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This
SeniorArk.com
Home Page
is one of the most valuable pages a Senior can read each day.
 is a free,
volunteer site, BY SENIORS, FOR SENIORS.
But you
may
find that our Senior survival tips have
considerable value for children of
all ages. We are not a dead, static senior citizen site, but are
updated
EVERY DAY,
including most holidays. SeniorARK was
begun in November 2005. By May, 2012 we are only completing the
foundation, but we already receive over 100,000 visits per month from
inquiring, and sharing, Seniors. (165,581 in a recent month) You have created
hundreds of pages, chock full of over 4,999 links, tips,
and other resources to help our generation cope with the inevitable challenges that come in retirement.
We believe that surviving in retirement
does not rely on one "silver bullet", but instead is the result of
doing many things a little better. As we share our tips and
information with each other, we can build a sturdy SeniorARK
for everyone. By its nature, SeniorARK will always be
under construction. Please be one of the
Senior builders of SeniorARK by your sharing.
Remember: AMATEURS built the ARK---
PROFESSIONALS built the TITANIC.
WE KNOW YOU HAVE THE
ANSWERS. LET'S SHARE THEM WITH EACH OTHER!
YOU ARE THE PULSE OF SENIORARK. PLEASE SEND YOUR COMMENTS,
SUGGESTIONS, TIPS, RECIPES, HOBBIES, HUMOR, AND LINKS TO:
seniorark@aol.com
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CURRENT COMMENT (OR IS IT A RANT?) FOR OUR
READERS
We have always had an
EDITOR'S
page with an explanation
of how and why this site was begun. But now,
in addition, we will produce a special
EDITOR'S "DAILY" COMMENT.
On that page you may find timely information
on anything from a threat to Social Security
or Medicare, to how our editor is feeling
today, or how the weather is developing around
our headquarters, or why we support a critical
upcoming vote in Congress.
We hope you will make the
page a part of your daily online activity. We
will change the comment every 2 to 3 days.
There will be important links to information
on your health, Medicare, Social Security,
money, and much more. A special email address
will be provided for your important feedback.
And we encourage your feedback. Plug in and
become an empowered Senior!
This Current Comment,
below, is
posted for May 11 thru June 3, 2012
YOU HAVE THE POWER - - IF YOU
USE IT !!!!!
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What are
folks paying for homeowner's
insurance in your state? Are
rates going up or down in your
state? What is the national
average?
Here are the
answers.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Nearly 4 Million US Seniors Are Food Insecure
MarketWatch (press release)
CHICAGO, May 10, 2012 -- Nearly four million US seniors are food insecure. Many of these older Americans live on fixed incomes, and are often forced to choose between buying groceries or paying for health care, housing, ...
Health Law Repeal to Cost Seniors $20,000, Fidelity Says
Bloomberg - May 9, 2012
Passage of the health law saved money for seniors who among other benefits gained additional coverage for prescription drugs, said Sunit Patel, senior vice president for Fidelity Benefits Consulting, who led the project.
U.S. to run first surplus since 2008: CBO Surplus is first of Obama’s presidency
By
Robert Schroeder,
MarketWatch May 7,
2012
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch)
— The U.S. government recorded a
budget surplus of $58 billion in
April, the Congressional Budget
Office estimated on Monday,
breaking a streak of deficits that
began in 2008.
The surplus — the
first of Barack Obama’s presidency
— was the result of both increased
tax collection and lower
government spending. Before April,
the government had not run a
surplus since September 2008, the
month that the financial crisis
struck the U.S. economy.
Read CBO report.
Seniors Stop Taking Heart Drugs In Medicare 'Donut Hole'
Everyday Health
However, the authors note that it's unclear how stopping heart, cholesterol or blood pressure medications might affect long-term health outcomes. "I would urge seniors to talk to their pharmacist or doctor. Ask them if there's something cheaper you ... (read article)
Also read our article for 15 ways to find help in the donut hole:
Read Article
The Keystone pipeline will not supply U.S. with oil
Excerpt from: The
Washington Times - The big selling
point on the Keystone pipeline
that everyone on both sides of the
aisle, including union members,
are so keen to build is that it
will be a way to get gas prices
down as we get more oil into the
U.S. from our wonderful neighbor
to the north, Canada.
