April 2015 | Coachella Valley Beacon

By Shirley BrenonFor thousands of years of human history,

stories and the art of storytelling passeddown information from generation to gen-eration.

Today, our world is centered on electron-ics, and the town crier has been replacedwith cell phones, television and the Inter-net. But the draw of oral storytelling sur-vives, in part due to organized groups suchas the Desert Storytellers.

It was formed by Palm Springs resi-dent Peggy Prentice in 1988 after she hadtaken a class in storytelling at UCLA andstarted a group in Santa Monica. Prenticedied in 1995 and Kathy Klug took over aspresident and continues the position today.

“Story lines are inside you, and theywant to come out,” Klug said. “I love to tellstories. Storytelling is not only good for theaudience but good for yourself. Some peo-ple sit through many of our meetings andsay nothing, but then finally somethinghappens, and they are never quiet again.The secret is to keep trying.”

Stories for all agesDesert Storytellers perform many out-

reach activities at senior centers, libraries,nursing homes, churches and other organ-izations, plus they entertain at specialevents for museums and private parties.They also tell stories on Dr. Seuss Day andthe 100th Day of School day, which cele-brates the completion of half the schoolyear.

Members have a variety of backgroundsbut the word creative stands out. Klug is ateacher and counselor in a local school dis-trict and uses her storytelling skills as partof character education and goal setting.

“The stories are great tools in helping achild to identify problems and find ways toovercome them,” Klug said.

She has mastered the art of voice inflec-tion for her characters, offers great facialexpressions and sound effects that add aspecial spice to her stories, such as“Grandma Came to Visit with False Teeth.”

A new member of the group and a for-mer educator with a performing arts back-ground, Julie Breslau also tells moral orself-esteem stories. “I want my stories tomake people think and laugh, but also havea good point.”

Three-year-member and Toastmaster RoseKing tells stories of animal characters withdisabilities that get help from other animals.She uses these themes with a puppet whenshe tells weekly stories to school children.

King is blind and published a book,Wosie the Blind Little Bunny, in 1995. “Weall have stories and telling them helps thechildren and gives me strength,” she said.

Another long-time member is Lois Whit-ney. She enjoyed drama in school, was aSweet Adeline director for 27 years andsang in a sought-after comedy quartet inaddition to telling stories to children. Sheenhances her act by dressing in period cos-

tumes and tells stories about Martha Wash-ington and other president’s wives.

Magic in the words“Storytelling is such fun, but unfortu-

nately, there are many people who don’thave time to listen to stories, as their livesare just too busy,” Whitney said. “When itcomes to today’s children, many have neverheard of ‘The Ugly Duckling,’ ‘The Trollunder the Bridge’ or ‘Jack in the Beanstalk’because they want something more sophis-ticated.

More than 40,000 readers throughout the Coachella Valley

COMPLIMENTARY

VOL.4, NO.4

I N F O C U S F O R P E O P L E O V E R 5 0APRIL 2015

Storytellers paint word pictures

See STORYTELLERS page 26

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The Coachella Valley

Lois Whitney tells a story to students at James Madison Elementary School as theycelebrate the 100th Day of School Day. The Desert Storytellers also perform out-reach activities at senior centers, libraries and churches.

FITNESS & HEALTH 4k Stents for stroke patientsk Saunas may help you live longer

LAW & MONEY 12k The ABCs of Medigap insurancek White House Aging forums

PLUS BEACON BITS & MORE

ARTS & STYLEA ‘new’ movie will kick off the Lyons Film Noir Festival in May

page 24

LEISURE & TRAVELWhat’s with that castle on In-terstate 15?; plus, cruises workto wow with robots, snow andmore; and crossing the Atlanticin style on the Queen Mary 2

page 19

2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com A P R I L 2 0 1 5 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON

I overheard this at McDonalds from twomen, both with construction dust sprinkledon their work-worn boots and in their salt-and-pepper hair.

Man #1: “Man, I tell you. I’mthinking about ditching this joband hitting Social Security.”

Man #2: “Yeah, but whatabout health insurance — um,Medicare? You’re not even 64yet. ”

Man #1: “My wife can carryme on her insurance. She’snot going to quit for years.”

Man #1 seemed to have itfigured out. But did he?

It depends. While we did not share time other than

standing in line to order a hamburger, Iknow enough about Social Security to imag-ine that Man #1 could be jumping the gunif he quit work. It’s tempting to draw themoney as soon as you are eligible. After all,a guaranteed monthly income is appealing.

But it could be a costly decision. For one, there’s a strong possibility his

wife’s insurance premiums will increase ifshe adds him to her insurance. Medicarecomes into effect at age 65.

Also, Man #1 would never receive full ben-efits, but a reduced benefit since he wouldstart Social Security before his full retirement

age. That’s 65 to 67, dependingon the year he was born.

I do know a couple in theCoachella Valley who havefaced this same decisionabout taking benefits beforefull retirement age. They owna small business with two em-ployees — themselves.

Frankly, they are barelyhanging on. When they hit 62,one of them started to drawSocial Security simply becausethey needed the money. Scary

enough, neither had ever carried health in-surance so that wasn’t an issue. They madethis move a year before Obamacare cameinto effect, and by that time they were both65 and signed up for Medicare.

I’m not a Social Security expert. But thetwo men reminded me of my small busi-ness friends, and that made me think a bitof research and reminders wouldn’t hurt.

First, of course, you should ALWAYS getexpert advice. That would be from a SocialSecurity office or online. The Coachella Val-

ley’s Social Security office is a 4201 E. RamonRd., Palm Springs. I’ve conducted businessthere several times, and I think it’s the best-run federal office I’ve ever dealt with. Youwalk in, register and wait in a seating area.Your business is handled quickly.

Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday,Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; and 9 a.m.to noon on Wednesday. Those shortenedhours on Wednesday are so workers canprocess workloads, reduce backlogs andtrain new staff.

You can call ahead and make an appoint-ment at (877) 873-9105 or toll-free (800)772-1213.

Better yet, save time and wear and tear onyour car. Conduct most, if not all, of your So-cial Security business online at www.ssa.gov.The easy-to-use site is packed with informa-tion for items such as calculating your bene-fits, presented in simple form (and in 18different languages!). After registering, thesite says you can complete signing up for ben-

efits in 15 minutes. (I had all my paperworkat hand, and it took me less than 10 minutes.)

But back to the reasons why you might ormight not want to draw benefits early. Thereare many paths to drawing Social Security.Some are complicated and less well known— like the claim and suspend option for cou-ples where you can claim Social Security atyour full retirement age, but suspend pay-ments until a later date. With it, your spousecan draw spousal benefits immediately,while you continue working and the value ofyour future benefits keeps rising.

While there are too many options tocover, here are some basics:

1. Social Security recipients usually re-ceive an annual cost-of-living boost basedon the amount of their benefit. If you startdrawing earlier than full retirement age,that boost will be lower, too.

2. Generally speaking, if you can afford it,

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When should you draw Social Security?

Letters to the editorReaders are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressedin the Coachella Valley Beacon as well as on political and social issues ofthe day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Coachella Valley Beacon,

1001 S. Palm Canyon Dr., Ste 217, Palm Springs, CA 92264 or e-mail to [email protected]. Please include your name,

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Free movie passes for CV Beacon readers

A special arrangement between theCoachella Valley Beacon and the MaryPickford Theatre in Cathedral Citymeans several lucky readers have achance to enjoy first-rate, first-run filmsfor free at the Pickford, which is part ofthe UltraStar Cinemas chain. To receivefree tickets, all you need to do is enjoythis current issue of the Beacon and

then call us with the answer to thisquestion, which you will find some-where in these pages:

When is the Lyons Film Noir Festival?The first 10 callers who call the Bea-

con office at (760) 668-2226, with thecorrect answer, will receive 1 free moviepass. Limit 1 ticket per household. Bestof luck!

See FROM PUBLISHER, page 23

COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — A P R I L 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon 3

By Marilynn MarchioneStroke experts are reporting a major ad-

vance: Stents similar to the ones used toopen clogged heart arteries can also beused to clear a blood clot in the brain,greatly lowering the risk a patient will endup disabled.

Patients treated with these brain stentswere far more likely to be alive and able tolive independently three months after theirstroke, doctors reported at a recent Amer-ican Stroke Association conference.

The treatment was so successful thatthree studies testing stents were stoppedearly so the devices could be offered tomore patients. One study also found thedeath rate was cut almost in half for those

given the treatment. “This is a once-in-a-generation advance

in stroke care,” said the head of one study,Dr. Jeffrey Saver, stroke chief at the Univer-sity of California, Los Angeles.

An independent expert, Dr. LeeSchwamm of Massachusetts General Hos-pital, called it “a real turning point in thefield.” For many patients, “this is the differ-ence between returning home and not re-turning home,” although only certain typesof patients can be offered it, he said.

Stroke care “needs to be completelychanged” to make the treatment morewidely available, said Dr. Walter Koroshetz,acting director of the National Institute ofNeurological Disorders and Stroke.

“This has taken stroke therapy to thesame place that heart attack therapy isnow,” he said.

Work faster, less damageMost of the 800,000 strokes in the U.S.

each year are caused by a blood clot lodgedin the brain. The usual treatment is clot-dis-solving medicine called tPA. When thatdoesn’t work, doctors sometimes try de-vices pushed through blood vessels topluck out the clot, but several studies foundthey didn’t help.

However, newer devices — metal meshcages called stent retrievers — open an ar-tery much faster and with less damage tothe blood vessel. Unlike heart stents, which

stay in place to prop the artery open, thebrain stents flatten the clot, trap it and areremoved with it.

Two brands are sold in the U.S. —Trevo, made by Stryker Corp. of Kalama-zoo, Michigan, and Solitaire, made by Co-vidien, now part of Minneapolis-basedMedtronic Inc. They won FDA approval in2012 based on their ability to remove a clot— not because there was evidence they im-proved patient outcomes.

Last fall, the first solid evidence that thesedevices actually improved patient recoveryarrived. A study in the Netherlands thattested a variety of clot removers, mostly

Game changer: Stents for stroke patients


HealthFitness &NOT SO SWEETArtificial sweeteners, like Equal andSweet ‘N Low, cut calories, but somemay have safety concerns

THE WHOLE (GRAIN) TRUTHIs cutting out gluten good for every-one? Do whole grains take longer tocook? A look at myths and facts aboutwhole grains and gluten-free claims

STATIN WARNINGWhile statins can reduce cholesterol,they may not be good for your heart

See STENTS, page 6

By Lindsey TannerFrequent sauna baths may help you live

longer, a study of Finnish men suggests. Itwould be welcome news if proven true — inFinland where hot, dry saunas are common-place, and for Americans who have beenshivering in a snowy Nordic-like winter.

Previous research suggested that saunasmight improve blood vessel function andexercise capacity, and lower blood pressurein patients with hypertension.

The new study links long, hot sauna bathswith even more benefits, including fewerdeaths from heart attacks, strokes, variousheart-related conditions and other causes.

The research was published in JAMA In-ternal Medicine.

About 2,300 Finnish men, in their early50s on average, were asked how often theyused saunas. The rates ranged from onceweekly to every day. During almost 20years of follow-up, more than 900 of themen passed away.

