March 2012 Baltimore Beacon Edition

F R E E

VOL.9, NO.3

I N F O C U S F O R P E O P L E O V E R 5 0MARCH 2012More than 125,000 readers throughout Greater Baltimore

I N S I D E …

By Carol SorgenTalk to Ross Kelbaugh for even a few

minutes and you’ll see why he was a suc-cessful history teacher for 30 years. Kelbaugh’s passion for bringing the past

to life is contagious, a fact that did not escapethe producers of the MPT-produced televi-sion program “Chesapeake Collectibles,” alocal version of the internationally popularseries, “Antiques Roadshow.” For the local show, area residents bring

antiques and collectibles to the MPT stu-dios to be appraised by area experts andfilmed for possible airing. During the program’s inaugural season

last year, Kelbaugh brought in a pre-CivilWar object to be appraised. Not only washis filmed interview included in one of thefirst-season episodes, but he was later in-vited to become one of the appraisers forthe second season of the program.The producers were impressed not only

by the 62-year-old Baltimore County resi-dent’s knowledge, but by his on-air pres-ence. The fact that he was a “local boy” madehim even more attractive, Kelbaugh related,as the producers were seeking to have moreMarylanders as appraisal experts, instead ofbringing in folks from out of town. Kelbaugh will appear in eight of the 13

second-season episodes, which began air-ing on MPT stations in January.To tape those eight programs, Kelbaugh

spent two “very long and difficult” daysthis past June, seeing countless peoplewho brought in their treasures in hopes offinding out more of the objects’ history —and, of course, perhaps learning that theywere sitting on a small fortune.

Becoming a collector Kelbaugh, whose specialty on the series

is collectibles and ephemera, did comeacross a few gems that made his heartbeat a little faster, including a set of letterswritten in 1941 between a mother and herson who ultimately lost his life later thatyear in the bombing of the U.S.S. Arizonaat Pearl Harbor.For Kelbaugh, his work on “Chesa-

peake Collectibles” is just an extension ofhis days in the classroom. He taught histo-ry to junior and senior high students inCatonsville until retiring in 2001.

“I would always bring objects in to showthe students,” he said. “I wanted to teachthem not only about the artifact itself, butabout the people related to it. There’s ex-citement in uncovering someone’slife…I’ve always enjoyed that hunt.”If you like to play along on shows such

as “Chesapeake Collectibles” and “An-tiques Roadshow” and think, ‘Hey, I coulddo that,’ know that Kelbaugh has spent vir-tually his entire life acquiring the vastknowledge he has when it comes to theworld of antiques. In grade school, he began collecting

stamps and coins. By the time he was insixth grade, which coincided with the Civil

War Centennial, he was captivated by thatera of American history.“I was attending Pikesville Elementary

School, which was located next to whatonce was the Home for Confederate Sol-diers [now Maryland State Police head-quarters],” Kelbaugh said. That piece ofhistory, virtually in his own backyard, “ig-nited my imagination,” he said.He wasn’t alone, Kelbaugh recalled.

Among the boys of the Sudbrook Parkneighborhood in which he grew up, col-lecting Civil War relics was an avid pursuit.From then on, Kelbaugh continued his

Ross Kelbaugh (right) talks with a participant on “Chesapeake Collectibles,” MPT’slocal version of “Antiques Roadshow,” in which appraisers evaluate items brought inby viewers. Kelbaugh, a former history teacher, collects vintage photographs andwrites books.

See APPRAISER, page 21

Appraiser brings history to life

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FITNESS & HEALTH 4k Stem cells fight blindnessk Save on healthcare abroad

LAW & MONEY 14k Time to focus on dividendsk Grandparent money missteps

VOLUNTEERS & CAREERS 20k Teaching late learners

PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACONBITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE

A R T S & S T Y L EGeppi’s gem of a museumbrims with nostalgia; plus, newbook looks at the pros andcons of living solo

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L E I S U R E & T R A V E LVisit Las Vegas through theeyes of a first-timer; plus, all aboard a cruise with Hollywood legends

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2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com MARCH 2 0 1 2 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON

BeaconThe

I N F O C U S F O R P E O P L E O V E R 5 0

• Publisher/Editor ....................Stuart P. Rosenthal

• Associate Publisher..............Judith K. Rosenthal

• Vice President, Operations........Gordon Hasenei

• Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel

• Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King

• Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben

• Contributing Editor..........................Carol Sorgen

• Graphic Designer ..............................Kyle Gregory

• Advertising Representative ..............Steve Levin

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915(410) 248-9101 • Email: [email protected]: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 1st of themonth preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 1st of the month preceding the monthof publication. See page 31 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

© Copyright 2012 The Beacon Newspapers, Inc.

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Baltimore area, and is pri vate ly owned. Other editions serve

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Send sub scrip tion order to the office listed below.

Publication of advertising contained herein doesnot necessarily con sti tute en dorse ment. Signed col -umns represent the opinions of the writers, and notnecessarily the opinion of the publisher.

Letters to the editorReaders are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressedin the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mailyour Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring,MD 20915, or e-mail to [email protected]. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

Having good mental health is probablyas important as having good physicalhealth, if not more so. Butwhen our mental health is“not so good,” would most ofus call ourselves ill, as in“mentally ill?”Suppose you find it diffi-

cult to sleep or lose your ap-petite for a couple of weeksbecause you’ve been diag-nosed with a serious physicalillness or suffered the loss ofa loved one. Would you sayyou had a mental illness? Apparently, our govern-

ment would, and does. I was rather taken aback to see the re-

cently-released “mental health findings” ofthe National Survey on Drug Use andHealth. Based on interviews and self-adminis-

tered questionnaires from more than68,000 Americans, the annual survey esti-mates that 46 million people in 2010 — 20percent of adults in the United States —had a “diagnosable mental, behavioral oremotional disorder” sufficient to considerthem to suffer from a “mental illness.”This included people with “depressed

mood or loss of interest or pleasure indaily activities” lasting two weeks or more,

even if such short-term depression wasbrought on due to a medical illness or be-

reavement. According to a report in

the Washington Post, other di-agnosable mental disordersthat qualified as mental ill-ness “could include spider-phobia and staying upset for along time after arguing withone’s spouse.” One psychiatrist the Post

interviewed about the surveycharacterized it as “kind ofalarmist.” Another said hewas “skeptical that rates this

high make sense.” To be fair, the survey also estimated that

only 5 percent of U.S. adults suffered froma “serious mental illness,” defined as amental illness that results in “serious func-tional impairment, which substantially in-terferes with or limits one or more majorlife activities.” Certainly when symptoms interfere

with daily life to a significant extent, a per-son should take it seriously and seek im-mediate help. But what does that say about the 35 mil-

lion Americans whose “mental illness” wasnot considered “serious?” Presumably,their conditions do not interfere in any

substantial way with even one major life ac-tivity. And if that’s the case, are we doingourselves a favor by labeling them, even asa group, with a diagnosis of “mental ill-ness?”I’ve gotten to know enough people over

the years to recognize that almost every-one has quirks, tics, skeletons and pho-bias, many of which have labels in the psy-chiatric profession’s DSM-IV manual ofmental disorders.And I understand why psychiatrists

would want to catalogue every possiblesymptom and disorder. That enables moreaccurate and comprehensive diagnoses,and presumably helps them develop bettertreatment plans. I also appreciate that, when even rela-

tively minor or temporary conditionscause a person distress, it is valuable andimportant to seek help. Therapy, behav-ioral modification and medications canmake a world of difference and vastly im-prove a person’s quality of life. Still, I’m disturbed when our govern-

ment utilizes the vast expansion of cata-logued disorders to declare that one in fiveAmericans has a mental illness. Just be-cause a condition is “diagnosable” doesn’tmean we as a society necessarily want tostigmatize it.Perhaps the intent of those behind this

effort is actually to remove the stigma ofthe term. If most of us could be classifiedas suffering from mental illness at one

time or another, then being (or havingbeen) mentally ill would actually become“normal.”If anyone asked me, however, I’d say

let’s do what we can to help everyone over-come their psychological and emotionallimitations and issues — but hold back onthe labels, please. By the way, I was intrigued to see ta-

bles in the government’s report that indi-cated the older one gets, the less likelyone is to exhibit symptoms of mental ill-ness. That applies not only to “any mentalillness,” but also to serious mental illness,suicidal thoughts, and major depressiveepisodes.The highest incidence of all such condi-

tions was found among 18 to 25 year olds,while the lowest incidence was amongthose 50 and older. At the same time, those 50 and older

were the most likely to seek treatment forany such symptoms. The two probably go together. With age

comes perspective, experience and a cer-tain wisdom about life that, one hopes,helps keep anxiety, fear and panic at bay. At the same time, older adults have

lived long enough to know that taking ac-tion to address a problem is the first stepin solving it.

How ill are we really?

FROM THEPUBLISHERBy Stuart P. Rosenthal

Dear Editor:I just read Stuart Rosenthal’s article on

the Coachella Valley Beacon. I was very inter-ested because my parents had lived in PalmDesert, Calif., for many years, and I inheritedtheir home when they passed away. I havesince sold the home but still love the area. I would love to be able to read the Bea-

con for that area if you could provide mewith the website, if it is online.

Sue TownsendWhite Hall, MD

Editor’s response:You can view current and past issues of the

Coachella Valley Beacon at www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/coachella-valley-edition.

INVESTMENT FRAUD PROTECTIONAttorney Jason W. Gaarder of West & Gaarder, LLC, will address

the topic of investment fraud targeting seniors. This informative session will be

held on Tuesday, Feb. 28, from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. at the Pikesville Senior Cen-

ter, 1301 Reisterstown Rd. Call (410) 887-1245 for more information.

SELF-HELP GUIDE AVAILABLEThe Baltimore County Self-Help guide is now available online at

www.baltimorecountymd.gov/agencies/women/resources.html.

The guide lists services for women, families and service providers in areas such as

health, education, employment, as well as crisis hotline phone numbers. For more

information, call (410) 887-3448.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 28

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LOSING ENERGYThere’s not much evidence that supplements and drinks boost energy

NEW PNEUMONIA VACCINEThe FDA has approved the vaccine Prevnar for use in those over 50

HEART HEALTH HELPHarvard doctors answer reader questions on exercise and aspirin

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HealthFitness &

By Alicia ChangTwo legally blind women appeared to

gain some vision after receiving an experi-mental treatment using embryonic stemcells, scientists reported in January.While embryonic stem cells were first

isolated more than a decade ago, most ofthe research has been done in lab animals.The new results come from the first tests inhumans for a vision problem. Researcherscaution the work is still very preliminary.“This study provides reason for encour-

agement, but plans to now get such a treat-ment would be premature,” said stem cellexpert Paul Knoepfler of the University ofCalifornia, Davis, who had no role in theresearch.

“Incurable” conditions improvedLast summer, each patient was injected

in one eye with cells derived from embry-onic stem cells at the University of Califor-nia, Los Angeles. One patient had the “dry” form of age-re-

lated macular degeneration, the most com-mon cause of blindness. The other had arare disorder known as Stargardt diseasethat causes serious vision loss. There’s nocure for either eye problem.After four months, both showed some

improvement in reading progressivelysmaller letters on an eye chart. The Star-gardt patient, a graphic artist in Los Ange-les, went from seeing no letters at all tobeing able to read five of the largest letters.However, experts said the improvement

of the macular degeneration patient mightbe mostly psychological, because the vi-sion in her untreated eye appeared to getbetter, too.

Both patients remain legally blind de-spite their improvements, said experts notconnected with the study.

A small safety study only“One must be very careful not to over-

interpret the visual benefit,” said Vander-bilt University retina specialist Dr. PaulSternberg, who is also the president-electof the American Academy of Ophthalmol-ogy.The findings were published online by

the journal Lancet. This early test wasmeant to study whether the stem cell ther-apy was safe in people and not whether itwould improve vision.Scientists at UCLA and Advanced Cell

Technology (ACT), which funded thework, said they were pleased that therehave been no signs of rejection or abnor-

mal growth months after the procedure.Embryonic stem cells can transform

into any cell of the body. Scientists arehoping to harness embryonic stem cellsto create a variety of replacement tis-sues for transplant, but their use hasbeen controversial because human em-bryos have to be destroyed to harvestthe cells.The latest news comes two months after

Geron Corp. halted its stem cell-based ex-periment for spinal cord injuries, saying itplanned to focus instead on two experi-mental cancer drugs.Meanwhile, ACT is pushing ahead with

its blindness study. The company said thatsurgeons in London injected stem cellsinto a patient with Stargardt disease re-cently.

—AP

Stem cells may restore vision in the blind

By Ricardo Alonso-ZaldivarBaby boomers take note: Medicare as

your parents have known it is headed forbig changes no matter who wins the WhiteHouse in 2012. You may not like it, but youmight have to accept it. Dial down the partisan rhetoric, and sur-

prising similarities emerge from compet-ing policy prescriptions by PresidentBarack Obama and leading Republicanssuch as Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan. Limit the overall growth of Medicare

spending? It’s in both approaches.Squeeze more money from upper-incomeretirees and some in the middle-class?Ditto. Raise the eligibility age? That too, ifthe deal is right. With more than 1.5 million baby

boomers a year signing up for Medicare,the program’s future is one of the most im-portant economic issues for anyone now50 or older. Healthcare costs are the most unpre-

dictable part of retirement, and Medicareremains an exceptional deal for retirees,who can reap benefits worth far more thanthe payroll taxes they paid in during theircareers.

Finances will force change “People would like to have what they

used to have. What they don’t seem to un-derstand is that it’s already changed,” saidGail Wilensky, a former Medicare adminis-trator and adviser to Republicans.“Medicare as we have known it is not partof our future.”Two sets of numbers underscore that

point. First, Medicare’s giant trust fund for in-

patient care is projected to run out ofmoney in 2024. At that point, the programwill collect only enough payroll taxes topay 90 percent of benefits. Second, researchers estimate that 20 to

30 percent of the more than $500 billionthat Medicare now spends annually iswasted on treatments and procedures oflittle or no benefit to patients. Taken together, that means policymak-

ers can’t let Medicare keep running on au-topilot, and they’ll look for cuts before anypayroll tax increases.

Privatization pros and consPrivatization is the biggest divide be-

tween Democrats and Republicans. Currently about 75 percent of Medicare

recipients are in the traditional govern-ment-run, fee-for-service program, and 25percent are in private insurance plansknown as Medicare Advantage.

Ryan’s original approach, part of a budg-et plan the House passed last spring,would have put 100 percent of future re-tirees into private insurance. His latestplan, developed with Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., would keep traditional Medicare asan option, competing with private plans. Older people would get a fixed payment

they could use for private health insuranceor traditional Medicare. Proponents call it“premium support.” To foes, it’s a voucher. Under both of Ryan’s versions, people

now 55 or older would not have to makeany changes. GOP presidential candidatesMitt Romney and Newt Gingrich praise hislatest plan. How would it work? Would it save tax-

payers money? Would it shift costs to re-tirees as Ryan’s earlier plan did? WouldCongress later phase out traditionalMedicare? Those and other questionsmust still be answered. “I’m not sure anybody has come up with

a formula on this that makes people com-fortable,” said health economist MarilynMoon, who formerly served as a trusteehelping to oversee Medicare finances. White House spokesman Jay Carney

said the Wyden-Ryan plan “would endMedicare as we know it for millions of sen-iors,” causing the traditional program to

“wither on the vine.”

Healthcare overhaul’s roleBut what administration officials don’t say

is that Obama’s healthcare law already putsin place one of Ryan’s main goals by limitingfuture increases in Medicare spending.Ryan would do it with a fixed payment

for health insurance, adjusted to allowsome growth. In theory that compels con-sumers and medical providers to be morecost-conscious. Obama does it with a powerful board

that can force Medicare cuts to serviceproviders if costs rise beyond certain lev-els and Congress fails to act. Like several elements of Obama’s

healthcare overhaul, the Independent Pay-ment Advisory Board is in limbo for now,but it is on the books. If the board survivesRepublican repeal attempts, it could be-come one of the government’s most impor-tant domestic agencies. The White House wants to keep the exist-

ing structure of Medicare while “twistingthe dials” to control spending, said a currentMedicare trustee, economist Robert Reis-chauer of the Urban Institute think tank. Ryan’s latest approach is arguably an evo-

Medicare debate is all about the boomers

See MEDICARE DEBATE, page 6

By Anne Kates Smith Last year, more than a half-million U.S.

residents got medical care abroad, accord-ing to Patients Beyond Borders, a consumeradvisory service. That number is likely togrow at a 25 to 35 percent annual rate.Some procedures lend themselves to in-

ternational travel. The five most-popularoverseas procedures are cosmetic sur-gery, dentistry, orthopedics, weight-losssurgery, and in vitro fertilization and otherreproductive services.Complex procedures that require

lengthy recuperation (think bone-marrowtransplants) are problematic. Cancer is agray area, with travel dictated less often bypotential cost savings and more often bythe desire to undergo treatment close tofriends and family.Even with lower-stakes procedures,

costs can add up. It makes more sense totravel for four dental implants than for twobecause you have to make a second trip toget crowns on the implants. A good rule ofthumb, according to experts, is that costsavings should be at least $5,000 to $6,000to make a trip worthwhile.Medical care overseas is cheaper in

many places because the cost of living islower than in the U.S. Efficiencies areoften greater overseas as well. In Singa-pore, you’ll find few general hospitals, forinstance. Most medical procedures areperformed in specialized centers.

