Blogs 12 Long Island

"I thought she was 18..."

By Jackie Lukas

It seems as if the Deputy Commissioner of Finance for the Town of North Hempstead has gotten himself into a little trouble with the law. 46 year old Owen Sinclair was arrested and charged with rape - for allegedly having sex with a 16 year old girl.   Sinclair says the teen told him she was 18 years old. She even lied to Nassau police about her age after she was caught - according to cops. But police say tough luck! It doesn't make any difference if Sinclair knew or didn't know she was sixteen. It was his responsibility to be vigilant and take precautions.

Ok, so here's how police say it happened. Sinclair, who's from Oceanside, allegedly met this girl over the Internet. Craigslist ring a bell? They apparently chatted online for a couple months before agreeing to meet. Police say the teen trekked all the way from Brooklyn - and met Sinclair to have sex at the Capri Lynbrook Motor Inn on two separate occasions. Then on December 30th - the pair allegedly drove to the Plantation Motel in North Long Beach. But according to cops - they turned right back around after they saw a cop car sitting in the parking lot. That officer became suspicious and followed the two - and eventually pulled them over after they allegedly exceeded the speed limit. After being questioned, police say the truth eventually came out.

Sinclair lives with his Mom in Oceanside. His neighbors told me they were surprised to hear he was arrested. They describe him as a "loner". Cops say that this is a message to parents. Parents need to know what their children are doing online - and also know where they are! This girl was taking the train from Brooklyn into Nassau County! But cops also say in this case both parties knew what they were doing - and met up with the intention to have sex. It was Sinclair's responsibility to know whether or not she was of age.  

As far as Sinclair's job with the Town of North Hempstead, a spokesperson told me that he's fired.

Dangerous Radios

By Bill Korbel

My wife gave me a portable VHF aviation radio for Christmas.  With it I can listen to pilots and air traffic controllers, but even more important, it serves as a backup communication source when I fly.  Even though there are two radios in my plane, there is always the remote possibility that electrical problems could knock them both out.  In good weather, it's not a problem, but when flying in bad weather, communication is vital. 

Anyway, I had no idea how dangerous these radios can be.  I'm serious.  I understand there is a certain amount risk when flying, but little did I know that the most dangerous part of flying is associated with a seemingly harmless radio.

In the instruction booklet I found no fewer than 25 .. that's TWENTY FIVE, warnings of terrible things that can happen while using the radio.  There were cautions, warnings and some very ominous "Danger, Never" things to watch out for.  I've attached a photo if you don't believe me. 

 Do I really have to be told to never put the battery in a microwave oven or not to hit it with a hammer?  I'm serious. There are far fewer warnings in the aircraft operations manual and call me silly, but I would think 3,000 pounds of aluminum moving at 175 mph would in theory be more dangerous then a one pound radio.   It seems that in 2008, lawyers always have the last word. 

Get rid of those old gadgets - properly

By Andrew Ehinger

    I'm an admitted gadget-a-holic. I love getting the newest and hottest technology. I guess that's why my boss here at News 12 thought I'd be perfect to host The Download. Anyway, every time I get a new gadget it usually replaces another one that wasn't as small, fast or cool. Those old gadgets are then banished to the dark recesses of my closet or the junk drawer to collect dust. Well, wasn't I surprised when I found out that I could get a few bucks for my old tech.

    There are dozens of websites on the net that now offer cash for your old gadgets. Everything from iPods, to computers, to cell phones and digital cameras. If it's cool (or once was cool) it's got some sort of value. I couldn't tell you exactly where my old gadgets will end up being sold, but I'm glad someone is willing to take them off my hands. I put in some of my old gadgets, like an old 4Gb iPod Nano 3rd gen and found out it was worth up to $30. Wow! Now, that's not a lot of cash, (I paid about $200 for it when it was new 5 years ago), but $30 bucks is $30 bucks.

 Here are some of the sites I found that will buy your gadgets.

FlipSwap

Buy My Tronics

Gazelle

Sears

Radio Shack

    Most of these companies even offer free shipping of the gadget to their warehouse, so you really have little to lose. I'm even told some companies like Apple will give you a discount on a new iPod if you bring in your old iPod for recycling.

    Now, sometimes your gadget, computer or even a computer monitor won't have any value. In this case environmentalists say DON'T just throw them in the trash. So called E-Waste is a growing problem in our landfills since electronics contain lots of lead, mercury, and cadmium. If put in a landfill, the heavy metals in E-Waste can leach into groundwater and create a toxic situation. The good news is e-waste can be recycled and it's not hard to find a place to get it done. This is a good site that explains how dangerous e-waste can be.

    Most towns on Long Island offer e-waste recycling, but it's usually not every day. Your best bet is to contact your local municipality to find out when and where e-waste will be collected for recycling. Some businesses will even collect old electronics for recycling if you buy the replacement from them. Just ask when you are shopping for your new gadget to see if they offer the service.

    Electronics are fun and exciting things that can make our lives easier. The thing to remember is, as we out-grow and get more advanced technology, the old gadgets must be taken care of properly so they don't come to haunt us in the future.

Happy New Year!

By Lea Tyrrell

New Year's Eve is upon us and it's time to celebrate. As many cheer the beginning of a new year, many others are celebrating the fact that 2008 is over! As one of my Long Island Talks guests, who's a financial planner recently emailed me, if there's any year that should be over, it's 2008.

I'm working New Year's Eve so I'll be watching the Times Square ball drop on television from home. But there have been two times that I've seen it in person. And it's quite something to see. If you've done it, then you know what I'm talking about. But if you haven't spent New Year's Eve in Times Square, you've got to do it once in your life. Just try to pick a year with a warmer forecast!

I made my trips before the September 11th terrorist attacks and I imagine things have changed quite a bit because of the tighter security. But I don't think anything can take away from the spectacle.

The roar of the countdown is deafening and gets louder and louder until the ball lights up the new year. Tons and tons and tons of confetti come raining down from the tops of skyscrapers. Then you find yourself being hugged and wished Happy New Year by people you don't even know. My first experience with that came courtesy of four Norwegian tourists who were drinking from bottles of champagne.

 It's complete chaos for about a half hour. And then all those people just disappear!  What's left in Times Square are small mountains of confetti and waves of sanitation crews cleaning things up. Amazingly, when you see Times Square the next morning, all that confetti is gone. A few wisps that got away from the sweepers go flying by in the wind, but considering the amount of paper that fell from the sky, the clean up crews do an incredible job.

The forecast for this New Year's Eve looks a little cold, so if you're going to be out in Times Square, dress as warmly as you can.  If you're going for the first time, enjoy the fun.  I imagine there's nothing quite like it around the world.  I'd like to do New Year's Eve in Times Square one more time, with my daughter when she gets a little older, but before she gets old enough to be embarassed by Momhanging around!

From all of us here at News 12 Long Island, have a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year!  And thanks for helping us get to our 22nd year on the air.  We celebrated News 12's anniversary on December 15th.

 

Christmas At The Mall

By Danielle Campbell

This Christmas I am grateful!  I am grateful for the gift of my children. 

They are so joyful, appreciative, fun to be around!  They make me laugh constantly!

This year, when there was an apparent mistake under the Christmas Tree, the boys said "Well apparently Santa Clause is Blonde!" 

They are amazing people, smart, kind, caring, and grounded.

This year, compared to other years, there were limited gifts under the tree.

I was a bit nervous about it, even though I had warned the kids, "this year would be a scaled down Christmas!"

