September 2012 Baltimore Beacon Edition

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Retirees happy to serve again

Stipends for serving ReServe matches continuing professionals age 55+ (ReServists) with parttime service opportunities at nonprofit organizations and public institutions. ReServists earn a modest stipend of $10 an hour for about 15 to 20 hours of work a week.

ReServe, based in New York City, recently partnered with the Social Work Community Outreach Service (SWCOS) of the University of Maryland School of Social Work to launch an affiliate in Baltimore — the first tied to an academic institution. ReServe Miami was launched last fall, and ReServe opened an affiliate in Milwaukee this year.

ReServe was founded in 2005 as an integrated response to two social and economic trends: 80 million baby boomers were reaching traditional retirement age, while at the same time, nonprofit organizations

SEPTEMBER 2012

I N S I D E …

PHOTO BY FRANK KLEIN

By Carol Sorgen Dave Hall enjoyed a successful career in financial services, but when the banking industry took a hit several years ago, he decided it was an opportune time to retire.

At 58, though, Hall said he felt he still had quite a bit of “tread” left on him and wanted to continue to make use of his skills — but in a different way.

“I wanted to shift my focus away from the for-profit world to the not-for-profit,” said Hall. But with no experience working with nonprofit organizations, he wasn’t finding much opportunity.

However, with the help of a group called ReServe, Hall found a position with Consumer Credit Counseling Services (CCCS) in Catonsville, where he works 15 to 25 hours a week, advising the organization on how best to allocate grant funds.

Hall believes that he is putting his lifetime of experience to good work. He said he is finding his work at CCCS enjoyable — though not necessarily as different from the corporate world as he expected — and he is grateful both for the opportunity to provide his expertise and the appreciation he is shown by his CCCS colleagues and the coordinators of ReServe.

“The psychic income is very much valued,” he said. “This is a very good fit for me.”

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

New Hampshire’s lakes, looms and loons; plus, the best deals for fall travel, and is Europe a bargain now? page 20

After retiring from the banking industry, Dave Hall put his years of experience to work at Consumer Credit Counseling Services with the help of ReServe, an organization that places retirees 55-plus in part-time positions at nonprofits. Those placed are paid a modest stipend. ReServe opened its Maryland office earlier this year.

ARTS & STYLE and public agencies faced challenges in their capacity to serve those in need.

“In just six years of operation in New York City, ReServe has shown that the experience and skills of older adults constitute an abundance of talent, just waiting to be tapped all over America,” said Jack Rosenthal, co-founder and chairman of ReServe’s board, and the former president of the New York Times Foundation.

“Longer life may be the most important phenomena of our time,” added Rosenthal, “yet there are no institutions to govern a new stage of life that may last 20 years or longer.”

To mark ReServe Maryland’s launch, the UM School of Social Work held an introductory event in February at the University’s

Southern Management Corporation Campus Center. Nearly 60 people attended the presentation, referred to as a “First Impressions” session, based on the information sessions ReServe hosts monthly for professionals 55+ interested in joining ReServe.

“ReServe Maryland is a great solution to two problems,” said Dick Cook, director of SWCOS. “One is the huge number of boomers who want to continue to make a contribution to our society, which has no easy avenue for them to be useful.

“Two is the huge number of human service providers that are burdened with increasing demand and diminishing reSee ReSERVE, page 19

The DNA Theatre pulses with an aerial dance show; plus, visiting Baltimore’s lesser-known museums page 25 FITNESS & HEALTH 4 k New weight-loss drug approved k Eight medical breakthroughs LAW & MONEY 14 k Get ready for next year’s taxes k Why you need more than IRAs VOLUNTEERS & CAREERS

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SEPTEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Something for nothing?

Recently, I had to share the news with adults. Second, we’ve been blessed with our staff that our company health insur- loyal, dedicated employees, several of whom have passed the 10-year ance policy was up for renewmark with our company. They al. The good news was that have, you might say, “aged in our coverage would not place.” change. The bad news was But it’s only been a year that our monthly premiums since our last increase (which would be rising 33 percent! was much less, but an increase We were all in shock.

Though our company covers nonetheless). How much differwell over half the insurance ence could another year make? cost for participating employMy broker asked if we ees, this would affect all of us could talk “off the record.” I significantly, costing each of FROM THE promised I would not reveal us between $115 and $465 PUBLISHER his name or company in the more per month.

By Stuart P. Rosenthal interest of getting the scoop.

So I called my insurance He then said that we could broker to ask what our options were. He have expected roughly a 10 percent insent us alternatives from several compa- crease solely due to rising healthcare costs. nies and plans, but they were only less ex- About another 10 percent could be attribpensive because they either doubled our uted to moving into an older “age band.” deductible, reduced coverage, or failed to But the balance was due to enhanced covinclude many of the doctors our staff want- erage mandated by the Affordable Care Act. ed to keep. In other words, we really didn’t (Some of these benefits haven’t yet been phased in nationally, but Maryland has manhave any good alternatives.

I asked my broker what had happened. dated many of them earlier than required.)

At first, he simply said the price hike was Now, I actually found this somewhat due to our employees’ having aged into a comforting. Because when you think about it, the changes our new healthcare higher cost category.

I’ll admit that we do have a somewhat law have brought about are, for the most older group of employees. First, we’re a 50+ part, new benefits that consumers have publication, so we like (and hire) older long been clamoring for.

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• Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal • Associate Publisher..............Judith K. Rosenthal

First, there’s the elimination of lifetime caps on benefits. Individuals used to have a $1 million or $2 million cap on lifetime insurance coverage, which once sounded generous. But with the cost of today’s cutting-edge cancer treatments and genetically engineered drugs sometimes running up to $100,000 per month, that number looks to some more like a death sentence.

Now, there’s no cap.

Second, pre-existing conditions will soon no longer be grounds for denial of coverage. In Maryland, that’s already true for all people 19 and under. That’s clearly significant for anyone with a chronic or life-threatening disease, and allows them to change jobs or insurance plans without fear of losing coverage.

Third, insurance companies must now allow children of employees up to age 26 to remain on their parent’s plan if they are not covered on the job. My broker noted that this includes many young people who are having babies, which tends to be an expensive healthcare benefit.

While this benefit doesn’t affect any Beacon staffers at the moment, group plans spread risk among thousands of businesses, so this, too, affects our rate.

A number of other benefits help Medicare recipients (and we have some of those on our staff, too). For example, there are no-cost, no-deductible preventive care services (screenings, wellness visits and the like), and additional savings on drug costs for those who hit the “donut hole.”

The government website www.HealthCare.gov trumpets all these changes and even details how much each state has benefitted so far. It says that Maryland alone has added 46,000 young adults to insurance plans, saved seniors more than $7 million on prescription drugs, given more than 900,000 seniors free preventive care, and lifted lifetime coverage caps on 2.25 million residents.

As my broker said to me, who could ex-

pect all these additional benefits would come without an increase in premiums?

But haven’t we been told many times that the new law will reduce healthcare and insurance costs? Just a couple of weeks ago, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post “setting the record straight about some false claims” and telling us “the facts.”

First, she denied that the Affordable Care Act is driving up Americans’ healthcare costs. Instead, she said the increase in national health expenditures had dropped from about 7 percent a year to less than 4 percent a year.

Second, she said it was a “falsehood” to claim that the law is putting a greater burden on small businesses. Her evidence was that “the share of small businesses offering employee coverage has held steady” and that “experts predict” more employers will offer it in 2014, in part due to new tax credits that some (not the Beacon) are eligible for.

She concluded that “since the Affordable Care Act was passed, national health spending is rising at a slower rate, health insurance premiums are rising at a slower rate, smallbusiness coverage is holding steady and Medicare is on a stronger financial footing.”

This is not what our experience at the Beacon suggests. And my broker told me that more than 90 percent of the thousands of local small businesses he works with have had significant increases in their insurance costs this year.

I’m willing to say the new benefits of the healthcare law are impressive. But I also think it was — and continues to be — wrong to try to tell the public the changes are cost-neutral or result in cost savings.

Something for nothing? That’s not the way life works, in my experience.

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.

• Vice President, Operations........Gordon Hasenei • Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel • Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King • Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben • Contributing Editor ..........................Carol Sorgen • Graphic Designer ..............................Kyle Gregory • Advertising Representatives ............Steve Levin, ........................................................................Jill Joseph • Intern ..........................................Jacob Schaperow

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 2012 The Beacon Newspapers, Inc.

Dear Editor: I am an 86-year-old looking for advice on how to get my neighbor to remove his encroaching trees from my property. I am on a fixed income and do not have the money to get the trees cut back myself.

My neighborhood association president informed me that the property is now in receivership since it has been vacant for more than four years and should be condemned. BGE and the Housing Authority are not able to restore the property to the state code.

I contacted the mayor and the city twice to try to get someone to come and cut the trees from my property. Today the trees,

debris and weeds were cleared from my fence, but no limbs from the trees, which are encroaching on my roof and yard, have been removed. The walnut tree fruit has almost destroyed my lawn and is now about to destroy my front awning.

I am afraid to go out in my yard for fear of falling tree limbs. Please help me and tell me whom to contact. I am not able to pay for the damages to my own property but I have to pay my property taxes.

Pauline C. Beasley Baltimore [The Editor replies: We contacted an atSee LETTER TO EDITOR, page 26

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2012

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SEPTEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Health Fitness &

IT’S ALL IN THE WRIST How to prevent and treat golfers’ wrist injuries, from tendinitis to breaks GETTING HIP Metal hip replacements can break down and should be monitored LESS HEAT FOR MEAT Avoid overcooking or charring meat to prevent the formation of toxins PRESCRIPTION FOR QUIET Noisy hospitals hurt sleep and recovery. Now some are piping down

8 medical breakthroughs on the horizon

By Martha Craver Sometimes, modern medicine pushes past science and into the realm of science fiction. The artificial heart and hip replacements were certainly in that category, giving rise to the idea of a bionic man or woman. Other breakthroughs have less of a “wow” factor, but offer relief and comfort where once there was pain and suffering.

Here are eight medical breakthroughs just over the horizon that could have a profound impact on your life. (Alas, a cure for the common cold is not on the list.)

1. Halting high blood pressure Here’s a breakthrough with a sci-fi feel: lowering high blood pressure with radio waves. About half of the 1.2 billion people worldwide with high blood pressure aren’t controlling it, and 20 percent of them don’t respond to conventional treatment.

Researchers have found that some radio frequencies will disable certain nerves in

kidneys to significantly lower blood pressure. The treatment involves threading a catheter through an artery in the groin, but doesn’t require major surgery.

The treatment, already approved in Europe, should be widely available in the United States in about two years. Medtronic is conducting the first U.S. trial.

2. Better stents, heart valves There have been great strides in the use of metal stents to open clogged arteries, and in repairing or replacing defective heart valves. Soon such procedures will become less invasive.

Instead of using a metal stent to open a blocked artery and restore blood flow, Abbott Laboratories is testing a temporary stent that dissolves after two years, leaving behind a healed blood vessel.

Abbott is also working on a clip to close a dysfunctional mitral valve. It’s delivered by catheter rather than through open heart surgery. Both items are already on

the market in Europe.

A replacement heart valve is also coming, from Edwards Life Sciences. Most valve swaps involve open heart surgery with the heart temporarily stopped. This valve would be placed intravenously, with the heart still beating.

3. Hope for diabetics Look for an external artificial pancreas to hit the U.S. market within five years. That will be a boon for diabetics who have trouble keeping blood sugar levels in check.

The device monitors blood sugar and then administers and adjusts insulin automatically using a computerized insulin pump. One early version, which stops the flow of insulin when glucose levels are too low, is already available overseas and will begin U.S. trials this year.

4. Restoring sight to the blind An artificial retina is being developed

by Second Sight Medical Products Inc. The technology, called Argus II, converts

images from a tiny camera in a person’s glasses into electrical pulses that are transmitted to electrodes implanted on the retina.

Vision is limited, but testing has enabled sightless people to find doors, sidestep obstacles and sort laundry. Some users can even read large print with the device’s help. It is available in Europe now, but is likely a year or two away from approval for use in the United States.

A new artificial cornea is also a couple of years away from the U.S. market. KeraMed Inc. is developing an implant that doesn’t rely on donor tissue. (There’s enough donor tissue to treat only 1 percent of the 10 million cases of corneal blindness reported worldwide each year.)

The artificial version, made of a proprietary material, is designed to replace the See BREAKTHROUGHS, page 5

Long-awaited weight-loss pill approved

By Matthew Perrone A new weight-loss pill that many doctors consider the most effective of a new generation of anti-obesity drugs got the approval of the Food and Drug Administration in July.

The pill, called Qsymia, was approved for patients who are overweight or obese and also have at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol.

The drug offers hope for those who have failed to lose weight in other ways, but its path to approval also underscores how difficult it has been for drugmakers to find obesity treatments that are safe and effective.

The drug’s maker, Vivus Inc., said it plans to bring the drug to market in the fourth quarter of this year. It hasn’t yet decided what the pills will cost.

In testing, the drug led patients to lose more weight than two other weight-loss pills recently reviewed by the FDA. Patients taking Qsymia for a year lost 6.7 percent of their body weight in one study and 8.9 percent in another study, the FDA said. The company said patients on the strongest formulation tested lost nearly 11 percent of their weight.

Combines two approved drugs Despite its impressive performance in

clinical trials, Qsymia is not exactly a scientific breakthrough. The drug is actually a combination of two older drugs long known to help with weight loss: phentermine and topiramate.

Phentermine is a stimulant that suppresses the appetite, and has long been used for short-term weight loss. Topiramate is an anticonvulsant, sold by Johnson & Johnson as Topamax, which makes people feel more satisfied after eating.

Researchers say the innovation of Qsymia lies in targeting more than one of the brain signals that drive people to overeat.

“We now know there are multiple pathways that determine how much energy we take in every day,” said Dr. Tim Garvey of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“If you intervene on one pathway, it’s hard to make much of a difference. You really need to attack multiple mechanisms to get a pronounced effect.” Garvey helped conduct several pivotal trials of the drug.

