Senior Women Web

Author: SeniorWomenWeb

  • Tell It Like It Is

     by Rose Madeline Mula

     When was the last time you went to a rest room to ‘rest’?  Is “toilet room” too crude a term for where we go to “answer a call of nature” or “make a visit” or “powder our nose”?

    Furthermore, how come no one ever “dies”?  Instead, a person  “passes away,”  “goes to his reward,” “buys the farm,” “cashes in his chips,”  “pushes up daisies,” “checks out,” “kicks the bucket,” “bites the dust” or “loses his life” (which sounds pretty careless).  And our sick pets are never euthanized; they’re “put to sleep.” 

    War also has its own vocabulary.  We don’t kill enemy soldiers, we “eliminate” them.  And, unfortunately, during attacks, sometimes “collateral damage” (or killing of innocent civilians, including children) is unavoidable.  Also, is it less deadly to be eliminated by “friendly fire” than an enemy bullet?  And who can ever forgive Hitler’s characterization of slaughtering thousands of Jews as “ethnic cleansing”?

    Though researchers haven’t yet discovered a “thin” pill that will enable us to pig out on unlimited quantities of lasagna without gaining an ounce, no one is “fat” any more.  In fact, we’re not even “overweight.”  We’re simply “big boned,” “husky,” “full-figured,” or “plus-sized.”

    We also never get “old.”  Instead, if we don’t “go to heaven” early, we eventually enter our “golden years” and become “senior citizens” or, at worst, “chronologically challenged.”  Similarly, no one is “handicapped” any more.  They’re simply “physically challenged” or “differently abled.”

    Though it sounds too good to be true, no one is actually “unemployed” these days either, though many have been “down-sized,” “laid off,” or “outplaced” and be “between jobs,” which may result in their having to live “in reduced circumstances,” instead of in poverty.

    And have you noticed that no one “has sex” any more?  Instead, people “sleep with” each other, “make whoopee,”  “roll in the hay,” indulge in “hanky-though a female “whoopee maker” could possibly wind up with a “bun in the oven,” a “panky,” and “go all the way.”  It’s reassuring to know that all of this activity seldom results in an unwanted “pregnancy” — at least not by that name; bundle from heaven,” or “a visit from the stork” unless she and her partner “used protection.”  (No, that does not mean inviting bodyguards on their dates.)  Of course, parents are sure to make all this clear when they tell their children about “the birds and the bees.”

    The next time you’re on a commercial plane that will be flying over water, if you listen to the flight attendant, you’ll be happy to hear him or her say that your seat cushion can be used as a “personal flotation device.”  That sounds like so much more fun than “life saver” — more like it’s possible that you and your fellow passengers will be visiting a Disney water park soon instead of splashing down in mid-Atlantic.

  • Decreasing the Age of the Older Face: Are certain features or color dimensions more important than others for age perception?

    • Aspects of Facial Contrast Decrease with Age and Are Cues for Age Perception

    • Authors Aurélie Porcheron, Emmanuelle Mauger, Richard Russell *

    IntroductionFacial contrasts*

    Contrast manipulated versions of a face. The left image shows a face with facial contrast increased and the right image shows the same face with facial contrast decreased.

    Age is a fundamental determinant of social structure and interactions. Age determines rank, rights, and responsibilities. People of different ages afford different kinds of social interactions and age is a primary dimension of social cognition and behavior. But it is not only actual or chronological age that predicts a person’s health, ability, and treatment by others. The mere appearance of age, separate from actual age, predicts important aspects of health and well-being.

    Looking older or younger than one’s age is associated with health and environmental factors such as body mass index (BMI), depression, marital status, and social class. Indeed, perceived facial age is a clinically useful biomarker of aging, and looking older than one’s age is a sign of poor health  and mortality. Though poor health surely contributes to appearing old for one’s age, there is evidence to suggest that appearance may also cause diminished health and psychological well-being, because of reduced social contact and social touching that results from having skin that no one “loves to touch”, including the possessor. A person who appears older is perceived as more autonomous and dominant, which discourages touching. Though the benefits of touch increase with age, the opportunities to be touched decrease significantly.

