Friday, April 30, 2010

Survey: Adult death rates lowest in Iceland, Cyprus






ICELAND: (Parc national de Skaftafell )


-2 This amazing 'blue' picture was taken on the longest day (21 June, 2009) in Iceland at 1:00 A.M. The person who took the pic said that it's is funny having light 24/7 but that they get used to it.

-3 Bathers soak in the mineral rich water of Iceland's Blue Lagoon near Reykjavik


-4 I've included a map of Cyprus - it's under Turkey. (Click to enlarge.)




-5 Cyprus view





Some of us have talked about how much we're looking forward to traveling in our retirement years, and this may seem like an odd way to lead into the idea of checking out other possible places to visit, or at least find out more about different places, but that's what happened to me after I read this article that I'm going to link. I decided to find out a little more about the countries the article refers to.

The article is about adult death rates (15-60 yrs. old) and where they are the lowest worldwide - which turns out to be in both Iceland and Cyprus. After reading it, I was curious about those two countries, which I didn't know much about, and looked up a little information on both.

I came across some stunning pictures, especially of Iceland, but actually found myself fantasizing more about visiting Cyprus some day (Ha! Probably because of the weather). I wasn't even sure where Cypress is, so I've included a map of the Mediterranean Sea, showing all the islands, including Cypress on the east side of the map, below Turkey.

Here's the story that researched adult death rates over a 40 year time frame: "In a survey from 1970 to 2010, researchers found a widening gap between countries with the highest and lowest premature death rates in adults aged 15 to 60. The study was published Friday in the medical journal, Lancet.

The findings are in contrast to the trends in child and maternal mortality, where rates are mostly dropping worldwide. Health officials have long thought if child deaths were decreasing and health systems were improving, adult deaths would similarly decline. But that's not what researchers found.

Only a few countries have cut death rates by more than 2% in the last 40 years: Australia, Italy, South Korea, Chile, Tunisia and Algeria. The U.S. lagged significantly behind, dropping to 49th in the rankings for women and 45th for men. That puts it behind all of Western Europe as well as countries including Peru, Chile and Libya.

...... some countries — like Australia and South Korea — were particularly successful in reducing death rates, ...... guessed better policies on things like tobacco control and road accidents might be responsible." 40-year world survey: Adult death rates lowest in Iceland, Cyprus

..... I didn't find out why these countries came out on top in reducing death rates, but I sure am struck by their beauty. It may be healthy there because they are both islands, and therefore more isolated from the rest of the world. It can't be climate that connects them in their similarities (at least not temperature), because one of them is a 'lot' colder than the other.

125 comments:

Anonymous said...

http://ct-carolssouthernspice.blogspot.com/2010/04/overflow-until-someone-has-better-idea.html?showComment=1272592937049#c3103595135062175800 "Sometimes it is like a folksy National Geographic."

Hi Jan, It's funny you said that last night, and I think more synchronicity (that Ivy has introduced us to), that I woke up thinking of places afar.

Anonymous said...

Awoke to 73 degrees this morning - I imagine you were just about the same Carol. Should turn out to be another sizzling summer.

Speaking of weather, someone was talking to me yesterday about how much they love traveling to Cancun. They said the temperature is always the same, warm - even in the winter, and that it's only about an hours flight from here.

We used to love to travel a little around Christmas time, preferably to warmer climate, and I'd love to go there this year around then, if Emma seems old enough to enjoy it by then. And my friend said it was inexpensive too.

You can just lay on the beach, and there are all kinds of activities, along with impeccable service where ever you go. He dis some scuba diving while he was there. It's been a long time since I've seen some really beautiful ocean front.

Anonymous said...

MQW over at TM said that In the new proposed finance bill, there will be an ' Office of Financial Research ' with a 500 million dollars cost to taxpayers - and it will/can monitor every banking transaction of every individual in the united states - then report directly to treasury. I looked it up, and sure enough it's true:

"The Senate Democrats' bill would create a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau within the Federal Reserve that would have power to police transactions between institutions that provide financial services and their customers." Banking regulation bill

Ivy Green said...

