So today I decided to try making a beaded necklace (=my neck hurts bad now) and while I was working on this necklace I was thinking about this coming spring and what I’m going to do. You see, I ran out of money and am thus unable to take classes sad story but exciting at the same time. My options are ENDLESS! How awesome is that? I’ve been thinking really hard about trying to get an internship instead of a second job and going back and forth and back and forth with whether or not it’s a good idea…well then later on (like thirty minutes ago) I was reading status updates (or ’stati’ if you prefer) and I saw an OPPORTUNITY. it seems Carl Zoch and Aaron Snow are offering a spring internship. How incredibly exciting! So of course I jumped up and ran to my computer and applied! I would be crazy not to. Anyway, all that really means is that I’m really excited right now about this coming spring and all the possibilities floating around out there. 2010, here I come!

There is a freedom and independence many of us to take for granted that comes with being able to grab your car keys, jump in your car and drive to wherever you want or need to be.  Unfortunately, the older we get the more difficult it becomes to stay behind the wheel for a variety of reasons, but largely due to declining eyesight, hearing and reaction times. 

How does this loss of independence effect the senior population?

A recent article featured in The Boston Globe titled, “Off the road,” discussed both the physical and emotional effects that result when an elder is no longer able to drive.  Sadly, the article explains that “there is an increased risk of depression, isolation, and even, studies suggest, of ending up in assisted living.”  Some studies, most notably by geriatrician Richard Marottoli, an associate professor of medicine at Yale University Medical School, have found an increase in depression and a drop in out-of-home activity levels among older adults after they surrender their license.

This begs the question.……what next?  Considering what these studies have shown, what alternatives are available for these seniors?

As Boomers face the driving dilemma with their parents and as they get closer to dealing with this issue themselves, there is a growing need to develop more comprehensive transportation alternatives that will allow seniors to retain some of their independence and allow them to remain engaged outside of the home. 

Elinor Ginzler, the AARP’s senior vice president of the livable communities initiative, says that despite the impeding number of aging drivers (roughly one in four will be 65 or older by 2025), “many local, regional, and state agencies are failing to include alternatives to automobiles in their planning.” 

A ray of hope: the article featured a fantastic service called Independent Transportation network, a 24-hour driving service run by volunteers which allows seniors who surrender their car to the network to receive the equivalent of the vehicle’s value in free rides.  Or you can simply join without the trade in and pay by-the-ride (which is about half the cost of a cab fare for the same route).  In the 14 years since it started, the group has organized 280,000 rides nationally.  Founded in Maine, the program has now spread to communities in 10 other states.

Senior Services Directory / December 2009

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, the lead up to Christmas along with all of the commercialization and emphasis on big parties and holiday cheer, actually causes feelings of loneliness and depression among seniors.

Love and Companionship During the Holidays

We need to take a step back and remember what Christmas is really all about. Focus on spending time with the people you love, and showing your care for others in your life. It is a proven fact that people feel much better once they’ve reached out to someone during the holidays.

Successful Christmas Downsizing

Christmas doesn’t have to be burdensome and stressful. Recreate your own smaller version of Christmas. Dinner doesn’t have to be cooked for 20 people – invite a friend over for a small feast for 2. Instead of a large Christmas tree that requires a lot of decorating, there are a few adjustments you can make to create an easier process for yourself. You can mimic the traditional Christmas feast, without spending too much money and without making too many leftovers:

* Instead of turkey, cook a roasting chicken
* Make a small amount of stuffing to be cooked in the oven and served on the side
* Instead of decorating a large tree, put up a single string of lights with just a few of your favourite decorations in one room
* Sprinkle your dinner table with holly (simple and easy to cleanup)

Enjoy the company of whoever you decide to be with on Christmas and remember that the celebration isn’t about the size but the quality!

- Opal Rowe
NowhereLikeHome.ca

Say hello to Kelly! (and her sister Lia!)

Another senior from my old high school.

It was very cold, again! But we got a lot of great images!

Here are some of my favorites!

Thanks for a great shoot Kelly!

Enjoy!

-L

The good folks at the Autumn Hills Rest Home are waiting for the kids from the orphanage to show up, for their annual Christmas party.