I asked them to write down three gifts they really wanted that were reasonable.  Their lists included, some books, cds, a lacrosse stick, sweatshirts, Maddie my youngest, just wanted a pair of Uggs.

And so as I set out to fulfill their wish list, determined to stick to a budget that was far less than any other year before, I felt a slight sense of relief.

Because of the limited budget there would be less gifts to purchase and finance. 

Less gifts to lug in and out of cars and basements and attics. Less gifts to wrap and and worry over. Less gift to put away and stuff into already crowded drawers, and closets.

And yet as I stuck to my planned budget----the nagging old familiar feeling of--"Oh it's Christmas I better get a few more gifts!"-- kept surfacing!

Each time, I refused to give in to the "over buying". I shook off the thought and stuck to my task! But  it kept resurfacing---that nagging "buy more! buy more!" chant became more perverse!   The crowded over heated stores, the blaring Christmas Music and the unbelievable tantalizing bargains, began to takes its toll on me. 

It circled around me--I had no where to turn--it made me dizzy and knocked me off my determined path! I thought, regroup, Starbucks would help--but while waiting on a line with many many other weary shoppers--I noticed the cute little mugs for sale and "oh hey they have gift cards!"  I dashed from the line ---trying to escape the inevitable, maybe I'll circle back and find the pretzel line shorter.  I was sweating and woozey and thrown into a panic.  I passed another store with promises of perfect gift giving and it was too much for me.  I started grabbing more of this and more of that and I made myself feel good because everything was half off, buy one get one free!   I felt calm again as I waited on line with my pile of "stuff."

And then somehow,  I came to my senses.  I think it was the glow in the dark boxers with elfs all over it that brought me back!   They were there with other glow in the dark choices, on a stand, ready for the grabbing while customers waited on line.  I kept staring at them and thinking----"how silly, --how fun--who would like those--I must have those, get them! get them! get them!"   As I reached to grab a few pairs, the load I was carrying slipped from my grip--and all of it hit the floor.  As I looked at the pile of "how silly--how fun" perfect gift giving, I shook my head.

I picked it all up and put it back where it belonged.

Christmas morning--came and gifts were open----each gift graciously accepted and much appreciation shown.  Much to my amazment, my kids didn't say a word. They were thrilled and perfectly happy with their Christmas gifts!   It was then I received my Christmas gift-------I truly learned and lived---- "Less Is More!"

Windmill Power

By Doug Geed

  When someone says "windmill" you probably conjure up an image of an old-fashioned wood-shingled structure from the olden days -- the ones used to grind cornmeal. 

   While they are nice to look at, they don't do much in terms of providing power for our homes today.

   But more modern windmills do. Long Island towns are taking a closer look at how they might be beneficial. In Southold, they just passed an ordinance earlier this year allowing their construction on farmland parcels that are 7 acres or larger.

    But many homeowners are looking to install them as well and so the town is considering new regulations that allow windmills on smaller residential properties.

    There are downsides -- they stick into the air 30, 45 or 60 feet or higher. (The higher you go, the stronger the winds and the greater the benefit.) They also aren't cheap -- a 45-foot tall one can cost about 20-to-25-thousand dollars to install. (There may be some incentives and rebates available however.) And of course, you have to live in a windy location -- near an open field, by the water or high on a hill. If conditions are right, I'm told the wind alone can provide up to half the annual use of an average house here on Long Island. In rough terms, that's about 14-hundred dollars a year in savings. (You do the math to see if it's worth it -- your initial investment divided your annual savings.) But there's no question our country is looking for different ways to provide power and it just may be that we as Long Islanders have to get used to a new part of our landscape.     Here are some links that provide information about installing windmills where you live. 

http://www.e2sys.com/

http://gosolar.com/

A Weighty Matter

By Scott Feldman 

I heard a report on the radio the other day that said the average American gains about 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years. I'm half way there with a week to go before the Crystal ball drops in Times Square. Well, I've had my fun. Cookies, cakes, pies, chocolate. You name it, I've scarfed it down. Some of it was brought in to sit in the News 12 newsroom to tempt everyone. And, of course, I took the bait. The rest of it was at the house. Either way, it was impossible to walk by and not grab something. There are still plenty of goodies on the homefront, but it is time to show a little discipline. I certainly don't want all those sweets to go to waste! But, maybe this last week as we head into the final week of 2008, I should pace myself. And then, on January 2nd (can't be a monk on New Year's Day !) I'll get down to business and go cold turkey. Yeah, that's it. A month of denial. And then my good behavior can be rewarded on Super Bowl Sunday. Sounds like a plan. Wonder if I can stick to it? What do you think?

The Great Debate

So here we are. Days before the Chad Pennington Armageddon. At this point, barring a massive turn of events, I'm resigned to the fact the Jets have blown it and will NOT make the playoffs.

BUT, that's not the point of this blog. Nor is it to debate who is better, Chad or Brett, whose arm is stronger, who looks better in Wrangler jeans, etc.

This blog is about one thing: The Ultimate Jets Nightmare.

Assuming the Patriots beat the Bills at 1pm, and by my calculations they should be up 27-3 by 1:25pm, then the situation presents itself as follows: If the Ravens beat the Jags at home at 4:15pm, the Jets are eliminated.

Of course, the Jets-Miami game starts at the same time, so, for a few torturous moments, the Jets will still be alive. But let's have some fun at the Jets' fans expense. Let's assume Baltimore is blowing out Jacksonville 20 to 3 in the 3rd quarter. The Jets playoff dreams are over. Now the question that begs to be asked, and the question my brother Chase and I have been debating for the last week, is "Who do you want to make the playoffs, the Patriots or the Dolphins?"

Yup, that's the one thing the Jets DO control. If the above scenario works itself out, then a Jets win over Chad and the Fins would give Bill Belicheat and the Patriots ANOTHER AFC East title. Without Tom Brady I might add.

BUT...a Jets loss--and all-american boy Chad Pennington will complete his comeback story and win the title--on the JETS HOME TURF!

Soooooo, which is it Jets fans? Which would be more painful? A win and see Belichick smile his way into a home playoff game? Or a loss, and watch Chad Pennington run off YOUR field with his surgically repaired victorious right arm raised in the air?

Ahh, only the Jets.

Floor Mat Problems

By Andrew Ehinger

    Gas - Check.. Engine running smooth? - Check.  Look around the car. All clear - Check. Put it into gear, and we're off. 

    That's the daily routine for so many motorists on Long Island. But now after the accident in Woodmere, maybe drivers should add, -- Floor mats in place - Check.

    Who would have ever thought the lowly floor mat could cause so much trouble. But Nassau police are blaming a floor mat for the reason a 2007 BMW X3 went out of control and slammed into a Woodmere Hanukkah party Thursday afternoon. 14 people had to be rushed to area hospitals.

    It seems, police say, the drivers side floor mat of the X3 had slipped forward over time and jammed up behind the break pedal. The unusual way it was stuck there police say somehow was able to rub next to the accelerator pedal. So when the driver hit the break pedal the force was transfered through the floor mat pushing down the accelerator pedal too. In essence both pedals were being depressed at the same time causing the car to run out of control.

    Mechanics say this floor mat problem isn't just limited to the BMW X3 it can happen to just about any car if motorist aren't careful. The mats they say can move easily if they don't have an adequate grip on the back or when a motorist wears heavy boots. Sometimes in the winter they say heavy boots can force mats around. Wide boots they say can also get caught up between the console wall and the accelerator or even the break pedal.

