Cumberland County Edition
July 2015
Vol. 16 No. 7
Jim Breslin Has Stories to Share Story-Sharing ‘Competitions’ Draw Local Storytellers By Jason J. Tabor It may be a family member’s old yarn about growing up in a bygone era, repeated at every family gathering, or the knee-slapper of a tale that a friend proudly recites at parties. Everyone has at least one good story to tell, pulled from those funny, poignant, meaningful moments that happen in life. Writer Jim Breslin has created a forum to bring together storytellers and those who like to hear them. The Story Slam is a live storytelling competition inspired by events such as the Windy City Story Slam, the Philadelphia First Person Arts Story Slam, and NPR’s This American Life program. During the Slam, participants get up on stage and share their stories in front of a live audience. “It’s fun. We don’t take the competition too seriously; it’s more about sharing stories,” says Breslin, who held his first local Story Slam at his house in November 2009. “We heard 13 stories and had so much fun that I went to a local pub and asked about using a room on Tuesday nights,” he says. “The first two years we had a cult following, but then as word spread, the audience grew.” In its five-year run as a monthly event, the Story Slam stage has been home to more than 550 personal stories, some touching and some hilarious. please see STORIES page 17 Photo courtesy of Michelle Johnsen Photography
Jim Breslin on stage during a Story Slam storytelling event.
Inside:
Share Your Memories of V-J Day page 11
William Shatner’s Trek through Fatherhood page 14
Art and Antiques by Dr. Lori
Appraisal Events Reveal Great Finds, Part I Lori Verderame nnually, I present about 150 antique appraisal shows throughout the United States. My appraisal events empower folks with information that they can use when cleaning out their homes, downsizing, handing down family heirlooms, or visiting estate and yard sales. The appraisal events are as interesting as they are amusing. Check out what I’ve checked out recently and plan to come to one of my events with your antiques or family heirlooms (schedule posted at www.DrLoriV.com/events):
The painting has been displayed in his home ever since. I told the owner at my event that his Romantic landscape painting by Blakelock is now worth $30,000.
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Reno, Nev. – A painting by Albert Blakelock, whose works are in the Brooklyn Museum and the Corcoran Gallery, was brought to my event by a gentleman whose grandfather received the painting in payment of a debt during the Great Depression.
Hartville, Ohio – A couple married 35 years brought an early 1900s Native American leather, wood, and beadwork baby papoose to my event. When I asked the wife if anyone in her family was Native American, she said, “No.” Her husband,
Native American beaded moccasins, circa early 1900s
Photos courtesy of the staff of www.DrLoriV.com
Dr. Lori with Andrea in Virginia Beach, Va., and her World War II map of Europe
seated next to her, interrupted—“Hello, I am Cheyenne!” He was just as shocked by his wife’s ignorance of their family history as he was by the antique’s value. Value: $10,000 Virginia Beach, Va. – A hand-drawn World War II map of Europe documenting the sites where the 42nd Rainbow Infantry Division served was brought to me by Andrea, whose father served with the famous military division. They were the
American military division that liberated the Dachau concentration camp on April 29, 1945. Her colorful map and a yearbook of photos documenting the 42nd Rainbow’s service are treasured family keepsakes. Value: $5,000 Grand Island, Neb. – Tanner, age 5, brought his grandmother’s 1930s-era Bakelite pin in the shape of a squirrel to my event for an appraisal. Tanner told me it was OK for a boy to wear this pin because squirrels are scary animals. The not-so-scary value of that piece of costume jewelry was $275. Fort Wayne, Ind. – A pair of beaded moccasins, in mint condition, had been in the owner’s family for generations and was lovingly stored with tissue paper out of direct sunlight for years. She was told to please see ANTIQUES page 5
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Resource Directory This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being. Adult Day Services SpiriTrust Lutheran LIFE 1920 Good Hope Road, Hampden Twp. (717) 728-5433 Emergency Numbers American Red Cross (717) 845-2751 Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110 Cumberland County Assistance (800) 269-0173 Energy Assistance Cumberland County Board of Assistance (800) 269-0173 Eye Care Services Kilmore Eye Associates 890 Century Drive, Mechanicsburg (717) 697-1414 Funeral Directors Cocklin Funeral Home, Inc. 30 N. Chestnut St., Dillsburg (717) 432-5312 Hoffman-Roth Funeral Home 219 N. Hanover St., Carlisle (717) 243-4511 Gifts Edible Arrangements 3401 Hartzdale Drive, Camp Hill (717) 730-6240 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383 Arthritis Foundation (717) 763-0900 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 The National Kidney Foundation (800) 697-7007 PACE (800) 225-7223 Social Security Administration (Medicare) (800) 302-1274
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Healthcare Information Pa. HealthCare Cost Containment Council (717) 232-6787 Hearing Services Duncan Nulph Hearing Associates 5020 Ritter Road, Suite 10G, Mechanicsburg (717) 766-1500 Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY Home Improvement Bath Fitter/Kitchen Saver (877) 922-2250 Hospice Services Homeland Hospice 2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115, Harrisburg (717) 221-7890 Housing Assistance Cumberland County Housing Authority 114 N. Hanover St., Carlisle (717) 249-1315 Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937 Salvation Army (717) 249-1411 Insurance Apprise Insurance Counseling (800) 783-7067 Legal Services Daley Zucker Meilton & Miner, LLC Attorneys at Law 635 N. 12th St., Lemoyne (717) 724-9821 Medical Equipment & Supplies Medical Supply (800) 777-6647 Memory Impairment The Woods at Cedar Run 824 Lisburn Road, Camp Hill (888) 265-0613 Nursing/Rehab Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902
Personal Care Homes Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902
Medicare Hotline (800) 638-6833
Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Organ Donor Hotline (800) 243-6667
Retirement Living The Woods at Cedar Run 824 Lisburn Road, Camp Hill (888) 265-0613 Services Cumberland County Aging & Community Services (717) 240-6110 Meals on Wheels Carlisle (717) 245-0707 Mechanicsburg (717) 697-5011 Newville (717) 776-5251 Shippensburg (717) 532-4904
National Council on Aging (800) 424-9046
Passport Information (888) 362-8668 Smoking Information (800) 232-1331 Social Security Fraud (800) 269-0217 Social Security Office (800) 772-1213 Travel AAA Central Penn (717) 657-2244 Veterans Services American Legion (717) 730-9100 Governor’s Veterans Outreach (717) 234-1681
Toll-Free Numbers Bureau of Consumer Protection (800) 441-2555 Cancer Information Service (800) 422-6237
Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771 Veterans Affairs (717) 240-6178 or (717) 697-0371 Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
Consumer Information (888) 878-3256 Disease and Health Risk (888) 232-3228 Domestic Violence (800) 799-7233 Drug Information (800) 729-6686 Flu or Influenza (888) 232-3228 Health and Human Services Discrimination (800) 368-1019
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Internal Revenue Service (800) 829-1040 Liberty Program (866) 542-3788