My favorite time to be in the far north is summertime. I was in Northern Scotland and in Finland in July...amazing to have daylight until after 11 pm and twilit skies all night long. I lot all track of time because my circadian rhythms were so skewed, but I loved it. It was go-go-go all day and all night. I came away saying those Finns make hay while the sun shines and the sun always shines!

Ivy Green said...

I happened to look at my passport today and saw that it expires tomorrow. I better do something quick!

Ivy Green said...

I had hoped to return to Dunnottar Castle in July to see the puffins nesting on the rocky cliffs upon which the castle was built. We couldn't even imagine how they accomplished the building of it.

That return trip won't be happening with Miss College's impending move to the PNW this summer. I will instead be helping to feather a nest of a different kind. What time is sunset in Oregon?

Dunnottar Castle

The ruins of the castle are spread over a 3-acre area virtually surrounded by sheer cliffs which drop to the North Sea 50 metres below.

Ivy Green said...

My lady hummingbird is visiting. I just realized my last replenishment of the feeder was done with a nectar solution that I accidentally made at four times the sugar content. Oops. They don't seem to be (burp!) minding.

I hope to post a link to a BWD article (my cover-to-cover issue) that cautions strongly against using red-dye coloring in your nectar solution.

Ivy Green said...

The season finale of the ancestry show is tonight. It is Spike Lee's story.

I must have missed one. I was waiting to see the one of Sarah Jessica Parker and her Salem Witch ancestress. I thought it was still-to-come. Apparently not.

Ivy Green said...

I have to run to the vet office. I forgot to pick up Meg's insulin on the way home. I have to make a special trip now, and I was just hanging around waiting for school to let out so I didn't get caught up in the golf cart brigade. lol

Carol said...

Nice post and pics there Chloe but is Iceland is our temperature tolerance range??? Also might be hard to do on a long weekend, huh?

Carol said...

Are you also on a Golf course Ivy?

In in the PNW, the summer days are long. Sun up early and stays up late. Very short days in the Winter.

Carol said...

I got a good look at the area of the oil spill. It is closer to the east end of La. It is threatening the wetlands near NO and looks to threaten Miss. and Alabama. I'm up from the west side of La.

Anonymous said...

"I will instead be helping to feather a nest of a different kind. What time is sunset in Oregon?"


Wow Ivy, that's going to be quite an adjustment, having your daughter living so far west of you. How great that you can be there to help nest her in. I'm sure you know she'll be in a 2 hour earlier time zone, but sunset should appear about the same, time wise, as it does here, or so I thought until I just read Carol's comment. Maybe I'm forgetting, but I don't remember the day being longer there. They do get a lot of sunshine, probably/maybe more than here though.

I bet you'll be visiting there quite often Ivy.

Anonymous said...

".... is Iceland is our temperature tolerance range?"

Definitely not Carol. That's why I had my eye more on Cyprus.

Cancun would work for a long weekend though, which is probably about the best I can hope for for quite a while.

Ivy Green said...

Carol,
Golf course in the neighborhood, yes, but no, our present house is not situated directly on the course. I had to choose between the golf course and the lake; I took the lake.

Ivy Green said...

In Maryland, though, our house sat on the second tee of a dog-leg right. Occasionally a golf ball would hit the house. No broken windows, but one time a runaway golf cart took off down the hill and made a direct hit on electric meter of the house, knocking out our electricity. The meter man said he'd never seen that happen before. He laughed his ass off the whole time he worked on it. Hubs said you couldn't hit that again like that if you tried. Funniest part was the golf cart "operator" was the wife of then-Miss Elementary School's pediatrician...they came running down the hill trying to catch up to the cart, shouting in Japanese. He ended up paying that repair cost with no questions asked.

I loved living on the golf course. I would sneak out there during non-playing times just to walk it.

Ivy Green said...

There is a lot of wild life that lives on golf courses. Most unusual that we had was a family of albino groundhogs. They were fascinating. Albinos have poor eyesight and you could walk right up to them before they could spot you. Not the safest, for you or them.

Ivy Green said...

I learned to recognize and love the frequent sound of golf balls thwacking off the side of trees. I was always grateful it wasn't my siding! lol

Ivy Green said...

