YOU AND YOUR HEART

Subject:  MAYO Clinic: Water and Aspirin Guidance

 MAYO CLINIC - DRINKING WATER

A cardiologist determined that heart attacks can be triggered by dehydration.  Good Thing To Know. From The Mayo Clinic. How many folks do you know who say they don't want to drink anything before going to bed because they'll have to get up during the night.  

Heart Attack and Water - Drinking one glass of water before going to bed avoids stroke or heart attack.  Interesting.  Something else I didn't know ... I asked my Doctor why people need to urinate so much at night time?  Answer from my Cardiac Doctor:  Gravity holds water in the lower part of your body when you are upright (legs swell). When you lie down and the lower body (legs and etc) seeks level with the kidneys, it is then that the kidneys remove the water because it is easier. I knew you need your minimum water to help flush the toxins out of your body, but this was news to me. 

Correct time to drink water... Very Important. From a Cardiac Specialist!  Drinking water at a certain time maximizes its effectiveness on the body:  2 glasses of water after waking up - helps activate internal organs.  1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion.  1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure.  1 glass of water before going to bed - avoids stroke or heart attack.  I can also add to this... My Physician told me that water at bed time will also help prevent night time leg cramps.  Your leg muscles are seeking hydration when they cramp and wake you up with a Charlie Horse.  

Mayo Clinic on Aspirin - Dr. Virend Somers is a Cardiologist from the Mayo Clinic who is the lead author of the report in the July 29, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.  Most heart attacks occur in the day, generally

 between 6 A.M. and noon. Having one during the night, When the heart should be most at rest, means that something unusual happened.  Somers and his colleagues have been working for a decade to show that sleep apnea is to blame.  1. If you take an aspirin or a baby aspirin once a day, take it at night.  The Reason:  Aspirin has a 24-hour "half-life"; therefore, if most heart attacks happen in the wee

 hours of the morning, the Aspirin would be strongest in your system.  2. Aspirin lasts a really long time in your medicine chest; for years. (when it gets old, it smells like vinegar).  Please read on.  

Something that we can do to help ourselves - nice to know.  Bayer is making crystal aspirin to dissolve instantly on the tongue.  They work much faster than the tablets.  

Why keep Aspirin by your bedside? It's about Heart Attacks - There are other symptoms of a heart attack, besides the pain on the left arm.  One must also be aware of an intense pain on the chin, as well as nausea and lots of sweating; however, these symptoms may also occur less frequently.  Note: There may be NO pain in the chest during a heart attack.  Themajority of people (about 60%) who had a heart attack during their sleep did not wake up. However, if it occurs, the chest pain may wake you up from your deep sleep. If that happens, immediately dissolve two aspirins in your mouth and swallow them with a bit of water.  Afterwards: - Call 911. - Phone a neighbor or a family member who lives very close by.  Say "heart attack!" - Say that you have taken 2 Aspirins. - Take a seat on a chair or sofa near the front door, and wait for their arrival and........DO NOT LIE DOWN!

SOMETHING TO LAUGH AT

On the Lighter Side

How Respectful

Two men wereplaying a round of golf one day. Just as they were about to start one of theholes, a funeral procession went by on the road beside the course. One of thegolfers, Clyde, takes off his cap and stands with his cap to his chest, andwaits for the entire procession to go by. He then puts his cap back on andproceeds to tee off. "Gee Clyde, that was a very nice gesture on your part. Itwas very thoughtful and respectful of you to do that," his friend said."Well," Clyde replied, "I was married to her for the last 30 years. It was theleast that I could do."

What A Change

Mr.Peterson, a tourist from Toronto, arrived in Barbados. In an airport taxi cab,Peterson asked the driver, "Say, is this really a healthful place?" "It sureis," the cabby replied. "When I arrived here I couldn't say one word. I hadhardly any hair on my head. I didn't have the strength to walk across a room,and I had to be lifted out of bed." "That's wonderful!" said the tourist, "Howlong have you been here?" "I was born here."

Statistics

I just read that 4,153,237 people got married last year. Notto cause alarm or worry, but shouldn't that be an even number?

The Efficiency Expert

The efficiency expertconcluded his lecture with a note of caution: "You do not want to try thesetechniques at home!" "Why not?" asked a man from the audience. "After years ofnot paying attention, I suddenly noticed my wife's routine at breakfast," theexpert explained. "She made lots of trips to the refrigerator, stove, tableand cabinets; often she carried just a single item at a time. So I asked her,'Hon, why don't you try carrying several things at once? It'd be much moreefficient.'" "Well, did your suggestions save much time?" the attendee asked."Actually, yes," the efficiency expert responded. "It used to take her twentyminutes to get breakfast ready. Now I do it in seven."

Say What?
I was addicted to the Hokey Pokey, but I turned myself around.Went to the Air and Space Museum, but there was nothing there.Hold the door open for a clown. It's a nice jester.I'm still hot. It just comes in flashes now.The first five days after the weekend are the hardest.I child-proofed my house, but the kids still get in.Ban pre-shredded cheese. Make America grate again.If attacked by a mob of clowns, go for the juggler.The past, present and future walk into a bar. It was tense.A clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory.  (Or God'sgrace.)

NLS INFORMATION FROM AFB

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO USE NLE

Product Evaluations and Guides

BARD Express: NLS Talking Books and Magazines When and Where You Want Them

Bill Holton

As we have described in many past issues of AccessWorld, just because you've lost your sight, it definitely does not mean you have lost your desire and ability to read books, magazines, and newspapers. In the February 2016 issue, I described how to use the National Federation of the Blind's NFB Newsline service to listen to local and national newspapers, magazines, and other materials on the phone; read them on your accessible computer; or download them to your mobile device. In the July issue I reported some exciting new accessibility features on the Amazon Kindle, which enables you to listen to nearly any book in Amazon's massive catalog. Smartphone and tablet users will also be familiar with the Amazon Kindle apps for iOS and Android, which are also extremely accessible.
The very first accessible books and magazines were produced by the Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). These recordings are more familiarly known as Talking Books. Perhaps you are already familiar with this excellent service because you regularly receive NLS book cartridges, which you play using the free on-loan NLS player.
Recently, NLS made its extensive catalog even more convenient and accessible. "Our regional librarians report that many more of their patrons would use downloadable BARD books if there weren't so many steps involved in finding a book online, downloading the files, and then adding them to a Talking Book player," says NLS Consumer Relations Officer Judith Dixon. The result is a free new Windows PC app called BARD Express. For many newly blind individuals who have not yet leveled up to expert mode on their accessible computers, the app will significantly improve the Talking Book experience, solving problems you may not have even realized existed. Longtime users of the BARD website and the various smartphone apps may wish to skip ahead to the section of this article titled "Introducing BARD Express," where we will take a guided tour of this Windows app and its myriad functionality.

