OPINIONS: Let’s move as quickly as possible to renewable energy

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COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

by David Jenney
Vassalboro resident

Vassalboro will have a ballot item in November asking residents if they would like a 180-day, with conditions, moratorium on commercial solar arrays. I urge fellow residents of Vassalboro to vote no on the moratorium.

1.) Climate Impact

To me the one of the biggest and most profound issues facing us as residents of Vassal­boro, the state of Maine and the world as a whole is Climate Change/­Global warming. One of the ways to slow down the pace of this change (in my opinion) is to move as quickly as possible to renewable energy sources which do not pollute in their operation and do not contribute to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions. We are already way too late to address this problem as a species. To me postponing commercial solar array development in Vassalboro is similar to Nero fiddling while Rome was burning. The world is on fire – literally and figuratively. I think sometimes we don’t understand the urgency of this issue due to it at times not being directly in our face.

2.) Inconsistent regulation

Of course there are issues related to where the “best” place is to site commercial solar arrays as well as what to do with them at the end of their life. I would point out the same issue exists for any source of energy production – oil, wood, wind, natural gas, coal, etc… To me placing a moratorium on commercial solar arrays in Vassalboro is “having the perfect be the enemy of the good.” Our current standards for where to place them and how to deal with their waste when they reach the end of their useful life certainly can be improved. However, a moratorium on commercial solar arrays in order to have time to create some type of ordinance to address those issues is similar to telling a fire to stop burning, because we don’t have the perfect hose.

We don’t have town ordinances regulating gravel pits, or other extractive mineral operations. We don’t have town ordinances on the placement of gas pipelines, we don’t have ordinances on the placement of cell phone towers, power lines, phone lines, wind turbines, trailer parks, so what’s so special about commercial solar arrays? Please note that I am not ignoring state and federal regulations – just pointing out that we do not have local ordinances related to any of those.

So what’s so different about commercial solar arrays? My best guess is that now people can actually see them, and some people find them unattractive. That’s about the only thing I can think of that is really different. We are so used to seeing telephone poles, power lines, etc., that we almost don’t realize that they are there. With new commercial solar arrays they are often near roads. This makes sense because they are then close to power lines where they can send the electricity that they produce. Only one relatively smaill commercial solar array has been built in Vassalboro. That is the one on Main Street. In reviewing planning board minutes since 2020, it appears that about four to five additional projects have been approved. None of them is in operation, or have starting being built.

3.) Not in my backyard (NIMBY)

I’m guessing that people here in Vassalboro are reacting to something new that is a change which they instinctively don’t like. When I see commercial solar arrays, I see hope and progress. It’s so easy to think that gas which we use for our vehicles as coming from a gas station, because we don’t make gasoline in Maine. Or we may think of heating oil as something that comes from trucks (heating oil is the biggest energy source of winter time heating in Maine) rather than a fracking operation elsewhere in the United States, or a drilling operation in any part of the world.

We all drive or use vehicles that use oil and gas. We are all guilty of contributing to climate change and global warming, but when we are presented with a choice to be part of the solution, which commercial solar arrays are part of, we get upset. I think it’s because we can see the source of the electricity, while we can’t see it with other electricity sources.

We can often engage in black and white thinking – such as all our Maine farmlands are going to be converted to solar arrays, which is utter nonsense. I have yet to see a commercial solar array placed in Vassalboro take over a farm. I have seen a coexistence of a commercial solar array and farm in China at the Three Level Farm. A commercial (community) solar array was placed on the other side of an active farm. The commercial solar arrays that I have seen in Augusta and Waterville (and it’s quite possible I’ve missed some), have been placed on vacant land that wasn’t being used for farming.

4.) Regulating what individuals can and can’t do with their land, without a comprehensive plan

For the most part I do not want the town to make it more difficult for relatively large land owners in Vassalboro to be able to choose what they want to do or not do with their land, especially as it relates to commercial solar arrays. I own about 140-150 acres of land. I like to believe that I am a good steward of the land, the vast majority of it is in tree growth with a forest management plan. I have two hay fields that are used by my neighbor and a wild blueberry field that is rarely used for picking blueberries. If the town decides to say what large land owners can or cannot do with their land, have it done in a planned manner, rather then a reactionary one.

