If you have ever wanted to spend your retirerment years on your own private island, here's your chance

Heiress Puts Two Thimble Islands Up For Sale

By Kenneth R. Gosselin On August 28, 2012 ·

A wealthy heiress who has spent $35 million since the late 1990s amassing a collection of nine of the Thimble Islands off Branford is now putting two of them up for sale.
Christine Svenningsen late Monday listed Jepson Island and the larger Belden Island for sale — the first time an entire island in the Thimbles has been for sale in at least the past five years, agents at William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty in Madison, which has the listing, told me.
Island ownership isn’t for everyone, and these will certainly cost you.
Jepson Island — about a third of an acre with a 1,000-square-foot, contemporary-style house — carries an asking price of just under $2 million. The house has extensive decking wrapped around the house and clamming beds that go with the property. Svenningsen paid $1.4 million for the island in 2003, property records show.

Belden Island in the Thimbles off Branford is for sale with an asking price of $3.9 million. Photo Courtesy of Shoreline aerial photography.

Slightly to the west, Belden Island, at just over an acre, features a 4-bedroom, 2-bath colonial built in 1912 that includes original board and batten wainscotted walls and ceilings and gas lights. The house also has wraparound porches; the grounds have a new dock. Read More.

History of the Tootsie Roll

The Tootsie Roll story began in 1896, when Austrian-born Leo Hirshfield opened a tiny candy shop in New York City. Taking full advantage of his confectioner’s background, Hirshfield hand-crafted a variety of products, including an individually wrapped, oblong, chewy, chocolate candy that quickly became a customer favorite. Sold at a penny apiece and affectionately named after Hirshfield’s five-year old daughter, Clara, whose nickname was “Tootsie,” Tootsie Rolls propelled Hirshfield’s modest corner store into burgeoning candy enterprise that has evolved in little more than a century into the multinational corporation, Tootsie Roll Industries.
Strongly adhering to Hirshfield’s original recipe, Tootsie Roll Industries today produces more than 62 million Tootsie Roll candies each day, the majority from its Chicago headquarters. Building on the success of Tootsie Roll and its early offspring (the company launched Tootsie Pops, the world’s number one-selling lollipop, in 1931), the company has expanded over the years and now includes 22 of the world’s favorite candy brands within its confectionery lineup.
With annual sales approaching nearly half-a-billion dollars, Tootsie Roll Industries is recognized as one of the world’s largest candy producers. Its 100-plus years of unprecedented growth and expansion is a direct result of a keen focus on the basic fundamentals that launched Tootsie Roll into a worldwide success among every age group, culture, and demographic: relentless hard work; an unyielding commitment to quality; and a humble, socially responsible, family-run corporate culture.

The 116-year-old company is run by one of America's oldest CEOs,  Melvin Gordon, a bespectacled man in his 90s who has headed the company for 50 years. He runs it with his 80-year-old wife, Ellen.

 Learn more about Tootsie Roll Industries  Read More

Protecting and enhancing your vision with internal sunglasses

(ARA) - As we age, the quality of our vision can change, and for most of us that entails wearing glasses, contacts or maybe even undergoing surgical procedures. But did you know that your vision can improve through nutrition and supplementation?

The back of the eye contains a film called macular pigment. This film is made up of two pigments: zeaxanthin (zee-uh-zan-thin) and lutein (loo-teen). These macular pigments function like "internal sunglasses" that protect and enhance vision. The beautiful thing about internal sunglasses is that you can build them by eating a lot of the right fruits and vegetables or by supplementing your diet with eye vitamins.

Thicker macular pigment offers protection of the photoreceptors that are responsible for vision. Remember in science class when you learned about rods and cones? Rods are responsible for peripheral vision, and cones are responsible for central vision. Unfortunately, harmful blue light comprises visible light waves that can damage these photoreceptors in the back of the eye, as opposed to the ultra-violet (UV) range of the light spectrum, which can affect the cornea, or the front of the eye. And even though the eye contains millions of rods and cones, they don't replenish themselves once they die. So, it is smart to be proactive about healthy vision and protect what you already have.

