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Featured - Health - Wealth - Food

Do As I Say

7/29/2022

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Do As I Say
We Americans are being told to sacrifice our way of life in the name of renewable energy and that our economy is in a period of “transition”, not a recession.  Will the John Kerry’s and Nancy Pelosi’s of the world do the same by “sacrificing” their private jets, their limousines, and their overall lifestyles as we are being told to do? Just wondering.
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Pam McAloon
Palm Harbor
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Baycare Health  - Reduce Stroke Impact

7/28/2022

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Electric Vehicles or Bust?

7/25/2022

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Electric Vehicles or Bust?
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Despite the fact that inflation has hit an all-time high of 9.1%, not seen in decades, and the cost of gas and groceries are escalating by the day, we now are being” encouraged” to buy electric cars, cars with non-recyclable batteries, along with the purchase price being in the $60,000 range. The grids in both Texas and California are overwhelmed and its citizens have been asked to abbreviate the charging on their EV’s. The government believes that this sacrifice will free us of fossil fuel dependency, and yet battery operated vehicles also release emissions. What source of energy fuels the electric chargers? Yes, even chargers will have to have fossil fuel back up as do solar panels. We will ultimately become even more dependent on China and Korea for the metals that make the batteries for EVs. Fossil fuels bring prosperity to nations. The consumer has the “right to choose”. Our government should promote policy that benefits; not harms its citizens.
Pam McAloon 
Palm Harbor Florida 

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Amanda Makki (R) :THE KIND OF PRO YOU WANT IN CONGRESS.

7/25/2022

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 Greetings!
My name is Amanda Makki and I am a lifelong conservative, an attorney with a focus on healthcare, and a national commentator on networks like Newsmax , Fox News and The First with Bill O'Reilly. I am running for Congress in
FL-13 which encompasses parts of St. Petersburg and every city in Pinellas County up through Tarpon Spring. Our Republican primary is on August23, 2022 and I'm Amanda Makki asking for your vote! Over the last year, we have seen a decline in our nation, from suffering the highest rate of inflation in the nation right here in Tampa Bay, to defunding the police movement, spreading woke ideology and teaching our Kindergartners about gender equity and sexual education, we are losing our country under one-party control in Washington and we need a change. 

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 I served at the Army General Counsel’s office at the Pentagon just weeks after the September 11 terrorist attacks. I went on to serve as senior Republican Healthcare Advisor in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, and lastly, I was one of the youngest Partners ever at K&L Gates, a global law firm. I know the story of struggles and being from a place where the government takes away your rights, and that's why I'm running, to make sure America never becomes that!
 In my career, I've been grateful to give back to the country that has given me and my family so much. Because of my personal connection to diabetes, I am especially proud of the work I did to successfully lobby Congress to get funding for Diabetes Prevention Programs in all 50 states with 12 programs right here in Pinellas County. 
If I am so fortunate to serve you in Congress, you can rely on me to be Pro-Term Limits, Pro-Finishing the Wall to protect our homeland, Pro-Life, Pro-Second Amendment, Pro-Election Integrity and Pro-Opening up all our pipelines to give Americans relief at the pump.
 Governor Ron DeSantis needs a reliable partner into help him fight the culture wars on be Congress half of our children and grandchildren. If I'm elected, I hope to serve you in that capacity in Congress.
Please follow Makki me for on Congress Facebook, or e-mail Instagram me and directly witter:
amanda@amanda-makki.com with any questions or if you'd like to host a Meet & Greet for me.
I'm asking for your  vote on August 23, 2022!

​Blessings, Amanda Makki
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Amanda Makki on SVA Radio 106.1FM & 1340AM Tampa Bay  2/28/2022

7/23/2022

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​Amanda Makki is a GOP candidate for Congress in Florida's 13th District. An attorney and conservative national commentator, Amanda is a strong conservative with a proven record of fighting for the values and principles that made America the greatest country in the world!
Amanda Makki on SVA Radio 106.1FM & 1340AM Tampa Bay  2/28/2022
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12 Painting Ideas for Manufactured Homes

7/8/2022

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Email : MobileHomeSales@SeniorVoiceAmerica.org

        Painting the interior of a home is one of the biggest home improvement projects that can be done practically year-round, and the same holds true for manufactured homes. For many, however, it can be tough to figure out where to even start with painting a manufactured home. 
If you’re planning ahead for your next big painting project, here are 12 painting ideas for manufactured homes that will spark some creativity: 
Find your theme Any color can spark an emotional response, or otherwise hold a connection to some kind of feeling. When painting your mobile home, consider finding a theme when painting a room, two rooms, or even your entire house. Do you want to paint your mobile home with different shades of green on the inside, or make each room a different color based on what that room means to you? 
Don’t be afraid to project yourself onto a painting project and find different ways to connect rooms by their color. 
Go for an accent wall You don’t have to paint all four walls of a room the same color. An increasingly popular trend is dedicating one wall in a room to an “accent color,” which serves to complement the color of the rest of the room. For example, you could paint a living room a light green, but have a darker green serve as your accent wall. These are a great way to add flair to the interior of your manufactured home. 
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​Find seasonal inspiration for your colorsThe time of year can have an impact on how you decide to paint your home. If you’re painting in the winter, for example, you may want to lean more warmer, or more neutral colors for your mobile home painting project. In the summertime, you may find yellows, greens, and pinks calling to you more. For example, you could use 2022’s Color of the Year, Very Peri, for a calming springtime shade.
No matter your mood during any season of the year, paint to it if you so desire! Paint to what your mood says you should paint towards. And if you decide to re-paint down the line – no problem! 
Have fun with lines and patternsThere are many tutorials and how-to videos online for using painters tape to apply lines and patterns to paint over. If you’re going to paint your manufactured home and want to add some extra flair, this is a great way to go. You can use painters tape to apply straight lines, or purchase pre-cut patterns to use before you paint. 
Paint both the exterior and interior Some manufactured homeowners may choose to paint the exterior of their home. Depending on whether you’re able to (some manufactured home communities may have rules that regulate painting the outside of a manufactured home), it may be worth exploring painting both the exterior and the interior of your manufactured home at the same time. 
There are some things to keep in mind if you go this route. For one, you won’t be able to use the same paint – exterior paint is graded differently for use so it can stand up to weather conditions, unlike interior paint. The painting process itself will likely also differ quite a bit, depending on the type or brand of paint you use and how you go about applying it. 
Paint for the nighttime When painting your manufactured home, you may use swatches to decide which color you’d like to use to paint. Don’t forget to do this process during the nighttime, too, so that you have an idea of what certain colors might look like when the sun is down. Who knows – you may even find a color you like more at night! 
Take advantage of dividing walls If your manufactured home has a dividing wall, you have even more opportunity to get zany with painting. Want to paint the dividing wall a different color from the rest of the room that it’s in? You can do that. Or maybe you want to paint a dividing wall in a room that has a painted pattern, like we talked about earlier – no problem! You can either paint it without that pattern, replicate the pattern, or give it a new pattern altogether. 
Ceiling? Why not? It’s not quite as hard to paint a ceiling as you might think. In your manufactured home, consider whether a room might benefit from having a painted ceiling. This could include a baby’s bedroom, or a home office. 
There are a few tips to keep in mind when painting the ceiling in your manufactured home. For one, you should use paint specifically designated for ceiling use, as well as a stain-blocking primer if your home had previous water damage that left stains on your ceiling. 
Paint for your mood Are you painting an office or a studio? If so, don’t be afraid to treat those rooms in your manufactured home with some creativity. Find a color for 
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​your home office, such as a blue or a green, that inspires productivity and creativity. And if you have an art studio inside a spare bedroom, make your walls just as artful with a splash of colors or perhaps even a mural. 
Get your kids involved Painting your mobile home, both the exterior and interior, can be a great project for the kids to get involved in. While your kids can take a paint roller to the walls, you can fill in corners and apply painters tape, making a paint job more efficient. Just make sure that you teach proper painting safety, including proper ventilation and wearing old clothing in case of paint stains. 
Consider temperature control It’s a well-known fact that many colors of paint can affect the temperature of your home – especially when it comes to exterior paint. When painting your manufactured home, keep in mind that lighter colors will reflect rays of sunlight – thus making a colder home more likely. The opposite happens with darker-colored homes, as they absorb the sun’s rays and can cause warmth. 
Keep it Simple Sometimes, you might just want to paint a room as simply as possible – and that’s okay! Don’t feel like you must follow any of the above tips if they don’t personally call to you. If you’d rather paint the interior of your manufactured home with just a simple color for each room, then paint that room just one color! It’s all about what makes your manufactured home, your manufactured home. 
If you’re getting ready to paint your manufactured home, don’t forget to check out these other tips on selecting interior and exterior paints for your manufactured home as well as how to paint vinyl mobile home walls.
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https://www.seniorvoiceamerica.org/featured
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Senior Voice America 
MobileHomeSales@SeniorVoiceAmerica.org
 ​813-693-5511

