Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Now What? Stay Tuned

Do we simply wait for the future or do we create it? Of course, we all do both all the time, awake or asleep.

Today, I'd like to start with flowers being tended by a friend in Eastern Canada. We met during a Honduras medical brigade and have been friends ever since.

Here are some yellow mushrooms from my own neighborhood, and below, some blue ones.

We all have accumulated way too much stuff. Every day on the neighborhood website, people try to sell or even give away excess items, often just putting them out on the sidewalk to be taken away as trash if no one wants them.

Here is a local scene, a wharf on the Potomac River.

Below, another house drawing by local artist Michelle Turner.

My long-time friend living in NYC has lost weight after bariatric surgery. He shall remain nameless, but here he was beforehand.

A monthly printed newsletter, Amigos de Honduras, now reports that the Peace Corps is considering a return to that country. That’s very exciting news, but would have to happen soon to allow me to participate, as I'm already 85 and won’t be around forever. Fortunately, l already speak Spanish with native fluency. When traveling around Honduras and chatting with strangers, while obviously not Honduran, I’m often thought to be from another Spanish-speaking country. Unlike many native Spanish speakers, I also write using proper Spanish spelling and grammar. As a former interpreter and translator, as well as a writer and editor in English, I'm careful about that.

Once on a bus in Honduras, I began chatting with my seatmate, who turned out to also be a former Peace Corps volunteer, born in Puerto Rico. He had stayed on after marrying a Honduran woman and was now an English teacher in a bilingual school. At that surprising point in our conversation, we switched over to speaking English.

As narrated in my Honduras book, after joining Peace Corps in 2000 at age 62, I extended my service from 2 to 3 ½ years as a health volunteer. Afterword, I became a part-time Spanish medical interpreter after passing a very rigorous qualifying test, then began traveling annually back to Honduras at my own expense to volunteer as an interpreter and helper for US-based medical brigades, each time taking a new wheelchair. I missed going in 2021 because of the pandemic, but returned again in 2022, as shown in these photos, one of me giving a donation in US cash dollars to the Honduran Red Cross.

This Honduran friend's teenage son was visiting here recently and helped me out with yardwork.

Below, is a wheelchair I brought for a lady after a stroke, while I stand behind her holding her baby granddaughter.

For more photos and a narrative about that trip, scroll back on this blog to Aug. 13, 2022. This year, because of the massive theft from my bank account and all the fallout involved there, I will miss going to Honduras again this year.

My sister and her family are blissfully unaware of the internet, lacking both cell phones and a computer. Yet, a city newspaper is still delivered daily to their front door (for how much longer?), something created digitally beforehand. But no more type-setting to print a daily paper. And their family’s independent local bank has many cyber connections.

Before my recently discovered bank account theft, I never knew that purchases could be made from a debit account by simply giving out the number without even writing a check or presenting an actual debit card. That’s what my fraudster did, so she and others like her have taken advantage of the fact that many people still don’t know this. Other victims have learned it the hard way, just as I have. Now I know! Merchants could stop or reduce this by requiring a display of the image of an actual card, though maybe that could be faked as well in the digital age

I still hope to see more recovered funds soon. If merchants who accepted my debit card number on a fraudulent basis agree to voluntarily return the charge, great, if not, I would expect my bank to make up the difference—at least, I'd hope so. Aren’t banks supposed to be keeping our money safe? I’ve asked now when I can expect full reimbursement.

Meanwhile, relentless robocalls to my private unlisted number have increased, calls that only started after my discovery of the theft, often from the same numbers, over and over again. My older daughter is trying to block them and just when they seemed to be diminishing, new ones have popped up. I do need to change my phone number. Is this barrage of spam calls simple revenge, now being released by fraudster Laela Janae Turner for halting her buying spree? Everything she purchased with my thousands of dollars cannot have been for her own use, but rather resold for profit. A neighbor speculates that she could have been a front for a criminal enterprise. She zeroed in on my debit account as, like most people who never make debit purchases, I only looked at cancelled checks. But now, I monitor both credit and debit accounts religiously and have a monthly printout of all banking activity mailed to my home.

Such thefts may primarily target vulnerable senior citizens like me, also like Senator Feinstein (see next).

