Tiny House Community in Detroit

We've all seen the tiny houses on TV.  Cities around America are taking the tiny house concept, and applying it to a larger audience.  As seen on the Tiny House TV show, individuals who want to scale down their living expenses and be mobile, are buying custom built tiny houses, usually 250-400 square feet in size, and loving it.  Detroit has taken the tiny house and built a neighborhood of homes for people that were previously shut out of home ownership.

Cass Community Social Services is spearheading the $1.5million project to build small homes over the next few years.  Houses will be between 250 and 400 square feet and will be reserved for low-income owners.  This is an opportunity for low income families to have a chance at home ownership.  The project is rebuilding community in a neighborhood marked by blight and vacant lots, and giving previously homeless men and women and seniors a chance at home ownership.

The project is offering home ownership to people who couldn't do it on their own.  One of the major supporters of the project is Ford Motor Co. Fund, which donated $400,000.  Jim Vella, president of Ford, called the project a "game changer."  Not only for the people who will move into the homes but also for the neighborhood and perhaps others elsewhere.

When people own something, even  a tiny home, they have pride.  Pride of ownership translates into a better kept neighborhood, and an overall feeling by the residents that they can create a better life for themselves and their children.  A mega mansion these homes are not, but they're a place that a family can call home.  For homeless and low income people, this is one of their chronic worries.  Relieving them from that, these families can concentrate on jobs, education and a better future.  I hope to see tiny home communities popping up around the country.

The President's Power to Pardon

I've been thinking lately about the extraordinary powers of the president, most specifically the power of the pardon.  I've researched it a bit, and found that most countries have given a similar power their presidents.  Here's a little more on the U.S. pardon power, and how and why it came about.

Under Article 11, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, the president of the U.S. is granted the power to pardon individuals for federal crimes, except in cases of impeachment.  The U.S. Supremem Court has interpreted this language to include the power to grant pardons, conditional pardons, commutations of sentence, conditional commutations of sentence, remissions of fines and forfeitures, respites and amnesties.

The pardon power was controversial from the outset.  Many anit-federalists remembered examples of royal abuses of the pardon power in Europe, and warned that the same would happen here.  Alexander Hamilton defended the pardon power in The Federalist Papers.  In his final days in office, George Washinton granted the first high-profile federal pardon to leaders of the Whiskey Rebellion.

Many pardons have been controversial.  Pardons are more often used for the sake of political expediency than to correct judicial error.  Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon for his misconduct in the Watergate scandal, and polls showed most Americans disagreed with this decision.  Andrew Johnson pardoned thousands of former Confederate officials and military personnel after the Civil War, Jimmy Carter granted amnesty to draft dodgers in the Vietnam era, and George H.W. Bush pardoned 75 people in connection with the Iran-Contra affair.  Bush, Clinton and Obama all have made controversial decisions involving the pardon.

With our current administration, many more pardons may soon be granted.  I have not yet found a reasonable explanation as to why those that have committed federal crimes should be pardoned.  If you or I committed a federal crime we would be in jail, and rightly so.  Why presidents have this power I will never understand, but they do, all over the world.  Regardless of whether Trump administration family and friends will be pardoned for their activities remains to be seen.  We don't have all the information yet.  Let's hope that one way or another we find out the truth, so that we can protect our country against Russia, or any country, from meddling in our elections in the future.

Is Sodium Really So Bad For You?

The latest findings say No.  Higher sodium intake is associated with lower blood pressure.  What you you've been told for years may in fact be incorrect.  The American Heart Association has been telling us for years to reduce sodium to prevent heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.  But new findings, from a study that is an offshoot of the famed Framingham Offspring Study, indicate that a higher intake of sodium may actually reduce blood pressure.  The Framingham study has been following participants for 16 years!

High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.  A new study has found that reducing sodium intake doesn't reduce blood pressure.  In fact, those in the study using 4,000 milligrams of salt a day had the lowest blood pressure.  That's almost double the recommended daily amount.  How could all these scientists be so wrong all these years?  I don't get it.  It's hard to know what to believe anymore.

Scientists feel that greater attention needs to be given to the hypothesis that people generally consume that amount of sodium they need.  In other words, they are biologically driven to keep their consumption within a certain range.  This makes perfect sense to me.  I just find it amazing that something we've been taught for years and based our diet on, is actually not true.  What are we going to be told next?  That sugar is good for us?