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Is This Thing On? Corporate Office: 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360 Chester County: 610.675.6240 Cumberland County/Dauphin County: 717.770.0140 Berks County/Lancaster County/ Lebanon County/York County: 717.285.1350 E-mail address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Donna K. Anderson
EDITORIAL VICE PRESIDENT AND MANAGING EDITOR Christianne Rupp EDITOR, 50PLUS PUBLICATIONS Megan Joyce EDITORIAL INTERN Pete Wisniewski
ART DEPARTMENT PROJECT COORDINATOR Renee McWilliams PRODUCTION ARTISTS Janys Cuffe Lauren McNallen
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Phishing is So Very Fishy Abby Stokes week doesn’t go by now that I don’t receive a fishy email, an email that appears to be from my email service or bank that carries an anxiety-inducing message. At tax time I even got an email that looked like it came from the IRS, but it did not. These are all phishing scams. Merriam-Webster’s definition of phishing: a scam by which an email user is duped into revealing personal or confidential information, which the scammer can use illicitly. A month ago I received a phone call from Switzerland. It was a student of mine. I don’t want to reveal his identity, so let’s call him Barnaby. Barnaby uses Yahoo as his Web-based email service. He went to the expense of making an international call to me because he could no longer access his email account and suspected he knew why but wanted my advice. It all started with an email he opened that looked like it was from Yahoo. The real problem is that Yahoo did not send this email. It was a “phishing” email. Much like fishing, with an f not ph, the person who sent the email is trolling to see if he (or she) can fool anyone to click on a link in the email. If you click through, the next page asks you to type your screen name and password or even your Social Security number. Unfortunately, once you’ve done
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that, you haven’t verified your email or bank account for security—you instead will have revealed your password or private information to the scammer. You may not be able to tell the difference between what you might normally fill out when on a website and a phishing scam—except for one very important detail: Your email service or bank will never ask you to confirm your password in an email or through a link in an email.
So, no matter how familiar or scary an email may look, do not ever confirm your password in an email or through a link in an email. Unfortunately, Barnaby did just that. He typed in his email address and his password. The next time he went to sign into his account, he wasn’t able to access his email. Within a few hours an email was sent from Barnaby’s hijacked Yahoo account, written by the “phisher,” to everyone in the address book. The email, appearing to come from Barnaby, stated that he, while traveling, had been robbed and was
Member of
50plus Senior News is published by On-Line Publishers, Inc. and is distributed monthly among senior centers, retirement communities, banks, grocers, libraries and other outlets serving the senior community. On-Line Publishers, Inc. will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which may be fraudulent or misleading in nature. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. On-Line Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to revise or reject any and all advertising. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without permission of On-Line Publishers, Inc. We will not knowingly publish any advertisement or information not in compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, Pennsylvania State laws or other local laws.
July 2015
Abby Stokes, author of “Is This Thing On?” A Friendly Guide to Everything Digital for Newbies, Technophobes, and the Kicking & Screaming and its companion website, AskAbbyStokes.com, is the Johnny Appleseed of Technology, singlehandedly helping more than 300,000 people cross the digital divide.
Trust in Others Rises as People Grow Older
Winner
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stranded without his wallet. It asked the recipient(s) to please send money using Western Union. Now, I know you’re saying, “Who would fall for that?” Truth be told, many could and do. And each phishing email is different—one more compelling than the other. Your first line of defense is to never confirm your password in an email or through a link in an email. (I promise I won’t say it again. You get the point.) If you discover that you’ve unwittingly succumbed to a phishing scam, you can forward the email to: reportphishing@antiphishing.org. Antiphishing.org is a volunteer organization devoted to helping people identify and avoid scams. You can imagine a phishing scammer’s glee when they discover that your email password is the same as your bank PIN. Your bank password should be used exclusively for the bank and not for anything else. In the next issue of 50plus Senior News, I’ll walk you through some tips of how to choose safe and memorable passwords.
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In a cynical world, trust can seem hard to come by. But new research suggests it may grow as we get older. The World Values Survey, collecting data from more than 200,000 people in 83 nations, found that more than a third of people 80 years old or older agreed that most people can be trusted, although just a quarter of 20-yearolds said the same.
The results were consistent regardless of nationality, gender, education, and income.
A similar study, analyzing data from the General Social Survey of 1,230 U.S. citizens over time, also found that our willingness to trust increases as we grow older. One possible explanation: As time goes on, most people tend to simplify their lives and spend more time with their families, resulting in a more positive and generous attitude about the world. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Know Your State’s Signers The United States celebrates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence on July 4 every year. How well do you know the patriots who signed it? Try matching each signer of the Declaration to the colony he represented. (Note: There were two signers per colony. Answers are at the bottom of the page.) a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n. o. p. q. r. s. t. u. v. w. x. y. z.
Thomas Jefferson John Witherspoon Josiah Bartlett John Hancock Samuel Chase William Hooper Richard Stockton Caesar Rodney William Ellery Philip Livingston Edward Rutledge Benjamin Franklin John Adams Thomas McKean Richard Henry Lee Joseph Hewes Charles Carroll George Clymer Arthur Middleton Button Gwinnett William Whipple Lyman Hall Samuel Huntington Francis Lewis Oliver Wolcott Stephen Hopkins
ANTIQUES
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
Delaware Pennsylvania Massachusetts New Hampshire Rhode Island New York Georgia Virginia North Carolina South Carolina New Jersey Connecticut Maryland
Atlanta, Ga. – Charles brought a Freemason’s apron that was handmade by the wife of one of his relatives who served in the Civil War. Decorated with the famous symbols of the secret society, the antique was said to have saved the family from certain death as it hung in a front window during the burning of Atlanta. Historical value: Priceless The Villages, Fla. – A World Series umpire owned a 1947 New York Yankees/St. Louis Cardinals World Series ring featuring 14-karat gold and diamonds. The owner/umpire was in his 90s when I appraised the ring recently, and he was still cool under pressure. He didn’t move a muscle when I appraised it for $20,000.