Qsymia is the second weight-loss drug approved by the FDA in less than a month, following Arena Pharmaceutical’s pill Belviq in late June. Previously the agency had not approved a new drug for long-term weight loss since 1999.

With U.S. obesity rates nearing 35 per-

cent of the adult population, many doctors have called on the FDA to approve new weight-loss treatments. But a number of prescription diet pills have been associated with dangerous side effects — particularly heart problems.

In 1997, the popular diet drug combination fen-phen was linked to heart valve damage. The cocktail of phentermine and fenfluramine was a popular weight-loss combination prescribed by doctors, though it was never approved as such by the FDA. Fenfluramine was eventually withdrawn from the market.

Other safety failures for diet pills have continued to pile up in recent years. In 2010, Abbott Laboratories withdrew its drug Meridia after a study showed it increased risks for heart attack and stroke.

Some safety concerns The FDA’s approvals of Qsymia and Belviq suggest a new willingness to make weight-loss medications available, even in the face of lingering safety issues.

The FDA initially rejected Vivus’ drug in 2010 over concerns that it can cause birth defects if taken by pregnant women. The agency laid out a risk-management plan specifically designed to minimize the

chance of the women becoming pregnant while using the drug.

It recommends that women of childbearing age test negative for pregnancy before starting the drug, and take a monthly pregnancy test while taking it.

The agency also said patients with recent or unstable heart disease or stroke aren’t good candidates for the drug because its effect on heart rates in those patients is not known. Vivus has to do studies of the heart effects of Qsymia, the FDA said.

Analysts estimate the new pill could garner more than $1 billion in sales by 2016, though Mountain View, Calif.-based Vivus plans a slow rollout. Company executives say their initial marketing efforts will focus on obesity specialists, not general doctors.

Vivus had originally planned to market the drug under the brand name Qnexa.

However, FDA regulators ordered the company to change the name to avoid potential confusion with similar-sounding drugs.

Rival Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc. of San Diego plans to start selling Belviq early next year. A third California drugmaker, Orexigen Therapeutics Inc., is still running clinical trials of its product, Contrave, and is working toward an FDA approval date in 2014.

— AP

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section of the cornea that focuses light, which is necessary for vision. It is flexible, so it will require a smaller incision than other implants. That will mean a shorter recovery period and fewer complications.

Further down the road (five years or so) is a drug treatment from Lpath Inc. for macular degeneration — the leading cause of blindness in people over 65. The drug contains antibodies to neutralize molecules that contribute to abnormal growth of blood vessels in the retina. The out-of-control vessels distort central vision.

5. Taming the tremors of Parkinson’s Preladenant, from Merck, is seen as an alternative to the existing therapy, L-dopa.

But Parkinson’s drugs often become less effective over time, so development of new drugs is vital.

Enter Fipamezole, from Santhera Pharmaceuticals, which is seen as a promising treatment for the pronounced tremors associated with advanced cases of the disease. It’s probably several years away from approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, however.

6. Progress against cancer There’s no cure for cancer, but new approaches are being developed to aggressively fight some forms of the disease and to limit debilitating side effects.

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From page 4

Vaccines to treat pancreatic and ovarian cancers, melanoma, multiple myeloma and a form of lung cancer are in development but have not yet moved into the FDA approval pipeline.

Also coming: ridaforolimus, from Merck, to treat soft tissue and bone sarcomas; CPI613, from Cornerstone Pharmaceuticals, to treat pancreatic cancer; cabozantinib, from Exelixis Inc., for prostate, ovarian and liver cancers; and Multikine, from CEL-SCI, for treating advanced head and neck cancers.

7. Easing conditions of aging Up to 40 percent of adults with rheumatoid arthritis don’t respond adequately to approved treatments. Help for them may come in the form of tofacitinib, a drug in development by Pfizer that inhibits enzymes that contribute to inflammation.

Meanwhile, Merck is a year away from seeking FDA approval for odanacatib, a once-a-week treatment for osteoporosis.

One-quarter of those with bone density weakness can’t tolerate the most common drugs to treat it, so the alternative will be welcome news for the 10 million people in the U.S., mostly women, with the disease.

8. Your medical history on a microchip Within five years, you’ll be able to carry all your medical records, including lab work and X-rays, on a flash drive. The device, downloadable by any doctor or medical official, will be encrypted to prevent hacking. © 2012, Kiplinger. All rights reserved.

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Breakthroughs

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SEPTEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Preventing and treating golfers’ wrist injuries

By Dr. Sanjeev Kakar Dear Mayo Clinic: I golf three to four times each week, but lately the pain in my wrists makes golfing extremely uncomfortable. A friend of mine had similar symptoms and ended up having surgery to treat tendinitis. Is there a way to get some relief that won’t require surgery?

Answer: Wrist injuries are common in people who play golf regularly. These injuries often occur due to overuse, poor mechanics or trauma.

The right treatment depends on the underlying cause. For most people with the type of wrist pain you describe, surgery is rarely needed.

Many golfing-related wrist injuries are a result of overuse, particularly in recreational golfers who take a break during the winter, and then play a lot during warmer months. For example, some golfers may go

to the driving range for the first time in the spring and hit 200 balls in one session, or they may start playing four rounds of golf a week after taking several months off. Both situations could lead to wrist injuries.

Poor mechanics may also be to blame.

For example, if a golfer is swinging the club inappropriately or “casting” the club, it could lead to pain at the back of the wrist due to injury to a tendon called the extensor carpi ulnaris. In time, that can result in chronic wrist pain.

Wrist injuries also can come from some type of trauma. A golfer may be playing in the rough, for example, swing hard and catch the club in the long grass. That can twist the wrists and, depending on the power of the swing, cause serious wrist tendon damage or even break a bone.

Similar injuries may happen if a golfer takes a large divot out of the turf or hits a rock or other solid object with a club.

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Sept. 18

STEERING CLEAR OF SCAMS

A free program at the Seven Oaks Senior Center will prepare attendees with the knowledge to avoid popular scams and steps to take if you are a victim of financial fraud. The free class will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. The center is located at 9210 Seven Courts Dr. For more information, call (410) 887-2002.

Self-help When wrist pain and swelling first appear, the best steps are to rest it and put ice on it to bring down the swelling. Using heat on the injured area can relieve soreness and stiffness.

A compression wrap or a wrist brace also may be helpful. If symptoms continue for more than a week and the pain gets worse, medical attention is in order.

Your doctor will likely ask about your symptoms, when and how they started, and examine your wrist. This can help shed light on how the injury occurred and determine if tests such as X-rays, computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are needed to diagnose the problem.

If the condition is tendinitis, it may get better with just rest and physical therapy. You might need to wear a wrist brace, as well.

If that’s not enough, an injection of a corticosteroid can help reduce inflammation in the injured area to allow for healing.

Rarely, if nothing else has helped, surgery may be an option for chronic tendinitis.

Broken bones For a broken wrist bone, a cast may be needed to allow the injury to heal, and physical therapy eventually may be necessary. In most cases of a broken wrist bone,

no additional treatment beyond those two measures is required. Depending on the type of broken bone, however, in rare circumstances surgery may be needed.

To help prevent future golfing-related wrist injuries, take time to stretch your arms, elbows and wrists before you play.

Also, warm up with some easy practice swings before you begin a round of golf or start hitting at the driving range.

Work on improving your swing, too.

Take a lesson occasionally to make sure your form is still good.

Finally, invest in quality equipment. Clubs with graphite shafts and irons that are cavity-backed reduce the vibration of impact and can help prevent injuries. Something as simple as using fatter grips to keep you from squeezing the club too tightly and aggravating tendinitis also may be of benefit.

— Sanjeev Kakar, M.D., Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Medical Edge from Mayo Clinic is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. To submit a question, write to: medicaledge@mayo.edu, or Medical Edge from Mayo Clinic, c/o TMS, 2010 Westridge Dr., Irving, TX 75038. For health information, visit www.mayoclinic.com. © 2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved.

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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.

– Alvin, Baltimore

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.

– Susan, Baltimore

As a podiatrist with over 30 years experience, I have always focused on conservative 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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Goodbye to all-metal hip replacements bility of removing the devices from the market, most panelists said there were few, if any, cases where they would recommend implanting the devices.

“I do not use metal-on-metal hips, and I can see no reason to do so,” said Dr. William Rohr of Mendocino Coast District Hospital, who chaired the meeting.

For decades nearly all orthopedic implants were coated with plastic or ceramic.

But in the last 10 years some surgeons began to favor all-metal implants, after laboratory tests suggested the devices would be more resistant to wear and reduce the chances of dislocation.

But recent data gathered from foreign registries shows the devices fail at a higher rate than older implants. That information comes on top of nearly 17,000 reports

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Sept. 13+

to the FDA of problems with the implants, which sometimes require invasive surgery to replace them.

The pain and inflammation reported by patients is usually caused by tiny metal particles that seep into the joint, damaging the surrounding tissue and bone. The long-term effects of elevated metal levels in the bloodstream are not clear, though some studies have suggested links to neurological and heart problems.

FDA’s experts say that patients com-

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FLU SHOT CLINICS Baltimore County Department of Aging will once again sponsor flu

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plaining of pain and other symptoms should get regular X-rays and blood testing for metal levels.

However, panelists pointed out the problems with the accuracy of blood tests and the difficulties of interpreting the results.

There are no standard diagnostic kits for sale that test for chromium and other metals For patients who are not experiencing pain, panelists said annual X-rays would be sufficient to monitor their implants.

— AP

NEWc166-20029734/MS020218

Government health experts say there are few reasons to continue using metalon-metal hip implants, amid growing evidence that the devices can break down early and expose patients to dangerous metallic particles.

The Food and Drug Administration asked its 18-member panel to recommend guidelines for monitoring more than a halfmillion U.S. patients with metal hip replacements.

The devices were originally marketed as a longer-lasting alternative to older ceramic and plastic models. But recent data from the U.K. and other foreign countries suggests they are more likely to deteriorate, exposing patients to higher levels of cobalt, chromium and other metals.

While the FDA has not raised the possi-

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SEPTEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Don’t go overboard fighting cholesterol Dear Pharmacist: Would you elaborate on cholesterol, and what LDL and HDL numbers mean? — C.J. Dear C.J.: There’s mass confusion; ever yone seems to think cholesterol is bad. Medical authorities and television commercials have convinced some people that the lower your LDL number, the healthier you are.

You should sit down for this: There is no such thing as “good” or “bad” cholesterol.

Why would your body make something bad for you anyway? Cholesterol is a strong and wonderful anti-inflammatory and a potent antioxidant.

Shocked? Because I bet you thought it was bad and that you should get rid of this awful cholesterol ASAP! Obviously, you don’t want levels to run amok, but there is a point where you could lower it excessively, and that’s unhealthy.

Well-designed studies have repeatedly demonstrated that cholesterol can block two different pathways responsible for inflammation and pain, 5-LOX and 5-COX. For the record, prescribed anti-inflammatories often work on those two pathways, but if you have enough natural cholesterol, it is doing the work for you... without cramping your legs and making you weak!

Yet, we commonly refer to our “bad” LDL cholesterol and our “good” HDL cho-

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lesterol. I’ve even used those terms myself ties. LDL helps you make steroid horbecause people automatically understand. mones such as pregnenolone, cortisol, But they’re silly.

DHEA, estrogen and testosLDL and HDL are not even terone so you can feel youthmade of cholesterol! They are ful, happy, strong and fertile just fatty proteins, hence the and much more. name “lipoprotein” where I’m in your head right now, “lipo” means fatty and “proso let me tell you: Do not sudtein” means just that. (Stick denly stop taking your choleswith me, we are getting to the terol medications! Good gracious, that is not at all what I’m fun part.) trying to say. Just understand LDL stands for low density that your body has a set-point lipoprotein, and HDL stands DEAR where you feel healthy and for high density lipoprotein. PHARMACIST strong. Control your cholesLDL is nothing more than a By Suzy Cohen terol, but don’t chase the numcarrier molecule, a pick-up bers down too low. truck that shuttles cholesNatural products that can help include terol (fat) to the tissues. You don’t want too many deliveries of fat to your arteries and niacin, guggul fish oils, astaxanthin and organs, so doctors are correct in trying to soluble fiber. Discuss changes to your medication/supplement regimen with tame LDL levels.

HDL removes the fat from your tissues your pharmacist and physician(s). and returns it to the liver. Excellent! That’s This information is opinion only. It is not why you are trying to raise HDL all the intended to treat, cure or diagnose your contime, while lowering LDL. dition. Consult with your doctor before using Balance is key. Total annihilation of LDL any new drug or supplement.

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist (and cholesterol) makes your life miserable. This LDL, the “pick-up truck,” also and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist shuttles nutrients and antioxidants such as and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To vitamin E, which has anti-cancer proper- contact her, visit www.dearpharmacist.com.

BEACON BITS

Aug. 25+

SENIOR OLYMPIC EVENTS IN TOWN

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REGISTER FOR OSHER CLASSES

If you’re in withdrawal from watching the London Olympics, cheer on athletes in Baltimore in the Maryland Senior Olympics. Track and field events are on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 25 and 26 at the Eastern High campus, 1101 E. 33rd St. Basketball takes place on Saturday, Sept. 8 from 9:30 to noon at St. Frances Academy, 501 E. Chase St. A bocce competition will be held on Monday, Sept. 17 starting at 10 a.m. at D’Alesandro Park, 902 Stiles St. For additional events and information, see www.mdseniorolympics.org.

Registration is now taking place for the fall semester of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

Classes are held during the day in both Baltimore and Columbia. The semester begins Tuesday, Sept. 18. Classes explore the worlds of art, music, history, literature, religion and politics in two 12-week semesters. To register or for more information about Osher at JHU, call (410) 516-9719.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2012

9

Cook meats at lower temp to avoid toxins A meal made with high quality, nutrientrich lean meats is sure to stir up a healthy appetite, but add the smoke and sizzle of an outdoor grill, the pop of oil deep-frying on the stovetop, or the savory smell of browning in the broiler and it becomes outright irresistible.