But why would we snake a 2,000
mile pipeline through six states
with the possibility of
environmental consequences, taking
the pipeline all the way down to
Port Arthur, Texas refineries on
the Gulf of Mexico? After all we
have refineries in the Midwest,
which is a lot closer to Canada.
Why Texas?
That’s because the Texas
refineries will be converting the
oil not into gasoline to sell at
home, but to convert into diesel
and jet fuel for export to Europe,
China, and Latin America. Not one
drop will reduce our reliance on
OPEC. Not one gallon of gas will
drop in price.
Yet our Energy Secretary had the
chutzpah to say: “…that having
Canada as a supplier for our oil
is much more comforting than to
have other countries supply our
oil.”
WASHINGTON – President Barack
Obama continued the annual Easter
Prayer Breakfast at the White
House Wednesday morning,
remembering the "tremendous
sacrifice" of Jesus and the hope
that his resurrection gives. "We
are here today to celebrate that
glorious overcoming, the sacrifice
of a risen savior who died so that
we might live," he said to a room
full of Christian leaders. (read
more)
Paul Ryan budget plan
drives a stake into the heart of Medicare
President Obama, during his speech before the news editors luncheon hosted by the Associated Press, zeroed in on the Congressman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) budget proposal and the GOP candidates supporting it. The President didn’t pull his punches, going all out, in full campaign mode.
He accused Ryan and candidate Mitt
Romney, who called the Ryan plan
“marvelous,” of “social Darwinism”
that “imposes a radical vision” on
America. He singled out the Ryan
egregious tax break for
millionaires which would be paid
for by gutting programs for the
poor, the middle class, the
disabled, veterans, seniors,
college students, law enforcement,
and even national parks.
Ryan plans to change Medicare, changing it into a voucher system with seniors having to make up the difference between what their insurance company will pay and the bills they receive for health care.
 At
the same time, Ryan proposes big
tax breaks that millionaires and
billionaires would receive by
lowering their tax bracket, which
would cost the rest of us $4.6
trillion over the next decade.
Supposedly, these tax cuts would
be underwritten by closing
loopholes and eliminating wasteful
deductions.
Yet, as President Obama pointed
out in his speech, “the
Republicans in Congress refuse to
list a single tax loophole they
are willing to close. Not one.
That tax cut adds up to at least
$150,000 for every millionaire in
America. And it comes on top of
the two tax cuts that President
George W. Bush handed out in 2001
and 2003.
 When
the Republicans release their
budget next week, they'll likely
say they have a "new" Medicare
proposal that will "save" Medicare
instead of eliminate it. That's
not true. The Republicans still
plan to end Medicare as we know
it. But this time they'll do so
with the support of Democratic
Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon.
Based on the
draft proposal released in
December by Wyden and House
Republican Budget Chairman Paul
Ryan, the GOP's Medicare plan will
give seniors a voucher to buy
insurance coverage just like the
last plan. From the start, the
vouchers would be underfunded and
won't cover the costs of the
insurance. Under the last
proposal, seniors would pay $6,400
more on day one. Then the voucher
would not keep up with rising
costs of coverage. Based on the
last plan, seniors would pay a
staggering 68 percent of the cost
of their medical care in 2030,
compared to 25 percent if the law
remains unchanged. (click
article title to read more)
Why
the Republican Congress Might Need to Go
Robert Fassbach, editor, SeniorArk.com
SerniorArk.com
Editorial - The
Bureau of Labor Statistics has been signaling that the
economy is showing strong signs of a rebound. In a
recovery, numbers go up and numbers go down.
Recently
employment numbers went up in a big way. 243,000
new jobs were created in January, 257,000 in the
private sector. For several months now, there has
been a decline in employment in the government
sector, so the total of jobs created is reduced to
253,000. The unemployment figure dropped
from 8.5% to 8.5% from the month before, and down from
a recession high of 10%. The runaway, out of
control job-loss train that
Obama inherited has been stopped, and reversed.
Good news, right? It would seem not. All day long Republicans
of all stripes talked the numbers down: "It should
have been better (even though economists predicted
120,000 jobs)." "Are the jobs good-paying."