The researchers took into account char-acteristics in addition to sauna use thatwould affect survival, including cigarettesmoking, weight, physical activity, bloodpressure and cholesterol, and income.

Longer, frequent saunas bestDeaths from heart attacks and other car-

diovascular problems were nearly two

times more common in men who usedsaunas once weekly than in those who usedsaunas at least four times weekly. Deathsfrom other causes were also more commonin men who used saunas infrequently.

The amount of time spent in the saunamattered, too. Fatal heart-related deathswere less common in men whose saunasessions lasted more than 19 minutes, com-pared with those who spent less than 11minutes in the sauna.

As for the reasons saunas might help, Dr.Jari Laukkanen, a University of Eastern Fin-land researcher and the lead author, said itcould be that high temperature and humid-ity may cause beneficial physiologicalchanges in the cardiovascular system. Buthe said more research is needed to deter-mine how and why saunas might prolongsurvival.

They are clearly relaxing for many peo-ple, and the camaraderie they offer mayalso benefit health, said heart specialist Dr.Rita Redberg, editor of the medical journal.“Clearly time spent in the sauna is time wellspent,” she said.

What saunas work best?Sauna rooms were 79 degrees Celsius,

or 174 degrees Fahrenheit, on average forthe most frequent users, but slightly lowerfor men who only used saunas once weekly.

Finnish sauna rooms typically allow usersto regulate temperature by pouring wateron heated rocks.

In Finland, nearly every home has a pri-vate sauna, often a separate room built intothe basement. Families often use them to-gether, and older apartments often havecommon saunas.

The study is based on observational in-formation, and more rigorous research is

needed to determine if saunas, or some un-measured factor, might explain the results.The authors said similar studies are neededin women to determine if they would gainthe same benefits.

They said the research doesn’t apply tosaunas that operate at lower temperaturesand don’t allow pouring water on rocks to reg-ulate heat, nor to steam rooms or hot tubs.

— AP

Frequent saunas may increase longevityCOACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — A P R I L 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health 5

FREE BLOOD PRESSURE EXAMS

Mizell Senior Center members can take advantage of free blood

pressure screenings at the center. Eisenhower Medical Center offers checks

starting at 9:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month. Desert

Regional Medical Center offers checks starting at 9 a.m. on the first and third

Thursday of the month. Mizell is at 480 S. Sunrise Way, (760) 323-5689,

mizell.org

GILDA’S CLUB BENEFIT

Friends of Gilda’s Club Sun City, a cancer support organization,

will host a luncheon & fashion show from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 16 at the Sierra Ballroom, Sun City Palm Desert, 38-180 Del Webb

Blvd., Palm Desert. Tickets are $55. (760) 770-5678

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

Apr. 16

By Judy Thalheimer, R.DThe label says, “no sugar added,” “sugar-

free” or “diet.” So what makes the food ordrink inside the package so sweet?Chances are it’s an artificial sweetener, achemically processed sugar substitute.

Also known as non-nutritive, non-caloricor high-intensity sweeteners, these syn-thetic sweeties are hundreds or even thou-sands of times sweeter than table sugar.

Artificial sweeteners are not carbohy-drates, so they don’t raise blood sugar lev-els. This makes them a good alternative tosugar for people with diabetes. They alsodon’t contribute to tooth decay and havevirtually no calories, so they’re a popularoption for weight loss.

Artificial sweeteners are everywhere —in soft drinks, juice drinks, gum, candies, yo-gurt, ice cream, baked goods, breakfast ce-reals and individual sweetener packets forhome use. The big question is, are they safe?

Safety testingAs with any food additive, a company

that wants to put an artificial sweetener ina food or drink has to get permission fromthe U.S. Food and Drug Administration.The FDA reviews all the scientific evidenceprovided by the company to make sure theproduct is safe.

Most testing is done on rats and mice,and the number of test subjects, the amountof the sweetener they are fed, and how longthe study lasts can have a big impact on theoutcomes. Not surprisingly, different stud-ies show different results, which can createa lot of confusion for people.

Watchdog groups, such as the Center forScience in the Public Interest, rightly callattention to studies that raise concernsabout safety, urging the FDA to reviewproducts as new information emerges. Atthis time, however, the National Cancer In-stitute says there’s no clear scientific evi-

dence that any artificial sweeteners ap-proved in the U.S. cause cancer.

The FDA does set Acceptable Daily In-takes, so (as with most things) moderationis key.

Artificial sweeteners can help cut calo-ries or make it possible to have a sweettreat that doesn’t raise blood sugar, butdon’t overdo it, and keep an eye out for newhigh-quality studies.

Artificial sweetener safety guide1. Acesulfame-potassium. (Acesul-

fame K, Ace-K). Products: Sweet One, Sunett. FDA-ap-

proved 1988. Typically used in frozendesserts, candies, soft drinks, drink mixes,gelatin desserts, yogurt, chewing gum andbaked goods. Used with aspartame in Coca-Cola Zero and Diet Pepsi.

Safety: The FDA reports that more than90 studies support the safety of Acesul-

fame-K. Watchdog groups are calling fornew studies to answer questions about pos-sible cancer risk and thyroid damage.

2. Advantame. Approved by the FDA in2014 for use as a sweetener and flavor en-hancer in foods, except meat and poultry.

Safety:Before approving advantame, theFDA reviewed 37 animal and human safetystudies. They also looked at what happensto advantame in our bodies and whether itis likely to cause cancer.

3. Aspartame. FDA-approved in 1981. Products: Equal, NutraSweet, Amino-

Sweet, Sugar Twin. Used in powdered drinkmixes, soft drinks, breakfast cereals andother dry packaged foods. Cannot be usedin baked goods, because it breaks down athigh temperatures. The only sweetener inDiet Coke and Diet Dr. Pepper.

Safety: According to the FDA, aspar-

See SWEETENERS, page 9

stents, found these treatments greatly low-ered the risk of disability in patients whoseclots were not dissolved by tPA.

Stroke experts said at the time that morestudies were needed to confirm the suc-

cess. The three new studies do that. Allwere stopped early because independentmonitors saw better results three monthslater in those treated with devices after tPAfailed to dissolve their clots.

Two studies tested just the Solitairestent, and the third tested a mix of devices,but mostly stents. Patients all sought help

fast, had clots that were not opened by tPA,and had no evidence of irreversible braindamage on CT scans.

Highlights of the studies— A study in the U.S. and Europe on 196

patients found 60 percent of those treatedwith a Solitaire stent were free of major dis-ability versus 35 percent of those given justtPA. Covidien sponsored the trial.

— A study led by Australian researchers of70 patients found 71 percent of those given aSolitaire stent were free of major disabilityversus 40 percent of those given tPA alone.The Australian National Health and MedicalResearch Council and others paid for the trial.

— A study led by Canadian doctors of316 patients found 53 percent treated witha stent or other clot-removing devices werefree of major disability versus 29 percent of

those given just tPA. Ten percent of patientsgiven both treatments died versus 19 per-cent of those given just tPA. Covidien andothers paid for the study, and some studyleaders have financial ties to the companies.

The Canadian and Australian studieswere published in the New England Journalof Medicine.

Stent treatment is not for everyone, andit won’t help people who had a stroke sometime ago. It is not known if stents would helppeople who were not given tPA first, orthose who seek help too late to get it.

The key to surviving a stroke is gettinghelp fast — tPA must be given within fourand a half hours after symptoms start.

For more stroke information online, seehttp://stroke.nih.gov and www.strokeasso-ciation.org.

— AP

StentsFrom page 4

6 Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com A P R I L 2 0 1 5 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON

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By Densie Webb, Ph.D., R.D.At first glance, whole grains like whole

wheat, barley, quinoa and brown rice maynot seem controversial, but misconceptionsand half-truths abound, creating barriers tomeeting the U.S. Dietary Guidelines rec-ommendation to consume at least threeservings of whole grains a day.

Here’s what we learned on the subject atthe recent conference “Whole Grains:Breaking Barriers,” organized by Oldways,a Boston-based nonprofit food and nutritionorganization:

Myth No. 1: Much of the wheat foundin food products is genetically modified(GMO).

Fact: Not true. Despite what some pop-ular, gluten-free diet books claim, there isno GMO wheat commercially available inthe U.S.

Myth No. 2: Today’s wheat crops have

been bred to contain more gluten than inthe past.

Fact:Wrong again. The level of gluten intoday’s wheat crops is similar to what it wasin the 20th century. However, the averageconsumption of gluten-containing productshas increased, as gluten is added as a thick-ener or stabilizing agent to a lot of processedfoods — such as soy sauce, ketchup, spicemixes, processed meats and chicory coffee.

Myth No. 3: Eliminating gluten fromyour diet, including that found in wholewheat, is a great way to help you loseweight.

Fact: There’s no evidence that gettingrid of gluten will help you lose weight. Infact, research shows that people who con-sume whole grains, many of which containgluten, either lose weight or gain lessweight over time, compared to people whoconsume little or no whole grains.

If you lose weight on a gluten-free diet,it’s most likely because you’re eating fewercalories as a result of the recommended di-etary restrictions.

Myth No. 4: Gluten-free products arelower in calories.

Fact: If only! A lot of gluten-free prod-ucts are actually higher in calories thangluten-containing products, because of theextra fat and sugar sometimes added tomake up for the missing gluten — a proteinthat helps provide structure and body tobaked products. Read labels.

Myth No. 5: Grain consumption trig-gers inflammation.

Fact: Actually, research shows that con-suming whole grains can help reduce in-flammation in the body. Inflammation isassociated with a higher risk of several dis-eases, including cardiovascular disease,type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

Myth No. 6: Whole grains are blandand boring.

Fact: It’s not your mother’s whole grainsyou’re seeing on the shelves. The numberof flavorful, light whole-grain products hasgrown exponentially over the last severalyears. The variety you’ll find in almost anysupermarket is impressive, from whole-wheat pearl couscous and organic 7-grainpancake and waffle mix, to almond whole-grain bread and whole-grain waffles.

Myth No. 7: Whole grains are denseand heavy.

Fact: While some whole-grain productsare much more dense than products madewith processed white wheat flour, todaythere are many products made with whole-wheat white flour (from a different strain ofwheat than most wheat products), whichare much lighter in color and flavor thanthe whole grains of yesteryear, and still pro-vide the health benefits of whole grains.

Myth No. 8: Whole grains take too longto cook.

Fact:Again, while traditional whole grains,like brown rice, take much longer to cookthan their highly refined counterparts, manywhole-grain products, such as multi-grainrices, brown rice and brown and wild ricemixes are now available that cook in a minuteor two in the microwave.

Myth No. 9: All grains send blood sugaron a roller coaster ride of peaks and valleys,and have a negative effect on health.

Fact: It’s actually the opposite. Eatingwhole grains helps maintain lower bloodsugar levels, and people who eat the mostwhole grains, whether they contain glutenor not, are less likely to develop type 2 dia-betes.

Myth No. 10: Avoiding grains that con-tain gluten will lower your risk of severalchronic diseases, including cardiovasculardisease and type 2 diabetes.

Fact: Your risk will be reduced only ifyou’re avoiding highly processed refinedgrains, such as cakes, cookies and dough-nuts made with refined white flour, whetheror not they contain gluten. But don’t con-fuse the idea of avoiding processed refinedgrains with avoiding all grains. Wholegrains, whether they contain gluten or not,can benefit your health in a variety of ways.