A Far Smoother Talking Book Experience

Currently, there are several ways to obtain Talking Book titles. You can contact your NLS regional library and request a book, or enjoy one of the occasional selections that match your reading history that your librarian may periodically send your way. You can also subscribe to a supported magazine, such as People or Sports Illustrated, and each new issue will be sent out on an NLS cartridge for you to listen to and then return. Additionally, you can download NLS titles directly, either by visiting the BARD website, or by using your mobile app to download the DAISY audio files directly to your device.
All of these methods have their drawbacks. If you use an NLS player and rely on your regional library, the time between requesting a book and receiving the NLS cartridge can run several days, at best. Cartridges arrive labeled in braille, but as a newly blind individual, perhaps you do not read braille yet. Each book or magazine arrives on its own cartridge, so if you wish to read several books at once you have to keep track of each cartridge so you won't return a book in the wrong shipping container. The best way to do this is to store titles you are not currently reading in their cases. This can make travel difficult. Bringing a half-dozen books with you to read on your beach vacation can fill a good portion of your carryon. Not to mention your NLS player, which can be a bit unwieldy at times.
The BARD website offers patrons significantly more control over their reading. Once an account has been created through your regional library, you can browse books by title, author, subject, popularity, or date added. When you find a book or magazine you'd like to read, you can download it directly or add it to your wish list so you can grab it the next time you log on.
As an NLS patron you certainly have a lot more freedom when it comes to books and magazines you have downloaded. For one thing, cartridges can hold multiple books, which can be deleted when you're finished so you'll have room for even more. However, before you can listen to a downloaded title, you must first transfer it to a blank NLS cartridge, an action that takes some basic browser and file management skills. BARD downloadable titles arrive in archived .zip files. To read a title, you must first locate it in your Downloads folder, unzip the file, then copy the file to the blank cartridge. New accessible computer users may find this task daunting enough to feel it's not worth the effort.
Android, iOS, and Fire tablet users have an easier time of things. They can download titles directly to their devices. Other third-party DAISY book players also offer direct title search and book downloads. The most popular are the Victor Reader Stream and the Book Port Plus, but you can find a complete list on the BARD resource page website. Imagine, a palm-size device that can hold dozens of books and that will save your place in each as you switch among them. Plus, the titles you borrow never need to be dropped in the mailbox for return.
The BARD website also has its limitations. For example, you can run searches for Westerns, and then for Science Fiction on the site, but you aren't able to scan recent titles for all subjects except Westerns and Science Fiction. If you're finally ready to read the Harry Potter series, it's difficult to find the books in their proper order.

Introducing BARD Express

BARD Express runs on any Windows 7, 8.1, or 10 computer. You will need a BARD account and password to use the app, and after logging in you will hear an announcement as the app downloads a list of recent library additions.
The app makes excellent use of the Tab key, but also offers many shortcut keys, such as Ctrl + J to "Browse by subjects," and Ctrl + B to access your bookshelf.
Pressing Ctrl + R summons a list of recently added titles. Use your cursor keys to quickly scan the list, which by default displays both the author and title for 50 books per page. Pressing Alt + N summons the next 50 titles, Alt + P returns you to the previous 50.
When you find a title that interests you, press the Tab key to add the book to your Wish List, download the book onto your computer, or access the book details, such as the book category and the book's annotation. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts Alt + W, Alt + D, and Alt + B to accomplish the same tasks respectively.
Now that you have a book downloaded, it's time to add it to a blank cartridge. Some regional libraries will supply blank book cartridges. Others will have to purchase them from a third party vendor, such as APH or Perkins Solutions. These cartridges are identical to the ones you have been receiving from your regional library, except they do not have braille labels, and they use a USB cable to connect to your PC.
Tabbing to your Library, or using CTRL + B, you can locate your book and have the app automatically place all the proper files onto your blank cartridge. The average book requires 140 megabytes of storage space, and the most popular size of cartridge holds a full four gigabytes, which means you can likely store 24 books or more--nearly 400 hours of audio--on a single cartridge. How's that for convenience?
To access multiple books and magazines you've added to a cartridge, press and hold your player's Play/Pause button with the machine turned on. You will hear a tone, and the player will announce "Bookshelf" and the number of books on the cartridge. Press the right and left Arrow keys to move through the bookshelf. Press Enter on the book you wish to read.

Searches and Filters

The place where BARD Express truly outshines the web interface is when you wish to perform a search or filter the results of a search. We've already mentioned the Harry Potter series, and indeed, it turns up as one of about 4,100 designated series. Type in an "H" and you reduce this to a mere 1,604. Type in "Harry" and it becomes a manageable 8 entries, including Harry and Emily Adventure, Harry Bosche series, Horrible Harry, and the Harry Potter books, which you can view and download in the order they were released.
Search filtering is also enhanced using the BARD Express app. On the website, or using the search BARD website option on the mobile apps, you can filter your results to a single subject category. You can search for "Romance," for example, or books categorized as "Family." Using the Express app, you can check and uncheck multiple categories at once. So, say you want to browse all the new books but don't want to view titles tagged as "For Very Young Readers." Simply uncheck that category and those titles will not show up in any search results or recent addition lists until you access the subject filter menu again and recheck it.

Help and Options

BARD Express offers context-sensitive help via the F1 key. You can also access various help topics, including a complete list of keyboard shortcuts, by pressing the Alt + H Help hotkey.
Press the ALT + V View menu hotkey to set program defaults, such as the number of books shown on each page, which can be left at the default 50, or increased to 100, 500, or 1,000.
By default, search results display the title and author only. Feel free to use the app's Alt + V "Column Configuration" setting to add several other fields, such as Narrator, Book Length, and even the Book Annotation to the display list. I have added annotations to my results display so I don't have to press a second key to hear what the book is about. Since this information is at the end of the spoken line, I can always press the Down Arrow key to interrupt speech if I know from the title alone it doesn't interest me.
Patrons with low vision can also use the View menu to increase the program's font size up to four times. Note: There is currently no keyboard shortcut to do this.