"Obama has caused this to last longer than
necessary." Bull
 I
said to my wife this afternoon, sometime between 4:00
and 5:00, "Let's turn on Fox News to see how they are
spinning this good news".
We were
Immediately
rewarded with a very lively conversation between Neil Cavuto and Mike Huckabee. Huckabee said something
like "There is no getting around it, this is good
news. Surely you want good news on the economy."
Cavuto's response seemed to startle Huckabee, and
it sure made my blood boil: "No, I want the
economy to stay stuck in the mud", Cavuto said.
Excuse me, did I hear that correctly? Yes I did.
Cavuto is willing to sacrifice our economy, the
unemployed, and ultimately the security of our
nation by wishing the economy would stay stuck in
the mud. A defeated economy could enhance
Republican chances in the next election. Is power
really that valuable?
For Seniors, this would
mean more pressure on leaders to cut Social
Security and Medicare to save money.
Cavuto is not out there on an
island by himself. He is simply reflecting the
stance of Republicans in Congress
who have consistently blocked the President's efforts
to get this economy going. They are trying to cut
spending in a recession, something economists say
is a big mistake. They have fought tax cuts for
the middle class
because that could stimulate consumer spending.
They have refused an
infrastructure bill, choosing instead to allow our
roads, sewers, and bridges to crumble. After all,
with all the construction people working, the
economy might recover too soon. These Republicans
are obstructionists standing in the way of
economic expansion. They must go if they do not
help this recovery to continue.
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THIS
IS THE
"EXPOSE POLITICAL
MISINFORMATION BOX"
*
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S RELIGION:
THE LIE:
Obama is a Muslim.
THE TRUTH:
Obama is a
Christian. Before becoming President
he was
an active member of Chicago’s
Trinity United Church of Christ for
20 years. President Obama has said:
"I’m a Christian by choice. My
family didn’t ... frankly, they
weren’t folks who went to church
every week. My mother was one of the
most spiritual people I knew, but
she didn’t raise me into church. I
came to my Christian faith later in
life. ... It was because the
precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to me
in terms of the kind of life I would
want to lead. Being my brother’s
keepers ... treating others as they
would treat me ... also
understanding that Jesus Christ
dying for my sins spoke to the
humility we all have to have as
human beings. ... We’re sinful, and
we’re flawed, and we make mistakes,
and we achieve salvation through the
grace of God. ... We can still see
God in other people and do our best
to help them find their own grace.
So that’s what I strive to do and
pray to do every day. ... I think my
public service is a part of that
effort to express my Christian
faith."
*A
SHOCKER ON
GASOLINE
PRICES: THE
LIE: Gas prices at the
pump are high because of Obama's
regulations and his attitude toward
producing more oil.
THE TRUTH: We have a surplus of
gasoline, diesel fuel, and airline
fuel. So much, in fact, that these
products were THE LARGEST
EXPORTS FROM AMERICA TO OTHER
COUNTRIES IN 2011. Gasoline
prices are high in the U.S. because
producers are causing a shortage by
EXPORTING it to FOREIGNERS. So much
for energy companies working to make
us energy-independent!
IS
THIS THE REAL "MISSION
ACCOMPLISHED"?
Source:
America's top export in 2011 was
. . . fuel?
Washington Post -December 31, 2011
Fuel is now the top US export. The
Associated Press reports that
America is on pace to ship out more
gasoline, diesel and jet fuel than
anything else in 2011...
*
TAXES AND JOB
CREATION: THE LIE: President Obama has
destroyed job creation because he
continually has been raising taxes.
THE TRUTH: The President is
responsible for middle-class tax cuts
of at least $240 billion his first
year in office, has continued the
give-away Bush tax cuts for the rich,
and passed 17 tax cuts for small businesses.
Currently he is proposing continuing
the existing cuts for 2012, or even reducing
further the
payroll taxes on the first $106,800 that
every American earns.
 Jobs
were lost at a rapid pace for only the first
few months after Obama became President
(January 2009). This was caused by the momentum of
the near depression he inherited. Since the first
quarter of 2010, there has been an increase in
private sector employment EVERY MONTH.
(Click graph to enlarge the facts.)
Jobless claims
drop to near four-year low
msnbc.com
-
January 20,
2012
The Labor Department reported that
seasonally adjusted jobless
claims fell 50000 in the week
ended Jan. 14, to 352000 from a
revised 402000 the prior week.
