Crazy Pets

I am a pet lover as you can see from some of the photos on my blog. About six or more months again I adopted a little calico cat from a young couple who are friends with my son and daughter-in-law. Needless to say she has become one of the favorite pets in my household. Even though I love all my pets the same there are a few that have funny little personalities and my little Sophie cat is one of them. She is quite a lover and has melted the heart of the black tom cat (Smores) that came into my household a few years ago from a shelter. He loves her so much that he even shares his food bowls with her even though she has her own. Life is never dull when you have so many different personalities around your house.

Summer Love

My daughter-in-law had posted these photos and I thought they were so cute that I had to share them with all my friends. It really goes to show that love blooms at all ages. My little granddaughter isn't even two years old yet and has a little boy companion to chum with. Here they are at a friends wedding holding hands and enjoying the afternoon.

I'm going to turn 60 years old next month and love has even bloomed for me this summer as well. After being single for 17 years after my divorce I didn't think that I would find true love after so many years and at my age. It just goes to show that love blooms at any age. My new love has just asked me to marry him and I said yes!

What's The Real Meaning of UP!!

I haven't been around for awhile I hope that all my friends and family are all doing well. I hope everyone had a happy fourth of July. I did I spent it at Sea World in San Diego with my fiance'. we were able to watch fireworks from the Shamu stadium and it was just delightful.

I was reading my e-mail this morning and this fun little letter was sent to me. I thought it so funny that I wanted to share it with all of you. So here it is. Read it all the way to the end to get to the punch line it's really cute.

Read until the end.....you'll laugh.... This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.' It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v]. It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and fix UP the old car. At other times this little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special. And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP ! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary.. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP . When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it soaks UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on & on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now ........my time is UP ! Oh....one more thing: What is the first thing you do in the morning & the last thing you do at night? U P ! Did that one crack you UP? Don't screw UP. Send this on to everyone you look UP in your address book..or not...it's UP to you. Now I'll shut UP

"I'M 63 AND I'M TIRED"

I'm 63. Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I've worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven't called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there's no retirement in sight, and I'm tired. Very tired.

I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.

I'm tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to "keep people in their homes." Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I'm willing to help. But if they bought McMansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the left-wing Congress-critters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them with their own money.

I'm tired of being told how bad America is by left-wing millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros and Hollywood Entertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In thirty years, if they get their way, the United States will have the economy of Zimbabwe , the freedom of the press of China , the crime and violence of Mexico , the tolerance for Christian people of Iran , and the freedom of speech of Venezuela .

I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honor"; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't "believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and Shari'a law tells them to.

I'm tired of being told that "race doesn't matter" in the post-racial world of Obama, when it's all that matters in affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment of U.S. Senators from Illinois.

I think it's very cool that we have a black president and that a black child is doing her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. I just wish the black president was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the individual and less arrogantly of an all-knowing government.

I'm tired of a news media that thinks Bush's fundraising and inaugural expenses were obscene, but that think Obama's, at triple the cost, were wonderful; that thinks Bush exercising daily was a waste of presidential time, but Obama exercising is a great example for the public to control weight and stress; that picked over every line of Bush's military records, but never demanded that Kerry release his; that slammed Palin, with two years as governor, for being too inexperienced for VP, but touted Obama with three years as senator as potentially the best president ever. Wonder why people are dropping their subscriptions or switching to Fox News? Get a clue. I didn't vote for Bush in 2000, but the media and Kerry drove me to his camp in 2004.

I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and mandrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America , while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance.

I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a three-bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our carbon footprint is about 5% of Al Gore's, and if you're greener than Gore, you're green enough.

I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? I don't think Gay people choose to be Gay, but I damn sure think druggies chose to take drugs. And I'm tired of harassment from cool people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never tried marijuana.