Final Chapter

Along with a hotkey that would quickly change the font size, there are a few other features I would love to see implemented in BARD Express. First, I think many people would benefit from the ability to listen to Talking Books on their computers. I think even more people would appreciate the ability to start a book on the computer, then resume where they left off on a mobile app, perhaps even using an Amazon Echo.
I do enjoy the ability to quickly scan newly added titles. I do this frequently. However, if I miss a few days I can't always remember which day it was when I last searched, so I wind up scanning down a lot further than necessary. How much easier frequent scanning would be if BARD Express remembered the last day I performed a scan of recently added titles and offered a "From your last visit to today" option.
That said, I already find BARD Express a far more elegant way to search for books than my iPhone. I can quickly find the books I want and add them to my Wish list, then access this list from my iPhone and download them from there.
Let me conclude this article with a personal note of encouragement to the newly blind reader. I am a lifetime avid reader, but throughout the 70s, 80s, and on into the 90s I found my reading list greatly limited by the lack of availability of works covering arcane topics, or access to best sellers when they were still popular, which meant I couldn't join in on the discussion. Today, thanks to a growing list of accessible resources, I can read nearly any book I want, often on the very day it's published.
Want to increase your reading options even further? Check out AFB's web primer: Using Technology for Reading: Solutions for People with Visual Impairments and Blindness.

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES FROM AFB

ATIA Exhibitors Deliver Product Updates and a Few New Tools

Shelly Brisbin, Janet Ingber, and Lee Huffman

The Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) held its annual conference January 18 through 21, 2017, in Orlando, Florida, at the Caribe Royal Hotel and Convention Center. For those who watch developments in assistive technology, the annual ATIA conference usually provides an early look at what's to come in the new year. In the past, the event often showcased products and trends that were then more fully explored at later gatherings like the California State University at Northridge conference (CSUN). The 2017 installment of ATIA was less about showing new products or previewing what's next, and more about updating existing tools based on progress in the mainstream technology world.

Accessible Conference Planning and Navigation

Two excellent free products were offered by the ATIA conference committee which increased the overall accessibility of the conference for people with vision loss: the conference app and strategically placed iBeacons.
Everyone who registered for the conference automatically received his or her own user name and password for the accessible ATIA iOS app. The app's Home tab showed various categories on the screen including Session List, Speaker List, and Exhibitor List.
The Session List option had a search box, the ability to locate sessions within a particular strand, and type of session. Activaiting a session strand loaded a list of those sessions. Activating the name of a specific session loaded a new page with a description of the session, presenter information, and the option to bookmark the session.
Since there were scores of booths in the exhibit hall, this app also was designed to let users pick specific exhibit categories. The resulting lengthy list could be sorted in several ways, including by company or by product. Activating the name of a company loaded a new page with information about its specific products and offered an option to bookmark the exhibitor.
A conference accessibility partner, ClickAndGo Wayfinding, installed over 50 iBeacons throughout the conference venue. The iBeacon is a Bluetooth device that transmits a signal to an app that speaks your current location. After downloading the ClickAndGo Wayfinding app, when attendees launched the app and walked near an iBeacon, VoiceOver announced their location. Routes could be planned by telling the app starting and ending locations. The app also allowed attendees to take virtual tours. It would be great for more venues to install this type of technology to help increase independence for people with vision loss.

ATIA Exhibit Hall Highlights

In the paragraphs that follow, we offer our opinions on the products we feel would be of most interest to people with visual impairments.
Enhanced Vision released a pair of new products for low-vision users: MoJo is a handheld, electronic monocular that can also be docked to create a full-sized desktop magnifier. The 6-ounce MoJo features a 13-megapixel camera with auto-focus and up to 16x digital zoom, and a tethered telephoto lens which adds optical zoom. The unit provides multiple color modes, a 30-degree viewing field, and a rechargeable battery, providing up to 2.5 hours of continuous use. When paired with the optional desktop docking station, the MoJo acts as a traditional electronic video magnifier camera. The desktop unit includes a 24-inch LCD display, and an x-y table. The MoJo monocular sells for $1,595, plus $1,200 for the docking stand.
The Transformer HD with Wi-Fi, also from Enhanced Vision, is a desktop unit that folds to become portable. The unit features a 24-inch Sony LCD display, and a 3-in-1 HD camera, along with Wi-Fi, HDMI, and USB 3.0 connectivity. It works in full- or split-screen mode when connected to a computer. Enhanced versions of the unit also include an OCR camera for full-page scanning. The Transformer HD weighs a diminutive 3.45 pounds, and can magnify up to 30x. Enhanced Vision says the included battery provides up to 2 hours of continuous use. Transformer HD costs $2,595, with an additional $400 for OCR support.
In the VFO booth, Freedom Scientific, Optelec, and AI Squared were united under their new corporate parent. Each brand showed off existing products, and talked up the benefits of the combination. The company announced ZoomText 11, a redesigned update to its PC magnification software developed by AI Squared. ZoomText 11 features a consolidated interface that now folds App Reader, Doc Reader, and Speak It into a single tool. ZoomText keyboard shortcuts have been completely revamped, and the toolbar has been redesigned to streamline the application's controls, and provide access to options that formerly required the use of menus. ZoomText now features geometric font smoothing, and using inverted text and background colors now preserves the normal appearance of photos and other images. VFO says the help system has also been rewritten to ease the transition to the overhauled application.
In 2016, braille seemed to be revitalized. Products like the BrailleNote Touch became available, while the Orbit Reader and NeoBraille, among others, were eagerly anticipated, but didn't ship. At ATIA, HumanWare announced that the BrailleNote Touch software will get an upgrade to version 3.0 in February, adding the ability to update individual applications within KeySoft. Orbit Reader and NeoBraille were on display, but aren't yet available. Orbit's US distributor, American Printing House for the Blind, says the device will ship this spring. Irie-AT, which showed off Neo Access' NeoBraille, has not yet provided a ship date.
Scanning Pens showed off a pen scanner called the C-Pen Reader. A bit bigger than a USB thumb drive, the C-Pen scans as you drag it across a line of text. Results appear on a small display, and/or can be spoken, using the device's built-in voice. ScanPens says the product, which has been available for some time, was developed for people with dyslexia and other reading disabilities, but has attracted attention among low-vision users. C-Pen Reader includes 1 GB of storage for scans, and supports a number of languages, depending on the configuration you choose.
Aira | Visual Interpreter for the Blind was one of the more exciting products in the exhibit hall. In addition to the hardware, it requires a monthly subscription which as of this writing (February 2017) is quite expensive. The developer indicated that the company is working to get more sponsors to bring the subscription price down.
The user of Aira wears bone-conduction headphones and smart glasses with a small camera mounted on the glasses. The Aira app must be on the user's smart phone. When in need of assistance, the user contacts a trained agent who uses the camera to see exactly where the person is and provides assistance. The user can be anywhere, whether walking outside, in a store, at home or anywhere else. The agent can help read a menu, find a particular store, navigate a crowded area, tell the color of a shirt, read information on a can, and much more.
It is like having someone walking right next to you. The agent can describe your surroundings which can greatly increase independence when traveling in an unfamiliar area. This product has great potential, but it does not take the place of a cane or guide dog.
Cydalion, by Float, is an assistive navigation app that can help people with visual impairments detect objects. You hold up the phone and the app informs the user, through audio and haptic feedback, if there is an obstacle in their way. Cydalion not only alerts the user to an object, but through sounds lets the user know whether the object is high or low.
The user wears bone-conduction headphones and has the Cydalion app installed on a Tango device. Tango is a new platform from Google. It enables apps made for the platform to track a device's position and orientation in a 3D environment. The device should be positioned so it can detect objects from head to toe. The feedback the user receives is customizable, and the biggest expense is the Tango device.

