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The Weekly Readlines September 30
Quote for the Week: “… we don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator. We take an oath to the Constitution and we take an oath to the idea that is America – and we’re willing to die to protect it.” – Retiring Four-Star General Mark Milley
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
Senator Diane Feinstein died at 90, leaving a legacy as the longest-serving woman in the U.S. Senate. General Mark Milley retired as the head of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, ignoring calls for his execution by one-term fiasco Trump and his toady, AZ Rep. Paul Gosar. And a government shutdown is all but assured after radical Republicans chose cult over country.
The Writers Guild reached an agreement with studios, ending a five-month strike. President Biden walked the picket line with autoworkers in Michigan, becoming the first American President to join striking union members. And Las Vegas’ Culinary Workers Union authorized a strike, threatening to cripple Gomorrah in the desert.
Possibly realizing it’s a violation of federal law while under indictment, Trump denied purchasing a 9mm Glock after a campaign staffer said he did. And the former President was found by a judge to have committed fraud for years in his real estate businesses. His popularity among the base jumped 20 points. Who says crime doesn’t pay?
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The Twist #242: Farewell Senator Feinstein, Military Madness, and The Twist Moves to Fridays
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we salute the late, great Diane Feinstein, pray for the safety of General Milley after calls for his execution, and welcome everyone to our new timeslot on Friday mornings.
Enjoy The Twist on Libsyn, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and TheTwistPodcast.com.
Copyright 2023 MadeMark Publishing
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Savvy Senior: Does Medicare Cover Second Medical Opinions?
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Does Medicare cover second medical opinions? The doctor I currently see thinks I need a knee replacement, but I would like to get some other treatment options before I proceed. What can you tell me?
Limping Larry
Dear Larry,
Getting a second medical opinion from another doctor is a smart idea that may offer you a fresh perspective and additional options for treating your knee so you can make a more informed decision. Or, if the second doctor agrees with your current one, it can give you some reassurance.
Yes, Medicare does pay for second opinions if your current doctor has recommended surgery, or some other major diagnostic or therapeutic procedure.
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The Twist Podcast #241: New Pop Smart News Feature, Roller Coaster Realness, and and Interview with Deaf Action Center’s David Hylan
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as debut ‘Pop Smart,’ Rick’s entertainment and culture beat; fasten our seatbelts for America’s best roller coasters; and catch up with Deaf Action Center’s David Hylan on the occasion of his upcoming retirement.
Enjoy The Twist on Libsyn, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and TheTwistPodcast.com.
Copyright 2023 MadeMark Publishing
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The Weekly Readlines September 22 (Now with Audio)
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
Attorney General Merrick Garland was subjected to cartoonish grilling in a House Judiciary hearing by Republican senators intent on pleasing the MAGA base and no one else.
Five Americans held in Iran have been released in a deal arranged by the Biden Administration and immediately criticized by the Right … because Biden.
Lauren Boebert apologized for vaping in a a public theater, but not for being groped by her date at a family-friendly show. Bonus: the woman who asked her to stop vaping was pregnant. So much for parental rights. A drag queen would never put an unborn child in danger like this!
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused India of sponsoring the assassination of a Sikh leader in Canada. India cancels lunch buffets in Ottawa as conflict escalates.
Republicans and media double-team relentless ‘Biden is old and diminished’ agitprop while Trump gives a speech claiming Obama is the president, and Biden will lead us into World War II. You decide.
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Savvy Senior: Best Stair Lifts of 2023
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Because of chronic arthritis, I have a very difficult time going up and down stairs anymore and am interested in purchasing a stair lift for my two-story house. Can you recommend some good companies?
Arthritic Andy
Dear Andy,
Yes, of course! A good home stair lift is a great mobility solution for anyone who is unable, or has a difficult time climbing stairs. To help you choose a quality stair lift that meets your needs and budget, here are a few shopping tips along with some top-rated companies.
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Web Watch: ‘Everyday Health’ Offers Healthy Advice for Everyday Living
Web Watch is a feature at LGBTSr offering online finds of interest.
The more I age, the more I’m interested in discovering ways to improve my physical, mental and spiritual health. Not long ago I happened upon a website that offers suggestions, advice and resources that address all three of those pillars of well-being.
Everyday Health has more information, about more topics, than you could probably ever read. They also offer email sign-ups for daily newsletters on specific topics. I’m signed up for their Daily Dose of Healthy Living, Permission to Breathe, and Mental Wellness. You can see all their newsletter offerings HERE. Between the stresses of daily life, the stresses of aging, and all the other things, real and imagined, that weigh on us, it’s good to have a resource like this.