World-class hospitalsMany hospitals abroad are world-class

facilities that roll out the red carpet formedical tourists. Bumrungrad Internation-al Hospital, in Bangkok, Thailand, is one ofthe biggest, boasting more than 400,000international patient visits per year. Many of its 900 doctors completed fel-

lowships or residencies in the U.S.; some200 are U.S. board-certified, and nearly allspeak English. The hospital’s InternationalMedical Coordination Office will scheduleprocedures, attend to family logistics andcoordinate follow-up care. Bumrungradwill even send someone to pick you up atthe airport.Facilities don’t have to be huge to be at-

tractive. The Barbados Fertility Centre isthe smallest hospital to receive accredita-tions by the Joint Commission International,the global arm of the Joint Commission, themajor hospital accrediting body in the U.S.The appeal of medical travel is obvious

for the uninsured and under-insured. Trav-el is also appealing to workers with high-deductible health plans. Not only might they save a bundle abroad,

but they can use tax-free dollars from ahealth savings account to pay for care (andsome of the travel), provided the proceduresmeet Internal Revenue Service criteria forqualified medical expenses. (To see what theIRS permits, visit www.irs.gov/publica-tions/p502.)Or you can always deduct the cost of

qualified procedures that exceed 7.5 per-cent of your adjusted gross income. It’srare that U.S. insurance is accepted byoverseas care providers.

How to book a tripIf you’re considering medical travel, your

first stop should be the book Patients BeyondBorders by Josef Woodman, a comprehen-sive guide to medical travel with informationabout the best international hospitals andclinics. A newly revised edition is due out inMarch (about $16 on Amazon.com). The organization (www.patientsbeyond-

borders.com) also offers one-on-one ad-vice in free 15-minute consultations or

more in-depth advice for $250.Some medical tourists prefer to arrange

a trip with the help of facilitators, or bro-kers. Many work with networks of hospi-tals, doctors and clinics with which they’venegotiated discounted rates. But be careful. The industry is unregu-

lated, and anyone can hang out a shingle.

Look for a long track record and satisfiedcustomers, an affiliation with major insur-ers or employers, or safeguards againstbias in recommendations.Brokers should thoroughly inspect the fa-

cilities they recommend. For example,

How you can save on healthcare abroadBA L T IMORE B E A CON — MA RCH 2 0 1 2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Fitness & Health 5

See MEDICAL TOURISM, page 7

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problems patients report to their doctors.As many as 14 percent of men and 20 per-cent of women say they feel “frequently fa-tigued,” and in a survey of more than 17million people 51 and older, 31 percent re-ported the symptom of fatigue.Go to the store, and you’ll see a multi-

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chromium picolinate, vitamin B12, DHEA,coenzyme Q10 and creatine. Even ephedra,which was banned by the U.S. Food andDrug Administration several years ago, re-mains available on the Internet.

Evidence is slim, conflictingThere’s little or no scientific evidence to

support the claims for most of these sub-stances. The fact is, the only pill that’llboost your energy is one containing a stim-ulant, such as caffeine. And the effects ofthese stimulants wear off within hours.The same holds true for drinks touted

as energy boosters. Most contain a combi-nation of vitamins, as much caffeine as acup of coffee, and lots of sugar.

Furthermore, supplements (includingherbs, vitamins, and other substances)aren’t subject to quality control by the U.S.government. The FDA doesn’t regulatetheir content, purity or effectiveness. It’sup to the individual manufacturers to po-lice the purity and content of their ownproducts.Here’s a look at what studies suggest

about some substances commonly toutedas energy boosters:

1. Ginkgo biloba. Derived from themaidenhair tree, ginkgo biloba has beenused for centuries in Chinese medicineand is now a common dietary supplementin Western countries. Its effects on cogni-tion (thinking), mood, alertness and mem-ory have been the subject of many studies,but many of those studies have not been ofhigh quality. A 2007 Cochrane Collaboration review of

the better studies found evidence too weak toconclude that ginkgo biloba improved cogni-tion in people with Alzheimer’s disease.Other studies suggest ginkgo biloba may im-prove some aspects of mood, including alert-

ness and calmness, in healthy subjects. Re-garding memory, evidence is conflicting.

2. Ginseng. This is a relatively safe andpopular herb, said to reduce fatigue and en-hance stamina and endurance. Data fromhuman studies are sparse and conflicting. Some studies report that ginseng im-

proves mood, energy and physical and in-tellectual performance. Other researchconcludes it doesn’t improve oxygen useor aerobic performance, or influence howquickly you bounce back after exercising.

3. Guarana. This herb induces a feel-ing of energy because it’s a natural sourceof caffeine. But consuming a lot ofguarana, especially if you also drink coffeeand other caffeinated beverages, could ul-timately lower your energy by interferingwith sleep.

4. Chromium picolinate. This tracemineral is widely marketed to build mus-cle, burn fat, and increase energy and ath-letic performance, but research has notsupported these claims.

lution of the current Medicare Advantageprivate insurance program, not a radicalchange, Reischauer said. That’s particularlyso if traditional Medicare remains an option. “In the hot and heavy political debate we

are in, participants are exaggerating the dif-ference between the proposals,” he said. During failed budget negotiations with

Republicans last summer, Obama indicateda willingness to make more major changesto Medicare, including gradually raising theage of eligibility to 67, increasing premiumsfor many beneficiaries, revamping co-pay-

ments and deductibles in ways that wouldraise costs for retirees, and cutting pay-ments to drugmakers and other providers. “I was surprised by how much the presi-

dent was willing to offer in terms ofMedicare changes without a more thoroughvetting and discussion,” said Moon. Obamasays he will veto any plan to cut Medicarebenefits without raising taxes on the wealthy. Democrats are still hoping to use Ryan’s

privatization plans as a political weaponagainst Republicans, but the Medicare de-bate could cut both ways. For the 76 millionbaby boomers signing up over the next cou-ple of decades, it will pay to be watching.

— AP

6 Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com MARCH 2 0 1 2 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON

Medicare debateFrom page 4

Do any supplements really boost energy?

See ENERGY BOOSTERS, page 7

Learn how to makeLearn how to make

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To learn more about the free equipment, including hands-free phones,amplified phones, voice activated phones and more, simply call Maryland Relay Customer Service at 1-800-552-7724. You may also visit our website, www.mdrelay.org.Click on Free Equipment for more information on how to apply

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5. Vitamin B12. Some people take vi-tamin B12 by injection or pills as a way toget a quick energy burst, but most expertsattribute any results to the placebo effect.Unless you have a B12 deficiency, takingshots or supplements is unlikely to make adifference.

6. DHEA. Sometimes marketed as a“fountain of youth,” this naturally occur-ring hormone is said to boost energy aswell as prevent cancer, heart disease, andinfectious disease — among other things.The truth is that supplemental DHEA

has no proven benefits and some potential-ly serious health risks, such as loweringlevels of healthy HDL cholesterol and in-creasing levels of testosterone, which canencourage acne and facial hair growth inwomen. Some research shows DHEA candamage the liver. Because this hormone is related to es-

trogen and testosterone, there is also con-cern that it may increase the risk forbreast and prostate cancers. It’s wise toavoid taking DHEA until further researchclarifies its side effects.

7. Coenzyme Q10. This enzyme isfound in mitochondria, the energy facto-ries of our cells. Supplements have been

shown to improve exercise capacity in peo-ple with heart disease and may do thesame in people with rare diseases that af-fect the mitochondria. One small European study in 2009 sug-

gested that people with chronic fatiguesyndrome might benefit from supplemen-tation with coenzyme Q10, but more re-search is needed on this topic.8. Ephedra. Although this product was

banned by the FDA in 2004 because ofmajor safety concerns, including in-creased risk of heart attack and stroke, itremains available for sale on the Internet. Any effectiveness ephedra may have in

terms of boosting energy probably results

from two substances it contains —ephedrine and pseudoephedrine — whichmay increase alertness. However, there is nosafe amount of ephedra you can consume.If you want to boost your energy by

stimulating your central nervous system, acup of coffee or another caffeinated bever-age will work just as well.For information about the supplement

creatine, see “Is creatine worth taking?”on page 9.

From Harvard Special Report: BoostingYour Energy

© 2012 President and fellows of HarvardCollege. All rights reserved. Distributed byTribune Media Services, Inc.

David Boucher, the CEO of CompanionGlobal Healthcare (www.companionglobal-healthcare.com), said that Companion phys-ically visits every hospital in its network andthat his company does not accept referralfees from hospitals. Instead, patients pay a$700 case-management fee, in addition tothe cost of travel and medical care. Planet Hospital (www.planethospital.info)

typically recommends three or four hospitalsfor you to choose from, and although thecompany is paid by the hospitals in its net-work, staffers have no incentive to recom-mend one over another. Most patients pay forconcierge service that costs $100 per day forthe first three days and $75 a day thereafter.Be aware that in some countries, doc-

tors may use products that are of lowerquality than ones required in the U.S.,such as certain types of silicone implantsand cosmetic injections. Infection is a lead-ing cause of complications — as it is inU.S. hospitals.

Do your homeworkWhether you travel for care on your own

or with help, insist on a few things. Accredi-tation by the Joint Commission Internation-al is a must. (More than 400 public and pri-vate healthcare organizations in 39 coun-tries are accredited or certified by JCI.)Look for English-speaking patient repre-sentatives. And ask your doctor the same questions

you’d ask a doctor anywhere: Where wereyou trained? How many of these proce-dures have you done? Who makes the im-plants you’ll use? Ask if you can contact the doctor before,

during and after care. Before you go,arrange for the transfer of medical recordsand for after-care in the U.S.Insurers, facilitators, and clinics and

hospitals may try to reduce or eliminatetheir liability in case of malpractice, soread the paperwork carefully. Foreignmedical arbitration systems often drag outthe process, and if you do get compensa-tion, don’t be surprised if it’s much lessthan what you’d expect in the U.S.

Anne Kates Smith is a senior editor atKiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.Send your questions and comments to [email protected].

© 2012 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

BA L T IMORE B E A CON — MA RCH 2 0 1 2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Fitness & Health 7

Medical tourismFrom page 5

Energy boostersFrom page 6

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014331RXX11

FDA adds warning to heart rhythm

drugFederal health officials have added new

safety warnings to the heart rhythm drugMultaq, after a company study by Sanofilinked the tablet to higher rates of heart at-tack, stroke and death in a subset of patients. The boxed warning highlights the re-

sults of a study in which Multaq doubledthe risk of heart-related complications inpatients with permanent atrial fibrillation— a condition in which the heart’s cham-bers pump out of sync. The revised label stresses that Multaq is

only approved for the short-term form ofthe condition and a related ailment knownas atrial flutter. Despite such language, doc-tors routinely prescribe drugs for condi-tions not listed on the labeling approved bythe Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The label, written by the FDA in cooper-

ation with drugmaker Sanofi, instructsdoctors to check patients’ heart rhythm atleast once every three months. If patientsappear to have the permanent form of atri-al fibrillation, Multaq should be discontin-ued. The FDA said that Multaq remains abeneficial drug when used appropriately. In the study that triggered the warning,

Sanofi recorded 25 deaths in the Multaqgroup compared with 13 in the placebogroup. All 3,200 the patients in the studywere older than 65 and had permanentatrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is the most common

heart rhythm disorder and a frequent con-tributor to stroke. The French drugmakerestimates there are 2.5 million atrial fibril-lation patients in the U.S., and another 4.5million in the EU.About 278,000 people in the U.S. have

received prescriptions for Multaq as of lastOctober, according to the FDA. Sanofi re-ported about $224 million in sales for thedrug in 2010, with most prescriptions writ-ten in the U.S. Since 2010, the FDA has approved two

other drugs for atrial fibrillation: Johnson& Johnson’s Xarelto and Boehringer Ingel-heim’s Pradaxa.

Both drugs are marketed as alterna-tives to the hard-to-use warfarin, a 60-yearold drug that doctors often prescribe foratrial fibrillation. Too much warfarin cancause dangerous internal bleeding, andtoo little can result in strokes.

— AP

Pneumoniavaccine for those

over 50Federal regulators recently approved

for use in adults 50 and over a pneumoniavaccine previously used only for infantsand young children. The announcement late last year from

the FDA that it has approved Pfizer Inc.’s

best-selling Prevnar 13 vaccine for such usewas widely anticipated. It came shortly aftera panel of federal health experts voted over-whelmingly to recommend Prevnar 13 as asafe and effective vaccine to prevent pneu-mococcal bacteria infections in adults. Prevnar 13 protects against 13 strains of

the bacteria, which cause meningitis,pneumonia and ear infections. While usedmostly in children for the past 10 years,the FDA said 300,000 adults 50 or older arehospitalized every year for pneumococcalpneumonia. “The FDA approval of Prevnar 13 for

these adults offers the potential to con-tribute to the health of millions of agingAmericans,” Ian Read, Pfizer’s chairmanand chief executive, said in a statement. Some 5,000 older adults succumb to the

disease annually, according to figures fromthe Centers for Disease Control and Pre-vention. Prevnar, which was first approved in

2000, is a conjugated vaccine, whichmeans it contains pneumococcal bacteriabound to a protein. The addition of the pro-tein helps the body’s immune system rec-ognize the bacteria, especially in babies. The drug also has received approval for

adults 50 and older in the European Union,Australia, Mexico and more than 10 othercountries, Pfizer said.

— AP

Health Shorts


THE BENEFITS OF RESILIENCYJoin Susan Parks of the Mental Health Association of Maryland

for an interactive discussion on the benefits of being resilient and

how to apply the coping skills you already have to the difficulties that can

emerge in later life. These workshops are co-sponsored by the Baltimore County

Department of Aging and are being held several times a month through July at

county senior centers. For more information, call MAP at (410) 887-2594 or go

online at www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/aging/healtheducation.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

See HEALTH SHORTS, page 11

Baltimore Eye Doctor Helps Legally Blind to See AgainADVERTORIAL

Diplomat in Low Vision Caretrains Dr. Thomas Azman tohelp those with age-related macular degeneration withreading and driving.

By Elena LombardiFreelance Writer

Donald Paquette, 72, a former as-sessor from Anaheim, California,thought that his driving days wereover.“I could not read the street signssoon enough and I couldn’t pass thevision test at the DMV office.”

Gonzalo Garcia, 74, Albu-querque, New Mexico, wanted to beable to read and write more easily.He wanted to see the nails andscrews when he tried to use them inhome repairs. He wanted see hisgrandchildren singing in the churchchoir. But he thought those dayswere over when he was diagnosedwith Macular Degeneration.

California optometrist, Dr.Richard J. Shuldiner and Baltimoreoptometrist Dr. Thomas Azman areusing miniaturized binoculars or telescopes to help people who havelost vision from macular degeneration or other eye conditions. “Some of my patients consider us

the last stop for people who have vision loss.” said Dr. Azman, a lowvision optometrist who has just completed training with Dr.Shuldiner in California.“Amazing!” says Donald. “I can

read the street signs twice as far as I did before and even see the television better!”

Macular degeneration is the mostcommon eye disease among the senior population. As many as 25%of those over 65 have some degreeof degeneration. The macula is onesmall part of the entire retina, but itis the most sensitive and gives ussharp images.

When it degenerates, macular degeneration leaves a blind spot right

in the center of vision, which makes it impossible to recognize faces, read abook, or pass the drivers vision test.

The experts do not know whatcauses macular degeneration. Butmajor factors include UV light from the sun, smoking, aging, andimproper nutrition.

Vitamins can help. The results oftwo studies, AREDS and LASTdemonstrated a lowered risk of progression by about 25% whentreated with a high-dose combinationof vitamins. Dr. Azman advises patients on the best nutritional supplements during the low visionevaluation.

Nine out of ten people who havemacular degeneration have the drytype. There is no medical treatmentexcept for vitamins. The wet type involves the leakage of fluid orblood from the blood vessels behindthe macula. Injections of Leucentisor Avastin are very effective in preventing the vessels from leaking.“Our job is to figure out anything

and everything possible to keep aperson functioning,” says Dr. Azman.“Whether it’s driving, reading,watching television, seeing faces,playing bridge… we work with whatever is on the persons “wish list.”

Even if it’s driving.Maryland and California are two

of many states that allow the use oftelescopic glasses for safer driving.

Hank Frese, 69, a former HighSchool Principal from La Palma, California saw Dr. Shuldiner last August. “I could not read the streetsigns soon enough when driving, andI could not read my morning paper.”

Bioptic Telescopic glasses wereprescribed to read signs and seetraffic lights farther away. As Hankputs it, “These telescope glasses notonly allow me to read signs from afarther distance, but makes drivingmuch easier. I’ve also used them towatch television so I don’t have to sitso close. I don’t know why I waitedtwo years to do this; I should havecome sooner”“Telescopic glasses start at

around $1500”, says Dr. Azman,“and low vision prismatic readingglasses start at $500. A small priceto pay for better vision and increasedindependence.”

If you or someone you care aboutis struggling with vision loss, callDr. Thomas Azman for a free tele-phone interview.

You can reach Dr. Azman by dialing (410) 561-8050.

Hank Frese wearing Bioptic Telescope Driving Glasses

By Carol SorgenPeople with scoliosis suffer from an ab-

normal side to side (or lateral) curvature oftheir spine. Rather than appearing straightwhen viewed from the back, their spine mayappear shaped somewhat like an “S” or “C”.Scoliosis is a common condition, usually

experienced by children and adolescents.However, adults can also develop scoliosis,which may bring with it pain and some-times visible deformity.Dr. Charles Edwards II, medical direc-

tor of the Maryland Spine Center at MercyMedical Center in Baltimore, said thatadults with scoliosis fit into two categories:those who developed the condition as ado-lescents, and those with adult onset (de-generative) scoliosis.“As we age, the discs in our spine de-

generate, which can cause the spine to tilt,much like the Leaning Tower of Pisa,” Ed-wards said.Bulging discs, tilting bones and the for-

mation of bone spurs not only lead to thedevelopment of back pain, but also put

pressure on the nerves. When spinalnerves are compressed, people may feelpain, numbness or cramping in their legs.Although paralysis is very uncommon

with adult scoliosis, people tend to slowdown and experience a reduced quality oflife due to the increased pain.