I'm tired of illegal aliens being called "undocumented workers," especially the ones who aren't working, but are living on welfare or crime. What's next? Calling drug dealers, "Undocumented Pharmacists"? And, no, I'm not against Hispanics. Most of them are Catholic, and it's been a few hundred years since Catholics wanted to kill me for my religion. I'm willing to fast track for citizenship any Hispanic person, who can speak English, doesn't have a criminal record and who is self-supporting without family on welfare, or who serves honorably for three years in our military.... Those are the citizens we need.

I'm tired of latte liberals and journalists, who would never wear the uniform of the Republic themselves, or let their entitlement-handicapped kids near a recruiting station, trashing our military. They and their kids can sit at home, never having to make split-second decisions under life and death circumstances, and bad mouth better people than themselves. Do bad things happen in war? You bet. Do our troops sometimes misbehave? Sure. Does this compare with the atrocities that were the policy of our enemies for the last fifty years and still are? Not even close. So here's the deal. I'll let myself be subjected to all the humiliation and abuse that was heaped on terrorists at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo, and the critics can let themselves be subject to captivity by the Muslims, who tortured and beheaded Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, or the Muslims who tortured and murdered Marine Lt. Col. William Higgins in Lebanon, or the Muslims who ran the blood-spattered Al Qaeda torture rooms our troops found in Iraq, or the Muslims who cut off the heads of schoolgirls in Indonesia, because the girls were Christian. Then we'll compare notes. British and American soldiers are the only troops in history that civilians came to for help and handouts, instead of hiding from in fear.

I'm tired of people telling me that their party has a corner on virtue and the other party has a corner on corruption. Read the papers; bums are bipartisan. And I'm tired of people telling me we need bipartisanship. I live in Illinois , where the "Illinois Combine" of Democrats has worked to loot the public for years. Not to mention the tax cheats in Obama's cabinet.

I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of both parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.

Speaking of poor, I'm tired of hearing people with air-conditioned homes, color TVs and two cars called poor. The majority of Americans didn't have that in 1970, but we didn't know we were "poor." The poverty pimps have to keep changing the definition of poor to keep the dollars flowing.

I'm real tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.

Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to be 63. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for my granddaughter.

Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam veteran who served five terms in the Massachusetts State Senate.

Too Much Time Has Gone By

Hello to all my family and friends. I'm sorry to say that it's been awhile since I have been around and a lot of things are happening for me. I have joined the Ladies of the Moose lodge and I do karaoke with my friends on Sunday and Tuesday nights. I'm still working full time as well. Still have all my pets to take care of and trying to practice and learn new songs to sing. I have made a audio cd of some of the songs that I sing and soon will be working on a second one. If anyone would like a copy let me know and I will be more that glad to send you one.

I like to listen to San Diego's Magic 92.5 (old school rock) and last week was professional administrator's day. They had a contest and if you e-mailed them as to why you think that your office staff should be nominated for the $100 gift certificate to one of our local Italian restaurants (Bucca di Beppos) you could win either a nice lunch or dinner for all the staff. To make a long story short I thought I would give it a try. WE WON!!!! So on Monday night off we went and what fun we had. We have such a great time at work but even better as a group at dinner.

Almost 60 Years Old

Now that I am almost approaching my 60th birthday I am starting to reflect back at my past almost 60 years. Today my mom brought out a picture of me when I was about two weeks old and she was commenting on what a beautiful little one I use to be. She asked if I would share this with all my family and friends so here's what I looked like way back when.

What Did We Learn About H1N1?

What H1N1 taught us

Source: Los Angeles Times February 26, 2010 (ARRP Bulletin)

We have learned a lot from the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic.

We have learned, for example, that one basic assumption about pandemics was wrong: You don't need a radical mutation in a flu virus to produce a pandemic. All you need is enough change within a surface protein for a new strain to blow past acquired immunity and blaze around the world, as this one did.

And we've seen that not every pandemic strain is especially lethal. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta estimated that 11,690 Americans had died of swine flu by mid-January. In a "normal" flu season, the CDC estimates that 36,000 Americans die.

As Peter Palese, an eminent flu virologist from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, put it, "We were lucky this was a mellow virus." It lacks the virulence factors that make highly pathogenic bird flu, or the 1918 pandemic flu virus, so deadly.

