Archive for December, 2008

Information On Levitra

If we could ask Jesus, or any major spiritual leader, their thoughts on the recent Wall Street implosion, we’d probably hear, “Told you so.” As for me, I’m curious to know what God was giving W messages for the past 8 years.  Perhaps W’s God was a CEO, whispering a singular message, “Go get yours – information on levitra. Information on levitra: screw the rest.”  Except that attitude is hopelessly old school on our inter-connected planet.  Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, etc., etc.  Nevertheless, W’s God told him regulations were for chumps; greed is good; and the people that handled our money and led our businesses should be paid hundreds of times more than the average worker.

It’s ironic that the collapse of our financial markets was tied to that most basic of American dreams – home ownership.  I heard Bush in a radio address stating that he wanted all Americans to own their own home, and not some starter home either.  He said every American had the right to a nice big house; this was part of his ownership society.  In 2000 the party started, the parents went on vacation, controls were off and the scenario for Risky Business was launched.

Well, here’s where the madness has taken us.  Cut to 2007 and a strawberry picker earning $17,000 a year gets approved by Long Beach Federal for a $750,000 home loan.  The party game was Sub-Prime Hot Potato.  Collect your fee and pass the potato.That potato got diced, sliced, mashed, and cooked so many ways it no longer resembled a potato, but some rotting pulp, posing as a Grade A spud.And that’s what we’re left with.

As financial institutions get bailed out for the stupid risks they’ve taken, little is being done to help homeowners who are in foreclosure.  I’ve heard pundits say those people were ignorant.  They should’ve understood the risks, not magically believed they could afford a house way beyond their budget.  Couldn’t the same be said of the brilliant financial experts clamoring to get into what turned out to be the Madoff Ponzi scheme?  Shouldn’t they have known better?  But they wanted to believe that Madoff had a magical formula.

These past 8 years there’s been a lot of magical thinking.  Even Alan Greenspan had to admit before Congress that he didn’t think financial institutions would take risks that ultimately would not be in their own self interests – information on levitra.From The Washington Post of October 24, “I made a mistake,” Greenspan said, “in presuming that the self-interests of organizations, specifically banks and others, were such as that they were best capable of protecting their own shareholders and their equity in the firms.” He thought they’d police themselves.  Uh-huh, just like factory farms, that thanks to Bush’s new deregulations, will now police disposal of their own waste.

Greed has trumped any shred of decency.  There’s a major disconnect between actions and consequences.  How else can you explain the terrible deeds done by the Downey, California mortgage office of WaMu?  It was set up during the housing bubble to go after Hispanics, many of whom didn’t speak English, and rope them in for ARM home loans.

From The New York Times of December 27, “…WaMu embraced so-called option ARMs, adjustable rate mortgages that enticed borrowers with a selection of low initial rates and allowed them to decide how much to pay each month; information on levitra.But people who opted for minimum payments were underpaying the interest due and adding to their principal, eventually causing loan payments to balloon.”  These Latino customers depended on advice from bi-lingual real estate brokers.  Brokers had a pipeline to WaMu, and collected fees for bringing in customers.  Heading up this WaMu mortgage office was Thomas Ramirez, duping his people.  Of course, Bernie Madoff is the king in that department.  He betrayed the generosity of his own people by including scores of Jewish philanthropic organizations in his Ponzi scheme, knowing full well that all the money ‘invested’ would be lost.

Will anyone who made huge amounts of cash in these schemes be giving back their ill gotten dough to the people from whom it was unjustly taken?  Well, no.  There’ll be no apologies either.  In fact, if the law comes after them they can use the Madoff insanity defense.  Yes, the latest development in the Madoff case is that, despite the fact that he’s 70, it’s just been discovered that he’s bi-polar and schizophrenic.  He can’t be responsible for the things bad Bernie did.  How convenient – greed made him crazy.

So, Jesus, if you’re checking in on our planet, you might find a lot more people begging for your help, including me.  See, I’m having a hard time with that forgiveness thing.

Jan Bina, Blogger for In The Trenches Productions, the First Entertainment Website for Women Over 40!
; information on levitra

Published in: Life, Opinion | on December 31st, 2008 | 2 Comments »

Levitra Informatrion

Our new In The Trenches Productions series, “Movie Snacks,” REALLY hits the spot! My longing-for-a-bit-of-real-Christmas-cheer spot, that is.