Insider, Sen. Dianne Feinstein says she's being cut out of millions from her husband's estate in an act of 'financial elder abuse' Dianne Feinstein alleges that the trustees for her husband's estate have engaged in "financial elder abuse." Katherine Feinstein, who filed the suit on behalf of her mother, alleges that Feinstein is being cut out of millions.

The daughter is also looking out for her own interests.

Single women, including mothers of children, understandably want to find partners, so they often go online in this digital age. But that can be risky, as many women have soon found out. Better to lead a celibate life than to be dead and leave your kids as orphans. I won’t share all the online reports of women killed recently by men they met online. Sometimes, it goes the other way, as when a woman kills a man she met online.

The Guardian, Donald Trump to surrender at Fulton county jail on Thursday night Exclusive: Trump had lawyers negotiate booking to take place during prime viewing hours to get maximum television ratings

Trump’s supporters view his pending arrest as further proof that he is being persecuted. But some witnesses are starting to flip. If Trump is once again the Republican presidential candidate, he will lose again, but another Republican candidate might actually win.

DC police Chief Pamela Smith, to cut down on violent juvenile crime, has now ordered kids 16 and under off D.C. streets from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on weekdays and 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m. on weekends.

Wash. Post, Buffalo mass shooting witnesses sue gun industry, others for trauma Witnesses and victims should keep on doing this—hitting the gun industry in the pocketbook.

Bernardo Arevalo: Anti-corruption leader wins Guatemala election

Bernardo Arevalo promises to end elite rule in a country mired in poverty and gang violence.

www.bbc.com

Haiti: Open Letter to all Members of the Security Council regarding the Development of an International Security Force in Haiti

This letter highlights Amnesty International’s deep concern regarding the announcement that Kenyan law enforcement officers may lead an “international specialized force” as requested by the Haitian government, to temporarily assist the Haitian National Police (HNP) in addressing insecurity caused by gang violence. We would like to bring to light some crucial issues that must be considered before endorsing the deployment of such a force in Haiti.

From Cristhian Manuel Jiménez
Caribbean Campaignerm Amnesty International

International Secretariat, Americas, México, DF

After 42 years as volunteer Caribbean coordinator for Amnesty International-USA, I now want to pass on that responsibility to a younger colleague. We recently interviewed an interested candidate, but she didn’t seem to qualify. I think we could still find a place for her in another volunteer position, as eager volunteers are hard to find. After I step down, I do plan to continue as a member of our local Group 211, which I helped found 42 years ago

In an ideal future, both overall world and all national populations would neither shrink nor grow beyond current levels. Maintaining a steady population would require an average of 2.1 births per woman. Could that goal actually be promoted and sustained worldwide? Probably not. What actually happens will result from countless individual actions and circumstances, but also involves government policy and social support. Of course, even where there is widespread agreement, goals are seldom fully achieved but still can influence individual decisions and behavior.

Wherever certain “rights” have been recognized, whether for abortion, gay marriage, or gender transition, it’s very hard to try to back track on those rights, as some elected officials and policymakers are finding out.

But there is also spirited backlash, as exemplified by this item in The Telegraph, Opinion, Biden’s trans official is wrong – I’m a Mum, not an ‘egg producer’ Madeline Fry Schultz

The natural gender ratio at birth results in an average of 105 baby boys for every 100 girls. Yet culture influences elective abortions, as well as subsequent infant and child survival. Now men outnumber women in many countries, including in China, Arab nations, Iran, and India. But females predominate in Russia, both Koreas, Taiwan, Japan, Kenya, and South Africa, as well as here in the US, where 51% of our population is female.

Both Europe and the US could use more migrants, just not so many all at once. Canada is fortunate to have the US as a buffer, allowing authorities of that nation more leeway to pick and choose.

Now senseless shooting wars like Russia’s in Ukraine, already with half a million deaths and injuries and hitting those in the prime of life, are becoming anachronistic and actually are net harmful to both sides. There must be other, less damaging ways to settle political disputes. Why do leaders and citizens of what we now consider nation states keep trying to “win” by physically killing and wounding each other and destroying buildings? That seems outdated and unnecessarily destructive. We need visionaries to come up with and promote less harmful ways. War can and should change. Already, the killing of civilians, something widespread during previous wars, is now condemned as a war crime.