ATIA Conference Extras

In addition to the many pre-conference activities, educational sessions, and hands-on and demonstration prospects in the exhibit hall, there are also great opportunities at ATIA for networking and meeting others in the vision loss field for new collaborations.
In that vein, the American Foundation for the Blind held its second annual AccessWorld "Tech Talk" event at ATIA on January 19. Attendance to our event was open to all conference attendees. At our event, attendees had easy access to and could speak with AFB staff and AccessWorld contributors. We had the opportunity to answer technology questions for product manufacturers, teachers of the visually impaired, O & M professionals, and people with vision loss. We also announced the upcoming new homepage coming soon to AccessWorld.
That's right, AccessWorld will soon have a new look and feel on its homepage. There will be a new layout, new ways to present additional technology content, and new advertising opportunities for technology companies and product manufacturers. Stay tuned to AccessWorld for details!
ATIA 2017 was full of great experiences for us, and if you have the chance to attend ATIA next year, we encourage you to do so. This is one of the premiere conferences related to assistive technology and you will definitely come away with information and connections that will help you and your organization better support and serve your students, patients, consumers, or clients.

WANT TO LIVE LONGER

Can eating less help reduce signs of aging?. 

We already know eating less - and eating well - may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. But could limiting caloric intake help stall the aging process overall? According to research published this month in the journal Mollecular & Cellular Proteomics , that may very well be the case - and the results may be more effective than your local drugstore's most expensive moisturizer. In a mice study, researchers at Brigham Young University found that when ribosomes, which generate cells' proteins, slow down, aging slows as well. Reducing calorie consumption in the mice was enough to slow that production. For the study, the authors gave one group of mice unlimited access to food yet restricted the caloric intake of the other group by 35 percent. Both groups received the necessary nutrients for survival. "When you restrict calorie consumption, there's almost a linear increase in lifespan," senior author John Price, a biochemistry professor at BYU, said in a release. "We inferred that the restriction caused real biochemical changes that slowed down the rate of aging. 

SOME INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT OUR MONEY

Who Knew? Mind-Blowing Facts About Your Money BY BRANDON SPECKTOR. 

Enjoy these freshly minted facts about the life and death of money. U.S. paper money is not paper at all: It's 75 percent cotton and 25 percent linen. In Benjamin Franklin's day, people repaired torn bills with a needle and thread. Today, the Fed prefers to shred. ­Every month, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia sends 16 tons of old, cut-up cash to an energy-from-waste plant in Chester, Pennsylvania, to be burned; the resulting steam produces electricity to power homes throughout the Delaware Valley. Most paper money never sees puberty. With a life span of about four and a half years, the $10 bill is our shortest-lived note. Our longest-­living, the $100 bill, lasts only 15 years. It takes about 4,000 double folds (first forward and then backward) before a bill will tear. It takes far fewer folds for a snooty vending machine to reject your bill-but you can fix that by popping your Washington in the microwave for about 20 seconds to crisp it up. The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing prints 32.2 million currency notes each day, with a face value of approximately $907.8 million. Two-dollar bills are seen as a rarity, but there are more than 1.1 billion of them in circulation. You can find them at most local banks. The largest note ever made was the $100,000 Gold Certificate (printed December 1934 through January 1935). The bills were used only in transactions between Federal Reserve banks and the U.S. Treasury. A quarter has 119 grooves around its edge; a dime has 118. The grooves were added to make it difficult for people to file down the edges and sell the shavings as precious metals. It costs more than a penny to make a penny. According to the U.S. Mint, it costs roughly 1.7 cents per coin. Benjamin Franklin reportedly designed the first U.S. penny, in 1787. Instead of "E Pluribus Unum," it proudly stated, "Mind Your Business. The bald eagle on your money may have a name. From 1830 to 1836, a certain bird swooped into Philadelphia's U.S. Mint building so often that workers named him ­Peter the Mint Eagle, cared for him, and allegedly used him as a model for coin engravings for years after. Want to feel time fly? There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar. Go on-try to find them all. 