    Maintaining a youthful appearance is of great importance for many people, perhaps because of the relationships between the appearance of age and health, and between the appearance of age and beauty. Many people are concerned with reducing the visual signs of aging, and this supports the existence of the multi-billion dollar cosmetic and cosmetic surgery industries.

    The appearance of age is closely related to the physical changes that occur with the aging process. After the cessation of growth at approximately 20 years of age, face shape continues to change, particularly in late adulthood. Facial skin undergoes dramatic changes with age, including wrinkling and sagging, increases of pigmented irregularities, and skin color changes such as decreased homogeneity of skin reflectance.

    The internal features of the face are also relevant to the perception of age. With photographs of the same individual obtained at two different ages, George and Hole substituted features between the photographs. Transplanting older features into a younger face increased age estimates by approximately 40%, the opposite decreased the age of the older face by approximately 33%. Both internal feature size and shape influence age perception. Large and round eyes in real faces as well as shorter noses decreased the estimated age of the person. Lip height and border definition decrease with age and are visual cues for age perception .

    The luminance contrast between the eyes and the surrounding skin and the lips and the surrounding skin has been termed ‘facial contrast’. Female faces have greater facial contrast than male faces, and facial contrast plays an important role in sex classification and the perception of masculinity and femininity and also attractiveness. However, it is not known whether facial contrast changes with age or plays a role in age perception. Inspection of averaged faces of older and younger adults led us to hypothesize that facial contrast decreases with age and is related to perceived facial age.

  • Palaces for the People: Guastavino and America’s Great Public Spaces

    The exhibition Palaces for the People: Guastavino and America’s Great Public Spaces is debuting at the National Building Museum and runs through January 20, 2014.Market Under the Triboro Bridge, NYC

    The Guastavino family’s soaring tile vaults grace many of the nation’s most iconic structures including Grand Central Terminal (see page two), the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the Boston Public Library, the US Supreme Court, and the Nebraska State Capitol (see below). Yet the name, the accomplishments, and the architectural legacy of this single family of first-generation Spanish immigrants are virtually unknown. 

    Not only did the Guastavinos and their company help build many great American public spaces between 1881 and 1962, they also revolutionized American architectural design and construction. Their patented vaulting techniques made it possible for architects to create the breathtakingly beautiful spaces that represent the nation’s highest ideals and aspirations.

    Palaces for the People sheds lights on the story of Rafael Guastavino Sr. (1842–1908), arguably the most influential architectural craftsman working in late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century America. An established master builder in Barcelona, Guastavino immigrated to New York with his young son, Rafael Jr. (1872–1950), in 1881. His patented tiling system — based on a centuries-old Spanish building method — enabled the construction of self-supporting arches that were simultaneously lightweight, virtually indestructible, fireproof, and attractive. The construction system interlocked and layered thin clay tiles and quick-setting mortar in highly decorative patterns. Compared to stone or brick vaults which required additional time and materials, Guastavino’s tile vaults were exceptionally economical and highly versatile. Within a few short years, Guastavino’s signature vaulting technique had transformed the American architectural landscape.Nebraska State Capitol

    With support from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the International Masonry Institute (IMI), the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, ZGF Architects LLP, and Spain Arts & Culture, the National Building Museum will present a major gallery exhibition, tours, and lectures dedicated to highlighting Guastavino’s work. The exhibition will include historic drawings, photographs, and objects, along with newly commissioned photographs by London photographer Michael Freeman to help make the art, engineering, and the immigrant story come alive for today’s audiences.

    Photographs by Michael Freeman:

    1. The vaulted arcade below the approach to the Queensboro Bridge now houses a grocery store, New York City, architect Henry Hornbostel (1909)

    2. Tile vaulting with mosaic murals, Rafael Guastavino Jr. and Hildreth Meière for architect Bertram Goodhue, Nebraska State Capitol (1931).