Clhoe,
We are cheated of the benefits of daylight savings time. Because our time zone is gerrymandered, we get sunset before 8 pm even at the solstice. I hate that.

Ivy Green said...

Sorry, Chloe...you're not Clhoe! lol

Coreen said...

It's a really lovely spring evening, the start a good weekend...surprise...with a slight breeze, no more cold wind...

I guess you guys are already having summerlike
days/nights, but so far here its been a pretty
nice spring...

Ivy, hope you show us your lake one day....the
lake I drive by often also does not allow
'motor boats', it's called Canoebrook Lake....
and it is only for the residents surrounding it...

Before it slips my mind, Ivy you reminded me
of it...here's a group of albino animal photos.
some really cuties, (except for the reptiles)....

Albino Animals

Coreen said...

About animals and the impending gulf oil disaster...the news just did a piece about the
exxon valdez continuing problems...that there
is still many thousands of gallons of oil
under the ground along the alaska coast, that will be there for a 100 or so more years...and
of the 31 species of animals originally affected, 10 have come back completely, and
19 are well on their way...but it has been
20 years...

Ivy Green said...

Diamondback Terrapins are among the endangered species threatened by the Gulf coast oil slick. UAB biologists have been working to save them since 2004. There are 100 to 150 rare diamondback terrapins living in a marsh at Cedar Point, just north of Dauphin Island.

Diamindback Terrapins

Terrapin Wiki

jan said...

Ivy, the thing with Sarah Jessica Parker was on about 3-4 weeks ago. It is the only one I have seen. She discovered that she had a female ancestor that was accused of witchcraft but it came at the end of the Salem witch trials and so she escaped the hanging. SJP became very emotional over this. It was interesting.

jan said...

Our temps have plummeted. We even had snow flurries today.

Carol said...

Coreen, pic 15 is in the Calcasieu ship channel. That comes up to me. That's our famous pink dolfin.

jan said...

Chloe, beautiful pics of Iceland and Cyprus. Most interesting that these are the spots for longevity - I started to write the "longest livers" tee-hee. The pics really tempt one to try and visit there. I am always attracted by water.

John and I are celebrating our anniversary a few weeks early and going to Pagosa Springs this coming week for several days. They have some natural springs there and the hotel where we are staying advertises 18 pools with different temperatures. I can hardly wait. I am taking several bathing suits. I want to try all of them out. There are hiking trails so will be taking the camera and walking shoes. We have friends who have a vacation house there.

Anonymous said...

CBob reported over on TM that the Coast Guard was responding to another oil drilling rig accident near Morgan City, Louisiana today. I read the link, but it said it was minor.

"A 210-foot-long barge rig, which worked swampland and shallow water oil and gas prospects, was involved in Friday's incident, the Coast Guard said.

It had a 20,000-gallon diesel tank but carried only about 200 gallons of fuel when it capsized. Spill containment boom was put around it as a precaution, the Coast Guard said.

O'Berry said the rig was owned by T. Moore Services in Franklin, Louisiana" http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63T55Q20100430?

Carol said...

Thank sounds like a wonderful anniversery Jan.

That's awful about that barge rig Chloe.

Anonymous said...

"John and I are celebrating our anniversary a few weeks early and going to Pagosa Springs this coming week for several days. They have some natural springs there and the hotel where we are staying advertises 18 pools with different temperatures."


Jan, That sounds wonderful - like a dream come true for a swimmer like you. Does John swim also? Are you staying at your friends vacation house?

Anonymous said...

... oh Jan, I looked again and see that you are staying at the hotel with all those pools. That's even better.

Ivy Green said...

Have a wonderful trip, Jan. It sounds heavenly.

Ivy Green said...

Jan,
Thanks for the SJP update. Can't figure how I missed it when I was on the lookout. Maybe I can find a video. People are always talking about watching TV on their computer. But I have never done it.

jan said...

Ivy, I hope you can find it. I like SJP. What a career she has had. Did you know she played Little Orphan Annie on Broadway? She has managed to be famous and escape some of the awful hoopla from the press.

Chloe, John is a swimmer. He was a competitive swimmer in HS and college. He swam for Southern Methodist Univ. He has a bunch of medals and trophies from swimming. I was swimming several years before we met - but I swim for recreation and am not a good swimmer. I have my own made-up strokes. He laughs at me but not too hard cause he still likes to sleep with me.

jan said...