Myth No. 11:All wheat, including wholewheat, is addictive and must be cut out of thediet in order to feel better and be healthy.

Fact: Not so. Wheat has no addictiveproperties. You may have read that re-searchers have identified a compound inwheat that can interact with opioid recep-tors in the brain, which is where addictiontakes place. But the same compound isfound in milk, rice and even spinach. Andno one worries about becoming addicted tospinach!

Reprinted with permission from Environ-mental Nutrition, a monthly publication ofBelvoir Media Group, LLC. 800-829-5384.www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com.

© 2015 Belvoir Media Group. Distributedby Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Myths and facts: whole grains vs. gluten8 Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com A P R I L 2 0 1 5 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON

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to determine if you can be helped by a hearing aid. Hearing aids will be available for purchase. Robby Young, Hearing Aid Dispenser Lic #1065 & Cedric Saekan Hearing Aid DispenserLic #6022. Benefits of hearing instruments vary by type and degree of hearing loss, noise environment, accuracy of hearing evaluation and proper fit. ©Beltone 2014.

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tame is one of the most exhaustively studiedsubstances in the human food supply, withmore than 100 studies supporting its safety.Watchdog groups, however, point to severalstudies that say it might increase cancerrisk. Some people report headaches fromaspartame.

Note: People with the rare genetic con-dition phenylketonuria (PKU) should notconsume products containing aspartame.

4. Neotame (Newtame). FDA-ap-proved, 2002. This chemical cousin of aspar-tame is not currently found in soft drinksand not used often in packaged foods be-cause it doesn’t taste quite like sugar. It canbe used in baked goods, but will most likelybe mixed with another artificial sweeteneror sugar to compensate for the taste.

Safety: In determining the safety of neo-tame, the FDA says it reviewed data frommore than 113 animal and human studiesdesigned to identify possible toxic effects.Watchdog groups say neotame appearssafe, but caution that it has not been testedby independent researchers.

5. Saccharin. FDA-approved: before1958.

Products: Sweet and Low, Sweet Twin,Sweet ‘N Low, Necta Sweet. Approved foruse in processed foods, beverages, fruitjuice drinks, and bases or mixes, and as asugar substitute for cooking or table use.

Safety: Studies showing saccharincaused cancer in rats nearly led to a ban in1977. Thirty human studies have sincefound that saccharin is safe for human con-sumption.

Note: It’s recommended that a 150-lb.

person not have more than 8.5 packets ofsaccharin a day according to safety levelsestablished for this sweetener.

6. Sucralose. FDA-approved: 1999. Products: Splenda. The most common

artificial sweetener. Found in baked goods,kettle corn, frozen desserts, ice cream, softdrinks and prepared meals, often mixedwith aspartame or ace-K.

Safety: The FDA reviewed 110 safetystudies in approving the use of sucralose.Brand-new research found sucralosecaused leukemia in mice.

Note: A small child who drinks morethan 2-3 cans of sucralose-sweetened sodaa day could exceed the Acceptable Daily In-take.

7. Sugar alcohols (erythritol, iso-malt, lactitol, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol,and others). Not sugar or alcohol, thesesweeteners are reduced calorie, but notcalorie-free. Found in ice creams, cookies,puddings, candies and chewing gum la-beled “sugar-free” or “no sugar added.”

Today most sugar alcohols are made in alab, but many exist in nature so they’re nottechnically considered “artificial” sweeten-ers. Most sugar alcohols have no FDA ap-proval date because they are not regulatedas food additives.

Safety: Safe, but may cause gastrointesti-

nal distress if you consume too much.Reprinted with permission from Environ-

mental Nutrition, a monthly publication ofBelvoir Media Group, LLC. 800-829-5384.www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com.

© 2015 Belvoir Media Group. Distributedby Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

SweetenersFrom page 6

COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — A P R I L 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health 9

DO YOU WORRYA LOT?

“What Every Woman

Needs to Know about Stress, Anxiety

and Depression” will be discussed by

a panel of women physicians at a

free talk from noon to 1 p.m. Friday,

April 24 at the Stergios Building at

Desert Regional Medical Center,

1150 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm

Springs. The talk is part of the med-

ical center’s Women’s Health Lunch-

eon Series. RSVP at (800) 491-4990

LEARN EXERCISE

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Free fitness workouts

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hour from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at

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Springs. Exercises can be done at

your own pace. (760) 641-3626

BEACON BITS

Apr. 24

HOW TO KEEP FIT IN AN HOURSeniors are invited to come and exercise in the Fit After 50 pro-gram at Mizell Center, Palm Springs. This free program helps im-

prove balance, flexibility, muscle tones, bone density and posture. It is offeredfrom 8 to 9 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and from 4 to 5 p.m. Tues-day and Thursday. Mizell Center is at 480 S. Sunrise Way. (760) 323-5689,mizell.org

DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY CAFÉA social get-together for people with dementia, family, friends,caregivers and the public will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednes-

day, April 22 at Twin Palms Bistro and Lounge, 1201 E. Palm Canyon Drive, PalmSprings. The event is free. (760) 341-1095

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

Apr. 22

Ongoing

10 Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com A P R I L 2 0 1 5 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON

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ADVERTORIAL

Sometimes blind faith leads to a disaster.Sometimes a miracle. Where will you end up?

If you’re one of the millions of people diag-nosed with high cholesterol, youwill more than likely be given aprescription statin pill. Thesework well to reduce cholesterol,and come in many brand andgeneric forms: Lovastatin forMevacor, atorvastatin for Lipitor,pravastatin for Pravachol, fluvas-tatin for Lescol, simvastatin forZocor, pitavastatin for Livalo,and rosuvastatin for Crestor.

Statins affect many pathwaysin the body. They are strong anti-inflammatories, and are beingtested for their use in cancer pa-tients. As for cholesterol reduction, they workby crushing a natural enzyme in your bodythat would otherwise produce cholesterol.

I want you to make a mental note, statinsdo not suck out gooey cholesterol from yourarteries, nor do they negate cheese fries. No,these drugs merely suppress the new pro-duction of cholesterol by your body. Here’swhere blind faith (take this pill and you’ll feelbetter) collides with scientific research.

Last month, a study was published in theExpert Review of Clinical Pharmacology en-titled, “Statins stimulate atherosclerosisand heart failure: pharmacological mecha-nisms.” Repeat: “Statins stimulate athero-sclerosis and heart failure.” Whoa!

The researchers concluded, “The epi-demic of heart failure and atherosclerosisthat plagues the modern world may para-doxically be aggravated by the pervasiveuse of statin drugs.”

Known problems with statinsWhat an irony! The problem is that many

other studies have found similar disastrous ef-

fects of statins on the heart. It has to do withmitochondrial dysfunction, which means thatthe little generators in your heart cells get sick.

Your heart is a very high en-ergy muscle. It requires thrivingmitochondria in order to churnout ATP, your energy molecule.Statins are toxic to mitochon-dria because they deplete coen-zyme Q10, which is needed forhealthy mitochondria.

Statins also deplete a specialprotein called “Heme A” thattotes oxygen and iron to yourheart. Its long-term depletioninterrupts ATP production andleads to cellular fatigue, amongother major problems.

You cannot survive long-term without ad-equate ATP production, so it needs to be re-stored. Fatigue, cramps, muscle weakness,memory loss, depression, cancer… you musthave ATP in your body or else!

Statins also inhibit the biosynthesis of vi-tamin K2, which we manufacture if we havehealthy intestinal gut flora. Do you? I don’tknow anyone who has a perfect gut.

K2 comes from fermented veggies. It pro-tects our arteries from calcium plaques oratherosclerosis. Without enough K2, statin-induced or not, we are compromised.

Today, we know statins also block veryspecial, powerful proteins known as seleno-proteins because they contain selenium. Themost famous of those is called glutathioneperoxidase, which protects muscle tissuefrom free radical damage (oxidation).

Your heart is the busiest muscle in yourbody. It has to work 24/7. Your heart musclecells are ‘burned’ from all the oxidation (dueto the impairment of selenoprotein biosynthe-sis), and this is a factor in congestive heartfailure. This reminds me of Keshan’s disease,

which is heart failure due to low selenium. If you have to take statins, please use the

lowest dose possible. Be diligent about puttingback the nutrients that statins interfere with,such as coenzyme Q10, selenium and vitaminK2, along with other heart-healthy nutrients.

However, there are exceptions to takingthese nutrients, so ask your doctor (yes,the same one that gave you the statin).

This is a classic case of drug mugging(where a medication depletes essential nu-trients), so I hope you will consider replen-

ishing some of the affected nutrients, espe-cially if you have uncomfortable or newsymptoms. Talk to your physician aboutdosages of these vitamins, because this is ahighly individual matter.This information is opinion only. It is not

intended to treat, cure or diagnose your con-dition. Consult with your doctor before usingany new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and

the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist. Tocontact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

DEAR PHARMACISTBy Suzy Cohen

An important warning if you take statinsC O A C H E L L A VA L L E Y B E A C O N — A P R I L 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health 11

May 2, 2015 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Stay connected with us! www.cvwd.org

Toast to Tap WaterLet’s celebrate Drinking Water Week!

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Coachella Valley Water District

By Christopher J. GearonPeople enrolling in traditional Medicare

should buy a supplemental insurance policyto cover the substantial gaps left by de-ductibles and co-payments, according toconsumer advocates. But choosing a private Medigap plan can

be daunting.That’s what Joyce Katen discovered

when she turned 65 last May. “I got so confused,” says Katen, a clothing manufac-turing consultant in New York City. Sheturned to the Medicare Rights Center(www.medicarerights.org), a consumergroup that helped her choose a policyamong numerous offerings.Like others approaching age 65, Katen

first needed to decide how she’d protectherself against Medicare’s large coveragegaps. Most beneficiaries have two options. They can go with a private Medicare Ad-

vantage plan, which covers all Medicarebenefits, provides drug coverage and limitsout-of-pocket costs. Or they can opt for tra-ditional Medicare and buy a separate Medi-gap policy and a Part D prescription-drugplan.For Katen, that decision was easy. Advan-

tage plans restrict your selection ofproviders, and Katen said she wanted to beable to use any doctor she chooses, as tra-ditional Medicare allows.

Filling in the gapsThen came the hard part for Katen:

choosing a supplemental insurance policy.

Medigap policies are sold by private insur-ers in 10 standardized benefit designs,named A through N. With some excep-tions, coverage and price generally in-crease as you move up the alphabet.Plans C and F are held by a majority of

the 9 million Medigap beneficiaries. Bothpay the deductible for Medicare Part A,which covers hospital costs, and for Part B,which covers outpatient costs. The de-ductible for Part A is $1,260 for each benefitperiod in 2015, and the annual Part B de-ductible is $147. (Plans E, H, I and J are nolonger sold, but if you hold one, you cancontinue to keep it in most cases.)To figure out which policy is best for you,

consider your “health status, family med-ical history and risk tolerance,” said CaseySchwarz, policy and client services counselfor the Medicare Rights Center. Healthier beneficiaries who rarely need

medical care may be best suited for high-deductible plans. Plans K and L are high-deductible policies that have lowerpremiums but impose higher out-of-pocketcosts. Plan F also offers a high-deductibleversion.But new beneficiaries should not choose

a plan based solely on their health today.As long as you buy a Medigap policy withinsix months of enrolling in Part B, an in-surer cannot reject you or charge you morebecause of medical issues. However, if youbecome ill and want to switch to a plan withbetter coverage, an insurer can boost thecost or turn you down.