Can Dogs Sniff Out Cancer?

Apparently yes, dogs can sniff out cancer and other medical conditions like low blood sugar, and an epileptic seizure about to happen.  Dogs have 25 times more smell receptors than humans, boosting their smelling ability by 100,000 times.  The brain of a human is dominated by the visual cortex, but the brain of a dogs is controlled by the smell or olfactory cortex.  In addition, the olfactory bulb in a dog has a large number of smell-sensitive receptors, which range between 125-220 million, and is a hundred thousand to a million times more reactive than that of humans.

So how do dogs sniff out cancer?  Cancerous cells release different metabolic waste products than healthy cells.  The difference in smell is so significant that dogs can detect it even in the early stages of cancer.  Some researchers have proven that dogs can detect prostate cancer by simply smelling patients' urine.  Dogs may also be able to sniff out the presence of cancerous cells through a human's breath.

So now that we know dogs can sniff out cancer, they must be trained to actively sniff out cancer.  In Berlin, a group of researchers trained some dogs to detect the presence of various types of cancer, including ovarian cancer.  This ability to detect cancer in the early stages has great potential benefits.  Dogs will become integrated directly into patient care.  For further information on this subject,  google some of the medical journals regarding "studies of dogs detecting cancer,"  and you will find lots of scientific evidence.  This is just another way that "man's best friend" is helping us all.

Why Such A Decline In International Adoptions?

Since 2004, international adoptions have declined by almost 74%.  In 2015 only 5,648 children were adopted by American families from countries outside the U.S.  This is in stark contrast to 2004, when 22,990 children were adopted by American families.  Why such a change?  Here are a few reasons.

The China one child policy was changed in 2004.  Prior to that year, Chinese citizens were only allowed to have one child per family.  This meant that the orphanages were loaded with Chinese female babies.  Most Chinese families wanted a son.  After the one child policy was dropped, Chinese families kept their little girls.  What they didn't want, however, were special needs children, and so this is what China has had available for adoption over the past dozen years.  Also, in 2008, The Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Respect of Intercountry Adoption was signed.  The purpose was to facilitate more ethical adoption, and put in place, more regulations to protect parties on both sides of the adoption process from fraud and scams.

Before the Hague Convention doctrine was signed, adoption was quick and easy.  But people wanting to make a lot of money got into the act, and fraud and deception became common.  Often parents were paid a large sum of money (by their standards) to give their child up.  They were often told that they would go to America for several years, and then be returned to them.  This never happened.  There was a messy incident involving two Russian children adopted in the U.S. which caused Russia to tighten their requirements on adoption.  It is virtually impossible to adopt a Russian child at this time.

China has taken steps to make adoption by American families extremely difficult.  They will not adopt a Chinese child to an obese man or woman, to one with facial deformaties, anyone who has taken antidepressants in the past two years, to a blind person, or a single parent.  As a result, many Chinese babies linger in orphanages.

As world tensions rise, it seems that adoption becomes more difficult.  There are so many babies worldwide looking for a forever home, it makes sense that agencies would make it easier, not harder, to adopt.  We still adopt more children than any other country, but we need to do more.  Children raised in a loving home, with one or two parents, have a chance for a successful life, whereas those raised in an institution have much to overcome.  Let's reduce the wait time for adoption, yet keep high standards for the adoption process.

Companies That Have Lasted And Thrived

Most businesses have a beginning, a middle and an end.  New startups often fail.  So it's amazing that many businesses have survived and thrived for more than 200 years.  Here is a list of just some of the businesses, some started at the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, have survived into the 21st century.

Colgate began in 1806 and is a thriving company today.  Brooks Brothers, opened in 1818, has adapted and changed as styles and needs have changed, and doing well today.  Brecks, a garden company selling seeds, also began in 1816.  I had never heard of it, but then I don't buy a lot of seeds, so I guess I wouldn't.  Remington gun company opened in 1886 and is probably bigger and more profitable than ever in this culture.  Louisville Stoneware, a pottery company, opened in 1815.  The Farmers Almanac  was first published in 1792.  It's still published every year.  The New York Stock Exchange opened in 1792, and you know how that has thrived.  King Arthur Flour first opened its doors in 1790 and you'll see it today on the shelf of every supermarket.  Bakers Chocolate began in 1765 and it's still the most popular baking chocolate available.  Other business that have been around for over 200 years are Wiley, a print shop and publisher, Dupont, Crane (paper), and Shreve, Crump and Low (jewelers).