Carol, where are the pics with pic 15?

jan said...

"Because our time zone is gerrymandered"

Ivy, hate to admit ignorance, but don't know what this means.

jan said...

I heard the first bird was found that is affected by the oil spill was found in New Orleans today.

Carol said...

John's a smart man Jan.

It's in the pics that Coreen linked with the albino animals. It's the albino dolfin they've seen in the ship channel. That's down south from here, between me and the Gulf.

Ivy Green said...

Jan,
Geographically, we belong in the eastern time zone along with Georgia. They arbitrarily moved us into the central time zone - eastward - so the State would not be splintered time-wise.
It is 7:52 pm now and completely dark already.

Carol said...

It's dark here also Ivy and I'm farther west.

Ivy Green said...

Jan,
I didn't care much for SJP. I never watched "City" so I never got enamored of her. Until I saw her in the Christmas movie, "The Family Stone." That changed my opinion. I'm sure I will warm up to her ancestry story. I have liked all the stories, and I hope they make another season for the show. It's like a "reality history" show.

Ivy Green said...

The old photos of Spike Lee's white ancestors put me in mind of family photos my cousin located of the same era. We nicknamed them "The Uglies." There are two sons pictured in the same series of photos and they appear just as miserable as their parents. We're all glad none of us ever met up with any of them in a dark alley.

Carol said...

Why is it Ivy that when you go back several generations people where pretty ulgy. Almost like you're looking at semi cave people. Beauty must have done some rapid evolving in the last generation or so.

I've seen history programs where they talk about how striking someone from the past was and I'm just thinking, yeah, they could stike a match maybe.

Ivy Green said...

The Spike Lee slave-history story reminded me once again the institution of human bondage corrupts all it touches. The "owners" were equally "enslaved" by the system, economically, socially, and morally.

Carol said...

But then again, I do remember looking back at some of my pics from my younger years. They are pretty scary also.

Ivy Green said...

Carol,
I think so too. The state of photography required portrait subjects to not smile and remain motionless, but that doesn't account for all of it. Eye of the beholder, I guess.

Carol said...

Maybe it's all in the makeup. I still shake until I get mine on.

Ivy Green said...

My cousin posted a beach photo of herself at about age 20. Even she thought she looked gorgeous...now, that is. At the time, however, she says she distinctly regarded herself as "fat." Of course, she was slim as a rail.

Ivy Green said...

Carol,
All your photos you've posted are beautiful, past and present. Mary, too.

Carol said...

Thanks Ivy.

Ivy Green said...

Carol,
I think clothing and adornments made a lot of difference in the old days in how people were perceived. The average person only had a few articles of clothing which got quickly tattered or threadbare.

Carol said...

Sounds like my wardrobe Ivy.

jan said...

Carol, It would help me to read the info under the pictures. I found it. cool pic.

Ivy Green said...

It appears to be another year of nest failure for Pale Male and Lola, the legendary red-tailed hawks of Central Park. Not for want of human intervention. Maybe we should just go away and leave them alone.

Marie Winn's Hawk News

Ivy Green said...

I startled my mama bluebird on her nest today. Two days ago the finished-nest stood empty. I wasn't expecting anything when I opened the box. I don't know who was more taken aback, me or her. Once she flew off, I could see two blue eggs in the nest. I didn't see her come back. I hope I didn't give her a heart attack.

Ivy Green said...

Carol,
I think a lot of people back then were stinky and dirty too. Does that also sound like you? lol

jan said...

I too believe that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. People become more attractive to me as I know them if they have characteristics that I like. The reverse is true also. There is a woman I work with who when she first came to the nursing program was one of the prettiest women I have seen. But she is super controlling and wants everything her way - no negotiating with her on anything. As I have come to know her better, she seems less and less attractive than when I did not know her well.

Carol said...

Not me Ivy, unless I just finished weedeating.

Carol said...

BP had made no preparation for taking care of a disaster like this. They had said that having a disaster like this was virtual impossible.

Carol said...