  • Sexual Assault in the US Military; Kirsten Gillibrand’s Remarks

    The testimony on Capitol Hill in front of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel regarding the issue of sexual assault in the miltiary encouraged us to pull up some of the articles and references that SeniorWomen.com has produced on our site in the past. New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand delivered an opening statement*. It should be remembered that the December 2009 Defense Task Force Report also covered assaults on male military service members and included gender-appropriate care for male victims.

    Sexual Assault in the Military Services – Senior Women Web
     
    a [in the military] sexual assault report stops this process momentarily . . . some leaders may view it as an inconvenience rather than a crime. . . .
    www.seniorwomen.com/…/report-of-the-defense-task-force-on-sexual–assault -in-the-military-services
    Invisible Wounds: Examining the Disability Compensation Benefits …
     
    “Women are the fastest growing population among veterans, making up 8 … Most veterans seeking treatment and compensation for military sexual assault lack …
    www.seniorwomen.com/…/invisible-wounds-examining-the-disability
    VA Health Care: Actions Needed to Prevent Sexual Assaults and …
     
    . GAO was asked to examine whether or not sexual assault incidents are fully reported and … Examining the Disability Compensation Benefits Process for Victims of Military Sexual …
    www.seniorwomen.com/…/va-sexual–assaults-and-other-safety-incidents
    Bills Introduced: Crime, Employment, Health, Violence Against Women
     
    H.R. 1517 — Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA)/Armed Services, Judiciary (4/13/11) — A bill to provide for military sexual assault and domestic violence accountability, …
    www.seniorwomen.com/…/congressional-bills-introduced-for-possible- enactment?…
    Invisible Wounds: Examining the Disability Compensation Benefits …
     
    Jul 18, 2012 …  of the nature of sexual assault in the military and it is past time to correct it. Aviation …
    www.seniorwomen.com/…/invisible-wounds-examining-the-disability?…
    10 – Senior Women Web
     
     … Examining the Disability Compensation Benefits Process for Victims of Military Sexual Trauma … one in four women who join the armed services will be raped or assaulted, but that …
    www.seniorwomen.com/healthfitness.html?cat=19&show…
    Government – Senior Women Web
     
     … Examining the Disability Compensation Benefits Process for Victims of Military Sexual Trauma … one in four women who join the armed services will be raped or assaulted, but that …
    www.seniorwomen.com/news/index.php/ni/government/?paged=9
    Testifying About Rape Kit Backlogs – Senior Women Web
     
    Women’s Policy Inc reported on testimony given to the House Judiciary …. The SANE [Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner] nurse told me that she had found semen in … the Disability Compensation Benefits Process for Victims of Military Sexual …
    www.seniorwomen.com/news/index.php/testifying-before-congress
    Bills Introduced: Crime, Employment, Health, Violence Against Women
     
    A bill to provide for Debbie Smith grants for auditing sexual assault evidence backlogs and to establish … Women’s Policy Inc, lists some of the Congressional Bills introduced last week in the US House and … Military/Violence Against Women …
    www.seniorwomen.com/…/congressional-bills-introduced-for-possible- enactment
    Senior Women Web
     
    Women have a distinct survival disadvantage compared to men. … the Disability Compensation Benefits Process for Victims of Military Sexual Trauma … estimates that one in four women who join the armed services will be raped or assaulted, …
    www.seniorwomen.com/?show_statuses%5B%5D=published…

    *Senator (D-NY) Kirsten Gillibrand delivered remarks to open the hearing. The senator’s remarks are posted below:

    “It is an honor and privilege to Chair this hearing of the Personnel Subcommittee this morning. I want to thank the Ranking Member of this Subcommittee, Senator Lindsey Graham, for his support and working with me to move this hearing forward as quickly as possible.

    “I know that all of our colleagues on the Armed Services Committee share our deep commitment to improving the quality of life of the men and women who serve in our all-volunteer force on active duty, or in the National Guard and Reserves, their families, military retirees, and Department of Defense Civilian personnel.

    “And that is why this hearing today is so important to me personally…and to thousands of servicemembers…and their families across the country.

