Knowledge is Power
Heading reads "Obituaries," but click on
name of paper to see on-line edition.
Mystery Writers
to Die For
Jan and Linda M. recommend
authors and Jan reviews some
good mysteries.
See current time; figure out your life
expectancy; other good stuff
From www.PeterRussell.com
Living Will/Advance
Medical Directive
Maxine shares her living will, and
there's a link to get a real form.
Play and see what a lovely,
long life you're in for
Classmates Share Weight
Control Secrets
Walt, Rob, and Jan have done it,
but can they keep it off?
We shall see
in 2010!
Enter an address and get a map
with nearby supermarkets,
restaurants, coffee shops, bars,
theaters, schools, parks, libraries,
bookstores, fitness centers,
pharmacies, hardware stores, and
clothing stores.
World Clock from Judy PS
Yes,
even
sleeping.

Maybe because you're breathing.
Mosquitoes follow the slipstream
of carbon dioxide from your mouth
to you, then decide whether to bite.

Maybe because you're wearing
dark colors. (The lighter-colored
your clothes are, the less
appealing.)

Maybe because you go outside in
the early morning and early
evening. (That's when they're out.)

Maybe because your blood is high
in folic acid. They like that.
(Research has not shown that high
blood sugar is more attractive.)

Maybe because you're not wearing
perfume, deodorant, or hair spray,
which can mask the folic acid
chemical aroma.

Maybe because you didn't shower
before going out. Soap can also
make you less appealing.

Maybe because you forgot to put
on your DEET, the very best
protection against getting bitten.
Find parking/storage; jobs from
short "gigs" to career change;
personals; discussion forums;
services; and more, for barter or
sale. Rob and  Rob and Paul
found a place to stay in Paris at a
bargain rate using Craig's List.
Thanks to them for catch. Texas
cities on the site are as follows,
as of Aug. 26, 2007:

Abilene (new)
Amarillo
Austin
Beaumont / Port Arthur
Brownsville
College Station (new)
Corpus Christi
Dallas / Fort Worth
El Paso
Houston
Killeen / Temple /Ft Hood (new)
Laredo
Lubbock
McAllen / Edinburg
Odessa / Midland
San Antonio
San Marcos (new)
Texarkana (new)
Tyler / East TX
Waco
Wichita Falls (new)
The phaonmneal pweor of the
hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a
rscheearch at Cmabrigde
Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in
waht oerdr the ltteres in
a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt
tihng is taht the frsit and lsat
ltteer be in the rghit pclae.
The rset can be a taotl mses and
you can sitll raed it whotuit a
pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the
huamn mnid deos not raed ervey
lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a
wlohe. Azanmig huh? Yaeh, and
we awlyas  tghuhot slpeling was
ipmorantt!

(Hnit: It deos mkae a dffierecne
on yuor rsemue!)
Hmm. Why Did We Work
So Hard on Spelling?
Mammatus Clouds
These rare and beautiful mammatus clouds are not cause for worry;
instead, they usually follow a storm when the air is saturated with
moisture and/or ice crystals and begins to sink.  Photographer Jorn
Olsen lives near Hastings College, where he caught this fabulous
picture, passed on to us via the Internet from Linda M.





10/15/07 from Dewey:
Learn all about the people in
your zip code at
http://zipskinny.com/
Pecan Facts/Trivia
by Jacci Howard Bear

The United States produces 80% of the world's
pecans, primarily in Southern states including Texas,
Georgia, and South Carolina.

Although it was in the running for National Tree, the
Oak was the winner. Personally, I'm pleased. Oak
trees are lovely and quite frankly, the thought of
hearing the "pee-can" touted as our national tree is
like fingernails on a chalkboard. It's pronounced
puh-kon, as any good Texan can tell you. Need more
proof? In the peek-ans/pe-kawns vote held by the
National Pecan Shellers Association, pe-kawns
(another way of writing puh-kons) won by a landslide.

Governor Hogg liked pecan trees so much that he
asked to have one planted at his grave. His
enthusiasm prompted the State Legislature to name
the Pecan Tree as the State Tree of Texas in 1919.
Pecan trees, along with oak, sycamore, mesquite,
and more grace the lawns of the Texas State Capitol.