Greensboro, N.C. – The granddaughter of a man who made a pass at Margaret Mitchell in the summer of 1936 while the author was selling her books on an Atlanta sidewalk brought a signed first-edition copy of Gone with the Wind to my event. She retold the story of how her grandfather, though rejected by Mitchell, bought the famous Civil War novel from the author. That book had it all: famous story, great condition, first edition, original cover, autographed, impeccable provenance. Value: $60,000 Celebrity Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and former museum director, Dr. Lori hosts antiques appraisal events worldwide. Dr. Lori is the star appraiser on Discovery channel. Visit www.DrLoriV.com/Events, www.Facebook.com/DoctorLori, or call (888) 431-1010.
Quiz answers: 1: h, n; 2: l, r; 3: d, m; 4: c, u; 5: i, z; 6: j, x; 7: t, v; 8: a, o; 9: f, p; 10: k, s; 11: b, g; 12: w, y; 13: e, q. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Radisson Hotel Harrisburg 1150 Camp Hill Bypass, Camp Hill
This event is FREE to attend. Veterans (of all ages) and the military community and their families are invited to join us!
At the Expo
from page 2
take care of them and she did. Value: $4,000
August 20, 2015
Veterans Benefits & Services Community Services Products and Services Available Support/Assistance Programs Education/Training Services
At the Job Fair Employers Job Counseling Workshops/Seminars Resume Writing Assistance Hosted by:
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Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities Available
www.veteransexpo.com (717) 285-1350 www.olpevents.com
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July 2015
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The Way I See It
Junk Drawers Mike Clark have difficulty finding certain objects around the house. It has less to do with a failing memory than with the countless number of places where I could have put those objects after I used them last. It takes some time to sort through all the possibilities. If you remember my column called “My Workshop,” you are familiar with my struggles in organization and neatness. The other day I was looking for a tiny screwdriver (I have several) to fix one of my grandchildren’s toys. Before I started walking in circles and looking in the same places more than once, which is my usual routine, my wife suggested that I look in my junk drawer. “Gee, which one?” I asked. That’s right: I have more than one junk drawer. And who else but me should know better about going directly to a junk drawer
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when I need things that I could not find anywhere else? After all, I am the creator of junk drawers. My wife should never have to suggest it. I’m of the impression, based on no scientific evidence whatsoever, that we all have junk drawers—special places where we keep small items that we will use, or even think we will use, in the future. I’m talking about little items that might include mini-tools, hooks and fasteners, pins and springs, strings and short lengths of rope, wires, cords, watch parts,
favorite writing instruments that will probably never write again, and sometimes small boxes and containers that might someday hold a sentimental souvenir. The list of potentially purposeful items is endless. Take your own inventory when you get the time. We keep these things in drawers because there is not always a good, specific place for them; they cannot be hung on a pegboard with larger tools and gadgets. And among the functional junk that is useful by itself, there are random parts
and pieces that might not be functional alone, but added to other parts and pieces, we can create new things. Look at some of the great art created from junk. OK, that’s mostly created from much larger junk than we can keep in our drawers, but you get my point. The immutable truth is, the day after we get rid of anything in our closet cache of junk is the day we will need it. So, if I think there’s even a remote chance that I might need a piece, a part, or a tiny tool someday, it goes right to one of my junk drawers until that day rolls around. And, unbelievably, there were many times when I have found a use for something weird in my depository of miscellaneous junk. I just don’t ever want to be that person in the middle of a fix-it job who says, “I wish I still had that nifty little tool or that doohickey I threw away
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July 2015
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yesterday.” You know what I mean, right? I finally found the screwdriver I needed to fix my grandchild’s toy. But I found it in a junk drawer that had not been opened for a long time. And in that drawer I found a recipe for Maryland crab cakes; two miniature bungee cords; a compass for orienteering, which I never used; a battered watch that my sister bought for me at Christmas in 1964 (it will never again keep time); two pairs of bronzed baby shoes; romantic cards and notes that my wife and I had exchanged over the years; a small wooden box that my kids bought for me at a school Christmas bazaar many years ago (it has DAD stenciled on the lid); a few stray wedding pictures; and some old photographs of the mountain cabin we once owned. Underneath some of the other mementos and memorabilia, I found my dad’s Army Air Corps discharge paper (he was a military policeman) and the leather wallet that he had in his
trousers the night he fell into a deep coma in January 1963; it was a coma from which he never escaped. The wallet contained his Social Security card, driver’s license, title transfer from a 1948 Pontiac to a 1954 Ford station wagon, a couple of social club membership cards, a ticket for the first annual Loyal Order of Moose chicken barbecue, a business card for the company from which he purchased my mom’s memorial stone seven months earlier, and pictures of my brother, my sister, and me. I thought about the meaning of the things I discovered in that so-called junk drawer. So I removed the junk and made a keepsake drawer. Mike Clark writes a regular column for The Globe Leader newspaper in New Wilmington, Pa. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in organizational behavior/applied psychology from Albright College. Mike lives outside Columbia, Pa., and can be contacted at mikemac429@aol.com.