    “The issue of sexual violence in the military is not new. And it has been allowed to go on in the shadows for far too long. The scourge of sexual violence in the military should be intolerable and infuriating to us all. Our best, brightest, and bravest join our armed forces for all the right reasons – to serve our country, protect our freedom, and keep America safe.

    “The United States has the best military in the world and the overwhelmingly vast majority of our brave men and women serving in uniform do so honorably and bravely. But there is also no doubt that we have men and women in uniform who are committing acts of sexual violence and should no longer be allowed to serve.

    “Too often, women and men have found themselves in the fight of their lives not in the theater of war – but in their own ranks, among their own brothers and sisters, and ranking officers, in an environment that enables sexual assault.

    “And after an assault occurs, an estimated 19,000 sexual assaults happened in 2011 alone according to the Defense Department’s own estimates…some of these victims have to fight all over again with every ounce of their being just to have their voice heard…their assailant brought to any measure of justice… and the disability claims they deserve fulfilled. Congress would be derelict in its duty of oversight if we just shrugged our shoulders at these 19,000 sons and daughters…husbands and wives…mothers and fathers…and did nothing. We simply have to do better by them.

    “When brave men and women volunteer to serve in our military they know the risks involved. But sexual assault at the hands of a fellow service member should never be one of them.

    “Because not only does sexual assault cause unconscionable harm to the victim — sexual violence is reported to be the leading cause of post-traumatic stress disorder among women veterans — but it destabilizes our military, threatens unit cohesion and national security. Beyond the enormous human costs both psychologically and physically, this crisis is costing us significant assets – making us weaker both morally and militarily.

    “Already, this Committee and the Pentagon took some first steps on this issue as part of last year’s National Defense Authorization bill that President Obama signed into law. While obviously our work is not done, I am hopeful that we can build on these initial changes which include:

    · Ensuring that all convicted sex offenders in the military are processed for discharge or dismissal from the Armed Forces regardless of which branch they serve in;

    · Reserving case-disposition authority for only high-ranking officers in sexual assault cases;

    · Pushing the Pentagon to lift the combat ban that prevents women from officially serving in many of the combat positions that can lead to significant promotion opportunities. By opening the door for more qualified women to excel in our military, we will have increased diversity in top leadership positions, improving response from leadership when it comes to preventing and responding to sexual violence;

    · And an amendment introduced by my colleague Senator Jeanne Shaheen and based on my legislation, the MARCH Act, means that troops who become pregnant as a result of an act of rape no longer have to pay out of pocket to have those pregnancies terminated.

    “Concerning our first panel of witnesses, I want to salute each of you for your courage today in telling your very painful and personal stories. It is my hope and belief that by committing this selfless act you are encouraging others to step forward and are also helping to prevent other crimes from going unpunished.

    “We have a duty to you, and the thousands of victims you represent, to examine whether the military justice system is the most effective and fairest system it can be.

    “Despite some very dedicated JAG officers, I do not believe the current system adequately meets that standard. The statistics on prosecution rates for sexual assaults in the military are devastating. Of the 2,439 unrestricted reports filed in 2011 for sexual violence cases – only 240 proceeded to trial. Nearly 70 percent of these reports were for rape, aggravated sexual assault or non-consensual sodomy.

    “A system where less than 1 out of 10 reported perpetrators are held accountable for their alleged crimes is not a system that is working. And that is just reported crimes. The Defense Department itself puts the real number closer to 19,000! A system where in reality less than 2 out of 100 alleged perpetrators are faced with any trial at all is clearly inadequate and unacceptable.

    “My view is that emphasizing institutional accountability and the prosecution of cases is needed to create a real deterrent of criminal behavior. The system needs to encourage victims that coming forward and participating in their perpetrator’s prosecution is not detrimental to their safety or future, and will result in justice being done. Because currently, according to the DOD, 47 percent of service members are too afraid to report their assaults, because of fear of retaliation, harm or punishment. Too many victims do not feel that justice is likely or even possible.

    “We need to take a close look at our military justice system, and we need to be asking the hard questions, with all options on the table, including moving this issue outside of the chain of command, so we can get closer to a true zero tolerance reality in the Armed Forces. The case we have all read about at Aviano Air Base is shocking, and the outcome should compel all of us to take the necessary action to ensure that justice is swift and certain, not rare and fleeting.