Pecans are a significant source of zinc, and as such
have the ability to improve your sex drive. Feeling
fiesty? Perhaps it was that extra slice of pecan pie
after dinner.

Read about "pickin' pecans" and ways to use them in
Bear's column at:
austin.about.com/cs/fooddrink/l/blpecans.htm
Pecan Tree (Carya illinoensis)

The pecan tree is of the walnut/hickory family.
Do you know about the free
source of genealogy info from
the USGEN Web Project? Check
it out at
www.usgenweb.org

Courtesy of Linda W
Genealogy

Wisdom from Dewey (Yes, Dewey!)

A 36-year old woman was traveling
between Gladewater and Kilgore. It was
raining, though not hard, when her car
suddenly began to hydro-plane and
literally flew through the air. She was not
seriously injured but very stunned at the
sudden occurrence! She thought she was
being cautious by setting the cruise
control and maintaining a safe, consistent
speed in the rain.

But the highway patrolman told her that if  
cruise control is on when your car begins
to hydro-plane and your tires lose contact
with the pavement, your car will
accelerate, making you take off like an
airplane. She told the patrolman that was
exactly what had occurred.

NOTE: Some vehicles (like the Toyota
Sienna Limited XLE) will not allow you
to set the cruise control  when the wipers
are on.
Never Use Cruise Control When
It's Raining
Lutein (found in spinach, kale, corn,
eggs, & supplements) protects
against macular degeneration.
L-E-E-C-K-S:
Lutein Eyes
Eggs Corn Kale Spinach
Do Not Call Registry

To re-register (required after 5 yrs;
took effect in '03), call
888-382-1222 or visit
www.donotcall.gov.


Asparagus

contains folic acid (for red
blood cells, healthy fetuses,
lowered homocysteine)
More Benefits of Folic Acid
From Shereen Jegtvig's Nutrition Blog
http://nutrition.about.com/b/2005/01/19/more-benefits-of-folic-acid.
htm
A new article in the Journal of the American Medical Association
suggests that women who consume 1000 mcg folic acid per day
may have a decreased risk of high blood pressure. Folic
acid appears to relax the blood vessels. It also appears that
women who took folic acid supplements reduced their risks more
successfully than women who got all their folic acid from diet alone.
More reseach needs to be done to be sure of this benefit, but
since it is already known that folic acid is necessary for healthy
fetal development, red blood cell development and helpful for
reducing homocysteine levels, I suggest that all women take
800 to 1000 mcg of folic acid, along with a B complex
supplement, every day. The supplements can enhance dietary
sources, which include green leafy vegetables, citrus fruit,
and whole grains.
Through a Rapist's Eyes (No Joke)
This information for females of ALL ages is from
Polly.

A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were
interviewed on what they look for in a potential
victim and here are some interesting facts:

1) The first thing men look for in a potential victim
is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a
woman with a ponytail, bun, braid or other hair
style that can easily be grabbed. They are also
likely to go after a woman with long hair Women
with short hair are not common targets.

2) The second thing men look for is clothing. They
will look for women who's clothing is easy to
remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors
around specifically to cut clothing.

3) They also look for women on their cell phone,
searching through their purse, or doing other
activities while walking because they are off-guard
and can be easily overpowered.

4) Men are most likely to attack & rape in the early
morning, between 5:00a.m. and 8:30am.

5) The number one place women are abducted
from/attacked is grocery store parking lots.
Number two: is office parking lots/garages. Number
three: is public restrooms.

6) The thing about these men is that they are
looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to
another location where they don't have to worry
about getting caught.

7) Only 2% said they carried weapons because
rape carries a 3-5 year sentence but rape with a
weapon is 15-20 years.

8) If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get
discouraged because it only takes a minute or two
for them to realize that going after you isn't worth it
because it will be time-consuming.

9) These men said they would not pick on women
who have umbrellas, or other similar objects that
can be used from a distance, in their hands.

Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get
really close to the attacker to use them as a
weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys
you're not worth it.

10) Several defense mechanisms he taught us
are: If someone is following behind you on a street
or in a garage or with you in an elevator or
stairwell, look him in the face and ask him a
question, like what time is it, or make general small
talk: "I can't believe it is so cold out here," "we're in
for a bad winter." Now you've seen their face and
could identify them in a line-up; you lose appeal as
a target.

