just this past summer, the 10-year Treasury market saw big price drops. In the three weeks from the July 25 peak to Aug. 16, prices tumbled about 8.5 percent, and yields went to 1.82 percent from an alltime low of 1.38 percent. So, yes, you can lose money in the bond market, though the magnitude of the fluctuations tends to be smaller than those in stocks and other riskier asset classes. Bonds are an important asset class that can have a stabilizing effect on a diversified portfolio over time. Understanding how they work can prepare you for their eventual ups and downs. Jill Schlesinger, CFP, is the Editor-at-Large for www.CBSMoneyWatch.com. She covers the economy, markets and investing on her podcast and blog, Jill on Money, as well as on television and radio. She welcomes comments and questions at askjill@moneywatch.com. © 2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2013

Online banks without fees, minimums By Joan Goldwasser Online banks don’t have the expense of a multi-branch network, so they can afford to charge fewer fees and pay higher rates than traditional banks. You’ll have to rely on direct deposit to put money in your account, although some banks allow you to deposit checks via a mobile phone. 1. Ally Bank (www.ally.com). Ally lets you open its Interest Checking account with any amount. It has no monthly maintenance fee, plus it rebates all ATM fees nationwide. The account pays 0.4 percent interest on balances up to $15,000, and 0.75 percent on balances over that amount. You can also use a mobile phone to deposit checks, transfer funds to other banks and pay bills. 2. Bank of Internet USA (www.bofi.com). You need $100 to open a Rewards Checking account, but there is no monthly fee and no minimum balance requirement. ATM reimbursements within the U.S. are unlimited. Plus, you can use your mobile phone to make deposits. You earn up to 1.25 percent interest on your balance each month if you meet certain requirements, such as setting

up direct deposit, paying bills online, and using your debit card. 3. INGDirect (https://home.ingdirect.com). This online bank was recently acquired by Capital One. Open an Electric Orange Checking account with any amount you choose. It has no minimum balance requirement and no monthly fees. You can use your phone to make deposits and to transfer money. Use one of the more than 43,000 Allpoint ATMs worldwide and you pay no fee. The checking account yields 0.2 percent on balances of less than $50,000. 4. Lake Michigan Credit Union (www.lmcu.org). Anyone can join Lake Michigan Credit Union by donating $5 to the West Michigan chapter of the ALS Association and opening a $5 savings account. Its Max Checking account has no minimum balance requirement and no monthly fees; it refunds up to $15 a month in ATM fees if you don’t use one of the bank’s 92 proprietary machines. The account pays 3 percent on balances up to $15,000 if, among other requirements, you arrange for one direct deposit per month. 5. Schwab Bank (www.schwab.com).

The Schwab High Yield Investor checking account rebates all ATM fees worldwide. The account has no minimum balance requirement and no monthly service fee, and checks are free. Balances earn 0.15 percent.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 13

FEELING LUCKY?

Try your luck at the Maryland LIVE! Casino at Arundel Mills Mall on Wednesday, Feb. 13. The cost of this trip, sponsored by Liberty Senior Center, is $20. To reserve a spot, call (410) 887-0780.

Feb. 20

TOUR THE HOLOCAUST MUSEUM

Tour the Holocaust Museum and have lunch at Phillips Restaurant on Wednesday, Feb. 20. Seven Oaks Senior Center is sponsoring this day trip for a cost of $45. Call (410) 887-5192 to reserve a spot.

BEACON BITS

Jan. 23+

IMPROVE YOUR SAFETY What changes can you make in your home to improve your safety?

Join Senior Crime Prevention Advocate Bob Monahan from the Baltimore County Department of Police to learn how to protect yourself and your home. The presentations are scheduled on Jan. 23 at St. Luke’s Senior Housing; Jan. 28 at Reister’s Clearing Senior Housing, Feb. 19 at Mt. Carmel Senior Center, and March 21 at Owings Mills New Town Senior Housing. Presentations are open to the public and free of charge. For more information, including times and addresses, visit www.baltimorecountymd.gov/aging/healtheducation.

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FEBRUARY 2013 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Hospital collections must follow new law By Elliot Raphaelson Many people are facing large, often insurmountable, debt obligations these days, and according to some estimates, medical bills account for half of all collections reported to credit agencies. Even with a sound long-term financial plan, you may be confronted with unexpected health problems, including an unplanned hospital stay for a member of your family. This can have a significant impact on your financial well-being. After a hospital stay, many individuals and families without comprehensive hospital insurance face large bills they cannot afford to pay. Most people and even some hospitals are not aware that the new Affordable Care Act (ACA) has provisions that prohibit certain collection techniques that hospitals have used on people having difficulty paying bills for care.

Hospitals that continue to use these collection techniques may lose their federal tax exemption. There has been very little publicity regarding the benefits of these provisions of the ACA to low- and middle-income families.

What the law states As Mark Rukavina, a healthcare affordability expert, explained in a blog post at Credit.com (http://s.tt/1b57a), the ACA directed the IRS to establish Section 501(r) of the IRS code to implement benefit rules for hospitals that are subsidized through federal tax exemption. These hospitals must: • “Establish written financial assistance policies describing who is eligible for free or reduced cost care and publicize them to patients and the community. • “Refrain from extraordinary collections actions against patients before screening them to determine whether

they qualify for financial assistance. • “Limit fees charged to patients eligible for financial assistance to rates paid by Medicare or the lowest amounts paid by insured patients.” Unfortunately, not all hospitals have followed these mandated requirements. As a result, some patients who were eligible for free or reduced-cost care have been contacted and sued by collection agencies, in violation of ACA requirements. The IRS has not yet clearly defined “extraordinary collections.” However, it is clear that Congress intended to protect low- and moderate-income earners from large medical bills. (Note that a large, unwarranted hospital bill will have a significant negative impact on a patient’s credit report.) Gerri Detweiler, Credit.com’s consumer credit expert, reported that a reader had her hospital turn her $7,000 bill over to a

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collection firm before she even received it.

Ask for help at the hospital If you are treated by a nonprofit hospital, take steps to ensure that your rights are protected. Contact the billing department and request information regarding financial assistance. You can also ask whether the hospital has any personnel with expertise in assisting low-income patients or patients with disabilities. Ask for the hospital’s written financial assistance policy, which is mandated under ACA. If the billing department cannot provide you this information, then you should make your request in writing and send it by certified mail/signature requested to senior management of the hospital. Unfortunately, there has been an upsurge in allegations of debt collectors hassling patients. As the Huffington Post reported, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said that her department is looking into allegations that “aggressive contractors were confronting patients in the hospital setting, not making it clear that they were actually bill collectors and not part of the hospital system.” If you are contacted by a collector in the hospital, obtain the person’s relevant information, such as name, company and address, and report it to your Congressional representative, as well as to senior management of the hospital. © 20212 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