Treatments make a differenceFor Wendy Warren, the pain from scol-

iosis became so bad that she couldn’t evenstand at the kitchen table to make a salad.“I was in agony,” said the 65-year-old

Howard County resident. Warren had suf-fered from back pain for years, but attrib-uted it to the occupational hazard of beinga nurse. “But it got progressively worse,”she said and nothing she tried helped —until she was referred to a health studybeing conducted by Edwards.To determine which patients — like

Warren — benefit from scoliosis treatmentand what kind of treatment is most effec-tive, the Maryland Spine Center is partici-pating in a five-year, multi-site trial compar-

ing the results of surgical and non-surgicaltreatment.Launched in 2010, the study is funded

by the National Institutes of Health and isthe first of its kind to examine adult-onsetspinal deformities. Most of the research has historically fo-

cused on adolescents, Edwards said. “Un-like for kids, who still have some growthpotential left, for adults the treatment ismostly driven by the patient’s symptoms,”he said. “It’s about quality of life ratherthan concern for correction.”Two hundred patients have been stud-

ied so far. An additional 150 are being re-cruited at six sites around the country, in-cluding Mercy’s Spine Center.

Study offers choicesTo be eligible for the study, participants

must be 40 to 80 years of age and have a sco-liosis curve greater than 30 degrees withthe apex of the curve in the lumbar spine.Selected participants will be followed for

five years and will be asked to fill out peri-odic health questionnaires, complete afunctional treadmill test, and have routineX-rays and regular physician office visits.Study participants will be invited to

choose one of three options in which toparticipate:Option 1: Non-surgical treatment, which

includes interventions such as injections,medication, physical therapy and exerciseOption 2: Surgical treatment, which in-

volves relieving nerve pressure, straight-

ening of the spine, and fusing several ofthe spine bones togetherOption 3: Undecided course of treat-

ment, from which participants randomlywill be selected for either non-surgical orsurgical treatmentsThe surgery usually requires a three- to

five-day hospital stay, and is covered byMedicare or private health insurance.Some patients spend an additional week to10 days in a rehabilitation facility.“By two or three months, most individu-

als are back to all normal functions, exceptprolonged exercise, heavy lifting or forcefulbending,” Edwards said of those undergo-ing surgery. “These functions return to nor-mal in a three- to six-month time frame.”For Warren, who had the surgery in

April 2011, the pain relief was almost im-mediate. “I’m a whole new person now,”she said, adding that she’s back to walkingfour to five miles a day, and is currentlyloading her backpack with sandbags to getin even better shape for a planned back-packing trip this spring.“I have a new lease on life,” she said.Study participants will receive a cash pay-

ment to compensate them for time spentcompleting questionnaires and follow-upvisits, whether or not they have surgery.For more information about the adult sco-

liosis clinical trial or to find out if you are eli-gible to participate, contact Lisa Ford, PA,Maryland Spine Center Research Coordina-tor, at [email protected], or by call-ing (410) 332-9077.


Health Studies PageTHE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Study evaluates treatments for scoliosis

Are you online? So are we!

You’ll find topical articles, as well as blogs, recipes, useful links, games, puzzles and event listings.Add your event to our calendar.

Visit ourwebsite:www.theBeaconNewspapers.com

Also –

www.facebook.com/BeaconNewspaper If interested call: 410-605-7179 & Mention code: LIFT atBaltimore VA/University of Maryland Gerontology Recruitment Line

*You must be at least 65 years old and in good health*Participants will be seen at the Baltimore VA Medical Center and

University of Maryland School of Medicine*You will attend approximately 41 visits for 1 to 4 hours each per visit

CALL TODAY!

Want to Prevent Falls in the Elderly?Seeking Men and Women to participate in a research study

at the University of Maryland &Veterans Affairs of Baltimore to better understand balance and the

prevention of falls in aging individuals.You will receive:

• Health evaluation• Balance, step, strength, and/or flexibility exercises

• Compensation for your time

Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren

Are you a grandmother raising a grandchild age 4-12? Would you like to take part in a

support and learning group?We are sponsoring grandparent programs and research to measure their

impact. We provide compensation for interviews plus on-site babysitting

and a meal during group sessions that last about 2 hrs and meet once a

week for 10 weeks. For more information, call 855-462-8766.

Dr. Frederick Strieder • Family Connections

1701 Madison Avenue • Baltimore, MD 21217 STRETCH AND TONE AT HOPEWELLHopewell Cancer Support offers weekly stretch and tone classesbeginning Thursday, March 1, from 11 a.m. to noon. The class

teaches participants to use their body to their advantage. The goals of theseclasses are to maximize muscle control, strength, flexibility and balance to getthrough medical treatments and feel stronger and more confident. This classuses weights, chairs and our own bodies as props. All levels are welcome. To reg-ister, go online to www.hopewellcancersupport.org. ��

BEACON BITS

Mar. 1+

Sugar helpsresearcherspoison cancer

It’s a heavy price to pay for a sweet tooth.Researchers have tricked glucose-eatingcancer cells into consuming a sugar that es-sentially poisons them; it leaves a “suicide”switch within the cells open to attack.“Most cancer cells rely almost exclu-

sively on glucose to fuel their growth,”said Guy Perkins of the University of Cali-fornia at San Diego. With Rudy Yamaguchiof Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan,Perkins found the cells would take up asimilar sugar called 2-deoxyglucose. But this sugar physically dislodges a pro-

tein within the cell that guards a suicideswitch. Once exposed, the switch can be ac-tivated by a drug called ABT-263. This killsthe cell by liberating proteins that order it tocommit suicide, according to the researchpublished in the journal Cancer Research.The approach could ultimately spell doom

for several types of cancer, including liver,lung, breast and blood. In mice, the treat-ment made aggressive human prostate can-

cer tumors virtually disappear within days.Researchers now hope to mount a clinicaltrial at UC San Diego. — New Scientist

From Harvard Health LettersQ. I’ve read that if you take aspirin

every day, stopping it temporarily in-creases your chance of having a heartattack even higher than it would havebeen if you had never taken aspirin.

Is that true? If I need to stop takingaspirin for some reason, is there a saferway to do it than stopping cold turkey?

A.What you are describing is sometimescalled the rebound effect or rebound phe-nomenon. It occurs when a person stopstaking a medication and the symptoms orproblem that the medication had controlledreappear, but more severely than before theperson started taking the medication. Although a rebound effect has been

seen with some beta blockers and somesedatives used to treat insomnia, it is un-likely this happens with aspirin.Aspirin helps prevent heart attacks and

the most common form of stroke (ischemicstroke, caused by a blood clot) by makingplatelets in the bloodstream less “sticky.” It does this by inactivating an enzyme

called cyclooxygenase (COX). Withoutthis enzyme, platelets have a difficult timesticking to each other, a key step in the for-

mation of a blood clot inside an artery.In most people, a single low dose of as-

pirin (81 milligrams) is enough to inacti-vate all of the COX in all of the platelets cir-culating through the bloodstream. The effect of a single dose lasts for sever-

al days, as older COX-inactivated plateletsare removed from circulation and new COX-active platelets enter circulation. Thatmakes an immediate “withdrawal effect” un-likely to happen. It isn’t necessary, then, totaper off aspirin, as is recommended forbeta blockers.Among individuals who have had a heart

attack or ischemic stroke, or who are athigh risk for having one, aspirin offersproven protection for the heart and arteries. If you need it, take it every day and don’t

stop unless you are experiencing harmfulside effects, such as gastrointestinal bleed-ing, or you are due to have an operation inwhich excess bleeding would be especiallyhazardous, such as brain surgery. In that case, your doctor will recom-

mend that you stop taking aspirin a weekbeforehand — no tapering off needed.

—Kenneth A. Bauer, M.D., Professor ofMedicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Is-

rael Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Mass.Q. I had a pacemaker implanted a few

months ago. I’m planning to join a gymto get back some strength in my armsand upper body, but I’m afraid of dam-aging the wires with some of the pressesand pull-down movements I’d have to doto work out on the gym’s machines.

Are there any exercises or move-ments I should avoid?

A. It’s great that you want to exerciseand improve your upper-body strength.You just need to be a bit more carefulgoing about it than someone without apacemaker.Pacemakers and implantable cardiovert-

er-defibrillators (ICDs) have two basicworking parts — the generator, which isimplanted under the skin between theshoulder and chest, and one or more wiresthat stretch from the generator to theheart. These wires, called leads, are de-signed and built to flex and move freelywhen the arm or shoulder nearest thepacemaker or ICD moves.Like all mechanical devices, leads are

subject to wear and tear. It is minimal withthe routine movements of everyday life,

but can be substantial with repetitive armmovements. Using arm-strengthening machines, row-

ing, lifting weights and the like cause the leadto bend and relax repeatedly at the samespot. Over time, this can damage the lead. Activity that involves excessive exten-

sion of the arm nearest the pacemaker orICD, like using an overhead press ma-chine or doing some yoga positions, posesa different problem. It can crush the leadbetween the collarbone and the first rib.I tell my patients that they can and

should do upper-arm exercises, but not gocrazy with them. A moderate session oncea week at the gym should be fine. Ask if atrainer can show you exercises that aresuitable for someone with a pacemaker. Weightlifting with repetitive flexing of

the chest muscle on the side where the de-vice is implanted is ill-advised.

—Peter Zimetbaum, M.D., Associate Pro-fessor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School,Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,Boston, Mass.

© 2012 President and fellows of HarvardCollege. All rights reserved. Distributed byTribune Media Services, Inc.

Questions and answers on heart healthBA L T IMORE B E A CON — MA RCH 2 0 1 2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Fitness & Health 11

Health shortsFrom page 9

Trouble Sleeping?Volunteer for a Sleep & Sensory Testing Study

Approved04/5/2010

Michael T. Smith, Ph.D., Principal InvestigatorProtocol: NA_00011802

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

For information, please call (410) 550-7906

� To participate in this study,you must be:

• 50 Years of age or older

• Have Trouble Staying Asleep

• Be otherwise Healthy

� Compensation up to $330.00

� This study involves:

• 1 Sleep study conducted in

your home

• Sensory and Physical testing

@ Johns Hopkins

• 1 Blood draw

• Parking and Tests provided at

no cost

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicineare looking for volunteers to participate in a

research study examining the association between sleep and sensory abilities.

STUDIES ON ANEMIA

• Several new research studies are being designed by researchers atJohns Hopkins University specifically for older adults with anemia.

• By volunteering to join our anemia registry, you will be kept up todate on anemia research studies that match your situation.

Are you 65 years or older?Have you been recently diagnosed with anemia?

OR Have you had anemia in the past?

en you may be interested in:

“THE JOHNSHOPKINS registry of older adults with anemia”

Call us at 410-550-2113to join the Anemia Registry today!

We can conduct the study in your home. No travel is required. If you choose to come to Bayview to participate, your parking will be paid.

We look forward to hearing from you!Principal Investigator: Dr. Jeremy Walston, MD. IRB application No: NA_00035307

Dear Pharmacist:Every winter I worry about catching

cold and flu. What are some simplesteps I can take to keep my immunesystem healthy?

— L.F., Alexandria, Va.Dear L.F.:Preventing the spread of germs is job

one. If you feel any symptoms of a cold,please stay home and delegate your er-rands to a friend or relative. Also, keepyour distance from other individuals home

with you, such as your husband or child,who could potentially fall ill. Being mindful of this could have lasting

benefits if you consider the fact that anoth-er person who catches your cold could endup with pneumonia should they have aweak immune system. If you have to cough or sneeze, please

do so into the crook of your elbow. Washyour hands with soap and water frequentlyand for at least 30 seconds. To protect yourself, while shopping for

bargains at the mall, or waiting in airportsecurity lines, or anywhere for that matter,keep your hands away fromyour eyes, nose and mouth. Ialso recommend keeping anti-bacterial lotion or wipes handy.With that, here are some of

my top vitamin recommenda-tions to help support immunity:

Probiotics: These are ben-eficial bacteria that naturallyhelp maintain immune systemwellness. They also aid inproper digestion.

Vitamin C: The humanbody doesn’t make vitamin C,so it’s important that we get itfrom other sources such as supplements,citrus fruits or vegetables (bell peppers area good source). It’s a strong antioxidantthat does “housekeeping” on your cells andhelps support the immune system.

Vitamin D: Getting your Vitamin Dfrom sunlight isn’t always reliable, espe-cially if you use sun block to protect yourskin or live in a state with a long winter. Most people don’t realize that Vitamin D

is mostly obtained from fortified foods. AVitamin D supplement can provide addedsupport. Try 1,000 to 5,000 IUs, but askyour doctor first to confirm the amount.You want the bio-active form, “VitaminD3,” and high-quality supplements say thaton the label.

Zinc: This mineral is a strong antioxi-dant best known for supporting prostate

health, but it also happens toneutralize free radicals. It mayreduce the duration of a cold.

Elderberry extract: Thisherb has been revered forcenturies and is best knownfor its anti-viral effects. Twoseparate studies have foundthat it can inhibit influenza iftaken during the first 48hours of symptoms.

Echinacea: Related todaisies, this herbal supplementis thought to rev up the im-mune system, thereby lower-

ing risk of infection. Recommended dosageis usually in cycles, not every single day. When choosing dietary supplements,

seek out brands that are committed to sci-ence-based protocols for product develop-ment and testing. Be sure to ask your healthcare profession-

al or pharmacist what supplements are bestfor you, especially if you take medications.

This information is opinion only. It is notintended to treat, cure or diagnose your con-dition. Consult with your doctor before usingany new drug or supplement.

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacistand the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacistand Real Solutions from Head to Toe. Tocontact her, visit www.dearpharmacist.com.


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DEAR PHARMACISTBy Suzy Cohen

LUPUS SUPPORT GROUPThe Lupus Foundation of America offers a free monthly supportgroup for lupus patients the fourth Tuesday of every month at

7:00 p.m. at Mount Lebanon Baptist Church, 2812 Reisterstown Road. For moreinformation, visit www.lupus.org.

SENIOR FORUMJoin BCASCO (Baltimore County Association of Senior CitizensOrganizations) for its 8th Annual Senior Educational Forum on

Friday, March 9 at the Towson United Methodist Church, Dulaney Valley Rd. andHampton Lane, Beltway exit 27B. There will be many speakers, displays and give-aways. For more information, contact Beth Wiseman at (410) 484-6866.

ANNUAL CAREGIVERS’ CONFERENCESave the date for the 20th annual Caregivers’ Conference to beheld from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Saturday, April 21, at a new

location, the DoubleTree Hotel, 210 Holiday Ct., in Annapolis. The event providesin-depth information for family and professional caregivers. The cost is $15,which includes a continental breakfast and lunch, light refreshments during theevent, and printed materials. For event information and to be placed on a mailinglist for this and other caregiver programs, e-mail [email protected] call (410) 222-4464, Ext. 3043.

ANNUAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY SYMPOSIUMHampton National Historic Site will host “Free Yet Bound: TheAfrican American Community in Baltimore from 1860 to 1864,”

on Thursday, March 15, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Goucher College in Towson. Dr.Christopher Phillips, author of Freedom’s Port: The African American Community of

Baltimore, 1790-1860, will be the keynote speaker. Admission is $30. ContactAngela Roberts-Burton at (410) 823-1309, ext. 208 for more information.

BEACON BITS

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Dear Solutions: I met a very attractive man at a singles

resort. He’s very sophisticat-ed and quite affluent. I hadno intention of going to bedwith him at that time, andyet that’s what I did.

I really didn’t feel greatabout it and thought hewouldn’t call. He did, though,and I went out with him.Since I thought I couldn’t gobackward, I went to bed withhim again.

I really hate myself now,but I feel that I can’t just keepup a conversation with himfor a whole evening and think I just won’tsee him again.

What is wrong with me that I end updoing exactly the opposite of what I thinkI should?

— DisturbedDear Dis:

What’s wrong is that you think, “goodin bed, ‘nuff said!” You obviously thinkyour sexual skills are much greater thanyour conversational skills. You also thinkthis man is so superior to you that he won’tbe interested in boring little you. Take back some power. First, decide that it doesn’t matter if you

don’t see him again. Then tell him that inspite of what happened, you’d like to justgo slow and develop a friendship with him. Conversation? Get tickets to plays and

or interesting things that you can talkabout afterward. Spend time doing thingsand getting to know him. Get out of hisbed and into his head!Dear Solutions:

I’ve found this happening a lot late-ly. When I go to a restaurant and see

that other people are waiting for ta-bles, I find that suddenly the waiters

or busboys are on top of usasking if we finished acourse while it’s obviousthat we’re still eating.

They also start bringingout the next course whilewe’re still on the firstcourse. I really got angryat a waiter the other night.I don’t want to have tohurry because they maketoo many reservations.

Part of the pleasure ofgoing to a restaurant is tohave time to visit and even

to overeat once in a while. What’s thebest way to handle this?

— LenDear Len: Before the first course, not during it.

The best course to take is the manage-ment/owner course not the waiter/busboycourse. Tell the maitre d’ that you appreciate not

being rushed and if they can’t accommo-date your desire for a leisurely dinneryou’d rather go elsewhere. After all, youdon’t want their overbooking to preventyou from overeating!Dear Solutions:

I’m writing to you about my mother,who is a senior. My parents were di-vorced when I was little, and all I re-member is bad things said about myfather by my mother and her family.

While I was growing up, and allthese years since, I thought he wasdead. Now I’m in my 30s, and I acci-dentally found out that he is alive andlives in the state where I am about tomove for my job.

I really want to contact him but mymother is upset that I’m moving away(I live near her now), and I don’t knowif I should tell her this.

I’ve always been honest with her,but I don’t know if he’ll see me, andI’m in a dilemma about upsetting hernow. Should I tell her my plans?