Bill Maher

You know Bill ain't my favorite guy but he was spot on in much of this video. He gave his man, Obama, a little kick but Bill needs to take some of the responsibility because he helped get him there. He was duped. Admit it Bill. I dumped Bill and HBO because of it.

I'm kinda thinking that Obama has turned out to be another Bush but in a new color model. I kinda think our intuition told us that, huh? Oh, I did want him to be different but there were too many signs that there was something fishy going on and believe me I can smell something fishy.

Bill, let me educate you. There is not much difference between the Repubs and the Dems. When we get fed up with one party, we put the other one in but what has really changed??? Nada.

Chris Matthews was a real jerk on the show. I don't appreciate his Redneck Riveira comment, thank you.

Carol said...

You wanna know who my intuition was really feeling good about back during the debates? You might laugh at this one. It was Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich. There was something authenic about them. Something honest and down home. Something,...I'm in it for you, not for me, about them. I also knew they didn't have a snowball's chance in the Mississippi river of getting anywhere.

Carol said...

The turn around time for Karma seems to be getting fairly fast these days.

"Tiger Woods MISSES CUT At Quail Hollow In Rare Failure"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/30/tiger-woods-misses-cut-at_0_n_559298.html

Carol said...

And do you know what one of the things that most impressed me about Dennis K was? It was when he said the he saw a UFO once. An unidentified flying object. He didn't say it was a space alien, just a UFO. He knew the media would make fun of him for it. They always do, but he told the truth. We can't handle someone who has the guts to tell the truth.

Anonymous said...

" It was Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich. There was something authenic about them"

Carol, I think that's because they didn't have much to lose by telling the truth. Plus they weren't being directed on what to say, because no one was taking them seriously enough to try to control them.

I think Hillary would have made a magnificent president. Her (and Bill) would have accomplished so much, and had plenty of their own ideas - and that's why the high-ups decided to get them ousted as fast as possible. They were afraid of their power.

I think the reason she made mistakes during that campaign is because she was running against a sheister, and that made her try too hard. She almost did it - remember she got the majority of the actual votes. But it turned out she was up against a lot of hugely powerful people, including the media.

Hillary and Bill care about the people.

Carol said...

I did and do want to believe that Chloe. It was a good sign that there were so many afraid of her. If the establishment is afraid of someone, that's usually a good sign.

Anonymous said...

We're taking Emma to a play date this morning (to their favorite place to play, which is still the Mall play area). So I'm getting my rear in gear.

I'll check in when we get back - after lunch, so I won't need to cook today. Yipeee!

Carol said...

At the time that comment came in, we had a little Singapore star flashing Chloe.

Carol said...

Have fun Chloe.

Carol said...

Well, it's time to do my weekend chores. Yuk.

Mary said...

Buenos dias a todas,
Thought I might get Solar out of hiding with that greeting. Hope everyone is doing great. I am since I'm off for my long weekend.

Chloe, Love your post with the beautiful pictures. I hope I will get to travel some day. My dream is to have a small camper and travel up one coast and down the other. That way my dog could come with me.

Coreen, I also loved your post with the gorgeous cherry blossom trees. I put one of them on my computer for my background. In fact, the last 2 backgrounds were from pictures you posted so keep them coming.

Carol said...

Christiane Amanpour leaves CNN to go anchor the ABC Sunday morning program. I will have to check that out. I really like her.

Carol said...

She starts in August according to Google.

Ivy Green said...

We'll have just enough time to watch the Kentucky Derby and then run off to catch a stage performance of "Grey Gardens" that 's touring. Got no actual horse in the race, but I always enjoy watching Calvin Borel in action. Kentucky Derby is oldest continuous sporting event, with Westminster Dog Show being next.

Have fun, everyone who are travelling and even you arm-chair travellers.

Carol said...

Haven't looked at any of the horses but I hope there are some good mud runners.

Carol said...

From the looks of that track, they may need some good SCUBA divers.

Carol said...

The Ragin Cajun wins again!

Carol said...

That's our boy.

Carol said...

I was just reading that Calvin started his riding career at the track where I did a little moonlighting as the track nurse. It was a bit later than when I worked out there. The track is in the same town where my SF lives and mom lived.