...
It is
critical that we Seniors listen
very carefully to what is being
said during the coming election
year. Misinformation is presented,
repeated endlessly, and then
accepted as the gospel truth by
millions. SeniorArk will try to
stay on top of this, AND PRESENT
THE TRUTH IN THIS GREEN-BORDERED
BOX NOW, AND ALL THROUGH 2012.
Armed with the truth, Seniors can
make informed decisions next
November. Find it here.
CLICK HERE TO READ EARLIER
LIE/TRUTH
ITEMS |
*
YOU CAN HELP TO ROOT OUT MEDICARE FRAUD
Seniors can be of great help in saving
money for our health system by reporting
FRAUD.
WHAT IS MEDICARE FRAUD? Fraud occurs
when someone intentionally falsifies
information or deceives Medicare. Abuse
occurs when doctors or suppliers don’t
follow good medical practices, resulting
in unnecessary costs to Medicare,
improper payment, or services that
aren’t medically necessary. A complaint
about the quality of care you got from a
doctor, hospital, or other provider or
facility is not considered fraud or
abuse. If you have a complaint about
your quality of care, please
click here.
Examples of possible Medicare fraud are:
-
A
healthcare provider bills Medicare for
services you never got.
-
A
supplier bills Medicare for equipment
you never got.
-
Someone uses another person’s Medicare
card to get medical care or equipment.
-
Someone bills Medicare for home
medical equipment after it has been
returned.
-
A
company offers a Medicare drug plan
that hasn’t been approved by Medicare.
-
A
company uses false information to
mislead you into joining a Medicare
plan.
Read complete Medicare article on
Preventing Medicare Fraud and Abuse
*******
Seniors, always remember, if you are
EVER in need of ANYTHING,
email:
seniorark@aol.com
We may not
be able to help, but we WILL TRY.
And we WILL answer your email.
Email
us--we want to be bothered.
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May 16, 2012 - The
Romney campaign is
avoiding
engaging with the press.
Election reporters are
used to the Romney
campaign's unwillingness
to engage, but even they
were surprised at the
presidential candidate's
increased
restrictiveness
Wednesday. Following a
speech in Florida,
reporters were blocked
from joining the
audience or the voter
reception line.
May 15, 2012 - The
Netherland's Superbus project
aims to develop high speed
coaches capable of speeds of
up to 250 kilometres per hour
(160 mph) together with the
supporting infrastructure
including special highway
lanes constructed separately
next to the nation's highways.
May 14, 2012 - How can you
describe this spontaneous
burst of emotion? President
Barack Obama greets a graduate
before making the commencement
address at Barnard College
Monday in New York.
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Eastern
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___________________________________________
Updated:
Wednesday May 16, 2012
Did you read something on this page, and
now it's gone? If so, you will probably find that it has been
archived to this page.
TODAY'S IMPORTANT NUMBERS
-
Wednesday May 16, 2012
***********************************************************
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January 2001 the
national debt was $5,728,195,796,181
January 2009 the national debt was $10,656,877,048,913
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* 3 - Most abundant elements in known universe: hydrogen,
helium, oxygen. (BBC News, Science and Environment)
* 3,000 - Approximate number of people killed by
terrorists on 9/11/2001
* 300,000 - Approximate number of Americans killed BY
GUNS, BY EACH OTHER, AT HOME, since 9/11/2001.
* 37 Days - Time it takes for 3,000 Americans to be killed by
guns at home by each other.
* 1 - There is only one way to say RE-COG-NIZE. Reconize
does not exist.
* 1 - There is only one way to say NU-CLE-AR. Nucular does
not exist.
* #1 offender -
Wal-Mart is #1 with employees
receiving state-funded health care
in every state that released the data.
* 70% - Of all products sold at Wal-Mart are imported from
China, the largest Communist country in the world.
* $600 Billion - We will borrow from Chinese Communists
because we extended tax cuts to the top 1% of Americans
* 17.4 million. American homes that have difficulty putting
food on the table every day.
* 46 million - Americans living in poverty.
* 40 - American billionaires who have agreed to donate half
their fortunes to charity
* 85% - Seniors who already receive Social Security benefits
electronically (no paper check)
* 20 million $$ - Amount Sarah Palin has "cashed in on" since
her 15 minutes of fame. So much for so little.