But is it still healthy?

Maybe not, says the latest research, which suggests that how we prepare our food is at least as important as the foods we choose. And turning down the heat may save your meat dishes from accumulating toxins that pose health risks.

High-heat toxins Toxic compounds form when foods are cooked at high temperatures. The chemicals heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) form when muscle meat from beef, pork, poultry and fish is prepared using high temperature cooking methods such as pan-frying or direct-flame grilling.

Laboratory experiments have shown these two substances to be mutagenic, causing changes in the DNA that may increase cancer risk.

While these compounds cause cancer in animals, studies continue to investigate the risk of exposure to high levels in humans. HCAs and PAHs are listed as “reasonably expected to cause cancer in humans” by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Another class of toxins known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are formed when animal proteins are cooked with sugars in the absence of water, such as in pan-frying or grilling. The chemical reaction gives certain foods the desirable “cooked” flavors and aromas that you’ve grown to love.

Absorbed into the body, AGEs have been linked to a variety of ills, including inflammation, diabetes, kidney disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

A study published in the October/November 2009 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that daily AGE consumption in a standard Western diet is at least three times higher than the safe limit.

Benefits of slow cooking AGEs can be reduced by cooking methods for meats that use lower heat and moisture, such as slow-cooking or stewing, as well as avoiding processed, deepfried, or pan-fried animal proteins.

Slow, moist cooking offers protection against toxic compounds, as well as other tasty and practical benefits. A long, slow simmer in a crock pot or on top of the stove breaks down tough fibers in meats, creates a tender texture, and concentrates flavors by marinating the meat in its own juices.

Even the leanest and least expensive cuts will emerge tasty. And slow cooking is easy;

BEACON BITS

Sept. 9

GREAT PROSTATE CANCER CHALLENGE

About 240,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and more than 28,000 die. The Great Prostate Cancer Challenge 5K/1 Mile Fun Walk to benefit ZERO — the Project to End Prostate Cancer and the American Urological Foundation will take place on Sunday, Sept.

9 at 8:30 a.m. at the Johnny Unitas Stadium at Towson University. Funds raised during the race are used for prostate cancer research, awareness and to conduct free prostate cancer screenings to underprivileged men, including 1,500 men annually in the Baltimore area. Advance registration can be done at www.gpccbaltimore.com or in person from 6:30 to 8 a.m. on race day. The fee is $30 for those who preregister by Sept. 5 and $35 after that.

just place meat in a pot or slow-cooker, cover with liquid and seasonings and simmer.

Lower your exposure to potentially hazardous toxins such as HCAs, PAHs and AGEs with these tips: 1. Trim meat fat to reduce drips and the resulting PAH-containing flare-ups during cooking or grilling.

2. Opt for smaller, thinner meat cuts, which take less time to cook.

3. Flip meat frequently, which accelerates cooking and helps prevent HCAs from

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4. Marinate meats, which some research suggests can help reduce the formation of HCAs by well over 90 percent.

5. Avoid overcooking or charring meats.

6. Steam, boil and stew meats, to maintain water content and reduce AGEs. 7. Keep heat low and cook meat slowly.

Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 1-800-8295384, www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com.

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Health Studies Page

SEPTEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Is forgetfulness normal or Alzheimer’s?

By Carol Sorgen Do you go into a room and forget what you needed? Have you misplaced your glasses…again? Have you forgotten your kid’s telephone number?

We all forget things from time to time, especially as we get older, when some degree of memory loss is common. But when is this forgetfulness just a normal part of aging, and when is it a symptom of something more serious?

The Johns Hopkins Memory Center is currently conducting a study of the differences between normal aging, mild memo-

ry problems, and the onset of memory disorders like Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Volunteers are being sought, both with and without memory problems.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for as much as 70 percent of all cases of dementia. The earliest symptom in most patients is progressive difficulty learning and retaining new information.

Understanding Alzheimer’s With progression of the disease, symptoms of poor judgment, disorientation,

Stroke Survivors Needed Do you know someone who has had a stroke and has arm or leg weakness? Studies are being conducted investigating the benefits of exercise and robotics after stroke.

Please call 410-960-5562 for information.

word finding problems and difficulties with spatial relationships develop. Eventually, AD affects almost all aspects of brain functioning, including personality and the ability to perform the most basic activities of daily life.

Age is one of the most important risk factors for AD. The number of patients with AD doubles every 5 years beyond age 65. The underlying cause of the symptoms is the gradual loss of nerve cells in the brain, as a result of the accumulation of abnormal structures called amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.

Patients with progressive memory loss should be evaluated to rule out possible treatable causes of memory loss — such as thyroid disease or vitamin deficiencies.

Brain imaging and detailed examination of cognitive functions through a neuropsychological examination may be required to establish a diagnosis of AD. If a diagnosis of AD is confirmed, there are now several medications available that have been shown to ameliorate the symptoms of the disease.

Healthy volunteers needed, too People 60 years old or older, with or

Make money selling ads for the Beacon!

without memory problems, can participate in the Memory and Aging Study at Johns Hopkins. If you decide to participate, you and a study partner will be invited to the Memory Center clinic for a two to three hour assessment, including memory testing, physical exam and blood samples.

You both will be questioned about your daily functioning. You will return to the clinic once a year for an annual physical exam and memory testing.

The Memory and Alzheimer’s Treatment Center, based at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Campus, is a collaborative partnership between the departments of psychiatry, neurology and geriatric medicine. The Center offers patients comprehensive evaluation and innovative treatment for a range of conditions that affect cognition and memory — including Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, traumatic brain injury, and brain vascular disease.

To learn more about, or volunteer for, the memory and aging study, call Meredith McCrae at (410) 550-9021. For more information or to arrange an appointment for other services at the Memory Center, call (410) 550-6337.

BEACON BITS

Sept. 14

HOW YOU CAN PREVENT FALLS Baltimore County Association of Senior Citizens Organizations will

present a free fall prevention program on Friday, Sept. 14, from 9:45 a.m. to noon, at Towson United Methodist Church, Dulaney Valley Rd. and Hampton Lane.

For more information, call Mary Harden at (410) 521-5726.

STUDIES ON ANEMIA Are you 65 years or older?

This full-time, inside sales position pays a base salary plus commissions and benefits.

We’re looking for a hard-working, detail-oriented people person.

Must be outgoing, love selling, be comfortable with computers, e-mail and contact management software (such as ACT!), and be willing to follow direction, complete required paperwork, and work from our office in Kensington, MD. Inside sales or telemarketing experience a plus.

If you love the Beacon — and would be excited to call potential advertisers — send your resume and cover letter to Alan Spiegel, Director of Sales, at: alan@theBeaconNewspapers.com.

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!

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.

The Beacon Newspapers, Inc. • 3720 Farragut Ave., #105 • Kensington, MD 20895

We look forward to hearing from you!

Principal Investigator: Dr. Jeremy Walston, MD. IRB application No: NA_00035307

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2012

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Fitness & Health

11

It’s calories, not food type, that boost fat Q: Eating more calories than I link to increased risk of cancer and type 2 should won’t cause a weight problem diabetes is not weight itself, but excess as long as they’re largely body fat. from protein, right?

Q: What is leaky gut synA: No, if you eat too many drome? Do eating habits afcalories, you will add body fect it? fat, even if the calories inA: Normal intestinal walls clude lots of protein. function like a border patrol, alIt’s true that protein is imlowing passage of healthy nuportant for weight managetrients and denying entry to ment and healthy body comforeign substances. A healthy position. Studies now show intestinal lining is composed of that protein helps keep cells adhering tightly to each hunger satisfied longer than NUTRITION other, absorbing only small, dieither the carbohydrate or fat WISE gested food molecules.

By Karen Collins, that we eat.

In leaky gut syndrome, What’s more, getting MS, RD, CDM damage to the intestinal wall enough protein is important causes these cells to separate to build and maintain lean body tissue like slightly, allowing incompletely digested muscle and to maintain metabolic rate, food particles and bacteria to “leak” which is probably important to long-term through the gut into the bloodstream. This weight control. seems to trigger the immune system to reStill, in one controlled trial where 25 par- lease substances causing an allergic reacticipants were required to eat similarly ex- tion and widespread inflammation. cessive calories, body fat increased equally Research suggests leaky gut syndrome in all groups, regardless of whether people might lead to food allergies, celiac disease, were consuming low, normal or high lev- inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel els of protein. syndrome, and even diabetes and obesity.

Bottom line: whether your goal is to Factors identified so far that may weaklose, maintain or gain weight, do make en the normal gut barrier and lead to leaky sure each meal totals up adequate protein gut syndrome include major intestinal surfrom beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains and gery or radiation, side effects of certain vegetables, as well as dairy and seafood, medications, chronic inflammation and expoultry and meat if you choose them. cess alcohol consumption.

But don’t think of protein as some magic More research is needed to understand food that goes only to muscle. Excess calo- how eating habits might help avoid or reries from any source still promote excess solve leaky gut syndrome. However, there body fat. This is important, since the real is potential for help from the same eating

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RESEARCH STUDY PARTICIPANTS NEEDED 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.

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

The

Breast cancer survivors between the ages of 45-80 years needed to participate in a diet and exercise research study. Work with doctors, dieticians and exercise physiologists to change your diet and physical activity to help improve your fitness.

Includes cardiac, diabetes, and blood pressure risk evaluation. No diet drugs.

If you are interested, please call U. of MD-BVAMC 410-605-7179, mention code: breast cancer.

habits recommended to fight inflammation, promote growth of healthy gut bacteria and reduce cancer risk.

That is: reaching and maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular physical activity and focusing eating habits around whole plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans.

Foods like yogurt and kefir that contain probiotics — health-promoting bacteria such as lactobacillus and bifidobacteria — are also under study as potentially beneficial.

The American Institute for Cancer Research offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This free service allows you to ask questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. A registered dietitian will return your call, usually within three business days.

Courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research. Questions for this column may be sent to “Nutrition Wise,” 1759 R St., NW, Washington, DC 20009. Collins cannot respond to questions personally.

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

CALL TODAY!

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

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

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

For information, please call (410) 550-7906

12

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SEPTEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Hospital noise affects sleep and recovery

By Lauran Neergaard Anyone who’s had a hospital stay knows the beeping monitors, the pagers and phones, the hallway chatter, the roommate, even the squeaky laundry carts all make for a not-so-restful place to heal.

Hospitals need a prescription for quiet, and new research suggests it may not be easy to tamp down all the noise for a good night’s sleep.

In fact, the wards with the sickest patients — the intensive care units — can be the loudest.

“It’s just maddening,” said Dr. Jeffrey Ellenbogen, sleep medicine chief at Massachusetts General Hospital. He pointed to one study that found the decibel level in ICUs reaches that of a shout about half the

time.

Patient satisfaction surveys are packed with complaints that the clamor makes it hard to sleep. Yet remarkably little is known about exactly how that affects patients’ bodies — and which types of noises are the most disruptive to shut-eye.

So Ellenbogen and researchers from Harvard and the Cambridge Health Alliance recorded different kinds of hubbub in a community hospital in Boston’s suburbs to try to find out.

Since it wouldn’t be appropriate to experiment on sick people by disrupting their sleep, 12 healthy volunteers were enlisted. They spent three nights in Mass General’s sleep lab, slumbering as record-

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ed hospital sounds blared from nearby speakers at increasing volumes.

Electronic beeps disturb sleep Sure, a toilet flushing, voices in the hallway or the ice machine woke people once they were loud enough. But electronic sounds were the most likely to arouse people from sleep — even at decibel levels not much above a whisper, the researchers reported in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

What electronic sounds? Particularly troublesome was the beep-beep-beep from IV machines that signals someone needs more fluid or medicine, one of the most common machines in a hospital. They’re just one of a variety of alarms.

Those alarms are meant to alert hospital workers, of course, so the finding raises a conundrum. But some hospitals are testing ways to make at least some monitors flash signals at the nurses’ stations rather than sound loudly at the bedside.

The other surprises: The sleepers’ heart rates temporarily jumped as much as 10 beats a minute as they were aroused, the researchers reported. And they didn’t remember most of the disruptions even though brain recordings clearly showed their sleep was interrupted, which suggests that patients’ complaints are underestimating the problem.

“My God, we delivered 100 sounds to this person and woke them up 40 times and they’re reporting to us just a couple [of awakenings],” Ellenbogen said with disbelief.

If healthy young adults had a pronounced change in heart rate, imagine the stress of alarms sounding all night long in an ICU full of frail, older patients with weakened hearts, he said.

“It clearly has a big impact,” agreed Dr. Ivor Berkowitz, a pediatric ICU specialist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

See NOISY HOSPITALS, page 13

Hospitals may harm dementia patients For people with Alzheimer’s disease, a hospital stay may prove catastrophic.

People with dementia are far more likely to be hospitalized than other older adults, often for preventable reasons like an infection that wasn’t noticed early enough.

Hospitals can be upsetting to anyone, but consider the added fear factor if you can’t remember where you are or why strangers keep poking you.

Now a new study highlights the lingering ill effects: Being hospitalized seems to increase the chances of Alzheimer’s patients moving into a nursing home — or even dying — within the next year, Harvard researchers reported recently. The risk is higher if those patients experience what’s called delirium, a state of extra confusion and agitation, during their stay.

It’s not clear exactly why, although specialists say delirium is especially bad for an already damaged brain. But the researchers, and independent Alzheimer’s experts, agree that caregivers need to know the risk so they can help a loved one with dementia avoid the hospital if at all possible.

“It’s a very stressful time, being in the hospital,” said lead researcher Dr. Tamara Fong, of the Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and Hebrew SeniorLife in Boston. Often families tell her, “Dad was never the same after he had that surgery and he was confused.”

Earlier this year, University of Washington researchers reported people with dementia are more likely than other seniors to be hospitalized, especially for conditions such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, worsening heart failure or dehydra-

tion that might have been treated in the doctor’s office if they’d been caught early.