Anonymous said...

"Have fun, everyone who are travelling and even you arm-chair travellers."

.... yep - arm-chair traveler, that's me.

Carol, That guy from Singapore up above, disguised his post with a link to some porn. I got curious as to why those dots were blue, so clicked on them, and sure enough they're a link. Ha, I went back and deleted my comment that told him to keep them coming.

Anonymous said...

I was surprised to hear Christiane Amanpour left CNN. I guess she really wanted to be an anchor, and ABC gave her the job she wanted - and CNN wouldn't (?) I'm not sure how cable compares to network in the the news peoples eyes - don't know what they consider more prestigious. Maybe it's network.

Carol said...

Could be how much they pay Chloe?? That's in reference to Amanpour.

That was good detective work Chloe. I did find the beginning of a blog for our visitor but there was nothing there yet. I didn't know dots were a link. Weird.

Anonymous said...

"My dream is to have a small camper and travel up one coast and down the other."

That sounds like a reasonable dream Mary. What you need to do is start working on it (in in your mind) now. That way, when the time comes, you'll have it all figured out, and be ready to go.

... an interesting concept that I ran across today: http://www.myjourneytogreens.com/ He talks about visualization through a few of the last posts.

I just thought the top framed pic on the sight ('not' the pic of the guy doing yoga, but the framed one underneath it.) that someone created was so cool.

I can never find art I like for my walls anymore, and have started hanging hugely enlarged photographs - Target does a good job enlarging them to poster size at a reasonable price. That pic on this side seems like a good one to strategically place on a wall that I stare at daily.

Anonymous said...

Probably doesn't matter on a link like that, but I felt kinda foolish telling him to keep them coming - LOL>

Carol said...

LOL Chloe. Keeps someone coming...

Anonymous said...

... should have said the pic on the 'sight' I linked looks good, not side.

Anonymous said...

Ha! That's one way to look at it Carol.

Carol said...

Well, I took care of that comment. We don't want someone shopping for that here.

Carol said...

How was playtime at the mall?

Anonymous said...

Good, now I forget how ironic it was that I said that, but it does make me laugh now.

Did you get your chores done today?
I gotta go get Emma tucked in for the night - I'll check back.

Anonymous said...

... Carol, We didn't stay that long. She got fussy pretty quickly, which is always a sign that she needs a nap. But she had fun, as always.

jan said...

Hi Everyone, little miss 8 y/o granddaugher had her first communion this morning. We went. There were 300 kids having their first "Body of Christ" this morning - 1/2 were boys. They were all so cute. The girls all in white like little brides - well they are "brides of Christ" You all will laugh at this - because of the large number they held the mass in an event center of one of the casinos here. I didn't get to see my GD's communion b/c I had a sudden bad case of heartburn - reflux. I had just had a hugh choc covered donut that I woofed down, and then finding the place was a stress - and then the crowd - and I was excited. Put that all together and it spells STRESS - which causes the reflux. I took a zantac and it finally worked but I had to go find a quiet place to get the pain and reflux to stop. Fortunately, Miss first communion's dad filmed it all so I will be able to see it.

Carol said...

Oh, sorry Jan that you had that experience. Ya gotta watch those choc donuts. Instead you shoulda had a pound of chicken fried cubed steak and another pound of broccoli like I did. It was good but ohhhhhh the pain.

I love that chicken fried cubed steak and don't have it often but I was rewarding myself for eating so healthy. I think I undid all my progress.

Carol said...

Jan Leno had a little trouble with his stand up tonight at the correspondent's dinner. I wonder if someone who was pissed at him was running the audiovisuals tonight. They weren't working very well.

jan said...

Mary, I too think your dream is a reasonable one. If I weren't married I would join ya. I have wanted to do that too.

Chloe, your day with little Em sounds delightful.

You will appreciate this Chloe. When I was having this horrible reflux/heartburn, I went out to the hall way of the event center - they had some chairs set up out there. The only people out there were moms and babies and little children. I was watching the little ones who were just learning to walk waddle around and after a while of watching the kids I noticed my heartburn was gone and I did not feel stressed any longer.

when a mother breastfeeds, she releases oxytocin, a hormone that has a calming effect. She will often go to sleep while breastfeeding. The same hormone is released during orgasm for a woman. It causes uterine contractions. Some women have orgasms while breastfeeding.

jan said...