Katen decided to go with the fully-loadedPlan F. Katen, who is healthy, said shewould rather pay more for comprehensivecoverage and not worry about footing thebill if she gets sick.“I can’t imagine not having the cover-

age,” Katen said. She pays UnitedHealth-care, which sells policies under the AARPname, a monthly premium of $261, in addi-tion to the monthly $104.90 Part B pre-mium she pays to Medicare.

Find a plan that fits your needsDepending on the plans offered in your

area, Plan N could be a middle ground formany healthy beneficiaries.“Plan N provides very good coverage

and is more affordable than Plan F,” said Ross Blair, senior vice president ofeHealthMedicare.com, a division of onlinebroker eHealth Inc. Plan N provides much ofthe same coverage as Plan F, but it doesn’tcover the $147 Part B deductible. It alsocharges a $20 co-payment for doctor visits anda $50 co-payment for emergency room visitsthat don’t result in hospital admissions.In New York City, UnitedHealthcare of-

fers a Part N plan for $178 a month, com-pared with Katen’s $261 premium for PlanF. Katen could still come out ahead withPlan N if she had two emergency room vis-its and 40 visits to the doctor.Once you choose your plan category, it usu-

ally makes sense to go with the company of-fering the cheapest price for that plan. Underfederal law, all plans offered under the same

letter must offer the same benefits. Prices forthe same policy can vary widely, however. Forexample, annual Plan F premiums range from$1,752 to $3,768 in Rockville, Md., and from$2,472 to $6,552 in Miami.

Three pricing methodsBesides checking the initial premium, ask

the insurer which of the three pricing meth-ods it uses for the plan you’re considering.

Attained-age pricing bases the pre-mium on your age when you buy the policy,with rates rising as you grow older. Premi-ums can also increase because of inflation.With issue-age pricing, the premium is

based on the age at which you buy the pol-icy (the younger you buy, the less expen-sive), and it will not change as you age,except for inflation.

Community-rated policies charge thesame price to everyone regardless of age,and your annual premium can only increasefor inflation.“We would encourage going with a com-

munity-rated plan, with an issue-age planbeing the next best thing,” Blair said. Hecompares attained-age policies to variable-rate mortgages, which start off at a lowprice but can escalate considerably.To understand how your costs may

change over time, ask for a three- to five-year rate history for each policy you’re con-sidering. Also ask for quotes as if you wereage 70, 75 and 80.

The ABCs of picking a Medigap policy


MoneyMUTUAL FUNDS REOPEN Some closed funds are opening, but doesthat mean you should invest?

TECH STOCKS SOARTech stocks are flying high, and theyaren’t expected to crash like in 2000.

SIDESTEP PROBATEPlan your estate carefully to avoid pro-bate’s costs and delays

CONSISTENCY COUNTSThree stable mutual funds that reliablydeliver results

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Some insurers will offer discounts — fornonsmokers, for women and for those whohold several policies with the company, suchas homeowners and auto insurance.While companies in most states can con-

duct medical underwriting if you apply for aplan after the initial six months are over, thereare some exceptions. You can buy Medigapcoverage without underwriting if you’re in aMedicare Advantage plan and you move outof its service area, or if your insurer stops sell-ing the Medigap plan you currently have.

Another exception is if your retiree healthcoverage from a former employer ends. Andsome states, such as New York, prohibit un-derwriting after the six-month period.To compare policies in your area, visit

www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan/ques-tions/medigap-home.aspx. To get addi-tional help, get in touch with your localState Health Insurance Assistance Programthrough www.shiptalk.org. You’ll find rules in your state by visiting

the website of the National Association of In-surance Commissioners (www.naic.org).

© 2015, Kiplinger. All Rights Reserved.Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Matt SedenskyAmid a profound shift in America’s demo-

graphics, advocates for seniors pressed forchanges on long-term care, retirement se-curity and elder abuse as the White Houselaunched a series of forums on aging. The late February session in Tampa was

the first of five nationwide that will mold thetopics addressed later at the White HouseConference on Aging — a once-a-decademeeting that has led to change on every-thing from senior housing to Social Security. In opening panels, speakers focused on

four key areas: ensuring that seniors havethe financial means to sustain retirement;promoting healthy aging; providing long-term services and supports; and protectingolder Americans from financial exploita-tion, abuse and neglect. Participants representing government, ac-

ademia and social service agencies also camewith pet issues of their own, and closed-doorafternoon meetings were expected to begingenerating possible solutions.

Caregiving policy soughtGeriatric social worker Monica Stynchula

of St. Petersburg said she hopes for a na-tional caregiver policy to supplement theFamily and Medical Leave Act, which shecalled “grossly inadequate.” “We need something that goes beyond

that,” she said. “It’s happening in each ofour families today. It’s just too important.” The first White House Conference on

Aging in 1961 helped lay groundwork forMedicare, and featured addresses fromPresident Dwight D. Eisenhower and Pres-ident-Elect John F. Kennedy. Four succeed-ing conferences in the decades thatfollowed led to other legislation affectingseniors and the creation of the Senate Spe-cial Committee on Aging. This year’s events come as baby boomers

— the 78 million Americans born between1946 and 1964 — are reaching eligibility forSocial Security. But decades of stagnancy onkey issues facing older adults and the per-ception of a paralyzed Congress left someparticipants skeptical about what change theWhite House conference could actually stir.

Will Washington take heed?Kathy Black, a geriatric social worker

and professor at the University of SouthFlorida at Sarasota-Manatee who attendedthe Tampa forum, said the conferencemight be more a symbolic gesture than anagent for change. Aging advocates, she said, are not only

dealing with a dysfunctional Washington,but a public skeptical of government over-reach and a host of other national problemsthat garner more attention amid relativelyaustere budgets. “I don’t have high expectations about

what policy goals might be accomplishedfor older adults in the next decade,” Blacksaid, “though the needs are great.” However, Cecilia Munoz, director of the

White House Domestic Policy Council, saidshe believed the issues being raised couldyield bipartisan support. “These are issues that are very deeply

personal as well as deeply nonpartisan,”

she said. “The notion that we should be fo-cused on things like retirement security,long-term care and healthy aging simplyshould be beyond partisan politics.” Bevan Rogel of Tampa said the discus-

sions are useful even if they don’t bringmajor legislation, simply to get people talk-ing about the issues and debating solutions. “We don’t always have to look to the

president or our Congress to solve theproblems that we have in our world,” saidRongel, founder of Encore Tampa Bay,which helps people transition into new jobslater in life. “We can look to our local com-munities, to our state government.” Other forums are planned for Phoenix

on March 31, Seattle on April 2, Clevelandon April 27, and Boston on May 28. A datefor the formal White House meeting hasnot yet been set.

— AP

COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — A P R I L 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money 13

White House aging forums call for action

ABCs of MedigapFrom page 12

THINKING ABOUT RETIRING? A pre-retirement resource fair starting at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April23 will be held at the Riverside County Office of Education, 47-

336 Oasis St., Indio. There will be presentations by CalSTRS counselors and Cal-RTA. Representatives include AARP, HICAP, the Office on Aging, local seniorcenters, and more. Snacks will be served and prizes [email protected]

BEACON BITS

Apr. 23

By Stan ChoeThe velvet rope is dropping in front of

more mutual funds. Some smaller corners of the market have

stalled recently, even as the Standard &Poor’s 500 index closes in on its recordhigh. That means some fund managers areonce again welcoming new investors, afterthey had closed their funds years ago tonew money. More than a dozen mutual funds have re-

opened their doors over the last year, ac-cording to data compiled by Morningstar.The number doesn’t include funds that

have partially re-opened — those that stillbar new entrants but allow longtime in-vestors to add more money.

Why funds reopenFunds reopen to investors when they’re

looking for new cash to invest. That usuallycomes after assets have shrunk becausetheir corner of the market has broadlystruggled or because the fund’s managershave made poor investment choices. In2008, when the financial crisis sent globalmarkets plunging, at least 46 mutual fundsreopened to new investors.

The funds that have reopened over the lastyear cover a grab bag of categories, includingnatural resources and dividend-paying stocks.But more than a quarter of them focus onsmall-cap stocks, which hit a wall last year.Small-caps had their worst performance in 16years relative to large-cap stocks. “You look at the market as a cycle, and

there tend to be times to sow and times toreap,” said Buzz Zaino. He’s the lead port-folio manager of the Royce Opportunityfund, which has closed twice since 2003,when the small-cap market was hot andbuying opportunities were scarce. It hasalso reopened twice, when the market wasdown and cheap stocks were easier to find. Analysts generally see it as a sign of

good stewardship if a fund closes beforegrowing too large. A bigger pile of assetscan mean more fees for fund managers, butit also forces them to use it. Stock pickerscan run out of ideas they feel strongly aboutif they have too much cash. Another danger for small-cap stock funds

in particular is that a fund could build up toobig a stake in a single stock, which makesselling later on more difficult.

An open and closed case studyOne of the latest funds to reopen is the

Perkins Small Cap Value fund, which has asilver analyst rating from Morningstar. The fund closed to new investors in 2010

when a rush of interest was pushing itsasset level higher. That’s because the fundeasily beat competitors for three straightyears through 2009 by focusing on high-quality, small-cap stocks that hold up betterduring downturns. Since closing, assets for the Perkins

Small Cap Value fund have shrunk toroughly $1.7 billion from a peak of close to$3.5 billion. Its investing style held it back

in the years following the financial crisis,when low-quality stocks surged. The fund lagged the average return for

its category in 2010, 2012 and 2013. Thenin 2014, small-cap stocks stalled due to wor-ries they’d become too expensive relativeto their earnings. In mid-2014 the fund began considering

reopening, said co-manager Justin Tug-man. The slowdown for small-cap stocksmeant that valuations were looking more at-tractive, and the fund’s managers saw morepotential buying opportunities. Another co-manager of the fund, Tom

Reynolds, said that in the past six to ninemonths, the team has been analyzing 10 to 15new stocks a week as potential purchases. The fund reopened to new investors at

the start of the year.

Is it a good idea to invest?So, does it pay to invest in a newly re-

opened fund? One consideration is that it’stypically a contrarian investment. Fundsusually reopen only after struggling,whether that’s due to the market they focuson or their own missteps. The best-case scenario may be the Tweedy,

Browne Global Value fund. Since reopening in2008, it has produced an annualized return ofroughly 5.5 percent. Over the same time, theaverage foreign, large-cap value stock fund haslost 0.1 percent annually. But it’s close to a flip of a coin as to whether

the fund will outperform its peers. Among 226mutual funds that have reopened to new in-vestors since 2000, 112 have gone on to do bet-ter than the average fund in their category.That’s almost exactly 50 percent. Another consideration is that a newly re-

opened fund could close if it gets hot andassets run up again.

— AP

14 Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com A P R I L 2 0 1 5 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON

Some closed mutual funds are reopening

ENJOY DINNER TO HELP CATHEDRAL CENTER The Cathedral Center will host a fundraising spaghetti dinner tobenefit the center’s outreach and activities departments at 5 p.m.