Quite a diverse list!  With retail companies like Sears and K Mart struggling to stay alive, it's amazing to see how many old companies have continued to thrive.  Their leadership has adapted to change, or they wouldn't have made it.  I wonder which of the companies started today (tech companies) will still be around in 200 years.

The High Price Of Coffee

Every time I turn around I'm paying more for a cup of coffee.  I remember when I started drinking Starbucks Coffee in the 1990's I paid 95 cents per cup.  Today that same cup of coffee is $1.95!  Artisan coffees are all the rage.  A few weeks ago I stopped in at Philz, an artisan coffee shop in Encinitas.  A few days ago I visited Swell in Del Mar, and was blown away at the price.  A small cup (and I mean  small) of drip coffee was $2.69.  Fran's small iced coffee (just plain) was $5.00.  When the server rang up the iced coffee we thought there was some mistake in the price, but no, that was the price for a small iced coffee.

Swell is upstairs in the Flower Hill Mall, in the space formerly occupied by Pannikin.  It's a beautiful space, nicely decorated, and every person in the restaurant was on a laptop, except us.  People get their expensive cup of coffee, then sit there for hours and study or work.

Swell is an artisan coffee roasting company, which sells direct trade coffee from around the world, most coffees selling for $19.95 per pound.  Swell has a Mission Beach location in addition to the Del Mar location.  Their roasting facility is in Pt. Loma.

I noticed very high coffee prices on a recent stop in San Francisco, $3.50-$4.00 for a small coffee, and was surprised.  I guess that is going to be the new normal down here as well.  It seems like a steep price to pay, but I have become a coffee snob, I guess, and don't want any watered down coffee shop coffee anymore.  If it's not good, rich coffee, I'd rather not drink it.  I guess I'll just have the bite the bullet and spend a little extra on coffee, one of life's great pleasures for me.

Creative Mornings

While on a two day girls trip to San Diego in April, we came upon a long line of young people waiting to attend something right next to our hotel.  We couldn't imagine what it was.  Why were all these 20,30, and 40 year olds waiting in line at 9am.  Concert tickets?  No, they were in line to attend the monthly meeting of Creative Mornings.  I had not heard of Creative Mornings before this encounter, and am so happy to know what it is.

Creative Mornings was started in 2008, and has monthly meetings in over 170 cities throughout the world.  It's a breakfast lecture series for the creative community, and it's free.  Many of the attendees are young entrepreneurs or wanna be entrepreneurs.  They sign up for a lecture once a month with other creative types in the audience.  The speakers are varied group of young people, all creative and innovative, who give a short motivational lecture.  What a fabulous idea!

The other interesting concept I learned about that same morning was a workspace called wework.com.  Their mission statement is to create a world where people work to make a life, not just a living.  It began in 2010, as a place for start up companies to share workspace and share ideas.  The workplace becomes a community, with everyone trying to help each other.  Any type of business can rent space at wework.com, but the workplace becomes more than just a place to work.  It's a way to cut down on expenses and have a better work experience.

The work place has changed so much in the last twenty years.  New, innovative set ups make the work place friendlier and more like a community.  It's a great way for start up companies on a budget to get office space.  What surprised me, although I don't know why, was that at both wework.com and creative mornings, everyone was under 45.  They work in such a different way than we did, but the result is happier and more creative workers.  Anyone can go to the Creative Mornings lectures.  If we hadn't been rushing off to get our donuts at the Donut Bar that morning in April, I'd be able to tell you first hand all about it.  I'm telling you second hand.  We were told all about it by one of the regular attendees.

I'd Love To Work For Linked In

I was in San Francisco in May while on a cruise with Ron and my mom.  We reserved tickets to the Matisse and Diebenkorn exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art.  It was a wonderful exhibit, and afterwards we visited the museum store.  Mom and I wanted to go for coffee, so I asked one of the young employees to direct us to one of the hip coffee shops in the area.  She sent us two blocks away to the Linked In building.  She told us they had a great coffee bar on the ground floor.