As a town we do not have a comprehensive plan or zoning. To me trying to define where commercial solar arrays can be placed is a backwards approach to zoning. If we are going to pick and choose how we go about deciding on how land is going to be used, then do it right. Look at the town as a whole, not as bits and pieces.

5.) Protecting our Natural Environment

I think our main responsibility in terms of the natural environment is to focus on air, land, soil and water – all of which are impacted by climate change and global warming. I think while we might like some type of regulation placed on commercial solar arrays, that commercial solar arrays be recognized for the positives that they provide for Vassalboro. The regulation/ordinance should not impede the implementation of new commercial solar arrays. I don’t see any compelling need to implement a moratorium on commercial solar arrays as there are so few (if any) active projects in Vassalboro, and I will oppose the moratorium related to commercial solar array development in Vassalboro.

LIFE ON THE PLAINS: Pictorial stroll on east side of Water St. – Part 4

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A Lockwood-Duchess warehouse which ran along Water St., about where the entrance to the Hathaway Center parking lot is now.

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

This week we will begin our stroll on the east side of Water St.

Photos courtesy of E. Roger Hallee

A Gulf gas station, which was located where Prsicilla’s Shop is today.

The first of a long row of tenement buildings which ran along the east side of Water St., many hanging over the banking. We will take a look at more of them next week.

This miniscule storefront was the original location of Scotty’s Pizza, which was established in 1962. This building was right across from where Scotty’s Pizza now sits on the corner of Water and Sherwin streets.

SMALL SPACE GARDENING: Boost your indoor garden’s beauty

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Tradescantia cutting

by Melinda Myers

Whether your indoor garden has outgrown its location or you are looking to expand your garden, a bit of pinching, pruning or propagating may be the answer. Grooming houseplants keeps your indoor garden looking its best and plants contained to the available space. You can use some of the trimmings to start new plants.

Give plants with long, leggy stems a pinch. Removing a small or large portion of the growing tip encourages the plant to form more branches and compact growth. Pinching removes a growth hormone produced in the stem tip called auxin. This hormone encourages upward growth of the stem. Removing the stem tip reduces the auxin and allows more branches to develop along the stem.

A soft pinch removes just the uppermost portion of the stem with developing leaves and the stem tip. A hard pinch, more like pruning, removes the tip and several inches of the leafy stem. These stem pieces can be used to start new plants.

Some gardeners pinch with their fingers, but I prefer using sharp snips like Corona Tools ComfortGEL® micro snips with stainless steel blades that resist the buildup of plant residue or Corona bypass pruners that make a clean cut that closes quickly and looks better.

When pinching and pruning your houseplants make the cuts just above a set of leaves. The plant remains relatively attractive while you wait for new leaves and stems to grow. Avoid leaving stubs by making cuts elsewhere as these detract from the plant’s appearance and can create entryways for insects and disease.

Houseplants can be propagated in several different ways. Avoid propagating patented plants protected by patent laws. These laws are designed to protect the investment of the plant breeder. Respecting patent laws allows companies to continue breeding improvements into plants for all of us to enjoy in the future.

Use leaf stem cuttings to start a variety of houseplants like inch plants, philodendron, pothos, dieffenbachias, dracaenas, jade plants and many more. Use a sharp knife, snips or bypass pruner to cut three- to six-inch-long pieces from firm, mature, non-woody stems. Remove the lowest leaf or two that will be buried in the potting mix. This is where new roots will form. If you have had trouble rooting cuttings in the past, try using rooting hormone labeled for use on houseplants. It contains fungicides to fight disease and hormones to encourage root development.

Root cuttings in a small container filled with vermiculate or a well-drained potting mix. Make a hole in the mix, insert the cut end, and gently push the potting mix around the stem. Loosely cover the potted cutting with a plastic bag left open at the top. This increases the humidity around the cutting to compensate for the lack of roots. Set the container in a bright location out of direct sun for several weeks as roots develop. Give the stem a gentle tug to see if roots have formed. Move the rooted cutting into a container filled with well-drained potting mix, place it in a location with the proper amount of sunlight and water as needed.

You’ll be amazed at how a bit of grooming and propagating can perk up a tired indoor garden. Share or trade extra rooted cuttings with family and friends so each of you can grow your indoor garden and memories.

For more ways to start new plants and answers to your indoor gardening questions, join Melinda for her webinar on November 2 at 6:30 p.m. CT. The webinar is free, but registration is required. Register at https://bit.ly/3vDVRr5 or www.MelindaMyers.com.

