Older and Wiser… and Happier

Old-person-laughing-434760From the Los Angeles Times:

“In a recent survey… researchers report that people in their 20s were the most stressed out and depressed, while those in their 90s were the most content.”

… and

“The older people were, the happier they felt… People who were in older life were happier, more satisfied, less depressed, had less anxiety and less perceived stress than younger respondents.”oldlady

What’s the Difference?

IMG_0884“I’m sorry, but if you don’t have a prescription I’m not able to sell you medical marijuana.”

“OK, I’ll have some recreational marijuana, please.”

“Of course. Will that be cash or card?”

 

Reminds me of a business trip several years ago. Arriving on a late-night flight into a southern California resort town I took a shuttle to an off-airport, cut-rate rental-car operation. They could not find my reservation. Showing a printed copy of the confirmed reservation, including confirmation number, did not help. The clerk could not find my reservation. Exasperated and wondering what to do next, I asked, “Well, do you have any cars at all?”

“Oh sure, we have plenty of cars.”

The Mayor of 42nd Avenue

eddie1Most days he would step inside the front door of our office on Northeast 42nd Avenue to declare, with a loud and dissonant voice, that it was going to rain that day; or announce something that was – or maybe wasn’t – happening up the street. He would then abruptly turn and leave to share his news report with other businesses or passersby along the avenue. Eddie Morgan, aka the Mayor of 42nd Avenue, was standing on the corner of 42nd and Alberta Street early one morning when he was shot to death.

Continue reading “The Mayor of 42nd Avenue”

Didn’t See That Comin’

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This…

“In 2011, the state Legislature cut Texas’ family planning and women’s health program, which provide care and routine screenings for low-income women. Lawmakers slashed its budget by two-thirds—and kicked out women’s health providers that also provide abortions.”

Then this…

“Within a two-year period between 2010 and 2012, the rate of pregnant women dying in Texas doubled – and it’s not entirely clear why.”

From The World’s Most Dangerous Beauty Salon

The Whitest City in America

Starbucks-Comes-To-DyckmanPortland, where I grew up, and where I will soon return, has lately been in the news as the “Whitest City in America.” It’s also one of the most rapidly gentrifying. OregonLive, aka the Oregonian, recently reported on how minority communities are doing.

Smartphone Apps for Safe Travels

phoneI’m glad to have been a teenager in the time before cell phones and GPS tracking allowed parents to always know where their kids were. And as a parent of now-grown daughters, well, if you don’t want to know the answer, don’t ask the question.

Here are some useful smartphone apps, and not just for travelers. But don’t use them when you’re crossing a busy street.