“I wish those kids would hurry up and get here. I need my beauty rest. And it’s past my nap time.”

“Yea, Pat, you surely do,…… and don‘t call me Shirley.”

“Very funny Wolf. You have the stupidest jokes. So dumb.”

“Don’t worry Pat, they should be here by dentist time.”

“Huh?”

“Two thirty.”

“Dentist time?”

“Yes, you idiot. Tooth hurty.”

“Knock off the old jokes Wolf. You are not one bit funny.”

“Here they come now. Pretend you are interested, Pat.”

“Welcome to our home, kids. It is so nice to see you again. Please help yourself to the cookies and apple cider.”

“Thank you, thank you. Is it ok if we decorate your dining room for Christmas?”

“Sure, but no program this year?”

“Naw. We decided that after last year, we would cut that out.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, most of you fell asleep, and the snoring was so loud, that we couldn’t hear our own singing, so we figured we would just decorate this year.”

“Ok kids, have at it.”

“Pat, think you can stay awake for the next half hour or so? Until the kids finish up?”

“I am not even responding.”

“Well, it seems you kids have decorated in record time. The dining room looks great.”

“Thanks everyone. Merry Christmas.”

“Wait. Who is that I see coming thru the door?”

“Hey it’s…. it’s Santa Claus! And he has gifts for each of you to take back with you, to open on Christmas.”

“Ho Ho Ho. Merry Christmas.”

“Geez, Minnie. Who the heck is dressed like Santa? What a mess. His beard fell off, he is bald as an eagle and he is wearing shorts. What a hoot.”

“Yeah, and look at the way that jacket fits: Way too small.”

“Holy cow. It’s George!”

“He is really the most miserable looking Santa I have ever seen.”

“And his pants are ripped. I can see his boxer shorts in the back, and they are orange and black. Halloween shorts! And it appears there is a bandage on his rear end.”

“So, who cares? The kids don’t seem to mind. They grabbed their gifts and are gone.”

“Hey Santa, what the hell happened to you?”

“No jokes, ok? I had a slight accident.”

“Looks more like a train wreck.”

“Yeah, well, I volunteered to have a photo shoot with a bunch of little kids, and they brought a little dog with them. And the dog decided he didn’t like me. He snatched my hat, then my beard, and ran off with them. I tried to catch him and fell over a kid’s high chair and ripped my pants.”

“Yikes.”

“And then, the little protective beast thought I was endangering the kids, and bit my hind end. I had to go to the emergency room and the nurses saw my Halloween shorts.”

“Hahahah.”

“I’ve been in detox for the past 5 hours, trying to convince them I was not drinking.”

“George, baby, you deserve a drink. Come on, Santa, Minnie spiked the cider. Cheers!!!!”

Wolf

An increasing number of laid-off employees are claiming that they were unfairly dismissed because of age. In 2008, workers filed 24,582 complaints of age bias with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). That’s up from 19,103 in 2007 and the highest level of age discrimination charges documented in records dating back 12 years. “When economic times are bad and people are losing their jobs, there tends to be an increase in litigation activities because people are looking for a reason to explain why it is that they are affected rather than someone else,” says Rae Vann, a partner with Norris, Tysse, Lampley, & Lakis, which describes itself as a “management-side labor and employment law firm.” Under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, it’s illegal to discriminate against anyone age 40 or older in the workplace with regard to hiring, layoffs, promotions, pay, and benefits. Here’s what you should do if you think age is playing a role in your workplace woes:

Full Article

i have known this lovely lady for quite some time now. she is one of my little sister’s best friends and is in general a really sweet and loving person. i’m so glad i got to do her senior pictures, we had a lot of fun running around in the freezing weather behind buildings in downtown Edmond.

Democrats’ War on Seniors is My War on Democrats

Democrats are intent on pushing through one of the biggest monstrosities that this nation has ever seen, one that would kill healthcare as we know it, make across the board cuts in the options available to seniors and drastically increase premiums across the board.

Do Democrats care about any of this? No. The more premiums skyrocket, the more they believe that they can ram through total and complete socialized medicine. It doesn’t matter that government taxation will be the cause of the problem.

