NYC Board of Ed no longer afraid of birthdays and dinosaurs

April 3, 2012 Revised:  Sufficient ridicule has caused the Board of Education to announce:
"After reconsidering our message to test publishers and the reaction from parents, we will revise our guidance and eliminate the list of words to avoid on tests,” New York Chief Academic Officer Shael Polakow-Suransky said in a statement.
 March 26, 2012
City avoids placing taboo topics (that kids may actually know about) on public school exams - NYPOST.com

We Didn't Have Green

I enjoyed this post by oodlekadoodleprimitives

April events at the Van Cortlandt Senior Center

       

Create your own narrative portrait with Michael Ferris, guest artist-in-residence through the SPARC initiative. No previous artistic training necessary. Mr. Ferris will continue to instruct this class on Monday afternoons from 1:15 – 2:30 PM. Please call the center office 718-549-4700 for further information. This project is made possible by grants from Bronx Council on the Arts and NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs.

“A Taste of Passover” Model Seder on Wed. Apr. 11^th at 11:15 AM with Marilyn Kaplan, pianist, and sing-along leaders. A festive lunch of roast chicken and kugel will be served at 12:30 PM. Senior contribution for this event is $3.00. Fee for non-senior guests is $4.00. Reserve by Fri. Apr. 6^th with the center office: 718-549-4700.

Holocaust commemoration on Thurs. Apr. 19^th featuring an illustrated presentation by Gary Finkler, grandson of artist/author Toby Knobel Fluek based on her memoir Memories of My Life in a Polish Village: 1930 – 49 .   Lunch, tuna and health salad, will be served at 12:15 PM followed by the slide presentation. Senior contribution for lunch is $2.00. Fee for non-senior guests is $2.50 for lunch. Kindly reserve by Tues. Apr. 17^th.

Trips to South Street Seaport on Apr. 17^th and to South Ferry on Apr. 20^th.  Call the center office for further information and registration: 718-549-4700.

Line Dancing with Rose and Meir Beer, experienced instructors, resumes on Fri. April 27^th at 1:00 PM.

Open Sunday, Apr. 22^nd featuring NY Troubadors: Nick and Sam Kline performing Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel and other nostalgic favorites at 1:15 PM. Lunch served at 12:15 PM. Senior contribution for lunch is $2.00. Senior contribution for program is $2.00. Non senior guests are welcome: $2.50 for lunch and $3.00 for program. Kindly reserve by Thurs. Apr. 19^th.

Center Light will offer a Zumba for seniors class on Apr. 25^th at 10:30 AM followed by a Medicare Benefits presentation at 11:15 AM.

Celebrate March/April birthdays with Igor Sherbakov, dynamic keyboard player/singer on Wed. Apr. 25^th at 1:15 PM. Latinos al Frente, a new social club, will enliven this event with authentic dancing to Latin rhythms.  A delectable lunch of beef stew and brown rice will be served at 12:15 PM. Senior contribution for lunch is $2.00 and ed/rec contribution for the event is $2.00.

On Fri. Apr. 27^th, Hudson Pointe at Riverdale will offer blood pressure screening at 10:30 AM followed by a presentation on Cerebral Vascular Accidents: Signs and Symptoms at 11:15 AM.

Big Apple Senior Strollers

A new walking program with William has begun.  Every Tuesday and Thursday at 11:15 a.m.  Meet at the Van Cortlandt Senior Center, 3880 Sedgwick Avenue, Bronx, NY.  Questions?  call 718 549 4700.

March 16, 2012  I participated in the walk yesterday.  We went from the senior center to the track at Van Cortlandt Park, we walked around it twice.  We each walked at our own pace.

    Cultural Events and New Class Offerings in March, 2012:
   
    Meditation with Clara on Fri. Mar. 2nd at 1:00 PM.

    Create your own narrative portrait with Michael Ferris, guest artist-in-residence through the SPARC initiative. Mr. Ferris will instruct this class  on Monday afternoons starting on Mar. 5th from 1:15 – 2:30 PM. Please call  the center office 718-549-4700 for further information. 
Pre-Purim concert by Stephanie Kurtzman, Violinist and Binyamin Ginsburg, keyboard player on Tues. March 6 at 1:00 PM. Ms.Kurtzman performs with Neginah Orchestra.