    So are there some solutions? Well aside from checking where your floor mats when you get in the car you can look into new floor mats with better grips. Mechanic Steve Rozansky showed me some pretty expensive thick floor mats designed to not let melting snow ruin your car - problem is he says they have no underside grip. A cheap replacement set for less than 10 bucks had the best grip of them all. Some car companies like Volkswagen have clips that lock floor mats in place. You can even buy replacement ones at your local auto parts store that have similar clips for any car. So this winter keep an eye on your floor mats - and don't let anything foul your foot pedals.

   

Happy New Year!

By Elisa DiStefano

Happy Holidays! I hope you had the chance to spend time with loved ones. How quickly the year has passed by. Can you believe it? I looked at my resolution list from last year (saved conveniently in my blackberry). Sadly, I did not do so well. Never got the personal trainer. So nope, never "got in shape".  Did not clean out my closets.  Did not explore far away places. Did not volunteer as much as I hoped to. Bought the books and CDs... but nope, never learned French. The one thing I did do-- and the most important of all-- spend more time with family and friends.

So much has changed in the world and in the lives of my loved ones this year. So many people I care about are out of work and having a tough time. I admire how they still embrace the holidays and somehow stay in good spirits for their loved ones. I think that this year the people around me really took the time to remember what the holidays are all about. Although we scaled back on gifts and spending-- everything seemed much more special. It was more about spending time together. My family has a lot of traditions. They used to be annoying when I was younger, but now I treasure and even enforce them! My immediate family gets together the night before Christmas Eve to watch our favorite Christmas movies. We open gifts Christmas Eve morning together, have the big fish dinner on Christmas Eve night with one side of my extended family, and then we all-- yes all-- sleep at my Grandparents' house. Then we open presents with my mothers extended family Christmas morning. Although we now do secret Santa (the baby in the family is 22!) -- we still all wake up to a pile of presents. It doesn't matter if they are home made gifts or inexpensive gifts, there is always a pile. Even though we are all adults! Some people think it's crazy. I think it is wonderful. It's all because of my grandparents. They are both in their 80s and they are both incredible! No matter how hard times were, Grandma and Poppie always made sure that my mother, aunt and uncle always followed their Christmas traditions. As kids they remember getting only one gift for Christmas-- but they remember how special that one gift always was. My grandmother lost her mother on December 8, 1939. Before her mother died she bought each of her 8 children a Christmas present. My grandmother cherished her Betsy Wetsy doll that was left under the tree for her that year.  My grandmother gives gifts to everyone -- the entire huge Italian family, less fortunate children, and anyone who helps her throughout the year.  It is important to her that everyone has a special gift. My mother, sister and I follow in her footsteps. But of course, as cheesy as this sounds, our family and traditions are the best gift of all.

To you and yours-- happy holidays and Happy New Year!

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

By Virginia Huie

"Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." When my parents named me Virginia they didn't realize I'd hear that famous line a gazillion times every holiday season.(That's me on the right with my mom on a Christmas Day when I was a tyke.) As a little girl, I didn't know what the saying meant. I just thought it was annoying. But as I got older I learned "Yes, Virginia" is from a classic editorial that Francis P. Church wrote more than 110 years ago in answer to a little girl asking whether Old St. Nick existed. 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon begs for some Santa Claus truth. She follows her father's advice to consult The Sun of New York, not wanting to believe her little friends that Santa is a fraud. The newspaper's response: "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life it's highest beauty and joy." As a little girl, I was also skeptical about Santa. Check out the photo below. That's me sitting on Santa's lap with my little brother. We don't look too happy. In fact, I think we were a little scared. My brother and I knew that Santa wasn't real. His beard was phony and he wasn't plump at all. But as The Sun's editorial points out, the spirit of Santa is not about the man in the red suit and white beard. It's about looking beyond the daily grind and appreciating those aspects of life we can neither see nor touch nor measure, but which make life full and meaningful. Things like the love of family, the joy in a child's face, fun times shared with friends, and wisdom gained from life experiences. What's behind the idea of Santa Claus are all the values that Francis P. Church wrote about so beautifully -- love, generosity and faith and one that I would like to add, HOPE.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and all the best in the new year! See you in 2009 :)

Avalanche On Wheels!

Drew Scott

 Have you ever noticed after a good snowstorm like the one we got last week, there's always some crazy driver who refuses to brush the snow and ice off his vehicle before he gets on the Expressway or Parkways?

 Nassau Police Highway Patrol officer Chris Venezia says these types of motorists and truckers cause dozens of accidents each year. Officer Venezia told me he's seen giant sheets of ice, slush and snow slide off the roofs of cars and big rig trucks. The sheets of frozen stuff then flies off the vehicle and onto the car behind it, temporarily blinding them or worse, injuring them and damaging their car!

Police say they've asked for a law to be passed, but believe it or not, there is no state penalty currently for truckers who let ice build up on their 18-wheel rigs even if it falls on the cars behind them!

Suffolk Legislator Jon Cooper tells me it happened to him last year and he tried to pass a county law requiring motorists to clean their vehicles of snow and ice BEFORE driving, but it failed to pass. Nassau's Legislature hasn't attempted to pass a similar law and so far, the state has no regulations governing rooftop snow or ice.

One thing is for sure, Officer Venezia says if he sees a car or a truck with snow on the hood, he'll issue them a summons for "obstructed view", a ticket that carries 2 points and a $150 dollar fine!

Get out your snow brushes people!  

More MTA Fare Hikes?

By Jill Wagner

Yikes!  Just when the economy is tanking ... it could cost more for people to get to work!  And for that matter, to get around, period. 

The MTA has released it's so-called "worst case scenario" budget for 2009.  It aims to close a 1.2 billion dollar deficit.  To do that - some pretty dramatic changes could be headed our way. 

Bus riders in Nassau County could be hit the hardest.  The MTA says fares could climb by up to 75%.  In addition, some routes could be eliminated entirely.  Potentially on the chopping block: The N51 - 53 - 65 - 67 - 80 - 87 and 93 lines.

And if you don't use public transportation to get around, that doesn't mean you'll be immune to the potential changes.  The MTA says it could increase bridge and tunnel crossing tolls by as  much as 7 dollars in each direction. 

If you travel to New York City for work or play, subway rides could also cost more.  Possibly, three dollars a ride. 

Want more information, or the opportunity to let your voice be heard about these potential hikes?  There are public hearings scheduled in January.  For exact times and places, check out the MTA website at www.mta.info or call 212-878-7483.  

But before you panic, remember these are WORST CASE SCENARIO numbers, it depends what the state does about funding.

  

Feeding The Homeless

By Lily Stolzberg

The economy is in bad shape -- so bad some people are spending less money on gifts for the holidays or putting off going on vacation. But those are luxuries to the thousands of Long Islanders who go to bed hungry every night.

I visited the soup kitchen at Glen Cove Baptist Church where there was a line out the door .  I spoke with one woman named Kathy who is a counselor for the disabled.   She was born and raised in Glen Cove but recently lost the apartment she was renting.  She is now living in a homeless shelter because she can't afford the rent on Long Island. But Kathy was nothing short of inspirational.  She told me she will keep working as a counselor and save every penny she can because she believes if you work hard enough -- you can get what you want.

I watched the dozen or so volunteers at the soup kitchen who with a sweet smile passed each person their dish. I watched as each person on the receiving end looked so thankful that they didn't have to go to bed hungry that night.

Human beings want things. Maybe it's the newest I-pod or the latest gadget. But during this time of giving, let's remember those who just want the simple things we so easily take for granted.