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the recently released Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Corona Tools for her expertise to write this article. Myers’ web site is www.MelindaMyers.com.

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS – 16 simple rules of business: and of life

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Growing your businessby Dan Beaulieu
Business consultant

No matter what anyone tells you, business is not hard, being a good business person is not hard. Being a person who is respected and sometimes even esteemed is not that difficult. Being someone that others turn to in their time of need is easy. Being that person that people respect, even if they don’t always agree with her/him is something that everyone can afford. It does not cost a lot of money to be a good guy.

And to show you how easy it is, here are 16 simple rules for being a good guy and also a good business person.

Are you ready? Don’t worry there is nothing here that you can’t handle:

1. Treat everyone you meet with the respect you feel you deserve. Treat them well.

2. Be polite, be courteous, say please and thank you, make room for others in this world space.

3. Don’t worry so much about who wins and loses, but rather find solutions where everyone wins, at least a little bit.

4. Return phone calls promptly. Or as promptly as you can. Everyone is guilty of messing this one up once in a while but try your best.

5. Try your best, speaking of which always try your best so that at the end of the day you can tell your self that you did the best, the very best you could do. As the athletes like to say, “At the end of the game make sure you left everything out there.”

6. Return emails promptly. I know, I know another one that is not that easy to do…but, yes, you’ve got it, do your best.

7. Listen to people when they are talking to you. Look them in the eye and focus on what they are telling you. This is for your own good as well as the person talking. It is amazing how much you miss when you are not really listening. Ask your spouse or partner.

8. When you decide you hate a certain group of people, whatever that group might be, there’s a lot to go around, think how you will react, be honest, when you meet one person from that group at a time. It is much harder to hate one individual at a time than it is to hate an entire group.

9. Find ways to help people, your customers, your suppliers, your bosses, the people you work with, the people who work for you. Whatever they are doing. Whatever their job is, try to help them do it better.

10. Along those same lines, always leave people better than when you found them. Look for ways to make their lives better for having met you, either for the first time or the first time that day.

11. Be inspirational. No, you don’t have to give them a Knute Rockne, “rah rah” pep talk, But you can inspire them to take that next step in whatever they are doing. To show them that what they are doing is important and they are the better for doing it.

12. Be generous. I like to say, “allow me to be generous” when I work with people. All I mean by that is if we work together and if we are not concerned about who does what because we are confident that together we will succeed, then we will succeed and have a true win/win partnership. Remember that old adage, “It’s amazing what we can do when we don’t care who gets the credit.”

13. Be honest. Always tell the truth no matter how much it hurts. If you are selling something and it is going to be late, then tell them as soon as you know. Remember those words of wisdom, “The Godfather insists on hearing bad news immediately. Deliver both bad news and good news, but deliver the bad news “more quickly”

14. Take the heat if you have done something wrong. Stand up and take it on the chin…and then start fixing it as quickly as possible.

15. Listen to other people’s ideas. Don’t be so stuck in your ways that you are not willing to hear other’s ideas, especially those people who are not from your own generation. It’s amazing how much you can learn when you open your mind up to other’s ideas.

16. And finally and my personal favorite. Always help out those who have done you wrong at one time or another. It’s the right thing to do, and it’s fun, and the best part is that… it freaks them out!

There you have it. I told you they weren’t hard. Follow these 16 simple rules of business and people will love working with you…and, of course, you’ll grow your business.

FINANCIAL FOCUS – Failure to plan: is it planning to fail

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submitted by Sasha Fitzpatrick

Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” But as you chart your financial course, what steps should you take to help you keep moving forward to where you want to go?

Consider these suggestions:

Establish and quantify your goals. Throughout your life, you’ll have short-term goals, such as an overseas vacation or a home renovation, and long-term goals, the most important of which may be a comfortable retirement. You’ll want to identify all your goals and put a “price tag” on them. Of course, it’s not always possible to know exactly how much it will cost to achieve each goal, but you can develop reasonably good estimates, revising them as needed.

Create an investment strategy to achieve your goals. Once you know how much your goals will cost, you can create the appropriate savings and investment strategies to potentially help you reach the needed amounts. For your retirement goal, you will likely need to contribute regularly to your IRA and 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan. But for shorter-term goals, you may need to explore other types of investments. For all your investment moves, though, you’ll need to consider your risk tolerance. You won’t want your portfolio to have such a high-risk level that you’re constantly uncomfortable with the inevitable fluctuations of the financial markets. On the other hand, you won’t want to invest so conservatively that you jeopardize your chances of achieving the growth you need to reach your goals.