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Meet Anna Paulina Luna

7/8/2022

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ABOUT ANNA
Anna Paulina Luna is a strong independent leader, earning her stripes by serving her country, not by serving herself. Raised by a single mother in Southern California's low-income neighborhoods, Anna learned that she must work hard and be independent to succeed.

Although never married, Anna's mother and father separated when she was very young. Anna's father suffered from severe drug addiction and, early on, had asked her mother to have an abortion.  But Anna's mother chose life.  

As a result, Anna and her mother were on their own.  During Anna's childhood and teen years, her father struggled and spent time in and out of incarceration. Most of how her communication with him during these times was through letters to jail and collect calls. Her grandmother died of HIV/AIDS contracted from heroin use. 

By age nine, Anna had experienced an armed robbery and survived.  While Anna was on campus at one of the six high schools she attended, a fatal gang shooting occurred.  Her young cousin was murdered while Anna was a teenager.  And as a young adult, Anna was the victim of a home invasion. 

These types of stories are all too common in America's low-income, inner-city communities, like where Anna grew up. 

Anna's way out was joining the military. While serving in the United States Air Force, Anna met her husband, Andy. He is a Bronze Star recipient who earned a Purple Heart when enemy combatants shot him in Afghanistan. After recovering, Andy redeployed to fight ISIS in the Middle East. 

After his injury, Anna and Andy became involved with several veteran-focused and veteran-led non-profit organizations, including one whose mission is to end child trafficking through rescue and recovery operations.  

As she became more deeply involved in that work, Anna began to use her social media platform to speak out against the problem of human and child trafficking across the southern border. And she was shocked to be immediately be attacked as a racist and called "white-washed" due to her light skin - despite being a 2nd generation American and a descendent of Mexican immigrants on her mother and father's side. 

She resolved to speak out even more about the humanitarian crisis enabled by porous borders.  And people began to take notice.


Just as Anna was to begin medical school, Charlie Kirk reached out and asked her to join Turning Point U.S.A as the National Director of Hispanic Engagement.  Faced with a tough choice, Anna consulted with one of her mentors, a neurosurgeon, who counseled her that she would impact far more people's lives for the better by shaping legislation than she could in an entire career as a physician.  And so, she chose to begin her career as an advocate. 

As her profile rose, Anna was somewhat surprised that the elitists who run most of America's big media outright refused to let her share her right-leaning views on border security, the failings of the welfare system, and many other issues.  She was particularly shocked at their treatment of her as a mixed-race minority herself. 

That was Anna's "aha" moment.

Anna decided to run for Congress because she recognized that the media had to cover what was going on in Capitol Hill.  As someone who has lived experience with the problems that plague many of America's communities, especially low-income and minority ones, Anna is committed to showing people that there is another way and that big government is primarily the problem, not the solution. 

Anna believes the far-left wing that now controls Congress, along with its elitist media enablers, does not truly value Americans – impoverished minorities – for anything more than their votes. 

As a mixed-race female who fought her way out of poverty by joining the United States military, Anna developed her political beliefs due to her own lived experience.  
Anna knows the leftist power structures will stop at nothing to keep someone who looks like her and grew up as she did from being able to impact public policy if they have right-leaning beliefs.  And Anna knows that it is because she can directly contradict their false narratives about far-left ideologies like open borders, defund the police, government dependency, and overtaxing/overregulating being helpful to people trapped in communities like where she grew up.  
Nobody is hurt more by these types of radical policies than the tens of millions of poor and often minority Americans trapped in inner-city cycles of poverty and violence perpetuated by decades of failed big-government policies. 
Anna learned that the hard way – through her lived experience. 
Anna is running for Congress because she wants to enact reforms to create real solutions for these types of real-world problems. She will fight every day against the elitist political establishment that has for far too long left average Americans behind.

Anna's Plat Form 
​
Improve Services for Veterans
​Anna Paulina Luna experienced firsthand the pitfalls of our veteran care policies after enemy combatants shot her husband in Afghanistan. As a strong advocate for veterans, Anna will fight to ensure that they get the care, appreciation, and honor deserved. 
​ 
Fight Government Corruption
​Anna Paulina Luna wants to end the corruption that plagues our system. She will support any ban on Congress or its employees becoming lobbyists to cash out after leaving office. She will also work to enact term limits for elected officials.
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Protect Beaches & Coastlines
​Anna Paulina Luna is determined to ensure our community continues to capitalize on the robust tourism economy. She will fight to protect our beaches, coastlines, and preserve our natural environment, without raising taxes.
 ​
Fight for Fair Trade Deals
​Anna Paulina Luna will fight for fair trade deals that put American workers, goods, and the American economy first.
 
​Invest in Infrastructure & Technology
​Anna Paulina Luna will champion improvements to our current bridge and roadway systems through increased infrastructure and technology investment.
 ​
Lower Taxes & Cut Unnecessary Regulations
​Anna Paulina Luna will fight to lower taxes and cut senseless regulations to create more jobs and boost the economy.
​
Support Law-Enforcement & First Responders 
​Anna Paulina Luna knows we must keep our communities safe to strengthen our economy and improve our quality of life. She will fight for law enforcement and first responders to have the resources they need to protect us and ensure that true bad actors are held accountable.
​​
Strengthen Social Security & Medicare for Seniors
Anna Paulina Luna is committed to strengthening social security and Medicare for our seniors to ensure their viability over the long term.  Anna will focus on driving down the cost of health care, including prescription drugs, to bring the cost of Medicare under control.
​​
Medical Freedom
Anna believes people should decide for themselves what the best way to be protected from COVID is, and they should not be forced to get vaccinated.  Everyone should talk to their doctor and decide what is best for themselves and their families.
 