Yankees and Mets FOREVER

By Bob Wolff 

I know we're approaching the Holidays, but I feel compelled to speak to you about a grave situation regarding baseball. Baseball's marketers have figured out how to live with death. Those who pass on can continue their rooting privileges by purchasing on authorized major league baseball casket with team logos on it -- think of this as your own personal boxed-in seat. This is more exciting news than making a hole in one. It's a hole for one -- a personalized resting place.    
     There's no standing in line for seats -- this is a lying down deal.  One Long Island funeral home told me it's permissible to bring with you your old uniform or glove or pictures along with the casket cost of $5 thousand 995 dollars.    
     True fans always say -- I'd go to my grave with those guys -- the Yankees or the Mets. Now you can in splendor -- with a life-time ticket on the way to eternity.

Those Speed Limit Signs Really Work!

By Doug Geed

   You've probably seen them -- those portable speed limit signs that are on tires. They're dropped off at a location and kept there temporarily then moved to another spot where people tend to speed. It posts the speed limit for that area and then in flashing red numbers, the speed YOU are driving appears.

   There's one by a school near my house and I have to admit if I'm driving faster than posted speed limit, I slow down. It's not only that YOU see you're driving too fast, the flashing numbers tell everyone in the area that you're driving too fast. It's like the machine is embarrassing you into obeying the law.

    A couple of weeks ago, while I was jogging, I saw another one of the signs pop up near where I live, on a residential street that's kind of used as a short-cut between two busier streets. It seemed like an odd place for one, but as soon as I saw it, I started smiling. I jog regularly and I love it, but I run pretty slowly -- about a ten minute mile. And as I rounded the curve on this street and saw the sign, I saw a bright red "6" flashing on it. It took me a few seconds, but I realized, with no cars anywhere near me, the sign was posting MY speed limit. "6" -- is 6-miles an hour -- or, a 10-minute mile.

  As I said, those speed limit signs really work!

PS: Slow down. Especially around the holidays with all the added stress, no one is concentrating as much as they should while driving. And as a jogger, I can tell you, virtually every car that passes me is breaking the speed limit. Make it safe for everyone.

Don't Be S.A.D. This Winter!

By Mary Mucci

For most of us:  winter is long and grey,  but for people with seasonal affective disorder it’s apparently almost unbearable.  Many turn to drugs. …but like everything else we talk about here:  health problems are not caused by a drug deficiency. 

Dr. Jim Prego’s prescription for SAD is pretty simple.  Get natural light any way you can.  And get a dose first thing in the morning.  {Waking up to a light box which you can purchase thru mercola.com is ideal.}

 Get exercise any way you can.  {Walking a dog works.} 

Eat more healthy fat and protein. {Anything else but sugar and simple carbs that turn into sugar.}  

Take vitamin D3  supplements.  {While physicians would never suggest a dose without without blood tests;  the fact is the current government guidelines of 400 or 800 IU is inadequate.   And while everyone is different… some of the better brands of supplements have a 2500 IU formula.  That’s what I’ve been taking and it’s been great for me.}

And finally :  Go to bed earlier.

Many people have heard that melatonin is a solution.  Well it can be says Dr. Prego.  But oftentimes the problem isn’t too little melatonin,  it’s that your body clock is out of wack:   Your melatonin levels need to be in sinc with the rise and fall of the sun…even though  we can’t see it. 

I know mild depression can be cured with B complex vitamins, the omega three fats, magnesium and vitamin D3.  I know this because I was followed by a black cloud for nearly a decade.  If you’ve tried these and they haven’t worked, you may have absorption issues.  Maybe you’re not taking an adequate dose.  Or maybe the vitamins you are taking are not good quality.  It would be worthwhile to see a naturopath  like Dr. Prego {631 650-0268} or a holistic nutritionist like Llynn Newman { Glen Head 516 674 4868. } I have a list of more naturopaths and holistic nutritionists on my web site.

Winter is still not my favorite time of year.  The days are simply too short.  So I’ve been going to bed early and finding that helps too.  After all natural health experts say we’re supposed to be sleeping longer this time of year. Sounds good to me.

To Your Health,

Mary Mucci

 

Contacts:

Dr.  Jim Prego, Naturopathic Physician

Islip at 631 650 0268

Llynn Newman, Clinical Nutritionist and Herbalist

Glen Head and Mineola,  516 674 4868

Light Boxes:  www.mercola.com

This is a great information site and sells fine products.  As with anything I recommend, I have no financial interest.  My recommendations are made simply because I believe the people and products may be of help to you.

Heating Help

By Doug Geed

     It's only the first full day of winter and already, many Long Islanders have had it! Today's cold temperatures and frigid winds were too much to handle for many. Just imagine being in your own home with not enough heat.
  Unfortunately that's the situation some Long Islanders find themselves in. A woman in Freeport told me she keeps her oven on -- with the door open -- to help warm up her apartment. (A dangerous thing to do by the way.)

   There's a better way. If you live in an apartment and aren't getting enough heat, your village, town or county can help. If you live in Nassau, you can call 516-227-9715. If you're a tenant in western Suffolk, you can call 631-852-5900. If you rent an apartment in the town of Brookhaven or any of the 5 East End towns, you can call 631-852-5841.

   If you own your own home, run out of heating oil and simply cannot afford another delivery, you may qualify for an emergency delivery. For information in Nassau, call 516-227-7386. In Suffolk, 631-853-8825.

    And please keep an eye on your neighbors in this cold weather, especially senior citizens. They may be too proud to ask for help.

Sex and Sneezing

By Carol Silva

Sex and Sneezing. Now that I've got your attention, they're related.

What?

I said sex and sneezing are related. I mean I said it because that's what a British doctor has found in his research. Now, why would anyone try to link the two?   Well Dr. Mahmood Bhutta had a colleague who had a patient (are you with me here?) who would sneeze uncontrollably - when he had sexual thoughts.

So, Dr. Bhutta - an ear, nose, throat specialist at England's Wexham Park Hospital - googled "sex" and "sneeze or sneezing." He figured the condition might be too embarrasing for people to report to their doctors - but they might ask for help in internet chat rooms.

Guess what? He found 17 cases of men and women who reported sneezing after sexual thoughts. Three more reported sneezing after orgasms.

And get this - the research published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine - finds smiliar reports going back to the 19th Century.

What can I say but - God bless you! 

Expect The Unexpected

Norm Dvoskin

We just passed the 22^nd anniversary of the debut of News 12 Long Island. Over the years, I can recall two occasions when the lights in the studio went out completely while I was doing the weather and I was left speaking in total darkness. When you’re in front of a TV camera, unexpected and surprising things may happen. Sometimes they’re embarrassing and they may even be quite funny. Below are a few of the most amusing incidents I can remember during all these years . Not all of them involve me.

You remember Roberto Tirado, weatherman during the early days of News 12? We were doing a story at Stony Brook University about students who were having a grand time sailing their home made, model boats on a pond on campus. Roberto and Scott Feldman were in the studio sitting at the desk. When the story ended, Roberto said, "I would love to go back to college but I don’t know what I would major in." Scott replied on-air, "How about meteorology?

Most people are aware that when TV weather people give their presentation, there’s a blank, colored (green or blue) wall behind us. The illusion of a graphic or map is created by sophisticated electronics. The weathercaster holds a small clicker, much like a garage door opener to sequence the computerized pictures. When the button is pressed, the graphic changes. One night, in front of the camera, Bill Korbel kept pressing the button on his clicker and nothing was happening. The maps were stuck and wouldn’t change. He was frustrated and he looked down at the device in his hand. With a humble look on his face he realized he was holding his car remote.