Control your debts. We live in an expensive world, so it’s not easy to live debt-free. And some debts, such as your mortgage, obviously have value. But if you can control other debts, especially those that carry high interest rates, you can possibly free up money you can use to boost your savings and investments.

Prepare for obstacles. No matter how carefully you follow the strategies you’ve created to achieve your goals, you will, sooner or later, run into obstacles, or at least temporary challenges. What if you incur a large, unexpected expense, such as the sudden need for a new car or a major home repair? If you aren’t prepared for these costs, you might be forced to dip into your long-term investments – and every time you do that, you might slow your progress toward achieving your goals. To help prevent this, you should build an emergency fund containing several months’ worth of living expenses.

Review your strategy. When you first created your financial strategy, you might have planned to retire at a certain age. But what if you eventually decide to retire earlier or later? Such a choice can have a big impact on what you need from your investment portfolio — and when. And your circumstances may change in other ways, too. That’s why it’s a good idea to review your strategy periodically to make sure it still aligns with your up-to-date objectives.

None of us can guarantee that our carefully laid plans will always yield the results we want. But by taking the right steps at the right times, you can greatly improve your chances.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Edward Jones, Member SIPC

SCORES & OUTDOORS: The summer of 2022 sure has been a strange one

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photo by Eric W. Austin

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

It’s always a sad time of the year when we have to close up camp. That is a ritual my wife and I do every year on the last weekend of September. While taking a break during last Saturday’s “just gorgeous” day, we started to rehash the last six months.

It has been a strange summer, with many of the observations we discussed while sitting on the deck. It actually all started back in March and early April. It is said that a 40-year-old maple tree should produce approximately 10 gallons of sap to make maple syrup. I have two trees that I tap in my backyard. This year, those two trees produced 48 gallons of sap. Do the math, it doesn’t add up. They produced more than double what they should have produced.

Then, on to May. We didn’t realize it at the time, but later we would conclude that the black flies this year were not all that bad. And that was followed by a summer when mosquito numbers were down. Even the dreaded browntail moth caterpillar was nowhere to be found. I saw one in late spring-early summer.

Another strange occurrence, we only saw three June bugs in late May and early June. This is compared to some years when, in one particular season, we counted 53 June bugs in one night.

We moved on from there, and noticed that the cicadas, the insect that “sings” (buzzes) during the hot summer days of July. I, personally, didn’t hear one until July 26. Remember the old farmers folklore? From the day you first hear a cicadae, we will get the first killing frost 90 days from that time. However, that is not the problem. I probably heard cicadas less than a half dozen times during the hot days of summer. Unusual. You normally hear them almost every sunny day. Oh, by the way, the first killing frost should come around October 22.

How about the hickory tussock caterpillar? The fuzzy white one with the long black “feelers” that usually show up in abundance in August. If you just make incidental contact with them they can leave you with a rash. I have not seen one yet.

Another caterpillar is the wooly bear, which usually predicts the severity of a winter depending on the length of the rust-colored bar on its body, and usually makes its appearance around early to mid September. So far, I have not seen one. You usually see them crossing the road everywhere. Nothing, so far, this year.

Over the last couple of weeks, however, we have heard and seen an unusually large number of Canada geese settling on Webber Pond for their break before continuing south.

This summer, we have gone through an unusually long, hot, dry spell. A time when we are pestered by yellow jackets who are in search of moisture. Well, they made their presence known this year, especially in July and August. So far, I haven’t seen a nest. So, that predictor of upcoming weather will be unreliable. Old folklore has it that the amount of snow you will receive over the winter is forecasted by where you find the nests. The higher, the more snow you can expect.

For those of you who have taken vacation time to go leaf peeping, it’s not happening at the same time this year. Have you noticed that, here in early October, the trees have just started to change colors.

One thing that did remain constant was the hummingbirds arriving and departing on schedule. Even the annual overrun by the harvestmen (daddy long legs) was not all that bad.

Things, overall, just don’t seem right in 2022. But, following some research of my journal, I found we had similar summers in 2015 and 2018. Maybe not as hot and humid, but very similar with respect to natural activities.