The new study took a closer look at potential health consequences of hospitalizations. Fong’s team examined medical records for 771 Alzheimer’s patients who were living at home and fairly high-functioning, to see what happened if they wound up in the hospital.

About half did, mostly for things like fainting or falls, pneumonia and chest pain.

A quarter suffered delirium during that hospitalization.

Each year, about 4 percent of the patients who weren’t hospitalized entered a nursing home and 2 percent died. Yet 29 percent of the hospitalized Alzheimer’s patients wound up in a nursing home — as did a surprising 43 percent of those who suffered delirium, Fong found.

Of those who survived the initial hospitalization, 9 percent died in the following year, as did 15 percent of those who’d suffered delirium, Fong reported in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

The study can’t explain the link. It’s possible that people who wound up in the hospital or delirious already had begun deteriorating more than their non-hospitalized counterparts.

Fong would like to compare hospitalized Alzheimer’s patients with those who get athome care for the same conditions, such as advanced urinary tract infections, to see if avoiding the hospital makes a real difference.

For advice on hospitalization from the Alzheimer’s Association, go to http:// tinyurl.com/7zq8c8v.

— AP

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2012

Noisy hospitals From page 12 He wasn’t involved with the research but calls it compelling and would like to see children studied in the same way.

Regularly getting too little sleep plays a role in a number of health troubles, from drowsy driving to high blood pressure, obesity, depression, memory problems and a weakened immune system.

There’s been far less research on how much sleep disruption interferes with recovery from illness. But some studies show patients in noisier wards require more medications and sedatives.

Delirium — a dangerous state of confusion and agitation — is linked to sleep deprivation and the loss of normal sleep-wake cycles during certain hospitalizations, especially among older people, Ellenbogen noted.

Noise isn’t the only challenge. He said sometimes patients are awakened for a blood test or blood pressure check simply because the overnight nurse assigned the task goes off duty at 7 a.m.

Taking steps to reduce noise Acoustical engineers from Johns Hopkins helped sound an alarm about hospital noise several years ago, reporting that the average level at night has risen dramatically over the past few decades.

Now a number of hospitals have begun taking steps to muffle the noise. Hopkins

recently opened a new building constructed for quiet, and Berkowitz said the difference in the new pediatric ICU is stunning.

Before, eight children’s beds were grouped together in two rooms linked by an opening — the sound of ventilators and machine alarms and conversation all bouncing around the area, he recalled.

Now, every patient room is private.

Sound-absorbing materials line ceilings.

There’s a rubber floor in the neonatal unit.

There’s no overhead paging — workers’ phones vibrate when they’re needed.

“People have a sense, I think, of being calmer,” Berkowitz said. He doesn’t have any medical records to show it, but “my gut sense is that it’s better for patients.”

Existing hospital buildings, especially those without private rooms, require different techniques. For example, Mass General has posted “quiet hours” in the afternoon and at night on certain wards.

The lights are dimmed, patients’ room doors are closed wherever possible, overhead paging is minimized, and health workers lower their voices and try not to enter rooms unless it’s really necessary, said Rick Evans, the hospital’s senior director for service.

In his office sits a gadget that looks like a traffic light, flashing yellow or red when the decibel level gets too high. Evans said the hospital is evaluating whether to start using some type of noise sensor for further help.

Until hospitals dampen more noise, El-

lenbogen advises families to advocate for quiet: • If an IV alarm repeatedly sounds, “tell the nurse this has got to stop,” he said.

• Ask if it’s OK to close the room door.

• Request a fan in the room to be “white noise” that muffles the electronics.

• Speak up if hallway conversations are too loud.

— AP

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Sept. 14

LEARN MORE ABOUT VEGANISM Charlene Meyer, owner of Culinary Morsels, will talk about vegan

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ADVERTORIAL

Baltimore Eye Doctor Helps Legally Blind to See Again Diplomat in Low Vision Care trains Dr. Thomas Azman to help those with age-related macular degeneration with reading and driving.

By Elena Lombardi Freelance Writer

Donald Paquette, 72, a former assessor from Anaheim, California, thought that his driving days were over. “I could not read the street signs soon enough and I couldn’t pass the vision test at the DMV office.”

Gonzalo Garcia, 74, Albuquerque, New Mexico, wanted to be able to read and write more easily.

He wanted to see the nails and screws when he tried to use them in home repairs. He wanted see his grandchildren singing in the church choir. But he thought those days were over when he was diagnosed with Macular Degeneration.

California optometrist, Dr. Richard J. Shuldiner and Baltimore optometrist Dr. Thomas Azman are using miniaturized binoculars or telescopes to help people who have lost vision from macular degeneration or other eye conditions.

“Some of my patients consider us

Hank Frese wearing Bioptic Telescope Driving Glasses

the last stop for people who have vision loss.” said Dr. Azman, a low vision optometrist who has just completed training with Dr. Shuldiner in California.

“Amazing!” says Donald. “I can read the street signs twice as far as I did before and even see the television better!”

Macular degeneration is the most common eye disease among the senior population. As many as 25% of those over 65 have some degree of degeneration. The macula is one small part of the entire retina, but it is the most sensitive and gives us sharp images.

When it degenerates, macular degeneration leaves a blind spot right

13

in the center of vision, which makes it impossible to recognize faces, read a book, or pass the drivers vision test.

The experts do not know what causes macular degeneration. But major factors include UV light from the sun, smoking, aging, and improper nutrition.

Vitamins can help. The results of two studies, AREDS and LAST demonstrated a lowered risk of progression by about 25% when treated with a high-dose combination of vitamins. Dr. Azman advises patients on the best nutritional supplements during the low vision evaluation.

Nine out of ten people who have macular degeneration have the dry type. There is no medical treatment except for vitamins. The wet type involves the leakage of fluid or blood from the blood vessels behind the macula. Injections of Leucentis or Avastin are very effective in preventing the vessels from leaking.

“Our job is to figure out anything and everything possible to keep a person functioning,” says Dr. Azman.

“Whether it’s driving, reading, watching television, seeing faces, playing bridge… we work with whatever is on the persons “wish list.”

Even if it’s driving.

Maryland and California are two of many states that allow the use of telescopic glasses for safer driving.

Hank Frese, 69, a former High School Principal from La Palma, California saw Dr. Shuldiner last August. “I could not read the street signs soon enough when driving, and I could not read my morning paper.”

Bioptic Telescopic glasses were prescribed to read signs and see traffic lights farther away. As Hank puts it, “These telescope glasses not only allow me to read signs from a farther distance, but makes driving much easier. I’ve also used them to watch television so I don’t have to sit so close. I don’t know why I waited two years to do this; I should have come sooner” “Telescopic glasses start at around $1500”, says Dr. Azman, “and low vision prismatic reading glasses start at $500. A small price to pay for better vision and increased independence.”

If you or someone you care about is struggling with vision loss, call Dr. Thomas Azman for a free telephone interview.

You can reach Dr. Azman by dialing toll-free 1.866.269.3916 or online at www.LowVisionMD.org

14

SEPTEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Money Law &

TAXABLE RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS? To avoid a big tax bite during retirement and boost your Social Security, consider saving some money in regular investment accounts BECOME A ROTH IRA CONVERT Converting to Roth IRAs not only allow savings to grow tax free, but also avoids mandatory withdrawals and allows easy transfer to heirs

Prepare now for next year’s tax changes

By Dave Carpenter Ready or not, big changes lie ahead for virtually every U.S. taxpayer next year.

Tax cuts put into place under the Bush administration that slashed rates on wages, dividends and capital gains are set to expire at the end of 2012. The Social Security payroll tax cut enacted this year also will end, as will the exemption of millions of middle-class families from the alternative minimum tax.

It behooves you to spend a little time examining your own situation ahead of time.

A midyear tax review always makes sense, but more so than ever this year.

Even some basic housekeeping and preparations for the tax overhaul in Washington can save money and help you avoid end-of-the-year angst over the inevitable 11th-hour congressional tussle over what to do next.

Do a financial checkup A simple do-it-yourself checkup can be performed in less than an hour. All you re-

ally need is your June 30 pay stub and your 2011 tax return.

Start by multiplying your year-to-date earnings by two to get an estimate of 2012 income and compare it to last year’s final figure. The goal is to have a better idea of how your tax situation will look next year at tax time, said Mark Steber, chief tax officer for Jackson Hewitt Tax Services.

Do the same with your withholding. The IRS recommends reviewing your withholding during the year to make sure it’s in line with what your tax liability is likely to be.

There’s a withholding calculator on its website, www.irs.gov. You may wish to tweak the amount you withhold if it looks like you might either owe money or appear headed for an unwisely large refund.

Now review what might have changed this year. Do you have a new family member? Did one move out? Did you change jobs or move? Get married or divorced?

Consulting with a tax professional would be the most reliable way to figure out the impact of such changes. But you

should be able to get at least a sense on your own of where you stand at this point.

While you’re at it, take a look at your savings and any 401(k), IRA or Roth IRA that you have. Will you be able to maximize your 2012 contributions? Make sure you’re at least contributing enough to get the company match in your 401(k).

And keep an eye on your medical reimbursement account, if you have one, to make sure you’re taking full advantage.

“With several months remaining in the year, there are still opportunities to lower your 2012 tax liability via withholding changes, increase in charitable contributions, retirement savings and more,” said Kathy Pickering, executive director of the Tax Institute at H&R Block.

Changes to expect So many changes are being discussed for next year that the natural tendency is to wait until they’re all final before sorting it all out. But tax experts say you could leave tax savings on the table if you don’t do

some planning ahead of time.

Without trying to forecast outcomes, one good step to take now is to identify and start following a reliable resource or two for tax information — IRS.gov, a blog, a columnist, a favorite financial site. Then as the changes take shape, you can act quickly.

Here are some of the biggest changes brewing and some planning considerations to take into account: • Payroll tax. A temporary payroll tax cut that has been of benefit to nearly every wage earner in 2011 and 2012 is set to expire, costing the average family an additional $1,000 a year.

“People should think about how they’re going to budget with a smaller paycheck next year,” said Elda Di Re, partner in Ernst & Young’s personal finance services group.

• Capital gains. Without congressional action, the capital gains tax will rise to 20 percent from 15 percent.

Anyone considering an action that will See TAXES, page 15

Look for earnings from spinoffs, retailers

By Kathy M. Kristof There are few sure things in picking stocks. But if you want an investment that puts the odds in your favor, consider spinoffs. When big companies split into pieces, the parts often become more valuable than when they were combined.

Spinoffs are rare, though. Roughly 30 companies a year announce plans to peel off a piece of their business and plunk it into the hands of shareholders in the form of newly minted shares.

Potentially lucrative spinoffs Genie Energy (symbol GNE) emerged from IDT Corp. (IDT), primarily a telecom company, last October. The small, Newark, N.J.-based company sells power to small businesses and develops shale-oil projects in Colorado and Israel. Last year, Genie earned $850,000, or 4 cents a share, on revenues of $206 million.

At a share price around $7, the stock has lost 36 percent since early February. But as of the end of 2011, Genie had $102 million in cash, or $4.45 per share, and no debt. Joe

Cornell, of Spin-Off Research, thinks investors are drastically undervaluing Genie’s potential. He said the shares are worth $15.75 — more than double today’s price.

In some cases, the “stub” (the parent company minus the spinoff) is the more valuable piece, said John Keeley, Jr., chief investment officer at Keeley Asset Management.

For example, ConocoPhillips (COP) split off Phillips 66 (PSX), its refining and chemical operations, on May 1. By doing so, Conoco rid itself of a low-profit business, and it can now concentrate on exploration and production, a segment that has historically accounted for about 80 percent of its profits.

At $56 a share, ConocoPhillips sells for less than 9 times estimated 2012 profits of $6.45 per share. That’s too cheap, said Cornell, who expects the Houston-based firm to be leaner and more profitable in the future.

He thinks Conoco is worth $73 a share today.

If you think the sum of the parts is worth more than the whole, invest after a company has announced a spinoff but before the deal has taken place. One such opportunity lies with Kraft Foods (KFT).

Later this year, it plans to jettison its grocery business. The spinoff will keep the Kraft name. The remaining company, which is expected to be called Mondelez International, will concentrate on snack foods. Mondelez will boast some $35 billion in annual sales.

Breaking Kraft in two will allow the grocery company to focus on improving its profit margins, while the snack-food company can devote its attention to growth, particularly in emerging markets. Kraft shares sell for $40, or 15 times estimated 2012 earnings, but S&P Capital IQ analyst Tom Graves believes the Northfield, Ill., company will be worth $44 a share when broken in two.

High potential in retailers Both upscale and downscale retailer stocks are also worth some attention.

The head-scratcher is this: Coach, the purveyor of pricey purses, keeps banging out record profits at the same time that Dollar General, which appeals to price-conscious shoppers, rakes in cash hand over fist.

But maybe the dynamic isn’t as contradictory as it seems. In tough times, mid-

dle-income consumers flock to discount chains. Those discounters that offer quality and good prices have seized the moment to convert normally higher-end shoppers into loyal customers.

The rich, however, continue to frequent their favorite stores through upturns and downturns alike.

With the economy once again looking tenuous, the resilience of retailers that cater to the outer edges of wealth has not been lost on Wall Street.

Shares of Coach (symbol COH) are usually almost as pricey as the firm’s handbags. But the market’s spring plunge, triggered by concerns about economic weakness in Europe (where Coach has only a modest presence) brought the shares into reasonably priced territory. Down $20 from its late-March high, Coach, at $58, sells for 14 times estimated year-ahead earnings.

Widely admired for selling stylish, wellmade goods, Coach profit margins are the envy of the industry. The company reportSee EARNINGS, page 15

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BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2012

Taxes From page 14 trigger a major capital gain, such as selling stock or a vacation home, may want to consult with a professional about the potential difference between closing a transaction this year and next.

