Blossoming Beauty By Melissa Conroy Thousands of delicate white and pink cherry blossoms waving in the breeze is a familiar Spring sight and a lovely reminder that Winter has passed and warmer days are ahead. Although the cherry blossom season is fleeting, the trees’ spectacular display is well worth the long wait, and millions of […]
Posted inExercise for Good Health, Join a Group, Life Styles
Naptown’s Finest Set To Conquer The National Senior Games
Naptown’s Finest Set To Conquer The National Senior Games By Leah Lancione Cleveland will be hosting the National Senior Games from July 19 to Aug. 1 with more than 14,000 athletes aged 50 and older, including a large and competitive contingent of Marylanders. Athletes will be competing in 19 sports at what is […]
Posted inFinance
Tax Planning 2013
Tax Planning 2013 As the federal budget debate continues, uncertainty will continue to surround tax policy. This article highlights changes in the law affecting tax year 2013 to help you with tax planning strategies. The new law permanently extends Bush era tax cuts for most taxpayers, starting in 2013. Tax increases for certain taxpayers: Tax […]
Posted inTechKnow Challenge
Getting Started with an e-Reader
TechKnow Challenge Getting Started with an E-Reader By Pat Jurgens Hoping to propel me into 21st century technology, and perhaps motivated by wanting to keep my reading light out of his eyes, my dear husband gave me a Nook Simple Touch e-reader. He thought I’d just turn it on and start reading e-books. Little […]
Posted inBooks, Military
Zumwalt: A Fascinating Biography of a Brilliant Leader
Berman’s Zumwalt: A Fascinating Biography of a Brilliant Leader By Leah Lancione President Harry S. Truman is quoted as saying, “Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.” That […]
Posted inEducation
Make it to Print: Self-publishing
Make it to Print: Self-publishing By Melissa Conroy You’ve always said you’d write a book, and you finally have a manuscript ready. However, as any published author will tell you, an even bigger challenge is finding a publisher willing to take on your book. The world today contains hordes of would-be authors clamoring for […]
Posted inEntertainment, Of Local Interest
Maryland Day Explained
Maryland Day Explained By Kathryn Marchi Many of us who were educated in the Maryland school system might remember a legal holiday on March 25 called “Maryland Day.” Maryland history is traditionally studied during 4th grade, but it’s hard to remember that far back. So for those who forgot or who are not native […]
Posted inFood
Easter Luncheon
Easter Luncheon By Lesley Younes Easter has always conjured up visions of cute bunnies, fluffy chicks, bows and ribbons in all the pastel colors. It’s a world of light pinks, sky blues, soft greens and all shades of yellow. Dyed Easter eggs are found in all of these shades and more. But why? And bunnies, […]
Posted inEntertainment, Of Local Interest, sports
Pimlico, Maryland’s Premier Horse Racing Track for 143 years
Pimlico, Maryland’s Premier Horse Racing Track for 143 years By Ellen Moyer According to legend, Colonel W. Randolph Tayloe asked that on his passing that his ashes be spread across the finish line at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Such is the passion that horse racing inspires. In Virginia the Tayloe family name is […]
Posted inBooks
CODE WORD: PATERNITY
Code Word: Paternity By Doug Norton Dog Ear Publishing (2012) Annapolis author Doug Norton’s Code Word: Paternity is a can’t-put-down read. Not only are its technical accuracy and plausibility reminiscent of Tom Clancy, it offers a moral dimension frequently lacking in thrillers. We all need to recharge our batteries. Traditionally, presidents go to Camp David […]
Posted inEntertainment, Fun Stuff
Celebrate St. Patty’s Day like the Irish
Celebrate St. Patty’s Day like the Irish By Leah Lancione In the United States, St. Patrick’s Day is often celebrated by wearing of green (to avoid getting pinched), eating corned beef and cabbage, excessive drinking and, in many cities, parades. However, in Ireland the anniversary of Saint Patrick’s death on March 17 is a […]
Posted inLife Styles, Retirement
Altering Course – An Interview
Altering Course — An Interview By Tricia Herban After 40 years in communications, Jim Wallace chose retirement over commuting. A volunteer experience led him back to the classroom and a new profession in his sixties as a full-time pharmacy technician. How did your work life begin? The late 1950s was a time of mandatory military […]
Posted inBooks
Leap of Faith
Leap of Faith: A Trans-Atlantic Wartime Love Story By Erik Pettersen Infinity Publishing (2012) Her father asked, “Do you have to go all the way to America and marry a Norwegian?” In May 1941, Ingrid Sillén, a 25-year-old Swedish nurse, went to the Transatlantic Shipping Company in Gothenburg and asked an agent if there was […]
Posted inOf Local Interest, Well Being
Chronic Disese Self-Management Program Set
Chronic Disease Self-Management Program Set By Karla Schaffer The Chronic Disease Self Management Program is a free six-week workshop offered throughout Anne Arundel County to help adults manage their chronic conditions. A chronic disease is generally defined as a medical condition that can cause suffering and loss of physical abilities over many years. Chronic conditions can range […]
Posted inGardening, Home and hearth
Purifying the Air We Breathe
Purifying the Air We Breathe By Neil Moran After lengthy studies fit for a government agency, the folks at NASA have definitively established that indoor plants can help astronauts breathe cleaner, less toxic air while in outer space. What NASA found in a study they performed in conjunction with the Associated Landscape Contractors of […]
Posted inBooks
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President By Candice Millard Doubleday (2011) This fascinating book focuses on the intersection between politics and science in 19th century America. President James Garfield’s death was caused by what we today would call medical malpractice, not by the bullet from the […]
Posted inHome and hearth
Finding the Best Mattress for You
Finding the Best Mattress for You By Melissa Conroy Throughout history, people’s bedding choices were often fairly limited and came with varying degrees of discomfort. People have slept on everything from straw to wood shavings to corn husks in efforts to put some cushioning between themselves and the floor. Today, when we say, “Good […]
Posted inOf Local Interest, Travel
Discovering Londontown
Art View DISCOVERING LONDONTOWN By Tricia Herban Discover London Town! is the name of a 3,500-square-foot permanent museum at Historic London Town and Gardens in Edgewater Maryland. A joint partnership between London Town Foundation, Lost Towns Project and Anne Arundel County among others, this project has been 10 years in the making—and worth the wait. […]
Posted inTravel
North to Alaska
NORTH TO ALASKA, THE LAST FRONTIER By Peggy Kiefer Glaciers, wildlife, wilderness and mountains—these are the four most common reasons that vacationers choose Alaska. My family of five, including two teenage grandchildren, recently experienced the grandeur of our 49th state. We wanted to see as much as possible in two weeks, but it’s a very […]
Posted inFun Stuff, Holiday
Green Grown the Rushes, Oh!
Green Grown the Rushes, Oh! By Melissa Conroy On March 17, the Chicago River will run green, copious amounts of corned beef will be eaten, and green beer will be happily consumed, all in celebration of Ireland’s patron St. Patrick. St. Patrick’s Day is Ireland’s national holiday, but the Irish are not the only ones […]