While we cannot expect to live forever, assisted suicide has now become a topic of debate as life expectancy increases. No one wants to make suicide easy for disturbed or impulsive individuals. But if someone is suffering from a painful, debilitating, and apparently incurable or untreatable condition with no relief in sight, then how long should they have to endure that? Might they be allowed to take medication to end their life under specific circumstances and, if so, when? These are questions without easy answers, nor should anyone ever be encouraged or pressured into actually leaving this mortal coil.

If having 2 children has now become a desirable norm, at least here in the US and some other developed countries, there are many ways for couples to keep within that limit, short of living a celibate life, not only with birth control, but with voluntary sterilization.

Folks here in my Capitol Hill neighborhood, posting on-line, typically refer to a beloved pet as their son or daughter. “Good morning neighbors, I too am a Doggie Dad; I was responding to a thread about our doggie kids and I realized I’ve never shared my little boy. “A pet is a living, breathing creature providing daily companionship, but on a less demanding basis than another human being. However, if more pets become substitutes for kids, then human populations will continue to shrink. Another neighbor posted a photo of her “pitbull mix and I absolutely love her so much... she’s a joy to have and my very best friend.”

An online search found over 400,000 photos of older couples smiling happily together,

but only 37,000 of older singles, often pictured with a pet.

Here are some local pets lost and often found by others.

A pet featured here this time is Molly, much beloved by her owners, but now being cared for temporarily by my son while they are experiencing housing problems, even taking her with him to the laundromat and when he visits a national park.

A 13-year-old Maltese is cared for by my friend in Canada while the owners are away.

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Privacy invasion, bank account theft, Hawaii fires

Is privacy even possible anymore? Like many senior citizens, I’m being deluged with robocalls. I didn't pick up on a call, but checked the number, finding it to be a phony police charity. Then they called back again twice. After that, it was a fake doctor selling something or other. I am seriously thinking of changing my unlisted phone number which is already way too public. Now in my later years, when tempted to let down my guard, I realize that’s just the time when fraudsters try to take advantage of us seniors. I did not answer calls from 202-897-2943 or 202-992-1236, apparently both spam robocalls, nor one either from 1-667-200-0239 from Columbia, MD, also another bogus call purporting to be from my bank. Whew!

Meanwhile, I’m still working to recover funds stolen from my bank account, a task now becoming almost a fulltime job. This recent yearlong theft has been a wake-up call for me. My social security has now been paused for 3 months, I’ve FAXed a signed statement several pages long to a bank investigation unit, listing funds already restored and the many fake charges still pending totaling several thousand dollars. These funds were stolen from my debit account without the fraudster ever actually showing the debit card, which never once left my possession. I’ve never used that card for any purchases or bills, just for bank withdrawals and deposits, though I did write some checks displaying the number. I cannot bring myself now to write another check from my new account. I was able to verify that my FAXed statement of losses had arrived at the bank’s investigation unit, but no phone or email access to investigators is allowed because of the large volume of bank fraud cases. Investigators are kept very busy and cannot be interrupted. Are banks really the safest places for keeping our money now? My sister’s family is not connected to the internet, has no cell phone, reads a daily newspaper delivered right to their front door, and keeps their money in a small neighborhood bank without other branches (but any bank, of course, is not totally independent).

Some older folks have died after experiencing a major financial shock like mine. For me, this setback means my personal focus now is not so much on acquiring new skills or earning more money as in maintaining what I already have. To better monitor my finances, I now realize the need to look beyond obvious outlays for living expenses, charities, and gifts to the debit side of my account, even though I’ve never used my debit card for any purchases. Could the fraudster who victimized me have possibly gotten that number from a check? She is Laela Janae Turner, 4400 Telfair Blvd, Apt. 3064, Suitland, MD 20746. I also just received a letter from the Ernst & Young accounting firm announcing a data breach, which may have been what first compromised my bank account information.