• Dividends. The tax on dividends will go from the current 15 percent to your individual tax rate, meaning as high as 39.6 percent for upper-income taxpayers.

Higher tax rates might make dividend stocks that you are considering adding to your portfolio less appealing, although it doesn’t necessarily mean selling ones you already own.

• Medicare. Millions of wealthy taxpayers face tax increases related to Medicare. High-income individuals would

Earnings From page 14 ed that earnings for the quarter that ended March 31 were up 24 percent. Coach also hiked its dividend by 33 percent in April, and its stock yields 2.0 percent.

Analysts expect Coach to deliver blistering annual earnings growth of 16 percent over the next three to five years. Jason Asaeda, an analyst with S&P Capital IQ, expects the stock to hit $85 within the next year.

Profiting from discounts Dollar General (DG), based in Goodlettsville, Tenn., operates 10,052 outlets in 40 states. The stores are usually 7,000 to 12,000 square feet — a fraction of the size of a Wal-Mart superstore.

The smaller size allows the chain to set up shop in conveniently located suburban malls.

Its stores specialize in food and housewares

pay a surtax of another 0.9 percentage points on earned income over $200,000, or $250,000 for married couples.

High-income households also face a new 3.8 percent tax on investment income.

Congress approved that tax to help finance the healthcare overhaul.

• Alternative minimum tax. The alternative minimum tax typically has affected taxpayers making more than $200,000, thanks to so-called “patches” that have annually exempted middle-income families.

Unless extended retroactively, the AMT patch already has expired for 2012, reducing exemption amounts precipitously.

It’s worth checking with a financial adviser to see how much you might be subject to under this complicated law, which targeted loopholes used by wealthy taxpayers when it was created in 1969 but has

— particularly paper and cleaning products, which customers frequently replace.

The company’s stock is not as cheap as the stuff on its shelves, however. At a recent $52, Dollar General sells for 19 times current-year estimated earnings. But there are plenty of suburban communities yet to be penetrated, and Joan Storms, of Wedbush Securities in Los Angeles, thinks the company’s superior growth prospects justify its above-average price-earnings ratio.

Her one-year price target is close to the current share price, but with analysts projecting three- to five-year earnings growth of 18 percent a year, the stock could deliver a pleasant surprise.

Kathy Kristof is a contributing editor to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. For more on this and similar money topics, visit www.Kiplinger.com. © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

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been changing in scope.

• Estate tax. The estate tax rate would rise to 55 percent from the current 35 percent, and the exemption level would fall to $1 million from $5 million, subjecting many more estates to it.

If you have a large estate and want to remove some taxable assets from it, this might be a good year to do any planned gifting, said Mark Luscombe, principal federal tax analyst for the CCH consulting firm.

• Tax breaks. Dozens of other tax credits and deductions that are routinely renewed each year already expired at the end of 2011.

If Congress fails to act, individuals would lose federal tax breaks for paying local sales taxes, buying energy efficient appliances and using mass transit, among others.

The big picture is there are no clear an-

swers at the moment.

But if you believe tax increases are on the way for 2013, it may be prudent to accelerate income and postpone deductions this year, said Luscombe. While this is the reverse of the usual tax strategy, it makes sense when someone is headed for a higher tax bracket the following year.

Besides selling assets that would result in a capital gain, ways to accelerate income include converting a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, and taking distributions from an IRA or retirement plan, so long as it won’t result in an early withdrawal penalty.

Postponing deductions could mean waiting to make a charitable gift until next year, when the deduction could have more value, or deferring realization of a capital loss.

— AP

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SEPTEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Roth IRAs can benefit retirees and heirs There are serious reasons to consider funds that earned them have been investsaving money in a Roth IRA. Not only ed for at least five years. does this vehicle provide you This alone can save you with tax savings during your thousands of dollars over retirement years; it also offers similar investments held in a significant advantages to your traditional IRA. The earlier beneficiaries. in life you open a Roth IRA Many people choose not to (or convert a traditional IRA use a Roth because there is no to a Roth), the greater the up-front tax advantage. Unlike tax advantage at retirement. contributions made to a traditional IRA, Roth contributions Know the Roth rules cannot be deducted from your There are income limits for THE SAVINGS taxable income. However, the Roth eligibility. Individuals GAME long-term tax benefits of a Roth under age 50 who file a joint

By Elliot Raphaelson IRA far outweigh this disadvanreturn can contribute up to tage for most savers. $5,000 of their earned income into a Roth as One major advantage is that all of your long as their adjusted gross income is less earnings within a Roth IRA are completely than $173,000. For single filers, the adjusted tax free once you reach age 59 1/2, if the gross income must be less than $110,000. (In-

BEACON BITS

Sept. 4

MONEY-SAVING TIPS In the free class “Becoming Resource-FULL,” you will discover

strategies to budget and save your money, stretch your income, set financial goals, and find benefits to help pay your bills. The class will take place at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 4 at the Seven Oaks Senior Center, 9210 Seven Courts Dr. For more information, call (410) 887-2002.

dividuals 50 and older within these parameters can contribute up to $6,000.)

If your adjusted gross income exceeds those numbers, you may be able to make smaller contributions to a Roth IRA. But if it is more than $183,000 jointly (or $125,000 singly), you cannot make contributions.

In a financial emergency, you can withdraw invested funds from your Roth at any time tax-free and without penalty. Funds withdrawn from a Roth exceeding your contributions are taxable, and if you are younger than 59 1/2 there is a 10 percent penalty.

In a traditional IRA, by contrast, all funds withdrawn prior to age 59 1/2 are taxable and in most cases incur a 10 percent penalty, regardless of how long the funds were invested. Once you reach age 70 1/2, the IRS requires that you make mandatory withdrawals from your traditional IRA. Each year, the amount that you must withdraw increases on a percentage basis.

Many retirees are forced to withdraw more than they would like to.

There are two disadvantages to these requirements: 1) Once you withdraw the funds, you have to pay ordinary income taxes on the amount of your withdrawal. 2) You no longer have the advantage of tax deferral. [See also “The case for taxable retirement accounts,” on page 27, which describes another disadvantage.]

Many Roth benefits

SERVING

THOSE WHO

SERVED AND THEIR ELIGIBLE NON-VET SPOUSES

By contrast, no withdrawals are required with a Roth IRA, even after age 70 1/2. That gives investors with some or all of their retirement funds in a Roth a significant advantage.

You may convert funds in your regular IRA to a Roth, regardless of income, and there are no limits for amounts converted.

Here’s the catch: The amount you convert

is taxable at ordinary income tax rates in the year of your conversion.

Thanks to a Roth conversion, I have avoided having to withdraw more funds from my regular IRA than I want to. Most major mutual funds, including Vanguard, have tools on their websites to help you determine whether it is worthwhile to convert your regular IRA to a Roth. (Another useful calculator can be found at www.calcxml.com/do/qua04.)

Another advantage of a Roth IRA over a traditional one is that you can continue to make contributions after age 70 1/2. I invest my income from part-time employment in my Roth account.

The IRS requires that I make mandatory withdrawals from my regular IRA and rollover IRA accounts. I use these withdrawals for normal expenses. That is one reason why I can afford to save my current earned income in a Roth account. I know many individuals over 70 1/2 with earned income, and I encourage them to use a Roth for whatever amount of their earnings they don’t need for expenses.

Finally, Roth IRAs are a great deal for your beneficiaries, as there are no penalties for distributions to heirs. Your surviving spouse has complete flexibility regarding withdrawals. Other beneficiaries can stretch tax-free distributions over their lifetime, continuing to benefit from years of tax deferral.

Just make sure your accounts are titled properly. For a great guide, read Ed Slott’s book, Your Complete Retirement Road Map. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at elliotraph@gmail.com. © 2012 Elliot Raphaelson. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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The case for taxable retirement accounts A reader named Dale wrote in about an in- ty steep. The IRS levies the tax based on teresting tax situation that can arise during your combined income, which is the total retirement. While he was of your adjusted gross income working, he dutifully saved as plus nontaxable interest, plus much as he could in his half of your Social Security 401(k), thinking that he would benefits. benefit from being in a lower The rules say that if you file a tax bracket when he retired. federal tax return as an individWhen he did in fact retire, ual and your combined income most of his assets were held in is $25,000 to $34,000, you may some type of tax deferred achave to pay tax on up to 50 percount, with limited assets outcent of your benefits. If your side of retirement accounts.

RETIRE SMART combined income is more than What Dale didn’t realize By Jill Schlesinger $34,000, up to 85 percent of was that when he turned 70 your benefits may be taxable.

1/2 and was forced to take Required MiniIf you file a joint return, and you and mum Distributions (RMDs), his tax bracket your spouse have a combined income that increased, and all of the sudden, it was no is $32,000 to $44,000, you may have to pay longer the rock-bottom tax bracket that he tax on up to 50 percent of your benefits. If had anticipated. your combined income is more than Dale says the tax hit that occurred in his $44,000, up to 85 percent of your benefits 70s “effectively offset the advantage of the may be taxable In Dale’s case, the tax on his Social Secusavings in the earning years. ... I would not, knowing what I know now, have put so much rity was minimal when he first retired because he had little income. But when he of my savings in a tax-deferred account.” began taking his RMDs, his tax rate jumped Big Social Security tax bite and he ended up paying a 27 percent tax Taxation of Social Security and other re- rate on all of his incremental income. tirement benefits is commonly overlooked when planning for retirement.

Non-retirement accounts can help Many people must pay federal income One way to manage this potential future tax taxes on their Social Security benefits. For is to do something that is rarely discussed: example, if you have other substantial in- save money in a non-retirement account. I come in retirement — such as wages, self- know this may seem antithetical to most reemployment income, interest, dividends or tirement planning strategies, but there are RMDs from retirement accounts — Uncle many advantages to keeping a portion of savSam may come for a cut of your benefits. ings outside of tax-deferred accounts.

While no one pays federal income tax on First of all, it is important to have accessimore than 85 percent of his or her Social ble savings, especially early in retirement. A Security benefits, the tax rates can be pret- good rule of thumb is to have money for at

least one to two years of expenses available in a savings or checking account, a money market fund, or short-term CDs. (To find the best rates on these types of accounts, go to www.depositaccounts.com.)

Beyond addressing short-term cash flow needs, saving in non-retirement accounts may allow you to boost your retirement income. How? If you can use your non-retirement savings to cover your expenses early in retirement, you could potentially delay claiming Social Security benefits.

While retirees can claim Social Security as early as 62, waiting can pay big dividends.

If you can hold off until your full retirement age — or even better, until age 70 when Social Security maxes out — you can boost

benefits by an extra 8 percent for each full year that you delay receiving benefits.

Of course, you should maximize any employer matching and still use retirement plans as a core component of your savings plan. But be sure to create a broader strategy that incorporates your potential future tax bill, as well as the best way to maximize your Social Security benefits.

Jill Schlesinger, CFP, is the editor-at large for www.CBSMoneyWatch.com. She covers the economy, markets, investing or anything else with a dollar sign 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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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.

Providing help to families with ill children

By Carol Sorgen “This is such an amazing place,” said Janine Dowdle of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Baltimore (www.rmhcbaltimore.org). It’s the families and the staff who have kept the 59-year-old resident of Phoenix, Md., coming back as a volunteer for more than a dozen years.

The organization, part of an international network serving children and families in 54 countries, is the only Ronald McDonald House in the state of Maryland. It is open to families in need of respite care while their children are being treated at area hospitals, providing a home away from home for seriously ill children and their families.

It also helps to fund programs in the local area that directly improve the wellbeing of children. More than 35,000 families have stayed at the Ronald McDonald House since it opened in 1982.

to keeping computer records up to date, to serving on the gala committee and the committee to build an accessible playground.

The playground grand opening was especially gratifying for Dowdle. “Seeing kids who normally couldn’t play on a playground be able to go outside with other kids was such a wonderful feeling,” she said.

Fundraising and more Dowdle, who moved to the Baltimore area from Illinois with her husband and three children in 1998, first learned of the Ronald McDonald House when attending its fundraising gala. She was so impressed by the organization’s mission that she soon began volunteering.

Through the years, she has taken on whatever is asked of her, from filling in for the family coordinator during lunch breaks,

Many volunteers needed Dowdle is such an enthusiastic and willing volunteer that she has earned the nickname “Janine the Machine,” for her ability to get things done.

With only six full-time employees, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Baltimore, located at 635 W. Lexington St., relies heavily upon its corps of volunteers to help keep the house running smoothly.

The staff is currently seeking interested individuals who would like to volunteer in a variety of capacities and can make a regular weekly commitment to the house.

Volunteer openings include making breakfast or dinner for families in the house’s kitchen, hosting activities like bingo and karaoke, helping with adminis-

trative work, and greeting families at the house’s welcome desk.

All volunteers are asked to commit to at least three hours of service per week for a minimum of six months.

“There’s always a need for volunteers,” said Dowdle. “They take really good care of us here, and they make the volunteers feel so appreciated.

“I can’t emphasize enough how impressed I am with the staff’s dedication, humor, and positive and loving attitude,” Dowdle added.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Baltimore will commemorate 30 years of providing love, hope and respite to critically ill children and their families at its 30th Anniversary Celebration Gala on Saturday, November 3, at 6 p.m. at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront. For more details about the gala, contact Debbie Hood at (410) 5281010 x105 or debbie@rmhbaltimore.com.

For more information on volunteering at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Baltimore, visit www.rmhcbaltimore.org/howto-help/volunteer/opportunities, or contact Amber Rose at arose@rmhcbaltimore.org.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE

Janine Dowdle has volunteered for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Baltimore for more than 20 years, helping with fundraising, building a handicapped-accessible playground and more.

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Volunteers & Careers

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2012

ReServe

the Zanvyl and Isabelle Krieger Fund, and the United Way of Central Maryland.

From page 1 sources. Put the two problems together and they take care of each other.”

Cook mentioned as a highly visible example the recent closing in Chicago of Hull House, the Chicago institution that grew out of a settlement house founded by Jane Addams in 1889.