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Choosing the Right Doctor for Your Medical Care

6/30/2022

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​Choosing the right doctor is one of the most important decisions people can make for their health. If you are unsure who to turn to for your general care, experts point out that internal medicine specialists, or internists, specialize in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a broad spectrum of illnesses that affect adults through-out their lives, making them the right choice for many adults.
 Before selecting an internal medicine doctor, it’s helpful to learn a little bit more about their training and specialties. Trained to care for adults, many general internal medicine doctors, or general internists, practice in an office-based setting as primary care physicians for adults, following patients from their teens through their senior years for ongoing medical care. Other general internists spend the majority of their time caring for hospitalized patients in the role of a hospitalist.
 Due to the broad, intensive nature of core internal medicine training, which requires a three-year residency program after graduating from medical school, general internists aren’t limited to one type of medical problem or organ system, making them especially well-qualified to care for patients with complex conditions or multi-system diseases.
 “Comprehensive education and training make the internist particularly suited to care for the whole per-son,” says American College of Physicians (ACP) President Dr. Robert M. McLean. “Many patients appreciate the tailored prevention and treatment plans that internists can provide. From the internist’s perspective, we value long-term relationships with patients and working closely with them to pro-
vide compassionate, quality care.”
While training of general internists does not include pediatrics, obstetrics, or major surgery, patients requiring those services can turn to their general internist for recommendations and referrals.
 Internal medicine is a wide-ranging field, as many subspecialty areas of medicine require internal medicine training as a foundation, including allergists and immunologists, cardiologists, critical care doctors, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, geriatricians, hematologists, hepatologists, infectious disease doctors, nephrologists, oncologists, pulmonologists, rheumatologists, and sleep medicine physicians.
 Training to become an internal medicine subspecialist is both broad and deep, and includes a three-year residency program plus one to three years of fellowship training, depending on the subspecialty. General internists even receive some training in each internal medicine subspecialty during their three-year residency program.
 To learn more about internal medicine, visit acponline.org, the website of ACP, a membership organization rep-resenting internal medicine doctors, and the largest medical specialty organization in the U.S.
 “With such in-depth training in the complete care of adults, internal medicine specialists and subspecialists are excellent choices to help patients navigate the increasingly complex world of medical care,” says Dr. McLean, a rheumatologist. “Whether you are healthy or have a chronic illness such as diabetes, cancer or heart disease, an internist can provide comprehensive, coordinated care.”

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Father’s Day began in 1910

6/4/2022

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Father’s Day began in 1910, two years after the first official celebration of Mother’s Day in the U.S. The holiday began thanks to a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, who had been raised with her siblings by her widower father, Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart. Inspired by how her father rose to the challenge of parenting alone, Sonora Smart Dodd thought there should be a special day to recognize dads as well as moms, according to History.com.
She campaigned local government officials, churches and other local organizations, and in 1910, Washington state celebrated its first official Father’s Day on June 19, marking the first Father’s Day celebration in the country.
Over the next several decades, Smart Dodd continued her campaign to make Father’s Day a nationally recognized holiday. Multiple presidents, including Woodrow Wilson and Calvin Coolige, recognized the significance of the day, but it wasn’t until 1970 that Congress passed a joint resolution that would authorize the president to designate the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day.
“The President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation calling on the appropriate Government officials to  ​display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on such day, inviting the governments of the States and communities and the people of the United States to observe such day with appropriate ceremonies,” the resolution read, “and urging our people to offer public and private expressions of such day to the abiding love and gratitude which they bear for their fathers.”
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B.E. F.A.S.T.   To Reduce Stroke Impact

6/1/2022

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Seniors get up close and personal with pretzels

3/31/2022

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Vivian Hafer, 77, of Douglassville and Betty Weisser, 84, Exeter Township roll out the dough to make pretzels at Berks Encore in Birdsboro as part of an activity Monday celebrating National Pretzel Day.
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Mary Heffelfinger, 99, Birdsboro, politely declined to put her fingers in the gooey pretzel batter, but that didn't mean she wouldn't eat them after they were baked and served.
"Nooo, I never made them, but I eat them," said Heffelfinger at a National Pretzel Day celebration that attracted about 25 seniors on a rainy Monday morning at the senior citizens' center at Berks Encore in Birdsboro.
Besides making their own pretzels, seniors received six cases of pretzels for the event from Unique Pretzel Bakery, Muhlenberg Township. Some of the bags were to be distributed to Meals on Wheels clients. Seniors also planned to make a cream cheese dip.
"I've already done my share of cooking," said Heffelfinger, who will turn 100 on May 25.
"How do I like 'em (pretzels)?" she repeated. "With a good apple, that's how I'll eat pieces of pretzel."
Of course, good teeth and the ability to swallow are needed to do that, as Heffelfinger learned in a trivia questionnaire conducted by Carol Smith, center manager: "President George W. Bush once choked on a pretzel and momentarily lost consciousness."
That's darker pretzel lore.
Accentuating the positives of pretzels was the immediate task at hand.
Unlike Heffelfinger, Vivian Hafer, 77, Amity Township, and Betty Weisser, 84, Exeter Township, didn't hesitate mixing it up with pretzel batter.
"When you roll them, it just gets a little sticky, that's all," said Weisser, who grew up in Reading, once known as the proud pretzel capital of the nation.
Weisser recalled buying bags of broken pretzels for a nickel on Cotton Street during the Great Depression.
"I think they are really good for you unless you eat too much salt," she said.
"What do they call a pretzel without salt?" Smith asked.
All was quiet.
"You know, like an old man without hair," she said, giving seniors a hint.
Still no speedy answers.
"Baldies," she said loud enough to raise a round of laughter and maybe even a few hairs.
Smith went on to tell seniors that pretzels are a $550-million-a-year business and that 80 percent of all pretzels are made in Pennsylvania. The biggest pretzel ever made was 40 pounds and 5 feet across, she said.
"The average American eats between one-and-a-half to two pounds of pretzels per year, but around here we're supposed to eat 12 times that amount," Smith said.
That's quite a twist on pretzel consumption on National Pretzel Day.
It makes you wonder: How much did Berks County seniors eat when they recently observed Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day?

By Bruce R. Posten

Reading Eagle
Originally Published: 4/27/2010


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​813-693-5511
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Meet Amanda Makki

2/25/2022

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https://www.amandamakki.com/
Meet Amanda MakkiAmanda Makki is a GOP candidate for Congress in Florida's 13th District. An attorney and conservative national commentator, Amanda is a strong conservative with a proven record of fighting for the values and principles that made America the greatest country in the world!
​As an infant, Makki and her family escaped an oppressive religious regime in Iran after the Revolution in 1979, to come to America. With the little resources they could quickly scrape together, they escaped to come to the Land of Opportunity, where anyone with a dream and a good work ethic could become successful. While Makki’s father studied to become a surgeon, her mother was a childcare provider and delivered Yellow Pages to provide the family’s income. Makki witnessed her parents drive to succeed and commitment to the  American Dream, which motivated her to start working at the young age of 15. 
As a Farsi language speaker, Makki served at the Army General Counsel at the Pentagon just weeks after the September 11 terrorist acts. Makki went on to serve as senior Republican Healthcare Advisor in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, and before the age of 40, became one of the youngest partners at K&L Gates, one of the nation’s premier law firms.