Risk From page 14 low-yielding Treasury bills losing more than 2 percent a year to inflation. If you are near retirement, with a significant capital base, you should be more mindful of market risk — i.e., having too large a percentage in common stocks. If you are already retired and depend on bonds for recurring income, be wary of credit risk and avoid putting a large proportion of your bond holdings in individual junk bonds. Rather, you should consider either investment grade bonds or a conservative high-yield fund. With a good understanding of the risks, you likely will not have to make significant changes on a year-to-year basis (other than rebalancing). If you would rather leave the portfolio selection to professionals, select a no-load mutual fund family with a good performance history and low costs that offers target-date retirement funds and/or balanced funds (i.e., funds that maintain a predetermined mix of equity and income investments). You are likely to have more consistent and better results. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com. © 2012 Elliot Raphaelson. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2013

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How to pass IRAs down to beneficiaries By Elliot Raphaelson Most individuals who have Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) understand the primary advantages of these accounts — income tax deferral and the associated investment growth over long periods of time. However, owners of these accounts often fail to consider that these advantages can also work in the favor of beneficiaries who inherit the accounts after they die. Even those who appreciate the benefits often fail to follow the rules exactly and end up losing out. IRS regulations on inheriting retirement accounts can be complex, and it is easy for people to make mistakes when they name beneficiaries. There are pitfalls for beneficiaries as well, and mistakes can result in thousands of dollars in unnecessary penalties and lost investment opportunity.

Do paperwork properly Retirement expert Ed Slott argues that properly filling out your retirement account beneficiary form is the “single most important document in your estate plan because it guarantees that the person you name as beneficiary ... will indeed get that asset when you are gone.” A filled out beneficiary form will take precedence over provisions in your will. If your personal situation changes — say, because of divorce or death of a spouse — you must make sure you make the appropriate changes to the form. It’s key to get this right, because the retirement account is the largest asset many individuals own. Slott’s retirement planning books are an excellent resource to help you make the right decisions. Your Complete Retirement Planning Road Map (Ballantine Books, 2007) is particularly useful on this subject. Don’t assume that your attorney and/or

your financial advisor are experts regarding retirement accounts, especially when it comes to inherited accounts. Do your homework, and get informed professional assistance if you need it.

Options for a spouse Naming a spouse as a beneficiary is the most desirable option, as it provides the best opportunity for growth and longevity of the funds in the account. A spouse beneficiary can treat the inherited IRA as his or her own, and have the trustee change the name on the account. A second option is for the beneficiary to roll the account over to a new IRA in his or her name. Both alternatives are equally advantageous. A third option is to retitle the account as an “inherited IRA.” If the beneficiary is under the age of 59 1/2, there is an advantage to this option. The beneficiary can withdraw funds immediately without paying the 10 percent penalty that normally applies to those who take early IRA distributions. The beneficiary will have to pay ordinary income taxes on any withdrawals. If a spouse beneficiary selects the inherited IRA option, at age 59 1/2 he or she should retitle the IRA in his or her name. The beneficiary will then have the flexibility, between ages 59 1/2 and 70 1/2, to withdraw any amount he or she wishes and retain tax deferral. After age 70 1/2, that person will have to make mandatory withdrawals based on the IRS’ life expectancy tables.

Preserving benefits for heirs If you have inherited an IRA, fill out the retirement account beneficiary form so your heirs, too, can take advantage of the “stretching” options. Non-spouse beneficiaries cannot roll over

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a retirement account into their own names. They can, however — and they should — retitle the account as an inherited IRA. How you, as a non-spouse beneficiary, are required to make withdrawals from an inherited IRA depends on whether the account’s original owner had begun withdrawing. For example, let’s suppose you inherited an IRA from your mother, who had initiated withdrawals based on her life expectancy. If you retitle the account as an inherited IRA, you can withdraw funds on

the same basis as your mother had, retaining the tax deferral. Withdrawals are taxed at ordinary income tax rates. On the other hand, let’s say that at the point of her death, your mother had not initiated mandatory withdrawals. You will be required to make minimum withdrawals based on your life expectancy. You can always withdraw more than the minimum. Again, all withdrawals are taxable. See IRAs, page 18

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FEBRUARY 2013 — BALTIMORE BEACON

An alphabet soup of financial designations By Jill Schlesinger What’s better: a CFP or a CPA-PFS? What’s the difference between a fee-based financial adviser and a fee-only one? Being a consumer of financial services these days can be maddening. One reader asked, “Can you give me a rundown about what these designations mean so I can select the right type of adviser to help me with my retirement planning?” Absolutely. Let’s start with the basics: There is a difference between a license

and a designation. Conducting certain sales activities in the securities and insurance industries can require both state and federal licensing. Additionally, those who are Registered Investment Advisers (RIAs) are licensed to provide advice and must put their clients’ interests first (“the fiduciary standard”). Those licenses require passing standardized tests and some continuing education. However, many professionals engaged in providing financial advice also

rely on outside designations, which are often more rigorous than the licensing exams, in order to differentiate themselves from those who sell product versus those who sell advice.

Sorting out the titles The financial professional designations include: CFP certification: The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board) requires candidates to meet what it calls “the four Es”: Education (through one of several approved methods, must demonstrate the ability to create, deliver and monitor a comprehensive financial plan, covering investment, insurance, estate, retirement,

IRAs From page 17 If you do not retitle the account as an inherited IRA and cash it out, you will immediately owe income taxes on the whole amount, and you will lose the advantage of tax-deferral. Make sure the beneficiaries of any retirement accounts and the executor of your will understand the importance of retitling the accounts as an inherited IRA. Fortunately, existing tax laws and regu-

education and ethics), Examination (a 10hour exam given over a day and a half; most recent exam pass rate was 59.1 percent), Experience (three years of full-time, relevant personal financial planning experience required), and Ethics (disclosure of any criminal, civil, governmental, or self-regulatory agency proceeding or inquiry). CFPs must adhere to the fiduciary standard. CPA Personal Financial Specialist (PFS): The American Institute of CPAs offers a separate financial planning designation. In addition to already being a licensed CPA, a CPA/PFS candidate must earn a minimum of 80 hours of personal financial See DESIGNATIONS, page 19

lations allow retirement account owners and beneficiaries many years of potential growth and tax deferral. It is well worth the effort to take advantage of these. Other excellent sources of information on this topic are Retire Secure! Pay Taxes Later by James Lange (Wiley, 2nd ed., 2009), and Making the Most of Your Money Now by Jane Bryant Quinn (Simon and Shuster, revised 2009). © 2012 Elliot Raphaelson. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2013

Designations From page 18 planning education and have two years of full-time business or teaching experience (or 3,000 hours equivalent) in personal financial planning, all within the five-year period preceding the date of the PFS application. They must also pass an approved Personal Financial Planner exam. Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU)/ Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC): Available for insurance agents who want to demonstrate a deeper knowledge base. The CLU is more insurance-focused, while the ChFC is broader. Both require designees to take eight college-level courses on all aspects of financial planning from the American College in Bryn Mawr, Penn., and then complete continuing education. Neither requires a comprehensive exam. Membership in the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA): NAPFA maintains a high bar

for entry into membership: Professionals must be RIAs and must also have either the CFP or CPA-PFS designation. Additionally, NAPFA advisers are fee-only, which means that they do not accept commissions or any additional fees from outside sources for the recommendations they make Fee-only advisers can charge based on an hourly or flat rate, or based on a percentage of your portfolio value, often called “Assets Under Management” (AUM). Either method is fine with NAPFA; however, if the adviser collects a commission from an insurance company or a fee from a mutual fund company as part of the financial plan, then that adviser is precluded from membership. In addition to being fee-only, NAPFA advisers must be fiduciaries and must provide information on their background, experience, education and credentials, and are required to submit a financial plan to a peer review. After acceptance into NAPFA,