    “I had the opportunity to press Secretary Hagel on the issue of sexual violence in the military during his confirmation hearing. Secretary Hagel responded by saying, ‘I agree it is not good enough just to say zero tolerance. The whole chain of command needs to be accountable for this.’

    “I could not agree more. I was very pleased with the Secretary’s public statement earlier this week that he is open to considering changes to the military justice system as well as legislation to ‘ensure the effectiveness of our responses to the crime of sexual assault.’

    “It is with this spirit as our guide that I look forward to hearing from our witnesses.

    “After Ranking Member Graham makes his opening remarks, we will hear testimony from my colleague from California, Senator Barbara Boxer who has been a leading voice on this issue. In last year’s Defense bill she successfully included an amendment that prohibits any individual who is convicted of a felony sexual assault from being issued a waiver to join the military.

    “We will then have the following witnesses who have either been the victims of sexual assault while serving in the military, or are very knowledgeable advocates for addressing the issue of sexual assaults in the military:

    • Anu Bhagwati is Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Service Women’s Action Network. Anu is a former Captain and Company Commander, she served as a Marine officer from 1999 to 2004. While serving, Anu faced discrimination and harassment as a woman in the military, and has borne direct witness to the military’s handling of sexual violence.
    • BriGette McCoy, former Specialist in the U.S. Army. BriGette served in the U.S. Army from 1987 to 1991. She was just eighteen years old when she signed up to serve her country in the first Gulf War. While stationed in Germany from 1988 to 1991, she was sexually assaulted by a non-commanding officer.
    • Rebekah Havrilla, former Sergeant in the U.S. Army. Rebekah served in the U.S. Army from 2004 to 2008. She was the only female member of a bomb squad in eastern Afghanistan and was attacked by a colleague at Salerno Forward Operating Base near the Pakistani border during her last week in the country in 2007.
    • Brian Lewis, former Petty Officer Third Class, US. Navy. Brian enlisted in the U.S. Navy in June of 1997. During his tour aboard USS Frank Cable (AS-40), he was raped by a superior non-commissioned officer and forced to go back out to sea after the assault.

    “I encourage you to express your views candidly and to tell us what is working and what is not working. Help us to understand what we can do to address this unacceptable problem of sexual assaults in the military.

    “Later this afternoon at 2:00 p.m., we will have a third panel of witnesses from the Department of Defense, and the military services, including the Coast Guard. I want to acknowledge that many of those witnesses are here this morning to listen to the critically important testimony from our first and second panels and I would like to thank them for their participation.”

  • For Women, A Serious Crisis of Retirement

    The Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies has uncovered the dramatic fact that nearly half of women (48 percent) do not actually have any retirement strategy at all, despite the fact that 56 percent of women expect to self fund their retirement through 401(k)s, retirement accounts, or other savings and investments.

    The Center’s latest study, “Juggling Current Priorities and Long-Term Security: Every Woman Needs Her Own Retirement Strategy,” sheds light on women’s attitudes and behaviors related to saving and planning for retirement, and offers details about how they compare to their male counterparts.retirement budgets

    “There is a striking disconnect among women between how they envision their retirement and how they are preparing to realize that vision,” said Catherine Collinson, president of the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. “Women face a number of unique circumstances, such as typically lower wages than men, time out of the workforce to be a parent or caregiver and a longer life expectancy, which present challenges for saving. As a society, we must do more to empower and equip women with the know-how to plan, save, and ultimately achieve a secure retirement.”

    Today’s Working Woman: Her Views of Retirement
    The study found that women’s retirement dreams include traveling, spending more time with family and friends, and pursuing hobbies; however, the majority of women (53 percent) plan to retire after age 65 or do not plan to retire. And the majority (53 percent) plan to continue working after they retire, including 45 percent of women who plan to work part-time and eight percent who plan to work full-time. Most of these women will do so for reasons related to income or health benefits.

