VOLUME TWENTY SIX, NUMBER TWO
FEBRUARY 2012
Whither telephone in world of ‘Triple Play’ “Triple Play” refers to cutting-edge advances in Internet, phone and television services. The new wireless Internet service was described in the January issue; the television stage will be described in a future article. By Mark Surkin, Director of Information Technology As installation of Beaumont’s Triple Play system progresses, putting Beaumont in the forefront of retirement communities in this area, the inevitable phone calls to our office have kept pace. In the case of telephone service, the answer to most questions is one we’re as happy to give as residents–both current and prospective–are happy to hear: All traditional features you are used to with your current phone system will remain intact, with the exception of fax. The technological advances of the Internet have
replaced fax capabilities, thus causing new advances to cease support of fax capability. Consequently, residents with fax machines will have to choose between using a secondary dedicated fax line from Verizon, using the fax machine in the main building, or using a Beaumont-managed option of Internet fax, which replaces the physical fax machine with a number linked to an e-mail address. Otherwise, you’ll continue to use the same phone, wires, and jacks that you already have and use in your residence. Like other innovations for the telephone, the changes will be largely invisible, but will provide plenty of benefits including significant cost savings. Your basic phone service on the new system will include unlimited local and national long distance, continued on page 7
We’ll be dancing again on Valentine’s Day By Rose-Marie Pringle, Dining Services Director
Valentine’s Day here at Beaumont will begin at 9 a.m. Feb. 14 with a Coffee Social on the Lattice Porch, where Louise Hughes will have special Valentine surprises; in the evening there will be a dinner dance in the Beaumont Room. Weekly Reminders will explain all. In the meantime I did some research, and found many different stories and references pertaining to the beginning and evolution of Valentine’s Day. Christian martyrs . . . popes . . . the paper valentines that first became popular in England in the 19th Century . . . all played a part. Mixed in were Dining Services Director Rose-Marie some wonderful quotations: Pringle’s 5-year-old grandchild Jasmine Chaucer: “For this was St. Valentine’s Rose Christopher wishes Beaumont a happy and romantic Valentine’s Day.
continued on page 2
Resident Services Director Kim Norrett snapped Sophie and Ed Donaghy dancing out the old year in what might have been an early Valentine’s Day moment. More New Year’s Eve pictures, including one with Ed’s face, on Page 8.