Dense macular pigment can also improve your vision - from driving a car to reading to playing tennis. Science supports that higher amounts of zeaxanthin and lutein can improve the ability to see fine details, decrease sensitivity to bright light, increase recovery time from glare and enhance contrast sensitivity - the ability to see objects that may not be outlined or stand out clearly from the background. Contrast sensitivity declines with age - this important function helps people clearly recognize steps and other obstacles. Improving this condition alone becomes very important as one-third to one-half of the elder population falls at least once per year, and the risk of falling increases with age.

Baby boomers are aging at a rapid pace, but the way they are aging is unprecedented. Older Americans are working longer, staying more active, engaging in more hobbies and interests and value their independence like no generation before them. So, if you have difficulty adjusting to bright light, reading in dim light or driving a car at night, increasing your macular pigment or internal sunglasses might be just what the doctor ordered - literally.

Eight milligrams of dietary zeaxanthin per day improved vision in 60 veterans with early Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), according to Stuart Richer, a doctor of optometry and leading expert on nutrition and eye health, who recently published the results in the Zeaxanthin and Visual Function (ZVF) Trial, and follow-up clinical paper, "Macular Re-pigmentation Enhances Driving Vision in Elderly Adult Males with Macular Degeneration." These patients experienced an 8.5 letter improvement on an eye chart, improved ability to discern between shapes, blind spots were eliminated and a significant percentage experienced improved driving vision.

While lutein is readily available in many fruits and vegetables, zeaxanthin is much more difficult to obtain in the average U.S. daily diet. Zeaxanthin is found at a natural two-to-one ratio to lutein in the center of the macula (the fovea) where the cones responsible for central vision are located. To protect and enhance these photoreceptors, macular pigment can be increased by eating vegetables like kale and corn, but currently less than 10 percent of calories on average are derived from fruits and vegetables while the recommended amount is 50 percent. One would have to consume approximately 20 ears of corn per day to equal the amount of dietary zeaxanthin found in eye vitamins like the EyePromise brand of nutraceuticals.

Next time you experience discomfort from night driving, bright light, reading in dim light or an activity that encompasses fine detail, think about your internal sunglasses. Zeaxanthin and lutein make up your macular pigment, so give your eyes what they need most through a diet rich in fruits and vegetables including spinach, kale, corn and peppers. If you cannot consume enough fruits and vegetables, consider taking an all natural supplement containing high levels of dietary zeaxanthin and lutein.

4 Bodily Signs You’re About to Have a Heart Attack

Your body may warn you of a heart attack — days, weeks, even as much as a month before an attack strikes.

Recent research from Duke University Medical School indicates that up to 60% of people fail to recognize they are having a heart attack. And these so-called “silent” heart attacks are associated with a shockingly high risk of death.

According to the government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many Americans fail to act on heart attack warning signs. Sadly, too many victims die because they do not know the most dangerous warning signs that a heart attack is near.

And because statistics show a clear link between a delay in heart attack treatment and death or disabling heart damage, it’s essential to know exactly what your heart is trying to tell you.

Fortunately, renowned cardiovascular expert Chauncey Crandall, M.D. has prepared a free video presentation: These 4 Things Happen Right Before a Heart Attack. This powerful video reveals some of the most ominous warnings of unrecognized heart attacks. Read More.

Five tips for choosing a nursing home

 (ARA) - Transitioning to life in a nursing home can be difficult, especially after living independently. When thinking about the next step for yourself or a loved one, it is important to consider how the quality of care you receive will affect your health and well-being. It's helpful to plan ahead, consider all your long-term-care options, and make good financial plans early.

Here are five tips for choosing the nursing home that is right for you or your loved one:

Determine if a nursing home is your best option
Depending on your needs and resources, you may have other long-term-care options available to you. For example, you may be able to get the services and support you need in your own home or in other types of community housing. If you're in a hospital or working with a home health agency, a discharge planner or social worker can explain your options and help arrange your care. You can also talk to your doctor, family members, friends, neighbors or clergy to get additional opinions on long-term care options.