Saturday, April 25. Tickets are $15. Reservations should be made by Friday, April17 at (760) 321-1548. Dinner includes salad, spaghetti and meatballs anddessert. Music, live and silent auctions are scheduled. The center is at 37-171 W.Buddy Rogers Ave., Cathedral City. Cathedralcenter.org

TALK ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON IN TOWNPalm Desert Councilwoman Jan Harnik and Assemblyman ChadMayes will host free “Donuts & Discussion” at 9:30 a.m. on the

first Tuesday of the month through July at Joslyn Center. Topics will focus on PalmDesert issues. Joslyn Center is at 73-750 Catalina Way, Palm Desert. (760) 340-3220, joslyncenter.org

BEACON BITS

Apr. 25

Ongoing

By Stan ChoeWhenever you hear, “this time is differ-

ent,” the wise move is usually to ignore it. But when it comes to technology stocks,

which are flying at levels unseen since thedot-com boom was about to go bust, mutual-fund managers are insisting that this timereally is different. And they’re largely right. The Nasdaq composite index is trading

near its record level set in 2000, but thelofty level is better supported this time.Tech companies are more profitable, andthey’re paying dividends. Analysts are judg-ing them based on how much cash theygenerate rather than how many eyeballsthey attract on the Internet. And investors are now only mildly inter-

ested in tech funds, instead of clamoring forthem. That means fund managers don’t ex-pect a repeat of what happened the last timethe Nasdaq was this high, when the indexwent on to plunge nearly 80 percent in lessthan three years. And strategists along Wall Street, from

Goldman Sachs to Deutsche Bank, saytechnology remains one of the more attrac-tive sectors of the market.

Check out big, older stocksTo be sure, warning signs are flashing that

the overall stock market may be too expen-sive. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index is trad-ing at close to its highest level in a decaderelative to its earnings. And particularly high

valuations for pockets of the tech sector aremaking bargain-hunting investors wince, suchas the hot social-media and big-data arenas. But fund managers say big, well-estab-

lished tech stocks still look ready to delivermore gains. Consider Paul Meeks, who may have

more reason than anyone to steer clear. In2000 he was running the Merrill Lynch In-ternet Strategies fund, which launched thesame month that the Nasdaq peaked. Thefund started with more than $1 billion in as-sets, but lasted less than two years beforeit merged with another fund as the dot-combubble deflated. “I learned from the lashes on my back,

from making mistakes,” Meeks said.

He’s now portfolio manager of the Sex-tant Growth fund, which can invest instocks from any sector, not just Internet-re-lated companies, and can sell stocks andmove into cash if things look too expensive. But Meeks still keeps a big chunk of his

fund in technology stocks, about 25 percent atthe end of last year. Some of his biggest hold-ings include Apple and Facebook. The fundranked in the top 17 percent of its category in2014, Meeks’ first full year at the helm.

It’s not the year 2000 Among the reasons managers say tech is

much better positioned now than in 2000:

C O ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — A P R I L 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money 15

*Offer is valid on select homesites where purchase agreements are accepted by Del Webb by 4/30/2015 at Sun City Shadow Hills only and are subject to change or withdrawal at any time without notice. Incentive is up to $10,000 in total incentives $5,000 towards options and $5,000 towards closing costs. Closing cost offer available through participation in the Preferred Buyer Rewards Program which includes financing through Pulte Mortgage LLC. Buyers participating in the Preferred Buyer Rewards Program receive a credit at closing of up to $5,000 for credit toward payment of approved closing costs. The buyer is responsible for paying closing costs that exceed the incentive amount. Any unused incentive amount is the property of Del Webb, and may not be applied to purchase price. Offer may not be redeemed for cash or equivalent. All loans are subject to under-writing and loan qualifications of the lender. Rates, terms, and conditions are subject to change without notice. Pulte Mortgage LLC is an Equal Opportunity Lender Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. NMLS Entity Identifier 1791. www.pultemortgage.com (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). Residency requirements at this community require that at least one resident of household must be 55 years of age or older and additional restrictions apply. Some residents may be younger than 55. Homeowner association fees

required. Prices shown are estimated base prices, do not include lot premiums or option and are subject to change without notice. Community association fees are required at this community. Additional information regarding these fees can be found in the DRE public report or a separate fact sheet on facilities available at the sales office. Images are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be an actual representation of a specific community, neighborhood or any completed improvements being offered. This material shall not constitute a valid offer in any state where prior registration is required other than California or if void by law. Offers and availability subject to change or withdrawal without notice. Homes subject to prior sale. See a Del Webb sales associate for details. © 2015 Pulte Home Corporation. All rights reserved. Pulte Home Corporation is a licensed California real estate broker (lic.#00876003) 3/26/2015.

THE SUN SHINES JUST A LITTLE BRIGHTER HERE.

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Thrive, with amenities and programs designed for creative social, physical and intellectual fulfillment. Enjoy both a Championship Golf Course, and a Par 3 Course. These aren’t just new homes to live in, they’re a whole new way to think about living.

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Tech stocks soar in a strong resurgence

See TECH STOCKS, page 16

NEED HELP, ADVICE, MORE INFORMATION?

Senior Advocates of the Desert representatives offer appoint-

ments for Joslyn Center members starting at 10 a.m. the first and third Wednes-

day of the month. Call Joslyn Center at (760) 340-3220 to make an appointment.

Help is available regarding subsidized senior housing, transportation, utilities, food

stamps, Social Security, disability benefits, Medicare, MediCal, SSI, veteran’s ben-

efits and in-home support services. Joslyn Center is at 73-750 Catalina Way, Palm

Desert. More Information: (760) 202-1024, www.saotd.org

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

Profits are bigger. Tech companies slashed costs to im-

prove profitability after the dot-com bubbleburst. “Tech spent the better part of the lastdecade in its own private recession,” saidJosh Spencer, portfolio manager of the T.Rowe Price Global Technology fund. “Techfrankly kind of grew up while nobody waslooking at it.” The sector is reaping the benefits. Tech

companies kept about 18 cents of every $1in revenue as operating profit last year,more than any other sector and nearly dou-ble the average for the S&P 500.

Valuations are better. The price of a stock generally depends on

how much profit a company generates andhow much investors will pay for it. Becausetech companies are earning much morenow than in 2000, their price-earnings ratioslook much more reasonable. Cisco Systems,

for example, trades at 18 times its earningsper share over the last 12 months, versus270 times in March 2000.As a group, technology stocks are among

the least expensive in the market. Only thetelecom and financial sectors have lowerprices relative to their expected earnings.

Dividends exist. In 2000, dividends were seen as a sign of

weakness. Investors wanted all available cashto fund more growth. Perceptions havechanged. Technology is now the biggest div-idend payer of the 10 sectors that make upthe S&P 500, and has a yield of 1.5 percent.

Investors are more skeptical. In 2000, investors scrambled into tech

stock funds, and the demand pushed valua-tions ever higher. Investors are now morecircumspect. They put a net $1.8 billion intotech mutual funds and exchange-tradedfunds over the last year, according to Morn-ingstar. That’s less than went into suchniche categories as global real estate orgold mining stocks. Of course, the growth potential that tech-

nology stocks offer also comes with bigprice swings. New technologies are con-stantly making older ones obsolete, leadingto more volatility. During the dot-com bubble, people were

too exposed to something that should havebeen a sideline to their portfolio rather thanthe core, said Meeks, who said he, too, lostmoney when the Merrill Lynch InternetStrategies fund fell. That’s why managers suggest keeping

tech stocks as only a portion of a diversifiedportfolio, not as its centerpiece.

— AP

Tech stocksFrom page 15


Please patronize our advertisers.

DO YOUR POTTEDPLANTS KEEPDYING?

Learn the in’s and out’s of container

gardening at a lecture at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 20 at the Palm

Springs Library. The speaker will be a

master gardener. The library is at

300 S. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs.

(760) 322-7323, www.palm-

springsca.gov

WARM UP THOSE DANCE SHOES

Desert Swing Dance

Club offers lessons from 6 to 7 p.m.

and open dancing until 9 p.m. on

Tuesdays at the Pavilion Ballroom,

401 S. Pavilion Way, Palm Springs.

Cost is $12-$13. (760) 777-7722,

desertswingdanceclub.com

BEACON BITS

May 20

Ongoing

Probate is a process by which propertyis distributed to a decedent’s beneficiaries.In most situations, it is time-consuming, of-fers no benefits, and can re-sult in expensive, avoidablelegal expenses.In probate, the will is filed

with a local court; the dece-dent’s property is identifiedand appraised; debts are paid;challenges to the will’s validityare adjudicated; and the re-maining assets are distributedas the will specifies.Normally, probate takes ap-

proximately up to a year, oftenlonger. The executor ap-pointed in the will is responsi-ble for hiring a probate attorney, whenrequired. Even with a modest estate, attorney fees

can be substantial. Probate costs vary bystate, but you can expect them to be ap-proximately 5 percent of the value of prop-erty in the estate.

Steering clear of probateThere are ways to avoid probate, and it’s

in the interest of your heirs to investigatethese options. An excellent source is 8 Waysto Avoid Probate (Nolo) by Mary Randolph,

J.D. Here are a few strategies.• A living trust. A living trust is a revo-

cable trust, meaning you can change it atany time while still living. Youspecify the beneficiary of anyassets in the trust agreement,as you would in a will. Afteryour death, the assets go di-rectly to your inheritors withoutprobate and without a waitingperiod. You can name alternatebeneficiaries.Court challenges to living

trusts are rare. It is generallymore difficult to challenge a liv-ing trust than a will in court. A living trust does not elimi-

nate the need for a will. Almostno one transfers everything to a trust. Any as-sets not transferred to your trust won’t passunder the terms of the trust agreement. Youcan use a “pour-over” will directing any re-maining property be poured over into yourliving trust.A disadvantage of the living trust is that

is more work, and more expensive, to cre-ate and maintain than other probate-avoid-ance alternatives. Although it is the mostflexible way to avoid probate, not everyoneneeds one. Ask your attorney.

• Naming a beneficiary for your re-

tirement accounts. When you establish aretirement plan, you will be asked to namebeneficiaries (and optional alternative ones).You may change beneficiaries at any time upto your death. A will does not override ben-eficiary elections you make on these forms!Any beneficiary changes must be made onthe forms associated with your retirementaccount. If you have a named beneficiary,the accounts will not go through probate.

• Payable-on-death accounts. Bankaccount assets, including certificates of de-posit, can easily be kept out of probate bysimply designating them as payable-on-death and telling your bank the name ofyour intended beneficiary. Your beneficiarywill have immediate access to the fundsafter your death.

The only disadvantage is that you can’tname an alternate beneficiary. So if youroriginal beneficiary dies, advise your bankto change the beneficiary.

• Transfer-on-death registration forstocks and bonds. Unless you live inLouisiana or Texas, you can name someoneto inherit your stocks, bonds or brokerageaccounts without probate.

• Property held in joint ownership.The following ways to own property in jointownership avoid probate: joint tenancy withright of survivorship; tenancy by the en-tirety; and community property with rightof survivorship (applicable only in fivestates). Ask your attorney for advice.