TAXES-THINGS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW

Who Knew? 13 Things the Tax Man (or Woman) Won't Tell You.  1. If you earn less than $64,000 annually, many major tax-prep companies will give you their online filing guides. For information, go to irs.gov/uac/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free. Also, H&R Block offers free online support for people ages 17 to 50 who earn less than $62,000. 2. The holy trinity of quick refunds: File early, file online, and opt to receive your money through direct deposit. Some e-filing companies report getting refunds to customers in less than three weeks. 3. That said, refunds aren't as exciting as they may seem; you're getting money back that was yours to begin with, essentially lent to the government as an interest-free loan. It can be better to just decrease your paycheck withholdings- and then invest the extra money-rather than receive a lump sum at tax time. 4. Did you get a sign-up bonus for, say, opening a bank account or a credit card? You may have to pay taxes on that. While the IRS treats some rewards as nontaxable discounts (such as most frequent-flier rewards), other payouts are considered income. A rule of thumb: If a company sends you a 1099 form for a reward, you should report it. 5. Filing late in itself won't hurt your credit rating, but it could lead to penalties that will ratchet up the amount you owe the government. If you don't pay that debt, the IRS may file a federal tax lien-a public, legal claim against your property that can hurt your ability to get credit. 6. File even if you can't pay. While both failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties exist, the first is generally harsher. And don't panic if you can't pay what you owe the IRS. You'll have to fill out some forms and provide documentation, but you may be able to compromise on a lower amount if you meet certain requirements. (In 2014, the IRS settled with about 40 percent of the people who applied for reductions, with an average decrease of about $6,600.) 7. Itemizing can yield a bigger return, but be careful: Too many deductions may increase your chances of being audited. One red flag: charitable donations that seem disproportionate to your income. Intuit's ItsDeductible (turbotax .intuit.com/personal-taxes/ itsdeductible) can help you keep an exact record. 8. Another common red flag is excessive business deductions. The best defense: accurate records. If you travel for work, the MileIQ app will track your mileage. Meanwhile, apps such as Shoeboxed allow you to take photos of your receipts or scan your e-mail inbox to instantly log business expenses throughout the year. (Their services start at $9.95 a month, but free alternatives are available.) Shoeboxed even provides prepaid envelopes if you prefer sending receipts by snail mail. 9. Your weekend side projects might count as self-­employment, which means you'll have to make quarterly estimated tax payments in addition to filing your annual return. Don't forget that you can write off expenses for a home office, though the rules are very specific. For more information, go to irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/simplified-option-for-home-office-deduction. 10. If you're a homeowner who's dedicated to energy efficiency, you can earn tax credits of up to 30 percent on select projects-installing an Energy Star-qualified solar water heater, for example. 11. Even if you didn't put pretax money into a flexible spending account (FSA), you can still recoup some child-care expenses. Depending on your income, the government will refund up to 35 percent of the cost of day care, with a cap of $3,000 per child or $6,000 per family. The catch: You must be employed or actively looking for a job to qualify. 12. Want to avoid an audit? Don't use round numbers, as the IRS may assume you're guessing on expenditures. The government audited 1.2 million people at random in 2015, so there's no guarantee, but you can cut down on your chances by being precise. That said, don't freak out if you realize you forgot to sign your return-that alone almost certainly won't trigger an audit. 13. If you do get audited (gulp!) , don't go it alone. Hire an accountant, an enrolled agent, or a tax attorney who has experience dealing with the IRS. Sometimes it can be as simple as providing additional documents or filing an amended return, but it's best to work with a professional who knows the ropes. SOURCES: IRS.GOV, CNN.COM, USNEWS.COM, TURBOTAX.INTUIT.COM, HOWARDLEVYIRSLAWYER.COM, AARP.ORG, H&R BLOCK, ENERGYSTAR.GOV, AND DAVID BARRAL, CPA/PFS, CFP

SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD COOKIE RECIPE

Orange Slice Cookies 

2 1/4 'cup's all purpose-flour 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 'cup' butter, softened 

1 3/4 'cup's brown sugar 

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 'cup' coconut 

1 1/2 'cup's chopped orange slice candy (from a 10-ounce bag) 

1 'cup' chopped nuts such as pecans or walnuts 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 

In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking soda. 

In a separate bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Stir in coconut, chopped candy and nuts. Drop by spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool. 

DON'T TAKE BODY ODORS FOR GRANTED

. 5 body odors you should never ignore. 

Whether you've just completed a grueling workout or chowed down on an onion-packed burger, chances are, at one time or another, you've been that guy who stunk up the room. In most cases, a simple shower, swipe of deodorant, or line of minty-fresh toothpaste could remedy the situation. But in other cases, it's not so simple. That's because your body odor can actually speak volumes about your health. In fact, some diseases can actually produce a unique, distinguished odor, according to a recent Swedish study. So which funky fumes should you take note of? Here are 5 common body odors that might signal a serious problem-and what you should do if the stench arises. BODY ODOR: FRUITY BREATH IS A SYMPTOM OF DIABETES Credit a complication of diabetes called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which occurs when your body runs low on insulin and your blood sugar spikes, says Robert Gabbay, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. People with type 1 diabetes generally experience it more than those with type 2 diabetes do. Here's what's happening: Your body can't create the energy it needs to function properly, so it begins to break down fatty acids for fuel. This creates a build up of acidic chemicals called ketones in your blood. One of the main acids-acetone (the same component found in nail polish remover)-can leave a fruity smell on your breath, Dr. Gabbay says. You might not notice it until someone else mentions it, but doctors can smell it on you as soon as you walk into a room. The effects of DKA can be serious-even deadly. It can make you vomit and urinate frequently, causing your body to lose fluids at a dangerous rate, he says. DKA generally occurs with other symptoms of diabetes, like fatigue, blurred vision, and unexplained weight loss, but in many cases, people don't put them all together, which delays diagnosis and treatment. So if you notice the fruity odor on your breath along with any of those symptoms-especially if they are accompanied by fatigue, dry mouth, difficulty breathing, or abdominal pain, head to the emergency room as soon as possible, the American Diabetes Association recommends. After your doctor tests your blood for ketones, he or she will work on replacing lost fluids and getting your sugar levels back to normal with insulin treatment. BODY ODOR: STINKY FEET IS A SYMPTOM OF ATHLETE'S FOOT Can't seem to fight funky sneakers? A fungal infection may be to blame. If you notice dry, scaly skin around your toes, redness, and blisters, you may have athlete's foot, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). Your feet might also emit a foul odor, caused by a combination of bacteria and fungus eroding into your skin and toe webs, says Cameron Rokhsar, M.D., associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. And if you scratch your feet and then touch another part of your body, you can spread the fungus to other areas of your body, like your groin or armpit. That can potentially cause an odor to form in those areas, too. Plus, if you ignore athlete's foot, the skin in between your toe webs becomes excessively soft and moist, making it an entry point for bacteria, says Dr. Rokhsar. You can develop more complicated conditions like cellulitis, a bacterial infection of your skin's soft tissue. So if you're experiencing symptoms, try an over-the-counter antifungal spray like Lotrimin or Tinactin. If the problem continues to persist after two weeks, your doctor can take a closer look and prescribe a more targeted treatment, suggests the APMA. Since athlete's foot is just one of the nasty skin conditions you can pick up at the gym , protect yourself from picking it up again by wearing shoes in the locker room. Because fungi tend to thrive in moist environments, try using a talcum to keep your feet dry if they tend to get sweaty. BODY ODOR: SMELLY POOP IS A SYMPTOM OF LACTOSE INTOLERANCE When your small intestine doesn't produce enough of an enzyme called lactase, it can't digest lactose, a sugar found in dairy products, says Ryan Ungaro, M.D., assistant professor of gastroenterology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. So your small intestine directs lactose directly to your colon-instead of your bloodstream-where your gut bacteria ferment it. This can cause loose, foul-smelling stool, bloating, and smelly gas, Dr. Ungaro says. Lactose intolerance is fairly common: In fact, an estimated 65 percent of people have trouble digesting dairy, according to the National Institutes of Health. But the reaction-including painful stomach cramping, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, as well as smelly farts and poop- can vary from person to person, says Men's Health nutrition advisor Alan Aragon, M.S. For most people, though, it only takes 12 grams of lactose-about 8 ounces of milk or a 'cup' of ice cream-to set off unsettling symptoms, he says. So if your gas or poop smells particularly pungent after you down some milk, you might want to check in with your doctor, says Dr. Ungaro. (If you're passing wind more than usual, rule out these five other reasons you could be gassy first.) He or she can diagnose the problem, or even rule out more concerning intestinal issues, like Crohn's disease, as a culprit behind the stench. Then, your doctor can help you determine how much lactose you can take in per day without causing a problem. (You can also pop a Lactaid pill, which contains the lactase enzyme and allows you to digest dairy within 45 minutes, if you just must have a sundae, Aragon says.) BODY ODOR: STRONG-SMELLING URINE IS A SYMPTOM OF A URINARY TRACT INFECTION Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can produce pungent, almost chemical-smelling urine, says Jamin Brahmbhatt, M.D., a urologist at Orlando Health. This happens after bacteria, most commonly E. coli, enters your urinary tract and urethra. Then, they multiply in your bladder, causing an infection. UTIs are more frequent in women than men because their urethra-the channel that drains the bladder-is shorter. So men often ignore their smelly pee, since they figure they're not at risk of one. Not so: "Usually, men get infections if there's something not allowing their bladder to drain" Dr. Brahmbhatt explains. This means your UTI could be signaling a bigger problem, like kidney stones, diabetes, or an enlarged prostate gland, which can require surgery to treat, he says. So if you notice your pee smells funky, check in with your doctor, who will test your urine to see what's up. BODY ODOR: BAD BREATH IS A SYMPTOM OF SLEEP APNEA If your morning breath is consistently ripe-even if you brush your teeth regularly-you could be dealing with undiagnosed sleep apnea, a disorder that causes your breathing to sporadically stop and start while you sleep. Sleep apnea can lead to excessive snoring, causing you to breathe through your mouth throughout the night. This can make your mouth very dry, which is a common cause of bad breath, says Raj Dasgupta, M.D., assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California. This allows bacteria to breed more readily-and when certain kinds multiply, they produce a sulfurous gas that can give your breath a rotten egg smell. If you've ruled out other causes of bad breath, but still wake up with a smelly mouth and you suffer from daytime sleepiness and snoring, schedule an appointment with your doctor. It's vital sleep apnea gets diagnosed quickly: The sleeping condition has been strongly associated with diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, so treating it sooner than later can spare you of its long-term health effects, Dr. Dasgupta says. Once you're diagnosed, your sleep doctor can recommend a continuous positive airway pressure device (CPAP), a mask that rests over your nose and mouth helps that helps keep your airways open while you snooze. 