In the beginning, the pandemic seemed to have an ominous affinity for the young. But this turned out to be mostly a matter of resistance. Many people born before 1957 have some cross-immunity to the virus because of their exposure to a previous H1 outbreak. So older people the usual victims of seasonal flu caught the new virus at much lower rates. And even among young people, though the attack rate was ferocious and many millions were infected, only a tiny percentage of those who got the flu died.

Another thing we've learned is that a safe, effective new flu vaccine can be produced fairly rapidly. In 1976, when 40 million people were quickly immunized against a pandemic that never came, several hundred of those receiving inoculations fell ill with Guillain-Barre paralysis, leaving Americans skeptical about fast-turnaround vaccines. This year was different.

"We've had intensive safety monitoring because of the experience with 1976," said Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, adding that "the safety record looks fantastic."

On the other hand, we have learned more about the virulence of the anti-vaccine lobby, which persuaded far too many people not to get vaccinations or even worse not to vaccinate their children. Dr. Paul Offit, chief of infectious disease at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, worries that the anti-vaccine fringe has gained the upper hand and is calling the shots on some important matters of public policy.

For example, he notes, no one in America dared put adjuvants immune-stimulating chemicals into the vaccine, a move that would have stretched the limited supply. Both Canada and Europe used the chemicals with no ill effects. In Europe, vaccine makers use the adjuvant squalene, which means that children need only one shot instead of the two required here. But say the word "squalene" and multitudes of Americans shudder: Squalene in anthrax shots has been fingered by some anti-vaccine activists as the cause of Gulf War Syndrome. That squalene is a chemical precursor to cholesterol and produced in the body every day and that you can even find it in Girl Scout cookies means nothing to them.

Though H1N1 transmission appears to be dying down, we surely haven't seen the last of this virus. Some experts, including flu virologist Michael Shaw of the CDC, fear that the virus could evolve around existing immunity, leaving the elderly vulnerable.

Perhaps the most important lesson we can still learn from this pandemic is where it came from and how we can prevent another one. Columbia University virologist Raul Rabadan, who has studied rates of mutational change in swine, bird and human flu, says that the current pandemic virus most likely emerged from a pig herd. Circumstantial evidence points to a giant, high-density pig farm in the small (3,000 people) town of La Gloria, in Veracruz, Mexico, where, according to an Associated Press report, about 450 people were diagnosed in late March with acute respiratory infections. There too the pandemic's "index case" Edgar Hernandez, a 5-year-old who first tested positive for H1N1 was identified.

Gregory Gray, a University of Florida influenza researcher, has shown in several studies that 12% to 21% of Iowa pig farmers have antibodies to H1 pig influenza viruses. His team's studies suggest that workers may pass these infections on to their families. But generally the pig viruses stop there.

This one didn't. Edgar had no contact with pigs, nor had his family. No one knows what gave this pig strain wings. Still, there must have been some point after H1N1 had jumped into people at which transmission was still sluggish, when the virus had not yet adapted to spread efficiently from person to person, when the pandemic could have been aborted. But no one was looking.

If we have any hope of stopping another pandemic, it lies in monitoring the animal-human nexus, particularly on large farms, which can function as 12 years of experience with highly pathogenic bird flu in Southeast Asia has shown us as factories for lethal disease. Packing animals together allows the evolution of virulent pathogens, as deadly germs can easily spread from one animal to its neighbor. The H5N1 bird flu never evolved the ability to transmit effectively from person to person.

But swine flus seem to adapt more quickly to human beings, perhaps because pigs and people share similar flu receptors.

We need to closely watch high-density pig farms and monitor their workers for signs of illness before another pig virus perhaps one less mellow bursts out and sweeps across the Earth again.

Wendy Orent is the author of "Plague: The Mysterious Past and Terrifying Future of the World's Most Dangerous Disease."

Can Baby Boomer Retire?