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Ongoing

GET THE HELP YOU NEED The Baltimore County Self-Help Guide, a resource for women, families

and service providers, is available online. It lists services in areas including health, education, employment, as well as crisis hotline phone numbers. The guide can be found at www.baltimorecountyonline.info/agencies/women/resources. Call (410) 8873448 for more information.

members must fulfill continuing education requirements. The requirements make NAPFA members among the tiniest percentage of registered investment advisers, with only 2,500 total current members. I asked John Ritter, NAPFA board member and public policy chair, about setting the bar too high, making it too exclusive a club. He responded

that NAPFA advisers want “to be the ones carrying the torch, in front of the industry.” Certainly, you can get good advice from someone without these designations, but knowing what they mean can help you ask the right questions about the services and fee structures they provide, so you can make an educated choice. © 2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

BEACON BITS

Mar. 7

PHILADELPHIA FLOWER SHOW Join Roland Park Country School’s Kaleidoscope Program on this

day-long excursion to the Philadelphia Flower Show and historic Reading Market. The cost of this trip is $90, and is refundable through Feb. 15. To make reservations, call (410) 323-5500 or visit on the web at www.rpcs.org

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Careers Volunteers &

Does your organization use senior volunteers or do you employ a number of seniors? If you do and you’d like to be considered for a story in our Volunteers & Careers section, please send an email to info@thebeaconnewspapers.com.

Family history inspires museum volunteer turned out that Schurman had a longstanding interest in the Bannekers and their relationship with the Ellicott family (for whom the town of Ellicott City is named). Now the two ladies usually travel to the museum together, sometimes as often as four times a week, for board and committee meetings, tours and activities, and organized community events. “The museum is such an interesting place to visit, and we have a lot of events. Yet many people don’t even know we exist,” Marable noted.

Preserving history The museum and historical park, located at 300 Oella Ave., is situated on the homestead of the Banneker family. The original 100-acre lot was purchased in 1737 by Robert Bannaky, Benjamin’s father, and the family farmed tobacco, wheat, corn and fruit, and had an apiary and a small vegetable garden. Much of the vegetables, poultry, fruit and honey produced on the farm were sold to the Ellicott family to supply their general store in the old mill town. After his father died in 1759, Benjamin

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BENJAMIN BANNEKER MUSEUM

By Carol Sorgen Through her family’s genealogist, retired educator Gwen Marable learned that she was a descendent of Jemima Banneker, the sister of Benjamin Banneker, the African American scientist, surveyor, almanac author and farmer who lived from 1731 to 1806. When Marable heard that the Benjamin Banneker Museum in Oella was looking for board members who had a family connection to the Bannekers, Marable volunteered. Her involvement with the museum didn’t stop there, however. Marable, who is 80 and a resident of the Broadmead Senior Living Community in Cockeysville, is one of the “voices” of the museum, telling the story of Benjamin Banneker not only to museum visitors, but to groups throughout the community. She also leads school groups on tours of the museum, organizes crafts activities, and in short, is “a helper in any way I can,” she said. One of the enjoyable byproducts of her volunteer activities is that another Broadmead resident, Virginia Schurman, also began volunteering at the museum. It

Volunteers and staff at the Benjamin Banneker Museum portray the late 18th century family and other historic figures. After Gwen Marable, seated on left, learned she is descended from the family, she decided to volunteer at the museum. A love of local history also drew volunteer Virginia Schurman (seated on right).

became the sole owner of the farm and continued to live and farm there. Eventually, he gave up tobacco farming to concentrate his time on a small garden, his beehives and his study of mathematics. Benjamin Banneker died in 1806 (eerily, on the day of his funeral, the cabin in which he lived and died, burned to the ground). The museum’s mission is to preserve the history of Benjamin Banneker, as well as the cultural and natural history of early American times. To that end, the museum offers an array of special events in history, visual and performing arts, science and the environment.

Its extensive and diverse collections range from archaeological artifacts of the Bannekers’ era (including pieces of lenses, lead pencils and instruments most likely used by Benjamin Banneker himself), to artifacts formerly held by the Ellicott family (Banneker’s best friends), including his work table, candle molds and candlesticks, to books and other publications donated to the museum, especially on African-American history. The museum welcomes both visitors and volunteers. For more information, call (410) 887-1081. Admission to the museum is free, though special events may require a small fee. Donations are accepted.

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bound residents in Northwest Baltimore. Meals on Wheels is located at 2434 Belvedere Ave. Meals are picked up by volunteers and delivered between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. To volunteer, call Liz Galea at (443) 5730940 or email galea@mowcm.org.

Ongoing

FLEXIBLE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Sinai Hospital is looking for volunteers for the gift shop and throughout the hospital. Flexible times are available. For more in-

formation, call (410) 601-5023.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2013

Entrepreneurs From page 1 The show began eight years ago, and is currently seen weekly on channel 75 in Baltimore City, 77 in Baltimore County, 23 in Anne Arundel County, and 21 in Harford County. (Check local listings for times.) The show also airs in Philadelphia, New York and Washington, D.C., and plans are underway for the program to be broadcast in Howard County. “With the economic downturn and continuing layoffs, many people can’t find jobs, and are turning their hobby or passion into a new career,” said McLean, offering one explanation for the growth in entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs Edge TV offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to promote their business on the air, while offering tips and advice to other would-be small business owners. For more information, visit www.jmdentertainmentgroup.com.

Driving a new career For Barbara Parker, a 54-year-old Baltimore City resident, a lifetime career as a truck driver has turned into a new career as the owner of Jeannie’s Transportation Services. Parker has contracted with a local adult day care center to provide daily transportation for seniors to and from the center. Parker first opened her business in 2006, but had to close it in 2007 when she ran into difficulties collecting payment from her first client. By 2008, she was back

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

HOSPICE SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care is seeking patient care volunteers at Northwest Hospital, and office volunteers to serve Baltimore City and Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Howard and Harford Counties. Contact 1-888-523-6000 or jjordan@seasons.org for more information.