    Centerlight Health Care (CCM) will present a talk on Stress Management     on Wed. Mar. 7th at 11:15 AM.

    Line Dancing with Rose and Meir Beer, experienced instructors, resumes     on Fri. Mar. 9th at 1:00 PM.

    Wed. Mar. 14th:Remembering Jerry: A Lullaby of Broadway, Film and     Television Legend Jerry Orbach  by John Anthony Gilvey, author,     educator and stage director at 1:15 PM. This presentation will be     illustrated with archival video and film footage of the actor's life and     work.     Mr. Gilvey is a noted authority on the Broadway musical and the     author of Jerry Orbach, Prince of the City (Applause Books, 2011).
    Lunch will be served at 12:15 PM. Suggested senior contribution for lunch
         is $2.00 and program contribution is $2.00. Call the center office 718-549-    4700 by Mon. Mar. 21st to reserve for lunch.

    New Member Tea on Thurs. Mar. 22nd at 1:30 PM. New members are     welcome to attend and to learn about JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center's     many programs and services. Singer Carmel Riggs accompanied by     Jonathan Dzik will perform beloved Gershwin and Cole Porter songs such as     "Anything Goes", "You’re The Top", "They Can't Take That Away From Me" and     "So In Love".

    Carmel Riggs holds a BA from the Westchester Conservatory of Music in Vocal     Performance and an MA in Music Education from Manhattanville College.     She has performed regionally, on and off Broadway in West Side Story (Maria),     The Sound of Music (Maria) and Man of LaMancha (Aldonza).  
    Lunch will be served at 12:15 PM. Suggested senior contribution for     lunch     is $2.00 and program contribution is $2.00. RSVP to the center office at     718-549-4700 by Tues. Mar. 20th.

What your doctor doesn’t tell you - NYPOST.com

Save the CLASS act

This is from the Coalition of People of dis-Abilties NYC site:

Fighting for Home and Community-Based Care!

An estimated 10 million Americans currently need long-term services including personal care and other supportive services – and this number is projected to increase to 26 million by 2050. For Americans with Disabilities, long-term care is a critical tool for independent living but most could not secure coverage.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act included a program known as the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act (the “CLASS Act”) that would enable people to buy affordable long-term care insurance.
CLASS would provide millions of people with a crucial service that was previously beyond their reach—home and community based care that enables people live and work in their communities and costs far less than institutional care.
Now, before it has even been implemented, this vital program is in danger.
HR 1173 -- a bill that would repeal the CLASS Act – is expected to reach the floor of the House of Representatives soon. We have to stop this bill.
Instead of killing a program that millions of Americans need, our leaders must get back to work and find a way to make the CLASS Act work.
Congress must not repeal CLASS and the President must VETO any legislation that attempts to repeal it.

Internet Freedom at risk

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Cuomo in league with nursing home lobbyists

Governor Cuomo's plan to reduce New York's rising Medicaid costs may send some of the state's poor and elderly to nursing homes - NY Daily News

Schedule January 2012 Van Cortlandt Senior Center

Welcome Back Caroline!

Menu Van Cortlandt Senior Center January 2012

       

JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center 3880 Sedgwick Avenue, Bronx, NY 10463                                                                      (718) 549-4700