— MargeDear Marge: Why open up a can of worms if you may

not even fish? You don’t know at this pointwhether you will get to see your father.You’re an adult, and if you can establish arelationship with him, that is strictly be-tween you and him. You’re certainly enti-tled to try.

If you do get to see him, then you can tellyour mother that this doesn’t change yourfeelings for her. You can tell her you knowhow hurtful her relationship with him was,but he’s your father, and you hope she’ll un-derstand your need to contact him. Perhaps, since you’ve always been hon-

est with her, this might open up an honestdiscussion of why she allowed you to thinkhe was dead all these years. Remember,you’re not asking for her permission to seehim, only her understanding.

© Helen Oxenberg, 2012. Questions to beconsidered may be sent to: The Beacon, P.O.Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915. You mayemail the author at [email protected]. Forreprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

How to slow down a too-fast relationship

SOLUTIONSBy Helen Oxenberg,MSW, ACSW


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sion and then get the vaccine the next week. When attending one of the informa-

tion sessions, bring information on your medications and your insurance or

Medicare. The next information session will be held on Thursday, March 8, and

vaccines will be given Thursday, March 15, both at 10 a.m. at the Ateaze Senior

Center, 7401 Holabird Ave. Additional sessions will be held through November.

For more information, call (410) 887-2594 or go online to

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BEACON BITS

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MoneyLaw &


REAPING THE DIVIDENDSLook to dividend-paying stocks for return,especially through funds investing in utilities, real estate and healthcare

HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESSWhen starting a new business, get practical advice from retired businessowners first. SCORE can help

VANGUARD FOUNDER’S ADVICEMost investors should expect to net just 1 or 2 percent a year from stocks, saysmutual fund pioneer John C. Bogle

By David PittIt’s so tempting to want to give your

grandchildren everything, and to put theirwants and needs first. However, one of the common money

mistakes grandparents make is to putspending on grandkids ahead of their ownretirement security. Here are three money missteps grand-

parents make and ways to avoid them: 1. Excessively spoiling grandchildren Financial advisers and estate planners

have all kinds of stories about retirees whoinsist on spending significant amounts oftheir savings on grandchildren. Too oftenthey fail to recognize the severity of the riskit poses for their own retirement security. “You really cannot reason with people

not to do it,” said Jean A. Dorrell, an estateplanner. “They know they shouldn’t bedoing it, but they will continue until theydon’t want to do it anymore.” Another temptation is for grandparents to

set up Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA)or Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA)accounts for children as a way to pay privateschool expenses or for college costs such astuition, books, or room and board.

However, many don’t realize that whentheir grandchild becomes an adult (age 18or 21 depending on the state where the ac-count was established), the money can bespent on anything the child wants, saidCasey Weade, a financial planner. The as-sets in these accounts are owned by thechild. That also means the account can af-fect the amount of financial aid a collegestudent may be eligible for. Weade said it makes more sense to set

up a 529 college-savings plan that offerstax benefits when used for qualified col-lege expenses, including tuition, booksand housing.

2. Failing to establish an estate plan Estate planning is essential. The smooth

transfer of wealth between generations isan important part of a family’s financialwell-being, yet most families don’t havethe proper documentation in place. Thatwould include a will, a power of attorneyfor finances, or a trust. In a 2009 survey of more than 1,000 peo-

ple 18 and older by Lawyers.com, just 39percent of respondents reported having awill. Even fewer had a power of attorneyand fewer still had set up a trust.

While it may seem daunting to think aboutall the aspects of estate planning, it’s not im-possible to pull together the basics so thatlast wishes are fulfilled when the time comes.T. Rowe Price offers an estate planning

checklist that provides a good start at:http://tinyurl.com/3m2ondx .

3. Leaving retirement funds on au-topilot It’s very common to have multiple retire-

ment accounts, said Chuck Cornelio, presi-dent of defined contribution for Lincoln Fi-nancial Group, which provides retirementand other financial services. It’s not unusu-al to see workers with as many as six orseven. Frequently workers fail to consoli-date accounts in a way that would enablethem to manage their money effectively. Consolidating accounts into an IRA, for

example, helps ensure the money is ade-quately diversified across investment op-tions and can help in developing an overallretirement plan. “That’s actually a good idea because

then you can get a holistic picture of allyour investment opportunities and whereyou can get your money from in retire-ment,” Cornelio said.

Workers frequently leave 401(k) moneywith a previous employer or sometimesroll it over to an IRA and keep it invested inthe stock market, said Dorrell. She advisesthem to evaluate the risk of keeping toomuch exposed to the volatility of stockswhen at or near retirement age. Having both a traditional IRA and a Roth

IRA account to pull money from can help aretiree control taxable income. With aRoth IRA, deposits are taxed when madeto the account, but money can be pulledout in retirement tax-free. For many it would make sense to con-

sider converting to a Roth. Anyone whoexpects to be in a higher tax bracket at re-tirement would benefit by paying the taxeson those savings now. And with tax rateswidely expected to rise in the future, manyretirees may end up in higher bracketsthan they are currently. The Vanguard Group provides a good

review of Roth conversions at www.van-guard.com/pdf/rpd21.pdf. For furtherhelp, check this calculator to help deter-mine whether a Roth conversion makessense: www3.tiaa-cref.org/iracalcs/con-version—calc.jsp. — AP

Money missteps many grandparents make

By Mark JewellPrice-conscious or not, consumers in-

variably slip from time to time. What’s thebig deal if you buy something you want for$1.50 at a convenience store rather thanspend $1 at a discounter? It can seem that way with mutual fund

expenses, although investments clearlyaren’t impulse buys. Many investors givelittle thought to the impact of choosing afund that charges 1.5 percent over anothercharging a 1 percent expense ratio. Given that the stock market frequently

moves a few percentage points in a singleday, do those seemingly minor pricing dif-ferences really amount to much over thelong run? They sure can — to the tune of tens of

thousands of dollars, over decades.

How modest fees add up Take for example, the growth of a

$10,000 investment in a stock fund over 30

years, if the market gains an average 10percent a year. (Although that rate mayseem unlikely given recent experience, it’sclose to the market’s historical averagegoing back several decades.)An investor paying 1.5 percent of assets

in annual expenses ends up with nearly$116,000. That doesn’t factor in inflation orthe potential drain of commissions knownas loads and taxes. The same investmentin a fund charging 1 percent grows to near-ly $133,000. Those two expense ratios — the ongo-

ing charges that investors pay for operat-ing costs, expressed as a percentage of afund’s assets — are about average for man-aged stock mutual funds. Go to the ex-tremes, and expense differences have a farbigger impact. An investor in a pricey fund charging 2.5

percent ends up with less than $88,000. Anultra low cost index fund charging 0.1 per-cent comes away with almost twice as

much, nearly $170,000.And while there’s no controlling the

market’s direction, individuals can controlhow much they pay to invest. So takecharge. “Cost is the driving force in any invest-

ment equation — minimize it,” advisedJohn Bogle, founder of the VanguardGroup and index mutual fund pioneer whonow runs Vanguard’s Bogle Financial Mar-kets Research Center.There are, of course, many examples of

fund managers whose investment-pickingskills earn their investors bigger returnsthan their benchmark indexes. But awealth of research shows the ranks ofsuch star managers are relatively small.And their record of outperformance is typ-ically fleeting, measured against thedecades needed to save for retirement. “It’s clear that over longer stretches,

costs are a big, big hurdle,” said KarenDolan, Morningstar’s director of fund

analysis. From 2005 through March 2010, U.S.

stock funds charging the lowest fees post-ed average annualized returns that werenearly two-thirds higher than funds charg-ing the highest fees, according to Morn-ingstar. More often than not, funds charging

above-average fees are leaky faucets.Many investors fail to hear the drip-drip-drip that drains their investment returns,when they could be switching to a lower-cost option.

Fees matter more in tough timesThere are times when differences in

fund expenses don’t seem to matter much.Stocks surged in the 1980s and `90s, andfee differences were relatively smallstacked up against the big market gains. But the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock

It pays to pay attention to stock fund fees

SeeMUTUAL FUND FEES, page 15

index is down about 17 percent since Janu-ary 2000. Fees take on greater importancewhen returns are measured in single dig-its, or when stocks are declining. The same is true now for bond funds.

Yields are so low for many lower-riskbond categories these days that minordifferences in bond fund expenses aremagnified — 10-year Treasurys are yield-ing about 1.9 percent now, for example.But there’s good news. Fund fees on av-

erage have been declining for decades,and the trend is likely to continue.

A Morningstar study that gauged whatthe average fund investor pays came upwith an average expense ratio of 0.77 per-cent in 2010. That reflected a mix of assetsin stock funds as well as bond funds. In1990, the average was 0.94 percent. Costs are declining, in part, because

index funds are increasingly popular. Theynow hold about one of every seven dollarsinvested in stock mutual funds, and theproportion is growing. Low-cost options abound. For example,

Vanguard’s Total Stock Market Index Fund(VTSAX) charges as little as 0.07 percent— $7 a year for every $10,000 invested.Similar offerings from Fidelity and Charles

Schwab charge only slightly more. You won’t beat the market — index funds

seek to match market performance, minusthe fees they charge — but you could endup with a lot more to live on in retirement

than from choosing a fund that’s far pricier. “More often than not,” Lipper fund ana-

lyst Tom Roseen said, “it’s the investor inthe fund with the lowest expenses whoends up the winner.” — AP

Mutual fund feesFrom page 14

BA L T IMORE B E A CON — MA RCH 2 0 1 2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Law & Money 15

Susquehanna Trust & Investment Company can help you with:• Estate and gift concerns• Investment management• Tax strategies• Financial recordkeeping• Bill payments from

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Let us help youwith life’s changes.

SECURITIES AND INSURANCE PRODUCTS ARE:• NOT FDIC INSURED

• MAY LOSE VALUE

• NOT BANK GUARANTEED

• NOT A DEPOSIT

• NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENTITY

How to collectyour unclaimedbonds, funds,

refundsAlthough there are plenty of scam

artists who claim to be from the IRS, thisannouncement is for real: The InternalRevenue Service is holding on to $153.3million worth in tax refund checks thatwere returned to the agency because ofmailing-address errors. The average check is $1,547, so it could be

worthwhile doing a search using the IRS’s“Where’s My Refund?” tool (www.irs.gov),particularly if you have moved in the pastfew years and did not update your addresswith the IRS.You may also discover unclaimed money

by locating old U.S. savings bonds that havebeen forgotten over the years. Billions of

dollars in savings bonds have stopped earn-ing interest but haven’t been cashed. Go towww.treasuryhunt.gov to look up savingsbonds issued in 1974 or later.State governments may be holding

some of your money, too. State treasurieshold billions of dollars in unclaimed prop-erty from uncashed dividend checks, re-turned utility deposits, uncollected insur-ance benefits, old savings accounts andother money that may have been returnedto a financial institution after being sent toa defunct mailing address.Most states have an unclaimed-property

database that makes it easy to see whetherany of the money is yours. You can findlinks to each state’s agency through theNational Association of Unclaimed Proper-ty Administrators (www.unclaimed.org). Most states participate in the large Miss-

ingMoney.com database, too. Enter yourname and the states where you have lived,and you’ll be able to see whether there isunclaimed property for someone with yourname; the last address on file with the finan-cial institution; and whether the unclaimedproperty is worth more or less than $100.

Most states then include links to theforms you’ll need to submit to the statetreasury to verify your identity and claimthe money.Despite all this, it’s worth being suspi-

cious of any letters, calls or emails offeringto help you locate lost cash. Scam artistsand identity thieves use such messages totry to steal your money or personal infor-mation. (The IRS never sends personalemails requesting information). Instead of clicking on a link in an email

claiming to be from the government, go toagency sites directly to view their databases.Also check the FBI’s New E-Scams & Warn-ings page for information about recent scams(www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/e-scams).

How CDs canwork for saversFor money you can tie up for a few

months or more — say, a portion of youremergency fund that you wouldn’t needfor at least three months, or money ear-marked for tuition or retirement income —

consider certificates of deposit. CDs comewith maturities that typically range fromthree months to five years, with longer ma-turities offering higher yields.You can invest in a long-term CD even if

you think you may cash out early or if youwant to take advantage of rising rates —just be sure to check the interest penalty. For example, a five-year CD from Ally

Bank (www.ally.com), which recently yield-ed 1.82 percent, charges a penalty of only 60days’ yield if you withdraw the money early. In contrast, a five-year CD from Inter-

vest National Bank, which offered a slight-ly higher rate of 1.96 percent, takes backhalf your interest with its early-withdrawalinterest penalty of 30 months.Constructing a CD ladder — putting

chunks of cash in CDs of varying maturi-ties — allows you to benefit from the bestcurrent yields and stay flexible enough tosnag top rates down the road. When inter-est rates rise, you reinvest cash from short-er-term CDs to take advantage of higheryields. Your longer-term CDs will continue

Money Shorts

SeeMONEY SHORTS, page 17

JASON FRANK,ESQ. KANDACE SCHERR, ESQ. MARY O’BYRNE, ESQ.

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By Mark JewellStock investors as a group ran in place

in last year. The Standard & Poor’s 500index ended 2011 about where it started. Invest in a stock mutual fund, and you

likely ended up losing because of fee expens-es. About three-quarters of the U.S. stockfund categories that Morningstar tracksclosed out the calendar year with a loss. That’s another knock for investors who

are still stinging from their losses in the fi-nancial crisis of 2008. Although the marketrebounded sharply beginning in March2009, it’s still about 20 percent shy of itspeak in late 2007. Yet even in the gloom, there was a bright

spot in 2011 — dividend-paying stocks. Across the board, the top-performing

mutual fund categories were those that in-vested in dividend stocks, led by fundsspecializing in utilities stocks. Other topcategories were funds that primarily investin real estate investment trusts, the health-care sector and stocks of consumer goodscompanies that make necessities. What’s more, large company stocks out-

performed small- and mid-cap stocks. It’sthe big companies, rather than the smallerones, that are the most reliable dividendpayers. Nearly 80 percent of S&P 500 com-panies make regular payouts. The results are a complete reversal from

2010, when the top-performing funds spe-cialized in small-cap stocks. Those stockstypically outperform larger ones when eco-nomic news turns positive, as it did in 2010,

a year when stocks rose 13 percent.

Reaping the dividendsBut the economic recovery lost momen-

tum in 2011, and investors bid up theprices of dividend stocks, while small-capsfell. “Practically anything paying a divi-dend was hot,” Morningstar fund analystDavid Kathman said. Dividend-payers are typically well-estab-

lished companies that share profitsthrough quarterly payouts, rather thanplowing the cash back into the company tofuel growth. Stocks of smaller companiescan offer greater long-term potential, butare more vulnerable when the economystumbles, or when fears like the Europeandebt crisis send stocks tumbling. Investors have been hard-pressed to find

decent sources of investment income,which has made dividends more appealing.Consider that 10-year Treasury bonds yieldaround 1.9 percent. That’s less than half theyield of more than a dozen S&P 500 stocks. With interest rates low, bank accounts

and savings options such as certificates ofdeposit provide even less income thanTreasurys. “People are looking to dividends for in-

come, because they can’t get it from theother sources they normally rely on,” Kath-man said.

Industry best bets Here’s a look at average returns

through the end of 2011 for some notablestock fund categories, starting with topfour performers:

Utilities (9.7 percent): These stockstend to be stable performers in both a ris-ing and falling market. It’s an outgrowth ofthe typically steady demand for electricityand natural gas. The average dividendyield of utilities stocks within the S&P 500is 4.1 percent, about twice the averageyield of the index. A handful of utilities sector funds delivered

returns of around 20 percent in 2011, includ-ing Franklin Utilities (FKUTX), whichearned top-rung gold honors from Morn-ingstar under its new analyst ratings of funds.Some of the strongest-performing utilities,with gains of more than 30 percent includingdividends, were big names like Progress En-ergy Inc. and Consolidated Edison Inc.

Real estate (6.9 percent):Real estate in-vestment trusts generate income from prop-erties they own, and often operate. They’rebig dividend payers, because they’re re-quired to distribute at least 90 percent oftheir taxable income to shareholders. Although the real estate market clearly

isn’t back to where it was a few years ago,commercial real estate has fared betterthan residential real estate.

Healthcare (6.6 percent): Uncertain-ty over President Obama’s healthcareoverhaul hurt healthcare stocks in 2009and 2010, but that cloud lifted a bit in 2011.Drug maker Pfizer returned nearly 28 per-cent. One attraction was the stock’s divi-dend yield of 3.7 percent. Biotech stocks were among the year’s

biggest winners. Biogen Idec sharesjumped 64 percent, and a specialized fund,Fidelity Advisor Biotechnology (FBTAX),returned nearly 17 percent.

Consumer staples (4.5 percent):Thesefunds invest in stocks of companies that pro-vide everyday essentials, from food to soap totrash bags, and typically pay dividends. De-mand for these products is stable in goodtimes and bad. Two of the standout stocks in 2011 are

tobacco companies paying dividends of 3.9percent or higher. Lorillard returnedabout 46 percent, and Philip Morris Inter-national 39 percent.

Financials (16 percent loss): Fundsthat specialize in stocks of banks and otherfinancial services companies were theworst-performing mutual fund category of2011. It’s familiar territory. Financial sec-tor funds also have the worst results overthe past three- and five-year periods. In 2011, these stocks were hurt by the

slowdown in the economic recovery; legalliability stemming from the flood of homeforeclosures; and fears that debt-burdenedEuropean governments would fail to fullypay their debts, potentially hurting Euro-pean and U.S. banks. Shares of Bank ofAmerica tumbled 60 percent.