Ongoing

HOME VISITS TO FRAIL ELDERLY

Through the Baltimore County Home Team, volunteers provide services to eligible older persons who have limited social supports and need assistance to remain in their own homes. Some of the services volunteers offer include: friendly visiting once a week, telephone visiting via regular phone calls, running errands, escort trips for medical appointments, shopping, and limited handyman service. Volunteers are asked to make a six-month commitment of approximately one hour a week. The program provides ongoing training and recognition. Visit www.baltimorecountymd.gov and click on “volunteer opportunities.”

in business again. “I like helping the elderly and the disabled,” Parker said, explaining what motivated her to begin the business after she retired from truck driving. “I needed income, so I traded in my truck, bought a van, and just started asking around for business.” For other would-be entrepreneurs, Parker offers this advice: “Find something you like and go for it.” And while income is essential, she added, “Don’t do it for the money. Do what you enjoy.” Barbara Gill owes her foray into entrepreneurship to her husband, who was looking for a business venture when he retired from the Army. Her only comment at the time was: “As long as it’s legal, makes money, and I’m not involved.” Eighteen years later, Gill, 63 and a resident of Annapolis, is very much involved with the business her husband joined — an international wellness company that manufactures and sells home and personal

products through catalogues. “My husband joined this venture for just $29 and we have been receiving a check every month for the past 18 years,” said Gill, who is now retired from the federal government. She works approximately 20

to 25 hours a week, and says she can do so whenever and wherever she likes. Gill also leads workshops on direct sales from home as part of the continuing education program at Anne Arundel Community College.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

RESOURCE CENTER HELPS ENTREPRENEURS

The Small Business Resource Center offers assistance to entrepreneurs with everything from preparing business plans to finding insurance for their employees. The center is free to the public and has a PC-based business library with literature and videos. Visit at 1101 E. 33rd Street, Suite C307, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call (443) 4517160 or visit www.sbrcbaltimore.com.

Feb. 21+

NEW SENIOR ENVIRONMENT CORPS

If you are 55 or older, passionate about the environment and have a desire to help, the Baltimore County Senior Environment Corps needs you. As a member of this new group, you may monitor water quality, educate the public about watershed health, or help with data entry. An information session will be held on Feb. 21, at 10 a.m. at the Edgemere Senior Center, 6600 N. Point Rd. For more information, call (410) 887-3101 or email volunteers@baltimorecountymd.gov.

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FEBRUARY 2013 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Travel Leisure &

Ireland is one of the top travel destinations for 2013. Find out why on page 25.

Wildlife and village life in heart of Africa

PHOTO BY VICTOR BLOCK

Village housing has grass roofs.

Everywhere I looked was a photograph waiting to be taken. That was equally true when the ElderTreks tour group with which I was traveling ventured out on game drives and boat cruises for close-up encounters with the animals that make Uganda their home.

PHOTO BY VICTOR BLOCK

By Victor Block steep hillsides, women — some with a Relaxing in a hot shower, walking to a baby napping in a sling on their back —nearby market to buy meat, or strolling chat with their neighbors working nearby. through a village may seem like common- Many men waiting for passengers to clamplace occurrences. However, for visitors to ber aboard their motorcycle taxi also share the African country of Uganda, these expe- lighthearted banter. riences are likely to be unlike life as you’re The biggest smiles adorn the faces of chilused to living it. dren, whether playing in the dirt near their For instance, the shower consists of hot house or waving to passing vehicles carrying water poured into a tank on the roof of a tent, visitors to their country. Their excitement which drips through and broad grins holes in a bucket onto prompted my wife Fylthe bather below. The lis and me, and our meat is large body parts eight traveling comof animals strung up in panions, to return an outside marketplace. every smile and wave And villages are groupthat came our way. ings of mud-brick huts Memories of other with thatched roofs and scenes also continue dirt floors. to dance in my head. I Most people travel still picture lines of to Uganda to observe a women and children Noah’s Ark variety of walking alongside potanimals in their natuholed roads balancing A young child fills water containers ral habitat. During my at a community well. a variety of bundles on recent visit, I found life their head. of another kind to be equally intriguing. OpThe women, many wearing colorful flowportunities to mix and mingle with the peo- ing dresses, might be carrying a bunch of ple soon became a highlight of the trip. bananas, laundry just washed in a stream, a five gallon plastic container of water pumped A picturesque country and people from the village well, or anything else that This central African country is land- needs to be moved from here to there. Some locked, yet fully a quarter of it is covered school children tote their books on their by water. That includes a section through head, their version of the backpack carried which the Nile River flows, and Lake Victo- by many youngsters in the United States. ria — the second largest freshwater lake in Bicycles and motorbikes are used to the world after Lake Superior. transport larger and heavier items. I spotThough it is one of the poorest nations ted them laden with cages of live chickens, of the world, its people reflect an easygo- heavy bags of charcoal used for cooking, ing, friendly demeanor, especially to visi- and a live goat slung across the lap of a tors. As they toil in fields that spill down man driving to an outdoor market.

From antelope to zebras The checklist of wildlife is long and varied, a literal alphabet, ranging from antelope to zebra. Actually, I learned that the word “antelope,” rather than describing a specific animal, is a catch-all name for about 90 species of beautiful creatures. We saw many kinds, varying from miniscule, graceful oribi to sturdy waterbuck, each with its own type of lovely and distinctive horns. Each animal encounter seemed to exceed the wonder and excitement of the previous sighting. Our itinerary included visits to two major gathering places of elephants in Uganda, where we were thrilled at the sight of those endearing beasts eating, resting and on the move. Herds of zebras resemble broad tableaus of black and white stripes with heads. Endangered Rothschild giraffes, identified by their white legs below the knee, stretch their long necks to browse on tender leaves at the top of tall trees. Large groups of powerful and feared Cape buffalo, wallowing in mud or huddled together on land, peer out from nearsighted eyes. Among our group of travelers, the countless hippos we came across in many bodies of water were a favorite sight. They spend much of the day floating just beneath the surface with only their tiny ears (and sometimes eyes) peeking out. When they emerge to graze on land, you understand why those highly aggressive creatures, which can top out at 6,000 pounds, are pretty much left alone by most other animals. The checklist of wildlife sightings continued. Troops of baboons congregate alongside roads searching for tasty plants and small insects. Wart hogs, with faces only another wart hog could love, kneel on their front knees to munch on grass. Giant crocodiles bask in the sun along river banks. Droll-looking vervet, black-andwhite colobus, and a menagerie of other monkeys chatter and scold from tree tops. Trees also are home to winged crea-

A Ugandan boy is carried by his mother.

tures in more than enough variety to make Uganda a birder’s paradise. More than 1,000 species of resident and migratory birds have been sighted there. Sighting even just a few of them can reveal a breathtakingly beautiful rainbow of colors. A hike in the forest searching for chimpanzees also had us scanning the treetops. Our first clue that they were nearby was a series of barks and growls emanating from high branches. Then we picked out four animals staring down at us, including a mother with a baby clinging tightly to her back. A chimp identified by our guide as an adolescent climbed down from a tree and lay on the ground about 10 feet from us. Then he took turns taking short naps and occasionally awakening to scratch himself, ignoring the members of our group as we took photo after photo. Even after countless sightings of birds and animals, we continued to long for encounters with big cats. Understanding how unlikely it is to come across elusive leopards, we agreed to settle for lions and eventually were rewarded for our flexibility. During one game drive, our eagle-eyed guide saw a family of three lions in the distance that ran into a large cluster of bushes See AFRICA, page 23

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2013

Africa From page 22 as our vehicle approached. After remaining hidden for some time, the male trotted out of the thicket, leaving the mother and infant behind, took a stance about thirty feet away and prowled back and forth as if on guard duty. Only when we eventually drove away did the king of the beasts saunter back into the bush, confident that his family was safe. Equally intriguing was our experience in the Ishasha section of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is one of only two places in the world, the other being in Tanzania, where lions climb trees as part of their regular behavior. It’s not known whether they do so to escape biting flies at ground level or to catch a cooling daytime breeze, descending at dusk to search for their dinner. The reason mattered little to us as we watched several lions comfortably settled on thick branches of fig trees.

