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Seniors seeking alternatives as banks get out of reverse mortgage business
From Daily Finance:
Last week, Wells Fargo (WFC), the biggest name in the nation’s reverse mortgage market, announced that it was getting out of the business, citing concerns that housing prices could continue to erode further. That move followed in the footsteps of No. 2 reverse mortgage player Bank of America (BAC), which exited the business earlier this year. Combined, the two banking behemoths represented 43.6% of the reverse mortgage market, based on a 12-month trailing period ending in April, according to industry researcher Reverse Market Insight. But certified financial planners say it’s not the end of the world for cash-strapped seniors who want to stay in their homes. With financial finesse, in some situations, seniors may find non-bank solutions yield better results. John Lunde, president of Reverse Market Insight, doesn’t except a stampede of other reverse mortgage lenders will quit the business. He also notes that most of the other lenders hold much smaller slices of the market, with the exception of MetLife Bank, an affiliate of insurance behemoth MetLife (MET).
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Lytro camera promises digital photography revolution
A friend clued me into this, and I immediately tought of lgbtSr contributor KJOY. We’re both photographers (hers is on the professional side, mine’s a hobby). It’s a lot to digest about this new camera coming out, but something to keep a shutter – I mean eye – on.
From PC World:
With a new kind of camera, Lytro wants to remove the headaches of focus from digital photography. Lytro, a start-up based in the Silicon Valley, hopes to revolutionize the camera industry by bringing “light field” cameras to the market this year. This type of photography captures the color, intensity and direction of individual light rays, allowing the user to refocus the picture even after it has been taken. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Lytro’s founder and chief executive, Ran Ng, likened the technology to a multitrack audio recording, in which each instrument is recorded separately and mixed later. A blog post on Lytro demonstrates the concept with an interactive photo. Clicking anywhere on the picture changes the point of focus, causing other parts of the scene to blur into the background. A picture gallery shows more examples. Lytro also claims that its cameras work in low lighting without flash, and can produce 3D photos with a single lens. “We have something special here,” Ng wrote. “Our mission is to change photography forever, making conventional cameras a thing of the past.”]]> -
Pulitzer winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas comes out – as illegal immigrant
In a stunning confession that fits with his Pulitzer Przie-winning reporting, gay journalist Jose Antonia Vargas has come out as an undocumented immigrant – in the New York Times!
From the New York Times:
I decided then that I could never give anyone reason to doubt I was an American. I convinced myself that if I worked enough, if I achieved enough, I would be rewarded with citizenship. I felt I could earn it.
I’ve tried. Over the past 14 years, I’ve graduated from high school and college and built a career as a journalist, interviewing some of the most famous people in the country. On the surface, I’ve created a good life. I’ve lived the American dream.
But I am still an undocumented immigrant. And that means living a different kind of reality. It means going about my day in fear of being found out. It means rarely trusting people, even those closest to me, with who I really am. It means keeping my family photos in a shoebox rather than displaying them on shelves in my home, so friends don’t ask about them. It means reluctantly, even painfully, doing things I know are wrong and unlawful. And it has meant relying on a sort of 21st-century underground railroad of supporters, people who took an interest in my future and took risks for me.
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Chicago gay activist Roger “R.J.” Chaffin dies at 59
From CBS Chicago: CHICAGO (CBS) – A renowned businessman and community activist in Chicago’s gay community has died at the age of 59. Roger “R.J.” Chaffin died this past Friday after a short illness, the Windy City Times reported. Chaffin was inducted into Chicago’s Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 1997. At that time, he was described as “one of Chicago’s most visible gay businesspersons for more than 25 years” who raised thousands of dollars for AIDS charities. Continue reading]]>
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Transgender woman sentenced to prison in Idaho bomb plot
From The Republic.com: PAYETTE, Idaho — An Idaho woman will serve at least three years in prison after she planted fake destructive devices at her trailer home, set fire to her truck then ran naked along a rural highway last summer to draw attention to her struggle as a transgender person. Catherine Carlson, 53, was sentenced Friday in 3rd District Court after being convicted of first-degree arson, unlawful possession of a bomb or destructive device, and using a hoax destructive device. She was also found guilty of a misdemeanor charge of indecent exposure. A Payette County jury convicted Carlson in April. The Argus Observer reported that Carlson sat quietly as Judge Susan Wiebe ordered her to serve a minimum of three years for each felony, to run concurrently, as part of a maximum 10-year sentence. She was also sentenced to serve 180 days for indecent exposure. Wiebe ordered Carlson to reimburse the county for $1,500 in emergency response costs.