WORK ON THAT MARRIAGE-IT MIGHT SAVE YOUR LIFE

. 7 health benefits of being in a happy marriage. 

Single and looking for love? Finding it then sticking with your sweetheart may benefit your health in more ways than one, research suggests. A study published Monday in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology found married couples had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol compared with single or divorced participants. Elevated levels of cortisol can lead to inflammation, which is tied to various chronic ailments like heart disease, diabetes and cancer, researchers noted. Turns out, several studies suggest your health can stand to benefit from being in a healthy long-term relationship. Here are a just a handful of ways being in a happy marriage may boost your health: 1. You may be less likely to die of cancer A 2013 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology of nearly 1.3 million patients diagnosed with various types of cancer found that married men and women were less likely than single people to have disease that had spread, more likely to receive treatment in a timely manner, and less likely to die as a result of their ailment. Men saw a greater overall protective benefit than women, but the association remained true regardless of the type of cancer involved, researchers noted. 2. You may be better protected from heart disease ... Being married may significantly reduce a man's chance of dying from heart disease, a 2007 study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine suggests. After accounting for age, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol, and other lifestyle choices, researchers found that married men were almost half as likely as unmarried men to die 10 years after being diagnosed with heart disease. 3. ... and Stroke Being a single or unhappily married man may increase your risk of fatal stroke, according to a 2010 study conducted by the American Heart Association. Researchers' analysis - which involved about 10,000 Israeli men with an average age of 49 - suggested participants who were dissatisfied with their marriages saw an adjusted risk of fatal stroke that was 64 percent higher than those men who reported having a successful marriage. "I had not expected that unsuccessful marriage would be of this statistical importance," lead author Dr. Uri Goldbourt, a professor of epidemiology and preventive medicine at 'Tel Aviv' University in Israel, said.

MORE THINGS TO KEEP YOU LAUGHING

Aye! 
Way down upon the Mississippi, two tugboat captains, who had been friends for years, would always cry, "Aye!" and then blow their whistles whenever they passed each other. A new crewman asked his boat's mate, "What do they do that for?" The mate looked surprised and replied, "You mean that you've never heard of ... an aye for an aye and a toot for a toot?" 

Civic Minded 

One night a teenage girl brought her new boyfriend home to meet her parents, and they were appalled by his appearance: leather jacket, motorcycle boots, tattoos and pierced nose. Later, the parents pulled their daughter aside and confessed their concern. Trying to be diplomatic, Mom said, "Dear, he just doesn't seem like the all-American boy you've dated before. He's not really that nice." "Oh come on, Mom," replied the daughter. "If he wasn't that nice, why would he be doing 500 hours of community service?" 

How Efficient 

I don't mean to brag, but I finished my 14-day diet food supply in 3 hours and 20 minutes. 

Taster's Choice 

College meals are generally unpopular with those who have to eat them, and sometimes with good reason. "What kind of pie do you call this?" asked one student indignantly to the cafeteria attendant. "What's it taste like?" asked the cook. "Glue!" "Then it's apple pie. The plum pie tastes like soap." 

He's On The Couch Now 

A husband went to buy a birthday gift for his wife. Some friends had been invited over that night to celebrate her fortieth, and he wanted to get something special. At the store he spotted some cute little music boxes. One blue one was playing "Happy Birthday." Thinking they were all the same, he chose a red one and had it gift-wrapped. Later, at dinner, he gave it to his wife and asked her to open it. When she lifted the lid, out came the tune to "The Old Gray Mare, She Ain't What She Used to Be!"

IT'S VALENTINE'S DAY

Today is Valentine’s Day so be sure to remember your sweetie on this special day.  Flowers, candy and cards are nice but diamonds are the best of all.  HA!  Whatever you do, this day gives us a special time to show our love and appreciation to the love of our lives.  Take this opportunity to do something special for that valentine of yours.  I bet it will reap great rewards for you.