    Women’s expectations of delaying retirement and/or working in retirement illustrate a serious crisis of retirement confidence. More than half of women (54 percent) are “not too confident” or “not at all confident,” compared to only 44 percent of men who share that sentiment. Only seven percent of women are “very confident” in their ability to fully retire with a comfortable lifestyle.

    Part of what may be fueling this lack of retirement confidence is a lifelong concern about taking care of family. Women most frequently cite their single greatest retirement fear (26 percent) as not being able to meet the financial needs of their family. More than one in four women (28 percent) expect to take time or have already taken time out of the workforce to act as caregiver for a child or aging parent. Of these caregivers, 73 percent believe that this time out will impact their ability to save for retirement. Further, many reported that their retirement may involve financial caregiving; one in three women (31 percent) expects that when they are retired, they will need to provide financial support for a family member other than their spouse.

    Juggling Current Priorities and Long-Term Security
    The study found that only one in five women (20 percent) said that “saving for retirement” is their greatest financial priority compared to the majority of women (55 percent) who are focused on current priorities such as paying off consumer debt (e.g., credit card) or just getting by to cover basic living expenses.

    Often due to family responsibilities, women are far more likely to work part-time (45 percent) than men (24 percent). For women, working part-time translates into lower income and reduced access to benefits, including retirement benefits. Slightly more than half of women (58 percent) who work part-time reported having access to a 401(k) or similar plan, while the vast majority (83 percent) of women who work full-time have access to such a plan.

    When women do have access to workplace retirement benefits such as 401(k)s, nearly three in four (74 percent) participate. Women’s annual contribution rate, as a percentage of salary, is six percent (median), an amount that is likely insufficient for meeting long-term retirement needs. An alarming 22 percent of women are “not sure” how their savings are invested.

    Illustration: US Department of Labor’s article, Taking the Mystery Out of Retirement Planning

  • The Scream, Everyone’s Inner Angst With a Rock Star Reputation

    The Scream+MoMA

    By Val Castronovo

    I was walking along the road with two of my friends.  The sun set—the sky became a bloody red.  And I felt a touch of melancholy — I stood still, dead tired — over the blue-black fjord and city hung blood and tongues of fire.  My friends walked on — I stayed behind — trembling with fright.  I felt the great scream in nature.  E.M.

    The words above, written and initialed by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (1863-1944), are hand-painted on the plaque affixed to the golden frame of his pastel icon The Scream (1895), now on view at New York City’s MoMA until April 29, 2013.

    Like the original Mona Lisa that can be seen at The Louvre, this Scream is of modest proportions, a mere 32 by 23 ¼ inches.  But its smallish size belies its outsized, rock star reputation (and frequent imitation and caricature), a reputation built on its appeal to everyone’s inner angst.

     But as the inscription indicates, the title of the work actually refers to “the great scream in nature” that Munch witnessed one evening, and not to the solitary figure’s scream.  As the Marie-Josée and Henry Kravis Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture Ann Temkin explains in the show’s audio guide, the wraithlike protagonist with ears cupped is reacting to the wild landscape.  “He is experiencing this horrible scream completely taking over the atmosphere … It’s almost like it’s pounding into his left ear … He’s responding to a scream, rather than emitting a scream.”

    A pastel drawing on paper mounted on cardboard (not canvas, which is a more elegant surface), this Scream is the third in a series of four Screams executed between 1893 and 1910. The brightest, most colorful of the group, it draws its immediate inspiration from the original painting, an oil, tempera, pastel, and crayon composition, now in the collection of the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design in Oslo. 

    The 1895 version on loan to MoMA is the only one of the four that remains in private hands; all the rest belong to museums.  It is widely believed that this instantly recognizable pastel was purchased at auction last May by MoMA trustee and billionaire financier Leon Black — for a record $199.9 million, the most ever paid for a work of art at auction, according to Sotheby’s.