Every challenge or setback in our lives tends to be measured against all others. So while this recent theft from my bank account has certainly been upsetting, it’s not the worst trauma I’ve ever experienced. I’ve had some close calls while circling the world on my own, with plenty of emotional shocks as well. But my blind late ex-husband’s abrupt departure, his surprisingly punitive seizure of all our joint funds (helped by his new girlfriend and future wife), and his failure to ever speak with me again, except for a single phone call in 1984, still ranks high in terms of shock value. However, my older son’s sudden unexpected death in 1994 easily overshadows all the rest for me. Yet, even the memory of those painful events have faded somewhat over time, within the context of an entire life with its evitable and continuous ups and downs. So the bank theft now seems a minor issue that will eventually be resolved. During my years working at the occupational therapy association, I came to appreciate the importance of engaging in purposeful activity, with action undertaken to achieve a goal often more meaningful than achievement of the goal itself.

It would certainly be helpful to have a life partner by my side right now while weathering this unexpected and unwelcome bank account fiasco. But that’s something not in the cards for me anymore. Websites and ads aimed at seniors always show a man and woman together, but, at my age, it’s usually just a woman alone.

Having her husband still with her is the good fortune of a long-time friend living in rural Vermont who now tells me: “I did not know about the massive theft from your debit account! I received a bad call from someone who was trying to steal from me. Luckily, I didn’t ‘buy’ his story, but I came close because he was extremely convincing! We also got several calls telling us that we had won a sweepstakes, and that was a lie. Someone actually did even send me a cashier’s check. Yes, it’s good that you have the bank sending you monthly statements. We do that. Banks keep wanting us to do our banking ‘online', but we aren’t comfortable with that.”

My Vermont friend, whom I’ve known since childhood, just sent me a set of vintage greeting cards from her late mother’s collection. That simple gesture has certainly lifted my spirits right now, when my finances are in such disarray and I’ve been blaming myself for letting it even happen. Her mother, born in Egypt, had lived to age 104. Even after many years in this country, she’d never lost her distinctive accent. For her birthday, from age 100 onward, I would send a whole set of treats for her celebration and also call her by phone. I’d then receive a nice thank-you note written in perfect English in her own distinctive hand. She had lamented to me that her years after age 100 were not particularly enjoyable, given her many challenges in mobility and health. But she had a quick and easy death. And now I have some of her greeting cards to send out for special occasions.

My bank account thief, Laela Janae Turner of Suitland, MD, has kept her Facebook page, but all entries are blocked, indicating that she knows she's under scrutiny. Nor can I find her in any other searches, indicating that she’s well aware of being in trouble. I've never used my debit card for any purchases, only to withdraw or deposit money at the local branch, but she might have seen my account number on a check, then started ordering items by phone or email, thousands of dollars’ worth, a whole lot of stuff! But she never had the actual card in her possession, as I had it myself. Now I hesitate to write another check showing the debit account number. If she’d had my credit card number, her purchases would have shown up on my monthly statement, but I never thought to monitor my debit account because I'd never used the debit card to buy anything or pay any bills.

A brand new wrinkle in this saga has just appeared, namely a 5-page letter coming via regular postal mail from accounting firm Ernst & Young, describing a data breach possibly affecting my bank account. So maybe that was the original source of this problem? The internet has opened a whole world of opportunity for thieves and scammers. So where to keep money now, if not in a bank? Maybe under the mattress or buried out in the backyard?

Every so often, I get a surprise notification that one of my books has been sold on Kindle. I’ve done practically zero book promotion since my books first came out in 2008 and 2013, already some 10 and 15 years ago, though their titles do appear on this blog. I’m glad they're still being read.

Wash. Post, Are you smarter than a scammer? Play this game.

Scams are everywhere. Scammers are relentless.

NBC News, [P]erpetrators scour online obituaries and then call loved ones of the recently deceased claiming to be from the funeral home where arrangements have been made. The scammers tell the people they need to pay a deposit to secure their service or cremation. In some cases, the scammers mask their phone number to make it appear as if the call is coming from the funeral home, a practice known as “spoofing.”

I’m glad to still be living in Washington, DC, after more than 50 years. The city has many so conveniences and attractions for both visitors and residents, such as simple famers’ markets

and the Smithsonian museums, only blocks from my home,

as well as embassies holding open houses. The Australian Embassy, not far from my home, was sketched by local artist Michelle Turner.