© 2015 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed ByTribune Content Agency, LLC.

Plan ahead to avoid probate’s costs, delays

THE SAVINGSGAMEBy Elliot Raphaelson

COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — A P R I L 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money 17

FUN IN THE SUN

Desert Theatreworks will present the comedy, Psycho Beach

Party, at 7 p.m. Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18 and at 2 p.m. Saturday,

April 18 and Sunday, April 19 at the Arthur Newman Theater at the Joslyn Center,

73-750 Catalina Way, Palm Desert. (760) 980-1455, www.dtworks.org

TAKE A PEEK AT ARTISTS’ STUDIOS, HOMES

A self-guided tour from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 18 will

take visitors into the homes and studios of Rancho Mirage

artists. Organized by the city’s Cultural Commission, the second annual event is

free. To participate, start at the Rancho Mirage Library, 71-100 Highway 111, the

day of the event to register and pick up a map and pass.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

Apr. 18

By Nellie S. HuangSlow and steady wins the race in the

world of mutual funds, which translates intoconsistently good performance. Below areour three picks of top-notch, low-minimum,no-load funds that score high on the consis-tency meter.

Homestead Small-Company Stock(symbol HSCSX), a member of theKiplinger 25 (our list of the best no-load mu-tual funds), is the most consistent fund onour list. It outpaced its benchmark in 69

percent of rolling 12-month periods over 10years, compared with just 54 percent for theaverage small-company fund. The fund’s managers prefer businesses

they understand, so the fund is heavy withindustrial stocks (25 percent of assets at lastreport) and light on technology (just 11 per-cent of assets). Holdings range from the rel-atively familiar Cracker Barrel Old CountryStore to such obscure names as Rofin-SinarTechnologies, which makes lasers for in-dustrial uses.

Dodge & Cox International Stock(DODFX), also a member of the Kiplinger25, relies heavily on teamwork. Its nine co-managers zero in on firms with good bal-ance sheets, attractive growth prospectsand executives who act like owners — andstocks that trade at bargain prices. The process has delivered steady results.

In the fund’s 13 full years of operation (in-cluding the first 11 months of 2014), itlagged the EAFE index in only two calendaryears. International Stock’s turnover ratiois 13 percent, implying that holdings stay inthe fund for an average of nearly eightyears. That’s an eternity compared with thetypical foreign stock fund, which holdsstocks for less than two years, on average.

Fidelity Contrafund (FCNTX). Man-ager Will Danoff is set to mark 25 years atthe same fund in September. Since he tookover Contra in September 1990, the fundhas delivered an annualized return of 13.4percent, beating the S&P 500 by an averageof three percentage points per year.

Danoff has always been a growth-orientedinvestor, but over time, he says, he has be-come more willing to invest in businessesthat are improving and less interested in pay-ing crazy prices for growth. He still keeps aneye out for established companies that havean edge (think Gilead Sciences and Nike).He also looks at newly public companies,such as Alibaba and Facebook, that hethinks can generate earnings growth in anykind of economic environment. And he’s learned to focus on his best

ideas. He has dialed back a little on thenumber of holdings in his portfolio, eventhough Contra’s assets total $111 billion. Inthe mid-1990s, it held some 700 stocks. Atlast report, the fund held just 289 stocks.

Nellie S. Huang is a senior associate editorat Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.Send your questions and comments to [email protected]. And for more on thisand similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com.)

© 2015 Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; Dis-tributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


Three mutual funds that you can count on

Please tell our advertisers, “I saw you in the Beacon!”

COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — A P R I L 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon 19

TravelLeisure &

The Queen Mary 2 crosses the Atlanticin style. See story on page 21.

By Jamie Lee PricerScenery on Interstate 15 heading to San

Diego south of Temecula offers avocadogroves, hints of fog from the coast creepingup through the hills, Lawrence Welk’ssprawling time share resort … and castleturrets on a hilltop that show just enoughto jar the imagination.If you have a few minutes to spare or

need a place to stretch your legs, this isyour spot.No dungeon here, but rather an under-

ground wine cave at the Chateau DragooCastle, the thematic venue building at the 3½-acre Belle Marie Winery.

First, the wine.A small winery, it produces 4,000 to 5,000

cases a year of about 30 different wines.Grapes grow in Northern, Southern and BajaCalifornia, including more than 74 varietals.Fermenting is done on site in 600-to 2,000-gallon tanks. Wine is aged in barrels made ofoak from many countries. That’s for “addi-tional complexity,” says owner Jeff Lazenby. A set of linked one-story buildings across

an inviting lawn from the castle hold pro-duction, a wine tasting room, offices andrestrooms. “We like to think we are less intimidating

than the bigger wineries,” says Lazenby.Standing behind a wooden bar and pouringsamples, he says “there are no stupid ques-

tions, ask anything.” A tasting of six wines runs $10. Full bot-

tle choices of dry whites to off-dry whitesto reds include sauvignon blanc, Riesling,pinot noir and blended varietals ($20-$28).A new release this season, the 2003 BelleMarie Chocolate Mocha, a tawny-style portfor dessert, is priced at $40. Belle Marie’s wines are not distributed

to stores. You can buy them at the wineryor by mail order.

Then, the scene for relaxing.Once a citrus grove, the winery property

pays tribute to its past. When it was built in2000 as many trees as possible were kept.Guests are welcome to pick fruit in season.In January, thousands of pale orange lo-quats were ripe for harvest.Guests are also welcome to bring picnics

and enjoy the shaded and sunny picnic ta-bles and gazebos. You can buy non-alco-holic drinks in the wine tasting room.Children are welcome to scramble about onthe lawns.

And, the castle.Chateau Dragon Castle holds four tasting

rooms, a wine cave and serves principally asan event center for weddings, meetings andthe like. It’s not usually open to the public. Itdoes, however, provide a lovely backdrop toany experience at Belle Marie.

If you goWhat: Belle Marie WineryWhere: 26-312 Mesa Rock Road,

EscondidoHours: Tasting room 11 a.m.-5 p.m. dailyDirections: From the Coachella Valley

heading to San Diego on Interstate 15

south, take the Deer Springs Road exit. Gowest to Mesa Rock Road. Make a left at thefirst stoplight onto Mesa Rock Road. Followfor about ¼ mile. Entrance to the winery ison the right-hand side, just past entrance toPlant World Nursery.

Info: (760) 796-7577, www.bellemarie.com

What’s with the castle on Interstate 15?

Chateau Dragoo Castle serves as an event center for the Belle Marie Winery in Es-condido.

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By Beth J. HarpazSnow rooms, better Wi-Fi and a contin-

ued emphasis on specialty food and drinkare some of the trends for cruising in thenext year or two. The industry that put skating rinks and

waterslides on ships keeps “coming up withfunky, cool things — that wow factor,’’ saidFran Golden, who writes for Porthole.comand USA Today’s Experience Cruise site.

New shipsRoyal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas de-

buts in April with the same innovations thatmade a splash at last year’s launch of its sistership, Quantum of the Seas: robot bartenders,simulated skydiving, bumper cars, and an ob-servation capsule rising high above the sea.

Norwegian Escape arrives in Miami in

November with a snow room offering freez-ing temperatures for post-sauna invigora-tion. The ship’s showcase food and drinkincludes a Margaritaville restaurant, Mon-davi-brand wine bar, craft beer fromMiami’s Wynwood Brewing, and restau-rants offering tapas and Latin seafood fromcelebrity chef Jose Garces. Viking, the company known for river

cruises, is introducing an oceangoing ves-sel, Viking Star. With a capacity of 928, it’ssmall compared with megaships carrying4,000, but Viking says it will be destination-oriented, with more time in port around theMediterranean, Western Europe andNordic region. All-inclusive prices will covershore excursions, Wi-Fi, self-service laun-dry, wine, beer and specialty restaurants. Looking ahead to 2016, Carnival will

launch its first new ship in four years, Car-nival Vista, with the first IMAX theater atsea and two new thrill attractions: a 455-foot-long multicolored tube slide called a Kaleid-o-Slide, and SkyRide — a cycling ridesuspended from a track. A Family Harborarea offers more family accommodation op-tions, and a lounge hangout with large-screen TVs, games and concierge desk. Regent Seven Seas’ new Explorer ship,

also debuting in 2016, will have one of thelargest and priciest suites ever offered atsea. The $5,000-a-night, per person, RegentSuite will be 3,875 square feet, with grandpiano and private spa.

Itineraries and events Disney Cruise Line brings Frozen to sea

next summer with themed deck parties,

character meet-and-greets, menus and per-formances on select sailings. Disney Magicitineraries include the Norwegian fjordsthat inspired the hit movie. Cunard marks 175 years since its first

ship Britannia crossed from England toNorth America. Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 de-parts Liverpool on the same route July 4,the date Britannia departed in 1840. All 2015 Cunard sailings will host anniver-

sary events, such as themed balls. In May,all three Cunard ships — Queen Mary 2,Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria — willrendezvous for celebrations in Southamptonand Liverpool. An emerging trend identified by Cruise-

Critic.com editor Carolyn Spencer Brown

Cruises work to wow with robots and snow

See CRUISES, page 20

is expedition, or soft-adventure, cruising toplaces like the Amazon. Land-based tour companies like Lindblad

have long offered voyages to exotic desti-nations, such as Antarctica and the Galapa-gos. But now luxury cruise companies likeSilversea and Seabourn are getting into thebusiness. “That means the comfort level and so-

phistication level is going to rise, with morefood options, cabins with balconies andsuite accommodations,’’ said SpencerBrown, who recently cruised the PeruvianAmazon. “You won’t have to give up thecomforts of home to do these trips.’’ Cruise Market Watch says per-person,

per-day expenditures on 2015 cruises willaverage $222, including ticket price and on-board spending. That’s a 3.5 percent in-crease over 2014. But there are still bargains. CruiseCom-

pete.com has a webpage devoted to cruisesunder $300, including three-night trips on

Golden Princess and Carnival Imaginationstarting in California with stops in Mexico. Bob Levinstein, CEO of CruiseCom-

pete.com, advises “the absolute best dealsare going to be last-minute.’’ That doesn’tmean the week before the cruise, but six orseven weeks out, after final payments aredue for advance bookings. Last-minutedeals work best for folks with flexibleschedules who can drive to ports so theydon’t need plane tickets, Levinstein said. Bargain cruises are especially prevalent

in the Caribbean and Mexico due to anoversupply in the region, especially among“older and less attractive ships,’’ accordingto Rich Skinner, co-owner of Cruise Holi-days of Woodinville, a Vacations.com brand. But Skinner also sees “significant in-

creases to both Europe and Alaska prices.’’And some cruises now have “value-added’’prices where you pay more but get more in-cluded, like alcohol, gratuities or Wi-Fi.