He said many valued organizations in Maryland are similarly challenged. ReServe Maryland will help non-profit organizations build capacity.

In Maryland, initially 20 individuals will be recruited to become ReServists (12 have been selected so far — 5 in Baltimore and 7 elsewhere in the state).

In addition to CCCS, they have also been placed with the CollegeBound Foundation, which helps Baltimore City high school students, and Baltimore CASH Campaign, which will assign a ReServist to improve its low- and moderate-income clients’ financial knowledge. In time, ReServe Maryland will expand its reach to include additional nonprofits and public institutions.

ReServe Maryland is funded through the Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps), the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation, the Fund for Change,

Helping high school students Ron Madden is one of those who has been helped by ReServe and in turn is helping a nonprofit. Madden has a wealth of professional experience, but none more important to him than the time he has spent in academia working with young men and women.

So when the “let’s just say I’m a baby boomer” resident of Mt. Washington found himself facing retirement, he decided he could still be of service.

Now Madden is using his professional experience and “lifetime of connections” at the Augusta Fells Savage Institute of Visual Arts in Baltimore City, where he advises high school students —many of whom have no familiarity with the college experience at all — on their future academic plans.

“I love being able to use the long-lasting relationships I have developed over the years to help these students,” said Madden. “I like to see success stories.”

Baltimore City resident Liz Smith, 60, found out about ReServe at a recent information session. Last year, Smith found

COURTLAND GARDENS SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

Courtland Gardens Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, formerly Jewish Convalescent & Nursing Home, welcomes individuals to volunteer in the following positions: therapeutic recreation assistants; office/clerical support assistants; friendly visitors; gift cart volunteers; entertainers; and spiritual support volunteers. For more information, visit www.lifebridgehealth.org.

Ongoing

VOLUNTEER FOR CATHOLIC CHARITIES A variety of volunteer opportunities are available with Catholic Charities. To learn more, contact Patricia Newman at (410) 5475553 or volunteer@cc-md.org.

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Smith’s experience, as she spearheads a joint program between CCCS and PNC Bank to encourage successful CCCS alumni to begin contributing to a monthly savings program.

Smith likes the flexibility of her hours as well as the autonomy she is given. “Everyone presumed that I already had the skill set to make this happen,” she said. “There has been zero micromanaging.”

Though Smith is new to the ReServe program, she is favorably impressed with the organization and its mission.

“So many people at this age have skills they want to share, but may have difficulty finding the right place in which to serve,” she said. “ReServe introduces willing, skilled professionals to the organizations that need those folks. It’s a terrific idea.”

To learn more, visit http://www.re-

BEACON BITS

Sept. 9

LEARN TO SEW AND HELP A CHILD

Learn to sew and help put a smile on the faces of young children.

Join the folks at the Sassy SEWer Sewing Lounge on Sunday, Sept.

9th, from 3 to 6 p.m., to sew doll clothes for the Blount Child Development Center.

Experienced seamstresses also welcomed. The event is free but RSVPs are required at sew.sassy@verizon.net.

Recovering from a layoff

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

herself out of work when she was laid off from her position as the director of an educational institution.

Despite her strong management background, she soon realized that finding another full-time job at a comparable salary would be “difficult, if not impossible.”

“I started cobbling together several part-time jobs and when I heard about ReServe, I thought it might be a good addition to the mix,” said Smith. She was impressed by the diverse backgrounds of other prospective ReServists she met, as well as the variety of professional opportunities — from accounting to website designing — available to them.

Since June, Smith has been working as a literacy advocate and credit consumer advisor at Consumer Credit Counseling Services. The job meshes well with

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Ongoing

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT NORTHWEST

Northwest Hospital Center has a variety of volunteer opportunities available, from greeting and escorting patients, to filing and copying charts, to assisting at community health screenings, to name just a few. Call (410) 521-5911 for more information.

20

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SEPTEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Travel Leisure &

How to find fall travel bargains. See story on page 22.

New Hampshire’s lakes, looms and loons quite laid back and you needn’t do your own digging. In fact, southern New Hampshire offers enough pleasant diversions to fill a relaxing week or two.

Manchester, mills and more

Strategically perched on the banks of the mighty Merrimack River, Manchester, the largest city (106,000 people), promotes both its industrial past and its re-invention.

The Amoskeag Manufacturing Company dominated the city from 1831 to 1935, when it closed. At its height, 64 mill buildings stretched along both sides of the river for a mile and a half.

It was the world’s largest single millyard, bustling with 700,000 spindles and 23,000 looms that rolled out four million yards of cloth weekly. Amoskeag was famous for denims, used in the first patented riveted jeans made by Levi Strauss in 1873.

Many of the vintage red brick mill structures from that era still stand, though today they house museums, apartments and businesses.

Known as “the city that would not die,” Manchester has reinvented with new entrepreneurs, such as Velcro Brand fasteners, which is headquartered in Manchester.

Pick up the walking tour booklet at the Chamber of Commerce and explore the millyard area, including an example of 19th century worker housing, the Mill Girl sculpture, and the Millyard Museum recalling Amoskeag’s glory days (www.manchesterhistoric.org).

A video at the museum recounts the millworkers’ grueling, 12hour day in a deafening room with looms throbbing and shuttles bouncing.

The See Science A boy and his grandfather visit the beach on the shore of Center is a must-see Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in New Hampshire. for the massive, one-

PHOTO BY NHDTTD/DAVE SHAFER

By Glenda C. Booth Flying out of Manchester, New Hampshire, after our recent visit, my middle-aged seatmate urged me to return to her native state soon, bragging that people from New Hampshire are hardy and resourceful.

“We’re not from Massachusetts,” she boasted. “I could dig my own latrine if I needed to.”

Hardy is right. New Hampshirites often cite the state’s motto, “Live free or die,” coined by General John Stark, the victor at the Battle of Bennington.

Motorcyclists are “free” of helmet laws.

Residents are “free” of sales and state income taxes. A Massachusetts neighbor likes New Hampshire because you can buy “serious fireworks” in the state.

New Hampshirites’ rugged individualism is symbolized by the state’s 48 jagged peaks over 4,000 feet in height, and the highest peak in the northeastern U.S. — Mount Washington at 6,288 feet. It’s not just the geology that gave it the name, the Granite State; it’s also gritty stoicism, say natives.

For visitors, however, the pace here is

The city of Portsmouth hugs part of New Hampshire’s short ocean shoreline.

Portsmouth has preserved its colonial architecture and maritime heritage.

of-a-kind, three-million-piece Lego replica of the millworks. It gives an excellent bird’s-eye view of the mill town at its height in 1900.

The display is the largest permanent Lego installation at a mini-figure scale in the world. Building it took 200 meticulous volunteers 10,000 hours and the involvement of two master Lego builders.

The Currier Museum of Art is the state’s largest fine art museum, well worth a few hours to appreciate its 12,000 American and European works of art including works by Picasso, Winslow Homer, Monet, O’Keefe, and an extensive glass collection.

The Currier runs tours to the Zimmerman House, the only Frank Lloyd Wright house in New England open to the public.

Low-slung and 1,700-square-feet in size, the early 1950s house resembles a park restroom building, some say.

It is one of Wright’s very functional, Usonian-style houses, striking for its square motif throughout and repeated geometry. Wright also designed the garden, furniture and the mailbox.

Locals jealously protect the state’s role as host of the earliest U.S. presidential primary every four years. “It’s insanity around here,” said Charlene Courte-

manche of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. “People are wall to wall,” and we “can easily bump into national television commentators like Diane Sawyer walking down the street.”

So you won’t want to leave Manchester without a counter encounter at the Red Arrow Diner, 61 Lowell St. — a favorite of presidential aspirants. “Every politician has been here,” said Courtemanche. Pictures of most of them cover the walls.

Accustomed to close, person-to-person politics, locals are likely to chat with you as you chomp down on the diner’s succulent pork pie with gravy, a French-Canadian dish. Top off your meal with a homemade Twinkie. If it’s your first time there, they’ll make it known to all and you can leave wearing a sticker proclaiming, “I’ve been de-virginized at the Red Arrow Diner.”

Lala’s, a family run restaurant at 836 Elm St., has a homey Old World feel, with cuisine like beet salad, tripe soup, goulash and stuffed cabbage, all from family recipes. Laslislau Lala fled communism in Hungary in 1990 and chose Manchester because he loves England’s Manchester United soccer team. “I had never heard of New Hampshire,” he confessed.

See NEW HAMPSHIRE, page 21

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Leisure & Travel

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2012

New Hampshire From page 20

Stately Concord, loony lakes Twenty minutes north of Manchester is the tidy town of Concord, the state capital, worth a day or two of exploring. The golddomed state house made of local granite has both guided and self-guided tours.

The Christa McAuliffe Planetarium, named for the Concord teacher who perished in the 1986 space shuttle Challenger disaster, is a popular Concord stop for studying celestial bodies. At the New Hampshire Historical Society museum, you can climb a fire tower and learn about the state’s heroes, like Robert Frost and President Franklin Pierce.

Longing for the haunting call of the loon? The state has 273 lakes and ponds, covering one-sixteenth of its area. The lakes region is within an hour of the north side of Manchester.

Popular spots include the 72-square-mile Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest in the state; Squam Lake, near Holderness or Center Harbor, where On Golden Pond was filmed; and Newfound Lake, near Bristol, fed by eight springs and featuring 22 miles of shoreline. Visit www.lakesregion.org for lodging, travel packages and events.

New Hampshire has 92 state parks, offering a range of natural, recreational and historical resources. Visit www.nhstateparks.org.

Loons are lionized in the Granite State.

There’s a loon appreciation day, and volunteers conduct a loon census every July, followed by the Loon Festival in Moultonborough. Keep your ears peeled for their yodel.

New Hampshire has the shortest coastline of any ocean-bordering state in the countr y, but it makes the most of it.

Hampton Beach is the state’s beach destination, crammed with clam shacks, honkytonk dives, arcades, sunbathers and revelers.

Want to splurge? Don’t miss the restored Wentworth-by-the-Sea (www.wentworth.com), a historic, ocean-front resort offering a classic, grand, old New England hotel experience, modernized by a pool, spa and much recreation.

Fall festivals and more New Hampshire enthusiasts tout fall as the best time to visit the state, when the daytime temperatures are in the 60s, the foliage is radiant, fruits ripen, and farmers’ markets bulge with summer’s bounty.

There are craft festivals, chicken pie suppers, sidewalk sales, scarecrow contests, and NASCAR races in Loudon, 14 miles northeast of Concord.

Manchester has a chili festival.

Portsmouth has arts walks, a Brew Fest and a chili cookoff. For fall agricultural fairs, visit www.visitnh.gov/4-seasons/fallharvest/agricultural-fairs.aspx.

Check out the “foliage tracker” www.visitnh.gov/foliage which has a color key from green to peak to faded red. For suggestions of scenic rides, including train rides, visit www.visitnh.gov/what-todo/scenic-drives.

If you go The simplest, quickest way to visit southern New Hampshire is to fly to Manchester (www.flymanchester.com) and

The crown of the state’s 18-mile coastline is the hilly but walkable city of Portsmouth (population 21,000). It’s anchored by colonial buildings, waterside restaurants and shops, and imagery of the city’s 300-year maritime heritage.

Long a working port town, Portsmouth has an active waterfront and has preserved its historic architecture. Stop by the Chamber of Commerce at 500 Market St. for maps and materials.

Costumed guides lead visitors through the 10-acre Strawberry Banke Museum, consisting of 43 carefully-restored buildings dating from 1600 to the present, including homes of wealthy shipbuilders.

You may see barrel-making by coopers and cooking with herbs.

Escape your landlubber mode and go to sea. Try a harbor cruise on various kinds of boats (including a tugboat) and check out the lighthouses, forts and mansions.

Explore the Navy’s U.S.S. Albacore, a research submarine with a teardrop hull, retired in 1972.

You can pig out seaside on New England specialties like crispy fried clams and lobster rolls at the River House, watching as ships and tugboats pass. And if you really want to “go native,” drive over the bridge to Maine for Bob’s Clamhut in Kittery, featured on the Food Network and famous for a visit by Jimmy Buffet.

rent a car. Southwest flies to Manchester from BWI Marshall for as little as $138 round trip.

Information on New Hampshire and various cities can be found at the following websites: • New Hampshire, www.visitnh.gov; events, www.visitnh.gov/what-to-do/eventcalendar.aspx • Manchester, www.manchester-chamber.org; www.intownmanchester.com • Portsmouth, www.portsmouthchamber.org; www.goportsmouth.com • Concord, www.concordnhchamber.com Glenda C. Booth is a freelance writer in Alexandria, Va.

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By the sea

OPENING O ENING AUGUST AU UST 31 3

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SEPTEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Best U.S. and foreign deals on fall travel In spring and fall fewer tourists venture out, and airfares and hotel rates drop with decreased demand. Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy popular attractions with more room to roam.

• London calls in April or October, when the weather is mild and sites are less crowded. And this year’s Anglo autumn, suffering from post-Jubilee and postOlympics withdrawal, may offer even bigger bargains than usual.

• Hit the Colorado slopes in April or November for huge savings. At the Village at Breckenridge Resort in early November, you’ll pay less than half the cost to stay during the fringe of ski season than for a Christmas visit. And even if the powder isn’t prime, you can enjoy other area activities, such as golfing, mountain biking,

horseback riding and hot-air-balloon rides.

• Head to Aruba in April or September to get away from it all for less. The threat of hurricanes blows visiting crowds far from the Caribbean in late summer and early fall. But Aruba and the southernmost islands are a safe distance from most storms.

• Cruise from Alaska to Hawaii in September, when ships need to relocate for the season. You can hop aboard such “repositioning” cruises at deeply discounted rates. You’ll have to pay for the one-way flights to your departure port and from the arrival port.

Package deals A package that combines airfare and

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hotel can also trim your costs.