The movie this month is Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory,” and nothing could fill the bill better.If you have never read the short story or seen the film this is the perfect time to do both; levitra informatrion.And if, like me, you have been a fan of this lovely story for many years, it’s the perfect time to visit it again – levitra informatrion.This wonderful story of a young boy, Buddy, dropped by his mother into the small town home of her elderly cousins, will warm your heart; levitra informatrion.Buddy forms an attachment with one of the oldest, and they have many adventures together, one of which is making 31 Christmas fruitcakes (since they have no money for gifts); levitra informatrion. Levitra informatrion: they send them with love to 31 lucky people, among whom are President Roosevelt and Jean Harlow!

On Movie Snacks two of the ladies talk about this terrific version done on TV many years ago with the absolutely fantastic Geraldine Page playing the elderly cousin, Sook, who becomes Buddy’s best friend. Levitra informatrion: and an even greater touch is that the narration is done by Truman Capote himself.

And what about the yummys to warm our tummies as well as our hearts? It’s a recipe for a delicious lemon bread/cake that we ITT ladies nibble while sipping hot chocolate and watching this neat film.

So if I were you, I’d check out “Movie Snacks” right now, and then grab the film, make the cake, and enjoy! And the Happiest of Holidays to all!!!

Judith I-cry-every-time-I-see-it Drake for In The Trenches Productions, the First Entertainment Website for Women Over 40!

Published in: Bravo, Life | on December 19th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Canada In Levitra

I won’t be shopping at Bloomingdale’s this scaled down holiday season. Canada in levitra: but I’ve discovered many delights exploring the lower end chain stores.Come hungry and start your shopping experience with a chili dog lunch – canada in levitra.The good news is – the Imodium is on Aisle 5.You’ll work off that chili dog in no time as you wrestle with your cart, which will only have 2 operational wheels – canada in levitra. Canada in levitra: don’t even bother searching for a cart with 4 functioning wheels. Canada in levitra: just get into your ‘cart workout’.In my neighborhood discount stores, 80% of the help on the floor speak no English. Canada in levitra: so, if you don’t speak Spanish, you’ll get more exercise, wandering aimlessly up and down the aisles on your quest.You’ll also discover an entire array of shoddy goods made in third world countries by woefully underpaid workers, including child laborers who’ll spend their holidays making cheapo crap for kids around the world; canada in levitra. Canada in levitra: that funny, acrid smell you might detect – plastic emissions emanating from all the cut-rate crap.

At checkout time, you can practice anger management. Canada in levitra: these stores don’t believe in ‘3’s a crowd’, so bring a book.  The underpaid checkers have entered a time warp where everything is in slow motion. Canada in levitra: to make matters worse, a third of the items scan at the wrong price (which cost-conscious shoppers readily point out); other items have no scanner tags. Canada in levitra: this will cause a major delay as the 19 year-old the gum chewing ‘no child left behind’ manager wanders over to confirm that the register price is correct. Canada in levitra: arguments will ensue, resulting in all 3 people – customer, checker and manager wandering off into the cavernous outer limits of the store in search of the 50% sign the customer swore was next to the disputed item. Canada in levitra: as you try to achieve a meditative state, you might peek at the faces of the other checkers.This is a downtrodden lot, too depressed to even wish customers a perfunctory “Happy Holidays.”

This scenario happened to me – canada in levitra.While I waited a full 10 minutes for the trio to return, I began to think of what these workers must be put through on a daily basis.These are not union jobs canada in levitra, and the salary is minimum wage or a few cents more.Scheduled 15 minute breaks probably don’t happen on time or at all.Lunch breaks may be postponed or not at all – canada in levitra.In those working conditions, I’d be cranky, too; canada in levitra.Maybe protesting is a waste of time canada in levitra, as their manager could write them up.  Minimum wage jobs are appropriate for high school students wanting spending money.But I’ll bet many of the workers at discount stores are supporting families on minimum wages; canada in levitra. Canada in levitra: and when Congress tries to raise the minimum wage, by a few cents, oh my God, the howls of pain heard from the business community.

I began to feel empathy for the workers.In these nervous economic times canada in levitra, aren’t many of us only steps away from joining them?  So, I smiled at my checker when she scanned my items.She warily looked at me.Then, after staring at my ID, she warmed up a bit and asked, “What kind of last name is that?”   “It’s hyphenated,” I said – canada in levitra.The manager over-heard the exchange, and perhaps wanting to set an example for the staff, called out, “Happy holidays, Mrs; canada in levitra. Canada in levitra: hyphenated.”

Jan Bina-Smet, Blogger for In The Trenches Productions, the first entertainment website for Women Over 40!