    Edvard Munch. The Scream, 1895. Pastel on board. Lent by a private collector

  • Rainbow on the Wall

    rainbow on the wall

     
    I was reading an article in the Sunday Philadelphia Inquirer about Winnie-the-Pooh. I remember the Pooh books. Many nights were spent with my kids tucked in and cozy as we followed Christopher Robin and the adventures of Pooh Bear, Tigger, Piglet, Owl, Rabbit, Eeyore, Kanga and little Roo.
     
    There is actually a place in the English countryside that was the birthplace of those wonderful stories by A.A. Milne, a magical place for him and his son. They found a spot in nature that allowed them to transcend the everyday and let their imaginations fly. Milne looked at the hillside, the bog, the trees, and the woods and found possibilities for stories and exciting explorations.
     
    Nature is a source of pleasure for the senses. It often delights me with the brilliant colors of flowers, the beauty of its myriad birds, the rustling of fall leaves. We tend to think of nature as existing only outside but it has a way of engaging us no matter where we are.
     
    Recently, I found a rainbow inside my house. The morning sunlight had come in through the pane on our front door, bounced off the beveled glass in the hall cabinet, and projected a rainbow onto the wall at just the position where I would see it as I came down the stairs. I gasped and felt my whole spirit open up. I immediately imagined fairies giggling behind me, a story in the making.
     
    Finding the unexpected in the usual energizes us. It challenges our brains and helps us expand in creative ways. A rainbow is always arresting but having one inside the house was certainly a perception-teaser.
     
    The rainbow on the wall didn’t last long but it set up all that was to come in a special light. I shared the experience with friends throughout the day and found that it elicited joy in others, as well. Was it a cosmic reminder to see the grandeur in the ordinary? To see it, perhaps, in ourselves?
     
    Take a peek at Pooh corner:

    http://www.philly.com/philly/travel/20130217_The_Pooh_corner_of_the_world.html

    ©2013 Ferida Wolff for SeniorWomen.com

  • Lawmakers Move Swiftly to Block Release of Gun Permit Records

    Gun Permit map

     By Jim Malewitz, Staff Writer, Pew Center for the States

    Curious about whether your neighbor is armed? Wondering if local officials are illegally doling out gun permits to convicted felons?  It may be impossible to find out, unless you live in one of a small and shrinking group of states.

    Lawmakers in most states sealed such records in past years. (See map.) And this year, many others are rushing to join those ranks, spurred by a suburban New York newspaper’s publication of names and addresses of handgun permit holders. Critics said the newspaper infringed on gun owners’ privacy and put them in the crosshairs of burglars looking to swipe and swap legally owned weapons.

    “Guns, pharmaceuticals and electronics are the primary things burglars are looking for when they rob a house,” says William Lamberth, a Nashville prosecutor-turned Republican state representative who is pushing a bill in Tennessee that would seal personal information about those permitted to carry handguns. “Once the list is out there, there’s no way to get it back in the bottle. Technology is the game changer here.”

    Four states have blocked public access to gun records in two months since editors at The Journal News drew national attention — and threats of violence — by publishing an online map of permit holders in New York’s Westchester and Rockland Counties (the newspaper removed the names and address three days later), and several other states are debating similar measures.

    Once the new state laws go into effect, only five states — Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia — will give the public unfettered access to information about those who hold concealed carry permits, and similar legislation is pending in most of those states.

    California and Ohio provide the data with exceptions. In Ohio, for instance, only a credentialed journalist can request it. In that state a reporter can look at the records but not copy or remove them, making it impossible to cross-reference them with other lists. 

    The wave of legislation has rankled journalists and other government watchdogs, who say they should be able to scrutinize gun access at a time of heightened concerns about gun violence.

  • Body Dissatisfaction: Has the Study of Body Image Overlooked “old talk”?