Technology (8 percent loss): Thesestocks are among the top performers overthe past three years, but the slowdown inthe economic recovery hurt their 2011 re-sults. There were exceptions, like Apple,whose shares gained nearly 25 percent asconsumers continued to demand the latestversions of the iPhone and iPad. As for dividends, the outlook remains

strong. The cash coffers of companies inthe S&P 500 are at a record $1 trillion, put-ting them in good position to keep in-creasing dividends. Payments rose about16 percent in 2011 compared with the pre-vious year, and more than half of S&P 500companies increased their dividends. S&P analyst Howard Silverblatt is quite

confident about the outlook for dividends:“You can write the copy for [the] yearnow: Dividends continue to increase for2012.” — AP

Dividend-paying stocks still looking good16 Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com MARCH 2 0 1 2 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON

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I N S I D E …By Carol SorgenTalk to Ross Kelbaugh for even a fewminutes and you’ll see why he was a suc-cessful history teacher for 30 years. Kelbaugh’s passion for bringing the pastto life is contagious, a fact that did not escapethe producers of the MPT-produced televi-sion program “Chesapeake Collectibles,” alocal version of the internationally popularseries, “Antiques Roadshow.”

For the local show, area residents bringantiques and collectibles to the MPT stu-dios to be appraised by area experts andfilmed for possible airing. During the program’s inaugural seasonlast year, Kelbaugh brought in a pre-CivilWar object to be appraised. Not only washis filmed interview included in one of thefirst-season episodes, but he was later in-vited to become one of the appraisers forthe second season of the program.The producers were impressed not onlyby the 62-year-old Baltimore County resi-dent’s knowledge, but by his on-air pres-ence. The fact that he was a “local boy” madehim even more attractive, Kelbaugh related,as the producers were seeking to have moreMarylanders as appraisal experts, instead ofbringing in folks from out of town.

Kelbaugh will appear in eight of the 13second-season episodes, which began air-ing on MPT stations in January.To tape those eight programs, Kelbaughspent two “very long and difficult” daysthis past June, seeing countless peoplewho brought in their treasures in hopes offinding out more of the objects’ history —and, of course, perhaps learning that theywere sitting on a small fortune.

Becoming a collector Kelbaugh, whose specialty on the seriesis collectibles and ephemera, did comeacross a few gems that made his heartbeat a little faster, including a set of letterswritten in 1941 between a mother and herson who ultimately lost his life later thatyear in the bombing of the U.S.S. Arizonaat Pearl Harbor.

For Kelbaugh, his work on “Chesa-peake Collectibles” is just an extension ofhis days in the classroom. He taught histo-ry to junior and senior high students inCatonsville until retiring in 2001.

“I would always bring objects in to showthe students,” he said. “I wanted to teachthem not only about the artifact itself, butabout the people related to it. There’s ex-citement in uncovering someone’slife…I’ve always enjoyed that hunt.”If you like to play along on shows suchas “Chesapeake Collectibles” and “An-tiques Roadshow” and think, ‘Hey, I coulddo that,’ know that Kelbaugh has spent vir-tually his entire life acquiring the vastknowledge he has when it comes to theworld of antiques. In grade school, he began collectingstamps and coins. By the time he was insixth grade, which coincided with the Civil

War Centennial, he was captivated by thatera of American history.“I was attending Pikesville ElementarySchool, which was located next to whatonce was the Home for Confederate Sol-diers [now Maryland State Police head-quarters],” Kelbaugh said. That piece ofhistory, virtually in his own backyard, “ig-nited my imagination,” he said.He wasn’t alone, Kelbaugh recalled.Among the boys of the Sudbrook Parkneighborhood in which he grew up, col-lecting Civil War relics was an avid pursuit.From then on, Kelbaugh continued his

Ross Kelbaugh (right) talks with a participant on “Chesapeake Collectibles,” MPT’slocal version of “Antiques Roadshow,” in which appraisers evaluate items brought inby viewers. Kelbaugh, a former history teacher, collects vintage photographs andwrites books.

See APPRAISER, page 21

Appraiser brings history to lifePH

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COMPUTER TROUBLE SHOOTING Volunteer Alvin Miller, a computer expert, will help with any prob-lems concerning your computer at the Cockeysville Senior Center

from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 8. He will discuss issues that come upfrequently concerning computers at this free session at 10535 York Rd., Cock-eysville. For more information, call Sue Levin at (410) 887 7694.

BEACON BITS

Mar. 7

Many Americans dream of starting asmall business. For some, it’s a way of doingsomething they love whilebeing their own boss. For oth-ers, it’s an idea they turn toafter losing a job or retiring. What every aspiring small

business owner needs to knowis that starting an enterprisetakes a lot of work and invest-ment, and the chances of fail-ure are high.Most small businesses fail

in the first few years, for manyreasons. Many fail becausethe owner has little or no ex-perience. It is difficult to suc-ceed, even with experience, and I woulddiscourage anybody from starting a busi-ness in a field they are not familiar with.Another big mistake new business own-

ers make is not adequately managing theirinvestment capital. For example, I recentlyspoke to a struggling small business ownerin my capacity as a counselor at SCORE, anationwide nonprofit organization that ad-vises people who have started a new busi-ness or are contemplating doing so. The man and his family had started a

business and had made a significant in-vestment, both in manpower and invento-ry. They had completely overestimatedtheir projected sales and now were run-ning out of capital. They needed to borrowmoney to stay in business.I had to inform him that it was highly

unlikely that they would get a loan becausethe business did not have a history of prof-itability.

Get advice earlyIt’s a shame this individual sought advice

only after the family business got into trou-ble. With prior counseling from experi-enced business owners, he might have donethings differently — or not started the busi-ness in the first place.If you’re starting a business, the advice

of experienced business people in thatfield is invaluable. However, not every-body has a personal relationship with suchmentors.

That’s where an organization like SCOREcan help. Most SCORE chapters have volun-

teers with a wide variety ofbackgrounds. When a fledgling entrepre-

neur comes for counseling, heor she is matched with coun-selors with practical experi-ence in the business they areconsidering. The counseling is free. (Sim-

ilar counseling can often befound through local govern-ment agencies, chambers ofcommerce and universities.)Recently, an individual with

some experience in the jewel-ry business approached my chapter ofSCORE about plans he had to open a retailstore, and I arranged a counseling sessionwith a volunteer who had owned a very suc-cessful jewelry business for many years. Whether that counseling will make the

difference between success and failure ishard to say at this point. But counseling ismuch more effective if it comes before aperson starts his or her business.SCORE encourages first-time entrepre-

neurs to take a seminar called “StartingYour New Business.” (This costs $50 fortwo individuals from the same business.) The seminar discourages individuals

who shouldn’t start a business and high-lights the most important factors for suc-cess. It stresses the need for a sound busi-ness plan, and for hiring competent profes-sionals such as attorneys, accountants andinsurance representatives.

Insure your businessEven if you succeed in establishing a

business, unexpected things can go wrongthat may sink the enterprise. Another mistake many small business

owners make is to underinsure. It is especial-ly important for anyone starting a home busi-ness to have adequate business insurance.An excellent, comprehensive book on

the subject is Insurance for Dummies byJack Hungelmann (Wiley). Hungelmannpoints out that homeowner’s policies, evenwith optional business coverage, falls far

short of covering the needs of most home-based businesses. Most home-based business owners, he

writes, are not aware of many risks associ-ated with their businesses, and homeown-er’s policies don’t cover many of the com-mon risks.Hungelmann explains the various types

of property risks and emphasizes the im-portance of liability insurance. A wise course is to discuss your liability

risks with an insurance agent. Most law-suits cost $40,000 to $100,000 to defend,and judgments or jury awards can exceedthat. Being uninsured for any potentialbusiness liability risks more than you canafford to lose. Moreover, if you haven’t setup and run your business as a corporation,

it can place your personal property at risk.Too many people decide to go into busi-

ness without doing their homework. Lackof initial planning is one of the most likelyreasons that a business fails. Your chances of success greatly in-

crease if you take advantage of availableresources, obtain advice from an experi-enced business attorney and insuranceagent, and develop a comprehensive busi-ness plan before making the final decisionto start your business.For information about local and online

workshops offered by SCORE, visitwww.score.org. To contact the Baltimore chap-ter for an appointment with a mentor or moreinformation, call (410) 962-2233.© 2012 Elliot Raphaelson. —TMS

Avoid pitfalls when starting a business

THE SAVINGSGAMEBy Elliot Raphaelson

BA L T IMORE B E A CON — MA RCH 2 0 1 2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Law & Money 17

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to earn interest at today’s highest rates.If you’d like to put more than $250,000

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to invest money you can tie up for a year.EE bonds pay low rates (0.6 percent), butI-bonds, which pay based in part on the in-

flation rate, are currently paying an attrac-tive 3.06 percent. You can cash in savings bonds after 12

months, but if you redeem them beforefive years have passed, you forfeit the lastthree months’ worth of interest.The I-bond’s rate is composed of a fixed

rate, currently 0 percent, that lasts for the lifeof the bond, plus a semiannual inflation ratethat changes every six months. If youbought a $1,000 I-bond and redeemed it aftera year, you’d still earn about 3 percent inter-est after the penalty at present inflation rates. You must purchase savings bonds in an

online Treasury Direct account, whichyou can set up at www.treasurydirect.gov.

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By Mark JewellThe prospect of doubling your money is

always alluring. Doing it in only sevenyears is even better. That’s what draws investors to the stock

market. It has proved to be the most reliableplace to build up savings over the long run. The math seems to be there, at least. In-

vest $10,000 at an annual growth rate of 10percent, and with compounding, it swellsto $19,487 over seven years. After eightyears it totals more than $21,000. Of course, there’s the caveat that there

aren’t any guarantees in investing. Wit-ness the past decade, when a $10,000 in-vestment was reduced to $9,000, includingdividend income, by the end of 2009. Yet that lost decade was an anomaly.

The notion of stock investments doublingin about seven years is based on historicaverage annual total returns of 9 to 10 per-cent. With the required caveats, thatamount is frequently cited in investmentcompany literature, based on data goingback several decades for the Standard &Poor’s 500 stock index. The total return reflects appreciation in

stock prices, as well as regular dividendpayments.

Expect to net just 1 to 2% But investors planning for retirement

would be foolish to expect their stock port-folios to grow by as much as 10 percent ayear over the long run, said John C. Bogle. The 82-year-old founder of the Vanguard

Group and index mutual fund pioneer saidmost investors should expect just 1 or 2percent a year from their stock invest-ments. That’s because the 10 percent thatmany investors anticipate doesn’t factor invarious costs that cut into their actual port-folio returns. “People ought to be very conscious of

the mathematics of investing,” said Bogle,who now runs Vanguard’s Bogle FinancialMarkets Research Center, in a recent in-terview. “But they so often ignore it.” He acknowledges that his 1 to 2 percent

return calculation isn’t a hard rule, becauseit’s based on many of the variables affectingmarket performance. But it’s instructive forunderstanding why an investor’s net re-turns pale in comparison to market returns. Here’s a look at Bogle’s math: Stocks have averaged 9 to 10 percent

gains, but Bogle figures 7 percent is morerealistic over the next several years. Hecites the current muted forecast for eco-nomic growth, as the nation slowly recov-ers from the recession and struggles to getgovernment deficits under control. Subtract at least 2 percent for inflation,

and the annual gain shrinks to 5 percent.

Historically, inflation has averaged 2 to 3percent. That’s in line with current inflation.(The rate fell to zero during the recession.)

Fees also eat up returns Bogle said most investors should subtract

an additional 2 percent, to cover expensesfor professionals who manage money, ad-vise investors, and handle trades. The in-vestor’s return is then shaved to 3 percent.Even if you’re not an active stock in-

vestor, consider that the average expenseratio charged by managed stock mutualfunds last year was 1.45 percent, accordingto Morningstar. That’s the amount in-vestors pay each year, expressed as a per-centage of a fund’s assets. Expenses charged by index mutual

funds were about half as much, averaging0.73 percent. Index funds seek to matchthe market rather than beat it, and chargelower expenses because they don’t rely onprofessionals to pick stocks. In addition to ongoing expenses, many

mutual fund investors also pay one-timecharges called loads — commissions paidto invest in a fund. Investors can also ulti-mately bear additional costs when fundmanagers trade stocks. The remaining 3 percent return can

shrink further if investments are held in ataxable account, rather than a retirement

account like an IRA or 401(k). When fundmanagers sell investments that appreciatedin value, they pass on the capital gains to in-vestors each year. These gains are taxedunless held in a tax-sheltered account. Bogle figures investors with taxable ac-

counts can expect to shave off another 1 per-cent from their return, leaving just 2 percent. What’s more, many investors cancel out

that small return, or end up with losses, bymaking rash decisions. Studies show mostinvestors have poor timing. A common scenario: An investor buys a

mutual fund based on its recently strong re-turns. The market shifts, the fund’s manageris late to respond, and the investor’s returnreflects the subpar performance, rather thanthe prior market-beating numbers. Bogle advises that investors pay special

attention to limiting the costs they can con-trol by choosing a low-cost index fund andholding it for the long haul. His calculations aren’t meant to imply

that investors should abandon stocks. De-spite their volatility, stocks are the bestmeans to ensure that savings outpace therise of inflation. Still, Karen Dolan, Morningstar’s direc-

tor of fund analysis, said it’s hard to over-state Bogle’s central point that investorsshouldn’t expect returns in their portfoliosto match market performance. — AP

Vanguard founder: expect modest returnsBA L T IMORE B E A CON — MA RCH 2 0 1 2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Law & Money 19

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Presented by Carol Wynne C.R.N.P, The Alzheimer’s Accociation

Tuesday March 20, 2012 at 7:00pmEdward A. Myerberg Senior Center3101 Fallstaff Rd, Baltimore MD 21209 Complimentary refreshments served

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THE EDWARD A. MYERBERG SENIOR CENTER

and


By Carol SorgenShelly Abrams began volunteering with

South Baltimore Learning Center (SBLC)20 years ago, soon after the organizationopened its doors. She lived at the time inFederal Hill, near the group’s originalheadquarters.

SBLC helps adult learners get their highschool diplomas and offers career counsel-ing. Abrams recalled that the neighbor-hood high school at that time had one ofthe highest dropout rates in the city.

“I have always been concerned about lit-eracy and education, and wanted to volun-teer in those areas to help improve youngpeople’s access to employment opportuni-ties,” she said.

“I felt that getting in on the ground floorof SBLC — which was a young organiza-tion at that time — would be a good wayfor me to help make an impact.”

Throughout her long tenure with SBLC,Abrams has served in a number of volun-teer capacities: volunteer tutor, classroominstructor, board member and officer, andmember of the advisory council, on whichshe still serves today.

SBLC offers classes in adult basic edu-cation, pre-GED and GED instruction (toprepare learners to take the high schoolequivalency tests), one-to-one tutoring foradults who are beginning readers, comput-er classes, career counseling, and academ-ic counseling. It also manages the Exter-

nal Diploma Program, which enables qual-ified adults to earn their high school diplo-ma by completing independent assign-ments on a flexible schedule rather thantake the GED exam.

Putting SBLC on the mapAbrams has been particularly involved

in fundraising efforts for SBLC, and her ef-forts on behalf of the organization earnedher a Mayor’s Citation for Volunteer Serv-ice in 1997.

During her term as board treasurer,Abrams played an instrumental role inwriting the first adult education and familyliteracy grant request to the MarylandState Department of Education (MSDE).SBLC was the only community-based or-ganization to receive this grant in 1994,which helped ensure its survival as a non-profit organization.

With the first MSDE grant, SBLC wasable to hire permanent full-time staff, aswell as part-time adult education instruc-tors and support staff.

The organization will honor Abrams atits March 31 gala, “Tip Your Hat to Learn-ing Cabaret.”

“I could always rely on Shelly for specif-ic help and also professional guidance andsupport — all of which are so valuable toan executive director,” said SBLC’s Execu-tive Director Sonia Socha. “In the youngeryears of the organization, board membershad to be ‘hands on,’ and Shelly was defi-nitely that and more.”

Since it opened in 1990, SBLC has pro-

vided functional literacy, life skills trainingand career services to Baltimore-area resi-dents. The organization’s mission is to im-prove the self-sufficiency of educationallydisadvantaged adults.

Each year, it serves over 800 adultsranging in age from 16 to 83. Marylandhas almost 613,640 adults without a highschool diploma. In Baltimore City, 38 per-cent of adults are either unable to read orread below the fourth grade level, andover 142,000 adults do not have a highschool diploma.

CareersVolunteers &Does your

organization use senior volunteers

or do you employ a number of seniors?If you do and you’d like to be considered for a story in ourVolunteers & Careers section,

please send an email [email protected].

Helping adult learners get GEDs and jobs

Shelly Abrams, a long-time volunteer atSouth Baltimore Learning Center

See LEARNING CENTER, page 22

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This full-time, outside sales position pays abase salary plus commissions and benefits.We’re looking for a hard-working, detail-oriented people person. Must be outgoing, love selling, be comfortable with computers, e-mail and contact management software (such as ACT!), and bewilling to follow direction, complete required paperwork, and participate in weekly training and sales meetings at our office.

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VOLUNTEER POSITIONS AVAILABLE AT MYERBERG CENTER

The Edward A. Myerberg Center is seeking volunteers to work in the Center’s G

Café. Responsibilities include selling pre-made food items, collecting money, and

greeting patrons. Volunteers should have excellent communication skills and atten-

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call Arnold Eppel, executive director, at (410) 358-6856 or visit www.myerbergse-

niorcenter.org. The Myerberg Center is located at 3101 Fallstaff Rd.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

collecting ways, fully encouraged by hisparents, who were also interested in an-tiques. From flea markets to antiqueshops, he began picking up relics from theCivil War era.

As a high school student, he even broughtin a Civil War musket to his initially doubtfulhistory teacher, who soon realized that theyoung Kelbaugh knew what he was doing.