Seeking the mountain gorilla Touted as a highlight of the trip was the opportunity to see mountain gorillas. Those magnificent creatures are mankind’s closest cousins, sharing between 95 and 99 percent of our DNA, depending on how it’s measured. Unfortunately, that kinship makes those splendid animals susceptible to human diseases. Before we began our trek, we were instructed to stay at least seven meters

(about 22 feet) away and to suppress coughs and sneezes. Of the estimated 880 mountain gorillas in the world, about 400 live in Uganda’s aptly named Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. As experienced hikers, Fyllis and I almost scoffed when told that ElderTreks provides a porter to carry each trekker’s daypack and, if necessary, the trekker. However, soon after entering the forest we quickly became thankful for their presence. The trail disappeared, and the guide used his machete to cut a shoe-wide path through thick underbrush. The ground was slippery, and unbreakable vines clutched at our feet. Our porters literally gave us a hand, pulling, pushing and doing whatever was necessary to help us up the steepest hills we’ve ever encountered. I soon understood why the animals we sought to visit are called mountain gorillas. Our pre-trek briefing indicated that it could take from two to seven hours to find a group of gorillas, spend one hour observing them and return to the starting point. Because the group we were seeking was on the prowl searching for food, it took us over three hours to find it and the full seven hours for the entire experience. When we caught up with the gorillas, several were on tree branches chomping on leaves while others remained on the ground. The real excitement occurred when the silverback, the large dominant male, growled and began to charge us.

Our guide quickly stepped in front, waved his arms and machete and the hulking gorilla turned away. Just in case, guides also are armed with an AK-47 which, ours assured us, he never has had to use. As much as gorilla trekking had been promoted as a — perhaps the — high point of our trip, it lasted only several hours during a 16-day adventure. The journey also included memorable safari game drives on land and cruises on water, each of which rewarded us with sightings of numerous animals. The adrenaline rush of a charging mountain gorilla and the beauty of lions sprawled over tree branches are but two of innumerable animal experiences that linger in my memory. Equally fascinating were encounters with people whose culture and lifestyle are very different from mine. These are among reason why several of my travel companions described their visit to Uganda as the trip of a lifetime.

If you go A safari trip to Africa isn’t best undertaken as a do-it-yourself affair. We went there with ElderTreks, which since 1987 has con-

ducted off-the-beaten-path trips for people 50 and over to more than 100 countries. Among benefits it offers are small groups limited to no more than 16 travelers, highly efficient trip preparation, outstanding local guides, and inclusion of all meals, which is not true for some tour companies. While a few meals had a set menu, most were elaborate buffets. Accommodations ranged from a luxury hotel, to a sophisticated lodge overlooking hillside tea plantations, to luxurious, spacious tented wilderness camps with a private bathroom, including that bucket shower. Monkeys, hippos and wart hogs were among the animals that hung around some camps and provided yet more opportunities to observe wildlife at close range. ElderTreks will offer its next Uganda trip in July at a discounted price (through Jan. 15) of $6,710 per person. It also will have an 18-day trip in September to Uganda and Rwanda priced at $7,645. Permits to trek for gorillas and chimpanzees cost extra. For more information about what may prove to be your trip of a lifetime, call ElderTreks at 1-800-741-7956 or log onto www.eldertreks.com.

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Top worldwide travel destinations for 2013

Myanmar and New Zealand President Obama’s historic recent visit to Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) — the first ever by a sitting U.S. president — is adding to already heated-up interest in the country, which has only fully opened to tourism in the last few years. Fodor’s Bowen said it’s especially attractive to people who are already well traveled and are seeking that next unknown destination. Many tour companies are adding Myanmar trips due to demand, and the U.S. Tour Operators Association’s active members named Myanmar No. 1 on a list of “off-the-beaten path” countries they foresee becoming popular in 2013. New Zealand received a huge boost in tourism from fans of The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, and the release of the new movie The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is focusing attention on the destination once again. All four of the movies were filmed in New Zealand. The French port city Marseille is one of two European capitals of culture in 2013, along with the Slovakian city of Kosice. Fodor’s Bowen said Marseille “has been overlooked in the past” by a lot of travelers heading to the lavender fields and wineries of Provence, but she believes it’s ripe for a “renaissance” with new hotels, art galleries and culinary hotspots. XL Airways France is launching direct flights from New York in late May.

Big anniversaries in the U.S. Several important anniversaries take place in 2013, with exhibits and events to mark them. • Gettysburg, Pa., is marking 150 years since the famous Civil War battle, which took place July 1-13, 1863. The town will also mark the sesquicentennial of President Abraham Lincoln’s brief but brilliant 272-word speech, the Gettysburg Address, which he delivered Nov. 19, 1863 at the battlefield cemetery. Marquee events for the battle commemoration, including reenactments and tours, will take place June 28 to July 7, but there will be activities and programs throughout the year. On July 1, the new Seminary Ridge Museum opens in a building that was used as a soldiers’ hospital. Union Gen. John Buford also used the structure’s cupola to scout the countryside on the battle’s first day. • Dallas plans a ceremony to mark 50 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, at the exact time and place where shots rang out: Dealey Plaza, Nov. 22, 12:25 p.m. The ceremony will begin with church bells tolling and a moment of silence, followed by a reading of Kennedy’s speeches, songs, prayers and a military flyover. Special programming for the occasion is also planned by many other sites, from the Newseum in Washington, D.C., to the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, located in a building where a sniper’s nest and rifle were found following the shooting. • Saratoga, N.Y., is planning a May to September celebration with festivals and concerts marking the 150th anniversary of the Saratoga Race Course, where watching the horses remains a fun and popular pastime. The town is also known for upscale eateries and lodging, along with Saratoga Spa State Park, with its beautiful pools and natural springs. • New York City’s Grand Central Terminal kicks off its centennial Feb. 1 with a rededication of the landmarked Beaux Arts station. Performances, lectures, exhibits and tours are planned throughout the year. • Florida is marking the state’s 500th anniversary of European discovery and exploration, with events in all 67 counties.