* 10,000 - Number of boomers who begin collecting Social
Security every day
* All
but 4 - Number of Republican Representatives who voted to end
Medicare with a voucher instead in 2011.
* 0 - Number of Democrats who
voted to end Medicare with a voucher instead.
* 211 - Average days from layoff to finding a new job in the
current economy
* 3,000,000 - Soft drink vending machines in the U.S. One for
every 100 people.
* 237 - Miles the average European walks per year
* 87 - Miles the average American walks per year
* Don't ask, don't tell - Miles I
walk per year
* 27% - Gift cards never redeemed in the
U.S.. Over $8 Billion worth of gift cards were never used from
2006.
* $700 - $1000 per MONTH. Amount
Medicare Advantage insurers are paid by Medicare for your
care.
* $772,000,000 - Amount AARP was
paid by health insurance companies in 2008. Beware their
opinions on this subject.
* $15,000-plus - Average 2011 cost
for an employer-based family health insurance policy
* 35 cents - amount health insurers want
to pocket for every health insurance dollar received
* 2.1 - USA spends $2.1 trillion/year on
health care. Double per person spent in any other country.
* 45 million - # of Americans on
government-run health insurance - It's called Medicare!
* 46 - years Medicare has served the needs
of America's Seniors - July 30, 2011 > 46th birthday
* 43rd - U.S. life expectancy - 42 nations
are higher. We wonder why this is so.
******
Do you know there are now
9 news sections on
www.seniorark.com?
Volunteers scour the web EVERY DAY to find the most
important and interesting articles for Seniors
***********************************************************
Primary News Sections
·
The Home Page you are now viewing, for the
very latest news for Seniors
·
The
"News" page for today's news on health and other items of
interest
·
Up-to-date
news on Medicare, including Part D information (last
section)
·
Up-to-date
news on Social Security, including other pension related
news (last section)
·
News on
Senior Health Issues, (last section), older than the
current
"news" page
Archived News Sections - Articles you remember reading somewhere,
but can no longer find.
·
Hot News items that have been
moved very recently from the page you are now reading
·
Older Medicare News
·
Older Health Articles with summary
·
Older Health Articles listed, without a summary
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 ARE
YOU FALLING INTO THE DOUGHNUT HOLE?
**15 ways to survive a fall
into that dreaded abyss**
May 16, 2012
Yes, Part "D" is a bizarre system, crafted
by a slight-of-hand Congress, mostly written by
the drug and insurance companies. Yes
it can be overwhelming to the Senior who needs more than a
minimal amount of medication each year. But do not despair.
There are specific things you can do
today to survive this convoluted program, and the doughnut
hole at its center.
Read Complete Article
Also, what you do today can slow, or prevent, a fall
into the doughnut (donut) hole. See:
Surviving Medicare Part "D".
************************************************************
MANY ELIGIBLE LOW-INCOME SENIORS NOT
APPLYING FOR PART D SUBSIDY
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the
Congressional Budget Office have estimated, respectively, that
about 2.6 million to over 4 million individuals who may
qualify for the Medicare prescription drug low-income subsidy
are not receiving it. Various barriers, such as reluctance to
disclose personal financial information or lack of knowledge
of the subsidy, may prevent potentially eligible Medicare
beneficiaries from applying for the subsidy. To view the
highlights of the report, go to:
http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08812thigh.pdf.
To see if you qualify, or to apply, go to:
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp/
Also
see:
Latest Health News ,
Latest Medicare News ,
Latest Social Security News |
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 SeniorArk
FunSpot
Updated:
05/16/2012
Also, enjoy our massive: "just
for fun" , "humor", and "photo" sections
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*******
oooooooooooooooooookay!
*******
******
Thought for the Day
Handle every
stressful situation like a dog.
If you can't eat it or play with it,
Just pee on it and walk away.
******
The irony of life is that, by the time
You're old enough to know
your way around,
You're not going anywhere.
Thanks to
LadyBethofNJ
I think I just passed gas!
*******
Think Big!
*******
******
For more, go to:
Fun Pages, or
Humor
Pages, or
Funny Images , or
Funny Videos
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