SPECULATION ABOUT NEW IPHONES

iPhone 8's iris scanner, wireless charging rumors pick up steam Plus, Apple's next iPhone could go into production early. Mobile by Gordon Gottsegen February 10, 2017.  

An iris scanner, wireless charging and an OLED display (instead of an LCD screen) could come to the 10th anniversary . In , the phone we're calling the iPhone 8 for now could also enter production "earlier than usual" to give suppliers time to create enough supply to meet demand. (Apple is also said to be placing more stringent inspection rules for these chips and components.) As Apple celebrates ten year anniversary of the original iPhone, the Cupertino, Calif. company is expected to bring on big hardware changes and software updates to compete against evermore sophisticated rivals and satisfy buyers who have become bored with the iPhone's incremental changes. We've heard all sorts of rumors about a glass and steel body with a curved edge display , and no more physical home button . Apple could even release two iPhone 7S models in addition to the iPhone 8, noted Digitimes, citing KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo German site Handy Abovergleich's concept illustration beautifully ties together many of the current iPhone 8 rumors. Handy Abovergleich Using an iris scanner as one way to unlock a phone has been implemented in phones by Samsung and Microsoft, but this would be the first Apple phone to feature the technology. German site Handy Abovergleich even created some renders of what the next iPhone could look like. As for the wireless charging rumor, Apple's supplier Foxconn was reportedly testing wireless charging for the next iPhone, which Kuo claims will come to all of this year's iPhones. OLED displays on the next iPhone have also been talked about in the past , and some believe that this technology will result in an iPhone that costs over $1,000 . Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

GAME DAY

Several of us gathered at WSB for games and lots of fun yesterday.  It was good to see many of our friends that we haven't seen in quite a while.  Sandwiches,chips, cookies, and drinks were provided.  It was good to see Barbara, Helen, and Mr. Earl as well.  It was a very enjoyable day and we are sorry to have missed many of you.  We hope you will be able to come the next time one is scheduled.

Have a very nice weekend

Bob and Johnye

MORE FUNNIES

Passing the Test 

Two paramedics were dispatched to check on a 92-year-old man who had become disoriented. They decided to take him to the hospital for evaluation. En route, with the siren blaring, they questioned the man to determine his level of awareness. Leaning close, one asked, "Sir, do you know what we're doing right now?" The old man slowly looked up at him and then gazed out the ambulance window. "Oh," he replied, "I'd say about 50, maybe 55." 

God's Address 

During "children's time" in the worship service, the kids came forward and the pastor, wanting to teach about prayer, asked, "How can we talk with God?" The pastor produced paper and envelope and said, "Maybe we can write God a letter. Does anyone know God's address?" The group said no. Then the pastor pulled out his cell phone and said, "Maybe we can telephone God. Does anyone know God's phone number?" The response was again negative. Then the pastor displayed his lap top computer and said, "Maybe we can send God an e-mail!" A little five-year-old perked up and enthusiastically said, "Yeah, try www-dot-God-dot-com!" 

Now, Wait 

Whenever my aunt went to the doctor, she would complain to me about the long delay she always endured. One day, when my aunt's name was finally called, she was asked to step on the scale. "I need to get your weight today," said the nurse. Without a moment's hesitation, my aunt replied, "One hour and 45 minutes!" 

Optical Problem 

I took my 5 year old grandson to the optometrist to pick up his new glasses. The glasses were prescribed "to help him read and be able to see the computer better." When we got back home, he got on the computer to play a game. In a few minutes he called me and said there was something wrong with his glasses. I asked him what was the problem and he said, "I still can't read."

A LITTLE LAUGHTER IS GOOD

If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhea...does that mean that one out of five enjoys it? 

Why do croutons come in airtight packages? Aren't they just stale bread to begin with? 

If people from Poland are called Poles, then why aren't people from Holland called Holes? 

If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled? 

If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for? 

If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, then doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed? 

If Fed Ex and UPS were to merge, would they call it Fed UP? 

Do Lipton Tea employees take 'coffee breaks?' 

What hair color do they put on the driver's licenses of bald men? 

Why do they put pictures of criminals up in the Post Office? What are we supposed to do, write to them? Why don't they just put their pictures on the postage stamps so the mailmen can look for them while they deliver the mail? 

Is it true that you never really learn to swear until you learn to ride a motorcycle? 

If a cow laughed, would milk come out of her nose? 

Whatever happened to Preparations A through G ?

IS THERE AN ASSAULT ON US SENIORS

SENIORS UNDER ATTACK THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN COUNTRY!

We Must Stop This Immediately !

Have you noticed that stairs are getting steeper .
Groceries are heavier.  And, everything is farther away.
Yesterday I walked to the corner and I was dumbfounded to discover how long  our street had become!

And, you know, people are less considerate now, especially the young ones.
They speak in whispers  all the time! If you ask them to speak up they just keep repeating themselves, endlessly mouthing the same silent message until they're red in the face!  What do they think I am, a lip reader?

I also think they are much younger than I was at the same age.
On the other hand, people my own age are so much older than I am.
I ran into an old friend the other day and she has aged so much that she didn’t even recognize me.  I got to thinking about the poor dear while I was combing my hair this morning, and in doing so, I glanced at my own reflection  well, REALLY NOW -  even mirrors are not made the way they used to be!

Another thing, everyone drives so fast these days!
You're risking life and limb if you happen to pull onto the freeway in front of them.  All I can say is, their brakes must wear out awfully fast, the way I see them screech and swerve in my rear view mirror.

Clothing manufacturers are less civilized these days.
Why else would they suddenly start labeling a size 32 waisted pant as 40?
Do they think no one notices? The people who make  bathroom scales are pulling the same prank.
Do they think I actually “believe” the number I see on that dial?  HA!
I would never let myself weigh that much!
Just who do these people think they’re fooling?

I'd like to call up someone in authority to report what's going on — but the telephone company is in on the conspiracy too: they've printed the
phone books in such small type that no one could ever find a number in there!

All I can do is pass along this warning: WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!

Unless something drastic happens, pretty soon everyone will have to suffer these awful indignities.

PS I am sending this to you in a larger font size, because something has happened to my computer's fonts - they are smaller than they once were. Z
Thank you.


And don’t forget… God gave you toes as a device for finding furniture in the dark AND….If God wanted us to pop out of bed in the morning, he
would have had us sleep in toasters.