Carol, your dinner was certainly more nutritios than my donut. well, the broccoli was - but I don't know about anything chicken fried???

jan said...

I have no idea why I told you all about oxytocin and breastfeeding. I am a little slap happy tonight and am having "flight of ideas."
guess I better go to bed.

Carol said...

Jan, as soon as you retire, we'll have to get used to it. It's the need to teach. I understand it. Also I think you might be hankering for a little of that oxytocin which relieves stress. Hope you got some.

And don't knock that flight of ideas. I do it all the time. That's what I call pondering and that's what this place if for.

Carol said...

And speaking of getting screwed, I'm going with the flight of ideas Jan, Coreen, do you ever practice any litigation law? I think we should file a little class action suit against Goldman and others. I think it wouldn't be too difficult to find a jury who would stick it to them. Might be some easy money for ya.

Carol said...

Ya see Coreen, I was a victim, as were most of you. A very responsible person trying to prepare for retirement. Instead of buying lots of nice stuff, I was putting all my money away so I could take care of myself in my old age. Those guys robbed me, along with millions of others. Yes, it was their fault.

Others were allowed to be wreckless with their money, making investments they couldn't afford to make, these guys were selling those investments and betting they wouldn't make it, and we, the responsible were paying for it. Is that the American way, rip off the responsible?

Carol said...

How was Grey Gardens Ivy?

Coreen said...

Mary, nice to see you are managing the night shift...

Sorry about the chocolate doughnut Jan...I do
like donuts, strawberry jelly are my fav, but,
they don't like me...

Ivy, the grey gardens play....similar to the HBO show.....did you enjoy it...

Coreen said...

Carol,

You probably would have a better chance at being a part of the BP oil spill class action
suits that are gearing up as we speak....

I share your frustration with your loss of
your nest egg funds...that so many have experienced...it is taking quite some time for
any investments to get anywhere near back to
what the initial loss was...

As far as everyone paying for the careless mistakes of many who should not have been
in the home mortgage market...there is just no
way to balance this in a resonable way...

Carol said...

"GULF STREAM MAY SEND OIL SPILL UP EAST COAST"

Huff Post

Solar said...

Chloe,

Nice information on this thread.! I forgot but i think that the longest living people are in Costa-rica, or Pannama..or someplace like that.

Iceland did come in on that study also as having some of the longest living apes-us. the studies all found that where ever these people were found, what made them so healthy was their diet; they ate a lot of greens with a little meat for proteins ...what one eats is the key to the length and quality.....and of course....exercise.!! and U know who im talking about..............

Maria, not hiding, just on a 18 hr work schedule...recently picked up some work and decide to work long hrs...in the past I did not do this, b/c i never wanted for work and turned some of it down....not anymore will work long hrs to finish early, and be available for anything that comes up......oh I love it when U talk Spanish in my ear....like Mortisha in the Monsters......

The oils spill......want to see who is going to pay for it.....capitalism, or socialism......bet we end up pick up most of the bill.!! Mother earth will be the loser...going to be a very big loss of life.!

Solar said...

Sorry that should be the Munsters....Lily?....and Yevonne decarlo was a fox.!

jan said...

Hi folks, sorry I have not been too responsive on here lately. I will be off line for a few days. Will check in as soon as we return.

I will miss checking in with you all. I could upload the blog on John's computer - but I kind of like having you all to myself. Please stay safe all of you. I will miss you. Love to all.

Ivy Green said...

Carol and Coreen,
This production of "Grey Gardens" was a version of the Tony-winning Broadway musical that was based on the 1975 documentary film. The HBO film with Drew Barrymore was more dramatic and true to the actual story. Both left me feeling dark and somber because it is a story of disillusionment on the road from riches-to-rags. The HBO-film offered a glimpse of "redemption" for Little Edie at the very end; the stage production does not. Still, I'm glad I went. Carol, it would not be your cup of tea, I daresay.

Carol said...