Makki grew up in Montgomery County, Maryland and is a graduate of the University of Maryland, where she obtained her degrees in Finance and Business Management and the Catholic University of America where she obtained her law degree. Makki is also proficient in Spanish. 

Amanda is frequently brought on for her expertise as a Republican Attorney and Strategist on national networks such as Fox, Newsmax, CNBC International, BBC, Sky News and Fox Business. She has resided in St. Petersburg, Florida since 2015 and enjoys fishing, biking and golfing. She is active in her faith and worships at Starkey Road Baptist Church. 
​https://www.seniorvoiceamerica.org/featured
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Year After Pinellas Deputy Killed,Co-Workers Pay Tribute

2/17/2022

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Deputy Michael J. Magli was killed Feb. 17, 2021, while trying to stop a fleeing pickup truck driven by a man accused of driving drunk.
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D'Ann Lawrence White 
​TARPON SPRINGS, FL — A year after his death, Pinellas County sheriff's personnel are remembering Deputy Michael J. Magli, who was run down by a man accused of driving drunk while Magli was attempting to stop the driver from harming anyone as he speeded down East Lake Road as the rush hour was beginning.
On Feb. 17, 2021, Magli parking his cruiser across East Lake Road and was placing stop sticks in the road to blow out the tires of speeding car when the driver struck him with his pickup truck. Magli was pinned beneath his cruiser and died at the scene.
After hosting fishing and golf tournaments, along with other events in the year since Magli's death, the sheriff's office is continuing to raise money for Magli's wife and children through the Deputy Michael J. Magli Memorial Fund.
In December, the sheriff's office in collaboration with the nonprofit Saving A Hero's Place, dedicated an honor chair to Magli, symbolic of "saving his place" in the history of the sheriff's office.
The honor chair is located in the main lobby of the sheriff’s Largo administration building in front of the Wall of Honor. Saving A Hero’s Place crafts honor chairs for first responders who have died in the line of duty.
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​"Some will say that Michael was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I say nonsense," Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said. "Deputy Michael J. Magli was in the right place at the right time doing what cops do every day throughout this country: protecting others, even if it means grave personal danger to themselves."
The sheriff's office posted a tribute to the fallen deputy on its Facebook page Thursday.

See related stories:
  • Portion Of East Lake Road Renamed In Honor of Fallen Deputy
  • Pinellas Deputy Killed After Being Struck By Driver Under Pursuit
  • Hundreds Line Roads To Pay Their Respects; Funeral Set For Deputy
  • 'Rest In Peace Brave Heroes': Roads Designated To Fallen Heroes

"Deputy Magli and his family will always have a place in our hearts at the PCSO, and each year on this day, we will honor his sacrifice," Gualtieri said.
He added that Feb. 17 "will always be our darkest day."
"This is the first line-of-duty death in the sheriff’s office’s 109-year history," he said. "We never wanted this day to come, but we will continue to remember and honor Deputy Magli’s life. His name will be inscribed on our memorial in front of the sheriff’s administration building, but more importantly, his name will be inscribed in our hearts forever."
Gualtieri said Magli's death is a reminder of the sacrifices his deputies make every day.
"Their mission is to protect and serve the citizens of Pinellas County, and they put themselves in harm’s way to save lives," he said. "Their oath is not limited to working hours; they are committed to protecting the public 24/7 and have a duty to act when evil enters their path."
Magli had been with the sheriff's office since 2013, and Gualtieri said his example is a reminder that a deputy's responsibilities go beyond his official duties.
It "involves matters of the heart. He cared about people and went out of his way to show it, whether it was telling a fellow deputy a joke when they felt down, taking extra time on a domestic call to ensure the couple was OK, or simply giving a citizen a bright smile as he crossed their path," Gualtieri said.
Robert Allen Holzaepfel was charged with first-degree murder, DUI manslaughter, driving while his license was suspended, leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage and aggravated fleeing and eluding police officers following Magli's death.
At the time of the crash, Holzaepfel had a blood-alcohol level of .230 percent. Under Florida law, a driver can be declared legally drunk with a blood-alcohol level of .08 percent.
Gualtieri said Magli's wife, two daughters and parents will "never be the same over some drunk who's got 16 felony convictions and who's driving with a suspended license, who's fleeing from the cops, who's driving like a maniac."
Those interested in donating to the memorial fund can drop off contributions at any SunTrust bank location or can mail a check to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Fiscal Affairs Bureau made payable to the Memorial for Michael J. Magli, P.O. Drawer 2500, Largo, FL 33779-2500.
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SVA Radio 1/31/22

1/31/2022

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SENIOR VOICE AMERICA - TODAY !!! (MONDAY THE 31ST) 4PM
TAN TALK RADIO NETWORK
WTAN AM 1340 FM 106.1 Clearwater/St. Petersburg/Tampa
WDCF AM 1350 FM 102.3 Dade City
WZHR AM 1400 FM 104.3 Zephyrhills/Wesley Chapel

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Home health care company to lay off nearly 700 in Tampa Bay

1/26/2022

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Home health care company to lay off nearly 700 in Tampa BayBayada Home Health Care will close offices in Clearwater, Brandon, Port Richey and Brooksville.
By 
Jay Cridlin
Published Earlier todayA New Jersey home health care company will close four of its seven Tampa Bay offices this spring, eliminating nearly 700 local jobs.
Bayada Home Health Care, headquartered in Moorestown, N.J., with more than 350 offices, will shut down operations in Clearwater, Brandon, Port Richey and Brooksville, according to a notice filed with the state. The offices provide Medicaid care and support throughout Florida.
According to the letter, the closures will eliminate 306 jobs in Brooksville, 150 jobs in Brandon, 144 jobs in Port Richey and 79 jobs in Clearwater. Another three remote jobs in Tampa were also cut, bringing the total to 682. Ninety-six percent of those cuts were home health aides.

The letter, dated Jan. 19, did not offer a reason for the office closures, but said they would take place by April 1. In a statement, a company spokesperson blamed the “difficult decision” on “several external forces.”
“Our current Bayada clients and employees are our top priority during this transition,” the statement read. “We are working closely with our key referral partners to help ensure our clients have continued care. We’re also working closely with impacted employees as they seek new opportunities, including roles at other Bayada locations throughout the state.”
Founded in 1975, the privately held Bayada has 26,000 employees in 22 states and eight countries. After the closures, it will still have six offices in Florida, including in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sun City Center.
“We remain committed to our work in Florida and will continue to grow our presence here across our various lines of business to help our clients live at home with comfort, independence and dignity,” the company’s statement read.
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Reclaim your Health

1/10/2022

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Reclaim Your Health
Take charge of risk factors affecting your heart health


Cholesterol - a waxy substance created by the liver or consumed from meat, poultry and dairy products - isn't inherently "bad" for you. In fact, your body needs it to build cells and make vitamins and other hormones. However, too much "bad" LDL cholesterol, or not enough "good" HDL cholesterol, can pose problems.

High cholesterol is one of the major controllable risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Because it typically has no symptoms, you may not know you have high cholesterol until it's already causing problems.