At the age of 13, Kelbaugh’s parents tookhim to a reenactment of the Battle of Anti-etam, and for the first time he was exposedto “living history,” which led to his partici-pation in Civil War reenactments himself.

It also inspired him to march in the Fife andDrum Corps (Kelbaugh plays the fife) in thecountry’s bicentennial parades, both in Wash-ington, D.C., and in Philadelphia — some-thing he still recalls as an “incredible thrill.”

A focus on photographyAs a college student at the University of

Maryland College Park, one of Kelbaugh’searly mentors was Burt Kummerow, now thepresident of the Maryland Historical Society.It was Kummerow who sparked Kelbaugh’sinterest in early photography and took hiscollecting in an entirely new direction.

“Burt came early to the field of earlyAmerican photography, a field that didn’tget much respect in the museum world atthat time,” said Kelbaugh.

It was in 1971, as he was graduating fromcollege, that Kelbaugh had the “epiphany”that set him on the 40-year path that led tohis having one of the most important collec-tions of 19th century/early 20th centuryphotography — especially Maryland pho-tography — in the country.

“I realized that there was a lot of materi-al out there waiting to be bought and ap-preciated,” Kelbaugh said.

He sold off most of his Civil War collec-

tion of artifacts and started buying photo-graphs. One of his first acquisitions was adaguerreotype by Baltimore daguerreo-typist J.D. Marsters.

That early purchase led Kelbaugh towhat he calls a “great adventure,” althoughhe says that with the Internet and the grow-ing interest through the years of museumsand deep-pocket collectors (such as rockmusician Graham Nash), early photograph-ic images are getting increasingly more dif-ficult to find — and more expensive.

When he first started building his col-lection, Kelbaugh could purchase vintagephotos for less than a dollar (though hehas also spent in the “five figures” he said).

His collection grew to number in thethousands. Some he lives with, others hestores, and still others he has sold. One ofthe latter— the only known photo of ablack Civil War soldier and his family — isnow on loan from its purchaser to the Li-brary of Congress.

Through the decades, Kelbaugh contin-ued his own collecting efforts, “runningthe roads” on weekends, attending fleamarkets, antiques fairs, estate sales, etc., insearch not only of Civil War-era finds, butalso 19th-century folk art and furnishings.

“I was always interested in what wasgood, whether it was a direct interest ofmine or not,” he said. As a result, Kel-baugh developed a broad spectrum ofknowledge about antiques, or as he saidwith a laugh, “I know a little about a lot ofthings, and a lot about a few things.”

These days, Kelbaugh doesn’t scour an-tiques shows as frequently as he once did.Now he can just sit at his computer andsee what’s for sale on eBay.

But Kelbaugh also admits that as hegets older, he realizes that the work of ac-quiring and caring for a collection may bemore effort than he wants to put in.

“At this time of life, you begin to thinkabout downsizing,” he said. At the same

time, he laments that younger people don’tseem to have the same acquisitive natureas his generation did —at least not for his-torical artifacts.

A full plateBy virtue of staying closer to home, Kel-

baugh has been able to pursue other areasof his interests, such as the creation of His-toric Graphics (www.historicgraphics.com)— a multifaceted company through whichhe buys and sells vintage images, displaysphotographs from his collection online, andprovides graphics and research services forother publications and even for films, suchas Steven Spielberg’s Gettysburg.

Among Kelbaugh’s other recent ven-tures was serving as guest curator for theMaryland Historical Society exhibition,“The Civil War in Maryland: Rare Photo-graphs from the Maryland Historical Soci-ety and Its Members.”

He also produced a 3-D short film forthe society about the beginnings of theCivil War, and is now working on oneabout the Battle of Antietam.

Kelbaugh is also the author of severalbooks. The most popular, Introduction toCivil War Photography, is in its 10th printing.

His most recent book, Maryland CivilWar Photography: The SesquicentennialCollection, will be published this spring bythe Maryland Historical Society.

Between all that, Kelbaugh says, “Myplate is full.”

Still, if you weren’t one of the 1,200 visi-tors to the most recent tapings of “Chesa-peake Collectibles” and want Kelbaugh togive you the benefit of his expertise, youcan catch him at some of his upcomingpublic appearances at antiques and militarycollectibles shows and at open appraisals.

He will have a table at the annual Mary-land Arms Collectors Show at the Timoni-um Fairgrounds on March 17 and 18, wherehe will be selling and buying fine militaryphotographs in addition to other mlitaria.

On March 24, Kelbaugh will be apprais-ing antiques at “Treasured Heirlooms,”sponsored by the Historical Society ofFrederick County. (For Kelbaugh’s full ap-pearance schedule, visit the HistoricGraphics website.)

For would-be collectors, Kelbaugh saidthat the Middle Atlantic and New Englandstates are the richest source for anythingrelated to American history. “Thrifty NewEnglanders held on to everything!” he said.

And though you might think that 150years after the end of the Civil War therewould be no artifacts left to find, you’d bemistaken, Kelbaugh said. “There’s still alot of stuff coming out of family homes.”

While the Internet may open up new av-enues for collecting, Kelbaugh said thatthere’s still nothing like attending an an-tiques show, flea market or auction.

“There’s just no substitute for seeing anobject in person and holding a piece of his-tory in your hands,” he said.

B A L T IMORE B E A CON — MA RCH 2 0 1 2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Volunteers & Careers 21

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•One- and Two-Bedroom as wellas Efficiencies • Rents from $443-$744*

Utilities Included! • 24/7 on-site Maintenance and Reception Desk • Beauty/Barber Shop on premises • Rooftop Restaurant • Bus Trips and Social Events and many more amenities!

*All residents must meet specific income guidelines.

For your personal tour contactArthur or Laura Ruby at

410-889-8255St Mary’s Roland View Towers

3838/3939 Roland Ave • Baltimore MD 21211www.smrvt.com

Mention the Beacon forFirst Month’s Rent FREE!

Many volunteer optionsThe organization offers numerous vol-

unteer opportunities. Adult literacy tutors work one-on-one

with adults with very low reading abilities.SBLC provides tutors with a free trainingsession before being paired with a learner.The minimum commitment is two to fourhours per week for one year.

Classroom assistants lessen the strainon instructors with growing classroomsizes, providing small group instructionfor learners and offering individual tutor-ing to those needing extra help. Again,SBLC provides a free training session. Thetime commitment is one to two class ses-sions per week for one semester.

Drop-in center tutors work with pre-GED and GED adult learners who are en-rolled in SBLC classes. The minimum timecommitment is a two-hour weekly session

for one semester.Office assistants answer phones, take

messages, welcome visitors, make copies,prepare mailings, file student materials,distribute fliers in the community, assistwith database entry, make phone calls andhelp with other office needs.

Special events assistants help run vari-ous events throughout the year, includingthe spring gala and learner recognitionevents in the fall and spring. Generally, vol-unteers contribute two hours for the event.

Abrams has helped in nearly all theseroles.

The success of the organization haskept Abrams involved all these years. “Justhearing the outcomes of the people wehave helped keeps us all motivated,” saidAbrams, pointing out that many of SBLC’svolunteers have been there as long as, ifnot longer than, she has.

“This is such an amazing organization,and I am proud of it and honored to be rec-ognized by it,” Abrams said.

On March 31, SBLC will present itsspring gala from 7 to 11:30 p.m., at Mont-gomery Park Business Center (1800Washington Blvd.). Individual tickets are$100 per person in advance and $110 perperson at the door. SBLC hopes to raisemore than $75,000 through the gala to sup-port its educational services and opera-tions.

For tickets, or more information on vol-unteering, call (410) 625-4215 or visitwww.southbaltimorelearns.org. SBLC islocated at 28 E. Ostend St.

Learning centerFrom page 20

22 Volunteers & Careers | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com MARCH 2 0 1 2 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON

SENIOR CITIZENS HALL OF FAME

Nominate residents of Maryland, age 60 or older, who are active

volunteers and have made outstanding contributions to improve the lives of others

for the Maryland Senior Citizens Hall of Fame, which inducts 50 nominees each

year. Nomination forms and additional details are available by calling Parker Koons

at (410) 828-5852. Nomination forms must be postmarked by April 30.

HELP A BALTIMORE CITY YOUNGSTER

Volunteers are needed for Baltimore Inner City Outings. BICO pro-

vides under-served Baltimore City youth with educational, enjoy-

able and safe outdoor experiences at no cost to them. BICO’s volunteers nurture

personal growth, inter-cultural and inter-generational understanding, and a commu-

nity service ethic via the world of nature. For more information, contact Bob Bur-

chard at (410) 744-0510 or [email protected].

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

Ongoing

LEGAL SERVICES FOR SENIORSThe Legal Services

for Senior Citizens Program providesfree legal assistance, consultationand/or representation to seniors 60or older on healthcare issues, incomemaintenance, nutrition, housing andutilities, protective services and un-employment benefits, and will assistin helping a senior in a lawsuit whenthere is substantial risk to theclient’s person, property or civilrights. Call the Maryland Senior LegalHelpline at (410) 951-7750.

HEALTH FAIR AND HEART SCREENINGSLifeBridge Health will

offer a health fair with heart screen-ings on Wednesday, March 7 at Mil-ford Mill United Methodist Church,915 Milford Mill Rd., Pikesville. Ap-pointments start at 9:15 a.m. Thescreenings include a blood pressurecheck, cholesterol/triglycerides test,a comprehensive metabolic panelblood profile, body composition analy-sis, a heart health awareness assess-ment and a brief counseling sessionwith a registered nurse. The cost is$20. Appointments are required. Call(410)601-9355 to register.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

Mar. 7

Fifth Annual Governor’s Leadership in Aging AwardsFor Excellence and Outstanding Contributionsto the Field of Aging and Quality of Life for Seniors

CategoriesTrailblazer:An individual, community group, business or organization that has demonstratedleadership in advocacy or developed an innovativeprogram, research or training for seniors.Visual or Performing Arts:An individual 60 orolder, or a group (members must be 55 or older)who has demonstrated excellence in the visual orperforming arts. Health and Vitality:An individual, 60 or older,who demonstrates a commitment to healthy living,and who serves as a role model to others.

Nomination InformationSelect a category. Submit a nomination form (below)and a 500-word-or-less description or recommenda-tion (why the nominee meets the criteria). Visual Artsnominations must be accompanied by photos, slidesor a CD of artwork. Performing Arts nominationsmust be accompanied by a DVD or web link to avideo sharing site (e.g., YouTube). Nominations thatdo not require supporting materials may be faxed to(410) 333-7943.

Download additional nomination forms atwww.mdoa.state.md.us. For more information, call (410) 767-2075 or 1-800-243-3425.

Nomination FormPerson or Group Nominated:Name:___________________________________________________________________________Address: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________Daytime Phone:__________________________ Evening Phone:__________________________Fax:__________________________ E-mail:____________________________________________Category of nomination: ____________________________________________________________

Nominator Information:� Self Nomination (check box if you are nominating yourself)

Name:___________________________________________________________________________Address: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________Daytime Phone:__________________________ Evening Phone:__________________________Fax:__________________________ E-mail:____________________________________________

E-mail form with your recommendation and supporting materials to: [email protected]

Or mail to:Mr. Wesley WoodMaryland Department of AgingGovernor’s Leadership in Aging Awards301 W. Preston St., #1007Baltimore, MD 21201

NOMINATIONS MUST BE POSTMARKED OR E-MAILED BY MARCH 30, 2012

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com 23

TravelLeisure &TravelLeisure &

By Laura Stassi JeffreyIt feels like I’ve walked out of an icebox

and into an oven as I exit the MandalayBay Hotel and Casino, but I won’t let thesummertime heat derail my exploration ofthe Las Vegas Strip on foot.

Adjacent to the golden-hued MandalayBay is the dark, imposing, pyramid-shapedLuxor hotel and casino, and beyond thatstands the multi-turreted, castle-like prop-erty called Excalibur.

I haven’t even reached the halfway markof my stroll before scoring my first Elvissighting — a slightly built impersonatorstanding on the walkway that connects theExcalibur with the Big Apple-themed prop-erty named New York-New York, countinga wad of bills he’s pulled from the pocketof his white jumpsuit.

For me, February is fantasy month —the time to daydream about a vacation get-away and perhaps even put some plansinto motion.

With live entertainment that rangesfrom bawdy to spectacularly breathtaking,lush exterior as well as interior landscap-ing that defies the desert locale, a ‘round-

the-clock party scene in casinos, bars andspas, and over-the-top architectural re-cre-ations of modern and historic wonders, itdoesn’t get more fantastic than Las Vegas.

Giving in to temptationMore than 35 million people have visit-

ed Las Vegas every year for the past 10years, according to the Las Vegas Conven-tion and Visitors Authority (LCVA), butuntil last summer, I was a Vegas virgin —intrigued, yet worried I’d feel awkwardand uncomfortable.

I decided it was time to give in to thetemptations of Sin City when Derk, myhusband, registered for a conferencethere. For help with planning, I turned tosome trusty sources, who not only are up-standing citizens, spouses and parents,but also are highly experienced, shall wesay, in Vegas ways.

They helped me shape a getaway thatmade my first time so special, I’m eager todo it again.

Las Vegas is “wild, wacky and sometimesbizarre,” said my friend Bob, a retired mili-tary officer and engineer who works for a

large defense contractor inNorthern Virginia, and whohas visited Vegas at least 10times for his job or to see fami-ly. “You will see all types there.But it’s also clean and friendly,and you will have a blast.”

Here are some tips for plan-ning your own trip.

Lay of the land“The Strip” refers to a stretch

of Las Vegas Boulevard morethan four miles long that is dot-ted with a couple dozen hotel-casino properties and the rela-tively new mixed-use develop-ment called CityCenter, amongother amenities.

Mandalay Bay anchors thesouth end of the Strip. The Sa-hara, which operated for al-most 60 years before shuttingdown in mid-2011, anchors thenorth end. Generally, the prop-erties toward the north endare older and less opulent, andthus room rates are cheaper.

Each hotel-casino property

has its own personality and theme, and roomrates can fluctuate widely. When mullingover the options, think about your budget aswell as your tolerance for a high-energy at-mosphere.

Keep in mind that anyone 21 years orolder is welcome inside any Strip propertyfor gambling, shopping, eating, attending ashow or even limited wandering around.However, pools and other features may beavailable only for registered hotel guests.

Sidewalks and elevated walkways en-able strolling along the Strip. Monorail andtram service are also available amongsome properties, or you can hop on a busor hail a taxi.

For our stay, we booked a room at the im-pressive Four Seasons, which comprisesthe top five floors of the 39-story MandalayBay tower. This was the conference hostsite, so the rate discount was decent, but wealso were mindful that the setting was bliss-fully removed from most of the hubbub.

While the Four Seasons rooms are inthe $200 to $300 range, rooms in the restof Mandalay Bay start at a more reason-able $90.

Bob, a methodical trip planner, groupedhis hotel recommendations into three tiersbefore he gave them to me, and MandalayBay was in his top tier.

But the Bellagio is Bob’s first choice. This

massive and elegant structure, modeled afterthe Lake Como resort in Italy, rose from therubble of the Dunes hotel and casino.

Outside the Bellagio is a manmade lake— the water-fountain show, set to lightsand music, is a must-see — and the interi-or features include a lush botanical gar-den, art galleries, and a candy shop com-plete with chocolate fountains.

Hotel rooms are well worth the splurge,according to Bob. Rates range from $159to $349 in February.

My cousin Sam, technical director for aglobal marketing agency headquarteredoutside of Chicago, wholeheartedlyagrees. Sam has visited Vegas about adozen times for work or pleasure.

He stays at the Bellagio whenever hecan and has even planned getaways duringoff-times, to take advantage of drasticallyslashed rates. “If you can take the heat,summer is the best bargain,” he said.

Off the Strip, Sam has stayed at theHilton Garden Inn and utilized the freeshuttle to and from the Strip’s south end.Two off-Strip properties Bob offers asword-of-mouth recommendations are theRio — which Sam confirms has a terrificwine cellar and tasting room — and HardRock Hotel and Casino.

Setting sail with silver screen stars. Seestory on page 24.

At Las Vegas’ Bellagio hotel and casino, built for a reported $1.6 billion, dancingfountains offer a show several times an hour, using synchronized light and music.

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The four-mile-long Las Vegas Strip is home to morethan 67,000 hotel rooms, as well as half-scale repli-cas of the Eiffel Tower and other icons from Parisand New York.

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See LAS VEGAS, page 25

Las Vegas through the eyes of a first-timer

24 Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com M A R C H 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

By Nick ThomasThe tragic Jan. 13 capsizing of the Costa

Concordia cruise ship off the Tuscan is-land of Giglio in Italy probably has somepotential passengers thinking twice aboutembarking on a future cruise. But thesefloating luxury “hotels” make thousands oftrips each year without incident, and thecruise ship industry has an excellent safe-ty record.

This is one of the reasons why some2,000 people from across the U.S., Canadaand Europe made their way to Miami onDec. 8 in order to take a four-day, round-trip cruise to Cozumel, Mexico.

But it wasn’t the golden beaches orsparkling blue waters that united this dedi-cated band of travelers. It was the onboardevents and list of eminent guests.

While celebrity cruises are nothing new,this one truly was a classic: the inauguralClassic Cruise hosted by the cable channelTurner Classic Movies (TCM), whichbrought film fans together with their fa-vorite Hollywood legends on the CelebrityMillennium cruise ship.

Celebrity shipmates included ErnestBorgnine, Eva Marie Saint, Tippi Hedrenand director Norman Jewison, as well asTCM hosts Robert Osborne and BenMankiewicz.

With the average age of the four specialguests being around 87, this was a vaca-tion that appealed to seniors, and manypassengers recalled attending film pre-

mieres by the stars in the ‘40s and ‘50s.