    I’m not just fat, I’m old: has the study of body image overlooked “old talk”? (PDF)

    Source: Journal of Eating Disorders

    Background

     Substantial research indicates that body dissatisfaction broadly defined is highly correlated with, and often longitudinally predictive of, both physical and mental health problems.For example, among adolescent girls, researchers have found that body dissatisfaction prospectively predicts increases in binge eating, emotional eating, stress, low self-esteem, depression, use of unhealthy weight control behaviors, decreased physical activity, and, among overweight girls, increased weight gain between 1 – 5 years later]. Although most research on body dissatisfaction has been conducted with females, existing research, which is largely cross-sectional, suggests that body dissatisfaction in males is associated with eating disorders (ED), steroid use, poor psychological adjustment, and exercise dependence.sex in advertising

    Ageing and body image

    In addition to disproportionally targeting females, past body image research also has largely focused on a narrow age range, namely adolescents and university-aged women. This is despite the fact that there is little evidence to suggest that graduation from university is associated with a graduation from body image concerns. The limited research on body image in older women suggests that body dissatisfaction is relatively comparable in younger and older women [8-11]. Cross-sectional research also supports a relationship between body dissatisfaction in adult women and depression, decreased quality of life, fewer pleasant feelings, increased negative feelings, increased ED pathology,and decreased self-care[12,13]. Finally, body dissatisfaction in adult women smokers prospectively predicts greater difficulty quitting smoking.

     There are reasons to think that body dissatisfaction might actually increase as women age. For example, normal ageing typically moves women’s body weight/shape further away from the thin-ideal standard of female beauty in Western culture. Moreover, as women age, they encounter a variety of developmental stages that may accelerate this movement away from the thin-ideal. Some examples include pregnancy, decreased time for exercise and self-care medications that may increase weight. Demands on young adult and midlife women to conform to the thin-ideal also have increased with the media’s focus on pregnant celebrity women, who are lauded for losing weight post-pregnancy quickly and returning to their “pre-baby” bodies.

    Adding to this pressure is the fact that the thin-ideal is also a young-ideal. As evidence of this, there has been a proliferation of interest in, and advertising of, anti-ageing cosmetic products, pharmaceuticals and surgical procedures, all of which are marketed to women with the underlying message that a youthful, wrinkle-free appearance is ideal. Similarly, models depicted in the media are predominantly thin and young, with a recent content analysis of advertisements in popular North American women’s magazines concluding that 80.72% of the models were aged 18–30 years. Thus, as women age, they increasingly move away not just from being thin but also from fulfilling the young element of the thin-young-ideal.

    Illustration from Wikipedia: Images of pretty women often appear in ads even without connection to the product being sold. This provocatively clad woman lends “sex appeal” to a 1921 ad for tire valve caps.

  • Elaine Soloway’s Caregiving Series: The Screening Room

    “Looks good!” says the speech pathologist. She is viewing an x-ray of my husband’s head.

    I’m watching the same picture. A second pathologist, on the other side of the wall is giving Tommy instructions. He is compliant.

    An apparatus is pointed at him as he swallows a spoonful of stuff. The viewer and I watch the screen as a snake-like strip wriggles unimpeded from his mouth to his throat and down into his esophagus.

    “Next!” she calls out beyond the wall. The feeder nods her head.  She dips a spoon into a plastic cup and offers my husband another dose of barium-laced food.

    These doctors have assured me the amount of radiation used in this test is small and not harmful, and will only take about 10 minutes. I am happy to hear this because I can see Tommy is antsy.

    “Are you comfortable?” the feeding pathologist asks my husband. He nods “yes” but soon rises from his chair to see what’s going on behind our wall.

    “No, no, sit down,” the two doctors shout as the screen suddenly blanks.

    He sits, then looks straight at the machine that is targeting his head. The feeder offers my husband another spoonful — thicker this time —  while the viewer and I turn our focus back to the x-ray.

    “Good,” she says.

    With each “good,” my hopes rise. If  Tommy gets all “goods” it will mean he, and I, will be saved from moving to a new, and unwelcome path in caregiving. If he flunks this Cookie Swallow Test, I’ll be directed to change his diet. I’ll be forced to blend his food, monitor consistencies of each dish, and have someone at his side as he eats.

    With each swallow, I teepee my hands in prayer because I also wish to keep my husband from sliding further down the role of “patient.”

    This test was initially sparked by a a conference for caregivers. When a nurse reported a case of a choking, I thought, Tommy sometimes coughs when he eats, is this “choking?”