Knowing key health numbers like your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol, and working closely with your doctor to manage them, are keys to preventing heart disease and stroke.

Those who have already experienced a heart attack or stroke or have family history of cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammatory disease or kidney disease may need to have their cholesterol and other risk factors checked more often and may need medication to manage their conditions to prevent another event. According to the American Heart Association, as many as 1 in 4 survivors will have another heart attack or stroke.
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​Along with taking your medication as prescribed, some lifestyle habits can help manage your risk and help you live a longer, healthier life like watching what you eat, getting more exercise and managing stress.

Make Healthy Menu Choices

A healthy eating plan is a well-rounded diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables (at least 4-5 servings each day). In fact, researchers at the University of Columbia found each daily serving of fruits or vegetables was associated with a 4% lower risk of coronary heart disease and a 5% lower risk of stroke.

Other smart choices for your menu include nuts and seeds, whole grains, lean proteins and fish. Limit sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and fatty or processed meats.

Get Moving

You likely know exercise is good for you, but an Oxford University study revealed simply swapping 30 minutes of sitting with low-intensity physical activity can reduce your risk of death by 17%. Mortality aside, in its Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services noted physical activity offers numerous benefits to improve health, including a lower risk of diseases, stronger bones and muscles, improved mental health and cognitive function and lower risk of depression.

The greatest impacts come from getting the recommended amount of activity: at least 150 minutes of moderate activity, 75 minutes of vigorous activity or a combination of those activities per week. Be sure to discuss with your doctor which activities may be best for you.
If you're having trouble getting motivated, small steps like walking your dog can lead to big changes over time. A scientific statement from the American Heart Association on pets and heart-health showed dog parents are more likely to reach their fitness goals than those without canine companions.

Reduce Stress

Constant or chronic stress can have real consequences on both emotional and physical health. In fact, research shows chronic stressors like long work hours, financial stress and work-life conflict may be as risky for health as secondhand smoke, according to a report by the Behavior Science and Policy Association.

Aside from the direct toll on your body - including elevated risk for heart disease and stroke from high blood pressure, depression or anxiety - stress can lead to unhealthy habits like overeating, physical inactivity and smoking.

Exercise is an effective way to keep your body healthy and release stress. You might also consider incorporating meditation and mindfulness practices into your day to allow yourself a few minutes to distance yourself from daily stress.

Research compiled by the American Heart Association suggests meditation can reduce blood pressure, improve sleep, support the immune system and increase your ability to process information.

Another powerful tool to fight depression, anxiety and poor sleep, according to researchers at the University of California-San Diego, is practicing gratitude or thankfulness. Start by simply writing down three things you're grateful for each day.

Learn more about managing your cholesterol and habits to protect your heart health at heart.org/cholesterol.

How a Major Health Event Can Reveal Unknown Risks

Before his stroke, Lee Stroy, a father of five, considered himself to be a healthy person.

"My gauge of being 'healthy' was my ability to wake up in the morning, get to work, take care of my family and live another day to do it again," Stroy said. "That is, until I couldn't."

In December 2014, Stroy woke up disoriented and scared after suffering a stroke at just 38 years old. He quickly discovered he had undiagnosed hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol.

"It surprised me to learn there are often no visible symptoms for high cholesterol until a heart or stroke event," Stroy said. "Unfortunately, I was not diligent about my annual check-ups, so my health setbacks provided me with a huge wake-up call."

Stroy decided to take control of his health and this marked the beginning of a major lifestyle transformation.

The first change was quitting smoking. Next, he began incorporating exercise into his daily routine, initially with simple exercises from occupational therapy. Eventually he worked up to walking several miles a day. Stroy also gradually made changes to his diet and went from being a meat eater to vegan. He also attends regular doctor's visits to keep tabs on his progress.

"While it was no easy feat to make such drastic lifestyle changes, they are now second nature," Stroy said. "Don't put off or be afraid to go to the doctor. You could catch something early and be able to make changes that save your life."

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The Franciscan Center

1/7/2022

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The Franciscan Center presents “Aging Gracefully”, a six series Zoom program beginning January 13th.  Sign up for one or all of the series at www.franciscancentertampa.org. Each program is $15. ​
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​Aging Is Not for Sissies
Thursday, January 13 from 2-4 p.m
 
Maureen Connors, Ph.D.
Bette Davis said it best! As we age, we realize more and more that aging requires a renewed grace and courage. Certainly, these past two years have required us to be anything but “sissies”.
How do you stop yourself from being a “sissy” when you are in pain, lonely, or experiencing some other dark emotion? What helps you be brave? 

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Aging as a Natural Monastery:
​Are You Becoming a Mystic?

Thursday, January 20 from 2-4 p.m.

Maureen Connors, Ph.D.
Reverend Bill Cooley, DMin., MSW
 
For centuries some Christians and non-Christians alike have been called to enter monasteries and convents to seek the spiritual state of being one with God.  What if we thought of this time of aging as a natural monastery? Can we use this time to allow God/Our Higher Power/The Divine Energy to prepare us for the gift of deeper, more intimate relationship with Love? Come explore your call to a more monastic life. 
 
Mystics have often been portrayed as less than ordinary people.  This session will debunk that myth.  As we age consciously, we can develop a rich mystical life embodying wisdom. Some of the “symptoms” of aging like forgetting names, dates, etc. as well as less interest in doing may be making space for a larger mystical awareness and more being. 
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Laughter Is Still the Best Medicine
Thursday, January 27, 2022, from 2-4 p.m 
 
Maureen Connors, Ph.D.
The comedian Milton Berle is quoted as say: “laughter is the best medicine in the world.” The actual quote is centuries older than that!  It is from Proverbs 17:22 in the Old Testament.
Anne Lamott calls laughter “carbonated holiness”.
Erma Bombeck describes it very accurately: “There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.
  • What and who makes you laugh? Even in difficult times?
  • When do you laugh the most?
  • When you are under pressure, by yourself, or with others?
  • With whom do you laugh the most?
We will also try laughter yoga as a novel approach to laughter.
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Moving from Ageing to Sageing: Befriending Our Aging
Thursday, February 3, 2022, from 2-4 p.m.
 Maureen Connors, Ph.D
 In their book, From Ageing to Sageing: A Profound New Vision for Growing Older, Rabbi Zelman Schachter-Shalomi and Ronald S. Miller describe elders as persons who are: “still growing, still a learner, still with potential, and whose life continues to have within it, promise for and connection to the future”.  Aging needs to become our friend if we are to really enjoy and thrive because of this amazing gift of time we have been given. How can we be sure we are continuing to find and exhibit the wisdom of our lives? How do we harvest our lives to glean the wisdom we’ve gained?

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Valentine’s Day is More
​than Roses and Verses
Thursday, February 10, 2022, from 2-4 p.m
 
Maureen Connors, Ph.D
   “Valentine’s Day is about much more than roses and sentimental verses (although these are lovely things). This day is an occasion to rejoice in the ways we both give and receive love. J. Philip Newell writes: “…that I may awaken to the morning enlivened by love.’” What has and is enlivening your love?  Are there ways you nourish that love in your life?

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How Do We Truly Age Gracefully?
Thursday, February 17, 2022, from 2-4 p.m.
 
