I’m Just Curious: It’s that time again

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by Debbie Walker

Happy New Year! Oh yeah, it is that time again. The time of year when we once again are reminded we are not perfect! The magazines developed for women are going to give us the answers to improve us, yet again!

The magazines I am looking at now do not have very much information geared towards men; in all fairness I don’t remember seeing any magazines for men. I’ll have to pay closer attention next week and really look over the magazine rack.

I have three magazines in front of me now. The covers are always a hoot to read as long as you have the right attitude; the one where you don’t take any of it seriously.

One magazine cover has you “Drop 10 pounds in seven days,” and that is shown just below the picture of “Cranberry mmmm.” Another magazine: “Food Lovers Secret to Suddenly Slim! Hint: You can find it at Dunkin’ Donuts!” (Something slimming at Dunkin’ Donuts, not the first place I would look). There are also several pictures of food, goodies, and calories galore! Then, of course, there is “Forever Young!”, and “Stress Enders!” Stress, why would any woman feel stress?

While yet another magazine we can lose 10 pounds in 48 hours, that magazine cover is promoting champagne cupcakes. On the same cover they tell you a tea that will reduce worrying, placed just above a Happy New Year and a bottle of champagne! Maybe that champagne might reduce the worrying better! And each magazine is full of recipes.

Although I dislike the magazine covers and the message of “you need to improve ….” There is usually some information I find useful.

For the time being none of us are ever going to be perfect, sorry, but true. If I actually got my weight where it “should” be I still have big feet with problems and I’d just have more flopping skin! We don’t all do well with champagne and wine. I think the magazines I have been looking at are sort of like “… in a perfect world….”

Truthfully, I think we look at certain magazines for information we need, such as the ones that give me useful tips. I pick up the magazines, go through them for the ideas I like and then I pass the magazines on to Mom or Patsy. Patsy says she is always curious about what I pulled out before she got it.

Well, we will have to put up with the information we don’t care about to get the info we do care about. As for improving me, I pick and choose.

I’m just curious what you will find useful from my rambling or some of the magazines this month. Let me know. I am at dwdaffy@yahoo.com. Thanks for reading and don’t forget, we are online! Bye!

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Singer: Elvis Presley; Movie: Gangster Story; Composer: Brahms

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Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by Peter Cates

Elvis Presley

Loving You; Teddy Bear
RCA Victor 47-7000, seven-inch picture sleeve 45 rpm, recorded 1957.

Elvis Presley

Teddy Bear was a huge number one hit on the rock, country and rhythm and blues charts for the great Elvis (1935-1977). Both songs here were also part of the 1957 film, with the same name, and its soundtrack LP, consisting totally of Presley performances. Teddy Bear’s lyricist Bernie Lowe (1917-2001) was also a businessman who established Cameo records in 1956, which later expanded to Cameo/Parkway. He would sign an unknown singer, Ernest Evans, to the label, who himself later changed his name to Chubby Checker!

Both are superb songs, performed in a first rate manner.

Gangster Story

directed by and starring Walter Matthau and Carol Grace; 68 minutes; released December, 1959.

Walter Matthau

Carol Grace

Walter Matthau portrays a bank robber, Jack Martin, fleeing the police and needing cash. He then pulls a cleverly staged heist of a local bank in the town where he is hiding out, lays low at the library and becomes involved with a librarian, Carol Logan, played by his real life wife, Carol Grace; in fact, the couple married during the production of this film.

The main conflict is not only hiding from the cops but also from the local crime boss who wants a share of the loot.

I liked Matthau’s skilled acting, and directing, along with the shaping and development of the story. The obviously low budget cinematography brought out its own ‘50s small town ambiance – especially the beachside romance .

There are two delightful moments. When Jack is first scoping out the library, he asks Carol the rules. “No talking!” When sparks begin flying during their oceanside tryst, he asks again. “No talking!”

The DVD copy that I own was rather shabby but serviceable and part of an el cheapo three-movie package yet, despite these faults, the film was 68 minutes of captivating escapism.

Brahms

Symphony No. 2
Bruno Walter conducting the New York Philharmonic; Columbia, ML 5125, 12-inch mono LP, recorded December 28, 1953.

As I get older, I find it impossible to pick my favorite of the four Brahms Symphonies. They are all magnificent creations, each with a distinct quality that contributes to the number of times I listen to them again (not to mention the number of different recordings I own and to which I add).