Find nursing homes in your area
If you or someone you know has access to the Internet, visit Medicare's Nursing Home Compare at www.medicare.gov/NHCompare to help find nursing homes in your area. You can search by nursing home name, city, county, state or ZIP code. If you do not have access to the Internet, your local library may be able to help you find the information on Nursing Home Compare. You can also call 800-MEDICARE for further assistance.

Your area agency on aging can also help you choose a nursing home, as well as help you and your family plan for long-term care. Contact the U.S. Administration on Aging to get in touch with your area agency on aging by visiting the Eldercare Locator at www.eldercare.gov or get information by calling 800-677-1116.

Compare quality of care
It's important to compare the quality of care that nursing homes provide in order to find the home that meets your needs. Nursing Home Compare has a five star quality rating system for certified Medicare and Medicaid nursing homes that indicates meaningful differences between high- and low-performing homes. On Nursing Home Compare, you can evaluate the nursing homes you're considering by clinical quality measures, staffing, and health and fire safety inspection results.

Visit potential nursing homes
After comparing the quality of care provided by nursing homes in your area, it is important to visit the homes you are interested in to see if you would be comfortable and happy living there. Nursing Home Compare provides maps and directions to listed nursing homes. The easy-to-use information provided by Nursing Home Compare can guide you in talking to nursing home staff about the quality of care they provide. Medicare provides a great Nursing Home Checklist that outlines things to look for - and key questions to ask - when visiting potential homes.

Consider your needs
When you have all the information about the nursing homes you're interested in, consider which ones will best meet your personal needs. Think about location and proximity to family and friends, availability and when you can move in, any cultural or religious preferences you may have and other personal factors important in creating a comfortable living environment.

If you're helping a loved one choose a nursing home, keep the person you're helping involved in making the decision as much as possible. People who are involved from the beginning are better prepared when they move into a nursing home.

All the resources mentioned above can be found at www.medicare.gov/nhcompare or by calling 800-MEDICARE (TTY 877-486-2048). To objectively compare other types of health care providers such as hospitals or home health agencies, visit medicare.gov/qualitycarefinder.

How to help your garden survive a drought

 (ARA) - For many American gardeners, 2012 has not been a kind year. Most of the Midwest is dealing with one of the worst droughts on record. And while the Midwest is bearing the brunt of the drought this year, other parts of the country have also been hit hard in recent years, and climate change may be making matters worse. Since a drought can strike any year, anywhere, it makes sense to come up with a sustainable plan for helping your garden survive through the driest summers.

Whether you're in the middle of a drought-stricken area or are simply looking for ways to upgrade your garden to handle a lack of moisture in coming seasons, now is a great time to embark on some improvements that can help your garden use water more efficiently and effectively.

Watering effectively

When it comes to watering your garden, how you water is just as important as how frequently you water, especially during a drought. Think of it as providing the proper serving size of water for your plants. Over-saturating your garden can lead to soil and important nutrients running off your garden, along with wasting precious water. The most efficient way to irrigate is to apply lower volumes of water at a slower rate to allow the plant to absorb it properly.

Timing's important too. Watering early in the morning is best because water will evaporate faster in the midday heat. If conditions are extremely hot and dry, it can also be beneficial to give your plants a little water in the late afternoon to relieve their stress.

Micro-spray and drip irrigation can help you water more accurately and effectively. Drip irrigation allows you to apply water directly to the root zone of your plants, which is where they need it most. Water isn't wasted on areas where nothing is growing, which both saves water and reduces erosion.

The great thing about drip irrigation systems such as those offered by Mister Landscaper (misterlandscaper.com) is you don't need to bring them in for the winter, making mid- to late-season installation practical. The American-made Mister Landscaper systems can also be placed on a timer, so you don't have to worry about getting up at dawn or rushing home at night after a hot and dry day to water at the optimal time.

Keeping water on your property

When water is scarce, you want to make sure that when the rain comes - or when you have the sprinklers on - that your garden is able to use as much of it as possible. Here are a few tips for making the most out of the water that falls on your property:

* Attach a rain barrel to your gutter system so you can save and use the water that runs off your house. Some irrigation systems, such as those offered by Mister Landscaper, can be connected to rain barrels so you can really use that water efficiently.