Theme parks and beaches Next summer will see the popular 3-D ride based on the “Transformers” movies opening at Universal’s theme park in Orlando. “Transformers: The Ride — 3D” previously opened this past May at Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles. At Disneyland in California, spring will see the opening of Fantasy Faire, located at Fantasyland and dedicated to Disney heroes and heroines. At Disney World near Orlando, Fla., a new attraction called Princess Fairytale Hall, where guests can meet Disney princesses, is also scheduled to open in 2013. Princess Fairytale Hall will be located at the Magic Kingdom’s New Fantasyland,

By Beth J. Harpaz Myanmar, Marseille, New Zealand and Gettysburg are all on the travel radar for 2013 thanks to new tours, events and anniversaries. But the best pitch for travel in the new year might just be coming from Ireland, which is running ads “calling all Flynns, O’Malleys and Schweizenbergs” to the Emerald Isle for a unique grassroots homecoming called “The Gathering.” Here are details on these and other places, events and travel trends for 2013. The Gathering “is a citizen-led initiative to attract people who are Irish-born, Irishbred or Irish in spirit to join us in 2013,” said Bernard McMullan of Tourism Ireland. “It’s almost become a competition where one county, town or village tries to have as quirky a gathering as the next.” More than 2,000 events are already planned, including events for redheads and left-handers as well as reunions based on family names and clans. The U.S. Census Bureau said 34.7 million Americans claim Irish ancestry, and Arabella Bowen, executive editorial director of Fodor’s Travel, is one of them. Even President Barack Obama has an Irish ancestor in the family tree. “There are Irish people all over the world,” said Bowen. “It will be great fun being able to connect with others going back for this event. It’s like an entire year of St. Patrick’s Day parties.”

Colorful boats bob in the water in the town of Cobh, Ireland, a seaport town in County Cork. This year, a grassroots movement called the Gathering is inviting those of Irish heritage to visit the country to attend some of the more than 2,000 events planned.

which opened in early December, doubling the size of the original Fantasyland. Both parks are offering weekly surprises for guests as part of a yearlong 2013 program called Limited Time Magic. Superstorm Sandy destroyed beaches, boardwalks and waterfront attractions all along the mid-Atlantic coast. Many communities on the Jersey shore, the beloved pier in Ocean City, Md., and elsewhere are hoping to have infrastructure rebuilt by summer. On Coney Island, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the

landmark Cyclone and Wonder Wheel rides are in good condition along with other amusement park attractions, and are expected to reopen in spring as usual, along with the famous hot dog eatery Nathan’s and the home stadium for the Cyclones minor league baseball team. The New York Aquarium at Coney has been closed due to damage from flooding but hopes to reopen some if not all exhibits by summer. — AP

FEBRUARY 2013 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Style Arts &

Photographer Amy Davis is compiling a book on old Baltimore theaters. She’s also trying to identify these women on North Avenue in front of the Windsor and Hilton theaters in the 1940s.

Photographer captures old movie theaters them. Some, like the Town Theatre (which first opened as the Empire in 1910 as a vaudeville palace and became a movie theater in 1947) is enjoying a new incarnation as home to the recently relocated Everyman Theatre. Others, like the Stanley — Baltimore’s largest and grandest theater — have been torn down. And still others, like the Fulton, are in a state of disrepair after decades of neglect.

PHOTO BY ROBERT CRONAN

By Carol Sorgen Traces of her New York-area upbringing still tinge Amy Davis’s speech, but after more than two decades living in Baltimore and working as a photojournalist for the Baltimore Sun, Davis considers herself a true Baltimorean. So it was with a sense of sadness that she followed the news in 2007 that the Senator movie theater was facing foreclosure. “That’s my neighborhood theater, and I’m very fond of it,” said Davis, 56. She began wondering what would happen to the Art Deco landmark, which first opened to the public in 1939. (As it turns out, the Senator is currently undergoing renovations and will re-open this spring.) That sparked the thought, “What has happened to all of Baltimore’s old movie theaters?” So Davis set out to find out. The result is her book-in-progress, Flickering Treasures: Rediscovering Baltimore’s Forgotten Movie Theaters,” scheduled for publication in Fall 2014. In researching the book, Davis has been on a self-described “treasure hunt,” in search of Baltimore City’s historic movie theaters to discover what has become of

Mixing past with present Davis has been photographing primarily the movie theaters that remain (no matter whether they are theaters now or not; few are). But in some cases, she can only shoot what replaced them — from parking garages to vacant lots. She plans to juxtapose vintage photographs of the theaters in their heyday with high-quality color photographs of the buildings, or the building sites, as they are today. Accompanying each of the almost 60 theaters that Davis plans to include in the book will be reminiscences from Baltimore-area theatergoers, most of whom have fond memories of their “own” neigh-

Amy Davis is photographing Baltimore’s historic theaters for her forthcoming book Flickering Treasures: Rediscovering Baltimore’s Forgotten Movie Theaters, which includes reminiscences by local residents.

borhood movie theater. The book is an offshoot of a photo essay that Davis did for the Baltimore Sun. She received so many letters from readers who wanted to find out what had happened to their favorite theater that she decided there was enough interest to warrant a book. Davis credits much of her own research to author Robert Headley (previously profiled in the Beacon), author of Motion Picture Exhibition in Baltimore: An Illustrated History and Directory of Theatres, which will soon be re-released in paperback. “If I had had to start from scratch without Bob’s research, it would take me another 10 years to finish my book!” Davis laughed. She explained that Headley’s book is an exhaustive resource (“I don’t think Bob missed a theater in Baltimore!”), while hers will be more photo oriented.

Sharing memories Davis has been speaking about her project at retirement communities and senior centers, both to educate and entertain her audiences, but also to invite people to share their memories (and perhaps even photos) of their early movie-going days. An Edenwald resident, for example, told Davis about going to the Metropolitan to see Al Jolson, and to the Century to see Jean Harlow in person, who was probably

appearing for a premiere. “People have so many fond memories of the old theaters,” said Davis. “In their heyday, movie theaters were the hub of the community. Now, so many of the buildings that remain are surrounded by dollar stores, liquor stores, and the like. They’re the center of decay and neglect, not of a vibrant community.” Davis hopes that her book will spark a dialogue about Baltimore’s remaining theaters and what can be done to save them. Some, like the Parkway, in the Station North district, are coming back to life after having lain dormant for decades. But Davis fears for the state of others, like the Ambassador, another Art Deco landmark, which showed its last film in the 1960s. “What can we do to save these special buildings?” she asked. “This book is a story of the history and flavor of Baltimore and its neighborhoods as seen through its movie theaters,” Davis said. “I hope it will paint a picture of Baltimore over the past century.” If you have a memory of your favorite movie theater that you would like to share with Davis, email her at flickeringtreasures@yahoo.com. She would also welcome old photos (and is especially looking for images of the Schanze, formerly located on Pennsylvania Avenue, and the Windsor, on W. North Avenue).