• Save mucho dinero. Extend summer into fall by flying south to the Dominican Republic in October. On CheapCaribbean.com, we found a deal for two round-trip tickets between Austin, Tex., and Punta Cana (which is rarely hit hard by hurricanes) and a sixnight stay at the three-star Barceló Dominican Beach hotel. Airfare and hotel cost $2,560 when booked separately. But in a package the price drops $653, to $1,907.

• Bonjour, bargains. Expedia.com offers a discounted autumn stay in Paris, with five nights in the four-star Courtyard by Marriott Paris Defense West-Colombes. The package includes two round-trip tickets from Chicago by way of Dublin. If booked separately, the visit would cost $2,919; booking flight and hotel together costs

$2,190, for a savings of $729.

• Say aloha to savings. A Hawaiian vacation booked on Travelocity.com includes two round-trip flights between the Washington, D.C., area and Honolulu and eight nights at the four-star Aqua Waikiki Wave in Waikiki. Booked separately, the trip would cost about $3,440. Bundled, it goes for $2,258 — saving you $1,182.

• Domo arigato for discounted deals.

On Orbitz.com, you get two round-trip tickets from San Francisco to Tokyo and six nights at the four-star Hotel Niwa Tokyo in October. The package costs $2,769, or $222 less than booking airfare and hotel separately.

Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com. © 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

BEACON BITS

Nov. 15

CHRISTMAS IN PARADISE

Parkville AARP Chapter #3090 will host a trip to the Rainbow Dinner Theatre for a production of Christmas in Paradise, on Thursday, November 15. In the show, when a freak snowstorm strands some wellto-do New Yorkers in an Amish farmhouse, they rediscover the meaning of Christmas and togetherness in an unexpected place. Tickets are $75, which includes dinner and the show, taxes and all gratuities, and round- trip transportation. Depart from Arnolia United Methodist Church, 1776 E. Joppa Rd., Parkville at 9:30 a.m. and return at 5:30 p.m. Call (410) 529-5183 for reservations.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2012

23

Does weak euro make Europe a bargain?

Over the past few weeks, readers have might happen if Greece has to leave the asked me whether Europe’s economic euro zone. For now, Greece seems to have woes have made — or will avoided that problem, but it could easily arise again. And make — Europe a real bargain here the outlook is extremefor North American travelers. ly cloudy.

The short answer is, “Not a Just about everybody huge bargain, at least not yet.” agrees that if Greece has to Currently, the euro, at 1.21 to drop the euro, it would have to the dollar, is down about 8 perdevalue a resurrected drachcent from a high a few months ma dramatically. But that ago, and from 1.44 to the dollar wouldn’t have as much of an eflast June, down about 15 perfect as might initially appear: cent for the year. That’s certainMuch of what Greek hotels ly welcome, but it hardly makes TRAVEL TIPS and restaurants have to buy Europe a bargain paradise, es- By Ed Perkins and much of what they have to pecially because many local hopay in debt service is in euros, and those bills tels and restaurants have raised prices.

You see a similar pattern in some other would not decrease.

Still, you may find some weakness is currencies on countries that are important Greek destination prices this fall. Alvisitor destinations: • The Swiss franc, now at 1 to the dollar, though I don’t have any good historical is down about the same 15 percent from data, a quick scan of prices in Athens and last summer. And the Mexican peso, at al- some of the islands leads me to think most 14 to the dollar, is down about 16 per- prices are, in fact, a bit weaker than in previous summers. cent since last year.

Still, prices at many Greek hotels are • But that’s not a universal trend: The British pound, currently at 1.57 to the dollar, locked into contracts with tour operators, is down only 4 percent from last June. And and I haven’t seen any major recent pricthe Canadian dollar is virtually unchanged. ing changes in those high-volume tourist markets. Similarly, I see no “fire sale” What about Greece? prices from such Greek tour specialists as Callers also raised the question of what Homeric Tours or Greektourdiscounts.

Life’s passion:

My marriage What makes you laugh:

Slapstick comedy Favorite pastime:

Walking my dogs Rhett Murphy

Any possible large-scale discounting or price reduction hasn’t happened yet.

Airfares, too, are not likely to decrease much even if Greece does drop the euro.

Fuel and debt services or leases for airplanes are two of the airlines’ main expenses, and these obligations will remain in dollars and euros. Forward-looking fares for this fall seem to be ignoring the country’s economic weakness. If demand for flights to Greece drops, rather than cut prices below cost, airlines will just cut back on the number of flights.

Switzerland still pricey Although somewhat offset by price increases, the 15 percent euro and Swiss franc reduction from last year is welcome, and it will help your dollars go further this fall than last. Even with the franc down,

however, Switzerland is still very expensive.

That’s the short-term outlook. But what if Greece does pull out, or Ireland, Portugal or Spain defaults on debt, or if, as some say, the euro will “collapse”? If I knew the answer to those questions for sure, I’d make a fortune in currency trading. To my non-speculative eye, however, the euro does still look overvalued. But I’m not about to predict any significant change.

As before, your decision as to whether to visit Europe — or any other area — should be based mainly on your interests, not on currency fluctuations. Figure a drop in the currency is an unexpected benefit, not a primary reason to travel.

Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net.

— © 2012 TMS

BEACON BITS

Oct. 8+

VISIT THE CANADIAN ROCKIES Enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Canadian Rockies on this

trip from Oct. 8-16 hosted by the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC). Highlights include British Columbia, Vancouver, VIA Rail, Jasper, Columbia Ice Field, Lake Louise, Banff and Calgary. Cost of the trip is $4,599 per person double, $5,349 per person single, $4,549 per person triple. Call Ingrid Bortner at (443) 840-1922 or visit www.ccbcmd.edu.

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SEPTEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2012

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Arts &

Learn about Baltimore’s role in movies, streetcars and Civil War history at these lesser-known museums. See story on page 27.

DNA Theatre pulses with aerial dance for Twelve Actors, which Baltimore City Paper called “compelling [and] visually remarkable,” and Spectacle Obscura, which was a recipient of a Free Fall Baltimore Grant from the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts.

Growing by leaps and bounds Since its founding, the company has grown both in size and in performance ability. It started with only four performers in addition to Millionie, and now is made up of more than 20 artisans, involved in both performing and/or developing new work.

“Over the years, our shows have grown in production value, caliber and in scale,” said Millionie. “Our performances now are larger, bolder, brighter and more visually engaging than when we first began developing work.”

Millionie suffered a freak accident in rehearsal three years ago that left him with 28 broken bones in his head and only par-

BEACON BITS

Sept. 6

DO YOU LOVE TO SING?

Calling all former high school and college choristers, church, synagogue and community choral singers age 55+. Come experience a rehearsal with the Encore Chorale conducted by Jeanne Kelly, past conductor of the United States Naval Academy Women’s Glee Club. The first rehearsal is Thursday, Sept. 6, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, at Myerberg Senior Center, 3101 Fallstaff Rd. The fall season runs for 15 weeks. Call Jeanne Kelly at (301) 261-5747 or Adrienne Blumberg at (410) 358-6856 or email Jeanne.Kelly@encorecreativity.org.

Cars, boats, furniture, antiques, tools, appliances Everything and anything is sold on

Radio Flea Market Heard every Sunday, 6:30-8 a.m. on 680 WCBM

tial vision. But he hasn’t let it slow him down.

In the future, Millionie hopes that DNA Theatre will have a performance space to call its own, where it can freely develop more than one show simultaneously and present work to target audiences, such as kids’ shows, and its popular late-night cabaret style aerial show.

Another unique aspect of DNA Theatre, said Millionie, is that it collaborates with many types of local talent.

“We tap the artistic vein of local colleges, grass-roots organizations, local small busiSee DNA THEATRE, page 26

Performers with the DNA Theatre perform aerial acrobatics suspended above the stage. The company’s new show, Pulse, begins Sept. 7.

PHOTO BY KEL MILLIONIE

By Carol Sorgen If you enjoy the dazzling acrobatics of Cirque du Soleil, you might very well like Baltimore’s own aerial dance company, DNA (Daydreams and Nightmares Aerial) Theatre.

For the uninitiated, DNA artistic and general director Kel Millionie explains that aerial theatre has no speaking parts, and uses traditional and invented circus apparatus, movement and music to tell stories to its audience.

“The work we create is visually dynamic, energetic, dazzling and inspirational,” he said. “The stories we tell are universal and accessible to the audiences we entertain,” which, he said, are made up of people of all ages and backgrounds.

DNA Theatre was founded in 2004, and generally performs twice a year in various venues, though it currently calls Baltimore Theatre Project its home.

Through the years, its productions have included 12: An Aerial Performance Piece

26

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SEPTEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

DNA Theatre

BEACON BITS

Sept. 20

POTTERY DEMONSTRATION

From page 25

Carolyn Boniface will give a demonstration on hand-built pottery on Thursday, Sept. 20 from 11 a.m. to noon at Arbutus Senior Center, 855A Sulphur Spring Rd. For more information and to RSVP, call (410) 887-1410.

Ongoing

SELF-HELP GUIDE AVAILABLE

The Baltimore County Self-Help guide is now available online at www.baltimorecountymd.gov/agencies/women/resources.html.

The guide lists services for women, families and service providers in areas such as health, education, employment, as well as crisis hotline phone numbers. For more information, call (410) 887-3448.

Ongoing

LEGAL SERVICES FOR SENIORS

The Legal Services for Senior Citizens Program provides free legal assistance, consultation and/or representation to seniors 60 or older on healthcare issues, income maintenance, nutrition, housing and utilities, protective services and unemployment benefits, and will assist in helping a senior in a lawsuit when there is substantial risk to the client’s person, property or civil rights. Call the Maryland Senior Legal Helpline at (410) 951-7750.

nesses and young professionals,” he said.

“Bringing these groups together, we collaborate in a highly artistic environment, providing valuable work experience in the field of theatre, which is often difficult to break into.”

New show this month Millionie describes the company’s next production, Pulse, as a performance “about humanity” in which eight strangers collide on a city street, exploring what it is to live and survive in today’s world. It will run weekends from Sept. 7 to 16.

“It’s a high-energy, action-packed theatre experience that uses many types of aerial circus apparatus to excite and inspire the audience,” said Millionie. While most theatre-goers are familiar with the trapeze and aerial cloth, in Pulse the performers put a new spin on some of those

traditional circus tricks.

Two aerialists on two swinging trapezes, for example, invite the audience to see how the performers create body-shapes that both oppose and mirror each other while 10 feet off the ground. In another routine, using extension-type ladders, performers put on an intense display of strength and balance in a segment that “feels like a cross between stilt work, acrobalance, and trapeze all rolled into one,” according to Millionie.

And in a display of both body control and aerial strength, a performer hangs by his wrists from two cloth straps, contorting his body into intriguing shapes and postures, while spinning and flying in midair.

Pulse will be performed at Baltimore Theatre Project, located at 45 W. Preston Street. General admission tickets are $20, seniors $15. For reservations and more information, call (410) 752-8558 or visit www.theatreproject.org.

Letter to editor From page 2 torney for advice, and he investigated the address you provided for your neighbor.

Title to the property is currently held by the mayor and city council of Baltimore.

As they have not acted on your repeated requests, he suggests you contact WBALTV Channel 11’s Investigative unit and see whether they will take up your issue with the city. You can reach them at 1-800-6779225.

Alternatively, as the neighboring tree appears to constitute a legal “nuisance,” you might contact one of the free legal service organizations in the area and ask them if you qualify for assistance. These include Legal Services to the Elderly at (410) 396-1322, Maryland Senior Legal Hotline at 1-800-896-4213, and Legal Aid Bureau at (410) 951-7750.

Good luck and please keep us informed of the outcome. The Beacon thanks attorney Larry A. Blosser of Columbia, Md. for this advice.]

RACING FOR

______.

We all know someone.

BEACON BITS

Sept. 1

TRIBUTE TO THE STARS SHOW

“Tribute to the Stars” returns to the Parkville American Legion Post 183 on Saturday, Sept. 1. The show will pay tribute to Roy Orbison, Frank

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2012 Hunt Valley, Maryland

20th Annual KOMEN MARYLAND RACE FOR THE CURE® To read Amanda’s story and register for the Race, visit www.komenmd.org/2012.

410-433-RACE (7223)

Sinatra, Bobby Darin, Tom Jones and Elvis. Doors open at 5 p.m., showtime is from 6 to 9 p.m. Advance tickets are on sale now for $20; admission is $25 at the door. Cash bar and dinner available at an additional cost. For ticket information, visit www.richardblane.com or www.ticketleap.com, or call (410) 299-2187.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2012

27

See Baltimore’s lesser-known museums

Baltimore Civil War Museum 601 President St. (443) 220-0290 www.civilwarbaltimore.com Housed in President Street Station, one of America’s oldest surviving railroad stations, this museum explores the history of Maryland railroads, the escape of the slaves to the north, and the station’s role in the Civil War. With its pivotal location between the North and the South, Maryland played a critical role in the War Between the States.

At the Civil War Museum, you can trace the footsteps of generals and foot soldiers, be inspired by the quest for freedom, and follow the escape route of President Lincoln’s assassin, John Wilkes Booth.

Irish Shrine and Railroad Workers Museum 918-20 Lemmon St. (410) 669-8154 www.irishshrine.org The Irish Railroad Workers Museum celebrates the history of the immense Irish presence in Southwest Baltimore City in the late 1840s. The entire historic site consists of a group of five alley houses where the Irish immigrants who worked for the adjoining B&O Railroad lived.

Two of the houses, 918 and 920 Lemmon Street, comprise the museum, a nonstaffed interpretive site that includes a house furnished to depict daily life for the Irish immigrant living in the late 1840s (visible through a clear back wall), a garSee MUSEUMS, page 29

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF INDUSTRY

By Carol Sorgen Baltimore is blessed with an abundance of historic monuments and cultural museums — from the “first” Washington Monument in Mount Vernon, to the world-class Baltimore Museum of Art and Walters Museum, to the perennially popular American Visionary Arts Museum and National Aquarium.