* Put back into your soil what you take from it. Adding compost or other organic matter periodically can help amend dry soil to retain more water.

* Adding mulch around plants once they've sprouted can also help you conserve water. The benefit is two-fold as a layer of mulch can prevent weeds from sprouting up and stealing water from your plants and it can also keep your soil cooler to slow evaporation.

Weathering a drought is less than ideal for any home gardener. But if you are able to water more effectively and adopt a few gardening practices that will keep your soil from drying out rapidly, you can keep your garden going strong even when the rain is hard to come by.

Medical identity theft rising: Steps to protect yourself

(ARA) - Two million Americans fall victim to medical identity theft each year, according to a study by the Ponemon Institute, commissioned by Experian's ProtectMyID. While medical identity theft costs victims an average of $22,346, the potential impact can be far greater - medical identity theft could cost some victims their health, or even their lives.

Medical identity theft involves the theft of personal information - such as your name, Social Security number or Medicare number - to obtain medical care, purchase drugs or submit false claims to Medicare. The crime can damage a victim's credit rating and even be life-threatening if it causes incorrect information to appear in a victim's personal medical records, warns the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

According to the study, while more Americans now understand just what medical identity theft is, few are taking the key steps that could help prevent it. Only 57 percent of survey respondents check their medical records for accuracy, and nearly one in five (18 percent) say they don't care about the accuracy of their medical records.

"There are specific things that people can and should do to protect themselves from medical identity theft," says Ken Chaplin, senior vice president of ProtectMyID. "People have to be vigilant with their personal information and avoid letting their guard down, even with family and friends."

The Federal Trade Commission recommends you take these steps to help prevent medical identity theft:

* Before you share medical information with anyone, verify who you're talking to. Never provide information over the phone or through the mail unless you initiated the contact and you're confident you're dealing with a legitimate organization. Be aware that medical identity thieves often try to scam consumers by posing as representatives of insurance companies, doctor's offices, pharmacies and even government agencies.

* Protect your information. Keep paper copies of medical or insurance records and forms in a secure, locked file or drawer. When managing your health or insurance accounts online, be wary of any site that asks you to share sensitive information like your Social Security number, insurance account number or details of your medical conditions. Look for the hallmarks that a website is secure, including a web address (URL) that begins with "https" (the "s" stands for "secure") and a lock symbol in the lower right-hand corner of the page.

* Picking through trash is a common ploy of identity thieves. Shred your discarded health insurance forms, bills and medical records before disposing of them. Destroy the labels on your prescription pill bottles and packages before throwing them away.

The OIG also offers tips for medical identity theft protection, including:

* Treat your Medicare and Social Security numbers and cards as carefully as you would your credit cards.

* Be wary of anyone who asks for your Medicare number in exchange for "free" medical equipment or services. If what they're offering is really free, they shouldn't need your numbers.

* Never let anyone use your Medicare ID card. The Ponemon survey found that a growing number of survey respondents (5 percent more in 2012 than in 2011) have allowed a family member to use their personal identification to obtain medical services, including treatment, healthcare products or pharmaceuticals. Doing so is against the law, and may afford unscrupulous individuals the chance to use that information for unauthorized purposes.

According to the Ponemon survey, it takes, on average, about a year to resolve an instance of medical identity theft, and a quarter of the survey respondents said it took more than two years. As with a serious medical issue, resolution can be made more challenging depending on how long the problem is allowed to fester.

Take an active role in protecting your medical information from identity thieves. Check your medical records regularly and keep an eye on all your financial and credit accounts. Products like ProtectMyID can help. A comprehensive identity theft detection, protection and resolution product, it can help you prevent the damages caused by identity theft.

"Medical identity theft hits consumers both medically and financially," says Dr. Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of the Ponemon Institute. "For three years in a row, our findings have consistently shown that medical identity theft crime continues to increase in terms of prevalence and costs to the victim."