Unlike the 1st Symphony which took ten years of effort before its 1876 premiere, the 2nd Symphony took final shape during a summer lakeside vacation a year later. The music is serene and comforting overall, although it too has its darker and more melancholy moments.

Bruno Walter (1876-1962) recorded it twice, the remake in stereo with members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and free lancers grouped together as the Columbia Symphony and released during the very early ‘60s. It was a poetic approach but lacking a bit too much in muscle and bite.

This week’s record is a different matter. Walter not only communicated the singing qualities throughout but brought to life the lights and shadows of the orchestration that was a major part of Brahms’s genius.He would also impose tempos that might seem too fast but worked in helping the music to sing even more beautifully.

And, despite the New York Philharmonic’s fearsome reputation for chewing up conductors they didn’t like with bad playing and snarky attitudes, they responded totally to Walter’s conducting with their best.

Recommended totally!

Food industry needs to stop hiding nutrition info

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by Mindy Haar

Nearly four in ten American adults are obese. That’s an all-time high.

The Food and Drug Administration proposed two rules to help combat this epidemic. The first would require chain restaurants to include calorie counts on their menus. The second would update the Nutrition Facts Label — the black-and-white nutritional content box.

Some food manufacturers and restaurant groups are working to defeat these rules. Deploying their lobbyists, these firms have pressured regulators to delay implementation of the regulations.

Americans can’t afford these delays. The obesity epidemic is taking a toll on our waistlines — and our wallets.

Obesity puts people at risk for many diseases, including diabetes, cancer, stroke, and heart disease. Those four illnesses kill nearly 1.6 million Americans every year, and cost almost $700 billion.

Many believe the solution is to eat healthier. And yes, choosing less-processed foods and ones prepared at home is one step. But that isn’t as simple as it sounds.

People can’t make healthier choices if they don’t know the content of their food. In one survey of 3,400 fast food customers, on average, respondents underestimated the number of calories in their meals by about 200. More than one in four underestimated by more than 500 calories. That’s 25 percent of an average person’s daily recommended calories.

Even when foods have a nutrition facts label, Americans have trouble interpreting the information. Half of Americans can’t make out a food’s sugar content. Many struggle to calculate nutrition information when a package is divided into servings.

When consumers are provided with nutrition information, they make healthier choices. Restaurant-goers who were given the calorie content of their meals plus information about recommended daily intakes consumed 250 fewer calories than those given no information, according to a Yale study.

Transparency doesn’t just empower consumers to make healthier decisions. It prompts the food industry to eliminate unhealthy ingredients. In 2006, the FDA required manufacturers to label foods that contained trans fats. In response, food companies cut the levels of trans fats in their products by 80 percent.

The food industry has been fighting to block calorie counts on menus for years. The FDA first proposed the menu rule in 2010. The agency originally set the compliance date for the end of 2015.

The National Grocers Association, the Food Marketing Institute, and the American Pizza Community claimed the rule would be too costly. They pressured the FDA to delay it three times.

In November, the FDA issued new guidelines for the rule, so it appears it will take effect in May 2018. But the agency is accepting comments about these guidelines, which may allow the food industry to push for watered-down regulations or another delay.

That would be a mistake. Since officials started crafting the rule, the obesity rate has shot up 12 percent.

The FDA’s second proposed rule would require manufacturers to print nutrition labels with realistic serving sizes and easy-to-read calorie counts. Previously, serving sizes didn’t reflect how much the average American actually eats.

The FDA also added a line for “added sugar.” It’s recommended that people shouldn’t consume more than 50 grams of added sugar a day, but many popular products exceed that.

Regulators wanted the rule to take effect in 2018. But big trade associations have pressured the FDA to delay implementation.

The obesity epidemic will worsen if regulators cave to the food industry. It’s time for restaurants and manufacturers to tell Americans what’s in their food.

Mindy Haar, Ph.D., a registered dietitian, is assistant dean, Undergraduate Affairs, for New York Institute of Technology School of Health Professions.

IF WALLS COULD TALK, Week of January 11, 2018

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by Katie Ouilette

WALLS, you and our faithful readers haven’t had me to read for awhile, so, first I must say Happy 2018 to all my friends at The Town Line and to the friends I haven’t met yet!

