Sigh! Another Phone Scam to Avoid

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Whether we still have a landline or have switched to cell phone only, this scammer can get to you.  A headache can flare up when we just  just think of all the dangers out there, but this ploy is one you can easily avoid.

Newest Phone Scam: 90# on your telephone

 I dialed '0' to check this out, and the operator confirmed that this was correct, so please pass it on.. (l also checked out snopes.com and truthorfiction.com

This is true, and also applies to cell phones!

PASS ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW

I received a telephone call last evening from an individual
identifying himself as an ATT Service Technician (could also be Telus) who was conducting a test on the telephone lines. He stated that to complete the test, I should touch nine (9), zero (0), the pound sign (#), and then hang up. Luckily, I was suspicious and refused.

Upon contacting the telephone company, I was informed
that by pushing 90#, you give the requesting individual full access to your telephone line, which enables them to place long distance calls billed to your home phone number. I was further informed that this scam has been originating from many local jails/prisons. DO NOT press 90# for ANYONE...

The GTE Security Department requested that
I share this information with EVERYONE I KNOW.

After checking with Verizon they also said it was true,

so do not dial 90# for anyone !!!!!(Thanks to Barb R. for sending this.)

Is A Movie in Your Plans? Here Are Some to Consider

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When it's too rainy to go outside and a movie is in order, consider these.

There's a reason that Judi Dench is nominated for Best Actress awards so often.  Her films are outstanding.  Philomena "is  moving, emotional, well acted...." a film that "many of us could identify with for the time period and growing up Catholic."(Cheryl A. ) 

Since when do animated films appeal to the more mature viewer?  Almost all of them do so anymore.  Frozen is a good example.  While children love the princesses and the magic, adults enjoy the gorgeous animation, the beautiful music, and the beautiful reworking of Hans Christian Anderson's Snow Queen.  Another is Mr. Peabody and Sherman.  Our children and grandchildren are glued to the screen as Sherman gets into trouble by disobeying Mr. Peabody and is rescued by his father again and again.  Adults see Sherman's travels through time to interesting places and people we've all met in history and literature. Entertaining for everyone.

The Grand Budapest Hotel was also among the Academy Award nominations.  The critics gave it high praise, but some who have seen it describe the film as "odd and quirky." (Jo)  If you're into 'odd and quirky,' this might be a movie for you.  It isn't, however, at all like Judi Dench's "The Best, Exotic Marigold Hotel" (a personal favorite).

Monuments Men is worth seeing.  A small group of men have been tasked with saving the hundreds of art works plundered by the Nazis.  They are all specialists in various areas of art.  Their experiences, pain, dangers ,and successes remind us of the  many acts of courage by those original monuments men, ill-equipped to move through battlefields during the ending days of WWII.

Are action films to your liking?  Tension abounds in Non-stop.  It is a gripping, action film that "will have you on the edge of your seat the whole time" (John R). 

You Are Your Own Best Advocate

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We all have a tendency to put total trust in our doctors. And in most cases, that trust is justified.  So,  when a doctor says, "You have this..." and "You need to take this medication,"  we comply-many times without questioning.

My Personal Opinion Only:  If the diagnosis is one that seems odd/out of the blue/never occurring in your medical history or that of your close relatives, you might consider doing the following:

1.  Be your own advocate-  research/research/research! Many of our highly recognized medical centers have websites full of information on all of the conditions that their medical professionals treat.

2.  Go to a 2nd opinion doctor immediately, preferably a specialist in the area of your 1st doctor's diagnosis.

3.  Thoroughly research the side effects of the meds prescribed and check closely with your pharmacist to determine any interactions with other meds that you take. Do you have other conditions like diabetes, kidney disease, liver problems, cardiovascular disease,  etc.?  Make sure the prescribed med doesn't have the danger of escalating one of your existing conditions.  Although the prescribing doctor should do this, don't take this for granted.  Be your own advocate.

4.  Consider waiting on the meds until the 2nd opinion corroborates the 1st;  One way to hurry up the 2nd consult is to say that you don't want to initiate the medicine until you're sure of the diagnosis and until both doctors  and your pharmacist have crosschecked to make sure the new meds won't exacerbate an existing condition.

5.  Make sure someone close to you knows where you want to go when an emergency room is called for.  Make sure that person knows which doctors you have used in the past and with whom you have been satisfied so that those professionals are brought in to contribute to any diagnosis. If that person is your spouse or partner, consider naming him or her your Health Proxy.