Even some of the old, reliable folklore observations are inconsistent. Peelings on the onions have been thin and easy to peel, indicating a mild winter, while the squirrels have some of the bushiest tails I have ever seen, an indication of a severe winter. Again, not having seen a bee hive is unreliable.

You can probably blame it on climate change; El Nino, La Nina or polar vortex, but it’s just not normal. Weather folklore warnings of a harsh winter are based on La Nina.

However, three almost identical summers within a seven-year span could spell the beginning of a pattern. I’ve heard many predictions on our upcoming winter. I don’t believe any of them. I will continue to get ready for a “Maine winter.” The oil tank is full, snowblower tuned up, and shovels ready to go. Are you?

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Outside of Bailey Zappe, who was the last Patriots rookie quarterback to win his first NFL start?

Answer can be found here.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Did you know?

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by Debbie Walker

I have been scanning some of my magazines today and kept coming across little bits of information that I decided to share with you. I understand if you are not interested in all I found, but maybe some part of it. I hope.

So…Halloween: Neighborhood tricker treating, as we know it today, started in the 1930s. The tricks associated became out of control during the Depression. Communities needed a better way for kids to celebrate. Sugar rationing during World War II put a big damper on the tradition. It regained the Halloween custom in the 1950s. (Info came from MyHomeTownCitrus.com)

Next… Quaker Oats introduced instant oatmeal in 1961. Did you know the picture of the man on the box is not a real character, but he is affectionately known as Larry! (Woman’s World 9/19/22)

Bazooka bubblegum came out in 1947, not long after World War II. It had a wrapper of patriotic red ,white and blue, with a name likely in homage to the wrapper developed during the war. (Woman’s World 9/26/22)

The animated short A Wild Hare was released in 1940, introducing the character of Bugs Bunny. “What’s up, doc?” was the first line he said to Elmer Fudd. (Woman’s World 7/25/22)

Lassie premiered in 1954. The collie named Pal, who ended up playing Lassie, had originally been rejected because he was a male. (Woman’s World 9/12/22)

The AARP had a section in the paper from the October/November and the article is called Money Saver. It’s comparing then and now. Bananas: 1990 = lbs ‘$0.53, Today: $0.64. Levi’s 501 = 1990: $32.00 Today: $69.00. Medicare Part B premium: 1990 $28.60, Today $ 170.00.

Miracle Cleaners that I found in Woman’s World dated 7/29/19 : Preserve wood furniture with an olive oil polish. Mix one part olive oil, one part vinegar and 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice.

Clean Kitchen counters: 3 oz. spray bottle halfway with water, then add a squirt of dish soap and two Tablespoons of rubbing alcohol .

Lift soap scum with a hot spritz: In a spray bottle mix one cup baking soda, ½ cup of dish soap, ½ cup of borax, one Tablespoon of white vinegar and one cup of warm water.

Now ladies, here is a few smiles for you: Seven Things You’re Sure Your Husband Will Never Say:

1. “The mall? Can I go, too? “

2. “Do these Dockers make my butt look big?”

3. “Beer? Nah! I’ll have sparkling water instead.”

4. “Why don’t we call your mother right now.”

5. “Honey, where did you leave the vacuum?”

6. “Which channel is Lifetime, again?”

7. “Let’s just cuddle.”

The Farmers Almanac listed some weather folklore and popular sayings that might help you get ready for the snow.

A halo ’round the Moon means ’twill rain or snow soon.

If the first week in August is unusually warm, the coming winter will be snowy and long.

For every fog in August , there will be a snowfall the following winter.

If there is thunder in winter, it will snow seven days later.

I am just curious if any of those sayings are accurate. You have your snow warnings, and we have hurricane warnings. After we get through this one, I will tell you a story. Thanks for reading and contact me at DebbieWalker@townline.org.

ERIC’S TECH TALK: How the internet tricked my mom

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Screenshot of actual text message that tricked my mom.

by Eric W. Austin

Well, my mother got scammed on the internet, again. Last week, she received a text on her phone claiming to be from the shipping company UPS. The text message said they “were unable to complete your delivery due [to] incomplete address,” and included a website link for her to schedule a new delivery. The link took her to a website with the UPS logo and asked her to enter her credit card information to pay for a $1.14 “redelivery fee”.