Frankly, WALLS, you know fell well that conversations and subjects can change and change they did when Lew came home with the mail and there was Dr. Victoria Stenmard pictured on the front page of Redington-Fairview General Hospital’s Newsletter. You know that I have much to be thankful for to Dr. Stennard, the RFGH staff and the ambulance staff that braved our driveway on Lake Wesserunsett, in East Madison, to get me to RFGH. About a month later, I was to praise Dr. Henry and her expertise as a surgeon. Maybe this is the time to thank RFGH President “Dick” Willette for his expertise in guaranteeing such great expertise as Dr.Stemmard and Dr. Henry even extend to their follow-up after the surgery.

pileated woodpeckers (wikimedia commons)

Hmm, must call attention to our monthly National Geographic magazine which arrived recently. On the cover was the feature inside entitled The Importance of Birds. That publication made me aware of birds that even come to our feeder all year long. Yes, we’ve had everything from pileated woodpeckers to, now, Snow Birds….and we surely have the snow for them now! Y’know, I wrote a book entitled Two Birds in a Box, which is a true-to-the-word story, but the publishers in New York City that I was encouraged to send it to wrote back that the book was too unbelievable to be true! Well, the folks who had Polar Bear Publishing in Solon, Maine, believed and not only is it dedicated to Landon, our great-grandson, but the dedication reads:

“To Landon and all the children in hospitals who are waiting for their time fly.” Landon is well, thanks to the people at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital who got rid of his Wilm’s Cancer in the seven years that he was at the hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. He had his 20th birthday in December and is a student at Culinary Arts College, in Oregon. Yes, WALLS, we are happy, too.

SOLON & BEYOND, Week of January 11, 2018

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

Some of this week’s news will be rather old because of the holidays and the fact that The Town Line wasn’t published on the week of Christmas. I find the news from Solon Elementary School very interesting so I try to get as much of it in this column as possible, but it is a little bit late. During the first two weeks of November, the Solon Kids Care Club ran their annual Thanksgiving Food Drive to collect food items for the Solon Thrift Shop Food Cupboard. They collected 163 items for needy families. The club thanks students and parents for their donations to this worthy cause.

A Jellybean Contest was held at Solon Elementary School during the month of November to see which student and staff member could come the closest to guessing the actual number of jelly beans in a jar. The student who guessed the number closest to the actual number of jellybeans in the jar (888) was fifth grader Tyler Ames. The staff member who came the closest was Ms. Gleason. Each of them won a Thanksgiving goodie bag.

In December Mr. Corson held a Parent Math Night for the parents of his fifth grade students. He reviewed with parents some of the math concepts he is teaching his students so that they can help their children at home. He also showed them some math tricks and shortcuts that the students are learning.

Solon’s annual town meeting will be held on Saturday, March 3, this year and those who have turned in nomination papers by the deadline of January 3 with the required number of names are Gaye Erskine and Keith Galleger for the selectman position; Gary Bishop for Road Commissioner, Leslie A. Giroux for Town Clerk/Tax Collector and Robert Lindblom Sr. for RSU #74 School Board member.

The annual budget committee meeting will be held on Saturday, January 20, at 8 a.m., at the Town Office Conference Room. Anyone interested besides budget committee members may attend, but only to listen.

Received the following e-mail from the trustees of Somerset Woods. The trustees are excited to announce a new gift of land in Concord Township of 204 acres from Norcross Wildlife Foundation of New York City and Massachusetts. The property was conveyed with the perpetual restriction that the land is to be maintained as a wildlife preserve.

Norcross had received the land from James R. and Diana C. Young in 2000. The Young family has owned the land for about 100 years, having been given to Jim’s parents as a wedding present by his father’s grandfather in 1916 or 1917.

The land contains the headwaters for Martin’s Stream which flows into the Kennebec River. There is an old beaver pond on the property and trails throughout. SWT will be managing the property to provide exemplary habitat for wildlife and trails for passive recreation. In the upcoming spring of 2018 SWT will be organizing a volunteer trail improvement day for anyone interested in trimming trails and enjoying the peaceful solitude that this property provides.

And now for Percy’s memoir entitled Charity:

Do something today to bring gladness,
To someone whose pleasures are few,
Do something to drive off sadness –
Or cause someone’s dream to come true.
Find time for a neighborly greeting
And time to delight an old friend;
Remember, – the years are fleeting
And life’s latest day will soon end!
Do something today that tomorrow
Will prove to be really worth while;
Help someone to conquer sorrow
And greet the new dawn with a smile –
For only through kindness and giving
Of service and friendship and cheer,
We learn the pure joy of living
And find heaver’s happiness here.