6.  Ask for and obtain all records of tests,  procedures. Ask that the records be sent to you so that you can keep your records long-term.

7.  And above all, remember that you are an intelligent person who has the right to question everything so that the final treatment and medications that you take have the best chance of helping you back to health.

The points above are my opinion only and are offered as suggestions based on personal experience.

 Every medical issue is unique to each person, and diagnoses can be right on point.  But it pays to question, to do your own research, to bring in a qualified 2nd opinion doctor, and to crosscheck side effects and interactions.  Doing so may enhance your ability to deal with whatever health issue comes your way.

Great Ways to Lighten Up

What can we do to achieve that happy mindset while the weather isn't cooperating? Even though the pharmacy recording is telling us to order meds for the impending allergy season, we're still shivering   Here are 4 suggestions.

1.)  Research published in BMC Psychiatry has linked low levels of vitamin B12 with "loss of appetite and sleep, and low mood."  The researchers state that B12 each day will help to keep us smiling.   Making sure we have enough B12 is as easy as eating yogurt(8 oz.) and a slice of Swiss cheese each day  (SELF, Feb., 2014, 24)
.

2.)  Since we've finally had a thaw with pouring rain  instead of the usual snow, maybe we can lighten up enough to appreciate the beauty that the icy blasts bring. 

Mary Kay shows us some of the beauty of winter. 

 





                                                                         








3.)  But if these two suggestions aren't enough to move you to that cheerful state, consider looking at Cheryl's and Joan H's pictures. Then close your eyes and imagine wiggling your toes in the warm sand of milder climes.

4.) AND, if all else fails, look below.  These will definitely move you to that happy state!



Photographer Unknown, forwarded to us by Mary F.

Know the two photographers of these 2 pics?  Please tell

 us so that we

can give credit.  Special thanks to Mary Kay, Cheryl,

Joan H, Mary F. and Bob A for contributing

to this post.

 




Photographer Unknown-forwarded by Bob A.



We Can't Possibly Have As Many Problems As Maxine

John Wagner, creator of "Maxine" says "Cartoonists are sensitive to the insanities of the world;  we just try to humanize them." (taken from "The Writer Today" about an aspiring author's journey into the writing world.)

The end of Maxine

As we progress into 2014, I want to thank you for
your educational e-mails over the past year. I am
totally screwed up now and have little chance of recovery.
I can no longer open a bathroom door without using
a paper towel, nor let the waitress put lemon slices in
my ice water without worrying about the bacteria on
the lemon peel.
I can't sit down on a hotel bedspread because I can
only imagine what has happened on it since it was last washed.
I have trouble shaking hands with someone who has been
driving because the number one pastime while driving alone
is picking one's nose.
Eating a little snack sends me on a guilt trip because I
can only imagine how many gallons of trans fats I have
consumed over the years.
I can't touch any woman's handbag for fear she has placed
it on the floor of a public toilet.
I must send my special thanks for the email about rat poo
in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet
sponge with every envelope that needs sealing.
ALSO,now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for
the same reason.
I can't have a drink in a bar because I fear I'll wake up
in a bathtub full of ice with my kidneys gone.
I can't eat at KFC because their chickens are actually horrible
mutant freaks with no eyes, feet or feathers.
I can't use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell
like a water buffalo on a hot day.
Thanks to you I have learned that my prayers only get answered
if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish
within five minutes.
Because of your concern,I no longer drink Coca Cola because
it can remove toilet stains.
I no longer buy
I no longer buy fuel without taking someone along to watch the car,   so a serial killer doesn't crawl in my back seat when I'm filling up.

I no longer use Cling Wrap in the microwave because it causes
seven different types of cancer.

And thanks for letting me know I can't boil a cup of water
in the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face,
disfiguring me for life.

I no longer go to the cinema because I could be pricked with a
needle infected with AIDS when I sit down.

I no longer go to shopping centers because someone will drug
me with a perfume sample and rob me..

And I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask
me to dial a number for which I will get a huge phone bill with
calls to Jamaica , Uganda , Singapore and Uzbekistan ..

Thanks to you I can't use anyone's toilet but mine because a
big black snake could be lurking under the seat and cause me
instant death when it bites my butt.

And thanks to your great advice I can't ever pick up a
dime coin dropped in the car park because it was probably
placed there by a sex molester waiting to grab me as I bend over.

I can't do any gardening because I'm afraid I'll get bitten
by the Violin Spider and my hand will fall off.

