Can we all come out ahead?
Most of us who have held jobs at one time or another have contributed to both Social Security and Medicare out of every paycheck. So let me ask you a question.Do you think of Social Security and Medicare as an “investment,” like stocks or bonds in your portfolio? That is, do you consider yourself to have invested a percentage of your paycheck, throughout your working life, in... READ MORE
Stories of the century
Imagine being born in a time when horses clip-clopped down city streets and fewer than 5 percent of American homes were lit using electricity. Theodore Roosevelt resided in the White House, and Harry Houdini astounded crowds with his feats.Just days after Lois Leyda was born on July 19, 1903, the Ford Motor Company sold its first Model A car. At the end of the year, the Wright Brothers made ... READ MORE
Is it so terribly strange to be 70?
Bob Dylan turned 70 yesterday. Fresh from playing concerts in China and Taiwan, he’ll jet on to Ireland, England, Israel, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark and Norway — and that’s just in June alone.I heard strains of his Fourth of July concert last year while he played in a sold-out outdoor amphitheater in Limerick, Ireland. As I stood across the Shannon River from the ... READ MORE
In fund we trust â not
In my column last month, I wrote about the federal budget deficit and touched on the role Social Security and its so-called trust fund play. I know from a number of groups I’ve spoken to that many of you still trust in that trust fund and feel that Social Security will remain solvent for years as a result of it. There wasn’t space in my column last month to elaborate on why I... READ MORE
Up in smoke?
The current cover story in our Baltimore issue focuses on the issue of legalizing medical marijuana in Maryland. When we reported the story, legislators in the General Assembly were grappling with whether Maryland should become the 16th state (plus the District of Columbia) to legalize dispensing of marijuana for such serious medical conditions as cancer or glaucoma.Since the issue was... READ MORE
Shingles belong on the roof
It seemed at first as if a small insect were flapping its wings under the skin of my forehead. Over the next two days, that odd, feathery, tingling sensation transformed into a torrent of pain that extended from my scalp into my brain. Yet there wasn’t a single outward sign of whatever was going on inside.Still, before I could even finish describing the trajectory of my symptoms, my... READ MORE
Tooting our horn
Recently, the North American Mature Publishers Association presented its annual journalism awards.I am pleased to say the Baltimore Beacon once again won top honors for papers in the 50,001-100,000 circulation category. And the Washington Beacon, produced by our same staff, fared similarly for publications in the 100,000-plus circulation category.Both publications took Best of Show honors... READ MORE
Breaking barriers
The ABC drama “Brothers & Sisters” revolves around a widow played by Sally Field and her five grown children, in whose lives she meddles incessantly. The series broke new ground last year when the 70-year-old character who plays Field’s brother was diagnosed with HIV.Saul, played by Ron Rifkin, is gay and came out of the closet only a few years back. In an episode last ... READ MORE
Power of the people
I have great news: It looks like any potential plans to dissolve the Maryland Department of Aging have been dropped, at least for now.As many of you know, last month the Beacon helped promote a grassroots campaign to urge Governor Martin O’Malley not to dismantle the Maryland Department of Aging or distribute its programs to other state agencies in an attempt to cut costs.In... READ MORE
Memory lane
Did you serve in World War II, Korea or Vietnam? How did you meet your spouse? Did you love to shop at Woodies in Washington or Hutzler’s in Baltimore?The Beacon’s website now has a new place to share your reminiscences. You can post your memories of days gone by in our new “I Remember When…” forum. Our first contributor, who is 92 years old, shared his... READ MORE