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
2 Center Closed	3 Apple Juice                   Breaded Fish Mashed Potato w/Gravy California Blend Veg. Fresh Orange	4 Pineapple Juice   Oven Roasted Turkey w/Gravy Baked Yams Cauliflower Florets Pears	5 Orange Juice               Meat Loaf Egg Noodles Garden Salad Plums	6  Blended Juice  Italian Chicken Rice Broccoli w/ Garlic Banana
9 Orange Juice          Fresh Fish Corn w/Red Peppers Spinach Diced Pears	10 Apple Juice                  Baked Chicken 3 Colored Pasta Salad Scandinavian Blend Orange	11 Pineapple Juice  Meat Loaf w/gravy Oven Baked Potato String/Wax Beans Apricot Halves	12 Blended Juice Fresh Haddock w/Dill Brown Rice Garden Salad Banana	13 Orange Juice     B.B.Q. Chicken Potato Kugel Mixed Vegetables Apples
16 Closed	17  Pineapple Juice Breaded Chicken Cutlet w/Mushrooms Sauce New Potato Broccoli w/red peppers Banana	18 Apple Juice    Fresh Tilapia w/tomato & green pepper Baked Yams Zucchini & Yellow Squash Pear	19 Orange Juice Meat Balls Egg Noodles String Beans w/Marina Sauce Apricot Halves	20 Blended Juice    Rosemary Chicken Orzo w/Mushrooms & Onions Peas & Carrots Apple
23 Orange Juice Fresh Flounder w/Lemon & Dill Mashed Potato Spinach 30 Fresh Apple	24 Apple Juice Hungarian Goulash White Rice Mixed Vegetables Fresh Orange	25 Pineapple Juice  Sliced Turkey Breast Mashed Sweet Potato Italian Blend Vegetables Plums	26 Blended Juice Homemade Hamburger Baby Carrots Coleslaw Banana	27 Apple Juice    Oven Roasted Chicken Broccoli Soufflé Harvard Beets Diced Pear
Orange Juice Breaded Tilapia Butternut Squash String Beans Fresh Apple	31 Pineapple Juice Salisbury Steak Kasha w/Mushrooms Peas & Carrots Mandarin/Orange

Funded by NYC Department for the Aging                                                                                    MENU SUBJECT TO CHANGE

heart rate monitor and cold weather

Here is a useful post from the DC Rainmaker blog on getting correct reading when using a heart rate monitor in dry, cold weather.
Troubleshooting your hrm in cold weather.

Dancing Crane Georgian Dancers

Santa's Land saying goodbye - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-

View of 61 Street and Madison Avenue, NYC

Left looking south on Madison, right looking west from Madison

Blue Bloods - heart attack episode

I watched the episode of Blue Bloods on WCBS-TV called Thanksgiving.  In it Henry Reagan, the oldest member of the family, has a heart attack.  While his family is waiting for the outcome of the angioplasty they feast on pastrami sandwiches.  All that salt! all that fat!  These people should be thinking about heart healthy meals.  The mayor brings a cornbread and sausage stuffing to the family.  All that fat! all those carbohydrates!

NYS attacks home health care for the elderly

My Elder Advocate
The nursing home lobby is powerful in New York State.

FDA sees problem with some DES stents

FDA sees rare but serious issue with stents I hope to add more news about stents. If you are not having a heart attack, think twice about having a stent placed.

Eliminate the institutional bias in Medicaid

September 18, 2011

For Information contact:
Bruce Darling (585)370-6690
Rahnee Patrick (312) 320-5111
Bob Kafka (512) 431-4085

http://www.adapt. org

Open Letter About Medicaid to President Obama from ADAPT

Dear President Obama

The ADAPT Community has spent over 20 years working to eliminate the institutional bias in Medicaid. This institutional bias has forced millions of Americans into institutions because institutional services are an entitlement while community based services that provide supports in our own homes is optional. We have achieved systemic Medicaid reforms that have freed many of our brothers and sisters from oppressive institutions. While the institutional bias still exists in Medicaid, thousands of Americans now are able to use Medicaid optional programs in their state to find freedom from those institutions.

You say that you want to make modest "adjustments" to Medicaid which can only mean cuts. We know the programs that always face cuts first are the "optional" programs particularly those that provide services that have freed thousands Americans from oppressive and costly institutions.

You can use other words like "administrative changes", "leveling the F-MAP", or other terms, but lets not mince words, seniors and PWDs will pay the price. We will pay for such savings with our freedom, and quite possibly our lives.

We cannot support a leader that proposes Medicaid cuts that will cost us our freedom and jobs.

We demand that there be no arbitrary Medicaid cuts. Instead we support REAL Medicaid Reform. There are ways to protect our freedom and save money and more importantly end the institutional bias in Medicaid by:

* Expanding the use of community based services
* Demedicalizing services
* Expanding consumer directed options
* Reorganize Medicaid services to eliminate wasteful bureaucracy.

We urge you to include this approach and these prinicples in any plan that you develop to address the deficit.

The ADAPT Community

Yellow Berries in Van Cortlandt Park