Wash. Post, Republicans introduce bill to repeal D.C. Home Rule Act But now, even our limited self-government here in DC is under attack.

abc7 News, DC Councilman Trayon White calls for National Guard intervention amid rising crime rates Some weary DC residents have applauded his call.

Five recent armed robberies here in DC have been solved. On Friday, August 11, 2023, 18-year-old Delonte Mabry of Southeast, DC, a 16-year-old juvenile male of Northeast, DC, and a 17-year-old juvenile male of Hyattsville, MD, were arrested and charged.. Four firearms were recovered during their arrest.

AP, Mother pleads guilty to felony child neglect after 6-year-old son used her gun to shoot teacher This mother from suburban Virginia has acknowledged that her special needs son took her handgun to school and shot and seriously wounded a teacher. The mother has pleaded guilty to leaving the gun where her son could find it. The boy is now living with another family member.

Wash. Post., Boy, 6, dies after being shot in head by 9-year-old, Florida police say Why do parents keep a gun in the home at all? The chance that such a weapon will be needed for family protection is infinitesimally small compared to the much greater risk of death or injury to a family member. But gun manufacturers still relentlessly promote the protection myth.

Death in paradise! Fast-moving fires have raged on the island of Maui, where my son-on-law, a biologist like my daughter, often works. Many people have died in this popular tourist destination, a place I’ve often visited. Some residents have even plunged into the ocean to escape the flames. One survivor said she’d stayed in the ocean for 5 hours. Fires also have flared up on the nearby Big Island, another island that I have frequented.

AP, Maui fire deaths surge to 53 and likely to go higher, governor says. Over 1,000 structures burned The death toll has now reached over 100 with some fires still burning. Lahaina, once the capital of the traditional Hawaiian kingdom, has been totally destroyed. Three separate wildfires on the island had erupted simultaneously.

AP, A family of four, a beloved uncle and his best friend. These are some of the lives lost in Maui

My younger daughter lives on Oahu, the most populated Hawaiian island and the seat of government, where no fires are burning as far as I know.

As an artist and a biologist, to commemorate a 50^th anniversary event, my daughter created this albatross piece from layered cardstock without using any glue or tape.

Another of her images, below, depicts 3 butterflies, 2 females and a male.

Donald Trump is fighting hard for his political life and his future freedom, but fighting dirty, the only way he knows how. A lot of aggrieved folks identify with him, so the more he is attacked, the more they will support him, but they are still a minority (hopefully).

For the first time, the Women’s World Cup has garnered international attention. Americans have expressed widespread disappointment at our team’s eventual loss and elimination, something not seen before regarding a women’s sporting event.

Daily Beast, Dianne Feinstein Hospitalized After Falling at Home Feinstein, age 90, was hospitalized briefly, then released. She is doggedly hanging onto her Senate position and her very life until 2024 when she has agreed to retire. As someone myself approaching her age, I do sympathize with her stance. As the saying goes, “We’re not dead yet.” However, it’s also true that we may not recognize our own diminished capacities.

USA Today, Sen. Dianne Feinstein alleges financial abuse in lawsuit over husband's estate The 90-year-old senator's daughter has filed the suit.

GMA, Woman celebrates 114th birthday with 5 generations of family by her side A Texas woman has left Dianne Feinstein in the dust. Elizabeth Francis, born in 1909, recently celebrated her 114th birthday with five generations of family members by her side. Most of us alive today will never see our 100^th birthday.

Poet and author Shane McCrae was interviewed recently on NPR’s “Fresh Air.” As a biracial child, in his telling, he was basically kidnapped from his black father and raised by white supremacist maternal grandparents now deceased. At age 16, he found his father again and reconnected with his black heritage.

NBC News, New York City cancer doctor kills herself and her baby, police say Was this a case of post-partum depression? Post-partum depression, even psychosis, is most common in women who’ve recently given birth to their first child. And it may be more prevalent in developed countries where new mothers may feel especially isolated and alone, at least that’s my speculation. In contrast, new mothers in developing counties are often celebrated, surrounded by family members who pamper and honor them in traditional rituals. While there is certainly a hormonal component to post-partum depression (I’ve felt it myself), social support could do much to mitigate its effects.