Patti Ann Browne was the News Anchor in the studio and Scott Feldman was out in the field. He was covering a breaking story and telling the viewers about the Great Neck School District's plan to begin giving high school students condoms. Scott sent it back to the studio and Patti Ann asked, "Scott, when are the students going to start using these condoms?"

It was a cold, clear Thanksgiving morning and I was sent out to a turkey farm in Huntington to report on the weather. While I was speaking on-air, the camera panned down revealing two tiny kittens scurrying around at my feet. The camera went back to me and as I was saying, "The temperature is 22 degrees, the sky is clear... blah, blah blah." One of the kittens decides to climb up my pants leg under my 3/4 length coat. This creature climbed up past my waist. I reached inside my coat, pulled it out by the neck, held it up to the camera and said, "and now for the furcast."

Happy Holidays!

Keep it Safe

By Andrew Ehinger

    If you remember the 80's cop drama Hill Street Blues, in just about every episode Sergeant Phil Esterhaus would point to his officers during roll call and say, "Hey, let's be careful out there". Well Suffolk police are saying that line in a little different way and this time to shoppers.

    Holiday shopping time is peak time for crooks looking to make a quick score with your money. Crowded shopping malls, kids distracting mom and dad, folks weighted down with packages are what police say crooks are looking for. But aside from stealing your money, they're also looking to take your idenitity. According to the FBI, identity theft is the fastest growing white collar crime. With just a little personal and financial information a thief can take hundreds possibly thousands of dollars and leave you with a financial headache.

So what can you do? Suffolk police say remain vigilant at all times and try and remember these tips when shopping in stores.

-   Minimize the damage of a lost or stolen wallet or purse by carrying only the identification and the credit cards you will need.
-   Leave your social security card in a safe place at home.
-   Shoppers should consider leaving their checkbooks at home and carrying only one credit card on which to charge their purchases.
-   Do not leave pocketbooks, wallets or important personal information in the glove compartment of unattended cars in store parking lots or in your driveway.
-   Do not leave pocketbooks or handbags in shopping carts.
-   While applying for instant credit at stores, be vigilant of the fact that a thief may be "shoulder surfing" as you provide your personal information to obtain the credit. This technique has been made easier by the pervasive availability of cell phone cameras that take digital pictures.

    When it comes to shopping on-line police say you also need to remain vigilant.
-  Consider internet transactions with companies you know.
-   Look for the "lock" security symbol on your internet browser page and look for "https" in the website address.
-   Do not provide personal information, especially your social security number, unless you know who will receive it.
-  Consider using a credit card for online purchases as it may offer better fraud protection than debit cards.

Police Now Call It Murder

By Mike Stevens

Early on, the death of 59 year old Diane Edwards was called suspicious. Wednesday night she was found by police in her Melville home unconscious and bleeding from a head wound. In the home police say there was no sign of forced entry and no furniture in disarray that might indicate signs of struggle.

The medical examiners report, which came out Thursday afternoon, showed she was killed -- not by the  head wound -- by by what they are calling a 'Neck Compression'. The kind of injury that could have been caused by a choke hold.

It was a male relative who called police, saying he found Edwards bleeding in the home when he went to check on her. Police won't say who the relative is, and are not calling him a suspect. But many questions arose when cops also wrapped crime scene tape around the house around the corner that neighbors say belongs to a man they call Edwards son in law.

Some neighbors say they are concerned about their safety, since police have not issued a motive, made no arrests and have no suspects.

But others say they will wait 'till they get more information from police before they decide -- if their previously quiet neighborhood -- near Walt Whitman Mall off of Rt. 110 --  is now a danger zone.  

Police are still looking for clues.

New Credit Card Rules

By Scott Feldman

Long Islanders love their plastic. They're just not always thrilled with their credit card companies. But federal regulators have adopted new rules for the credit card industry to protect consumers from arbitrary hikes in interest rates or unfair time constraints for paying.

The new rules, which take effect in 2010, allow credit card companies to raise interest rates only on new credit cards, future purchases or advances and not on existing account balances. They also restrict certain lender practices such as allocating all payments to balances with lower interest rates when a borrower has balances with higher rates.

The banking industry say the changes would force them to impose higher initial rates and make it tougher for some people to get credit cards. But SafeGuard, a credit counseling service in Hauppauge, thinks its a "win" for the consumer struggling to get out of debt.

SafeGuard's President, Michael Smith, tells me it's important to monitor month to month what the credit company is charging you. And if your interest rate goes up, contact the creditor immediately. Also, if  you can't afford to make payments, don't ignore it. Again, get a hold of the credit card company and try to work out a payment plan. If that doesn't work, contact a credit card counselor to develop a budget to repay your debt. Check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure the counselor you are going to is reputable.

Does Anyone Still Dream of a White Christmas?

by Lea Tyrrell

This time of year I am all Christmas music all the time.  Recently, while hearing Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" for the umpteenth time, I thought to myself "Does anybody really dream of a white Christmas anymore?"  I know I don't.  I'm closely watching Bill Korbel's forecast every night hoping NOT to see any snowflakes for the end of next week. 

I don't hate snow.  Snow is beautiful.  For 5 minutes.  Then it makes everything more complicated.  Getting dressed (especially choice of footwear), walking, and driving!  And as we try to clear all the white stuff away so it gets easier to walk and drive, it gets messy and ugly. 

The same goes for a white Christmas.  It's beautiful.  For 5 minutes.  It's great if you're not going anywhere.  But a whole lot of people are traveling for Christmas.   And if they're traveling to your house, they're not very happy when they show up because they've been sitting in traffic for hours.  That's if they show up at all.

I've hosted many a Christmas at my house where it either snowed the day before or started snowing on Christmas Day.  When my guests called to cancel because the roads were bad, I had no idea what I was going to do with all the food.  And one year when it started to snow hard and fast while we were eating dinner, some of my guests gulped down what was on their plates, said thank you, got their coats and left.  No dessert!  Hey, I don't blame them.  It's no fun traveling in bad weather.  But it wasn't quite the cozy, fun evening I was hoping for.

So that's why I prefer a dry Christmas.  It just makes thinks so much easier.  Everything that you've spent weeks getting ready for goes as planned. 

But I don't want to take any joy from the kids who love the snow around the holiday, and who believe the more the better.  Let the flakes pile up the day AFTER Christmas!  I know my daughter would be just as thrilled with that snow.

Whatever type of Christmas you're dreaming of, here's hoping you get what you want.  May your celebrations of Christmas, Hanukkah, and/or Kwanzaa be filled with food, family, friends and love.

     

To Albany and Back

By Scott Feldman

Just spent a couple of days in Albany. Legislators were called back to hear Governor Paterson's 2009-10 budget proposal. I brought back with me five big budget books that have all the numbers in them. They weigh at least ten pounds. It was not a lot of fun lugging them for a few hours Tuesday before I got back to our TV truck.

In any event, the budget proposal doesn't make good reading. New York is facing a 15 billion dollar deficit that Paterson wants legislators to close by March 1st. That's a month earlier than usual. He figures the sooner the state tackles the enormous fiscal problem, the less of a mess New York will face down the line.

So, what's the spending plan mean to you? For starters, big cuts to school aid and health care. Higher tuition at SUNY and CUNY schools. But at the same time, a program to provide low interest loans to tens of thousands of college students. 

 And then there are some 88 new or higher fees that will affect all of us.