Maureen Connors, Ph.D.
Reverend Bill Cooley, DMin., MSW
  
Diane Koopman said it best: “Aging is inevitable, but to grow old gracefully is a choice.” Together we will explore behaviors and spiritual practices that enable us to agree with Frank Lloyd Wright, “The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes.” Or with C.S. Lewis “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”  What is helping you age with grace and courage?  What are your dreams now?
  
Maureen Connors, Ph.D. serves as a spiritual companion, retreat leader and meeting facilitator.  She is striving always to age gracefully and glean the wisdom she has gained in over eighty years. Before being widowed 2 years ago, she was married to Maury Flood for 42 years.  She has 25 nieces and nephews and more grand nieces and nephews than she can count!
 
Reverend Bill Cooley, DMin, MSW, an honorably retired Presbyterian pastor, is living into his last third of life.  A spiritual companion in his retirement community in south St. Petersburg and in Tampa Bay, he also leads retreats on deepening spirituality for pastors and older adults.

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The Taste Of Fall—You Can Share With Your Dog

1/6/2022

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While your dog enjoys the irresistible flavor and aroma of pumpkin flavored treats,
​you can make delicious pumpkin cookies for yourself.

(NAPSI)—Now is the time for all things pumpkin: From pumpkin spice lattes and candles to pumpkin patches and carving, there’s something pumpkin for everyone—including your four-legged friends. Now you can share your love of pumpkin with your pooch. Just like us, dogs go crazy over the taste of pumpkin,” says Ronna Krahl, Vice President of Marketing—Companion Pet, Manna Pro Products, maker of Fruitables pet treats. “But what many people don’t realize is that there are also a number of health benefits that come along with the tasty treat.” 
The Power of Pumpkin
Pumpkin isn’t just a delicious treat. When fresh, it can be an excellent food for supporting digestive health and weight loss. Pumpkins are 90 percent water, which makes them naturally low-calorie. They’re also rich in soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps promote satiety. The high fiber content coupled with the low calorie content makes pumpkin a terrific food to help your dog cut calories while feeling full. 
Why is this so important? Well, according to the Association of Pet Obesity Prevention, 56% of dogs are overweight or obese. Since obesity leads to a decreased quality of life for pets, finding something as effective at supporting weight-loss as pumpkin can have exciting implications. 
To that end, Fruitables has canned pumpkin digestive and weight-loss supplements that can help support your pet’s digestive issues or weight-loss journey. The supplements feature fresh pumpkin and vitamins in an easy-to-feed format. Introducing your pets to the power of pumpkin can help them live their best lives. 
Share the Love of Pumpkin 
With the many benefits associated with feeding pumpkin, you can feel good about giving it to your dog. In fact, pumpkin is so beneficial for dogs that it’s the first ingredient in 18 Fruitables pet products, including canned pumpkin supplements and a variety of dog treats. 
“Our unique flavor combinations aren’t just delicious for your dog, but for you and your family too,” adds Krahl. “You can experience the same bold flavors with the Pumpkin Spice Lofthouse-Style Cookies with Yogurt Frosting recipe inspired by the classic Fruitables Greek Vanilla ­Yogurt baked treats.”
Pumpkin Spice Lofthouse-Style Cookies with Yogurt Frosting
Recipe by Stacie Billis
Makes 2 dozen cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch 
1¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon sour cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 cup (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
⅓ cup plain Greek-style yogurt, room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
Scant 1½ cups confectioners sugar, plus more to taste as desired
 
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Add butter and sugar to bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and mix for another minute. Add pumpkin, sour cream, vanilla and almond extracts. Mix until well combined. 
 
Detach the bowl from the mixer. Using a silicone spatula, fold the dough once or twice so all ingredients are well combined and no flour streaks remain. Refrigerate dough for one hour up to overnight. 
 
Prepare the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine butter, yogurt, milk, and confectioners sugar. Beat until creamy and soft. Refrigerate. 
 
Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheet with parchment. Set it next to work area dusted with flour. Remove chilled cookie dough from refrigerator. With a medium (1½ tablespoon) scoop, divide dough into 24 even portions, rolling each in flour to keep it from sticking. Dust off excess flour. Place as many cookie dough balls on cookie sheet, about 2½ inches apart. 
 
Flour the bottom of a glass and press each ball flat, to about ¾” thickness. Bake for 12 minutes. Let cookies rest on cookie sheet 2 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining cookie dough balls. Remove frosting from refrigerator about 10-15 minutes before using. 
 
Once cookies have cooled completely, frost each and cover with sprinkles. Serve immediately or store, with wax paper between each cookie, in an airtight container at
​room temperature for up to 3 days. 

For more facts, tips and recipes, visit www.fruitablespet.com/blog and @fruitablespettreats.
 
 "“Dogs go crazy over the taste of pumpkin,” says Ronna Krahl, Manna Pro Products, maker of Fruitables pet treats. “But what many people don’t realize is that there are also a number of health benefits that come along with the tasty treat.”https://bit.ly/3ofH9Up"
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Teaching for Health Series, Vol.2, No. 20 PRE-DIABETES AND DIABETES EDUCATION-THE EPIDEMIC

1/5/2022

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By Mary Gynn - Diabetes Educator ​
Let me start with the reminder that Diabetes affects 25.8 million people. Those diagnosed are 18.8 million people and undiagnosed total 7.0 mil-lion people. Unfortunately, both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are affecting the younger generation, as well, the numbers being a staggering 215,000. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlantic, GA. www,cdc.com). Prediabetes and diabetes are now officially listed as an epidemic in the US. And, the numbers are growing.
An epidemic? This is 2018. Ironically, diabetes was first described in an Egyptian manuscript from 1500 BC and the first cases were described by Indian physicians in 400-500 AD identified as Type 1 and Type 2. Then in 1776, a Dr. Matthew Dobson con-firmed an excess of a kind of sugar in the urine. (Dobson,M. 1776, Medical Observations and Inquiries 5:298-3Is it the 10). And in 1889, it was found that dogs whose pancreas was removed developed all the signs and symptoms of diabetes.
So, considering these very early discoveries, why are we dealing today with Diabetes now an epidemic? Shouldn't the disease have been either controlled or eliminated all these years later?
Does "It", the epidemic, have some-thing to do with the following questions? I ask:
• Is it lack of community health and diabetes education?
• Is it the abundance available and consumption of processed foods?
• Is it lack of Americans knowing the existence of a gene somewhere in their ancestry that they may have inherited predisposing them to diabetes? Do most Americans have any idea of what a genetic inheritance (aka genome sequence) is? And all the variety of genes we all have predisposing us to health issues?
• Is it because the majority of Americans are addicted to sugar and sugar is present in practically all our food? And, why is sugar in all of our food?
• Is it the growing numbers of people who don't want to adapt a healthy life-style either early on or when diagnosed with a blood test they have prediabetes?
• Is it because people aren't aware of their predisposition to the disease and have no knowledge of the metabolic syndrome?
• Is it because Americans who if they do have some pre-diabetes symptoms just want a quick-fix pill to avoid facing reality and say nothing to or deny any symptoms to their physician?
• Is it due to the insidious development of overweight and/or the obesity epidemic?
• Is it in anyway connected to the in-activity or a "sitting" population in to-day's America?
• Is it connected to stress in our lives in today's stressful world that we do nothing about?
• Is it the multitude of pills or insulin pre-diabetics and diabetics ingest and inject and think they are the "cure"?
• Is it the lack of diabetics not knowing how to self-manage their own dis-ease resulting in permanent sugar control?
• Is it pre-diabetics and diabetics have no desire to self-manage or fearful of taking control of their disease?
In my years of being a registered nurse and diabetes educator, I could go on and on identifying the multitude of questions. They help me arrange my diabetes self-management education programs and discuss your answers to the above questions. Your answers assist my effort to understanding why we now have a diabetes epidemic.
Mary Gynn, RN, MSN/MS, MPH, CDE


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When I Die, I Wanna Bounce My Last Check!