Published in: Life | on December 15th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

How Levitra Work

I was in my early forties when I began to feel a strange numbness and tingling in my right arm; how levitra work. How levitra work: probably a pinched nerve or carpel tunnel syndrome, I thought.It worsened as the weeks passed, so I finally saw a doctor; how levitra work.His examination revealed a noticeable weakness in my right leg as well.

Obviously concerned, he immediately set an appointment with a neurologist, but it would be a month-long wait.Within days, my left arm became numb, then my legs.In extremely rapid progression I found myself unable to work, drive, or even take more than a few steps.

What goes through your mind at a time like that is hard to explain – how levitra work. How levitra work: fear and uncertainty pervade every thought.

By the day of my neurologist visit, the symptoms had all but disappeared. How levitra work: numerous tests resulted in no conclusion.Human nature being what it is how levitra work, I easily put the incident behind me as soon as I was back to my old self.

One month later, as I stood up from a seated position, my left leg gave out, and within days all four limbs were again rendered useless as the process repeated itself.

It was six months before several doctors, countless tests, a sea of self-doubt, and stubborn persistence resulted in a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.* First there was relief at finally having an answer, followed by the realization that life would never be the same.Now I would have to learn to live with one foot in each of two worlds — that of the able-bodied and that of the disabled.

Like many MS patients how levitra work, I grudgingly came to the conclusion that I could no longer work full-time, following a common chain of events — loss of job, loss of independence, loss of group health insurance.That how levitra work, by the way, is how I learned the meaning of the term “health care crisis.”

For several years, I remained frozen in place, working half-days and becoming best friends with my television.I didn’t recognize the reflection staring back at me in the mirror; how levitra work.I didn’t know what the heck I was supposed to do with this new body that refused direct orders from my brain! The body was in all out mutiny and the mind in utter turmoil.

What do you do when everything you know about yourself changes just as you’re hitting midlife? How do you plan for life’s second half with a body you’ve never met before? How do you cope with being disabled on some days and not on others.; how levitra work..and never knowing which it will be? How levitra work: how do you pull yourself together?

One piece at a time.

Those long hours in front of the tube and laying around on the sofa turned to quiet introspection.I wasn’t ready to cash in my chips just yet, but I needed a spark, a way to feel useful again; how levitra work.I needed a road back to me.

It came in the form of a blog, lovingly suggested by my husband.It was then that I started to recall my childhood dream of being a writer, which I’d all but forgotten in a whirlwind of children, work, and responsibilities.

That single spark was all it took to re-awaken my spirit; how levitra work.I started off on a bold new venture of reinvention, not unlike millions of other women in midlife.

Now I know that to let a single day slip by unlived is a colossal waste; how levitra work. How levitra work: to allow aging or disability to extinguish that spark is a death knell.Recognizing my passion was the key to my resurgence.I’ve got my head back in the game.

I have MS and I won’t try to kid you — it’s not all sunshine and roses.The future is a great big question mark, but why shouldn’t it be? Nobody has the promise of tomorrow; how levitra work.All we have is right here, right now…this very moment.

The late Randy Pausch (The Last Lecture), after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, said: “We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.If I don’t seem as depressed as I should be, sorry to disappoint you.”

I’m playing my hand with a smile.

Posted by Mandy Crest, blogger for In The Trenches Productions, the First Entertainment Website for Women Over 40!

* Multiple sclerosis (MS), is a neurological disease with no known cause or cure – how levitra work.It is usually diagnosed between the ages of 30 and 50. How levitra work: the ratio of women to men with MS in the United States was previously two to one, but the gender differential is increasing.MS interrupts the flow of signals from the brain to various body parts resulting in a wide variety of symptoms including extreme fatigue, vertigo, visual disturbances, lack of coordination, slurred speech, tremors, pain, and more – how levitra work.Symptoms vary so greatly that prognosis is virtually impossible.From mild numbness to blindness and paralysis, MS patients are all over the scale.Lack of a specific test for MS and the lengthy diagnostic process lead many undiagnosed patients into clinical depression.

To learn more about MS, visit these resources.
Multiple Sclerosis Central
National Multiple Sclerosis Society

Published in: Life | on December 12th, 2008 | 6 Comments »

Drugs Affecting Levitra

Well if you’re like me, you look forward to, and fear, all the holiday yum-yums coming our way.Oh how I look forward to those Xmas cookies my best friend’s mother made every year while we were growing up….and that I now make every year.And that box of chocolates that my friend Vivian sends every year – drugs affecting levitra.And even that Texas fruit cake that my cousin sends…every year.