Star power After boarding, there was the compulso-

ry lifeboat drill. At the time, the crewdemonstrating safety procedures wasforced to compete for the crowd’s atten-tion when Ernest Borgnine appeared andwas mobbed by well-wishers trying toshake his hand. (In the wake of the Con-cordia incident, I imagine people will belistening more closely to safety instruc-tions going forward.)

Borgnine himself was overwhelmed bythe response of the passengers. “Oh mygoodness, I couldn’t have been treatedbetter by the TCM folks or fans,” said ahumble 95-year-old Borgnine, when Ispoke with him later during the cruise. “Idon’t know why, because I certainly don’tdeserve it.

“It’s one thing to like an actor, but thekind of love people have shown me isamazing. I just want to be one of the gangon the ship,” said Borgnine, an AcademyAward-winning movie actor who is perhapsmost widely known for the TV seriesMcHale’s Navy. (By the way, he knows hisway around a ship, having served for 10years in the Navy prior to taking up acting.)

Borgnine was typical of the celebritieson board. Far from retiring to their cabinsand emerging only to fulfill their obliga-tions, they regularly roamed the decks —mingling with the passengers, eating at

the buffet, chatting and posing for photo-graphs.

In addition to snagging a much soughtafter celebrity snapshot, serious film enthusi-asts were able to enjoy a selection of sched-uled events that TCM had planned: moviescreenings, often preceded by introductionsfrom the stars who were in the films, Q & Asessions with the stars, and panel discus-sions with Osborne and Mankiewicz.

Surprise guests included veteran gameshow host Wink Martindale, who hostedmovie trivia contests, and Chelsie High-tower and Louis Van Amstel from “Danc-ing with the Stars.”

OK, so they weren’t Fred and Ginger,but they did put on a dazzling dance dis-play. And when Ernie and Eva Marie cameout on stage for a whirl around the dancefloor with the youngsters, the crowd wentwild.

Behind the scenes storiesAlthough the ship docked at Key West

and Cozumel for passengers to go ashoreand see the standard tourist attractions,these were merely an added bonus. Proba-bly the most anticipated events were thecelebrity presentations prior to filmscreenings.

Eva Marie Saint talked about the mak-ing of North by Northwest. Ernest Borg-nine discussed The Poseidon Adventure (anodd film to show on a cruise ship, yes).Tippi Hedren spoke about The Birds, andNorman Jewison featured his film TheThomas Crown Affair.

While some of their stories had beentold before in autobiographies or previousinterviews, it hardly mattered to the devot-ed throngs of admirers who hung on everyword and were thrilled just to be seated afew feet from some of their favorite filmpersonalities.

A much-anticipated event was the ap-

pearance of both Saint, 89, and Hedren, 83,as the “Hitchcock blondes” in a discussionwith Osborne. Saint was in good form, asevident by her playful sense of humor.

“If you look at the Hitchcock catalog,”Osborne began, “Ingrid Bergman was nota blonde, Teresa Wright [Shadow of aDoubt] was not a blonde, TallulahBankhead was not a blonde.”

“So why are we here?” quipped Saint tothe laughter of the audience. Appreciatingthe humor, Osborne wondered if the gen-eral belief that Hitchcock favored blondeswas just a myth.

Saint wasn’t sure, but Hedren suggestedthat blondes have both an innocence and asense of mystery about them, which shethought might have appealed to Hitch-cock.

Saint’s sense of humor was also appar-ent when I interviewed her and she talkedabout Osborne, 79, who has been prime-time host and anchor since TCM made itson-air debut in 1994. “I call him the rockstar of the classic movie world. I love myhusband of 60 years, then Robert Os-borne!”

For his part, Osborne said, “I’ve onlybeen on one other cruise in my life, andthat was years ago to Acapulco, so I’m real-ly enjoying this trip and being around somany film fans.”

Osborne added that TCM is seriouslylooking at having another movie starcruise later this year. Cabins (which wentfor around $800 to $2,500 per person) soldout within about two months for the inau-gural cruise. Announcements of any futurecruises will be made on its website,www.tcm.com.Nick Thomas is author of the recently

released book, Raised by the Stars: Inter-views with 29 Children of Hollywood Actors,and can be reached through his website,www.raisedbythestars.com.

Taking a cruise with Hollywood legends

Actor Ernest Borgnine greets passengers aboard a cruise hosted by Turner ClassicMovies, which included several other screen stars who mingled with the passengers.Borgnine celebrated his 95th birthday in January.

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Gambling for food, dollarsWhen I told Claire, my booking agent

and a Vegas aficionado, about my upcom-ing trip, she was emphatic. “You must eatat a buffet,” she said.

I hesitated to follow her advice. Derkand I have long said that the day we foundourselves standing in line for an all-you-can-eat buffet was the day we officially be-came old. But after enjoying a huge break-fast buffet spread solo one day at Cravingsin the Mirage (cost: $16.95), I talked Derkinto joining me at the Bellagio buffet forthe next day’s lunch.

Derk grumbled a bit as we — yep —stood in a long line, but he later agreed thewait had been worthwhile for the hugespread including Italian, Japanese, Chi-nese and American food, seafood and anincredible desert assortment. If you time itright, the lunch buffet ($19.95) can sufficeas your meal for the day.

Buffet prices vary by season, but dis-count coupons are sometimes available,and room packages often include a meal ortwo at the hotel where you’re staying.

Craps, blackjack, poker, roulette — asfirst-timers, we were too intimidated toeven try. We happily settled for feedingcoins into a slot machine, and reveled in a$25 profit on our $5 investment.

Derk and I have already decided that onour return trip we’d like to be joined bycompanions who know their way aroundthe tables and can guide us.

Spending a lot of money? You might wantto join a “players club,” offered by one ofthe casinos you’ll be frequenting. You don’thave to be a high roller, and you’ll accumu-late points toward promotions, includingfree meals and hotel rooms.

You can do this once you’re in a casino.Follow the signs pointing you to the play-ers club or ask a casino employee where togo to apply for the card. You’ll be issuedone on the spot.

Sam also usually sticks to spendingmoney primarily at one property, and hecharges everything to his room. “I don’tgamble a lot, but I do spend a lot of moneyin the restaurants, bars, shops and shows,”he said. “I am pretty sure the hotels trackthat info when sending offers.”

Beyond gamblingThe live entertainment choices seem

endless — concerts, comedy acts, stageplays, even a burlesque show featuring for-mer Hugh Hefner girlfriend Holly Madison.

Bob gave high recommendations to‘”Mystere,” the Cirque de Soleil show atTreasure Island. But we emboldened our-selves and bought tickets to the adult-themed “Zumanity.” The cabaret-styleshow is billed as the sensual side of Cirquede Soleil, and the acrobatics were incredi-ble. Don’t take a front seat, though, unlessyou’re game to be included in some risquéantics with cast members.

You can also buy a ticket to the top of theEiffel Tower replica at the Paris property

and watch the Bellagio’s water-fountainshow from there. For more faux-Europeanfun, take a gondola ride at the Venetian.

If the artificiality of the Strip starts to wearon you, rent a car and head about 20 mileswest to Red Rock Canyon to hike or jog amidthe rugged beauty of the Mojave Desert.Hoover Dam, a National Historic Landmark,is about 25 miles southeast of Vegas.

Check out the hotel-casino propertywebsites or go to www.LasVegas.com fora full list of promotional packages and dis-counts on hotel rooms, show tickets andother offerings. Don’t buy a package dealunless you’ve vetted all the different partsof it to ensure it really is a good deal.

You also may want to cross-referencerates with results from www.hotwire.com,which offers a compilation of the lowestpublished rates for airfare, hotel and ticketpackages on discount travel sites such asExpedia and Orbitz.

The best roundtrip airfare deal to LasVegas in mid-March starts at $454

roundtrip from BWI on United or Conti-nental Airlines. However, driving to Dulleswill save you money. Flights there start at$317 on Virgin America and Delta. Also

check the travel websites that include air-fare and hotel for potentially better deals. Laura Stassi Jeffrey is a freelance writer

living in Chantilly, Va.

B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N — M A R C H 2 0 1 2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Leisure & Travel 25

Professionally managed by The Shelter Group. www.thesheltergroup.com

Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour or email [email protected].

Designed and managed for today· s seniors at these locations:

NOW!*55 or Better

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

‡ Furnace Branch 410-761-4150‡ Severna Park 410-544-3411BALTIMORE CITY

‡ Ashland Terrace 410-276-6440‡ Coldspring 410-542-4400BALTIMORE COUNTY

‡ Catonsville 410-719-9464‡ Dundalk 410-288-5483‡ Fullerton 410-663-0665‡ Miramar Landing 410-391-8375‡ Randallstown 410-655-5673‡ Rosedale 410-866-1886‡ Timothy House (Towson) 410-828-7185‡ Taylor 410-663-0363‡ Woodlawn 410-281-1120

EASTERN SHORE

‡ Easton 410-770-3070HARFORD COUNTY

‡ Box Hill 410-515-6115‡ Bel Air 410-893-0064HOWARD COUNTY

‡ Colonial Landing 410-796-4399‡ Columbia 410-381-1118‡ Snowden River 410-290-0384‡ Ellicott City 410-203-9501‡ Ellicott City II 410-203-2096‡ Emerson 301-483-3322PRINCE GEORGE· S COUNTY

* Bladensburg 301-699-9785‡ Laurel 301-490-1526‡ Laurel II 301-490-9730

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Your New Lifestyle Begins Here

www.ParkViewSeniorLiving.com

Las VegasFrom page 23

CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLES

The Maryland Historical Society will explore the Paul Henderson

Photograph Collection (ca. 1930-1960) and the McKeldin-Jackson Oral History

Project (1969-1977) in a Black History Month event on Feb. 23 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Panelists will discuss their personal affiliations and expertise with the civil rights

struggle in Maryland in relation to the collections. Dr. Helena Hicks, one of only

three surviving members of the widely publicized sit-in at Read’s Drugstore in

Baltimore, will reveal the impromptu nature of the 1955 protest. The event is free

and open to the public. Parking is free. The Historical Society is located at 201 W.

Monument St. For further information, contact Jennifer Ferretti, (410) 685-3750 or

[email protected].

BEACON BITS

Feb. 23

26 Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com M A R C H 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

Ever since the first humans built afire in their dark cave, people haverealized the importance of proper

indoor lighting. But ever since Edisoninvented the light bulb, lighting technology has, unfortunately, remainedrelatively prehistoric.

Modern light fixtures do little to overcomeproblems associated with improper lighting. As more and more of us spendlonger and longer hours in front of ourcomputer monitor, these problems arecompounded. And the effects of improperindoor lighting are not necessarily limitedto a physical problem: the quantity andquality of light can also play a part in both our mood and work performance.

Studies show that sunshine can both liftyour mood and enhance your energy levels. But as we all know, the sun does not always shine. Now, however, there’s a

solution to the problem– a way to bring the positive benefitsassociated with natural daylightindoors. The Balanced Spectrum®

floor lamp will change not onlythe way you see, but also the way you feel about your livingand work spaces. It brings thebenefits of natural daylightindoors, simulating the full spectrum of daylight.

The Balanced Spectrum’s 27-wattcompact bulb is brighter than a100-watt ordinary light bulb.With the lamp’s sharp visibility,you will see with more clarityand enjoyment in close taskssuch as reading, writing, sewing,and needlepoint.

Experience sunshine indoors at thetouch of a switch. This amazing lamp isnot only easy on the eyes, it is easy on the hands as well, featuring a special “soft-touch, flicker-free” rocker switchthat is easier to use than traditional

toggle or twist switches. And its flexiblegooseneck design enables you to get light exactly where you need it. The high-tech electronics, the user-friendlydesign, and a bulb that lasts 10 timeslonger than an ordinary bulb–all thesefeatures make the Balanced Spectrum®

floor lamp a must-have.

Try the Balanced Spectrum® floor lampfor the best value ever! Now more thanever is the time to spread sunshine all over the room in your home at this fantastic low price! The BalancedSpectrum® floor lamp comes withfirstSTREET’s exclusive guarantee. Try

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A floor lamp that spreads sunshine all over a room.The Balanced Spectrum® floor lamp brings many of the benefits of natural daylight indoors for glare-freelighting that’s perfect for reading.

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HOME LIGHTINGBreakthrough

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It provides excellent lighting which is veryclose to true daylight. The lamp itself islight enough to be moved easily around a room and an office. The glare-free characteristics provide a very non-stressfulillumination for prolonged reading.

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As soon as I turned on the lamp and began to read the newspaper I could see the wonderful difference. This lamp is justwhat I needed. Thank you so much.

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I am a Happy Camper. Once again I candecipher these pesky little numbers on acrossword puzzle. No more filling in 35Across when it should have be 38 Across.Can you imagine the frustration avoided?Moreover, I can enjoy again a paperbackwith small print. My reading options have increased.

–Jack W.Dozens of testimonials on file.

Results may vary.

By Carol SorgenWhen a museum has the word “enter-

tainment” in its name, it has a lot to live upto.

But Geppi’s Entertainment Museum (orGEM, as it’s known to its enthusiasticstaff) lives up to both its name and nick-name. It’s a thoroughly entertaining hom-age to pop culture — from vintage comicsto toys of the 1950s and ‘60s.

Located at Camden Yards on the secondfloor of Camden Station above Sports Leg-ends!, Geppi’s Entertainment Museum isthe brainchild of inveterate collectorStephen A. Geppi, president of DiamondComic Distributors, part-owner of the Bal-timore Orioles, publisher of Baltimoremagazine, and a native son of Baltimore’sLittle Italy.

In fact, Geppi’s childhood passions ofcomics and baseball have shaped the di-rection of his entire life.

Geppi, born in 1950, left school early tosupport his mother. He took a job with theU.S. Postal Service, but thought he mightbe able to make more money selling comicbooks.

He opened a small store in Baltimore,expanded that to four stores, moved intocomic book distribution when he boughtthe business of a failing distributor, andsuccessfully expanded the distributionbusiness throughout North America andEurope.

Today, Diamond Comic Distributors,Inc., represents many of the top publishing

companies, including DC Comics, MarvelComics, Dark Horse Comics, ImageComics and Wizard Entertainment.

An avid baseball fan, Geppi alsodreamed of playing professional ball. Hedidn’t realize that ambition, but becomingpart of a local ownership group of the Bal-timore Orioles in 1993, and subsequentlylocating his museum at Camden Yards, isjust about the next best thing.

For Geppi, opening GEM has been alifelong dream to see pop culture “in thesetting it deserves,” as he notes in the mu-seum’s vision statement.

Geppi has called GEM “a showplace ofideas, a marketplace of thought and imagi-nation.” It’s also a heck of a lot of fun, as Ifound on a recent visit.

Childhood favoritesOne of the premises of the museum is

that comic characters, whether entirelyfictional (like Archie, one of my childhoodfavorites) or based on figures from real life(“Hey, hey, we’re the Monkees”), haveboth entertainment and educational value,and play a role in youngsters’ lives that isnot forgotten as they get older.

First seen in newspapers, magazines,comic books, movies, radio or television,such characters have long been effectiveand popular advertising spokesmen.

Each time a new form of media hasemerged, as you’ll learn in your self-guid-ed visit, new comic characters havesprung up and older, successful ones have

been revived, helping to pop-ularize products from juice,milk, soda, bread, cereal andcandy, to a dazzling array ofconsumer products. In thismanner a wide range of char-acters has been instilled inthe American psyche.

Throughout the variousgalleries, you’ll see exhibitson the history and display ofcomic books, some of whichmay be among your child-hood favorites. There’s also aspecial gallery called “Extra,Extra!” looking at newspaper

B A L T IMORE B E A CON — MA RCH 2 0 1 2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com 27

Arts & StyleExplore the trend toward living alone.See book review on page 28.

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Geppi’s Entertainment Mu-seum’s eclectic collectionsfocus on pop culture icons,especially comic book he-roes, such as the life-sizeBatman shown here.

Gem of a museum brims with nostalgia

See MUSEUM, page 29

Radio Flea MarketHeard every Sunday, 6:30-8 a.m. on 680 WCBM

Cars, boats, furniture, antiques, tools, appliancesEverything and anything is sold on

NOW PLAYING

By Carol SorgenIn 1950, 4 million Americans lived alone,

accounting for 9 percent of all households.Today, 31 million Americans live alone,making up 28 percent of all Americanhouseholds.

Eric Klinenberg, professor of sociologyat New York University, award-winning au-thor, and the editor of the journal PublicCulture, focuses his latest book on thismost significant demographic shift sincethe baby boom — the notable increase inthe number of people who live alone.

In his new book, Going Solo: The Ex-traordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal ofLiving Alone, Klinenberg refers to thoseliving alone as “singletons,” as opposed tosingles whom, he points out, may or maynot live alone.

Solo singletons Singletons are tied with childless cou-

ples as the most prominent residentialtype — more common than the traditionalnuclear family, the multigenerational fami-ly, and the roommate or group home.

Today’s solo dwellers, reports Klinen-berg, are primarily women — about 17 mil-lion compared to 14 million men. The major-ity, more than 15 million, are adults betweenthe ages of 35 and 64, while those 65 andabove make up about 10 million of the total.

The reasons for the growing number ofsingletons of all ages are not necessarilysurprising: Women no longer find mar-riage an economic necessity; those cou-ples who do marry are marrying later; andeven when couples are married for a longtime, one of them (usually the man) isgoing to die before the other, leaving thesurviving spouse to a new singleton life.

What may be more surprising, Klinen-berg has found, is that living alone — onceconsidered a social stigma by society, well-meaning family and friends, and even solodwellers themselves — is no longerthought of as a sign of a flawed personality.

Furthermore, researchers who havehistorically feared that living alone led toloneliness, isolation, poor mental andphysical health, and even a weakening ofthe fabric of community life are now com-ing to see that those fears may be ground-less for a large percentage of solodwellers.