There's a so-called IPod tax, a 4 percent tax you'd pay for downloading music and other "digitally delivered entertainment services."  Also, we could be facing higher taxes on gas, taxi rides, cable and satellite TV service, cigars, beer, movie and sports tickets, and health spa visits. The state sales tax on clothing and footwear purchases under $110 would be resumed. Driver's license fees and registration fees would be boosted by 25%. And we could be paying $25 for new license plates. Something that is sparking a lot of controversy, an 18 percent "obesity tax" on soda and other sugary drinks containing less than 70 percent real fruit juice.  State officials says almost one in four New Yorkers under age 18 are obese, and at higher risk for dangerous and expensive illnesses like diabetes and heart disease. It's estimated this tax would raise more than $400 million to help close the budget gap. But the American Beverage Association opposes the tax and says it would most harm the middle class.

So, legislators came. They heard. And now they are back in their home districts for the holidays. Everybody heads back to Albany after the first of the year to dig in and try to resolve what Paterson calls "the worst fiscal downturn in our economy since the Great Depression." Tough choices to be made. We're all sure to feel some pain when the dust finally settles.

Minors Drinking This Holiday Season

By Andrew Ehinger

    Karen Dittmer of West Hempstead (she liked to be called Mamma Dukes) never had any idea that a party at her house a couple years ago would end up with her being the first person cited under Nassau County's Social Host Law. Nassau police say they caught her hosting a party where her sons' friends were being served beer. In her defense she claimed innocence.

    "I swear on my dead father's grave I would never, ever do that . Do I look like that kind of mother?"

    But almost a year later she plead guilty to the charge and was fined $250.

    Miss Dittmer can blame the City of Long Beach for starting the Social Host Liability laws in Nassau County. It was back in 2006 when the city legislature passed the law, trying to stem the tide of underage drinking in peoples homes. So far officials believe the law is working. In a Long Beach grocery store parking lot, a random sampling of people found that everyone had heard of the 2 year old law and most felt it was a good thing. Some others felt that the law was too intrusive and that more emphasis on better parenting was the answer. (But that's a topic for another time). However, aside from The City of Long Beach, Nassau and Suffolk counties, 27 other municipalities and 9 counties in New York State have enacted similar social host laws. There is even a push to make the law statewide with legislation that is now working its way through the capital. 

So a quick reminder from lawmakers today:  As you celebrate the holidays here on Long Island, first off have fun, but don't serve alcohol to minors. If you do, lawmakers say, you could face a $250 fine for the first offense, $500 for the second, and $1,000 for the third and a year in jail.

Happy Holidays.

  

Turning 50 Ain't Bad

By Doug Geed

  So several different people asked me the same thing in the newsroom the other day as we were munching on the birthday cake and cookies some of my colleagues had gotten me -- "What's it feel like to turn 50?" And my answer was "I don't know. The same as turning 40, 28-and-a-half or 10 I guess." And by that I meant that I simply don't know what any number means in terms of age. Yeah, my body's slowed down a bit, but my mind still feels like it did 10, 20 or even 30 years ago.

     The fact is, none of us knows why we're here or exactly how we're supposed to act. It's a guessing game. You act like you THINK an adult is supposed to act -- or how a senior citizen is supposed to act -- or how a middle-aged man is supposed to act.

     It's like when one of your kids comes to you with a dilemma and asks you what to do. You pause, run some things through your mind and then say "Sweetie, the answer is C." She says "Thanks, dad!" and as she walks away you say to yourself "Jeesh, I hope that was the right answer!"

    But I do know this. I've been blessed with a great life for a half century. I grew up in Syosset, right by the high school, about two miles away from where I now work. I loved two things as a kid -- sports and television. And when I wasn't playing baseball or swimming or doing something else athletic, I was watching my favorite tv shows -- from Hollywood Squares to Bewitched to Mannix to the greatest television show of all time, Kiner's Korner. (Only Met fans will remember that one.)

   And now to be working in the television industry, in a profession I love -- journalism -- in my own hometown, is an incredible honor.

   I also know this. It is good people surrounding you that makes life worth living, and I've been blessed with a bunch. There's my wife of nearly 24 years. I don't know where I'd be without her, but it certainly wouldn't be nearly as fun. There's my three kids whom I adore, cherish and even like as people. And there are many, many close friends I've had through the years including many who a part of the News 12 family.

   So when I'm celebrating number 60 or, if I'm lucky enough, number 90, and someone asks me what's it's like to turn that age, I'm sure I'll say the same thing because I'm sure I'll FEEL the same thing -- "I don't know."

   But I do know that turning 50 ain't bad.

Time Travel

By Bill Korbel

I had to go to LaGuardia Airport this morning and as I drove along the Whitestone Expressway, just after passing to New York Times plant, I glanced to the right as I always do and looked at a flat marshy area now mostly filled with water.  Why you ask?  Because that nondescript piece of land was once the site of Flushing Airport where as a young boy I had my first airplane ride.  Something that set into motion my life-long love affair with planes and flying.  For many years, there was still part of a hanger visible, but I noticed that even this was now gone.  Torn down by someone unknown. All that's left are memories of an exciting event in my life.

Traffic was light, and at the speed limit I was soon pulling alongside Shea Stadium.  Or should I say the shell of Shea.  The Met's new stadium is essentially finished now.  They were testing the lights this morning which made the site of Shea even more troubling.  Like Flushing Airport, Shea Stadium was a place of excitement and memories for over 40 years.  I remember going to my first game there the year it opened.  I went not to see the rag-tag Mets, but to see the team I rooted for as a kid, the New York Giants.  Sure they had moved to San Franscisco the year before but when they came back, how could I not go see one of the greatest ball players in history, Willie Mays.  It was a night game, and somewhere I have a photograph of the brand new ball park. 

 

Now, the wrecking ball is whacking away at it, just as it eventually does to all of us.  Things come and go, but the thankfully, the memories go on.

Bill

Taxes Taxes Everywhere...

By Andrew Ehinger

    Taxes taxes everywhere and not a dollar to pay for them.

That's the cry many Long Islanders are moaning now hearing the seemingly endless list of proposed taxes and fees Governor Paterson unveiled today. It was the only way he said he could present a balanced executive budget that would eliminate the biggest ($1.7 billion dollar) financial shortfall and deficit ($13.7 billion dollar) in state history.

    Paterson seems to have decided to tax just about everything that wasn't taxed before to raise needed money. But aside from reinstating the state portion of the sales tax on clothing and footwear under $110, he has added some new and somewhat controversial ones.

    A 18% tax on Coke and Pepsi?   

    That one folks tell me they can't seem to understand. Paterson says the high tax on the sugary sodas would discourage obesity and help fund health programs. Diet drinks he says would not get the increased tax. My question is how would this be enforced and collected?

    When I went to get a quick sandwich today my meal came with a self-serve soft drink. I had about 8 options including two sugar free ones. Will restaurants now charge more or less for certain flavors of drinks? Or will they just absorb the costs?

    I understand the spirit of Paterson's tax here, as a country we have a higher obesity rate than just about everyone else in the world. Are sugary sodas to blame? Maybe. But will an 18% tax help? That's yet to be seen. I think the bigger question is will the soft drink industry stand for such a tax? I'm sure Albany lobbyists are shining up their Gucci loafers.

    Another interesting tax Paterson has chosen to propose is adding that state sales tax to internet movie and music downloads. The era of the $.99 iTunes song in New York could now be $1.03 if Patterson gets his way. 

   Also the Governor wants to remove the 8 cent per gallon state gas tax on gasoline, increasing the cost of your fill up. He also would like to tax cable and satellite TV/Radio service as he says 23 other states do right now. Personal services like your barber, hair stylist and masseuse would be taxable in the Governors proposed budget.