When she told me about it later in the day, I immediately found the incident suspicious. I receive packages from UPS all the time and have never been required to pay for a redelivery. She also told me she got the text at 4 a.m., but who is doing deliveries at that time of day? I asked her to show me the text message. It came from an “unknown” number, and the link they provided was a shortcut — a link designed to redirect someone from a short URL to a longer, more complex address. This one started with “bit.ly”, which is a common provider of URL shortcuts. That doesn’t mean that any similar link is automatically suspicious, since there are many credible people and organizations who use this service to shorten links shared on social media, but scammers will use this method to disguise the fact that they are sending you to an illegitimate website.

On her phone, this link had sent her to a webpage with an address beginning with “www45.”. I was not able to discover exactly what this prefix means, but the first Google result referencing a similar address came from a user complaining about getting a virus from it.

When I forwarded the text message to my own computer and opened the link in my browser, it did not take me to a faux UPS website, as it had on her phone, but instead opened to a different random website each time I clicked on it, which my browser’s anti-malware security software automatically killed as a safety precaution before I could even view its content. I believe the link in the text message was programmed only to open to the fake UPS site when launched on a smart phone, because that was the platform they were targeting. (It should be noted, I emphatically do not recommend anyone click on such a link, as it could potentially install a virus on your computer, but I was curious about where it would take me and I have precautions installed on my PC and know how to deal with a virus if I get one. For everyone else: never click on a suspicious link!)

Although I couldn’t find an exact match to this scam on the official UPS website, they did acknowledge awareness of similar scams on their FAQ page.

Based on this brief analysis, I think there is no question that this text was sent to my mother by a scammer and it was not actually from UPS about a package delivery. We called her bank and canceled her credit card. A new card should arrive in a few weeks and, according to the bank, no unauthorized charges had been made on her account. It’s inconvenient but no lasting harm was done.

But why did my mom fall for it? She’s a smart lady and is well-aware of the prevalence of scammers who frequently prey on senior citizens like her. Part of the reason, I think, is the fact that she was expecting a package and that delivery was late. “How did they know I was expecting a package?” she asked incredulously when I told her I thought she had been the victim of a scam.

And I think this reaction is the key to why she was duped. She was expecting a package, it was late, and the text seemed to fit into the pattern she was expecting to see. How did the scammer know she was expecting a delivery? Did they steal her order information from Amazon or UPS? I recommended she change her Amazon password just in case, but I’m not sure the scammer had any special knowledge about her ordering habits.

We live in the age of Amazon and other online retailers. In any given week, I am probably expecting a package. We don’t realize just how often most of us regularly receive items through the mail. Something that was fairly rare two decades ago has become a commonplace occurrence today. I suspect this scammer sent a similar text message to thousands (maybe millions?) of people, and (I’m guessing here) maybe 80 percent of them are anticipating the receipt of a package from somewhere at some point during the week. Although it’s possible the scammer hacked Amazon or the UPS website and stole my mother’s information as part of an effort to target her, I think it’s more likely they just got lucky in the timing of their text message.

Hopefully, this article can serve as a reminder to everyone to be aware of such predatory behavior. Seniors seem to be especially targeted by these scammers. My mother frequently receives phone calls on her landline from people who claim to be one of her grandchildren and in desperate need of cash. She’s learned not to trust such calls. Now, she will be wary of suspicious texts too. If you are one of these older folks, be suspicious! Ask your kids for advice if you have a concern. If you are a younger person, look out for your parents and grandparents. Speak to them about these issues and caution them to be watchful.

And it’s always a good practice to avoid clicking on links in emails or text messages unless you are certain the source is trustworthy.

Email the author at ericwaustin@gmail.com.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Liver Transplants Help More People Live

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(NAPSI)—You may never have thought about it much, but your liver is essential to your life. It’s the largest solid internal organ and performs so many vital functions, including filtering toxins from your blood, producing bile so you can digest fat, storing sugar for energy, and more.

The Problem

If your liver fails, you may need a liver transplant. As diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) become more common, more people will need liver transplants. Research shows 80 to 100 million Americans have fatty liver disease and it is present in 75% of overweight people and 90% of people with severe obesity. NAFLD is the most common form of childhood liver disease in the U.S. and NASH is expected to become the leading cause of liver transplantation by 2025.