To add disgrace to contemptuous farce, something that Democrats seem to specialize in these days, Sen. Bill Nelson and Congressman Ron Klein are set to approve $1.2 billion to Nebraska in order to purchase the vote of Bill Nelson’s comrade, Sen. Ben Nelson. They’ll also vote to approve $100 million to purchase the vote of Louisiana’s Sen. Mary Landrieu.

Nelson and Klein are selling Florida down the drain and Democrats fiddle as our economy burns. (And thanks to them, so might our health care.) This is outrageous.

What can a candidate for state representative do about this? With your help, one heck of a lot!

I’ve been fighting against this “health care” horror since February, when Obama still had a popularity rating in the 60s and while no one else was paying attention.

When Democrats unceremoniously sneaked so called “healthcare” legislation into the so called economic “stimulus” bill, I sent out the following scathing rebuke:

Just How Low Have Democrats Sunk – Is Killing Seniors Not Beyond Limits?
http://www.americandailyreview.com/life-family/2009/2/10/sunk-is-killing-seniors-now-not-beyond-limits.html
Feb. 10, 2009
By Yomin Postelnik

A month later, when the media started to catch on and the Democrats went forward with their campaign of a thousand lies, I followed up with:

Obama and Newsweek Declare War On Seniors
http://www.americandailyreview.com/arts-media-entertainment/2009/3/16/obama-newsweek-declare-war-on-seniors.html
Mar. 16, 2009
By Yomin Postelnik

A state representative can do a lot.

Had local politicians vigorously expressed their sound beliefs in Venezuela in the 1990s, there would have been no Hugo Chavez. And if more candidates for state and local office throughout the nation stand up and sound the alarm, there will be no outrageous ObamaPelosiCare.

This campaign has been at the forefront of the battle against the socialized rationing of our medicine and the accompanying pillaging of our economy.

But we need your support as we continue to fight for this and other matters. So please log on today to www.ABetterFlorida.com/Donate.html and join our efforts to rollback Obamacare.

Moreover, early this year, I had a conversation with State Senator, and candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture, Carey Baker about the needs of South Florida voters. I stressed the importance of fighting against government rationed care. A week later, Sen. Baker proposed a bill asserting Florida’s right to opt out of this federal outrage. This was before Sen. Harry Reid’s opt-out clause was even thought of.

In fact, Harry Reid only made the opt out provision in response to state challenges. The opt out won’t do anything to prevent skyrocketing insurance premiums, but it will help rollback the complete socialization of our healthcare. This national provision is thanks to the efforts of one state senator here in Florida, and as a candidate, I planted the suggestion and gave him needed encouragement for his proposal.

As I said. we need your support as we continue to fight for this and other matters. So please log on today to www.ABetterFlorida.com/Donate.html and join our efforts to rollback Obamacare.

There’s a reason that people from all around the world flock to the United States of America whenever they need serious health care. And it’s not because of Ron Klein or Bill Nelson.

I will protect the rights of Florida seniors. Our Greatest Generation, our World War II veterans, our parents and grandparents deserve far better than the cruel and callous Democrat ravaging of our health care system.

I’ve been fighting this issue since before it arrived on the national stage. I’ve been blasting Democrats on it since they’ve started, when Obama’s approval ratings were in the 60s.

Our seniors are our most valued members of society. They have imparted the most knowledge to us and have built everything that we as a society have today.

And they deserve far better than the government rationed, third rate, so called “health care” that is the work of Ron Klein and Bill Nelson.

Bill Nelson and Ron Klein have established themselves as the two Grinches Who Stole Healthcare. We can and must stop them for the sake of Florida’s families. I’ve been fighting hard on this issue and I will continue to do so with your help.

But I need your help.

Please make a donation of $25 today on the website, www.ABetterFlorida.com, and receive a bumper sticker or car decal.

Make a donation of $75 and receive a great conservative book, either William F. Buckley’s biography of President Ronald Reagan or “Great Quotes That Shaped the Western World.”