Baby boomers need to take hard look at whether they're saving enough, experts say

Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune | February 21, 2010

Roger Showley

When baby boomers were in their teens and 20s, they didn't trust anyone over 30 and couldn't imagine hitting 64. Well, with the first boomers hitting that unmagical age this year -- the one The Beatles sang about many years ago -- the $64,000 question is whether this giant generation of 78 million, born from 1946 to 1964, can afford to retire.

Of course, some boomers have saved and planned well. They have already left the work force and have learned to fly an airplane or are spending time with their grandkids.

Others face a reality check that recalls Aesop's tale of the grasshopper and the ant. They played and spent and now, typically, have saved only $84,000 -- an awfully small nest egg that has to last for many years.

"The fundamental philosophy of retirement has changed," said Jason Buol, chief economist and research analyst at Private Asset Management in San Diego. "Historically, people have thought, 'Once we get into our mid-60s, we can retire and don't have to work anymore -- we'll live into our golden years forever and forever from that point on.' "

Buol, who at 33 often addresses groups of boomers 20 to 30 years older than himself, said statistics show that the elderly are living into their 90s.

"You have to take a realistic look at your financial situation -- your expenses, assets, liabilities -- and figure out, based on that information, 'Where do I stand now and where do I want to be when I make the decision to retire?' " he said.

But it isn't too late for the "Me Generation" to get things right, even if they continue to face the responsibilities of children who have boomeranged back home after college or their own parents who require an increasing level of assistance.

Luckily, with a long life span ahead of them, they can make up for financial mistakes and oversights through careful planning and strategizing -- and recover whatever losses the recession might have dealt their savings and investments.

There are some steps to take before retirement, but there's also, for some, a pot of gold on the horizon.

Count on a windfall: One thing in the boomers' favor is the thriftiness of their parents. If the "greatest generation" saved well, bought a home and paid off the mortgage in San Diego, the equity might be enough to see them through in their declining years and give you and your children a boost.

"Most of our clients don't want to count on inheritances," said financial Scott Wolters, 57. "But it is happening quite frequently."

Work longer: If you have a job, don't retire too early if you can avoid it, experts say. Demographers say many employers actually fear the departure of too many boomers, because Generation X isn't big enough to fill their shoes. Perhaps you can reduce your hours in the last year of your employment and continue to collect health benefits. If you leave your company, sometimes you can be hired back as a consultant. If you've lost your job, you can look for a new one, perhaps in a different field that plays off your personal interests. You even have time to go back to college and get a new degree or additional training in a new field.

But Buol said you might have to relocate to get a suitable job.

"Perhaps your skill set is not in demand in San Diego but perhaps is in demand in some other state, like Arizona or Nevada," Buol said. "Everybody's hurting, granted, but if you still have a usable skill set, it's something to consider about migrating to another area, and you would be able to take advantage of that."

Make a plan: Andrew J. Costanzo, 62, who recently moved his Costanzo Financial Group from Pittsburgh to Carlsbad, said planning for retirement should begin at least five years beforehand.

"I tell my clients that most people spend more time during the year planning for one week of vacation than the ultimate vacation, which is retirement," Costanzo said. "You need a road map for your retirement."

Analyze your health care coverage: Medicare kicks in for most people at age 65, but it doesn't cover all expenses. And one big one is long-term care for Alzheimer's and other debilitating afflictions.

"Health care expenses are phenomenal and I think are going to get worse," Costanzo said. "I think that is the major risk that baby boomers are going to face in the future."

With such costs currently approaching $7,000 per month for in-home nursing care, that could cost $84,000 a year -- about the same as typical boomers have saved their entire lives.

"It's pitiful," he said.

Count on Social Security: But the question for boomers is when to start collecting it. You can begin at age 62, but if you wait until 70, you might see a check for twice as much. That premium will come in handy if you live 25 years after that.

"They're going to cash in as soon as they can, unfortunately," Costanzo said of many of his clients. "It's just the way people think."

Rearrange your investments carefully: Take advantage of the catch-up provisions in 401(k)s and IRAs if you haven't set aside as much in savings plans as the law provided.

"You can increase your savings in a multitude of ways," Buol said.