Carlson will get credit for time served since her arrest in July 2010. About 50 homes were evacuated last summer after firefighters responded to a bogus report of a trailer fire and found pipes near a propane tank. The pipes contained no explosives.
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Residents despair in Puerto Rico as killings increase
We were just in Old San Juan two weeks ago on a cruise. I wrote afterward about the rising number of murders of LGBT people (18 most recently, at the time of the posting). The young waitress at the tapas restaurant where we had dinner told us murders were on the increase and it worried her.
From the New York Times:
LOÍZA, P.R. — As people strolled past the Alambique liquor store here recently, the puddle of blood and the bullet-shattered storefront behind it scarcely merited a glance. Yet another young man had been shot. Yet another tally would be added to the record books.
For Roberto Clemente, who lives down the street from the crime scene, such casual acceptance illustrates just how deeply Puerto Ricans have been shaken by the island’s murder wave.
“Enough is enough,” said Mr. Clemente, 59, who works for the town doing cleanup duties, as he motioned toward the liquor store. “We live unsafely in our homes. The cops know who did what, but there are no witnesses. Even if you see who did it, you stay quiet.”
Now plagued by a steadily worsening murder rate, more Puerto Ricans are second-guessing their evening plans, contemplating moving to the mainland and sending away for gun permits in larger numbers to protect themselves. And the police are rolling out new strategies they hope will bring things under control.
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Kjoy'sLife in the Sr Lane
PART II: Priding as an SR does not mean keeping our dignity! Hi all sweet lovelies! My great Pride 2011 story continues from the first post . . .
So my first blog was all about dealing with getting past our SR phobias – weight, wrinkles, and wondering where our youth went. Okay, it’s fine to cling to the past to a point, but it’s better to cling to your Depends or pads and dance the night away! No really! We do not owe the young hotties anything! If anything they owe us and our amazing predecessors, a dance! THESE womyn and men are my heroines/heroes. And some are SOOOO sexy to this day! The boys and girls today have no idea what it took to give them such freedoms. Okay. I’m off the soapbox.
Dancing is better than anti-depressants: Okay, I lied and I promised I wouldn’t. I lied. Get over it. Truth is even I take these even-out-your-life drugs (thank you Dr. Jacobson out of Northridge Hospital. You are da man!), but it’s because I don’t get out and let go and sweat the sh*t of life out! Dancing is one of the best drugs – ever!
I don’t care if you dance in the living room with no one around, ballroom, tango, or do your country’s traditional moves, just do it. I LOVE to just turn on the jams at home and groove (sometimes dressed, sometimes not! TMI?). I’m lucky that my wife Corinne, and the dogs, often join me to shake-it to trance to rock n’ roll (Concrete Blonde is her constant pick). We just imagine we’re on a dance floor and go.
Try it, you’ll like it: Don’t think of what ANYONE thinks on your dancing style (lgbtSr blogger, Rick Rose, is the KING of letting it go!). Once you get used to letting it jiggle and dangle, roll, etc. you’re ready to finalize your Pride experience. As I said, for us, it was Mickey’s hands-down (have no idea if that mean anything to the boys).
Mickey’s is always hot: As Weho Pride winded down, and the parade ended, the hot bods were everywhere. They chose to unwind at Mickey’s.
When we got to Mickey’s it was already packed, but since it was Pride, instead being a reason to go home early and watch “Golden Girls” and “Will & Grace,” we sashayed through the throngs of passersby to Mickey’s where the thong’d go-go boys were grinding it and the dance floor called my name. Dancing Nazi let it go: Corinne and I danced until sweating, which was great for the pores, and being that I’m still in mynopause and having hot flashes on a dance floor, it goes unnoticed. Loved it!
SRs hot ‘n workin’ it: As I looked around me on the dance floor I smiled at all the SRs groovin’ it to Mickey’s great DJs. No matter our ‘vintage moves’ we were workin’ the floor, getting looks of interest, and more you naughty-ones! For a short time we were young again, and lovin’ it!
Recovery: the morning after: The next a.m. Corinne started her workday way early, and though she thought to not going in, somehow she pulled it together and drove-off into early light of dawn. I curled-up with the dogs and went back to sleep. When I did get up, I immediately downed Advil, drank water, and ate a light breakfast. It was only then, as my body fell back into its slightly overweight shape, that I felt the tightness of my back, the ache of swelling feet, and then screamed when I looked in the mirror at my face with mashed make-up (I looked like Alice Cooper) staring back at me.