(words taken from a little book called, “Lift Up Your Heart.”)

Waterville’s High Hopes Clubhouse receives international distinction

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Waterville’s High Hopes Clubhouse’s College Avenue location. Contributed photo

Kennebec Behavioral Health’s High Hopes Clubhouse recently was recognized by Clubhouse International as a clubhouse of distinction among all clubhouses worldwide.

High Hopes, which provides employment, education and social opportunities for people with severe and persistent mental illness, has been recognized among all clubhouse as having the highest percent of its members – 79 percent who are working in supported or independent employment. Currently, there are over 320 clubhouses in 34 countries across the globe, each of which strives to meet or exceed an international standard that at least 20 percent of the clubhouse’s average daily membership is actively working. High Hopes, in Waterville, and its sister clubhouses, Looking Ahead, in Lewiston, and Capitol Clubhouse, in Augusta, are known to be among the most effective clubhouses in the world. Collectively, the three clubhouses serve over 600 people members each year.

According to Clubhouse International’s most recent accreditation report, “High Hopes is an exceptional clubhouse community, which excels in its compliance to all of the Clubhouse International standards. The clubhouse is dedicated to providing a community where members are treated with dignity and respect, and given everyone opportunity to be valuable members of their community.”

Statewide organizations recognize the value of clubhouse as well. Recently, at its annual meeting NAMI Maine presented the KBH Clubhouses with their Outstanding Partner Award. According to Jenna Mehnert, executive director of NAMI Maine, “we are very honored to work with the staff of your clubhouses. Not only do we respect the work clubhouses accomplish in partnership with peers, we appreciate how willing they are to engage with NAMI Maine staff on various projects.”

Lisa Soucie, director of High Hopes, says it takes a whole community to make clubhouse successful. “We really want to celebrate the whole community’s response, including local employers who hire clubhouse members, our parent company, KBH, local churches, state government, local law enforcement and more.” And that celebration just happens to coincide with High Hopes’ 20th anniversary of providing service in the greater Waterville area.

For details about High Hopes Clubhouse, in Waterville, Looking Ahead Clubhouse, in Lewiston, and Capitol Clubhouse, in Augusta, or any of Kennebec Behavioral Health’s services and supports, go online to www.kbhmaine.org or call 207-873-2136, ext. 1905.

Kennebec Behavioral Health was founded in 1960 and operates clinics in Waterville, Skowhegan, Winthrop and Augusta. For more information or to schedule an appointment for any KBH service, call 1-888-322-2136. Information can also be found at www.kbhmaine.org.

Area students named to Colby-Sawyer College dean’s list Fall 2017

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Colby-Sawyer College, in New London, New Hampshire, recognizes 254 students for outstanding academic achievement during the 2017 fall semester. To qualify for the dean’s list, students must achieve a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours in graded courses.

Ross Sirois, of Norridgewock, a member of the class of 2018, majoring in biology.

Haley Carver, of Sidney, a member of the class of 2020, majoring in sociology.

Chelsea Perry, of Oakland, a member of the class of 2021, majoring in business administration.
Owen Concaugh named to dean’s list

Owen Concaugh, class of 2021, from Oakland, was named to the dean’s list at Bucknell University, in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, during the fall semester of the 2017-18 academic year. A student must earn a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a scale of 4.0 to receive dean’s list recognition.class of 2021 majoring in business administration.

 

Matthew Steward named to dean’s list at Bob Jones University

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Matthew Steward, a sophomore criminal justice major, of Skowhegan, was among approximately 890 Bob Jones University students named to the Fall 2017 Dean’s List, in Greenville, South Carolina.

The dean’s list recognizes students who earn a 3.00-3.74 grade point average during the semester.

McKenzie Brunelle returns following intensive research project

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McKenzie Brunelle, of Sidney, a member of the class of 2018, majoring in biomedical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), in Worcester, Massachusetts, was a member of a student team that recently completed an intense, hands-on research project in London, England. The project was titled A Plan to Improve the Internet Presence of Commonside.

In their project summary, the students wrote, “The goal of this project was to give recommendations on how CCDT can improve its Internet presence to attract the attention of more sponsors and community members.”

 

WINDSOR: Greenwoods celebrate 26th wedding anniversary

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Contributed photo

Whitefield Lions Joe and Carolyn Greenwood, of Windsor, celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary on December 14, 2017. The Greenwoods have been active members in the club for 12 years since moving to Maine from Amesbury, Massachusetts.