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Nostalgia Road
1-800-753-8827
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Death of a Barber
The bathroom you deserve and the
SERVICE YOU EXPECT
Dick Dedrick ax Freeman died last week, at the age of 94. He was the town’s oldest barber. Younger men would get their haircuts at Bobbie’s Beautee Bar. But we older guys were still customers. I watched myself grow up in the mirrors at Max’s: “Mom said I could get a crew cut!” “Flat top, Mr. Freeman. Leave the sides, so I can comb ’em back to a duck tail. Yeah!” “Just a trim—not that much left to cut, Max.” The barber pole in front of his shop stopped turning years ago. A faded sign on the front window read, “Three Chairs, No Waiting.” But Max was the only barber, as far back as I recall. Old magazines, piled around, and the smell of Lucky Tiger tonic in the air;
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Max’s barber’s license on the wall, next to snapshots of his son. I’d heard his wife left him during the Depression and took their little boy with her. But each year she’d send a new photo. “How’s the little guy doing, Max?” someone would ask. “Doin’ fine— growin’ like a weed,” he’d say. The last picture of his son was taken in Vietnam, along with three other soldiers. Max was old school. He’d take his time. Step back, take a look, massage your scalp, and lightly brush your neck, with flair, like he was putting the finishing touches on you. Finally, he’d help you on with your coat. Nobody does that any more, do they? Visit NostalgiaRoad.com
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July 2015
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Salute to a Veteran
After His 1st Mission, They Counted 29 Flak Holes in His B-24 Robert D. Wilcox dward Johnson grew up in Abington, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia. Like other young men of the World War II years, he had visions of flying hot Air Corps airplanes. To fly the P-38, for example, was his dream of a life well lived. When he enlisted in 1944, however, he found that the Air Corps had more
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pilots than they could handle. So he found himself in radio school, where he spent six months mastering all the skills it would take to become a radioman in combat. That meant he not only had to know all about radio, but also how to fire a 50-caliber machine gun and be familiar enough with it to disassemble it and assemble it again
while blindfolded. He then shipped to Charleston, S.C., where he was assigned to the crew of a B24 four-engine bomber. And they were soon on their way to Italy aboard a Liberty ship, where they were to be assigned to a 15th Air Force base in San Pancrazio on the southern coast of Italy. Johnson explains that the radioman
on the B-24 occupied a position in the upper fuselage aft of the cockpit and the top turret. The radioman of lead crews (and deputy leads) would go for hours listening to incoming messages and giving position reports every 30 minutes. They helped the navigator in taking fixes and reporting to headquarters of targets attacked and results. When
Calendar of Events
Cumberland County
Support Groups
July 2, 6:30 p.m. Too Sweet: Diabetes Support Group Chapel Hill United Church of Christ 701 Poplar Church Road, Camp Hill (717) 557-9041 July 7, 6 p.m. CanSurmount Cancer Support Group HealthSouth Acute Rehab Hospital 175 Lancaster Blvd., Mechanicsburg (717) 691-6786 July 8, 1:30 p.m. Parkinson’s Support Group Bethany Village West Springfield Room 325 Asbury Drive, Mechanicsburg (717) 877-0624
Free and open to the public. July 8, 6:30 p.m. Amputee Support Team Picnic HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital 175 Lancaster Blvd., Mechanicsburg (610) 867-9295 rbuck18015@verizon.net www.astamputees.com July 14, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Carlisle Area Men’s Cancer Support Group The Live Well Center 3 Alexandria Court, Carlisle (717) 877-7561 sirbrady12@gmail.com
Community Programs Mondays and Wednesdays, noon to 12:45 p.m. Silver Sneakers and Silver and Fit Classes Living Well Fitness Center 207 House Ave., Suite 107 Camp Hill (717) 439-4070 July 4, 10:30 a.m. New Cumberland Town Band Performance New Cumberland Public Library 1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland www.nctownband.org
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July 2015
July 21, 1 p.m. Caregiver Support Group Mechanicsburg Church of the Brethren 501 Gale St., Mechanicsburg (717) 766-8880
Big Spring Senior Center – (717) 776-4478 91 Doubling Gap Road, Suite 1, Newville July 1, 15, and 29, 9:30 a.m. – Tea & Talk July 24, 8:30 a.m. – Men’s Brunch July 27, 10 a.m. – State Little League Championships Please contact your local center for scheduled activities.
Cumberland County Library Programs If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
Bosler Memorial Library, 158 W. High St., Carlisle, (717) 243-4642 July 3, 7 p.m. – Music at Bosler July 6, 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. – Monday Bosler Book Discussion Group July 24, 1 to 2 p.m. – Just Mysteries! Book Club
Free and open to the public.
Cleve J. Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, (717) 761-3900 July 6, 7 p.m. – Concert on the Lawn with Amber Waves Band July 17, 4 to 7:30 p.m. – Blood Drive July 23, 7 p.m. – Concert on the Lawn with Greater Harrisburg Concert Band
July 8, 11:30 a.m. NARFE West Shore Chapter 1465 VFW Post 7530 4545 Westport Drive, Mechanicsburg (717) 737-1486 www.narfe1465.org Visitors welcome; meeting is free but fee for food. July 19, 7 p.m. New Cumberland Town Band Performance Schaffner Park Poplar Avenue and Water Street, Hummelstown www.nctownband.org
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Senior Center Activities
New Cumberland Public Library, 1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland, (717) 774-7820 July 11, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Write-On Writer’s Workshop July 18, 11 a.m. to noon – Couponing for Extreme Savings: “Plenti Points – The New Rite Aid Shopping Bonus Plan” July 22, 6 to 9 p.m. – Pennwriters Writing Group
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needed, they would also man the second machine gun in the waist of the airplane. In other crews, the radioman would be at the radio only as needed, if the aircraft had to leave the formation, for instance. He was responsible for setting up the radios for each flight but spent most of his time manning the waist machine gun while in hostile territory. As we conquered the southern part of Italy, we had many airfields there from which we bombed targets in southern Germany and Austria. Bridges and airfields were prime targets. And, during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944/January 1945, the B-24 launched a series of raids on the German troops in northern Italy, designed to prevent their being moved to join the fighting in the Ardennes. Johnson flew 23 missions from his base in San Pancrazio. When asked if he remembers one mission as being more hazardous than others, he promptly says, “The first one. It was a heckuva way to start out. Four squadrons of our B-24s were handed the assignment of knocking out an Alpine bridge that Germans were using to send supplies to Italian and German troops in Northern Italy. “We were flying at 20,000 feet, but in the Alps the ack-ack cannon were only
Johnson’s B-24 crew. He’s second from the right in the top row.
10,000 feet or so below us. For some reason, the lead bombardier failed to get his fix on the first pass over the target. So we all had to make a second pass, with the ack-ack this time just waiting for us. “As we got over the target, you could hear the flak tearing into our plane. It felt like someone hitting the plane with a two-by-four. “It seemed like some kind of small miracle that, with all that damage, nobody aboard got a scratch. That, despite the fact that we later counted 29 major holes in the plane from the flak. The main thing, of course, was that the stream of 100-pound bombs from our squadrons had completely demolished
Tech Sergeant Edward A. Johnson flew a B-24 like this out of Italy.
the bridge that was our target.” Johnson flew 22 more missions after that and was often hit by flak. On one mission, they barely made it back after having two engines shot out. But his crew was one of the lucky ones, always returning to base in one piece … and with no crew members wounded. After Johnson’s 23rd mission, the war ended, and he went home in style. A packed B-24 flew airmen to Gander Field in Newfoundland, and from there they went by train to the U.S. Johnson was discharged in November as a tech sergeant and returned home, where he then used the G.I. Bill to attend West Chester Teachers College. His skill
there at playing third base on the baseball team led to his playing in the East’s team in the first annual East-West college allstar game at Boston’s Fenway Park. The newspaper reporting the game named him the “batting star” who scored one run and drove in another in the East’s 6-2 win. It also noted that he had been joined by Charley Trippi, of Georgia, and Glenn Davis, of Army, both nationally known football stars. After graduating from West Chester with a B.S. in social studies, Johnson taught at Haverford (Pa.) Elementary School for six years before becoming the school’s principal. He retired in 1987 after 38 years as an educator. He and his wife, Dorothy, came to Central Pennsylvania in 2006 in order to be closer to their daughter, Sandra, who was teaching at an area high school. Asked if he often thinks back to his World War II experiences, he agrees that he does. He says that they somehow stay etched in his mind, while other reminiscences of those days tend to dim. With a grin, he says, “I wouldn’t want to go through that again, but those memories are sure nice to have.” Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Europe in World War II.