The coffee bar, called Equator, was excellent.  The ground floor of the building is filled with world class art work, and the furnishings give the space a very high tech feeling.  Art work by Frank Stella abounds.  Unfortunately we weren't able to see the rest of the building, but here's what employees of the company can make use of.  First, 18 of the 26 floors of the building are occupied by Linked In.  This gives them room for expansion, as needed.  Each floor has an interactive art installation.  For example, on floor has a fortune cookie wall, where you can pin a good fortune to the wall.  Other perks that employees enjoy are micro kitchens on every floor, free meals (gourmet meals) for all employees, use of a state of the art gym, music lessons for those that are so inclined, and a outdoor deck on the 17th floor, used for relaxation or small meetings.

If you have to work, this definitely the place to be.  I was super impressed with all they offer their employees.  No morale problems at this company.  I'm so happy I asked at the museum for a local coffee bar, rather than just another Starbucks.  I had one of the best cold coffee drinks ever, while admiring the art work of Frank Stella, and I got to learn about one of the best companies in the country to work for.

Dorothy Turns 94

July 7 was my mom's 94th birthday.  We talked about all the changes she has seen in her life.  I decided to take a look back at how life was like in 1923 when she was born, what happened in the world that year, and what happened in science and technology.  Things change so quickly.  The list below is just what happened in 1923.  Dorothy has seen some amazing changes in the world.

All of the following events took place in 1923:

1.  Insulin was introduced to treat diabetes.
2.  The first baseball game was played at Yankee Stadium.
3.  The first refrigerator was sold in Sweden.
4.  The first portable radio was developed in the United States.
5.  The hearing aid was invented in England
6.  Television was introduced in Scotland

7.  Time magazine was launched.

8.  Women's one piece bathing suit was introduced.
9.  The 10 Commandments was released, by Cecil B. DeMille.
10.  Construction began on the Sydney Harbor Bridge.
11.  In Rosewood, Florida, the KKK burnt the town to the ground.
12.  Mount Etna in Italy errupted, leaving 60,000 people homeless.

13.  The Republic of Turkey was established and the capital was moved to Ankara.
14.  The autogyro, a predecessor to the helicopter, made it's first flight in Spain.

Each year of my mom's life has been filled with dozens and dozens of important human and scientific events.  Whew!  That means she seen lots of changes.  When I think about the what's happened in the years I've been alive, it is staggering, and technology is changing the world so quickly, it's impossible to think about what we'll see in the future.  It's fun to ponder and speculate about what's in store for our amazing planet.

An Evening At Moonlight Theatre

I hadn't been to Moonlight Theatre in many years.  I went around 2004 or 2005, and then for some reason, never went back.  However, I went to see Aida recently with four friends, and we had such a great time.  Aida, with words and music by Elton John and Tim Rice, is a modern day version of the opera.  The venue in Vista is just wonderful.  For $35 we had the best seats in the house.  We brought a picnic dinner (chicken salad, French bread, fruit salad, crispy brussels sprouts, lemon bars, and sparkling wine. 

The quality of the performances can vary.  We were lucky enough to hear some very good voices.  There's a lot of good talent in San Diego, and the Moonlight Theatre assembled a very good cast.  No, it's not a Broadway performance, but it's a more intimate experience.  You can actually see the faces of the actors!  Then again, you're not paying Broadway prices.

We brought a pillow for our chair (unnecessary in my opinion), sweaters and a light blanket.  We bundled up and enjoyed 2 1/2 hours of music and dance on a beautiful summer evening.  There are several more shows this summer, and since I bought season tickets (four shows), I'll be there again next month.  If you haven't been in a while, you might enjoy it.  I sure did.

Encinitas Has A New Restaurant

On the corner of Encinitas Blvd. and Coast Highway, a new restaurant has just opened.  Actually, it's four restaurants under one roof.  It's owned and operated by Kurt Wageman, owner of Blue Ribbon Pizza and Craftsman Tavern, both in Encinitas.  The new venue has taken over the space formerly occupied by El Callejon, a popular Mexican Restaurant.  Here's what's in store for you when you visit the new occupants.