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2013

BMA’s renovated contemporary art wing

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By Carol Sorgen the Black Box gallery, which features The renovation of the Baltimore Muse- works of light, sound and moving images. um of Art’s contemporary wing cost $6.5 The debut presentation is “A Man Screammillion and took 22 months. It was well ing is Not a Dancing Bear,” by Jennifer Alworth the expense — and the wait. lora and Guillermo Calzadilla. In addition to structural changes includThis 11-minute video, produced in 2008 ing a new roof, updated sprinkler system, and set in New Orleans, shows footage of and the removal of columns from exhibit an abandoned house ravaged by Hurriareas, there are also a new lighting sys- cane Katrina in 2005 alternating with the tem, more than a dozen new works of art, apparent calm of the lower Mississippi three new exhibits, two interactive gal- River Delta, contrasting the destruction leries, and a black box gallery. and rebirth of the region. This presentaThe renovation of the contemporary wing, tion will be on view through Feb. 3. which reopened in November, is the first Also on display in the new gallery is phase of the museum’s $24.5 million overall “On Paper: Drawings from the Benesch renovation budget. Collection,” through Feb. 10. The initial The contempopresentation inrary wing, which cludes 10 drawfirst opened in 1994, ings from the was in need of 1960s and ‘70s by structural updates. contemporary But museum admasters depicting ministrators wanted a range of everyto bring the visitor day and extraordiexperience into the nary objects — 21st century as well, from Jasper with more up-toJohns’ trompe date surroundings l’oeil rendering of and interactive exa hanger to Claes periences. Familiar The BMA’s renovated contemporary art Oldenburg’s favorites, however, wing includes Morris Louis’s 1956 paintsketch of a baked such as the BMA’s ing “Untitled 5-76.” potato monument Andy Warhol collecin front of New tion, are still on display. York City’s Plaza Hotel. The new wing features 14 newly freshPhilip Guston, Lee Bontecou, James ened galleries that highlight not only the Rosenquist and Antoni Tàpies are among collection of such well-known artists as the other artists represented. Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg, but Also on view through Feb. 10 is the also works by established and emerging BMA’s “Front Room” series, highlighting artists of both the 20th and 21st centuries. the photography of South African artist On view are more than 100 objects, includ- Zwelethu Mthethwa. The eight color poring paintings, sculptures, photographs, traits photographed by the acclaimed drawings and moving-image works. Mthethwa were selected from three of his State-of-the-art lighting, fresh white most well-regarded series, and include paint, and lightened floor finishes provide large-scale images of South African youth in a modern, Zen-like backdrop for the elaborate church uniforms, interior porworks, which are arranged thematically in traits of South Africans that show aspects of groupings called “Material Matters,” “In- their domestic life, and laborers amidst the teraction,” “Color,” and “Word Play.” stark landscape of the sugar cane industry. The Front Room series changes every Current exhibits four months throughout the year, and will Among the highlights of the new wing is feature a range of solo artist shows and the-

In the contemporary wing through Feb. 10 is a traveling exhibit of works by South African photographer Zwelethu Mthethwa, including this 1997 photograph from his series “Brave Ones.”

matic exhibitions from around the world.

Arresting architecture Among the most visually striking new features of the renovated wing are the sitespecific installations by Sarah Oppenheimer. The two-part work dramatically opens the sightlines between the 2nd and 3rd

floors of the Contemporary Wing (there is an elevator between the floors for those unable to manage the stairs) and through the wall between the contemporary and Cone collections. It features crafted aluminum and reflective glass inserted so that visitors unexpectedly see views of felSee ART WING, page 29

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FEBRUARY 2013 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2013

From page 27 low visitors, art works and galleries above, below and across from themselves. Another site-specific installation, this one on display through May 5, is by Baltimorebased street artist Gaia, whose work usually graces exterior spaces. For this project, Gaia created portraits of individuals living in the BMA’s neighboring Remington community, inspired by one of the museum’s iconic

Impressionist paintings, “Vahine no te vi” (Woman of the Mango) by Paul Gauguin. In conjunction with the reopening of the contemporary wing, the BMA has also released a new mobile website — “BMA Go Mobile” (www.gomobileartbma.org) — that includes every work in the wing, 33 of which are paired with additional content, such as artist interviews. Those who have missed the contemporary wing while it has been on hiatus are sure to welcome this striking new space and

BEACON BITS

Feb. 12+

ART IN THE “RAW” For something different in the way of a Valentine for your sweet-

heart, stop by the Raw Art Sale, at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), where students will be selling their “raw” (unframed and unmatted) artwork to the public. Screenprints, photographs, paintings or small sculptures will all be for sale at the Black Box Theater (1601 Mount Royal Ave.) on Feb. 12 from noon to 4 p.m. and on Feb. 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Feb. 15+

A VALENTINE FROM THE BSO The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra can help you celebrate Valentine’s Day when singer and pianist Tony DeSare performs such

romantic standards as “Moon River” and “Fly Me to the Moon.” The orchestra returns to Baltimore Friday to Sunday at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (1212 Cathedral St.); the first two performances are at 8 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 3 p.m. Tickets start at $28. For more information, visit www.bsomusic.org.

Jan. 19+

HANDS-ON CERAMICS WORKSHOP Baltimore Clayworks hosts “100 Teapots VI” at its gallery at 5707 Smith Ave. in Baltimore. This juried exhibition explores

teapots, tea cups and caddies. A workshop on Jan. 19-21 will also include a demonstration, discussion and hands-on studio practice with renowned ceramicist Jeff Oestreich. For more information, call (410) 578-1919 or visit www.baltimoreclayworks.org.

Jan. 29

TALKING ABOUT RACE Pulitzer Prize-winning author Taylor Branch will discuss his new book, The King Years: Historic Moments in the Civil Rights

Movement, on Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m., at the Enoch Pratt Central Library, 400 Cathedral St. Branch has selected 18 essential moments from the civil rights movement as presented in his “America in the King Years” trilogy. For more information, visit www.prattlibrary.org.

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

From page 30.

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

the addition of new works — as well as the return of old favorites. Those who were unfamiliar with the contemporary wing in its last incarnation are encouraged to visit soon. And don’t be put off by the term “contemporary art.” (All artists are, at one time in their career, contemporary artists, as they live and create in their own time.) As one of the explanatory wall plaques notes, representational paintings often lead viewers to live “in the world of the picture rather than our own reality.” Contemporary art, on the other hand — which often includes non-representational, three-dimensional works that incorporate the architectural spaces in which Olafur Eliasson’s 2004 sculpture “Flower Observatory” they are exhibited — in- blooms in the renovated wing at BMA. vites viewers to actually “experience” art. It is open Wednesday through Friday, 10 And this is one experience you won’t a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11 want to miss. a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free. For more The Baltimore Museum of Art is located information, call (443) 573-1700 or visit at Charles Street and Art Museum Drive. www.artbma.org. ©OLAFUR ELIASSON

Art wing

FEBRUARY 2013 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Puzzle Page

Crossword Puzzle Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Profession Possessions by Stephen Sherr 1

24 28

Scrabble answers on p. 29.