From the article: Obama and Newsweek Declare War On Seniors

Mar. 16, 2009

By Yomin Postelnik

The reaction of some liberals and all of the media to Obama’s plan to ration health care for the elderly shows once and for all what conservatives have suspected for quite some time: that given the choice of abandoning their liberal dogma or saving their lives, far too many Democrat supporters would risk their health and that of their countrymen than so much as reassess the nonsensical, foolish and downright harmful rhetoric that is the Democrat Party’s far-left creed.

In the column “Just How Low Have Democrats Sunk – Is Killing Seniors Now Not Beyond Limits?” I expressed contempt for how Democrats had covertly snuck health care legislation into their so-called economic “stimulus” bill (a reckless collection of payoffs and wishful hopes that will do little other than further endanger this nation’s international credit rating).

Please join the fight by donating at www.ABetterFlorida.com/Donate.html.

Even the far left is taking notice. Conservative activist John Labriola sent me a copy of an email sent out by a far left group, Fire Dog Lake. John mentioned that this is the first email he’s seen from them in ages that actually makes sense. But it does.

Among Fire Dog Lake’s points regarding the disaster that is ObamaCare:

Forces you to pay up to 8% of your income to private insurance corporations — whether you want to or not
If you refuse to buy the insurance, you’ll have to pay penalties of up to 2% of your annual income to the IRS
After being forced to pay thousands in premiums for junk insurance, you can still be on the hook for up to $11,900 a year in out-of-pocket medical expenses.
Paid for by taxes on the middle class insurance plan you have right now through your employer, causing them to cut back benefits and increase co-ays (sic)
Many of the taxes to pay for the bill start now, but most Americans won’t see any benefits — like an end to discrimination against those with preexisting conditions — until 2014 when the program begins.
Allows insurance companies to charge people who are older 300% more than others
So yes, even sincere protesters within the far left are waking up to this monstrosity of a power grab.

But please join my common sense conservative fight by donating to my campaign at www.ABetterFlorida.com/Donate.html.

Other news:
Please join us for a fundraiser this Sat. night at the home of supporter and noted author Larry Domnitch.

If you can’t make this event, please make your donation online at www.ABetterFlorida.com/Donate.html or send checks to:

The Yomin Postelnik Campaign
4699 N. Federal Hwy, Ste. 208K

Thank you,

YOMIN POSTELNIK
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR
FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, DISTRICT 91

Political Advertisement Paid for and Approved by Yomin Postelnik, R for Florida House of Representatives, District 91
Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

I have had several clients who loved the shopping channels on TV. Both of these women were no longer able to go out to the stores to shop.

One of them was prudent, staying within her means and buying gifts for birthdays and Christmas and the occasional pretty for herself.

The other one, however, was not. There was a steady stream of packages coming in just about every day. There was so much that packages often went unopened for days. Much of it was useless and unneccessary. She no longer semed to have any control over her spending habits.

Sometimes, as people age and start losing their independence and mobility they try to compensate with other things. What can you do if Mom or Dad are spending money they can’t afford to spend? Read the following article for some pointers.

Is My Elderly Parent a Shopaholic?

From the Right at Home website

If you or a loved one is dealing with the challenges of diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis or other health condition, give yourself the gift of a lower-stress holiday season this year.

The holidays are generally considered to be a joyous time; however, for people coping with serious illnesses, the holidays can bring unwanted stress. Michelle Riba, M.D., professor of psychiatry and associate chair for integrated medicine and psychiatric services at the University of Michigan Health System, recommends ways to steer clear of these unnecessary stresses during the winter months.

Read more at the Right at Home website

Name of Apple: “Pay or Sleep”

Last night I was working on my AP Economics project and got to read an entire chapter about Monopolies. Not about the board game with a mustache character, but about dominating firms in the economy, like Microsoft Words. Then I got into my very analytical and spider woman-like connector mode and started relating how Monopoly affect my life, a 17 year old high school senior here in Korea. Actually, right before I started working on my project I had to spend about 20 minutes and exactly 90 dollars sending my 1 AP score to 6 colleges. The 90 dollars does not include the international call fee, nor my SAT scores, but just solely the process of “sending” my “not so surprising” evidence that I have taken the test and received a score.