Everyday Health’s passionate, award-winning editorial team is committed to supporting you in your journey to live a healthy life each and every day. By adhering to the highest standards for accuracy, objectivity, and balance, we create trustworthy content based on up-to-date, evidence-based health and medical information and real world patient and clinician experience to help inform you how to take control of your health. Our content, including articles, graphics, videos, tools, and more, is created by experienced and accredited health journalists with valuable input from our Health Expert Network.
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RetireGuide Offers LGBTQ+ Elder Health Care Guide
RetireGuide has included a valuable Care Guide for LGBTQ+ elders that includes such topics as:
Why Do LGBTQ+ Elders Have Low Rates of Health Insurance?
What Health Care Challenges Do LGBTQ+ Elders Face?
Discrimination
Greater Risk
Medicare Bill Rejection
and more.
You can read the entire Guide HERE.
RetireGuide is a health and wealth website dedicated to providing accurate information and research on a variety of retirement topics. We do this through a stringent editorial process that involves fact-checking, attribution to reputable sources, insight from financial experts and original reporting from a team of experienced journalists.
RetireGuide offers a wide variety of information for seniors about housing, healthcare, insurance, and financial planning. Sharing this is not intended as an endorsement of their products or services. – LGBTSr
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The Twist Podcast #240: Fun Days in Philly, Food Court Faves, and an Interview with Cannabis Activist Alan Robinson
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as rundown Mark’s great two-night trip to Philly, list some favorite food court hotspots, and enjoy Rick’s interview with cannabis activist and advocate Alan Robinson.
Enjoy The Twist on Libsyn, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and TheTwistPodcast.com.
Copyright 2023 MadeMark Publishing
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On the Map: Return to Philly, the Morris House Hotel, and Eddie Izzard at the Miller Theater
Click to hear audio version.
By Mark McNeaseIt was a whirlwind two days, as Frank and I headed to Philadelphia for another two-night getaway in a favorite city. After having spent decades in New York prior to our permanent move to rural New Jersey, we now enjoy taking trips to Philly just an hour away. It’s an easy drive, an easy city to be in, and it offers everything you could want in a major metropolis: museums, restaurants, theater, walking (and more walking), lots of history, and our preferred place to stay: the historic Morris House Hotel, located within a short walking distance of everything we enjoy.
This trip was my gift to Frank for our 10th wedding anniversary, and I didn’t want to scrimp. Fine food? You got it! Hotel we love to stay in? You got it! Surprise show at the Kimmel Center? You got it! And while we remember all our trips, this was special. I got a foot massage within an hour of arriving, while Frank racked up his multi-thousand-step daily routine. We had dinner at Buca D’Oro with his niece Jessica, who just started attending Drexel for her graduate law degree. Day two saw us walking with Jess, hitting 25,000-plus steps on my own pedometer and seeing her school up close.
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The Weekly Readlines September 15
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
Sure to be repeated daily in what passes for breaking news, Hunter Biden has been indicted on gun charges no one else would be if their name wasn’t Biden. We wait patiently for an NRA statement in his defense.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy fed the last scraps of his soul to the MAGA hounds, ordering an impeachment inquiry into President Biden and his “crime family.” (Surely there has never been a more terrifying Mafia don than Jill Biden!). One good note: White House Counsel under Trump issued a ruling that an impeachment inquiry without a house vote was illegitimate and did not have to be complied with.
The Right’s war on diversity continues to take casualties, as more corporations drop their diversity training. Happy days are here again for white America!
Senator John Fetterman celebrated Biden’s win on marijuana, and Mitt Romney announced he will not run again in 2024, while expressing his belief that most of the Republican party no longer believes in the Constitution.
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Health Beat: Alternatives to Using a CPAP Machine
By Mark McNease
I’ve been using a CPAP machine for over five years now. I got lucky, as far as I’m concerned, by only needing the nostril pillows. It’s not uncomfortable, and I quickly got used to having a hose coming out of my face onto a machine set up by the bed. But I would still prefer not having to use it. It’s especially inconvenient when we travel and I lug this thing around with us wherever we go. There’s the added hassle of either taking sterilized water, which is used in the machine, or buying it when we get to our destination.
My machine recently started making bag-motor noises and I need a new one. However, I was told I have to be tested again, and to get a new prescription from my “sleep doctor.” I have an appointment to see him in October, when my Medicare kicks in. In the meantime, I thought I’d take a look at some possible alternatives to having your life tied to a CPAP. I don’t know if the weight loss suggestion will work for me, since I’m perpetually trying to lose weight. Hopefully we’ll find out soon. In the meantime …
Possible Alternatives to a CPAP Machine
One alternative to using a CPAP machine is an Oral Appliance, also known as a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD). This type of appliance fits inside the mouth like a mouthguard and helps to keep the airway open during sleep by bringing the lower jaw slightly forward. Oral appliances are typically adjustable, allowing users to find the most comfortable setting.