 

 

An elderly, but hardy cattleman from Texas once told a young female neighbor that if she wanted to live a long life, the secret was to sprinkle a pinch of gunpowder on her oatmeal each morning.  She did this religiously and lived to the age of 103.  She left behind 14 children, 30 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren and a 40 foot hole where the crematorium used to be.

 

GAME DAY AT WSB

LET’S HAVE SOME FUN

 

We will have a game day at WSB on this Friday the 10^th.  We look forward to some fun and fellowship.  If you need Mr. Earl to provide you transportation please let Shelly know by
Wednesday. 

TIME 1 TO 4 PM

 

See you there.

IN LOVING MEMORY TO SARGE LOZANO

Our deepest condolences to our friend Lou Ann Lozano Williams on the recent death of her father.  Below is a copy of the obituary for Sarge as he was affectionately known, for those who would like to read about him.

Obituary for Manuel J. Lozano

Manuel J. “Sarge” Lozano, age 96, of Little Rock, Arkansas, native of San Antonio, Texas, passed away on January 27, 2017. Born on February 15, 1920 to Eucario R. Lozano and Josefa P. Lozano, he was a member of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church since early 1946. He retired from the United States Air Force in November 1963 with over 20 years of active duty and 10 years reserve time. He retired with the rank of Senior Master Sergeant, and served in WWII, Korea, and the start of the Vietnam War.

Sarge was then employed by the State Revenue Department, as Director of the newly formed Data processing Division. He determined the needs of staff, equipment, space and funds for the Commissioner to present to the 1965 Arkansas legislative session. He designed the system and all forms necessary for computer processing, as they applied to Income tax withholding, forms for individual income tax filing, forms for motor vehicle license, driver license, and sales tax filing.
Sarge was an active member of the community serving in the following positions: President of the Forest Heights Lions Club, President of the Arkansas School for the Blind PTA, member of the Knights of Columbus, and President of the Arkansas Retired Military Association.

He worked for the Clinton for Governor Committee in the 1984 and 1986 campaigns and for the Clinton for President Exploratory Committee in 1991. In 1992 and 1996 he worked for Bill Clinton’s Presidential Campaigns.

Sarge was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Agatha Louise Vestle Lozano, his daughter, Mary Jo Lozano, his two sisters (Eloisa and Maria), five brothers (Joe, Raul, Vicente, Narciso, and Angel), grandson (Robert), and his parents. He is survived by his brother, Ramon Lozano, daughter, LouAnn Williams and her husband, Gene, all from San Antonio. He has six grandchildren, Cynthia Bond (husband, Jason), Shannon Tanner (husband, Edwin), Lann Smith, Erin Moser (husband, Justin), Isaac Williams (wife, Katherine), and Joshua Williams. He has 8 great-grandchildren: Cynthia’s children are Robert Styn (wife, Michelle), Andrew Styn (wife, Amanda), and Rachel McDuffie (husband, Eli). Shannon’s children are Mackenzie George (husband, Clay), Blaine Tanner, and Camden Tanner. Lann’s daughter is Madison Smith. Erin’s daughter is Isla Moser. He has onr great-great grandchild, Rachael’s daughter, Zoey. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, and faithful dog Suzie.

A rosary will be held on Thursday, February 2nd at 6:00 pm with visitation following from 6:30 – 8:00 pm at Little Rock Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, February 3 at 2:30 pm at Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church with Father Warren Harvey as celebrant. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Little Rock.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: St. Peter-St. Joseph Children’s Home at 919 Mission Road, San Antonio, Texas 78210 www.stpjhome.org or to Guide Dogs of Texas at 1503 Allena Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78213 www.guidedogsoftexas.org

THE POETRY OF SENIORS

Another year has passed

and we're all a little older.

Last summer felt hotter

and winter seems much colder

 

I rack my brain for happy thoughts.

to put down on my pad.

But lots of things that come to mind

just make me kind of sad.

 

There was a time long ago

when life was quite a blast.

Now I fully understand

about "Living in the Past".

 

We used to go to friends homes,

football games and lunches.

Now we go to therapy, to hospitals,

and after - funeral brunches.

 

We used to go out  dining,

and couldn't get our fill.

Now we ask for doggie bags,

come home and take a pill.

 

We used to often travel

to places near and far.

Now we get backaches

from riding in the car.

 

We used to go out shopping

for new clothing at the Mall

But, now we never bother.....

all the sizes are too small.

 

That, my friend is how life is,

and now my tale is told.

So, enjoy each day and live it up...

before you're too darn old!!

WHAT WILL ANOTHER 100 YEARS BRING

Subject: The Year is 1916:

 This will boggle your mind!

 The year is 1916 "One hundred years ago."

 What a difference a century makes!

 Here are some statistics for the Year 1916:

 The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.

 

 Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores only.

 Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.

 

 Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

 

 The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

  The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.

 

 The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.

 The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

 

 A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year.

 A dentist $2,500 per year.

 

 A veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year.

 And, a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

 More than 95 percent of all births took place at home

 Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!

 

 Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were

 condemned in the press AND the government as "substandard."

 

 Sugar cost four cents a pound.

 Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

 

 Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

 

 Most women only washed their hair once a month,

  And, used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

 Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into

 their country for any reason.

 The Five leading causes of death were:

 

 1.  Pneumonia and influenza

 

 2. Tuberculosis

 

 3. Diarrhea

 

 4. Heart disease

 5. Stroke

 The American flag had 45 stars

 The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30.

 Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.

 There was neither a Mother's Day nor a Father's Day.

 Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write

 And, only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

 Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at

 local corner drugstores.

 Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives

 buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach, bowels, and is, in fact,

 a perfect guardian of health!"                 (Shocking?)

 Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or

 domestic help...

 There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. !

 It is impossible to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.

A LITTLE HUMOR FOR THE WEEK

Non-Biblical Proverbs 

• He who laughs last, thinks slowest.
• Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film.
• A day without sunshine is like ... night.
• On the other hand, you have different fingers.
• I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.
• Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it.
• You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted and then used against you.
• I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be without sponges.
• Honk if you love peace and quiet.
• Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.
• You can't have everything. Where would you put it?
• The latest surveys concluded that 3 out of 4 people make up 75 percent of the world's population.
• A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.
• Scientists have discovered that research causes cancer in rats.
• I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.

What I learned from my dog 

Wag more, bark less. 

Anniversary Wisdom 

On their 50th wedding anniversary, a couple summed up the reason for their long and happy marriage. The husband said, "I have tried never to be selfish. After all, there is no I in the word marriage." The wife said, "For my part, I have never corrected my husband's spelling."