    Fees would go up at state parks, at the DMV and for dozens of professional licenses. If you want to become a private eye, better hurry up, Paterson wants that license fee to go up from $15 to $125.

    These fees and taxes in Paterson's proposed budget are estimated to bring in $5.2 billion dollars to state coffers in fiscal year 2009-10.  $5.5 Billion in fiscal year 2011-12. Many Long Islanders wonder if state residents will actually be able to collectively cough up all that cash or if it will force even more people to look elsewhere for somewhere to live. Only time will tell.

Santa Tightens His Belt

By: Carol Silva

Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Smiles. Cookies. Family. Gifts. Nice, right? So "Norman Rockwell-ish," right? OK, so just between the two of us, really, how stressed are you?

Well, maybe it doesn't have to be so bad. You see, this year thousands of your Long Island neighbors are feeling the financial pinch. We've lost jobs, lost homes, and some have lost hope. But an amazing Hicksville School District psychologist Dr. David Ferrin says this economic crisis that has Santa tightening his belt, might be a  blessing in disguise.

Dr. Ferrin can hardly remember a single gift he got when he was a kid. But he remembers the traditions of Christmas. His Dad was a taxi driver. They'd pile into his big Checkered cab and drive through the streets of Manhattan and look at the decorated windows. Or they'd drive to the Bronx train yard, wait for the Christmas trees to come in from Canada and then pick one out.

Those were the highlights of his holiday season. Dr. Ferrin says - back then, parents didn't focus on "stuff." And kids weren't exposed to a full-on barrage of "have to have" holiday toy commercials on 24-hour kid TV channels, starting before Thanksgiving! He admits, kids today think they have to have the latest in electronics, fashion and sneakers to feel "in."

So, he says, it's time we parents shift the focus. Take the focus off of our ability to "give give give - stuff!" to our kids. Let's give time and experiences instead (sorry retailers of America).

Here are some of Dr. Ferrin's thoughts:

In the spirit of the holidays all children look forward to unwrapping presents from Santa. They can also know that Santa can't bring everything to every child, but that he tries his best to bring something special to each child. To help Santa make decisions, a parent can help a child choose two or three "gifts" that would make the child happy. Then the child can write to Santa asking him for these things, but knowing that Santa will only bring one of those gifts. Any choice that Santa makes would still be on that child's "I want" list.

Why can't Santa bring everything? Even little ones can be made to understand that times are tough, without causing them to be concerned about the family situation. Gas is expensive, and so is the "reindeer food" that Santa has to buy. Santa's elves needed to buy new clothes for themselves this year because it is SOOOO cold in the North Pole, and Santa has to pay for those clothes.

Parents can easily refocus the children this year so that the issue of "what am I going to get" becomes replaced by "what are we going to do". There are so many inexpensive and wonderful things that a family can do over the Christmas holiday.

A trip to any of the beautiful Christmas tree farms on Long Island is always fun, perhaps even more so if it's coupled with a visit to Friendly's for ice cream or some other inexpensive but fun treat.

An evening ride to some of the communities where people really decorate their homes is always fun - and put the car radio on one of those stations that play holiday music all the time (WALK- Radio 97.5FM is a great one.) It's a family sing-a-long!

Drive into Manhattan and see the tree at Rockefeller Center and then stroll down Fifth Avenue to see the famous New York windows all decorated for the holiday.

Instead of everyone buying presents for everyone in the house, perhaps each family member could pick a name out of a hat and buy a present just for that person. Of course, this won't work for the little ones, who would be sorely disappointed. They are too young to truly understand the more altruistic side of life. Teenagers, however, could certainly use this as a "teachable moment".

If the family has made plans for a "get away" vacation over the upcoming February or April school breaks, parents can certainly talk to their older children about the realities of the expense of a trip for the family, and then discuss with those children whether they would rather have some extra "spending money" during that vacation, or relinquish that for a gift. It teaches choice, sacrifice, and value.

While it is a stretch, some families may want to teach their children about the meaning of Christmas by getting the family to volunteer at a soup kitchen (some of the soup kitchens require a minimum age for your children to volunteer, but maybe you can make a holiday family pledge to help later in the year - when there are far fewer "helpers.) Or maybe bake something special for a neighbor who may be having a difficult time. Children can be a part of this by choosing one of their older toys (still in good condition) to give to a family in need so that another child could be happy. Some children may even want to sacrifice their present by buying something new for a needier child. Perhaps that's a great example of the holidays; spreading love.

Now, if you want to give those coupon "gifts" (you know - for babysitting or a foot massage or "get out of making your bed for a week - free" card,) we've got a website  that can help you print them. And there are some great budget holiday ideas on the Budget 101 website budget101.  

As David Ferrin says - if we want to, we can all learn a lesson from Mick Jagger this season. You can't always get what you want, but if you try - you'll get what you really need!

Merry Everything!

 

In the Holiday Spirit

By Elisa DiStefano

It's been such an exciting week! On Monday, I officially got into the holiday spirit. As soon as I entered the vicinity of Radio City Music Hall, I was thrilled to see both grown-ups and adults in their Santa hats! When we arrived, there was a camel walking on 6th Ave (part of the Radio City Living Nativity scene)--just getting his daily exercise! I had the opportunity to meet a Rockette named Siobhan Santapaola. She's a Commack native... she went to the Boces Cultural Arts Center and was on dance line and kick line at Commack High School. She brought me into her dressing room. It was as glittery as I imagined it would be--full of Christmas lights and holiday cheer. Did you know the Rockettes do their own make-up? Those ladies work hard! They perform in 15-17 shows a week! They do over a hundred kicks in every show--and sometimes have as little as 78 seconds between numbers to change costumes. I need to learn how to do that--then I would be able to hit snooze a few more times in the morning! The show was as magical as I remembered.... bright smiles, dazzling costumes, Santa flying, and snow! My favorite number is the March of the Wooden Soldiers--but the new routines were amazing too. The best part was watching the looks on all of the kids' faces.

             On Friday night, I was surrounded by screaming teenagers! I had a chance to interview some of the stars of Z100's Jingle Ball at MSG! A decade or so ago, I was on the phone like many LI kids trying to win tickets! Some of the highlights of the night were being in the Gift Suite (yes, the stars take home lots of awesome gifts-- like digital cameras, hair products, and jewelry!) with Katie Couric, Leona Lewis and Natasha Bedingfield. Backstage, I interviewed Grammy nominee Ne-Yo, who could not have been more engaging! I also interviewed Brandy--who is finally back on the scene after 4 years. She said in 2009 she is going to learn how to dance! Jesse McCartney was adorable. Nick Lachey also stopped by--he has a new album coming out and promised to make a stop on Long Island when he tours this summer. I was surprised to see Brody Jenner! He is even better looking up close! It was his first time at the Garden and he was psyched to be there. Twilight fans, you will be excited to hear this-- Peter Facinelli stopped to chat. He is in NY shooting the series "Nurse Jackie" with Long Island gal Edie Falco. He is all excited to work on New Moon. He also told me that although he now lives in LA with wife Jennie Garth (90210)-- he grew up in Queens and his parents live in Bellmore! He had his own little Twilight Premiere for his whole family at a movie theater in Merrick! I made him promise to throw another for New Moon!

From MSG to the Great White Way--which was looking mighty green this weekend! I went to see Shrek on Broadway... it was so much better than I thought it would be! Tony winner Sutton Foster plays Princess Fiona. I thought the whole cast was great. It was very witty and entertaining for both adults and kids. My sister and I were cracking up--and so was Cameron Diaz who was sitting in front of us!