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Savvy Senior
How Seniors Can Tame Pet Care Costs Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What tips can you recommend to help senior pet owners with their veterinary bills? I have two cats and a dog that are family to me, but their vet bills have become unaffordable. – Fixed-Income Frankie Dear Frankie, The high cost of veterinary care has become a problem for millions of pet owners today, but it can be especially difficult for seniors living on a fixed income. Routine medical care can cost hundreds of dollars, while urgent/specialized treatments and procedures can run into the thousands. But it is possible to reduce your pet care costs without sacrificing their health. Here are some tips that can help you save.
Shop around: If you’re not attached to a particular veterinarian, call some different vet clinics in your area and compare costs. When you call, get price quotes on basic services like annual exams and vaccinations, as well as biggerticket items, like repairing a broken leg, so you can compare. Also, check to see if you live near a veterinary medical school (see www. aavmc.org for a listing). Many schools provide low-cost care provided by students who are overseen by their professors. Ask your vet for help: To help make your vet bills more manageable, see if
your vet’s office accepts monthly payments so you don’t have to pay the entire cost up front. Also, find out if your vet offers discounts to senior citizens or reduces fees for annual checkups if you bring in multiple pets. Search for low-cost care: Many municipal and nonprofit animal shelters offer free or low-cost spaying and neutering programs and vaccinations, and some work with local vets who are willing to provide care at reduced prices for low-income and senior pet owners. Call your local shelter or Humane Society to find out what’s available in your area.
Look for financial assistance: There are a number of state and national organizations that provide financial assistance to pet owners in need. To locate these programs, the U.S. Humane Society provides a listing on their website that you can access (www.humanesociety.org/petfinancialaid). Buy cheaper medicine: Medicine purchased at the vet’s office is usually much more expensive than you can get from a regular pharmacy or online. Instead, get a prescription from your vet (ask for generic if possible) so you can shop for the best price. Most pharmacies fill prescriptions for pets inexpensively, so long as that same drug is also prescribed to humans. And, many pharmacies offer pet-discount savings programs too. please see PET CARE page 15
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Share Your Memories of V-J Day The United States—and much of the civilians from all over Central world—rejoiced on Aug. 14, 1945: V-J Pennsylvania. Day, the date that would be remembered Submit your memories using the as the long-awaited form in the adjacent ad end of World War II along with a photo of and the surrender of Do you remember yourself from either the Japanese forces. today or circa 1945 Aug. 14, 1945? This August will (photo not required). mark 70 years since Mail submissions and Where were you? American service photos to 50plus Senior How old were you? News, 3912 Abel Drive, members and civilians literally converged in What sights, Columbia, PA 17512. the streets in Submissions and sounds, and unprecedented photos can also be feelings do you celebration. emailed to Do you remember mjoyce@onlinepub.com recall? Aug. 14, 1945? Where or uploaded on 50plus were you? How old Senior News’ website were you? What sights, sounds, and (www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com/ feelings do you recall? VJDay). A PDF version of the form can 50plus Senior News will commemorate be downloaded there as well. the 70th anniversary of V-J Day with a Please share your memories of Aug. special spread in its August issue! The 14, 1945, for inclusion in this spread feature will include the V-J Day and help us honor the legacy of the recollections of both veterans and Greatest Generation!
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Summertime Summertime is here again, Not my favorite time of year; For lightning flashes in the sky And thunder cracks my ear. The days are long, the sun shines hot; I can hardly stand the heat. At even time the porch feels cool, But soon mosquitoes come to eat. Flowers in the garden grow Along with weeds and other things That creep and crawl and often bite And also bees with stings. Grass needs mowing, bush needs pruning, Rabbits strip my food plants clear. Summertime is here again, Not my favorite time of year.
Written and submitted by John McGrath
is commemorating the 70th anniversary of V-J Day with a special spread in its August issue! Share your memories of Aug. 14, 1945, and help us honor the legacy of the Greatest Generation. Name: _______________________________________________ Current town of residence: _____________________________ Your memories of 8/14/45. Where were you? How old were you? What sights, sounds, and feelings do you recall? (150-word limit): ______________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ Entries may be edited for space and grammatical accuracy.
Contact information (phone and/or email): _______________ _____________________________________________________ All information will be kept confidential and is for OLP’s use only.
Deadline for entries is July 15, 2015. Please include a photo of yourself, from either today or circa 1945! (Not required.) Info and photo may be emailed to mjoyce@onlinepub.com, uploaded to www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com/VJDay, or mailed to: 50plus Senior News 3912 Abel Drive Columbia, PA 17512 If you would like your photo returned, please include a SASE.
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The Search for Our Ancestry
Social Media and Genealogy Angelo Coniglio enealogists of all stripes, especially amateurs, have long subscribed to the idea of “reciprocal acts of kindness.” By amateurs, I am referring not necessarily to novice or inexperienced researchers, but simply to those who don’t accept payment for their services, many of whom are certainly experienced and professional in all other respects. The acts of kindness might include, for example, taking a photo of a headstone for another researcher who is far away; visiting a records repository in a researcher’s ancestral town, translating a foreign document, and so on. In this Internet age, another means of helping others (or receiving help) presents itself in social media. Two that I use are LinkedIn and Facebook. Both are free, unless “upgrades” are wanted. I have used both for years without needing to upgrade at an extra cost.