Canada’s Justin Trudeau and his wife have announced their separation after 18 years of marriage. The reasons for the split have not been made public and it’s really none of our business, though affairs on either or both sides have been rumored, supposedly taking place some time ago. An affair may be a symptom or a cause for a separation, or both. Yet, after announcing their separation to the world, the couple still went on a camping vacation together with their 3 children, probably confusing the kids as well as the public. Are they or are they not separating? If a one-time infidelity by either or both parties actually had occurred and did not result in a separation at the time, then, in my opinion, they could/should have let it go, considering it a one-time mistake to be forgiven and forgotten, then continued on with the marriage. Life is short and contuse moving on. In time, it would have faded in significance. But, of course, my opinion doesn’t count, the problem may have festered, and there may be still other issues that the rest of us have no need to even know about. Any long-term relationship, whether marriage, parent/child, or even friendship, may be hard to maintain over time. However, no personal connection can be expected to always go smoothly, so folks need to anticipate some bumps along the way. Now, a high-profile split like the Trudeaus’ will give marital separation a green light for other couples experiencing difficulties.

CBS News, U.S. nurse and daughter released more than a week after kidnap in Haiti

Wash. Post, Ecuadoran presidential candidate assassinated at campaign rally He was Fernando Villavicencio, who had highlighted links between the government and corruption. A Colombian criminal gang, Los Lobos (The Wolves), has claimed responsibility. The slain candidate’s vice-presidential running mate, Andrea González, age 36, a political newcomer, has taken his place on the ballot. A friend born in Ecuador says, “The situation in Ecuador is so sad and tragic.”

AFP, Gang boss who threatened slain Ecuador candidate transferred to max security

Ukraine seems to be undertaking an offensive as well as defensive posture in the war with Russia.

Telegraph. Children as young as seven to get NHS trans treatment Can children at age 7 drive a car? Open a personal bank account? Drink alcohol? No, but in some places, they can still decide to change their birth gender. If the option is unavailable and parents simply don’t go along, a youngster will just have to wait. Then by the time they reach 18, many will have changed their mind. However, for some kids, the notion of belonging to the other gender will persist. As gender roles become less strictly defined and expressed, perhaps the urge to change genders will become less common.

Singer Ne-Yo has expressed his own view on gender identity: “I will never be okay with allowing a child to make a decision that is detrimental to their life...I just personally come from an era where a man was a man and a woman was a woman...If one of my 7 kids were to decide that he or she wanted to be something other than what they were born as, once they’re old enough and mature enough to make that decision… so be it. Not gonna love em’ any less … But this isn’t even a discussion until they are mentally mature enough to have such a discussion.” Ne-Yo’s youngest child is four months old, while his oldest is 12. (As far as is known, none has expressed a desire to change genders.)

On NPR, I heard final snippets of a discussion speculating that the NY Times, in contrast to the Washington Post, may be anti-trans because it runs negative stories about trans people. Certainly, the choice of news features has an influence. You would not expect to even see a trans story in a newspaper in Saudi Arabia. And I myself, being more pro-life than pro-choice, note that news stories on that topic often feature cases of dangerous fetal anomalies, not the far more common cases of abortions done for personal convenience.

More than 40% of Japanese women may never have children. The figure is even higher for Japanese men, 50% of whom will probably never become fathers. That means a few men will be doing double duty. For a nation to have such a low birth rate is a huge shift. It also means that Japan’s future is on a downward trajectory, moving toward extinction, which is also what will happen to all of humankind if the trend spreads worldwide. Only in my own lifetime have we interrupted the evolutionary cycle dating back to time immemorial. Both Europe and the US are already on a falling population trajectory. Countless individual decisions may thus end up creating the end of human history. It’s hard to believe that in my own lifetime, the much-touted population bomb has now burst. In years gone by, most women partnered with men simply gave birth to children. Now there are many ways to prevent that, including “abortion as a human right.”

Bloomberg, More Than 40% of Japanese Women May Never Have Children

Neighborhood website patrons are optimists if they expect folks to actually buy their unneeded items, much less even take them away for free. We all have way too much stuff! In the Peace Corps in Honduras (2000-2003), I enjoyed living with the bare minimum.

Missing