Drugs affecting levitra: so I really enjoyed a recent article in the LA Times from the Associated Press. Drugs affecting levitra: it was about the little things we can do to help stave off the inevitable weight gain as we indulge ourselves this holiday season. Drugs affecting levitra: did you know that just fidgeting around can burn hundreds of calories a day??? Twiddle those thumbs while you’re sitting or in the car at a red light or in endless traffic! Tap those feet! And while you’re standing around talking, use your hands.

You’re at the mall anyway…so take an extra 10-minute walk before you leave and there go 100 calories.Researchers have found that those who stay active during the holidays are the least likely to gain weight.(DUH!) And forget a cart… carry those packages to your car. – drugs affecting levitra..your very own cardio/weight training session! Don’t really feel like keeping your schedule at the gym? Go anyway! And instead of the stationary bike use that one that moves everything! And even lethargic or shortened sessions still beat watching TV or playing on the computer.Did you know that exercising an hour a day for five days burns an average of 1,835 calories? At least three tasty cookies!

The other thing the article suggested was making a contract with yourself; drugs affecting levitra.I do this every time I have a job on a TV show, movie, or commercial.I promise myself my choice of one large cookie in exchange for walking around the parking lot at lunch.Set your own contracts… what type of exercise you’ll do for what treat; drugs affecting levitra.Think of treats in terms of how much exercise they’ll cost; drugs affecting levitra. Drugs affecting levitra: and stick to it!

The worst thing you can do, and we all know this, is use the ‘ol “I’ll deal with it in the New Year” card.Bad!! Santa will leave coal in your stocking!

If you’re buying an Xmas tree this year check and see if there are any farms in your area where you can cut down your own tree; drugs affecting levitra.That’ll take a hike and some lifting.

And here are a few foods that you can eat before those treats that help in weight loss, according to yet another wonderful information sheet handed out at my Y’s water aerobic class: carrots, beets, grapefruit, green tea, peanuts, and lots of water.And ones that help lower cholesterol: artichokes drugs affecting levitra, avocados, figs, mushrooms, oats, prunes, walnuts, and yogurt.

So I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and enjoy all the yum-yums guilt free.

Judith don’t-tell-me-to-stop-fidgeting Drake, blogger for In The Trenches Productions, the First Entertainment Website for Women Over 40!

Published in: Life | on December 10th, 2008 | No Comments »

Levitra On Sale

I teach an acting class for children. Levitra on sale: one day we talked about how they spend their limited free time.The universal answer was computer or video games.A little girl then asked me what I used to do in my free time.I usually don’t talk about my no-tech Dark Ages childhood in the ‘50’s because most kids simply can’t imagine life without instant access to their stuff.I also don’t want to sound like a version of Dana Carvey’s crotchety old man, “In my day our only toys were 2 sticks – and we loved it.” But, well, in my childhood, we did create our own fun.

I grew up on the North side of Chicago, near Foster and Damen, in what was a working class neighborhood – levitra on sale.I have 3 sisters and a brother.We weren’t a particularly athletic family, even though my dad’s sister, Helen Bina, won a bronze medal in speed skating in the 1932 Winter Olympics; levitra on sale.In fact, our family is still waiting for that Olympic gene to re-appear – levitra on sale.Helen was my godmother and a gym teacher in the Chicago public schools – levitra on sale.She never married and treated me like her daughter levitra on sale, which shaped my life in many wonderful ways. Levitra on sale: at a time when children were rarely doted on, (for fear of swollen head syndrome) she spoiled me with swanky vacations to places like Miami Beach; took me downtown to see plays and ballets; and always slipped me spending money.

During the winter, The Chicago Park District used to hose down large swathes of open field to create ice skating ponds.One day Helen took me to one of the outdoor ponds where she’d trained for the Olympics and presented me with a pair of speed skates.She saw potential in me and I didn’t want to disappoint her.But I hated those butch skates with their heavy black boots and cumbersome lethal looking blades; levitra on sale.Didn’t she know I wanted gleaming white figure skates? I wanted to be like Sonja Henie, the glamorous Swedish ice-skating super star of the ‘50’s – levitra on sale.She had won a Gold Medal in singles figure skating the same year that Helen won her medal-they were in the same Olympics! I wanted to leap, and twirl in brightly colored sequined costumes – levitra on sale.I wanted to train indoors wearing a short levitra on sale, saucy skirt and matching vest.I made it through 3 or 4 speed skating sessions but my heart was never in it.Helen reluctantly gave up on turning me into her protégé.