As I said, it's really four restaurants in one, and there are two separate kitchens.  Crafty is the burger restaurant and occupies a big space.  Tequilla Bar takes up another space.  It's a bar, with many tequilla and other alcohol choices, and food and a raw bar, mostly small plates and snacks.  Driftwood is a third area that is yet to open, which will be another bar.  The fourth, and the one I ate at, is Asian Kitchen, and it is fabulous!  The menu has dishes from all over Asia.  We ordered chicken wings with a sweet/spicy Asian sauce.  I'm not a wing lover, but these wings were great.  We also ordered the Asian garlic noodles.  They were thin noodles, with a garlic sauce, topped with sliced almonds and scallions.  For an extra $2, you can have it topped with a perfectly fried egg.  Other dishes that our friends ordered were the fried calamari and a chicken on a skewer.  They have poke dishes and ramen, lots of ramen. Several dishes with large prawns, including a salad topped with grilled prawns and another dish with prawns and fried rice.  We didn't have it, but the pork fried rice is supposed to be killer. Of course, Blue Ribbon's famous butterscotch pudding is available for dessert.

This restaurant is an interesting concept.  Several different restaurants under one roof.  I think it will be a hit. I can't go back and try several other dishes.  The menu is designed for guests to share each dish, something that appeals to me.  I love to try a little bit of this, and a little bit of that.   Prices are moderate, parking is difficult.  Stop by next time you're in the area.

Get Your Senior Discounts

Thank you, Jan, for sending me this list of restaurants, retail stores, and hotels, cars and airlines that offer senior discounts.  I wrote about this many years ago, but things change.  More and more businesses are realizing that offering senior discounts pays off in the long run.  The most important thing about senior discounts, is that you MUST ASK for one.  They won't offer if you don't ask.  Also, the age that businesses consider you a senior may vary.  Some give a senior discount at 50, others not until you're 65.  It's a great savings, usually 10% or more, on just about everything, if you shop on the right day.  Every business is different, so be sure and check.  Here's the list, and as I said before, ASK for your senior discount.

RESTAURANTS:

Applebee's: 15% off with Golden Apple Card (60+)

Arby's: 10% off ( 55 +)

Ben & Jerry's: 10% off (60+)

Bennigan's: discount varies by location (60+)

Bob's Big Boy: discount varies by location (60+)

Boston Market: 10% off (65+)

Burger King: 10% off (60+)

Chick-Fil-A: 10% off or free small drink or coffee ( 55+)

Chili's: 10% off ( 55+)

CiCi's Pizza: 10% off (60+)

Denny's: 10% off, 20% off for AARP members ( 55 +)

Dunkin' Donuts: 10% off or free coffee ( 55+)

Einstein's Bagels: 10% off baker's dozen of bagels (60+)

Fuddrucker's: 10% off any senior platter ( 55+)

Gatti's Pizza: 10% off (60+)

Golden Corral: 10% off (60+)

Hardee's: $0.33 beverages everyday  (65+)

IHOP: 10% off ( 55+)

Jack in the Box: up to 20% off ( 55+)

KFC: free small drink with any meal ( 55+)

Krispy Kreme: 10% off ( 50+)

Long John Silver's: various discounts at locations ( 55+)

McDonald's: discounts on coffee everyday ( 55+)

Mrs. Fields: 10% off at participating locations (60+)

Shoney's: 10% off

Sonic: 10% off or free beverage (60+)

Steak 'n Shake: 10% off every Monday & Tuesday ( 50+)

Subway: 10% off (60+)

Sweet Tomatoes: 10% off (62+)

Taco Bell : 5% off; free beverages for seniors (65+)

TCBY: 10% off ( 55+)

Tea Room Cafe: 10% off ( 50+)

Village Inn: 10% off (60+)

Waffle House: 10% off every Monday (60+)

Wendy's: 10% off ( 55 +)

Whataburger: 10% off (62+)

White Castle: 10% off (62+)

RETAIL & APPAREL :

Banana Republic: 30% off ( 50 +)

Bealls: 20% off first Tuesday of each month ( 50 +)

Belk's: 15% off first  Tuesday of every month ( 55 +)

Big Lots: 30% off

Bon-Ton Department Stores: 15% off on senior discount days ( 55 +)

C.J. Banks: 10% off every Wednesday (50+)

Clarks : 10% off (62+)

Dress Barn: 20% off ( 55+)

Goodwill: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)