11) If someone is coming toward you, hold out your
hands in front of you and yell STOP or STAY
BACK! Most of the rapists this man talked to said
they'd leave a woman al one if she yelled or
showed that she would not be afraid to fight back.
Again, they are looking for an EASY target.

12) If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a
huge advocate of it and carries it with him
wherever he goes), yell I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY
and holding it out will be a deterrent.

13) If someone grabs you, you can't beat him with
strength but you can by outsmarting him If you are
grabbed around the waist from be hind, pinch the
attacker ei ther under the Arm (between the elbow
and armpit) OR in the upper inner thigh VERY
VERY HARD. One woman in a class this guy
taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a
guy who was trying to date rape her and was so
upset she broke through the skin and tore out
muscle strands - the guy needed stitches. Try
pinching yourself in those places as hard as you
can stand it - it hurts..

14) After the initial hit, always GO for the GROIN. I
know from a particularly unfortunate experience
that if you slap a guy's parts it is extremely painful.
You might think that you'll anger the guy and make
him want to hurt you more, but the thing these
rapists told our instructor is that they want a
woman who will not cause a lot of trouble. Start
causing trouble and he's out of there.

15) When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab
his first two fingers and bend them back as far as
possible with as much pressure pushing down on
them as possible. The instructor did it to me
without using much pressure, and I ended up on
my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly..

16) Of course the things we always hear still apply.
Always be aware of your surroundings , take
someone with you if you can and if you see any
odd behavior, don't dismiss it, go with your
instincts!!!


You may feel a little silly at the time, but you'd feel
much worse if the guy really was trouble.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the
strongest point on your body. If you are close
enough to use it, do!
2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans
. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO
NOT HAND IT TO HIM.. Toss it away from
you....chances are that he is more interested in
your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go
for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE
OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car,
kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out
the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver
won't see you, but everybody else will. This has
saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars
after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit
(doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.)
DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching
you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to
get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your
head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU
GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND
LEAVE.

a. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head
DO NOT DRIVE OFF, repeat: DO NOT DRIVE
OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into
anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save
you. If the person is in the back seat they will get
the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out
and run. It is better than having them find your
body in a remote location.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a
parking lot or parking garage:

A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car,
at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.

B) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your
car fro m the passenger door. Most serial killers
attack their victims by pulling them into their vans
while the women are attempting to get into their
cars.

C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of
your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is
sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may
want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a
guard/policeman to walk you back out.

IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN
SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs.
(Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the
perfect crime spot. This is especially true at
NIGHT!)

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under
his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only
hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times. And even
then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ.
RUN, preferably in a zigzag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying to be
sympathetic: STOP! It may get you raped or killed.
Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking,
well-educated man, who ALWAYS played on the
sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked
with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help"
into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when
he abducted his next victim..

9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that
her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the
night before last, and she called the police
because it was late and she thought it was weird.
The police told her "Whatever you do, DO NOT
open the door."

The lady then said that it sounded like the baby
had crawled near a window, and she was worried
that it would crawl to the street and get run over.
The policeman said, "We already have a unit on
the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the
door." He told her that they think a serial killer has
a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women
out of t heir homes thinking that someone dropped
off a baby. He said they have not verified it , but
have had several calls by women saying that they
hear baby 's cries outside their doors when they're
home alone at night.

Please pass this on and DO NOT open the door
for a crying baby ----This should be taken
seriously because the Crying Baby theory was
mentioned on America's Most Wanted this past
Saturday when they profiled the serial killer in
Louisiana.

I'd like you to forward this to all the women you
know. It may save a life . A candle is not dimmed
by lighting another candle. I was going to send this
to the ladies only, but guys, if you love your
mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may
want to pass it onto them, as well.
Apr. 24: Ann L sends a gorgeous view of
roiling red clouds of hydrogen in the
constellation Cygnus. She says, "Y'all gotta go
here today. Love this website!"

