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Suggested Substack: The Garden of Forking Paths, by Brian Klaas
Now that I’m on Substack myself (Mark McNease On Topic), I’ve started discovering all the great writing and thinking being launched into the universe on this platform. I’ll be making occasional recommendations for anyone who likes to ponder deeply, and sometimes not-so-deeply, along with the writers putting virtual pen to paper.
Today it’s a fascinating substack called The Garden of Forking Paths, by Brian Klaas, Associate Professor of Global Politics at University College London. His most recent post is titled The Ten Days That Didn’t Exist
Here’s very small sample, since the writing belongs to him! Check it out.
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Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources: What They Don’t Tell You About Hospice Care
By Angelica Herrera Venson, DrPH, MPH
The following excerpt is reprinted with permission from Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources.
Hospice care provides important support at the end of life, allowing people dignity and quality of life. Yet, it’s also a topic that’s highly misunderstood.
Part of the problem is that end of life is a scary idea. Many of us avoid talking about it for as long as possible. There are also many myths and misconceptions about hospice, making it even harder to know what’s true.
In this post, we’re looking at some of the less well-known details about hospice. Many of these are positive, but there are some problems with hospice care in the mix as well.
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Savvy Senior: Simple Home Safety Solutions for Aging-in-Place
You can listen to my interview with Savvy Senior’s Jim Miller HERE.
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Falls and fires are the two things I worry most about for my elderly father who lives alone. Do you have any suggestions on what we can do to help keep him safe, and keep an eye on him from afar?
Concerned Daughter
Dear Concerned,
Of course! There are a number of small adjustments and modifications you can make to your dad’s home to help protect him from falls and fires, both of which cause thousands of injuries and deaths each year. Here are some tips to get you started.
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The Weekly Readlines December 30 (Now with Audio!)
The Weekly Readlines (rhymes with headlines!) is a feature at LGBTSr.com, offering news you can use every Friday.
NEW: You can now get the unabridged Readlines with a subscription to my Substack newsletter, along with regular musings, opinion and philosophical misfires.
Quote for the Week: “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” – Michael Altshuler
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES First the good news: 2022 is almost over—the good, the bad, and the meh. Brittney Griner spent Christmas a free woman. The January 6 Committee’s final report is a best seller. Daniel Craig and Hugh Grant are lovers in Glass Onion. And Kari Lake went down to defeat in Arizona. Can 2023 possibly be better?
Putin’s killing spree continued with another Russian mogul falling out a hotel window. New York GOP Rep-elect George Santos coined the word ‘Jew-ish’ in response to his shopping list of lies. And the House passed a $1.7 trillion spending bill with the help of Senate Republicans who see the crazy coming when the GOP takes the House in January.
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The Twist Podcast #208: Our Year End Best Worst Whole Shebang Last Show of the Year!
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose for our year end best, worst, and everything in between fabfest! We give our own best-ofs, shade some of the shady stuff, remember all the good things, and anticipate a great new year.
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Free for Subscribers: In Harmony with the Seasons: Herbs, Nutrition and Well-Being, by Cathy McNease, Dipl CH, RH
Now complimentary for all subscribers: In Harmony with the Seasons: Herbs, Nutrition and Well-Being, by Cathy McNease, Dipl CH, RH.
Prefer a paperback? In Harmony with the Seasons is available on Amazon.Already a subscriber? Look for a link to your eBook copy in the weekly email. -
Podcast Pick: Rachel Maddow Presents Ultra
I’m listening to this podcast as I write this! It’s captivating, and the parallel to our own recent history is chilling. This one’s a must-listen. – Mark
About Rachel Maddow Presents Ultra
Sitting members of Congress aiding and abetting a plot to overthrow the government. Insurrectionists criminally charged with plotting to end American democracy for good. Justice Department prosecutors under crushing political pressure. Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra is the all-but-forgotten true story of good, old-fashioned American extremism getting supercharged by proximity to power. When extremist elected officials get caught plotting against America with the violent ultra right, this is the story of the lengths they will go to… to cover their tracks.
Enjoy the content at LGBTSr? Subscribe here for weekly delivery!
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Savvy Senior: How to Reduce Your Medical Bills
Dear Savvy Senior,
What tips do you recommend to Medicare beneficiaries dealing with hefty medical bills? My husband recently had open heart surgery and is recovering slowly, but the medical bills are coming in fast and furious and they’re putting us in medical debt.
Struggling in Springfield
Dear Struggling,
I’m sorry to hear about your billing struggles, but medical debt has unfortunately become a chronic problem in this country. According to U.S. Census data 19 percent of Americans households carry medical debt, including 10 percent of households headed by someone 65 or older. Even seniors on Medicare can easily get snagged in a web of complicated billing and coverage problems.
To help you slash your medical bills, here are some tips recommended by health care experts that you should try.
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An App for That: Flashfood Offers Deep Discounts at Participating Grocers
An App for That is a regular feature at LGBTSr highlighting apps and technology of interest.
Whether you’re on a fixed income or not, finding great savings these days is always welcome. I’ve recently been using an app called Flashfood that let’s you choose from certain grocery items that are marked down specifically for sale through the app. Once you set it up on your phone and provide a credit card, you can view the items different departments have made available, purchase them through the app, and pick them up at the store where they’ve been offered. Today I bought feta cheese, a container of olives, and an order of sliced deli turkey, turning a $24.00+ purchase into just over $12.00.
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The Weekly Readlines December 23
The Weekly Readlines (rhymes with headlines!) is a feature at LGBTSr.com, offering news you can use every Friday.
NEW: You can now get the Readlines with a subscription to my Substack newsletter, along with regular musings, opinion and philosophical misfires.
Quote for the Week: “Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.” – Peg Bracken, author of ‘I Hate to Cook’BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
First the good news: The January 6 Committee referred Donald Trump for prosecution on four charges. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
2022 was not the apocalypse, a lot of good things happened. Challenges and opportunities await us in the New Year. Walmart will soon offer delivery by drone. My beloved Lambertville, NJ, was named New Jersey Destination of the Year, and my writing career, such as it is, is going gangbangers. Or it that gangbusters? So let’s move forward with hope and determination, and make next year everything we want it to be.
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The Twist Podcast #207: Deadbeat Donald, Wisconsin Famous, the Return of Hot Topics, and More!
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose for our pre-Christmas show as we consider the January 6 Committee revelations, name drop famous Wisconsonites, and bring back our Hot Topics for the new year. Wear your oven mitts for this one!
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Best Books of 2022: Terri Schlichenmeyer’s Bookworm Sez!
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm Sez
Best Books of 2022
It happens every year.
The decorations come down. The last of the Christmas leftovers have been eaten. Errant bits of ripped wrapping are found and discarded. You have no more holiday candy or cookies, you look around at your empty hands, and you wonder now what?
Now it’s time to settle in and read for the rest of the winter season. For your pleasure, here are the Top Five Bookworm Picks for the Best of 2022…
Fiction
Lovers of fairy tales are in for a big surprise with “The Book Eaters” by Sunyi Dean (Tor, $26.99). It’s a dark, dark legend filled with evil dragons that look like men, princesses that are worse than second-class citizens within their realms, and a chase that will chill you. Book lovers will adore this tale, especially if you don’t necessarily need a happily-ever-after.