I don’t like “dissing” people or anything really, but as a senior, a very very very frequent user of Collegeboard it has led me to be extremely frustrated and annoyed going through its costly and time-consuming process. My hatred against Collegeboard started in January of 2009, exactly 11 months before this blog entry. Yes, last January I took my very first SAT 1 Reasoning exam. And approximately 2 weeks after I took the test I received my very first of the many “something must be wrong” scores. Yes I am an international student but yes I do take an advanced english course and is able to discuss stuff in english with some of the most educated and intelligent kids at my school. But surely that’s not what Collegeboard thinks. First of all why is Collegeboard the only test-agency that basically determines which class of schools seniors should apply to? Ok so a few, very small number of colleges have decided to disregard the SAT scores, but this really doesn’t help students, like myself, who wish to attend a rather well-known institution. Ok so maybe I am the very weird one out of 200 students whose GPA and SAT range is like the bottom of the ocean to the sun. But oh my! 15 dollars to send AP scores per school and what 9 dollars to send SAT scores? And this is for regular shipping that takes over 7 days?

OK so a typical monopoly, Microsoft Words, actually provides its costumers with high quality service with a reasonable price. I won’t diss them but oh my Collegeboard it’s like the biggest international test making agency but it HAS to charge the economically deprived students for the actual test, details for the scores and shipping the scores – not including the OPPORTUNITY COST (time to get their, cost of calling, the electric bill for online registration, payment etc) for not just SATs but a great number of different types of tests. Oh my oh my – it’s literally my biggest flaw and stress of my 12 academic years.

It doesn’t take a pronouncement from Mr. Obvious to recognize that the decade of the Sixties was a volatile time in pop music. It was an era that saw a lot of strange combinations and connections — not only in the music itself, which included everything from folk music to R&B — but also in the performers.

A while back I wrote about the Hondells, a Sixties group that included Glenn Campbell and had a link with the Beach Boys, but there was another connection I didn’t mention. One of the group’s members began his career as part of another popular combo, one with a similar name — the Castells.

It all began in 1959, when four high-school buddies in Northern California decided to form a musical group, one that would combine traditional vocalizations with modern pop sounds. Chuck Girard, Bob Ussery, Tom Hicks, and Joe Kelly called themselves the Castells simply because they liked the name. (It’s unlikely they’d even heard of an earlier R&B group called the Castelles.)

The guys began their career by appearing in Santa Rosa teen spots, and as time passed they became so popular that a local DJ helped them get a record demo made. Unfortunately they couldn’t get a deal, even after trying a number of different Hollywood record companies. Finally, Era Records decided to take a chance with them, and they began to churn out a few records. One of their earliest, 1961’s “Sacred,” did well on the charts (although not into the Top Ten) but “Make Believe Wedding” fell far short. However, a later piece called “So This Is Love” again charted high for the group, and it was probably their best song.

It would be the pinnacle for the Castells, although they did continue to perform for a couple of years, usually appearing as supporting acts for bigger stars like Bobby Vee and Jackie Wilson. The group eventually disbanded and its members went their separate ways. Decades later, it appears that Chuck Girard has been the most musically active, with his service in — you guessed it — the Hondells, and by later becoming a popular part of the Christian music movement.

City Hall at Lake Mary has always wrapped their trees and it is a wonderful look. Tonight I went up there and walked around. Kids with their parents were in awe and they really personified the holiday spirit.  I took a few pictures of course, here’s the Abbesworld view:

Happy Holidays from the Arenson/Eshack family!  From all our animals, (though my cats won’t stand still enough for a costumed photo.)

From Andrea’s cats, Musa, Lola, Coco

And from Sasha,  Happy Happy-Joy Joy!

So, it has been awhile since I last posted.  I don’t know if that has bugged anyone but my grandmother, but she was a bit irritated that I haven’t posted since last Monday.  I am very sorry if I have inconvenienced any of you, my readers, but I have had a lot to stew over for this post.  The semester ended last Friday–I am only one semester away from graduating from high school.  Ok, so I also had finals, wrote a research paper, and cleaned my room because I was not even able to see the floor anymore, but the nostalgic, not knowing what needed to be said in regard to the end of the semester sounded more poetic than I was grounded because I haven’t cleaned my room in a long time.  But, while I have been cleaning my room all weekend, I had plenty of time to think about the first semester.  My last first semester of high school.