You can invest part of your savings to be secure for the short term and invest the other part in growth stocks and bonds that, even if the market drops, you'll have time to recoup any losses.

"Review your account every year and rebalance it," Wolters said. "If you had 70 percent in your portfolio in stocks and 30 percent in bonds, a year later, sell 10 percent of your stocks and buy bonds." He said there are many questionnaires and scenarios available to determine what works best.

However, Costanzo said being too conservative can be fatal to long-term planning, because inflation can easily eat up a portfolio that doesn't grow with the economy.

Stay married: Sociologists and demographers report that married or partnered people live longer and prosper more than singles. In other words, don't get divorced, but if you do, get married again.

"Single people have a problem in retirement -- physically, financially," Costanzo said. "And there's also a quality-of-life standpoint. People are happier when they're with other people."

Keeping Your Bloodpresser Down...

Peel This Tropical Treat for Blood Pressure

Source Real Age

Your blood pressure could be lower just by indulging more in this sweet tropical treat: bananas.

Cheap and plentiful year-round, bananas are bursting with potassium. And a review of several major studies suggests that people who add the potassium equivalent of an extra 1 1/2 to 2 bananas to their day could drop their blood pressure 2 to 3 points.

More Points for Potassium
Dropping BP by 2 or 3 points is nothing to sneeze at. In fact, it's enough to lower stroke risk. In other research, people with the highest potassium intake levels cut their stroke risk by a whopping 38 percent compared with the people who got the least potassium. This magical mineral works by encouraging your kidneys to filter more pressure-boosting sodium out of your bloodstream. It also helps tiny blood vessels relax and makes pressure sensors in artery walls function more efficiently. (Here's another sweet treat that snares high blood pressure.)

Mass A-Peel
Aim for 3,000 milligrams a day of potassium to get optimal RealAge benefits. But don't rely on pills; they can be dangerous if you have kidney problems. Go with fruits and veggies instead -- not just bananas but prunes, watermelon, baked potatoes with the skin, mushrooms, tomatoes, and other produce, too. Produce will also give you a head start on these important blood pressure control strategies:

• Slash the sodium. Fresh produce is naturally low in salt. And licking the salt habit can lower your blood pressure even if it's just a bit high. Here are three ways to slash more salt.
• Mine more minerals. Fruits and veggies pack not just potassium but calcium and magnesium as well, two additional pressure-pampering minerals. Get tips on sneaking more veggies into your meals with this video.
• Seek a sleeker you. Low-cal fruits and veggies can help you hit a healthy weight, which is important for your blood pressure. Get your waist back in 2 weeks with this YOU Docs plan.

Did you know? Nearly 90 percent of adults will develop high blood pressure by age 65. See if your blood pressure is affecting your health with this quick quiz.

Popcorn Good Snack for GI Tract......

Fortify Your GI Tract with This Midnight Munchie

Source RealAge

It's long been a favorite of midnight moviegoers, and research now shows that it could give your gastrointestinal (GI) tract the red-carpet treatment, too. It's popcorn.

An 18-year study suggests that eating a couple of servings of the stuff each week could do nice things for your colon, like reduce the risk of diverticulitis by 28 percent.

Popcorn Not a Problem?
For years, doctors have warned patients with diverticulitis to avoid popcorn, thinking that the undigestible bits could cause serious complications. This new study has many wondering if that thinking could be a little off track. But don't make any changes to your diet without talking to your doctor first. For people who do not have diverticular disease, a couple of servings of popcorn a week could be just the ticket to avoiding the painful condition down the road. Nuts also seemed to lower diverticulitis risk in the study. (Have unexplained GI problems? Find out what might be causing them with this quiz.)

More Popcorn Pros
Some of popcorn's good GI deeds may come from the inflammation-fighting lutein in the kernels, as well as the magnesium content. And eating popcorn is a great way to bump up your fiber and whole-grain intake -- two more things your GI tract loves. So go ahead, pop away! Whip up some guilt-free Cheesy Popcorn with this recipe.