After the initial shock, I observed my “goth-esque” mascara on top of ever-increasing lines, and smiled. “Damn that was fun!” Later on in the day, Corinne texted me the same sentiment. We agreed that, though we’ve aged and slowed down, we took on Pride as if prizefighters and knocked-it-out. And now looking at the pictures I can truly say we were not alone. All those SRs I’d seen and met? I guarantee they rocked-it into the morning light as we did with a smile. Maybe next year I’ll go to the tanning booth. But then, maybe not. Til’ next time: Forget your age and go for it! I’ve learned this later than I anticipated, and lovin’ every adventure!]]>
Menopause can set in early for women with gluten allergy
Gluten allergy is synonymous with celiac disease – something to keep in mind when reading about these findings.
From msnbc.com (via Reuters):
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Women with untreated celiac disease may hit menopause earlier, and have a higher risk of some pregnancy complications, than women without the disease, suggests a small study.
However, if women with celiac disease are diagnosed early, and follow a strict diet as treatment, the findings suggest they won’t go through menopause any earlier than disease-free women.
Celiac disease affects “the whole spectrum of the reproductive career of women,” said Dr. Shawky Badawy, the head of obstetrics and gynecology at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York.
“It’s very interesting that when this disease is diagnosed early and corrected by (a) gluten-free diet, you find that these people improved significantly and their reproductive function improved significantly,” added Badawy, who was not involved in the new study.
Combined with other studies that have also shown reproductive problems in women with untreated celiac disease, “it’s a really important finding,” he told Reuters Health.]]>
Photographer chronicles what typical gay men really look like
What does a gay man look like? A lot of people who don’t know gay men, or don’t think they do, might base their reply on a TV sitcom character or some other portrayal prone to stereotype. Even those of us in the gay community have often had fixed ideas about LGBT people and what we look like, or what we think we’re supposed to look like.
Photographer Scott Pasfield set out to do something very simple: take pictures of every day gay men in their everyday lives.
From Gay in America:
In this first-ever photographic survey of gay men in America, stereotypes are laid to rest and an intimate, honest picture of contemporary gay life is revealed through stunning personal portraits and narratives.
Photographer Scott Pasfield traveled 54,000 miles across all fifty states over a three-year span gathering stories and documenting the lives of 140 gay men from all walks of life. At turns joyful and somber, reflective and celebratory, each narrative and image is an enlightening look into the variety of gay life in the United States.]]>
Higher waistlines mean higher health risk for men
This one’s on my mind, since I’m on a mission to lost 20 pounds. My waistline, while it will never be 34” again (and frankly that’s okay with me) has been pushing the “danger zone” of 40 for the last few years.
From Health.com:
MONDAY, June 20 (HealthDay News) — Men can gain significant health benefits from watching their waist size and, if necessary, losing some flab around the middle, the American Dietetic Association says.
“Just as it’s important to know your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and weight numbers, men need to know their waist circumference. So, get out the tape measure,” registered dietitian and ADA spokesman Jim White said in an ADA news release.
For an average male, a waistline of 40 inches puts him into the “disease-risk zone,” the experts warned.
Excess abdominal fat, as opposed to fat elsewhere on the body, increases men’s risk for health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer. This fat around internal organs is known as visceral fat. [emphasis mine]]]>
Cathy's Wealth of Health: Staying healthy with a rainbow of foods
Editor’s note: It seemed appropriate to have an article on eating a “rainbow of foods” as we approach Pride. It was a coincidence, really, but a nice one. – Mark/lgbtSr
Eating a Rainbow
By Cathy McNease, Herbalist
I know of no better food advice for a long healthy life than to strive towards eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day. Each color provides a power pack of nutrients to stave off chronic diseases and promote vitality. The USDA recently provided a new icon to represent a healthy diet, thanks to the work of Michelle Obama in attempting to raise food consciousness and tackle the childhood obesity epidemic. The image is a plate with ½ being devoted to fruits and vegetables, ¼ for proteins (lean meats, beans, eggs) and ¼ for grains (with the suggestion that at least ½ of the grains are whole grains). Off to the side is a small circle representing reduced fat dairy products (a glass of low fat milk or a container of yogurt). The brilliance is in its simplicity. Whether you are a child or a senior, you can understand the guidance. (Go to www.choosemyplate.gov for more dietary guidelines.) Most of us, even the healthiest of eaters, need to eat more fruits and vegetables. Reminding yourself of the rainbow helps move you towards that goal.