I began this project on August 22nd, the first day of school, and I have posted almost everyday since then.  I have to say that this has been the most rewarding school project of my life.  I have been able to watch us evolve, live up to the hype, and become amazing.  Hornets, there has been a different vibe this year at Declo High.  We are closer to each other, we have supported each other more, and that has made us achieve more.  Let’s list a few…

• Girls Cross Country Academic State Champions
• They had a GPA of over 3.9-Wow!
• JV Football-District Champions
• JV Volleyball-District Champions
• Varsity Volleyball-District Champions
• They went to the state tournament for the first time in over a decade
• Boys and Girls Soccer- they both won a few games
• Varsity Football-District Champions
• Varsity Football-12-1
• Varsity Football-Two-time State Champions Runners-up
• Most interceptions in a season
• Coby Stebbins-Most extra points kicked in a single game
• Most points in a single quarter-41 points against Kimberly
• Logan Knopp, Sage Warner, and Mark Knobbe-All-State First Team
• Cheerleaders-1 Extension Liberty
• Cheerleaders-2 Extension Liberties
• Dance Team-Danced circles around Malad plus they looked better
• Drama Club-Phenomenal play
• Student Council-Best Homecoming Week ever
• Renaissance-Pretty sweet new shirts
• Calculus-I couldn’t believe some of their final scores-McKensey got a 95%
• Over 1,000 people came to the “Take Flight” Pep Rally
• Seniors made their posters
• Seniors wrote research paper
• Senior took more time on their works cited than on the actual paper

Those are just a few of the amazing things that went on during the first semester.  I am sure you could all tell me hundred more (If you have one you want posted, check out the Contact Me page for my email address and a link to Facebook.). 

The end is near, and the beginning flew by.  It seems like only yesterday I was blogging about the extreme temperatures, “For one thing, there will be snow in December.  We might get cold”(August 27), and what do you know?  We FROZE last week, but I remember posting that, wondering if I would ever cool off. 

We have been going on full speed ahead, red-hot, all fall.  I, for one, have been waiting for Christmas Break so I could just chill.  Hornets, you have the next two weeks to chill, but, come January, it is time to take off again.  We have boys basketball, girls basketball, wrestling, tons of clubs, and don’t forget your homework.  At the end of February, spring sports will start.  The first semester is over but it is not too late to get involved!  Let’s heat it up, make it better, and be amazing because this is Declo High School, Where Amazing Happens!

And I’ll be here to tell you all about it.

Well in the Desert and the Auen Foundation are sponsoring a free Christmas dinner at the Palm Springs Convention Center for seniors, working and non-working families, veterans and individuals without homes. This event is Free to the public and takes place from 11am 2pm.

The Palm Springs Convention Center is located at 277 North Avenida Caballeros in downtwon Palm Springs, California 92262. In addition to Christmas dinner there will be a DJ and toys for the children. Vans will also be available for those who need a ride. Call 760.327.8577 to make reservations for a free van ride.

‘Well, this time I think she has done it. Mary Cat is gone.”

“Gone? What do you mean gone?”

“Missing. She was last seen at the liquor store.”

“You mean she didn’t come back to the home?”

“Right. She is gone.”

“Who saw her at the liquor store?”

“Mick. He was getting egg nog and Mary Cat was there, loading up on Jack.”

“Oh hell, just because she isn’t back yet, doesn’t mean she is missing.”

“She hates being out after dark. She is missing.”

“Did you call her cell?”

“No answer. Just that awful ring tone: You know, the Mash tune, Suicide is Painless.”

“Did you call the coppers?”

“Yes. We did. They are looking for her now.”

“I wonder where in the world she could have gone. She is always late for dinner, but she never even showed up.”

“Look! Here comes a cop car. Is that MC in the back?”

“Mary Cat, where have you been?”

“Huh? Well, I was at the liquor store, buying last minute gifts and I had to use the biffy. And when I got out, the store was dark. I guess it had closed.”

“So what did you do?”

“Well, I am afraid of the dark, as you know, so I opened a bottle of Jack and had a few, until this nice young officer came in, with a gun pointed at me.”

