I’ve tried to warn you about the evils of gambling. It gets in your blood and spoils your life. It uses the most powerful psychological tool known, called “intermittent positive reinforcement.” If you took a psychology class, ever, you know that negative reinforcement is punishment, and positive is reward. And you learned that consistent rewards will produce the target behavior, but when the reward stops, so will the behavior. But is the reward comes irregularly. If you get a cookie, or a jackpot, every third or fifth or seventh try, the behavior may never go away, even when no more rewards are produced.
So why is this seniority issue? As you know, I read the news, so you don’t have to. In Connecticut, home of Foxwoods, the worlds largest casino, there were these two older adult sisters. They always went to the casino together to play bingo and cards. Then in 1995 one of them won a big jackpot, $160,000 bucks! They had an agreement to share winnings, and they did. They even wrote up a little contract, and had it notarized. Now you may not know it, but most gambling contracts are not valid. A legal agreement to do something illegal can’t be enforced. But the two sisters had a falling out. Now they are 83 and 87 years old. And big sister won a half million dollars in the powerball lottery.
Even though they hadn’t talked for a few years, little sister saw the news and wants big sister to cut her in for half! And guess how far the case has gone? All the way to the State Supreme Court. And they seem to be on little sister’s side. It was illegal to gamble when that exception was devised, and the lottery is legal, so then should be the contract.
And aside from the jackpot, you know who wins? Of course they both have lawyers, and they’ll get paid, collections fee for $250,000 is going to buy someone a new pool, you betcha!

Pick a little, talk a little.

There is a letter to the editor in today’s Pasadena Star News asking why people talk during the performances at concerts. The writer, from San Gabriel may have been at the concerts at the park here in Temple City or at Arcadia or one of the many other town concert series held during the summer. “It seems disrespectful to the performers and the audience” says the writer.
I go to these concerts, and I don’t go for the music. It’s usually mildly entertaining, but the chance to catch up with neighbors I might only see there or at the polls on Election Day encourages visiting and talking. Some of the people that I only see there are Ken Picas kids. They’ve got lives away from Temple City and come home to see their Mom in the summer, and come to the park to see the rest of us.
We buy raffle tickets, and discuss the politics of the city- it’s really interesting this year. We buy snacks from the boy scouts and sister city organization. The concert is just an excuse to show up. There may be a shift in focus, I notice Westwind Productions isn’t on our calendar this year, and the Hula dancing, fire eatin’ group is one of my favorites.
The music is certainly loud enough to hear over a nearby conversation. So mind the stage, lady, this is a private conversation!

Today is the anniversary of the Stonewall Riot in New York that perhaps began the gay rights movement in 1969. That movement continues today in the effort here in California to overturn Prop 8, the ban on equal rights for all citizens. One of the issues that the groups that voted for 8 don't seem to get is that the people that started the ban on same sex marriage are coming for you too. They will eventually use the momentum to redefine birth control as abortion, outlaw your choice about using fertility technology to help infertile couples and make taking a contraceptive a felon homicide. They are coming for you. If you don't stand for freedom of groups that you aren't a member of, no one will be left to stand for your rights.
One way to arrest the momentum is to ask President Obama to overturn DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act that Bill Clinton was bullied into signing a few years ago. Another is to support the campaign to invalidate Prop 8 in California. You can talk to your friends about the rights of gay and lesbian couples to marry. The lies that were used to promote prop 8 (teaching gay sex in schools, forcing all churches to marry queers, etc)
Never forget, they are coming for YOU!

Today was the ceremony to recognize the Temple City Older American of the year. I was invited to the ceremony because of a small involvement in the process, I had nominated Joey Carey for the honor. You might remember her from my piece on exercise, she taught me the use of walking sticks. She has also been teaching square-foot-gardening and computers and photography at the senior center here in TC and in Arcadia. For a lady in her seventies, she sure doesn't let any grass grow.
She was given recognition by four levels of government today; The City of Temple City by Mayor Judy Wong, The County of Los Angeles in Supervisor Mike Antonovich, State Senator Carol Liu and Representative Anthony Portantino.
It was really quite nice, Joey gave a little pitch for home gardening and there was a delicious cake. She'll be riding in the Camellia Parade in February. I don't know if there are any other duties.

As I said, Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Wear purple, show your support. At oday's Older Adult System of Care meeting I will remind the agencies involved to carry on the struggle for this population which is going to become a central issue in our society over the next thirty years. Boom this.

Well, I have finished my role in the older adult system of care and am going into correctional treatment. I don't know if I will continue to have a voice about senior issues and post, or if this space will go dormant. I hope to continue to do some reviews, and I will update the wedding post when I get something new there. For now, faithful reader, goodnight!

Glow Bracelets

I think a lot about safety issues, for seniors as well as adults and kids. One of the things that most threatens seniors is falls, and dark is one of the big causes of falls. I wanted to explore the possible use of glow in the dark items for safety- like the necklaces and stuff they give at concerts. So I found a site on the web called: glow bracelets and went to the safety link. they have tape, gloves and all sorts of stuff that could be used for either marking a door or stairway, or for identifying people in the dark. There are vests, hats and other kinds of glow in the dark wearables.
A lot of these things like the jewelry and wands are made for and used by younger people for dance parties, and they are particularly fascinating if you've taken ecstasy, a hallucinatory stimulant. I don't condone using it, but I do recommend checking out glow bracelets for the paraphernalia. The potential cardio-toxic effects of X to older adults would not be safe. Despite the fact that people have always found a way to get high, and the better technology we develop, the more ways there are,I think most older adults prefer to stick to a nice cocktail. Please read my 2007 marijuana blogs for details.
But the folks at glow bracelets also have some items like home decorations, and party packs that can be delivered next day to your door! I might promote those on my wedding blog too, since bachelorette parties might order there! They have drinking glasses to, kind of ties in the bachelorettes and older adults.
Another part of the web site is the gift ideas. They have glowing wrapping paper, lava lamps, light sabers, phones and other cool stuff that again, can be delivered right to your door. Sounds like I'm adverstising for them, I know. I am doing a review, but they can't buy my opinion, just the attention to form one. Be sure to adjust the order to US Dollars, it came up as british pounds for me.
Stay safe!