Food and fitness Many cruise lines have partnered with fa-

mous chefs to appeal “to a foodie audience,’’

said Golden, of Porthole.com. Often the name-brand venues onboard are specialty restau-rants, so you pay extra, but still less than whatit costs to eat at the chef’s land-based restau-rant. (An exception, Golden notes: Guy Fieri’sburgers are free on Carnival ships.) Cruises are also offering more intense

fitness options, said Levinstein, like Norwe-gian Fight Klub, a cardio boxing program.People who are into fitness are wary ofcruising “because you eat all the time on aship,’’ Levinstein said. Cruise lines can

overcome those concerns with innovativeways to spend time at sea getting in shapeinstead of putting on weight. Wi-Fi on cruises has been expensive and

slow, but “there’s definitely a big push toimprove,’’ Levinstein said, especially onRoyal Caribbean and Carnival. Carnival ispiloting a social media package, with accessto sites like Facebook, Twitter and Insta-gram, for $5 daily or $25 per voyage. Youpay more for email, web-surfing or Skype.

— AP

20 Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com A P R I L 2 0 1 5 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON

Cruise ships are adding features, such as bumper cars on Royal Caribbean’s Quan-tum of the Seas, to draw younger passengers.

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KICK UP YOUR HEELSA DJ will play a variety of music at the April 22 and 29 Wednesday

Night Dances at the Pavilion Ballroom, 401 S. Pavilion Way, Palm

Springs. Group lesson starts at 6:30 p.m. with dancing to follow from 7 to 9:30

p.m. Admission is $5. (760) 323-8272, palmspringsca.gov

BEACON BITS

Apr. 22+

By Robert Friedman Aboard the Queen Mary 2, Roger

McGuinn, former leadman of the Byrds,sings a shanty of tough and tender times atsea. Then we adjourn to the ship’s ballroomfor a white-gloved serving of afternoon tea,finger sandwiches and scones with clottedcream, while a young woman with longtresses strums the harp.It’s a small part of another day aboard

the Cunard line’s 14-deck, 1,130-foot long,148,528-ton flagship during an eight-night,seven-day transatlantic crossing from NewYork to Southampton, England. The QM2is the only passenger liner that still makesregularly scheduled crossings, from May toJanuary.Departing at 5 p.m. from a new pier in

the Red Hook section of Brooklyn (today’shumongous cruise ships no longer fit com-

fortably beside the Manhattan docks), theliner carried a near-capacity 2,382 passen-gers and a crew of some 1,200 — a 1-to-2crew-to-passenger ratio.This wasn’t my first Atlantic crossing,

but it was for Donna, my companion, and Icould glimpse in her eyes the awesomewonder of an initial crossing. Since it was summer, the sea was mostly

calm, but the wind still whipped up littlesudsy caps as we cut through the true blue,and a huge reddish-copper sheet draped atleast one sunset sky. There were sunny days and foggy days,

rainy days and windy days, as the shipsailed on with just a slight rumbling swaybeneath our feet. A winter crossing could be a bit rockier.

Still, a New York Times article noted thatthe North Atlantic’s “heaving beauty ismesmerizing. It’s a volcano of sorts.” While there were some young families

aboard, seniors predominated on our cross-ing. Some had to traverse the decks andenter the dining areas, bars and theatersusing walkers or in wheelchairs. But theyall seemed to get around.Donna and I prefer being devoured by a

good book, watching movies and just walk-ing, rather than heavy socializing. We hadplenty of opportunities for those pastimes.The QM2 library is the largest at sea (over8,000 books) and the ship’s IlluminationsTheater not only shows movies afternoons

COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — A P R I L 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel 21

The Queen Mary 2 departs for the seven-day trans-Atlantic crossing from New Yorkto Southampton, England. It is the only passenger ship that still makes regularlyscheduled crossings between the major world ports.

PH

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Crossing the Atlantic in style on the QM2

See QM2, page 22

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and evenings, but also houses the world’sonly floating planetarium. We rounded the promenade deck every

morning after breakfast three times, equalto about a mile — and took long treks to findour way around the ship’s 14 decks. We alsolounged on padded deck chairs, taking inthe sun when it shone and the salty smell ofthe wind off the sea while reading our books

Activity bonanzaBut other onboard activities were so var-

ied and numerous, you just had to attend atleast a few.For Donna, daily watercolor painting

classes returned her to a love of making artthat had been interrupted over the years forlife’s mundane necessities, like making aliving and raising a family. I actually found myself Lindy hopping part

of one night away to “In the Mood” and other

swing classics, played by the ship’s big bandin the Queen’s Room, which the QM2 sayshas the largest dance floor in what is, ofcourse, the biggest ballroom at sea.And still the activities — more classic folk-

rock music by McGuinn; Q&A sessions withformer Star Trek helmsman George Takei;a one-hour breeze-through of Hamlet by theRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art; jazz ses-sions by Julliard School faculty and students;lectures on the lives and times of Hollywoodicons Cary Grant, Judy Garland and BetteDavis, with snippets from their films; corn-ball show-biz revues; a sublimely silly paradeof female passengers in their best, andworst, hats for the Royal Ascot Ball — andon and on till the midnight hour nightly.Bars galore, five swimming pools, a health

spa, hot tubs, a casino, and all sorts of meet-up groups — coffee klatches for lone travel-ers; Alcoholics Anonymous gatherings;get-togethers of Friends of Dorothy LGBT(supposedly named after gay idol Judy Gar-land’s Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz).

Some 30 passengers, all male, were shoot-ing the breeze and downing cocktails at onevery informal Friends of Dorothy meeting.Paul, an apparently successful middle-agedbusinessman from Palm Springs, Calif., saidhe frequently takes cruises and ocean cross-ings with his husband. He said that severalwomen have attended the once semi-secret,now-ubiquitous Friends of Dorothy get-to-gethers on most of these cruises. Paul introduced me to his husband Phil,

also a prosperous looking near-senior, “We’vebeen together 24 years,” said Paul, “and lastyear, finally, we were allowed to get married.”

Dining choices aboundWhile relatively few of the Downton Abbey

crowd had exclusive rights to a couple offancy dining rooms, the vast majority of pas-sengers dined in the double-deck BritanniaRestaurant, where the waiters snapped nap-kins onto your lap as soon as you were seated. There were also specialty restaurants (all

Asian, all Indian, all Italian, one operated by

celeb chef Todd English) for an extra $10 to$30 per meal. You had to buy your own wine,and you could order it at the table or pressthe “wine line” button on your cabin phoneand discuss your choice with a sommelier. The food and the service were mostly first-

class. There were two dinner sittings, at 6 and8:30 p.m. Donna and I chose the later one. Weappeared in the Britannia mostly only for din-ner, since we got up too late for the restau-rant’s breakfast, which ended at 9:30 a.m.Turning ahead the clock by one hour at noonon five days also messed with meal hours. But no problem. If you missed a Britannia

meal, the Kings Court, a busy cafeteria,served breakfast from 4 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.You did suffer the indignity of having to toteyour tray to a table. Lunch could also bepicked up there until 3:30 p.m., just aboutwhen tea time kicked in at the Queen’s Room.Whenever you entered a dining area, a bot-

tle of Purell was at the door, and in the firsttwo or three days, an attendant gave yourhands an extra spritz. That was to keep at baythe feared, highly contagious norovirus thathas spread among cruise passengers on sev-eral recent, highly publicized occasions. When Jack and Sylvia, our dinner com-

panions from Sarasota, Fla., found out thatDonna and I were from the Washington,D.C.-area, much political talk followed. Itwas lefties (us) against righties (them).Jack, a Dick Cheney lookalike, jokingly

dubbed us “limousine liberals” (my 1995Toyota Camry would be thrilled by the up-grade), and we pronounced Sylvia and Jackto the right of Rush Limbaugh. But guess what? We actually got along,

laughing a lot during meals and findingdeeper truths about one another than the po-litical corners we often push one another into. Note to Congress: It’s not that difficult.

All you have to do is eat, drink and laugh to-gether as you glimpse the sea sweeping bythrough the bay windows.At one lunch, we met Tony, a middle-

aged Londoner, who told us with a MichaelCaine accent that he was now spendingmuch of his time attending lectures and en-rolling in classes. “I just finished studyingabout 19th century British colonialism inSoutheast Asia,” he said proudly. When I told him I had lived in Puerto

Rico, and that many people there believethe island is a U.S. colony, Tony responded:“Six a one, ‘alf dozen of the other.” The large majority of the passengers

were Brits and Americans, but there werealso hundreds of Germans aboard, since theQM2 docked at Hamburg after its stop atSouthampton. While most of the Brits andGermans were going home after touring theU.S., for many of the Americans, the cross-ing was the first leg of a European visit. Our tablemates were sailing to Ham-

burg, where they would rent a car, drive toSwitzerland, then to France and possiblyVenice. “Time is not of the essence,” saidJack, who just turned 70. “What’s most im-portant is relaxing and enjoying ourselveswhile we travel.” Donna and I, both members of the

shrinking middle class, didn’t have to go

22 Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com A P R I L 2 0 1 5 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON

QM2From page 21

See QM2, page 23

into hock to make the trip. I found a greatdeal less than three weeks before the shipsailed — $699 for each of us — less than$100 a day for transportation to Europe, aninside “stateroom,” entertainment (exceptfor drinks), and food, food and food. Therewere even free launderettes on the cabindecks.Donna and I were ready for a vacation

and, remembering the good old days onocean liners, I looked up online “transat-lantic crossings.” The bargain fare was of-fered by Vacations to Go, a Houston-basedtravel agency. A couple of e-mails and wewere set to go. For another $40 per passen-ger, we booked with the agency bus farefrom Southampton to London, a two-hourride. The bus was waiting at the dock.Our 157-square-foot QM2 cabin was the

least expensive type on the liner, whoseother accommodations with balconies andeven duplex suites could range into thethousands of dollars per passenger.

We had a double bed, work table, TV,telephone, small fridge, and ample closetspace, already stocked with bathrobes andslippers. Not too much drawer space. Bath-room and shower, of course. For sevendays, it was cozy and livable, especially ifyou didn’t pack too much, which youshouldn’t.

Figuring out the attireFor the men, a suit and a sports jacket

should do, along with everyday wear, de-pending on the season. Since most of thetrip is through the North Atlantic, a sweaterand windbreaker are advisable, even inhigh summer. For women — well, how dressy do you

want to get in the evenings? The QM2’ssuggested dress code is probably the mostformal at sea. It is dressier than a cruise in,say, the Caribbean. During the day, people were in casual

clothes, including jeans and shorts. But at6 p.m., the dress code kicked in. While

there were no fashion police around to citeyou for being under-dressed, most of thepassengers got spiffed up for dinner. How veddy British was the trip? Well,

there were four formal dress nights on oureight-night crossing, meaning floor-lengthor cocktail dresses for the women and ei-ther tux or dark suit-and-tie for the men. Onthe other nights, guys had to wear jacketsbut could go tieless. If you wanted to go tie-less and jacketless on any night, you had todine cafeteria-style.Just about all of the room stewards and

much of the restaurant staff were from thePhilippines. Jose, our cabin guy, said weshould call him Joe. Juan, one of our wait-ers, introduced himself as Johnny. Internet service was available for pas-

sengers in a computer lounge. It was prettypricey. There were time plans ranging from$47.95 for 120 minutes to $167.95 for 480minutes. You could also pay as you go, 75cents a minute, which may be OK if youjust want to say a quick hello to the family.