1/4/2022

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​​When I Die, I Wanna Bounce
​My Last Check!


Many of my readers and clients share with me the fact that: They either have no family, never hear from family, or, that their kids are financially better off than they are.
While they may have a few charities which they could name as ultimate beneficiaries, most are more concerned about not running out of funds before they run outta breath.
Annuities can offer the perfect solution to solving many financial conundrums, especially where an individual, quite frankly, doesn't care if they "bounce their last check!"
Of course they are more fiscally responsible than that, but they may not feel compelled to leave one penny to anyone.
A Lifetime Annuity can work very nicely. It provides income which you can never outlive, even if you have the genes of Moses. In short, your income doesn't stop until you stop, but provides dependable cash-flow for as long as you need it.


Can you make the cash-flow increase over time?
Some of my clients can't seem to spend all of their monthly annuity payments, so they save up to "plant another tree." By adding another Lifetime Money Tree periodically, it may help to assure the receiver of the payments a defense against the inflationary effects on healthcare costs; especially in our latter years when one may want to stay in their own home, or may be required to seek resident care in a long-term care facility. These costs can run $7,000 to $15,000 per month!
Anecdotally speaking, this plan works beautifully. Just ask my 95-year-old client in Bradenton getting over $11,000 per month; or, my husband and wife couple in Clearwater getting over $8,000 per month; or, others who have been wise enough to start assembling such annuities in their 60's.
While it is said "One can never be too skinny-or too rich," the pragmatist is most thankful that he cannot outlive his income.
Cheers to your good health.


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HEARING LOSS PUTS STRAIN ON FAMILIES

12/30/2021

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By Ginger Orr and Bonnie Miller Rubin and Tribune Staff Writers
December 26, 1998For Patricia Miemczewski, Christmas Day at her sister's house in Streamwood was all she expected: The family gathered together around a table heaped with delicious food--and they repeated every word very loudly to her 64-year-old father.
"I'll yell, `Dad, do you want turkey?' over and over," said the 41-year-old woman, who has grown increasingly frustrated with her father's refusal to wear a hearing aid.
While the holidays can bring untold joy for families brought together after months of separation, it also can be a rude awakening to adult children who must grapple with the fact that their parents are getting older and that sensory or physical capabilities may have deteriorated. Hearing loss is among the most obvious manifestations.
And for the Boomer generation, seeing such changes in their aging parents isn't always pleasant.
"When families get together--especially after long periods of time--that is when the discoveries are made," said Dr. Cheryl Woodson, director of the Ingalls Geriatric Consultation Center in Calumet City.
For Miemczewski, it means confronting her father's hearing loss, which has grown progressively worse over the last two years.
"He's an intelligent man, but he's stubborn," she said. "He refuses to go to a doctor. He says, `I can hear just fine.' "
But he can't.
So he spent Christmas afternoon in front of a blaring TV or sitting in the corner of the room, not saying anything at all, according to his daughter. He no longer talks football because he can't discern his son-in-law's low, monotone voice.
Why are so many people in denial over hearing loss? Half of those 65 and older have some diminished capabilities; of those, only 20 percent actually seek help. The resistance remains, say experts, despite technological advances in the last few years that have made those big, boxy hearing devices all but obsolete.
More perplexing, how can anyone think an acoustic aid is symptomatic of aging, but screaming or cupping a hand behind the ear with an "Eh?" is not?
While the first signs of hearing loss occur around age 42, it remains a stereotype associated with the elderly. That's the chief reason that people balk, typically waiting 10 to 15 years before taking action, experts say.
"To many, it's the first tangible sign of losing their independence," Woodson said. "There's a stigma . . . having this piece of plastic in their ear screams `I'm old!' "
Ronna Fisher, a Chicago clinical audiologist, knows firsthand the toll hearing impairment can take on relationships. "My father was a social, active man, but when he started losing his hearing, he stopped going to the theater, parties . . . and even withdrew from his family," she said.
She has seen the same scenario bring countless patients in for help.
"There's the whole battle . . . the TV is blasting, the yelling, the accusations that others are mumbling," Fisher said. "One patient is so angry, he just pushes himself away from the table. . . . It's his way of physically separating himself from the rest of the family."
The situation is a challenge for a spouse, as well.
"You can only repeat yourself so many times before you eventually say, `Forget it,' " said Fisher, who has practiced for 20 years. "There's a loss of intimacy and spontaneity. You can't whisper. . . . You stop going to movies and social gatherings because it's not enjoyable for the person who can't hear and it's not enjoyable for the person who has to act like the interpreter."
And bruised feelings and misunderstandings can be ascribed to a breakdown in communications.
One woman was at Thanksgiving dinner when a friend mentioned that her father had recently died. The woman smiled, nodded and replied, "That's great." The friend looked at her in horror and left the table, Fisher said.
While price can also be a deterrent--state-of-the-art hearing aids, no larger than a fingernail, can range from $2,500 to $3,500 per ear--the biggest obstacle is still appearance, regardless of age.
"I thought it was only for old people, and I didn't consider myself old," said Ebba Ackmann, 93, of Elgin.
The irony is that in refusing to wear a hearing aid, others may chalk up confused or withdrawn behavior to senility. Experts say there's also a use-it-or-lose-it consequence: Recent studies have shown that sound deprivation can result in further hearing loss, making early detection all the more crucial.
Younger people are getting the message, turning hearing aids into a fashion statement in much the same way they did with eyeglasses. Brightly hued, oversize devices are popular with consumers in their 40s and 50s, who are suffering the consequences of a noisier world and a steady diet of rock music.
"Every concert you ever attended aged your ears 2 1/2 years," Fisher said.
Experts hope that a younger market will eventually help erase the stigma, but concede that day is still a long way off.
After years of catching a word here or there and becoming a master lip reader, Ackmann's son and daughter finally convinced Ackmann to get an aid.
"They said they were tired of repeating everything," Ackmann said. "I had a fit. I didn't want to go. I thought I could hear good enough."
Today, however, she won't leave home without the aid, which fits discreetly in her left ear.
Many seniors resist until they hear friends rave about their rediscovered hearing, Woodson said.
"Peer pressure works even at 70. It's not just a teenage thing," Woodson said. "They're much more likely to listen to someone their age rather than their upstart kids that they raised."
One Lansing woman, whose father has a hearing device but rarely wears it, tries to find the humor in the situation. After Christmas dinner, she packed up some leftovers for her Dad and told him it was for a snack.
"He was horrified," said the woman, who wished to remain anonymous. "He thought I was giving him a snake."
​
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Bascom’s Meat Loaf