But look beyond the guidebooks’ starred attractions, and you can find a number of lesser known gems that are certainly worth a visit, whether you’re a longtime resident, a newcomer, or a tour guide for out-of-town visitors. Here are just a few:

The neon sign exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Industry includes the “Diner” sign from the 1982 Barry Levinson movie of the same name.

Your New Lifestyle Begins Here

Baltimore Museum of Industry 1415 Key Hwy. (410) 727-4808 www.thebmi.org Baltimore has a long history as one of the country’s premier industrial centers: home of the nation’s first passenger railroad, the world’s largest copper refinery, the oldest gas company in America, the first traffic light, and numerous other technological innovations.

The collection at the Baltimore Museum of Industry focuses on this history, explaining how the city developed from a small trading post to a thriving, industrial center of manufacturing and commerce in a few decades.

Highlights of the collection include an historic 1850s shipyard bell; an early wooden gas pipe laid by the nation’s first gas company; a rare 1820s “Acorn” printing press; a 1922 Linotype machine (a typesetting machine that revolutionized the printing industry and was invented in Baltimore); antique sewing machines, and the entire collection from the Mount Vernon Museum of Incandescent Lighting.

Baltimore Streetcar Museum 1901 Falls Rd. (410) 547-0264 www.baltimorestreetcar.org Transportation buffs can enjoy rides, tours, exhibits and a video at this museum, which features a permanent collection of Baltimore streetcars from 1859-1944.

Designed and managed for today’s seniors at these locations: AN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY ! ""#$%&'(!)$&%'*!410-761-4150 ! ++(,($%&!-&$.!410-544-3411 )/0123456!7218 )/ ! /9*:&%;!1($$&'(!410-276-6440 ! 7<:;9=$>%?!410-542-4400 )/0123456!74@A18 ! 7&B<%9,>::(!410-719-9464 ! C#%;&:.!410-288-5483 *Newly D! "#::($B<%!410-663-0665 Renovated! ! 3>$&E&$!0&%;>%?!410-391-8375 ! 5&%;&::9B<F%!410-655-5673 *N ly * Rosedale 410-866-1886 Renoew vated! ! 1<F9<%!G1>E<B*H!I<#9(J!410-828-7185 ! 1&H:<$!410-663-0363 ! K<<;:&F%!410-281-1120

6/+165A!+I456 ! 6&9B<%!410-770-3070 I/5"45C!74@A18 ! )<L!I>::!410-515-6115 ! )(:!/>$!410-893-0064 I4K/5C!74@A18 ! 7<:<%>&:!0&%;>%?!410-796-4399 ! 7<:#EM>&!410-381-1118 ! +%<F;(%!5>,($!410-290-0384 ! 6::>'<BB!7>BH!410-203-9501 ! 6::>'<BB!7>BH!22!410-203-2096 ! 6E($9<%!301-483-3322 -52A76!N645N6O+!74@A18 NOW! D! ):&;(%9M#$?!301-699-9785 *55 or Better ! 0&#$(:!301-490-1526 ! 0&#$(:!22!301-490-9730

FFFP-&$.Q>(F+(%><$0>,>%?P'<E Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour or email seniorliving@sheltergrp.com.

Professionally managed by The Shelter Group. www.thesheltergroup.com

28

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SEPTEMBER 2012 — BALTIMORE BEACON

We want to be your Family’s Pharmacy That’s why we give you more.

Our pharmacists are at the heart of everything we do.

They can counsel you on your medications, side effects, drug interactions... even vitamins. We give you more than your medications; we’ll give you the advice you need.

Plus a series of pharmacy benefits like no other drugstore.

LifeCheck

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When we fill your prescription, our LifeCheck computer system lets our pharmacists triple check your prescriptions.*

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Since all of our Pharmacies are linked by satellite network, we can access your prescription profile and fill your prescription at any location.* *If on file at another Rite Aid store.

Refills By Phone

Internet Refills

Refills just got easier. Call the Pharmacy number on your prescription bottle, enter the prescription I.D. number printed on the label and we will tell you when it will be ready.

With Internet Refills, you can order your prescription without ever leaving the house. Just go to www.riteaid.com and click “Refill Now”, select Store Pick-up or Mail Delivery and simply enter prescription information.

Rite Advice

Vitamin Program

With every prescription, you will receive written information on the dosage, side effects and potential drug interaction.

Only Rite Aid pharmacists are specially trained to know vitamins. Ask your Rite Aid pharmacist for a personal vitamin profile.

Workers’ Compensation

Flavor Rx

“Being injured on the job is hard enough. Your Rite Aid Pharmacist is here to personally help you along your road to recovery.” Ask us about our Workers’ Compensation Prescription Program.

There are no hassles, no delays and no out-ofpocket expenses.

We make children’s medicines a lot less yucky. Ask the pharmacist to add any of our 20 great flavors to any of your liquid medications.

Museums From page 27 den and other interpretive exhibits.

Visitors can make the Irish Railroad Workers Museum part of an Irish Heritage walk — combining the B&O Railroad Museum, Irish Railroad Workers Museum, St. Peter’s the Apostle Church, and the Hollins Street Market.

The James E. Lewis Museum of Art 1700 E. Coldspring Ln., Murphy #242 Morgan State University (443) 885-3030 www.discoverblackheritage.com The James E. Lewis Museum of Art provides a multicultural platform of works by emerging and established artists, many of whom have gone on to national and inter-

29

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BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2012

national recognition.

With a collection of more than 4,000 pieces of art, the museum presents art from antiquity to contemporary times, including 19th- and 20th-century American, European and traditional African art. The museum also displays the art of Morgan State faculty members and students.

Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL GREAT BLACKS IN WAX MUSEUM

150 Gilman Hall 3400 N. Charles St. (410) 516-0383 http://archaeological museum.jhu.edu/ If you’re fascinated by ancient artifacts such as Egyptian mummies, funeral masks, Greek terra cotta sculptures, jewelry, pottery, tools and weapons, you’re sure to enjoy the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum.

The museum’s collections include items from the Americas to the Middle East and span thousands of years of ancient history.

cates the public about all aspects of life on an 18th century plantation, including the lives of enslaved Africans and indentured servants. It is Maryland’s first museum house and one of the oldest and finest examples of colonial Georgian architecture in the city.

This 1760 home was built by Charles Carroll, one of Maryland’s leading patriots and one of its first state senators.

Mount Clare was the center of Georgia Plantation, a self-sufficient plantation with a diverse community.

The museum’s collection of nearly 3,000 objects from the 18th and 19th centuries includes paintings, furniture and decorative arts, such as English and Chinese export objects, as well as many regional objects and furnishings from Maryland, Vir-

ginia and Pennsylvania.

National Great Blacks in Wax Museum 1601-03 E. North Ave. (410) 563-3404 www.greatblacksinwax.org The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum, established in 1983 by Drs. Elmer and Joanne Martin, is dedicated to the study and preservation of African American history.

One of the most distinctive museums in the country, it presents life-size, life-like wax figures highlighting historical and contemporary personalities of African ancestry, ranging from W.E.B. DuBois to Benjamin Banneker, Harriet Tubman, Jesse Owens and Dr. Ben Carson.

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD H U M P H P R O M

Mount Clare Museum House Carroll Park 1500 Washington Blvd.

(410) 837-3262 www.mountclare.org Mount Clare Museum House is a part of the Network to Freedom and Civil War trails.

The Museum House edu-

The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum includes lifelike wax figures of prominent African Americans, including Malcolm X.

C B S

E R A T O

A G R A M

L E K E G E O R I I T A S O A S T W N P A G N O N E O O L O M P A N A L W E D E

P U T O F F B O S O X

A S C O T

L E A S H

S E R I F

K E G

T R W E A N S T

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Q U A A R E B R D A Y I S F H O Y F F L H E A E N T E W E D A A Y

U T I C A

I E T T E R S L E

V I R A G R O A B O H E W V O A W

E I E I O

I B E T

V E E C K

E P E E S

From page 30. a es ift! k Ma at g e gr

Beacon The

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F O C U S

F O R

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Please send a one-year subscription to: Name:____________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________ City: _____________________State:_____Zip: ___________ BB9/12

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SEPTEMBER 2012 — 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 All The Way Home

by Stephen Sherr 1

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Across 1. Recuperate 5. Not bright 9. Director’s request 14. Strongly suggest 15. Applies 16. ___ nonsense 17. Company’s full value 19. Flower girl’s passageway 20. Grp. with no students 21. Messy potions 22. Softball’s flight 23. It precedes “Play ball!”

28. Downsizing (downsized) 29. Unit of creation 30. The Godfather part with no Oscars 32. Shawarma holders 35. Travels in a blizzard 37. Ft. Sumter attacker 38. Sub shop selection 42. Alternative to 56 Across 43. Wild party 44. Breakfast Loops 45. SI or GQ 46. Penultimate Greek letter 47. One end of I-95 48. Option (E), often 55. Tic-tac-toe failure 56. Alternative to 42 Across 57. Groovy cat 58. Walk in heels, poorly 61. Fifth pig’s comment 63. Mundane 64. Welk’s one/two connector 65. Viva ___ 66. The girl with the dragon tattoo, for example 67. “Take off your coat” 68. Parrot sounds 1. Contemptuous grunt 2. Poet’s inspiration

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37 40

Down

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JUMBLE ANSWERS

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Scrabble answers on p. 29.

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3. “___ of prevention is worth a kilo of cure” 4. Albanian coin 5. Defer 6. Fancy tie 7. Length of freedom 8. Technique to solve crosswords without using clues 9. Spot to really rock out 10. City on the Erie Canal 11. “___ alive!”

12. Electric slider 13. Uno + due 18. One with wide I’s 22. Embarrassing party 24. History book chapters 25. Enlighten 26. Summer babe 27. Agricultural vowels 31. “Yeah, sure” 32. Where a queen is elected 33. Hawkeye 34. Phonetic alphabet letter 35. Times New Roman feature 36. Fraternity purchase 39. N.E. team 40. Recently 41. Libyan, likely 46. “Everyone, pay attention to me now” 47. Park with a monster 49. Wanderer 50. MS politician who held a Lott of positions 51. ___ warning (obey) 52. “That’s amazing” 53. “___ - as in wreck”: a baseball autobiography 54. Dueling swords 58. Airer of three CSI series 59. Subject of most Grisham thrillers 60. Maximum binary digit 61. Is, later 62. Zsa Zsa’s sis sis

Answers on page 29.

Answer: Why their boat floated away -- KNOTS NOTS Jumbles: OAKEN NEWSY STODGY GROTTO

BALTIMORE BEACON — SEPTEMBER 2012

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 EXPERIENCED CAREGIVER GNA/CNA seeking private duty. Live-in or out. 20 years plus. Call Linda 410-500-8916.

LICENSED, BONDED CNA with decade of geriatric care experience seeks long-term, full-time overnight position. Currently a grad student pursuing nursing degree, I come with an extensive resume, sterling references & solid pet-care skills. If interested, kindly call Jacqueline at 301-787-3555.

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For Sale MACULAR DEGENERATION READER for person with AMD, a 22-inch screen Merlin reader. Used 17 months. Original cost $3,000, now $950. Have all papers. 410-608-8225 / 410821-1010.

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.

DINING TABLE – Rattan base with glass top and 4 cushioned chairs. Excellent Condition! $250.00 410-789-6995.

Personal Services LEARN ENGLISH – SPANISH – ITALIAN – FRENCH – PORTUGUESE Conversational.

Grammatical. Private lessons. Reasonable Rates. Tutoring students. 443-352-8200.

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 5th of each month.

Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards.

Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $10 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.

Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise.

Each ad is $25 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word.

Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad.

Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

The Beacon, Baltimore Classified Dept.

P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227

LEARN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE, or Signed English, or Baby Sign Language lessons. Hire a Certified Sign Language Interpreter for your event. Please call 410-526-6111.

Wanted

Wanted

PARALEGAL – experienced in wills, trust, and estate preparation and administration as well as other paperwork, research and writing assignments. FREE consultation call 301-656-2917.

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.

Personals

STAMPS! Small collector buying singles, sets or collections. Fair price paid. Southwest Stamp Club meets Friday, September 21st, 2012. 12:30PM. Arbutus. 410-247-4169.

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.

MERVO CLASS OF 1962, 50 year reunion Oct. 27, 2012. Those interested please contact: Mary Garrity Holt – 410-686-6544, Ray Smyth – 410686-6544, Jim Lee – 443-883-6882. A.S.A.P.

Volunteer Opportunities BALTIMORE COUNTY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE is in urgent need of volunteers to take calls and direct domestic violence victims to resources. If you are a good listener and want to make a difference in *your* community, call Tammy Cline at 410853-3033.

WE BUY, SELL, AND TRADE Miscellaneous Items i.e., Musical Instruments, Recreational Items, Motorcycles and Minibikes, Collections, Memorabilia, Vintage Items, Electronics, Toys, Cars, Jewelry, Tools. We can sell your items for you on Ebay and Craigslist. We can help you sell large items i.e., Cars, Campers, Equipment and more. Call Dave 443-514-8583.

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.

Which would you rather spend your time doing: lining up your trailer?

Or boating?

VINYL RECORDS WANTED from the 20s through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s, Larger collections preferred. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

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Dr. Hatem Abdo

410-391-6904

Dr. Clayton Dean

410-539-3434

Dr. Lawrence Shin

410-368-8323

Dr. Spiro Antoniades 410-539-3434

Dr. James Frazier

410-391-6904

Dr. Gurtej Singh

410-849-4270

Dr. Oren Blam

410-644-1880

Dr. Dale Johnson

410-601-5201

Dr. Brian Steinmetz 410-539-3434

Dr. Andrew Brown

410-350-3389

Dr. David Maine

410-332-9036

Dr. Henry Wang

443-849-2311

Dr. William Cook

410-879-0066

Dr. Charles Park

410-391-6904

Dr. Thelma Wright

410-448-7120

Dr. Charles Yim

443-849-2311

Dr. Michael Dabbah 410-337-8888

Dr. Charles Schnee 410-646-0220