JUMBLE ANSWERS

16 19

35 40

47 51

42 48

Answer: When a computer fails, it can be — "TERMINAL" Jumbles: FAINT YOKEL MIDWAY JUMPER

68 70

Across

Down

1. Without ___ in the world 6. A trail of breadcrumbs, perhaps 10. Driving hazard 13. They may be hidden behind portraits 14. Geometry test answers 16. ___ Jima 17. “No bid” 18. Like a Jeopardy! champion 19. Even-money roulette bet 20. “I’ll have a ham on rye - stat” 23. ___ Day (vitamins) 24. 1040 fig. 25. Boil with anger 28. Where the news team crashes for the night 31. 43 Across times five 34. Snaky fish 35. A likely story 36. Chortle sound 37. “You’ve got mail” co. 40. Standard quantity of king’s horses 42. Schwarzkopf, e.g. 43. Suit to ___ 45. Transcript fig. 47. Addicts 49. The area of town where all the novelists live 53. Existentialist philosopher 54. Word on a Valentine’s card 55. Apropos of 59. WICU: 98.6 on Your FM Dial 62. Ostrich’s cousin 64. Remove a wrong answer 65. Top tens 66. Big container of chemicals 67. Dissuade 68. Come next 69. Typo correctors 70. Use the left lane 71. Arab Spring hot spot

1. Do ___ 2. Poultry option 3. ___ in the crowd 4. Do-over 5. Exxon ex-name 6. Collect $200 7. Bedroom piece 8. Extract a coupon from an ad 9. High-pressure pitch 10. It may contain the dedication 11. Have more payments 12. Saturn or Mars 15. Take the wheel 21. Have a heart-to-heart 22. Recline on a hammock 26. In better health 27. Utopias 29. US Air’s best guess 30. Casual meeting 31. Recovers from the freezer 32. Four-word introduction 33. What squirrely squirrels bury 38. “He’s fat, ugly, and mean” 39. 70’s-era revolvers 41. Director Jean-___ Godard 44. Caesar’s surprise 46. The pits 48. On ice 50. Miscalculated 51. Those with fewer electoral votes 52. Behind the fashion curve 56. Wimp 57. Determine one’s Putt-Putt score 58. Commencement 60. ___ pita (try Middle Eastern cuisine) 61. Toward the harbor 62. All About ___ 63. Insane

Answers on page 29.

BALTIMORE BEACON — FEBRUARY 2013

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 ac cept 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.

Caregivers CNA 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE. References. Seeking work to care for Elderly. Cleaning, bathing, and dressing. Part-time or full-time. 443-869-2294.

Entertainment BELLY DANCE WITH BASEMA Fun activity for ladies of all ages and sizes. Women’s event entertainment. Red Hat to Girl Scouts! 443857-4419, basemaja@gmail.com. Group/private classes.

For Rent/Sale: Real Estate FOR SALE CONDO move-in condition. Fresh paint, neutral. 2BR, 2BA, balcony, wooded view, pool, club house privileges. Updates: kitchen, fast flush toilets, crown molding, wood floor, broom tile. E. Reisterstown – 410-870-6898.

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For Sale ONE SINGLE FLUSH GREY GRANITE VAULT - with casket. One lot. In Forest Lawn section 123 at Loudon Park Cemetery, Wilkins Ave, Catonsville, MD. Call 410-247-3644 – PM best. 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.

Home/Handyman Services FEDERAL HOME SOLUTIONS INC. Certified Aging in Place Specialists [CAPS] We are a full service remodeling company specializing in modifications for the aging and disabled. 410409-8128. MHIC#129880. SANFORD & SON HAULING Trash removal, house & estate clean-outs, demolition, recycling, yard work, shed removal. 410-7465090. Free Estimates. Insured.

Personal Services LEARN ENGLISH – SPANISH – ITALIAN – FRENCH – PORTUGUESE Conversational. Grammatical. Private lessons. Reasonable Rates. Tutoring students. 443-352-8200. NEED HELP WITH PAPER MANAGEMENT or checkbook balancing? Overwhelmed by medical claims/bills? Vision or Health Impairment? Call Bonnie Blas – The Organizer (over 20 years) 410-358-9290.

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 Wanted

Wanted

BUYING NUMISMATIC COINS and most gold or silver items including coins, sterling, jewelry, etc. Will come to you with best cash offer. Call Paul: 410-756-1906.

VINYL RECORDS WANTED 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 BUYER for old costume jewelry, pocket and wrist watches (any condition). Also buying watch maker tools and parts, train sets and accessories, old toys, old glassware & coins. 410655-0412.

FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS AND QUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS wanted by a serious capable buyer. I am very well educated [law degree] knowledgeable [over 40 years in the antique business] and have the finances and wherewithal to handle virtually any situation. If you have a special item, collection or important estate I would like to hear from you. I pay great prices for great things in all categories from oriental rugs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks to firearms, from silver and gold to classic cars. If it is wonderful I am interested. No phony promises or messy consignments. References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan 301-279-8834. Thank you.

ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT AT THE WALTERS

The Book of the Faiyum is an exquisitely illustrated papyrus from Greco-Roman Egypt. For the first time in over 150 years, major sections owned by the Walters Art Museum and the Morgan Library & Museum, separated since the manuscript was divided and sold in the 19th century, will be reunited. Egyptian jewelry, papyri, statues, reliefs and ritual objects will illuminate the religious context that gave rise to this enigmatic text, which celebrates the crocodile god Sobek. Admission is free. The Walters is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and until 9 p.m. on Thursdays. It is located at 600 N. Charles St. For more information, visit www.thewalters.org.

Feb. 10

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED

Wanted

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

UNBURIED BONES

Hampton National Historic Site will present Dem Dried Bones, a free one-act play, on Sunday, Feb. 10, from 2 to 3 p.m. In a town in Connecticut, a skeleton has been present for over 200 years. It is now hanging in the Mattituck Museum. When “Fortune” died in 1798, his slaveholder, who was a bone setter, decided not to bury him, but to preserve his bones for study. Hampton Historic Site is located at 535 Hampton Lane, Towson, Md. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/hamp or call (410) 823-1309, ext. 251.

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NEWS & FEATURES • LAW & MONEY FITNESS & HEALTH • LEISURE & TRAVEL ARTS & STYLE • VOLUNTEERS & CAREERS We are pleased to offer both First-Class and Third-Class subscriptions:

$36/year via First Class Mail* $12/year via Third Class Mail* Please send a one-year subscription to: Name:____________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________ City: _____________________State:_____Zip: ___________ BB2/13

❐ ONE YEAR First-Class rate (Maryland residents add 6% for sales tax = $38.16) ❐ ONE YEAR Third-Class rate

Feb. 16+

MAKING MAPLE SYRUP AT LADEW

On Saturday, Feb. 16 and Sunday, Feb. 17, make plans to visit Ladew Topiary Gardens for the 8th annual Maple Magic. Take part in an indoor presentation, followed by a nature hike to observe tapped maple trees, collect sap and boil it down to make delicious golden syrup. There are two programs each day: noon or 2 p.m. (programs last 90 minutes.) Space is limited. Call (410) 557-9570 to register for your preferred date and time. Admission: adults $10, seniors (62+) and students $8, children $5 (ages 2-12). For more information, visit www.ladewgardens.com or call (410) 557-9570.

(Maryland residents add 6% for sales tax = $12.72 in MD) ❐ Check here if this is a gift subscription. A gift card will be sent in your name: _________________ Return form with check made payable to The Beacon, to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227 Maryland residents: add 6% for sales tax.

FEBRUARY 2013 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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