11/28/2021

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Bascom’s Meat Loaf
 1 pound ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup panko bread crumb
½ cup milk
1 egg beaten
2 tbs ketchup
1 tbs worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry parsley
¾ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
 
Ketchup glaze
 
¼ cup ketchup
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs red wine vinegar
 
Gently incorporate all ingredients
Press into small bread loaf pan
Spread the ketchup glaze on top and bake for 60 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Allow time for the loaf to set after baking.
Serve with your favorite sides and sauce.  Enjoy!
Chef Tony Bonanno
SERVE AND ENJOY !!!
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Child Care Proposal’s Hidden Consequences

11/26/2021

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​COMMENTARY
Rich LOWRY
King Features

             President Joe Biden wants to bring the same discerning, common-sensical governing style to American child care that has his job approval rating in the low 40s.
In other words, look out below. The child care proposal that House Democrats have written into Biden’s Build Back Better “human infrastructure” bill may be the worst feature of the nearly $2-trillion legislation, and that’s saying something.
It is high-handed and prescriptive, constitutes a new front in the culture war via an expanding welfare state, will likely increase the costs for middle-class and upper-middle-class parents, and may have an unconstitutional provision to boot.
The proposal reflects the preferences of two-earner, professional couples in the Acela corridor inclined toward expensive, formal, all-day child care, and would make a large step toward enshrining them as the national norm. 
There is no doubt that there is a significant demand for child care. Roughly half of married and single moms with children under 5 work full-time, and about 40% of working moms pay for child care. But it’s a mistake to believe that all parents want to be in the work force, with their kids in standardized
 child care programs.
According to a 2019 Gallup poll, 50% of mothers of children under age 18 would prefer to stay at home taking care of family over having a job. A survey from the populist think tank American Compass found that 53% of married mothers prefer the model of one parent working and one parent staying at home in families with children under age 5.
Those parents who have to work or choose to work use all sorts of child care options, from relatives to smaller home-based day cares, to non-profit or for-profit day care centers.
There is a pronounced class divide here. As Patrick Brown of the Ethics and Public Policy Center points out, white children of parents who don’t have a college degree spend most of their hours per week with their parents; only 30% of children with college-educated parents do the same.
What the Democratic proposal would do is put an enormous thumb on the scale toward for-profit centers. It would pour hundreds of billions of dollars, not into supporting the varying choices of parents, but into pushing the current archipelago of diverse options into a one-size-fits-all system defined by the government.
The proposal would boost the pay of child care workers significantly, seeking to make it equivalent to elementary school teachers, and add new regulations best sustained by for-profit centers. It would thus bring the progressive model of constricted supply leading to increased cost that characterizes the housing, education and health care sectors to child care.
The left-wing policy analyst Matt Bruenig caused a stir when he warned of spiraling costs from higher pay and new regulations. He noted that the proposal’s subsidies to families are phased-in based on income. This means that, depending on the proposal’s final design, unsubsidized families could be exposed to increased costs without getting additional government help. He cited the hypothetical of a dual-earning family that feels the squeeze of increased costs, so one spouse quits to lessen the household’s income and qualify for subsidies.
“Normally people who quit jobs to take care of their kids do so in order to save the money they’d have to spend on child care,” he wrote. “Under this plan, they have to quit their job in order to afford child care!”
On top of this, the House proposal prohibits government funds to upgrade child care facilities from being spent on facilities “used primarily for sectarian instruction or religious worship.” This is a clear shot across the bow of church-based child care, one unlikely to pass muster with the Supreme Court.
Biden’s presidency so far has been a long exercise in ideologically driven governance removed from reality. The child care proposal is no different.
Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.
​
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A Stray Sheep Drives Home Christmas Truths

11/25/2021

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by Jean Mlincek

Ah, Christmas!  What memorable stories it has inspired, from Charles Dickens’ reformation of grouchy Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” to Dr. Seuss’ zany and wild-eyed Grinch who tried to steal the joy of this celebrated holiday from the inhabitants of Whoville.
 Although these stories have entertained us for decades, the biblical account of Jesus’ birth remains the greatest story ever told. Every December, local churches recruit wannabe wise men and shepherds and search their youth groups for a demure yet beautiful Mary and, of course, someone always seems to lend the stiffest baby doll on the planet to debut as the infant Jesus.  Several years ago, my church added “live” sheep - little tots dressed in wooly costumes - to its amateur cast. The main thing I remember about the re-enactment of Jesus’ birth at the time of that addition was the one little sheep who went astray.
At first, four-year-old Cindy  followed the script like a sweet little lamb should, tailing a deacon-turned-shepherd down the church aisle to the manger scene, where Mary and Joseph stood like cardboard cut-outs, never moving or blinking once during the entire 12-song cantata. I am sure the real Mary looked adoringly upon her God-in-the-flesh Son, but I understood why our Mary may have found it difficult to muster even a faint smile for what seemed to be a two-by-four wrapped in swaddling clothes.  
 Baby lamb Cindy was adorable in her faux fleece and like most little kids, she knew she was a hit in her oversized wooly costume with floppy ears. Although Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus were in the spotlight, the three lambs that “grazed” to their left were equally captivating. At mid-point, however, baby lamb Cindy had obviously had enough of being sidelined, and wandered from the flock, down the stage stairs, and stood center aisle, scrutinizing the spectacle before her as if she were the director. Then she turned and began weaving in and out of the pews. The congregation couldn’t help but be amused by this errant lambkin and found it difficult to focus on the Holy Family with such an animated and adorable sheep on the loose.
 After sitting briefly with her grand-mother, Cindy was on the move again.   At first, it looked as if the little lamb was going to re-join her flock, but, no, she headed straight for the stoic Mary and her cuddled infant. While the reserved cast looked on speechless and immobile, little sheep Cindy got right in Jesus’ face . . . and pressed her nose against his!   
 At first, this intimate gesture seemed comical, if not profane, but in that unscripted moment, an epiphany of Christmas truths became evident.  This was God and humanity connecting.  This was joy unspeakable.  This was the revelation of child-like faith in full measure.  This was a pre-dawn meeting of Shepherd and sheep.   This was spontaneous worship versus liturgy.  Even the stoic Mary broke into a Mona Lisa half smile.  There was a new energy in the cast, the choir, the audience.
 It was, and remains to this day, the best Christmas play I have ever witnessed - all thanks to Cindy, the adorable, unpredictable, stray sheep.
Jean Mlincek is a freelance writer who resides in St. Petersburg, Fla.



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Snowball Cookies

11/19/2021

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Snowball Cookies soft and tender,
​buttery and super moist 
 

– INGREDIENTS :
1 cup pecans, chopped.
2 cups all-purpose flour.
2 tsp pure vanilla extract .
  1/2 cup powdered sugar.   
1 cup softened butter.   
A pinch of salt.

– INSTRUCTIONS :
- Blend softened butter with powdered sugar using an electric hand- mixer.
-  Add vanilla extract , then add dry ingredients : flour, salt, and chopped pecans.
- Form dough into small balls and place on prepared cookie sheet. 
Bake for 20 minutes in 350 degrees F .   

Remove the cookies from oven and top with ​powdered sugar

SERVE AND ENJOY !!!
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