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Like most sites, some users, and therefore some messages you receive, will involve suggestions for purchase of things or services; however, I find that these offers are generally low-key, and no one is required to purchase anything they don’t want or to join a pushy group. One can also ask other users to comment on the value or desirability of such services. Members can post virtually any type of question or request, from translation of a single word to an entire document, to hints on how to start a family tree, to what software is best, to help in finding a specific ancestral record. Both sites give only as much information about the user as he/she wants to release (in their “profiles”) and
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allow private messages between users without revealing names or email addresses unless desired. LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) is essentially an online site that enables working professionals to interact, find employment, find potential employees, etc. However, one need not be in any given profession to join or be actively employed, nor necessarily be interested in the primary agenda of the site. It has numerous “groups,” membership in which allows discussion on topics of interest. Typical LinkedIn genealogy groups include: Books About Genealogy, Genealogy Research Group, Italian Genealogy, Sicily (Sicilia) Genealogy,
International Society of Genetic Genealogy, and many, many more. Facebook (www.facebook.com) is the seminal, iconic social medium. Certainly much of the traffic on it is ordinary, mundane discussion of day-to-day lives, activities, interests, and gripes. But it, too, has valuable genealogyoriented groups, such as Sicilian and Aeolian Islands Genealogy, Italian Genealogy Records, and Genealogy! Just ask! I have seen novice researchers ask questions online, like: “My grandparents (so-and-so and his wife, so-and-so) came to America in 1910, and I know nothing else about them.” And within a few hours (or even minutes), such queries can receive responses from one or several users on how to proceed with the research; in many cases, with details from census records, passenger manifests, and ancestral
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towns that identify the immigrants, give extensive facts, and even include images of the desired records and/or links to the websites that contain the information. As noted, some responses may direct you to services for pay, but even these
may serve your needs at a reasonable price. So if you have a question about genealogy, or specifically about your Italian or Sicilian ancestors, be social! Join LinkedIn or Facebook and make some
new friends who may be able to help you in your quest. Such interaction may also put you in touch with previously unknown family members researching the same lines in which you’re interested.
Coniglio is the author of a novella inspired by his Sicilian research, The Lady of the Wheel. You can order the paperback or the e-book at amzn.to/racalmuto. For helpful hints, visit his website, bit.ly/AFCGen. For questions or group lecture requests, email him at genealogytips@aol.com.
The Beauty in Nature
Wolf Spiders Clyde McMillan-Gamber helped a large, brown wolf spider across our street one evening this spring so it wouldn’t get squashed by a vehicle. I saw it on the blacktop in the light of a streetlight. I got it across safely and was reminded how interesting wolf spiders are. I experienced them before, mostly on local forest floors. There are more than 200 kinds of wolf spiders in North America. Like all spiders, they have two major body parts, the head and thorax grown together and the abdomen. They are hairy all over and have eight legs like all spiders do. They are robust and agile hunters of
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invertebrates on the in three rows. The first ground, mostly on forest row has four smaller eyes, floors at night. and the other four eyes Wolf spiders don’t spin are large and arranged webs to snare prey. Instead two in front and two on they are solitary wanderers the side, so they can see and hunt alone by tracking in front and on both down invertebrates (as sides of their bodies. wolves chase prey) on Some types of wolf Wolf spider dead-leaf forest floors and spiders make burrows in paralyzing them with venomous bites. loose soil where they hide during the day. Those bites cause swelling, mild pain and Other kinds spend days hiding under itching on us humans. logs, rocks, brush piles, and other shelters Wolf spiders have good vision that on forest floors. helps in their hunts for food. They have Each female wolf spider spins a large, eight dark eyes of unequal size arranged silken globe, a round, white egg sac
within which she spawns scores of eggs. The sac remains attached to each female’s spinnerets on her rear, and she drags it behind her until her babies hatch. She raises her abdomen to keep the sac off the ground so it doesn’t tear open. When they hatch, the tiny babies crawl up their mother’s hairy legs and climb on top of her abdomen, where they stay until they are old enough to disperse on their own. We need not be unduly concerned about wolf spiders. If one is spotted, just leave it alone. In fact, they are interesting to experience on their native woodland floors.
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July 2015
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Tinseltown Talks
William Shatner’s Trek through Fatherhood Nick Thomas er father commanded a spaceship in a popular ’60s television series. Two decades later, in 1988, Melanie Shatner was featured alongside her dad in an Oldsmobile TV commercial revealing her own desire to zoom around in something “space age.” But it wouldn’t be the last time father and daughter acted together. The pair shared some on-screen time the following year when Star Trek V: The Final Frontier was released. Directed by her father, William Shatner, a.k.a., Star Trek’s Captain Kirk, Melanie can be seen wandering the Enterprise’s bridge throughout the film. “I actually auditioned for another part but was completely wrong for it,” recalled Melanie—now Melanie Shatner Gretsch after marrying actor Joel Gretsch in 1999. “My dad called and said I didn’t get
H
Photo courtesy of Melanie Shatner
Melanie Shatner and father William Shatner at Dari Boutique in the early 2000s
the part, but there was another small role for the captain’s yeoman if I wanted it, and I said of course.” It launched her somewhat short adult acting career, which included two dozen movie and television roles over the next 10 years. “I didn’t fully enjoy acting,” she admitted. “I made a living acting for a
Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Still of Melanie and Bill Shatner on Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
while but wanted to be successful in other ways.” That success was soon seen on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City, Calif., in the form of Dari Boutique, which Shatner Gretsch opened 16 years ago. Stocked with cutting-edge fashions, Dari quickly became a popular destination for trendy shoppers.
Shatner Gretsch says her dad wasn’t too disappointed when she abandoned a career in entertainment for retail sales. “He was probably relieved because acting can be a brutal profession. But really, anything I wanted to do was OK by him. He even helped by loaning me the money to get the store started.” “She was always the kid wearing smart clothes,” recalled Bill Shatner from his home in Studio City. “She just knew about style. Her sisters and all the other kids used to ask her for fashion advice.” Although growing up with a busy, famous father had its drawbacks, Shatner Gretsch gives her dad high marks as a parent. “Ever since I was born he’s been on television, and his office was a movie or television set. When we were younger, he’d take one sister at a time away on location for a whole week. We all have such great memories of getting to hang
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out with him and watching him work.” Shatner and his first wife were divorced in 1969, but Shatner Gretsch says she and her two older sisters— Lisabeth and Leslie—remained close with their father. “We spent the weekdays with my mother and the weekends with him. He would do whatever it took to get home to see us, even if it meant driving all night. I think that illustrates what a wonderful, committed father he was and is.” “All divorces are traumatic,” added Shatner. “But the girls have turned out
to be wonderful, smart women. Each is talented in some area: Melanie with Dari’s, Lisabeth is a lawyer, and Leslie works in advertising. We get together often as a family.” The Shatner clan expanded in 2005 when Andy Clement married Lisabeth, and he says he was a little surprised when told who her father was. “But the first time I had dinner with them all, he welcomed me into the family even though Liz and I hadn’t been dating long,” recalled Clement, who founded Creative Character Engineering in Van Nuys. “It was incredible to see
someone so attached to his kids.” Clement, whose recent movie work includes special effects for Interstellar, said he is also amazed by his father-inlaw’s inventive, restless mind. “He really is a dynamo, and his mind just never stops working. He always wants to get involved with a production to make it better. So many actors just turn it on when the cameras are rolling, but he’s always cranking.” Like most in the business, Shatner has had his share of project clunkers over the years. But, said Shatner Gretsch, “working is what keeps him young,
excited, and creative. You’ve got to give him points for always trying something new.” And if there’s a lesson Bill Shatner has learned in more than 50 years as an actor, it’s one he willingly shares as a father. “You can only pass on endurance,” he said. “Everybody has to make their own mistakes and learn from them.” Thomas’ features and columns have appeared in more than 400 magazines and newspapers, and he is the author of Raised by the Stars, published by McFarland. He can be reached at his blog: http://getnickt.blogspot.com
Delayed Retirement: Are There Some Advantages?