Hallmark: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)

Kmart: 40% off (Wednesdays only) ( 50+)

Kohl's: 15% off (60+)Modell's Sporting Goods: 30% off

Rite Aid: 10% off on Tuesdays & 10% off prescriptions

Ross Stores: 10% off every Tuesday ( 55+)

The Salvation Army Thrift Stores: up to 50% off ( 55+)

Stein Mart: 20% off red dot/clearance items first Monday of every month ( 55 +)

GROCERY :

Albertson's: 10% off first Wednesday of each month ( 55 +)

American Discount Stores: 10% off every Monday ( 50 +)

Compare Foods Supermarket: 10% off every Wednesday (60+)

DeCicco Family Markets: 5% off every Wednesday (60+)

Food Lion: 60%  off every Monday (60+)

Fry's Supermarket: free Fry's VIP Club Membership & 10% off every Monday ( 55 +)

Great Valu Food Store: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)

Gristedes Supermarket: 10% off every Tuesday (60+)

Harris Teeter: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)

Hy-Vee: 5% off one day a week (date varies by location)

Kroger: 10% off (date varies by location)

Morton Williams Supermarket: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)

The Plant Shed: 10% off every Tuesday ( 50 +)

Publix: 15% off every Wednesday ( 55 +)

Rogers Marketplace: 5% off every Thursday (60+)

Uncle Guiseppe's Marketplace: 15% off (62+)

TRAVEL :

AIRLINES:

Alaska Airlines: 50% off (65+)

American Airlines: various discounts for 50% off non-peak periods

         (Tuesdays - Thursdays) (62+)and up   (call before booking for discount)

Continental Airlines: no initiation fee for Continental Presidents Club & special fares for select destinations

Southwest Airlines: various  discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

United Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

U.S. Airways: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

RAIL:

Amtrak: 15% off (62+)

Bus:

Greyhound: 15% off (62+)

Trailways Transportation System: various discounts for ages 50+

CAR RENTAL:

Alamo Car Rental: up to 25% off for AARP members

Avis: up to 25% off for AARP members

Budget Rental Cars: 40% off; up to 50% off for AARP members ( 50+)

Dollar Rent-A-Car: 10% off ( 50+)

Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 5% off for AARP members

Hertz: up to 25% off for AARP members

National Rent-A-Car: up to 30% off for AARP members

OVERNIGHT ACCOMODATIONS:

Holiday Inn: 20-40% off depending on location (62+)

Best Western: 40% off (55+)

Cambria Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)

Waldorf Astoria - NYC $5,000 off nightly rate for Presidential Suite  (55 +)

Clarion Motels: 20%-30% off (60+)

Comfort Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)

Comfort Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)

Econo Lodge: 40% off (60+)

Hampton Inns & Suites: 40% off when booked 72 hours in advance

Hyatt Hotels: 25%-50% off (62+)

InterContinental Hotels Group: various discounts at all hotels (65+)

Mainstay Suites: 10% off with Mature Traveler's Discount (50+); 20%-30% off (60+)

Marriott Hotels: 25% off (62+)

Motel 6: Stay Free Sunday nights (60+)

Myrtle Beach Resort: 30% off ( 55 +)

Quality Inn: 40%-50% off (60+)

Rodeway Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)

Sleep Inn: 40% off (60+)

ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT:

AMC Theaters: up to 30% off ( 55 +)

Bally Total Fitness: $100 off memberships (62+)

Busch Gardens Tampa, FL: $13 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)

Carmike Cinemas: 35% off (65+)

Cinemark/Century Theaters: up to 35% off

Massage Envy - NYC 20% off all "Happy Endings" (62 +)

U.S. National  Parks: $10 lifetime pass; 50% off additional services including camping (62+)

Regal Cinemas: 50% off Ripley's Believe it or Not: @ off one-day ticket ( 55 +)

SeaWorld, Orlando , FL : $3 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)

CELL PHONE DISCOUNTS :

AT&T: Special Senior Nation 200 Plan $19.99/month (65+)

Jitterbug: $10/month cell phone service ( 50 +)

Verizon Wireless: Verizon Nationwide 65 Plus Plan $29.99/month (65+).

MISCELLANEOUS:

Great Clips: $8 off hair cuts (60+)

Supercuts: $8 off haircuts (60+)