“Yikes!”

“I guess he thought I was a robber. But he and I had a few snorts and a few laughs and then he brought me home.”

“For Pete’s sake, Mary. We were worried sick.”

“Well, I think I may be in big trouble.”

“Why?”

“I never paid for the Jack.”

Wolf

Michael is a chill, laid-back senior from Salida High School who has no idea what he wants to do after he graduates.  I told him that’s okay   He has a great smile and I also think he bears a striking resemblance to Mark Wahlberg.

As you can probably tell, I love old people. And what’s better than old ladies in a beauty pageant? Yes, senior beauty pageants do exist and I’m dying to get one of my residents involved in one. Seriously though they are a fantastic way to honor senior women and give them a chance to share their wisdom, their stories, and of course their beauty. While reading the New York Times online this evening, I came across the video article, Advice from a Grandma Beauty Queen. This is why I love the elderly, because they still want to do fun things and live their life to the fullest.  Definitely click on the link, you won’t be disappointed.

“Anything good on TV tonight?”

“All those holiday movies.”

“No thanks. I have had my share of those sappy things.”

“Well, let’s have a song fest. Pat can play the piano and we can sing.”

“OK. And Mary Cat can play her flute.”

“Anybody have a favorite?”

“I like Moon River.”

“That’s not a Christmas song Frank.”

“So? Who says it has to be a Christmas song?”

“Yeah, Wolf, who says?”

“I do. So who wants to request a Christmas song?”

Dead Silence

“I said, who wants a request?”

Continued dead silence.

“Ok, be that way. Pat, can you play Moon River?”

“Nope.”

“There you go. Moon River is out.”

“How about Proud Mary?”

“Pat, do you know Proud Mary?”

“Nope.”

“OK. Any other requests?”

“I walk the line.”

“Pat, know that one?”

“No.”

“What the heck Pat? What do you know?”

“Nothing. I don’t play the piano.”

“You have got to be kidding. Mary Cat, can you play something on your flute?”

“I don’t have a flute. I have a coronet.”

“Well, do you know how to play it?”

“Yes, in a way.”

“What way?”

“I bring it to the football games and blow into it and everyone yells CHARGE.”

“On second thought, gang, turn on the tube. There’s a Tiger Woods Special playing. It’s called The difference between Tiger and Santa.”

“Huh? What’s the difference?”

“Give up?”

“Yep.”

“Santa stops at 3 hos.”

Wolf

Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.com
Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Eye surgeon and senatorial candidate Rand Paul warns that under ObamaCare, Americans could be forced to wait a year and a half merely to see a doctor due to Canadian-style rationing of health care being imposed.

As an eye surgeon with his own private practice, Paul warned that senior citizens could be forced to endure debilitating conditions as a result of health care rationing under the system being readied for passage, and be forced to wait as long as 18 months just to see a doctor as happens in Canada and Britain.

“There are 1 million people waiting for any kind of elective surgery in Canada at any one time,” he told Newsmax.TV’s Ashley Martella.

“Canada’s so bad that they have a lottery, there are some little towns that have one family doctor, they do a lottery and you can sometimes wait a year and a half to see the doctor,” said Paul. “I have friends who are eye surgeons in Canada, they’ve finished their surgery by September, they’re allotment, they’re given a number of surgeries they can do, when they’re finished in September some of them come to the U.S. and do elective cosmetic eye surgery in the U.S. because they’re not allowed to operate any more in Canada.”

In his article, There’s No Such Thing as Free Health Care, Journalist John Stossel highlights how even people with life-threatening conditions are told to wait. A woman with a blocked artery that prevented her from digesting food was told by doctors in British Columbia that she had only weeks to live, but that the surgery was still “elective.”

“The only thing elective about this surgery was I elected to live,” said the woman, who traveled to the United States to receive treatment.

It’s true that America’s partly profit-driven, partly bureaucratic system is expensive, and sometimes wasteful, but the pursuit of profit reduces waste and costs and gives the world the improvements in medicine that ease pain and save lives.

“[America] is the country of medical innovation. This is where people come when they need treatment,” Dr. Gratzer says.