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
Jan sends this link to further info about the
benefits of distractibility, which seems a
problem to us seniors, but has advantages:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/health/rese
arch/20brai.html?ex=1212465600&en=cbb10b
e01967c9f6&ei=5070&emc=eta1
Improve Your Health: Drink Coffee
Downing 1-3 cups of caffeinated coffee daily may reduce
diabetes risk up to 9%, but having 6 cups or more each day
slashed men's risk by 54% and women's by 30% over java
avoiders in a recent Harvard study. At least 6 studies show
that frequent coffee-drinkers are up to 80% less likely to
develop Parkinson's, with 3 showing the more they drink,
the lower the risk. Other research shows that compared to
not drinking coffee, at least 2 cups daily can translate to a
25% reduced risk of colon cancer, an 80% drop in liver
cirrhosis risk, and nearly half the risk of gallstones. People
who smoke and drinke a lot have less heart disease and
liver damage when they regularly consume large amounts
of coffee compared to those who don't," says DePaulis.
There's also some evidence that coffee may help manage
asthma and even control attacks when medication is
unavailable, stop a headache, boost mood, and even
prevent cavities.
Interactive Menu Planner
from National Heart, Lung,
and Blood Institute
http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/menupla
nner/menu.cgi
Nutrition: God's Pharmacy from Polly

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just
like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow
to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All
o f the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopene and are indeed pure heart
and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a
blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and
blood vitalizing food.

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and
lower cerebellums.  Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex.
We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for
brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look
exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods
specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23%
sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones,
thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Avocados, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and
cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that
when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth
weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this?  It takes exactly nine
(9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000
photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern
science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of
male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well to overcome male sterility.
Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of
diabetics.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries

Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of
the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in
and out of the breasts.

Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste
materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial
layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials
and dangerous free radicals from the body.
John Wagner, Hallmark artist since 1970, says Maxine was inspired by
his mother, his maiden aunts, and his grandmother, the woman who
bought him art lessons when 'fill in the pumpkins' was about the extent of
his art classes at  St. John's  Catholic  School in  Leonia,  NJ. John
remembers doodling as a preschooler and says both his grandmother and
his mother encouraged his artistic interests. He eventually attended the  
Vesper George  School of Art in  Boston and landed at Hallmark as part of
a new artists group.  But it was the birth of the humorous Shoebox
Greetings (a tiny little division of Hallmark) in 1986 that added a new
dimension to John's professional life. The Shoebox way of seeing the
world unleashed his talents and he created Maxine.

'Cartoonists are sensitive to the insanities of the world; we just try to
humanize them,' John says.  'If Maxine can get a laugh out of someone
who feels lonely or someone who is getting older and hates the thought
of another birthday, or if she can make someone  chuckle about stressful
interpersonal relationships, then I'm happy.  Putting a smile on someone's
face is what it's all about.'

Those smiles have led to Maxine's becoming a bit of a celebrity. She (and
John) have been the subject of media stories, including People, USA
Today, Good Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, St. Petersburg (FL)
Times, and Las Vegas Journal-Review, and they have been included in a
major Associated Press story.  Collector and trade publications have
reported fans nationwide are collecting Maxine items. Letters from
consumers and fans to John and Maxine reveal a very personal
connection to Maxine. Many people say they are just like her.  (Jan's note:
Ask Ann L about her "best friend.")

Why the name 'Maxine'? 'People at Shoebox started referring to the
character as 'John Wagner's old lady,' and I knew that would get me into
trouble with my wife,' John says. The Shoebox team had a contest among
themselves to name the character and three of the approximately 30
entries suggested 'Maxine'.  John says the name is perfect.

John, who says he's humbled by such acceptance of Maxine, admits he's
proud of her.

Now you know the story of how Maxine came to be.  
Have you ever wondered who creates Maxine? No,
neither have I, but it's fun and surprising to learn that the
cartoonist is a MAN!


                               You don't need to keep your .45 or  AK-47 sitting out         
                                on the coffee table; a can of wasp spray will do!

I have a friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area who was
concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them
when they were counting the collection. She asked the local police
department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that
she get a can of wasp spray instead. The wasp spray, they told her, can
shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the
pepper spray the assailants have to get too close to you and could
overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they
get to the hospital for an antidote. Keep one at home and in your car.
Knowledge is Power: Wasp Spray
New
9/24/09
from
Polly
From Dewey:
Why keep aspirin by your
bedside?

There are other symptoms of an 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.

The majority of people (about 60%) who  had a heart
attack during their sleep, did not wake up. How-
ever, 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:
- 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 ~
Jan's note: I recommend calling 911!