But if you can’t remain Internet free forthe week (unfortunately, who can?) I sug-gest the 120-minute plan. We paid as wewent, and didn’t seem to be on line thatlong, but wound up with a $70 bill. I was able to receive and make calls on

my smartphone for $2.49 a minute. When you get the feeling, as you will at

times, that you are in a floating luxury re-sort, find a quiet place on a forward deckwhere you can smell the ocean, feel thewind on your face, and view the partingwaves, the flaking whitecaps, the endlesssea. You’ll get a sense of the journey — oneof life’s pleasures, unavailable on today’scramped, time-warping jet flights.Currently, the lowest price listed on Cu-

nard’s website for the crossing is $999 foran inside cabin. (Last-minute specials likeours may be available if you wait untilshortly before sailing and search online.)For reservations and more information

from Cunard, call 1-800-728-6273 or seewww.cunard.com.

C O ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — A P R I L 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel 23

QM2From page 22

it’s best to wait until full retirement age orage 70, when you have to start taking pay-ments. Of course that can depend on otherfactors — how much you have already savedfor retirement and other sources of income.3. How long do you figure you will live?

Life expectancy assumptions can figure intowhether you draw Social Security at 62, fullretirement age or 70. Your total lifetime pay-out depends on how long you live. The aver-age life expectancy in the U.S. in 2003 was74.8 years for men and 80.1 for women, or77.5 for both sexes, according to the Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention. If youmake it to 65, your life expectancy rises to anaverage of 83.4 for both sexes.4. Another option is claim now, claim

later. That lets you claim spousal benefitsnow and switch to your own benefit later.That lets you keep building up your SocialSecurity benefit as you receive paymentsbased on your spouse’s work history.5. Say that monthly check is just too

tempting at age 62, but you want to continueworking. You can, but you might run intothe Social Security “earnings gap.” That was$15,720 for 2015. If you were under full re-tirement age for the entire year, Social Se-curity would deduct $1 from your benefitpayment for every $2 you earn above thatannual limit. Starting with the month youreach full retirement age, you can get yourbenefits with no limit on your earnings.These are just the tip of the iceberg in

discussing types of Social Security pay-ments, which are expected to hit $1 trillionin fiscal 2016 for the benefit of about 66 mil-lion recipients.Social Security payments are the largest

hunk of the federal budget — about 24 per-cent in 2015 (Defense budget was about 20percent). To make sure you are get yourfair share of the pie, visit the Social Securityoffice or learn more at www.ssa.gov.

From publisherFrom page 2


By Bill MarcheseSomething surprising at the Arthur Lyons

Film Noir Festival in May is a “New film,only 25 years old,” which by Alan K. Rode’sstandards is fresh from the movie theater. Writer and film historian Alan K. Rode is

in his eighth year as producer and host ofthe Film Noir Festival. Founded by the latecrime fiction writer and Palm Springs CityCouncilman Arthur Lyons, the festival is cel-ebrating its 16th year, running May 14-17. The new film on opening night will be

Miller’s Crossing by the Cohn brothers.“This film put the Cohn brothers on themap as filmmakers,” Rode said. “Time mag-azine rated the film one of the 100 best. JonPolito, one of the actors “whose perform-ance was something to behold,” Rode said,is scheduled to speak after the screening. Most noir films scheduled for the festival

were made in the 1940s and ‘50s. In blackand white, they deal with crime, cops andalcoholic private eyes, gangsters in fedoras,women in stiletto heels and too much lip-

stick and everyone smoking cigarettes(even in hospitals).The films schedule below was tentative

at press time and the guest speakers sub-ject to availability:

May 14 7:30 p.m. Opening night, Miller’s Crossing,

1990The movie, which elevated Joel and

Ethan Coen to their rightful status as con-sequential American filmmakers, involvesProhibition-era mobsters squabbling overthe fate of a bookie. This noir stained mas-terpiece offers superb performances byGabriel Byrne, Marcia Gay Harden, JohnTurturro, Jon Polito, J. E. Freeman and Al-bert Finney. Special guest, Jon Polito.

May 15 10 a.m., They Won’t Believe Me, 1947 On trial for his life, Robert Young relates

his tale of woe with a litany of betrayals cul-minating in a shattering conclusion. WithSusan Hayward, Jane Greer and Rita Johnson1 p.m. On Dangerous Ground, 1951Hard, withdrawn city cop (Robert Ryan)

roughs up one too many suspects and issent upstate to help investigate the murderof a young girl in the winter countryside.Ida Lupino, Robert Ryan, Ward Bond.4 p.m., The Big Clock, 1948A classic suspense film, Ray Milland

races against time to clear himself of a mur-der amid the tyrannical scrutiny of odious

Arts &Style Members of Desert Storytellers listenas Jake Ellison tells a tale. See the con-tinuation of the cover story on page 26.

‘New’ movie to kick off Film Noir Festival

On Dangerous Ground with Ida Lupino and Robert Ryan

See FILM FESTIVAL, page 25

Please patronize our advertisers.

publisher Charles Laughton, who is fram-ing him for murder. Costarring MaureenO’Sullivan.7:30 p.m., Dillinger, 1945This biopic of America’s Public Enemy

#1 broke box office records and establishedthe King Brothers as Hollywood’s leadingcur-rate purveyors of post war outlaw cin-ema. With Lawrence Tierney and Anne Jef-

freys, who is special guest speaker.

May 16 10 a.m. Tomorrow is Another Day, 1951Released from prison, a man struggles to

adjust to the outside world but gets involvedwith a cheap dancehall dame. When her pro-tector is accidentally killed, they go on the lamtogether. With Ruth Roman, Steve Cochran.4 p.m., Panic in the Streets, 1950A frenetic Richard Widmark is a doctor

with only 48 hours to chase down disease-in-fected criminals with local cop PaulDouglas in seedy New Orleans.Directed by Elia Kazan. Debut per-formance by Jack Palance alongwith Zero Mostel, Barbara BelGeddes.7:30 p.m., Chicago Calling, 1951Dan Duryea gives his seminal

performance as a quintessentialloser who strives to sustain him-self during a prolonged family cri-sis. Duryea is perfectly matchedby child actor Gordon Gebertamid the location photography ofdowntown L.A. Scheduled guestis Gordon Gebert.

May 1710 a.m., Abandoned, 1949Gale Storm arrives in Los Ange-

les to hunt for her missing sister.With reporter Dennis O’Keefe sheuncovers a black market baby

ring. It gets gut wrenching when heavies Ray-mond Burr and Mike Mazurki are involved.Screen debut by Jeff Chandler.1 p.m. Hangover Square, 1945Victorian-era thriller of a young London

composer (Laird Cregar) with ominous gapsin his memory and unbridled love for dancehall tart Linda Darnell. Co-starring GeorgeSanders and Faye Marlowe. Guest speakeris producer and author Steven C. Smith.4 p.m., Thieves Highway, 1949One of the most satisfying of films noir

has war veteran turned truck driver Richard

Conte matched against venal producewholesaler Lee J. Cobb. Beautifully shot,acted and adapted by A.I. Bezzerides fromhis novel. Costarring Valentina Cortesa as astreetwalker with a heart of gold.

If you goWhat: Arthur Lyons Film Noir FestivalWhen:May 14-17Where: Camelot Theater, 2300 E.

Baristo Rd., Palm SpringsTickets: www.camelottickets.comMore: Arthurlyonsfilmnoir.ning.com

COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — A P R I L 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style 25

Film festivalFrom page 24

Dillinger with Lawrence Tierney and Anne Jeffreys

Chicago Calling with Dan Duryea

CR

ED

IT

The Desert Storytellers meet from 3:30to 5 p.m. the third Thursday of the monthat Joslyn Center, 73-750 Catalina Way,Palm Desert. There is no audition.

Dues: $25 a year.Information:Kathy Klug, (760) 333-3898National Stor ytelling Network:

www.storynet.org

“Last year I told the story of the lep-rechaun that asked me to return him to Ire-land, after I found him in my garden. At theend, a small boy came up and very seri-ously whispered, ‘Is that what really hap-

pened?’”Charter member Elaine Burnett, 87, na-

tive of a small mining town in British Colum-bia, raised her four children with made-upstories and has used those stories in threebooks of children’s fantasies called Patch-work Patio. “I hope my books will give childhood back

to children instead of guns and violence,”said the author, who once owned a clownstore and who has lived all over the world.Pamela Farr-Collaro, a 10-year-member

whose accent tells of her birth in England,reads stories based on her eventful life. Shewas trained as a BBC storyteller and was asinger in France, Spain and Italy. She haswritten 160 short stories, four books andtells animal stories to school children everyFriday afternoon.The group’s stories, which range from

real life adventures to fairy tales, are done

with voice inflections and hand gestures.Some members, like Farr-Collaro, read sto-ries they have written, with a great deal ofexpression. On the adventure end of the scale, story-

teller Jake Ellison stands up in front of theaudience of children and says, “I’m Jake thelocksmith every day.” Then he grabs a tallstaff and puts on a long, deep blue velvetrobe with gold trim. “But when I tell storiesI become Jake the Wizard.” Childrenscream as he adds sound effects to hisdragon stories.

26 Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com A P R I L 2 0 1 5 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON

StorytellersFrom page 1

Start with a simple tale with simple el-ements, something with a well-definedsingle theme and a good plot. Also,choose one with dramatic appeal, goodcharacterization and make sure it’s ap-propriate for the audience. Develop your own style. Will you tell

myths, legends of all kinds, fairy tales,

trickster stories, fables, ghost tales, herostories or epic adventures?Keep the storyline brief and stimulate the

senses so the audience is able to use theirimagination to feel, smell, touch and listen.You are painting word pictures so visualizewith sounds, tastes, scents and colors.

Source: www.storynet.org

Storytelling tips

For more information

CELEBRATE EARTH DAY

UCR Palm Desert will screen A Place at the Table, a documentary

about food insecurity in America at an Earth Day celebration starting at 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 22. Also featured: local vendors and healthy refreshments prior

to the film. The campus is at 75-080 Frank Sinatra Drive, Palm Desert. RSVP at

palmdesert.ucr.edu/programs/events.html.

STOCK UP ON SUMMER READING

Thousands of gently-used hard bound and paperback books will be

for sale at the Rancho Mirage Library’s Spring Book Sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 24 and from 9 am. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 25.

The library is at 71-100 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage. (760) 341-7323, ranchomi-

ragelibrary.org

LEARN MORE ABOUT GENEALOGY RESEARCH

Guest speaker Gary Fredericksen will discuss “Researching

Places” at a Saturday, May 2 free program from 10 a.m. to noon at the Palm

Springs Library. Host is the Palm Spring Genealogical Society. The library is at

300 S. Sunrise Way. (760) 322-7323, palmspringsca.gov

BEACON BITS

Apr. 22

Apr. 23+

May 2

COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — A P R I L 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style 27

(760) 324-4604 70201 Mirage Cove DriveRancho Mirage, CA 92270

www.vistacove.net RCFE No. 336408433

The only Adult Day Program in the Valley open seven days a week is growing with more options to meet your needs.

Introducing theDay Break Social Club

Be Social and Stay Active!

!e Day Break Social Club is a four-hour program designed for people with early-stage dementia.

From 9am to 1pm or Noon to 4pm. A full-day option is also available.

For Club Members For Caregivers

28 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com A P R I L 2 0 1 5 — C O A C H E L L A VA L L E Y B E A C O N

MODEL GRAND OPENING EVENT APRIL 25!

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April 2015 | Coachella Valley Beacon

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