“Literally we’re surrounded by medical miracles. Death by cardiovascular disease has dropped by two-thirds in the last 50 years. You’ve got to pay a price for that type of advancement.”

Canada and England don’t pay the price because they freeload off American innovation. If America adopted their systems, we could worry less about paying for health care, but we’d get 2009-level care—forever. Government monopolies don’t innovate. Profit seekers do.

On this note, Paul stressed that problems in health care were created by too much government interference, and that the only way to fix the system was to increase competition, not restrict it.

The Republican candidate for Senate highlighted FEMA’s botched efforts to distribute water bottles at the superdome after Hurricane Katrina as an example of the failings of government-run health care.

“They can’t even distribute water, there’s no way they can distribute health care,” said Paul.

The Senatorial candidate also said that with 46 million new people on government assistance, the new system could bankrupt medicare and lead to rationing for everyone. Doctors who have already tolerated shrinking wages for the last fifteen years would also leave the U.S. warned Paul, creating a vacuum.

“It’s intellectually dishonest for Democrats to say it’s going to cost $874 billion, but it’s really not going to add anything to the deficit. I don’t think the American public believes that,” added Paul.

Paul pointed out that the longer the debate raged about health care, the more people opposed the government’s proposals, emphasizing why the Obama administration is hell-bent on ramming through the legislation later this week on Christmas Eve.

Watch the video below.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid14599856001?bctid=57943911001

URL to article: http://www.infowars.com/under-obamacare-prepare-to-wait-18-months-to-see-a-doctor/

Representative Parker Griffith of Alabama announces his switch from the Democrat to Republican party.

Parker Griffith did not just vote against the Health care bill and other harmful legislation, he sent a strong signal that the Democrat party is not good for this country.

From CBS News blog, December 22, 2009.

“Parker Griffith, Democratic Representative, Switches Parties to GOP”

“Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, announced Tuesday that he is switching parties to become a Republican.

“I believe our nation is at a crossroads and I can no longer align myself with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy, and drives us further and further into debt,” Griffith, 67, said at a press conference at his home, according to the Associated Press.

Some aren’t surprised by Griffith’s switch. He has voted against all major Democratic initiatives this year, including the stimulus, cap and trade and health care bills.

He’s also spoken out against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying that he would not vote for her to be speaker again.”

“A radiation oncologist, Griffith cited the Democrats’ health care plans as a reason for his switch. He was one of 39 Democrats to vote against the bill in the House last month.

“I want to make it perfectly clear that this bill is bad for our doctors,” he said at the press conference, according to the AP. “It’s bad for our patients. It’s bad for the young men and women who are considering going into the health care field.”

“The success of Republicans in the off-year elections last month also appears to be a reason for his decision to switch parties. Griffith told Politico then that he wanted to be called an independent Blue Dog, not a Democrat. “I should be nervous,” he added.”

“When a Member of Congress decides to leave a 258 seat majority to join a deep minority, it is a sure sign that the majority party has become completely disconnected from seniors, young workers, and families in America,” Cantor said in a statement. “We welcome Parker Griffith to the Republican Conference, and will continue to stand and fight against the damaging agenda of this Administration working in tandem with the Pelosi/Reid run Congress.”

“Parker Griffith is a dedicated public servant who has consistently put the best interests of his constituents first, and it is in that spirit that Republicans welcome him,” Boehner added. “With today’s decision, Congressman Griffith has added his voice to the growing chorus of Americans who have had it with Democrats’ wrong-headed policies and lack of leadership.”"

Read more:

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/12/22/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry6009974.shtml

Happy Holidays, everyone! I am so excited to celebrate Christmas this year! Here is my updated Holiday office schedule:

December 23rd-27th: Closed

December 28th-January 1: Open (for calls, emails and viewing sessions–no photo sessions available)

Also, a reminder that Genesis Photography will be CLOSED for the month of January. Click here for more information.

And of course, I can’t post without including some photos!

This is my last senior of the year! Despite the bright sun and the chilly temps, we managed to have a great shoot. You see, Ben is an avid hockey player, and is very familiar with the cold. And although I am sure there is a big difference between working out on a rink with hockey gear on and getting your photos taken, Ben did a great job under the frigid conditions!