RED fruits and vegetables are colored by plant pigments called lycopene (in tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit) or anthocyanins (in strawberries, cherries, raspberries, red grapes). Red foods protect our hearts, improve brain function, reduce the risk of osteoporosis and diabetes, and lower the risk of several cancers, most notably prostate cancer. In a study of men age 40 and older, those who consumed more than 10 servings of tomato products per week had two-thirds the risk of developing prostate cancer compared to those who ate less than 1.5 servings weekly. Lycopene in tomato paste is four times more bioavailable than that in fresh tomatoes, so ketchup counts.
ORANGE and YELLOW fruits and vegetables are colored by plant pigments called carotenoids. Studies show that these can help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and can improve immune system function. One study found that people who ate a diet rich in carotenoids were 43% less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration, an eye disorder common in the elderly, which can lead to blindness. Beta-carotene in sweet potatoes, pumpkins, winter squash, persimmons, papaya, peaches, and carrots, is converted to vitamin A which promotes healthy mucus membranes, protects the skin from UV radiation, helps prevent cataracts and exhibits anti-aging effects. Orange and yellow foods are also rich in vitamin C.
YELLOW and GREEN fruits and vegetables contain another group of carotenoids: lutein, zeaxanthin and xanthophylls. These are also important in preventing macular degeneration. You may choose spinach, broccoli, green beans, cabbage and corn for these nutrients.
GREEN fruits and vegetables are rich in folic acid and chlorophyll. Folic acid protects us from cancer, high levels of LDL (the bad cholesterol), regulates digestion and improves immune system function. All green foods also contain chlorophyll, nature’s blood builder and detoxifier. The chlorophyll molecule and hemoglobin molecule (part of our blood) are almost identical in structure, except that magnesium is in the center of the chlorophyll while iron centers the hemoglobin. Thus, eating green foods is a very easy conversion for our bodies to make blood. In addition to all the leafy green vegetables, zucchini, peas and seaweeds, there are also a few green fruits: avocados, grapes, kiwis, limes and green apples.
BLUE and PURPLE foods contain a pigment called anthocyanins, the same pigment in some red foods. Grapes, eggplant, plums, blueberries, red cabbage, and beets are examples. This nutrient benefits the cardiovascular system, lowering cholesterol, helping maintain flexibility of blood vessels and supporting blood flow to the eyes and the nervous system. This may contribute to better visual acuity and reduction of glaucoma, as well as a reduced risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease. Reservatrol is another nutrient found primarily in the skin of grapes that may thwart a host of age related disorders including Alzheimer’s disease. It has been shown to break down the plaque deposits that are so damaging to the brain. There are many studies showing a strong link between eating blueberries and improved memory and healthy aging.
WHITE fruits and vegetables contain allicin, known to lower LDL (bad cholesterol) as well as blood pressure, and boost the immune system by stimulating natural killer B and T cells, the major regulators of the immune system defense. Examples are potatoes, onions, mushrooms, turnips, bananas, white peaches, and pears. These white foods also help reduce the risk of stomach cancer and heart disease. Bananas and potatoes are good sources of the mineral potassium.
We should all be eating at least 5 fist size portions of multi-colored fruits and vegetables every day. People who eat generous amounts of fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet are likely to reduce their risk of many chronic diseases. Did you eat your rainbow today?
For more information and research:
www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov
ewg@ewg.org (list of dirty dozen and clean 15 shopper’s guide to pesticides in produce)
www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org
Cathy McNease is a nationally certified herbalist with a Diplomate in Chinese Herbology from the NCCAOM, a B.S. in Biology and Psychology from Western Michigan University and two Master Herbalist certificates from Emerson College of Herbology in Canada and East-West Course of Herbology in Santa Cruz. You can view her bio here.]]>
That's so gay: Google adds rainbow for Pride month
If you search ‘lgbt’ (or gay or anything remotely triggering gay) you’ll see a little rainbow on the right-hand end of the search box. That’s so gay – in the best way.
From International Business Times:
Google has added a U-shaped rainbow to the end of its search bar to mark the Gay and Lesbian pride month. The rainbow will show up whenever a user searches LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) related terms.
The six-color rainbow, a symbol of gay pride, is a new addition this year. Google had added a thin bar below the search window with the six colors placed end to end, in the past.
Though Google is generally not too keen on a taking a stand for a social issue, gay rights have been an exception.
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