PET CARE
returned to the workplace found that 54 percent worked full time, and 19 percent put in more than 41 hours a week. Among the potential economic advantages:
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from page 10
You can also save by shopping online at one of the Veterinary-Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites accredited by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, like 1-800-PetMeds (www.1800petmeds.com), Drs. Foster & Smith (www.drsfostersmith.com), KV Supply (www.kvsupply.com), and PetCareRx (www.petcarerx.com). Consider pet insurance: If you can afford it, pet insurance is another option worth looking into. You can get a basic policy for less than $10 per month, and some insurers provide discounts for insuring multiple pets. See Pet Insurance Review (www.pet insurancereview.com) to compare policies. Membership discount plans
like Pet Assure (www.petassure.com) are another way to save, but you’ll need to use a vet in their network. Look for other ways to save: In addition to cutting your veterinary bills, you can also save on pet food and other supplies depending on where you shop. Big-box and discount or dollar stores typically offer much lower prices than supermarkets and specialty pet retailers. You can also save on treats and toys at sites like Coupaw (www.coupaw.com) and Doggyloot (www.doggyloot.com). Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org
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• Increased tax revenue, with positive (though small) effects on the nation’s deficit.
Baby boomers delaying retirement may be a good thing for the U.S. economy.
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The prospect of more and more baby boomers delaying retirement may be a good thing for the U.S. economy, according to the Fiscal Times website. In 2013, 18 percent of the over-65 population of the U.S. were still on the job, up from 11 percent in 1993; a 2008 study of 50-and-older retirees who had
• Lower government expenditures, as workers delay taking Social Security past traditional retirement age. • More talent in the workforce, since the aging U.S. population means fewer young people are available for jobs.
Who Has the Best Bites in Central PA? 50plus Senior News readers have spoken! Here are the Cumberland County dining favorites for 2015!
Breakfast: Denny’s
Fast Food: Burger King
Lunch: Gullifty’s Restaurant and Underground
Seafood: Red Lobster
Dinner: Bob Evans
Steak: Hoss’s Steak & Sea House
Ethnic Cuisine: Pakha’s Thai House
Outdoor Dining: T.J. Rockwell’s
Celebrating: Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
Romantic Setting: Paxtang Grill
Bakery: Pennsylvania Bakery
Smorgasbord/Buffet: Allenberry Playhouse
Coffeehouse: Dunkin’ Donuts
Caterer: Dickinson College
or
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Winner of $50 Giant Food Stores Gift Card: Nancy Capstick Congratulations!
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July 2015
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Report: Pennsylvania Ranks 25th for Senior Health Pennsylvania ranked 25th for senior health this year, according to the third edition of United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings® Senior Report: A Call to Action for Individuals and Their Communities. Nationwide, the report shows positive trends for senior health, especially for those measures that look at whether seniors are getting the right care in a setting of their choice. Seniors are experiencing lower hospital readmission rates and preventable hospitalization rates compared to last year, while hospice care use and the number of home healthcare workers have increased. “United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings Senior Report is a vital tool for understanding where we, as a state, are making strides in senior health and where key challenges for Pennsylvania’s seniors remain,” said Dr. Jerry Frank, chief medical officer, UnitedHealthcare of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania’s Strengths • High community-support expenditures: Pennsylvania spends an average of $1,917 per adult aged 65 and older living in poverty to support senior
Pennsylvania report doing no physical activity or exercise in the last 30 days. Physical inactivity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, falls, depression, and premature death.
programs that address personal care, transportation, meals, and other needs. • Low percentage of low-care nursinghome residents: Many low-care nursinghome residents do not need the full suite of services offered by nursing homes and would be capable of living in their own homes with the help of community aid programs such as Meals on Wheels.
number of geriatricians needed is growing dramatically. The shortfall of geriatricians in Pennsylvania is 46.4 percent of the minimum number needed, the sixth-lowest shortfall among the states. Pennsylvania’s Challenges
• In Pennsylvania, only 6 percent of nursing-home residents are low-care, the fifth-lowest rate in the nation, which indicates that older adults have the support programs they need to remain independent.
• High prevalence of obesity: 30.1 percent of Pennsylvania adults aged 65 and older are obese, which means that Pennsylvania ranks 45th among the states. Obesity predisposes older adults to chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, certain cancers, and joint pain.
• Low geriatrician shortfall: With an aging baby boomer population, the
• High prevalence of physical inactivity: 36.7 percent of senior adults in
• Low percentage of quality nursinghome beds: In Pennsylvania, only 35.3 percent of nursing-home beds are rated at four- or five-star levels. Quality nursing-home practices can largely prevent hospitalizations related to falls, pressure ulcers, urinary incontinence, malnutrition, and dehydration. According to the report, Vermont is the healthiest state for seniors, rising from fourth place last year. New Hampshire ranks second, improving one spot from last year. Minnesota fell to third after being ranked first for two years in a row, while Hawaii (4) and Utah (5) round out the top five states. Louisiana ranks 50th as the least healthy state for older adults, followed by Mississippi (49), Kentucky (48), Arkansas (47) and Oklahoma (46). To see the rankings in full, visit: www.americashealthrankings.org/senior
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STORIES
from page 1
The event now has its own YouTube page and podcast and has branched out to several areas in Pennsylvania, including the West Chester, Lancaster, Delco, and Lehigh Valley Story Slams. “It’s been a joy to meet so many people and to record and archive their incredible stories on our website and podcasts,” says Breslin. He has advice for those who may be interested in participating in the event but are unsure of their own storytelling abilities. “Everyone has at least one or two amazing stories in their life. Story Slams are not just for writers. We often have someone sign up at intermission after watching a few stories. They didn’t plan on telling a story, but then they get up to the mic and tell this amazing story and win the event.” Breslin is also active in literary circles, serving as a member in two area writers groups and as vice president of one. “I love all types of stories and consider myself a writer first and a storyteller second. I’m a fan of short stories but read a lot of novels also.” Imagine going to a job each day where you find yourself meeting and working with celebrities such as Milton Berle, Richard Simmons, Joan Rivers, Annette Funicello, and Cal Ripken. You would probably come home with some interesting stories to tell. For 17 years, Jim Breslin did just that while working as a producer for QVC, the world’s largest home shopping television network, famous for featuring celebrity product endorsements during live broadcasts. “A favorite moment for me was when Florence Henderson kissed me on the cheek—I grew up watching her on television as Mrs. Brady,” he says. Breslin describes his experiences at QVC as fun and surreal, but after 17 years in such a high-pressure
environment, he decided to “exit corporate life and pursue more artistic projects.” In 2014, he published Shoplandia, a novel that draws on his experience in broadcasting and pulls back the curtain to reveal the inner workings of a shopping network. “It’s a humorous novel about the surreal life of those who work in the live studios of a home shopping channel and have to deal with celebrity guests and other mayhem,” says Breslin. Shoplandia was published by Breslin’s own Oermead Press, a micro-publishing project he founded in 2010 dedicated to the purpose of producing quality fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Oermead has published five books to date, including Breslin’s novel, collections of poetry and short stories, anthologies, e-books, and podcasts. While attending to his own writing, Oermead Press, and the Story Slams, Breslin recently passed a personal milestone: his 50th birthday. “I’m not going to lie—turning 50 has messed with my head a bit,” he says. “My father died when he was 47, so I’ve been cognizant of his mortality. I mountain bike two or three times a week and hike also.” He also has some words of advice for aspiring writers who may be grappling with getting their own stories down on paper. “I recommend sitting in the chair every day. Set goals and write, write, write. The first draft is always terrible. Writing is about revising 30, 40, 50 times. Join critique groups that will be supportive but also honest. Don’t take criticism personally,” he says. “You won’t please everyone with your writing, but that’s OK.” Visit www.jimbreslin.com or www.wcstoryslam.com for more information.