On the contrary, as Klinenberg shows inhis scholarly but readable book, most solodwellers are very much engaged in socialand civic life. In fact, his research shows,compared with their married counter-parts, singletons are more likely to eat out,exercise, go to art and music classes, at-tend public events and lectures, and volun-teer.

And with the variousforms of media available toall of us, there are count-less (perhaps too many!)ways to stay “connected,”Klinenberg points out.

Living alone at allages

For all singletons, thereare both challenges andopportunities, as Klinen-berg relates: Young pro-fessionals, for example,pay higher rent for thefreedom and privacy oftheir own apartments. Sin-gletons in their 30s and40s refuse to compromisetheir career or lifestyle foran unsatisfying partner.

Divorced men andwomen who choose toremain alone no longerbelieve that marriage is areliable source of happi-ness or stability. Andmany older adults preferliving by themselves toliving with friends ortheir children.

Throughout the book,Klinenberg introduces readers to single-tons of all ages — from young adults justout of college to 90-somethings. Their sto-ries are, for the most part, compelling,though they are not all an advertisementfor living alone.

Even among those who have chosen tolive alone and don’t envision changing thatstatus, there are the doubts that creep inabout what would happen should they be-come unable to care for themselves. Thereare also those, such as the founder of amovement known as “Quirkyalone,” whohave come to realize that while living alonesuited them for a time, maybe it’s time toconsider other alternatives.

Whether it’s by choice or through lifecircumstances, the number of people liv-ing alone is on the rise, not just in the U.S.but worldwide (in Sweden, for example, 50percent of adults live alone).

For that reason, says Klinenberg, weneed to pay more attention to this growing

phenomenon, providing housing and serv-ices — especially to older singletons —that will keep them both safe and happilyengaged throughout their solo-dwellinglife, whether it’s one they have chosen orone in which they have been thrust.

As Klinenberg writes, “What if, insteadof indulging the social reformer’s fantasythat we would all just be better off togeth-er, we accepted the fact that living alone isa fundamental feature of modern societiesand we simply did more to shield thosewho go solo from the main hazards of thecondition?”

Though Klinenberg himself is now mar-ried and the father of two young children,he remembers his singleton days happily,and believes that whether short-term,long-term, or even forever, living alone canhelp us discover and appreciate ourselves.

Going Solo, published by Penguin Press,is available at book stores and online. Itsretail price is $27.95.

28 Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com MARCH 2 0 1 2 — B A L T IMORE B E A CON

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

From page 30.

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

S O N D A T E R S A Q U AT O O A P A T H Y M U S TO L E N O R T O N E A S EL A X A C C O U N T I N GE L I S E D A M M A PN A T U R A L L A X A T I V E

S L O E M E R I TO F F S B U T T E L E S SG L O A T U R D UL A X C H A M P I O N S H I PE G G E C O M I A M I

L A Y O V E R S A T L A XA T O P R E S E A T T G ID O V E N O T A L E E E EO W E S S N A R E D D D S

Book explores ups, downs of living alone

In Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Ap-peal of Living Alone, author Eric Klinenberg explores thetrend toward living alone, whether one is 25 or 75.

Return this form with your check, made payable to The Bea con, to:

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BA L T IMORE B E A CON — MA RCH 2 0 1 2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com | Arts & Style 29

Don’t Spend Another Winter Worrying About Your Loved One

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Your loved one doesn’t have to currently live at Charlestown or Oak Crest to move to Renaissance Gardens, so start your research today!

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comics, including early favorites such asthe Yellow Kid, Buster Brown and theKatzenjammer Kids.

There are also displays of toys, many ofwhich are smaller versions of productsoriginally aimed at adults. As the museumexplains, this has been a common patternin toys through the generations. Firstthere were trains, for example, then therewere toy trains. Then cars and trucks wereinvented, followed by toy cars and trucks.

Each gallery in the museum captures a

specific period or medium in Americanpop culture. Along with the displays, thereare interactive tools for the more digitally-minded visitors, special exhibits, andevents such as the annual Zombie Gras(which takes place around the same timeas Mardi Gras).

Baltimore firsts In the gallery called “Pioneer Spirit,”

you’ll learn about Baltimore heroes andother Baltimore “firsts,” such as the firstdo-it-yourself (DIY) tools created by Blackand Decker and the first college forwomen in the South (Goucher).

There’s also a look at how the GreatDepression and World War I molded anew America, how post-war America fellin love with the new medium of television(Howdy Doody, anyone?), the arrival ofBritish rock and roll, new media technolo-gies and today’s 24/7 global informationage.

Just try walking through the museumand not grinning when you see your fa-vorite childhood toy, cartoon, TV charac-ter, even lunch box. No matter how youngor not-so-young you are, there really issomething at GEM that will bring a smileto everyone’s face and a nostalgic sigh of

recognition.General admission to Geppi’s Entertain-

ment Museum is $10 ($9 for those 55 andolder), $7 for children 5 to 18, and free forkids under 5.

Visit the museum on the day of any Bal-timore Ravens or Baltimore Orioles homegame and admission is half price. Andshow your ticket stub for public trans-portation for that day and receive $2 off ad-mission.

The museum is open Tuesday throughSunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closedMondays. For more information, call (410)625-7060 or visit www.geppismuseum.com.

MuseumFrom page 27

WHODUNNIT?Join Whodunnit for Hire at its Murder Mystery Dinner on Saturday,March 3, at the Hillendale Country Club, 13700 Blenheim Rd., in

Phoenix, Md. The professional traveling theatre troupe will present Murder on theVine, a Sherlock Holmes mystery with a wine theme. The party will be turned intoa crime scene and you must discover “whodunnit” before dessert. Doors open at6 p.m. and the mystery and dinner begin at 7 p.m. Cocktail attire is recommend-ed. Cost is $49 per person plus gratuity and taxes. Advance reservations arerequired. Call (410) 592-8011.

WAR OF 1812 MUSIC Musica Antiqua Quartet, now in its 25th season, performs musicfrom Baltimore during the War of 1812 with period instruments

and costumes on Sunday, March 11, from 2 to 3 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m. atHampton National Historic Site, 535 Hampton Lane in Towson. For more informa-tion, call (410) 823-1309, ext. 251. Admission is free.

COME FLY AWAYSinatra meets Tharp when Broadway musical Come Fly Awaydances into town from Friday through Sunday, Feb. 24-26, at the

Lyric Opera House, 140 W. Mount Royal Ave. The show features the classics ofFrank Sinatra and the inventive choreography of Twyla Tharp relating the loveaffairs of four couples. Tickets start at $67. For more information and tickets,call (410) 685-5086 or visit www.lyricoperahouse.com.

BEACON BITS

Mar. 3 VISIT CHARLESTON AND SAVANNAH

Join the Cockeysville Senior Center on Sunday, April 15, for a five-

night trip to Charleston, S.C., and Savannah, Ga. The cost is $595 per person.

For further information, call (410) 887-7694.

PARKVILLE AARP HEADS TO CAMBRIDGE

The Parkville AARP Chapter #3090 will visit Cambridge, Md., on

Tuesday, April 24. The trip will include a narrated tour covering

homes of early Maryland Governors and the countryside where watermen founded

the early seafood industry. Lunch in the Historic District will be followed by a visit

to SB Farms in Hurlock, Md., where you’ll ride a tour wagon through a herd of

bison. Cost is $72. Call (410) 256-4318 for more information.

BEACON BITS

Apr. 15+

Mar. 11

Feb. 24+

Apr 24+

KaleidoscopeLifelong Learning at

Roland Park Country SchoolSpring programs for everyone

who enjoys learning!

Children/Family Matters

Day Trips

Book Talks

Technology

Creative Pursuits

Language Adventures

Cultural Arts

Fitness Classes

Culinary Arts

Military History

Expand your horizons!For information, please call 410-323-5500, ext. 3091

or visit us online at www.rpcs.org

RPCS • 5204 ROLAND AVENUE • BALTIMORE, MD 21210

oã…and much, much more!


Puzzle Page

Scrabble answers on p. 28.

JUMBLE ANSWERS

Jumbles: FOYER BLOOM EXPEND SOOTHE

Answer: "Robes" all mixed up can be -- SOBER

Crossword PuzzleDaily crosswords can be found on our website:

www.TheBeaconNewspapers.comClick on Puzzles Plus

Answers on page 28.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16

17 18 19

20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31 32

33 34

35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42

43 44 45 46

47 48 49 50 51 52 53

54 55 56

57 58 59 60 61

62 63 64 65

66 67 68

69 70 71

3. Concern about an 11 Down4. Fred and Adele Astaire5. The end of the world (briefly)6. Ingredient in a Kauai kitchen7. Words of the betrayed8. Beach Boys’ helper9. How sentences are built10. Chant of agreement11. Morass12. ___ Enterprise13. Sampled the salmon21. Pac-10 school (not on the Pacific)22. Mosque leader26. Dollar alternative27. Caresses29. Priest’s robe30. “They’re not booing; they’re chanting___”31. Relent32. No. in a Rolodex35. Stare at36. Pledge recipient37. Pretty (but poisonous) plant38. Cul-de-___40. One less than tetra41. Old name for Tokyo44. “___ Shoot Horses...” (Fonda flick)46. Alone48. Squirrel’s stash49. “___; nothing to see here”50. Be a benchwarmer51. Put a stop to52. Put on the screen53. Sprites58. Imitates59. This, in Tijuana60. Like James Stewart’s window61. Peddler’s goal62. Commotion63. Haul

Across1. Prince William, to Prince Charles4. eHarmony customers10. Half blue; half green14. Excessively15. Rhett’s eventual feeling toward Scarlett16. Should, to the extreme17. “Excellent job, torero”18. Kramden’s neighbor19. Simplicity20. SEC concern23. “Fur ___” (Beethoven dedication)24. Make a lake25. Pirate’s instructions28. Persimmon, per some33. ___ Gin Fizz34. Seniority alternative35. Whacks, Sopranos-style39. Place for Wile E. Coyote’s contraptions42. The end of hope and heart43. Be a bad winner45. Official language of Pakistan47. NCAA Memorial Day event54. “...the chicken or the ___?”55. Logical beginning56. Cruise ship embarkation location57. West coast waits62. Perched over64. Deal with a complaining diner65. ___ Friday’s66. Second off the ark67. What a dead man might tell68. Shoebox designation69. Is underwater70. Captured71. License to drill

Down1. Purloined2. “That’s so fancy”

This Puzzle Lacks Nothing by Stephen Sherr

BA L T IMORE B E A CON — MA RCH 2 0 1 2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com 31

IS A REVERSE MORTGAGE THE AN-SWER? Homeowners aged 62 and over, call forinformation, in-home consultation. No obliga-tion...just the facts. Rosemary Wright 1-800-818-2175. (NMLS#6598002) Licensed in MDand DC. Reverse Mortgage Network, a Maver-ick Funding Company, NMLS#7706.

***FREE FORECLOSURE LISTINGS***OVER 400,000 properties nationwide. Lowdown payment. Call now 800-250-2043.

AVAILABLE NOW!!! 2-4 Bedroom homes TakeOver Payments No Money Down/No CreditCheck Call 1-888-269-9192.

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MAKE MONEY PLAYING THE LOTTERY.Guaranteed System. Free Report call 1-877-526-6957 ID#B5646.

ATTEND COLLEGE ONLINE from Home.*Medical, *Business, *Criminal Justice. Jobplacement assistance. Computer available. Fi-nancial Aid if qualified. Call 800-494-3586www.CenturaOnline.com.

PREGNANT? CONSIDERING ADOP-TION? You choose from families nationwide.LIVING EXPENSES PAID. Abby’s One TrueGift Adoptions. 866-413-6292, 24/7 Void/Illinois.

E-BAY AND CRAIGSLIST LISTING SERV-ICE AND CLEARING. We also clean outhomes that are cluttered, vacant, from estates,and for people who are downsizing. We alsoclean out sheds, barns, basements, attics,garages, and out buildings. Call Dave 443-514-8583.

LEARN ENGLISH – SPANISH – ITALIAN –FRENCH – PORTUGUESE Conversational.Grammatical. Private lessons. ReasonableRates. Tutoring students. 443-352-8200.

WHITE MALE, 52, EX-MARINE, 5 foot 9inches, 200 pounds, clean cut, well rounded, car-ing, sensitive. Looking for: caring, outgoing, sen-sitive, woman for friendship first and morelater. Call Joe 410-661-4940.

STAMPS! Small collector buying singles, setsor collections. Fair price paid. Southwest StampClub meets Friday, March 16th, 2012, 1PM, Ar-butus. 410-247-4169.

VINYL RECORDS WANTED from the 20sthrough 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm& Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or78s, Larger collections preferred. Please callJohn, 301-596-6201.

CASH BUYER SEEKING WATCHMAKER’S TOOLS & PARTS, wrist & pocketwatches (any condition), costume jewelry andantiques, coins. 410-655-0412.

BUYING NUMISMATIC COINS and mostgold or silver items including coins, sterling,jewelry, etc. Will come to you with best cashoffer. Call Paul: 410-756-1906.

WE BUY MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS, Musi-cal Instruments, recreational Items, Motorcy-cles and Minibikes, Collections, Memorabilia,Vintage Items, Elecronics, Toys, Cars, Jewelry,Tools, and More. Call Dave 443-514-8585.

CASH FOR CARS, Any Make or Model! FreeTowing. Sell it TODAY. Instant offer: 1-800-864-5784.

FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS ANDQUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGSwanted by a serious capable buyer. I am verywell educated [law degree] knowledgeable[over 40 years in the antique business] andhave the finances and wherewithal to handlevirtually any situation. If you have a specialitem, collection or important estate I wouldlike to hear from you. I pay great prices forgreat things in all categories from orientalrungs to Tiffany objects, from rare clocks tofirearms, from silver and gold to classic cars.If it is wonderful I am interested. No phonypromises or messy consignments. Referencesgladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan301-279-8834. Thank you.

YEARBOOKS “Up to $15 paid for high schoolyearbooks1900-1988. [email protected] 972-768-1338.”

TOP CASH FOR CARS, Any Car/Truck, Run-ning or Not. Call for INSTANT offer: 1-800-454-6951.

WANTED DIABETES TEST STRIPS Anykind/brand. Unexpired up to $22.00. ShippingPaid Hablamos espanol 1-800-267-9895 www.sell-diabeticstrips.com.

WANTS TO PURCHASE MINERALS andother oil and gas interests. Send details to P.O.Box 13557 Denver, Co. 80201.

CLASSIFIEDSThe Beacon prints classified advertising

under the fol low ing headings: Business &Employment Opportunities; Caregivers;Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale;For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health;Home/ Handy man Services; Miscellaneous;Personals; Per son al Services; Va ca tion Op-portunities; and Want ed. For sub mis sionguide lines and dead lines, see the box on thebottom of this page.

CAVEAT EMPTOR!The Beacon does not know ing ly ac cept

ob scene, of fen sive, harmful, or fraudulent ad-vertising. How ev er, we do not in ves ti gate anyad ver tis ers or their prod ucts and can not ac -cept re spon si bil i ty for the in teg ri ty of either.Re spon dents to clas si fied ad ver tis ing shouldal ways use cau tion and their best judg ment.

EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept

ad ver tis ing in violation of federal, state, andlocal laws pro hib it ing dis crim i na tion based onrace, color, national origin, sex, fa mil ial sta tus orhandicap in connection with employment or thesale or rental of real estate.

Wanted WantedMiscellaneous

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIEDDeadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 5th of each month.Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the nextmonth’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where youcan be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards.

Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $10 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.

Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $25 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word.

Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad.

Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

The Beacon, Baltimore Classified Dept. P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227

Financial Services

For Rent/Sale: Real Estate

For Sale

Health

Please patronize our advertisers.They keep the Beacon free!

Personal Services

Personal

Wanted

Phrase of the monthThe curious origins of our words and rituals

Gilding the LilyTo ‘gild the lily” means to attempt to im-

prove upon something that is already

beautiful or perfect — to take an unneces-

sary or superfluous action.

The original quote from which the term

derived comes from Shakespeare’s The Life & Death of King John

(Act IV, Scene 2): “To gild refined gold, to paint the lily… is

wasteful and ridiculous excess.” The context in the play is

King John’s second coronation, which the speaker, the Earl of

Salisbury, considered unnecessary and even unwise.

Over time, the quotation was condensed so that today it directly

conveys the sense of something counterproductive, since coating

a lily with melted gold would destroy it. The misquote creates an

internal rhyme of sorts — thus the catchier sound overcame the

better sense.

Prepared for The Beacon Newspapers by Wizard Communications©.

All rights reserved. Want to have a word/phrase or ritual/custom researched?

Contact [email protected].

WAR HORSE ON BROADWAYJoin CCBC as it heads to Broadway to see a production of WarHorse, which centers on the relationship between a boy and his

horse on the eve of World War I. You’ll arrive in New York in time for lunch andshopping or sightseeing before the 2 p.m. matinee. After the show, you’ll havemore time to shop or grab a deli sandwich for the ride home before the 5:45 p.m.departure. The cost for the trip is $183, which includes bus, breakfast snack,orchestra tickets, gratuities and escort. Make your reservations now. Call (443)840-4700 or go online to www.ccbcmd.edu.

VISIT VAN GOGH IN PHILLYCCBC hosts this trip on Tuesday, March 20, to see thePhiladelphia Museum of Art’s landmark exhibition of Vincent Van

Gogh. This grouping of works has never been seen together and will appear only inPhiladelphia. After the self-guided tour, there will be free time available to visitother areas of the museum, have lunch on your own, and check out the museum’sgift shops. Cost is $65 and includes bus, admission, gratuities and escort. Call(443) 840-4700 or go online to www.ccbcmd.edu.

BEACON BITS

Mar. 14

Mar. 20

32 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com M A R C H 2 0 1 2 — B A L T I M O R E B E A C O N

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