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in
the next 70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land
on your head at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon, and the
fleas from 120 camels will infest your back, causing you
to grow a hairy hump. I know this will occur because it
actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor’s
ex mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's best friend's
beautician!

Oh, and by the way...

A German scientist from Argentina , after a lengthy study,
has discovered that people with insufficient brain activity
read their e-mails with their hand on the mouse.

Don't bother taking it off now, it's too late.

P. S. I now keep my toothbrush in the living room, because
I was told by e-mail that water splashes over 6 ft. out
of the toilet..

NOW YOU HAVE YOURSELF A VERY GOOD DAY…

 Our thanks to Jo who forwarded this "Maxine" to us, and of course, to the wonderful mind of John Wagner for creating a character who always makes us laugh while we identify with the same "insanities of the world."
      

Did We Know This? Probably Not!



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Every day, many times a day, we find out interesting info that we didn't know.  Humbling, but very interesting.  Any fiends,  children or grandchildren, nieces, nephews or younger friends you know may also enjoy adding the info on killer whales and wolves to their knowledge base. 

1.      What do the women of the world have in common with Pilot Whales and Killer Whales?  Hint:  You might not want any men you know to consider this question!

The answer?  All three go through menopause.  Interestingly, the whales stop having baby whales while in their 30's or 40's. They then "live to their nineties and help raise their 'grandchildren'."  We don't usually think of killer whales as doting grandmas.  (MORE, Feb. , 2014, 17).

2.   In a few weeks, a new documentary will be airing on TV that investigates the fear we humans have of wolves.


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  Many of us might know that already.  But do any of us know the way that wolves can change rivers?
 
To find out, click on the  Films for Action  (only a few minutes long and worth the look) link below.
http://www.filmsforaction.org/mobile/?sid=1582&type=films it might change your view of the wolf. Or it will, at least, help us to understand the complicated way our natural world works.


Thanks to Kim McM  and Bob A.for sharing this with us.

Finally! Time to Read

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Four book selections have earned the praise of our contributors. They span fiction, historical fiction/biography, and nonfiction choices.

Fiction:  THE MAISIE DOBBS MYSTERIES   Pearl suggests the Maisie Dobbs mysteries.  She says, "My daughter Susan turned me on to a wonderful mystery series by Jacqueline Winspear.  They take place in England, and begin around WWI.  I have found them easy to read with detailed descriptions of British class differences along with descriptions of clothing, housing, transportation, and other interesting details about life in England."

Fiction:  COMMAND AUTHORITY(2013). Tom Clancy's final novel again visits Jack Ryan, the US President, his son, Jack Jr. and recurring characters from earlier works who are sent by Ryan to fight international threats.  Reading Clancy's final work now is particularly relevant with the growing international concern about the Ukraine.  Ryan's past connects with son Jack's present, bringing back memories of a KGB assassin from 30 years ago and linking to current political corruption and military threats of turmoil in the Ukraine.(Expert Book Reviews in GoodReads.com).

Historical Fiction/Biography: Joan H recommends  THE INVENTION OF WINGS  by Mary Monk Kidd.  Published this year, the book recounts the lives of Sarah Grimke and her sister, as they grow up in the South and develop a revulsion for the institution of slavery while those around them accept it  as usual, necessary, and even a God-given right.

Sarah and Angelina Grimke play pivotal historical roles in the abolition of slavery and the women's rights movement.  And their stories are intertwined with that of  the  fictional slave, Hetty, who grows up with Sarah.  Her birth name, "Handful," describes her well. Hetty's fierce determination to assert her dignity and to struggle for freedom illustrate the slave's existence in Charleston during the 1800s.

Nonfiction: Eric suggests EMPIRE OF TRUST: How Rome Built-and America is Building-A New World (2008) by Thomas F. Madden.   With so much negativity in the media today, we forget that there could be hope for a  more optimistic view.

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"Does America face the same destiny endured by ancient Rome? Is the U.S. military overextended? Does the separation of church and state strengthen or weaken a geopolitical powerhouse? Is the United States just another Empire of Conquest being corrupted by its own power? Of late, it is not only historians who have been asking these questions."(GoodReads.com)

"Thomas Madden, an award-winning professor of history, now shows almost everything we thought we knew about Rome to be wrong, and revolutionizes our understanding of what a good world empire can be" (GoodReads.com). Madden sees the United States as a possible 'Empire of Trust'. And "Madden is on a mission to get pundits, candidates, and... all of us to recognize this profound duty"(GoodReads.com)

Special thanks to Pearl, Joan H and Eric for these recommendations.

 

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