Ivy, there is enough disillusionment available in real life without having to find it in our entertainment. I prefer pleasant things to occupy my spare time and to distract me from the misery.

Carol said...

BTW, you have some red, yellow and green stuff heading your way.

Carol said...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/dairy-free-dairy-6-reason_b_558876.html

Interesting article about why milk is not good for you. Who know's whose right?? Since I don't drink much milk, I kinda like this information.

I found particularly interesting:

"Contrary to popular belief, eating dairy products has never been shown to reduce fracture risk. In fact, according to the Nurses' Health Study dairy may increase risk of fractures by 50 percent!"

"Studies of calcium supplementation have shown no benefit in reducing fracture risk. Vitamin D appears to be much more important than calcium in preventing fractures"

"Our bodies just weren't made to digest milk on a regular basis. Instead, most scientists agree that it's better for us to get calcium, potassium, protein, and fats from other food sources, like whole plant foods -- vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and seaweed."

Anonymous said...

"vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and seaweed"

I like everything on that list except the seaweed Carol. Maybe that's good right now - it'll probably be a little fatty for a while.

Anonymous said...

Jan, We're going to miss you more. Make sure you take pictures and mental notes to share with us.

Have a great time!! - and Happy Anniversary!

Carol said...

I was figuring that Jan was hitting the road when she said bye. If not, yes, do have a great time. No doubt she will. Hope she gets indulge in some of that oxytocin.

Anonymous said...

Solar, Sorry to hear you're working such long hours, but glad that you have the choice to make. Make hay while the sun shines.

I agree with you that health is all about the food you eat - that, and clean water and clean air. Exercise too... oh, and how we deal with stress.

Anonymous said...

I figure Jan probably was hitting the road too. Just left the message in case she checks in. Sounds like a nice trip.

Anonymous said...

... low stress.

Ivy Green said...

Carol,
That's why I said it would not be your cup of tea...or any other beverage to your liking.

Carol said...

Ivy, I have this problem of letting misery, even if fictional, distant, and/or not mine, get to me. You must have the ability to observe those kind of miseries without allowing them to affect you emotionally or ... you're a glutten for punishment. Which is it, if you care to share?

Ivy Green said...

I'm not a glutton except for maybe Blue Bell.

Ivy Green said...

Carol,
It's observing the journey of recovery or renewal that uplifts me. If there's no recovery in the story, it's just an unrelenting cycle of misery. But with recovery, it becomes a story of hope and inspiration.

Anonymous said...

"You will appreciate this Chloe. When I was having this horrible reflux/heartburn, I went out to the hall way of the event center - they had some chairs set up out there. The only people out there were moms and babies and little children. I was watching the little ones who were just learning to walk waddle around and after a while of watching the kids I noticed my heartburn was gone and I did not feel stressed any longer."


Jan, You probably have left on your trip, but I missed this very nice post when I was here earlier. Stress causes me physical problems too, and I'm glad to hear that the little ones brought you back to center. It is such fun to watch them, when they're in the 'waddling' stage, and they are so cute - well, it helps you remember/realize the things that are 'really' important. Before you know it, those new little grand babies of yours will be into that 'waddling' stage too.

I think you are going to be soooo much happier after you retire Jan. I know you're already happy, but you have so much more stress trying to do every thing you do, and to also have so many demands at work. Once we start figuring out which things are most important in the big theme of thing, then it's nice to be able to make the time to concentrate on those things.

Carol said...

I've been to Glenwood Springs a couple of times. It's west of Denver, not far from Aspen. I met some of my family there. There are two large mineral spring pools there, one 104 and another 90+. It's nice but it does stink because of the minerals. It's neat to swim in those hot pools when it's cold outside. Also nice to get a massage there.

Carol said...

Did anyone see Conan on 60 Minutes? What surprised me is how naive Conan seemed to be about how ruthless the business he is in can be. I couldn't choke up any real sympathy for him.

Carol said...

More concerned with the Gulf wildlife and the poor people who make their living catching seafood in the Gulf. They've banned fishing from La to Florida.

Anonymous said...

"More concerned with the Gulf wildlife and the poor people who make their living catching seafood in the Gulf."

I agree Carol. This whole mess is just horrible and so sad - and keeps getting worse.