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Deal Me In By Mark Pilarski
Doing Dice the Easy Way Dear Mark: I would like to learn how to play dice. What is the best way? – Dave K. Craps with confidence, Dave, commences by reading a decent book on the game. For the dice apprentice, Henry Tamburin’s Craps: Take the Money and Run or Beat the Craps Out of the Casino by Frank Scobete are two of my favorites for the beginner player. Either one, Dave, will explain the various bets, correct odds, payoffs, sucker bets, and playing strategies for the game of craps. Next, I would highly recommend that go to YouTube and watch any of the excellent videos on craps by Michael Shackleford. Begin with “Craps Part One – Approaching the Table.” No matter whether it’s a book or watching YouTube videos on your laptop,
I would suggest that you focus only on the wagers that offer a house edge under 1.5 percent, like a passline bet and placing the six or eight. Both wagers easily make my top 10 list of the best bets the casino offers. Besides, making these two outstanding craps wagers, and nothing more, shortens your schooling to less than two minutes. Allow me, Dave, to break these bets down for you. The central wager in craps is the passline bet. If the come-out roll (the role of the dice that begins a game) is seven or 11, the bet wins. If the come-out roll is two, three, or 12, you lose, or, as they say, you “crapped out.”
If the roll is any other value (four, give, six, eight, nine, 10), the value rolled becomes the point. With a point established, if that point is rolled again before a seven, the bet wins. If the seven is rolled before the point, you “seven out” and the bet loses. A pass-line bet pays even money. A place bet on the six or eight is a wager that the six or eight will be rolled before the seven. When making a place bet on the six or eight, you should always wager in increments of $6 ($12, $18, $24, etc.), because the six and eight pay off at seven to six, or $7 for every $6 bet. The casino standard is for the dealer to round down payouts to the nearest
dollar. Because of this, you will be shortchanged on any win where the bet was not a multiple of $6. Typically, Dave, place bets are not working on the come-out roll but can be “turned on” by the player. My one other recommendation is to stay clear of all those proposition bets in the center of the layout that the stickman is barking for. The dealer who is tempting you with their performance is doing nothing more than inducing play on wagers that are all “house bets,” a.k.a., sucker bets, with some carrying a casino advantage as high as 16 percent. That’s it, Dave. Craps is that simple. You are no longer greener than the felt on the table; plus, you can now exploit the best bet(s) the game of craps has to offer. You have now officially joined the less than 1 percent of players out there who truly understand craps. Now off to YouTube you go, Dave,
The Year in Everyday Costs As 50plus Senior News celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, we hope you’ll enjoy a monthly peek back at the world in 1995! This month, the average costs of everyday life in 1995:
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and watch Michael Shackleford visually illustrate the above-mentioned wagers for you. Gambling Wisdom of the Month: “I started shooting craps like they was goin’ to close up the place … and I lost all the money I had on me. But what the hell,
it was a lot of fun.” – William “Si” Redd, King of the Slots Mark Pilarski is a recognized authority on casino gambling, having survived 18 years in the casino trenches. Pilarski is the creator of the bestselling, award-winning audio book series on casino gambling, Hooked on Winning. www.markpilarski.com
Silver Spring Community Named One of Best in U.S. For a third time, Traditions of America at Silver Spring, a 55-and-over community in Mechanicsburg, has been recognized as one of the “50 Best Master-Planned Communities in the United States” by Where to Retire magazine. Where to Retire magazine publishes its list of the 50 best master-planned communities every other year. Traditions of America at Silver Spring was selected in both 2013 and 2011, the first year the list was published after the community opened in 2010. “The Short List is an elite selection of 50 neighborhoods that provide the active lifestyles retirees seek today,”
The clubhouse at Traditions of America at Silver Spring.
according to Where to Retire magazine, which will showcase Traditions of America at Silver Spring in the July/August issue.
Residents, Chefs Compete in Chefs Challenge Chocolate was all that stood between two competing teams of residents and chefs during Messiah Lifeways’ recent “Iron-style” Chefs Challenge. Based on the Food Network’s popular Iron Chef show, each team had 60 minutes to prepare three plated courses (appetizer, main entrée, and dessert) using a secret ingredient that was revealed the day of the show. A panel of judges critiqued foods based on taste, presentation, and originality. Congratulations to Team “Rose Between Two Thorns”: Lindsey Clinton and Eldon Blosser, Cura Hospitality chefs who both serve Messiah Lifeways; Susan VogeneyFulginiti, a 24-year veteran cook at
Chefs on Team “Rose Between Two Thorns” were, from left, Dr. Jesse Weigel, Messiah Lifeways resident; Susan Vogeney-Fulginiti, Cura cook; and Lindsey Clinton and Eldon Blosser, Cura chefs.
Messiah Lifeways; and Dr. Jesse Weigel, a Messiah Lifeways resident, who all prepared the winning chocolate-inspired feast.
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