An Answer

Living donor liver transplantation offers a solution. A person can donate a portion of their liver to someone else. The liver is the only organ that can regrow, so just a portion is needed for transplant. Before donating, a doctor will run tests, including blood work and physical and psychological exams, to ensure someone is a good match and well enough for surgery. For the transplant, a donor will spend about a week in the hospital and within two to three months their liver will grow back to full, functioning size and so will yours. What are the benefits of a living donor liver transplant? There are over 14,000 people in the U.S. on the wait list for a liver transplant. Each day people die waiting or are removed from the wait list because they’ve become too sick to undergo a transplant or their liver cancer becomes too advanced. Living donation reduces wait time—often by years—allowing someone to get this lifesaving operation when they need it.

Living donor liver transplant:

• Saves valuable time by reducing the risk of the recipient’s liver condition getting worse.
• Typically results in quicker recovery and improved long-term outcomes for the recipient because they’re receiving a portion of a healthy person’s liver.
• Allows time for the donor, recipient and caregivers to plan for the operation.
• Saves another life by allowing the next person on the waiting list to receive a deceased donor liver transplant.

5 Tips to Find a Living Donor:

1. Social Media—Facebook groups are a great way to share your story, photos and more.

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If you’re looking for a living donor or are interested in becoming one, the American Liver Foundation and UPMC can help. They’ve created a new series of five animated videos to walk you through the process. Learn More For additional stats and facts, visit www.liverfoundation.org/livingdonor.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: President Zachary Taylor

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Zachary Taylor

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Zachary Taylor

For all the fascination of the first 11 characters to occupy the White House, they did not grab my interest to quite the same degree as #12, Zachary Taylor (1784-1850), affectionately known as “Old Rough-and-Ready”.

The unsigned essayist in Volume 4 of the American Heritage Book of the Presidents and Famous Americans astutely made the case for Taylor’s phenomenal jump to fame during the mid-1840s as the Whig Party nominee for president:

“After nearly forty years of relative obscurity as a United States Army officer, Zachary Taylor suddenly found himself propelled to prominence by the war with Mexico. He had long been respected by his colleagues for his obvious ability to lead soldiers and for his bravery and effectiveness as a frontier commander. Although Andrew Jackson told James Polk that Taylor would be ‘the man to lead our armies ‘ in any war with England, junior officers criticized General Taylor’s lack of organization. But General Taylor was at his best once a fight was under way, improvising, and inspiring his men. It is said his sudden appearance on the battlefield at Buena Vista, and his coolness while his clothes were ripped by bullets, were enough to rally the American Army from the verge of defeat. He became an instant legend and a potential presidential candidate. ”

During his presidency, he stood firmly on California and New Mexico being admitted as states on their own terms instead of those dictated by the Henry Clay compromising Congress – and he knew they’d be free ones; thus he ticked off both Clay and his other fellow Whigs – and, although Taylor was a Southerner from Kentucky and a slaveholder, he alienated the Southern Democrats who were hoping for the expansion of slavery in those western states. When the South was talking about secession, Taylor even threatened to use military force to put down any revolt.

(Interestingly Taylor’s daughter Sarah got married in 1835 to future Confederacy President Jefferson Davis but died within four months from malaria at the age of 21 . Taylor was at first miffed when his daughter and Davis married without the permission of her parents, and, even though Davis also contracted malaria and almost died, Taylor blamed him for Sarah’s death. But years later he came to have a high regard for his son-in-law. )

Margaret Taylor

Zachary Taylor married Margaret Mackle Smith (1788-1852) in 1810. In addition to Sarah, they had five other daughters and a son. Two of the daughters died about the same time during very early childhood from what was termed “bilious fever” in 1820, then one of the hazards of frontier life when Taylor was serving at a military outpost.

Taylor’s wife, known affectionately as Peggy, was hoping that, after her husband resigned from the military, they could enjoy a much-needed retirement and was very upset when he felt called to run for president. During his administration, she let another daughter Mary Elizabeth (1824-1909) assume the duties of hostess and retired to her suite, receiving only a handful of visitors.

For decades, Margaret Taylor was the only First Lady of whom no photo or sketch existed until 2010 when a daguerreotype plate turned up and was verified as being of her.

Son Richard Taylor (1826-1879) served as a general in the Confe­derate Army during the Civil War while his uncle Joseph Pannell Taylor (1796-1864) was a general in the Union Army.

On July 9, 1850, Zachary Taylor died from gastroenteritis which was believed to have been caused by eating some uncooked fruit and vegetables; he was 65.