Around that time, my Dad got the idea to transform our backyard into a skating rink; levitra on sale. Levitra on sale: he’d come home from his engineering job at Ma Bell, and plunge into the freezing cold night air.He spent hours shoveling snow to create an embankment levitra on sale, and guiding the hose, designing a pond as smooth as glass.In a few weeks we had ice so perfect, The Black Hawks could’ve practiced on it – levitra on sale.Our rink became the neighborhood hangout; levitra on sale.I loved it; levitra on sale.Anytime I wanted, I could lace up by hand-me-down figure skates and practice my Sonja Henie moves.

But the most exciting winter was the year that we put on our very own Ice Capades.

As a kid I was always staging productions – from religious pageants, to horror shows performed on roller skates in our basement, to re-enactments of Nancy Drew mysteries, to this new show – our very own Farragut Avenue Ice Capades – levitra on sale.Our “set” consisted of construction paper cut-outs of flowers, snowmen, angels and lollipops scotch taped to the garage at the far end of our rink – levitra on sale.Each cut-out represented a different number in the show – levitra on sale.The performers were my friends levitra on sale, along with my two younger sisters and their friends. Levitra on sale: the big production number featured the entire group singing and ice-dancing to Shirley Temple’s hit, “The Good Ship Lollipop.”

The show was put on for the neighborhood.All the parents dutifully sat in the freezing cold levitra on sale, smiling through chattering teeth and clapping, mainly to stay warm.But we felt like stars. Levitra on sale: i remember during one performance my Aunt Helen showed up with her 16 mm movie camera.I saw her smiling at me as I sprayed ice to hold a pose – the only ‘trick’ I knew; levitra on sale.When she smiled at me, somehow I felt her complete acceptance of me and whatever path I would choose.

The Chicago I grew up in was a tough town with little room for sentiment or whimsy.My parents and my aunt never said they loved me but I had a childhood filled with love, it just wasn’t the spoken kind – levitra on sale.As an adult, my sister, Eileen, started telling our parents that she loved them – levitra on sale.Soon, all the siblings were following her example; levitra on sale.I remember the first time I told my Dad that I loved him; levitra on sale.I was living in Los Angeles and as we were finishing our stilted phone conversation levitra on sale, I snuck in, “I love you, Dad.” There was a pause and he croaked back, “Me, too, kid.” If only Helen and Dad were here so I could tell them one more time.

Jan Bina, blogger for In The Trenches Productions, The First Entertainment Website for Women over 40!

Published in: Life | on December 5th, 2008 | No Comments »

Levitra 10 Mg

Yesterday morning during my daily water aerobics class my eyes wandered around the pool and as I looked on my fellow classmates I remembered my youth in the ’50s.When I was growing up we all thought the mothers in the neighborhood were really old; levitra 10 mg.They were gray-haired and didn’t seem to do much beyond housecleaning levitra 10 mg, ironing, hanging wet clothes on the backyard clotheslines, and doing an occasional good deed for charity.The only form of exercise was an occasional golf game with their husbands levitra 10 mg, or in my grandmother’s case, walking to the store (we didn’t have a car). Levitra 10 mg: imagine my surprise when I hit 40 and realized all those mothers were around that age when we thought of them as ancient.

And I look at my class now…  and I believe aging IS different.We have changed the way we look at life and ourselves, and we don’t settle for slumping into the easy chair after the kids are gone and letting life pass us by.

Take Zeola. – levitra 10 mg..she came to aerobics five days a week levitra 10 mg, but she’s not in our class anymore because she finally had to stop driving and move in with one of her kids who lives a long way away.But before she left we celebrated her 100th birthday – levitra 10 mg.And Gwen… she’s in her 80s…and is busy every time there’s an election (imagine this last few months!) passing out literature about all the candidates, city, state, and national, and working the polls. Levitra 10 mg: mary is in her 50s…she’s retired but works several days a week at the Children’s Hospital charity shop she helped put together – levitra 10 mg.Hilda, in her 60s, volunteers at the zoo several days a week and helps take people to their medical appointments – levitra 10 mg. Levitra 10 mg: then there’s me and Peggy, both actresses in our mid 60s and still heading off to auditions and working whenever anyone has sense enough to hire us.And I’m sure the other 15 or so women in our class have busy lives as well.

So Congratulations to Us! For not believing what the media implies, that we should hang up our dancing shoes after we hit 40 and coast into oblivion – levitra 10 mg.Congratulations to us for continuing our busy, sometimes hectic, involved, and fun lives.

Judith Keepin’-on-Keepin’-on Drake, blogger for In The Trenches Productions, the First Entertainment Website for Women Over 40!

Published in: Life | on December 3rd, 2008 | 1 Comment »