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree...

By Jackie Lukas

I was just in the city this weekend and I had to make a trip to Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas tree! It was packed! Hundreds of people were taking pictures and waiting to go on the ice skating rink!   Now is it me, or are people in New York City nicer during the holidays? Everyone was smiling and people were actually polite! It must be that holiday cheer... or an overdose of eggnog :)  :)  But I'm glad that I got to see the tree. I just think the city is so beautiful this time of year with all the lights and decorations! 

          

This year, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is a 72 foot tall Norway Spruce - from Hamilton, New Jersey. The tree is adorned with 30,000 multi-colored LED lights. Not to mention my favorite part of the tree... the nearly 10 foot Swarovski crystal star! It weighs 550 pounds and is decorated with 25,000 crystals! The tree topper - is a show stopper!

As much as I loved the Rockefeller Christmas tree - I like my tree a lot better! It's about 5 feet tall and 100% fake! I got it at Walgreens last year for 20 bucks - plus a $5 rebate! haha.. Bargain! And it's still just as beautiful as any other tree.   There's something special about decorating your own tree. My parents even let me take some of my old ornaments from when I was younger to put on my tree :) But I do admit that it's not very sturdy. My cats have already knocked it down... those little rascals! And I'm sure that won't be the last time my tree takes a tumble this holiday season!

       Hey, at least it's not a Charlie Brown Christmas tree!

Prenatal Yoga to Ease Childbirth

By Mary Mucci

There are so many factors that figure into what kind of experience a woman will have during labor, it may seem presumptuous to suggest that doing yoga will make it easier.

But I believe it can.  I was not a first time mom when I used yoga to help me stretch and relax.  It was my second birth.  As anyone who’s given birth knows the second time is always far easier than the first because of the fear factor.

Fear was definitely a reason several of the moms I met on this story decided to try yoga.  I applaud their decision. Because  learning to trust your body, learning to breathe through discomfort and learning to focus can really help.  At least it all helped me.   I spent most of my labor focused on a scene from “Ferngully “  a favorite animated film where a fairy emerges from a flower.  Thanks to that and my relaxed breathing techniques {not taught by Lamaz} I was able to achieve my goal of giving birth without any drugs. 

That doesn’t mean that all moms who take yoga have the same goal.  But if you can use yoga to relieve the early labor pains then perhaps you can arrive at the hospital {or wherever} at seven centimeters dilated which is what happened to one of the moms in the class.   Remember,  hospital procedures mean most moms are forced to labor on their backs strapped to a monitor.  That makes it very difficult to relieve your own pain by changing your position.  So arriving well-dilated seems like a worthwhile goal.

To Your Health,

Mary Mucci

Contacts:

Prenatal Yoga Classes

Guzin Potente, RYT

Northport Yoga Center

www.northportyoga.com

516 996 3399

 

Inner Spirit Yoga Center

East Northport 631 262 YOGA

www.InnerSpiritYoga.com

In addition to prenatal there are mommy and me yoga classes , and yoga for kids and more

To Find A Yoga Class Near You Call:  631 261 1777

www.longislandyogaassociation.org  click on teachers for the listing of teachers and centers

 

Money Money Everywhere & Not a Cent to Spare

by Christine Insinga

   Fannie Freddie- AIG- Citigroup and ALMOST the Big 3 -- $700,000 billion here--- maybe $14 billion there. Our nation's debt now tops $10,000,000,000,000- that's TEN TRILLION DOLLARS. Hard working middle class families are having a hard time putting food on the table and the holidays aren't shaping up to be that hearty this year. Employers slashed more that 530,000 jobs last month- the most in 3 decades!!   Seems everyone is out of money these days....well almost everyone.

    My idea- why don't we borrow it from baseball? Yes, baseball. According to the Associated Press the NY Yankees spent a gut wrenching $218.3 on their 2007 payroll- not to mention $243 million on their starting pitchers... and that's just during this off season!!  How about pitching in where it counts, kids?  The Boston Red Sox spent just over $155 Million- on last years payroll, even the LA Angels spent $111 Million.   A-Rod earns more than $28 million smackaroos a year!  Well that's what he MAKES- I'm not sure anyone can EARN that. Incidently his salary is more than the ENTIRE Florida Marlin payroll! And - seriously- what did CC Sabathia do to cut a $161 Million deal??

   If that wasn't enough- the Yankees and Mets recently asked the city for $450 million MORE in public bonds to finance their brand spanking new- state of the art stadiums. Let's not forget- the city's Economic Development Corp says the teams were already granted $1.5 billion for their respective projects!

    Don't get wrong I am a TREMENDOUS baseball fan- Yankees in particular- though it's not the same since Tino left. I love the sport- I do. I just think there is something horribly wrong that it costs moms and dads an arm, leg and lung to spend a day at the ball park with their kids.  So many people who have worked hard for so many years are getting laid off- just like that.

    Everyone deserves a little breather.  Everyone deserves a little fun.  I'm just saying- what a shame it would be if Americans had to start passing on America's favorite pasttime because the only ones who could afford to watch them are members of the MLB themselves. That would be a sad, sad day.

 How many days until pitchers and catchers report??

Belated Blog

By Colleen McVey

It's about time I update my blog - sorry!

First, I want to thank everyone for your posts and prayers over the past few months. I am feeling much better and it's good to be back!

Now, for my Christmas wish. Let's all Stop, Slow Down and Smile. I was out shopping and it was crazy in the stores and on the roads. Everywhere I went - impatient drivers were honking at each other.  In West Babylon, a woman was nearly hit by a car when she walked into the road to move a runaway shopping cart on Montauk Highway. This woman was trying to help and the cars just kept speeding by her - some honking their horns like it was her fault. Then I passed an accident on Bethpage State Parkway. There was an officer on the scene and again horns were honking because traffic slowed down. In the stores - there were long lines and long faces. No one was smiling. I know everyone is in a rush - time and patience are running out - but we all (including me) need to take a deep breath and just relax. I recently read a story where researchers found smiling is contagious. So smile and pass it on. Put the "happy" back into Happy Holidays!

      

Gift Card Warning!!

By Andrew Ehinger

Don't get me wrong, I love gift cards. They're not impersonal. They're not thoughtless. In my mind they could be the perfect gift. However, with any purchase you make there are things you need to know.

A few years ago when gift cards really began to be the "in" gift, companies started to put restrictions on their use, fees for non-use, and even fees for checking the balance. After public outcry and legislation, some cards eliminated the fees. In New York gift cards must not charge a fee for the first year. After that any fee schedules must be posted clearly.
    Bottom line: Some cards hold their value forever. Others, over time, will diminish as inactivity fees eat away at the cards' balance. So read the fine print carefully and use those gift cards in a timely fashion.

FRAUD!

Believe it or not there are some crooks out there who want to steal your gift card's value before you even use it! How do they do it? Well, even though card companies have tried to add security features, if you don't know what they are, you may become a victim.

All Gift Cards have zero value until the store adds the money or a pre-valued one is activated at the register. Since the cards are treated like cash, unless you lose them they're pretty safe. However, Gift Cards can also be used sometimes for on-line purchases and that's where a crook can score.

Here's how it works... A crook goes to a gift card kiosk, writes down some card numbers, and puts them back on the pegs. Then he goes home and makes a purchase on the card's web store using the gift card number. Since it hasn't been activated yet, the card comes back invalid and the purchase fails. But over time the crook will continue to check to see if the card number has been activated. So if you happen to pick up the card the crook took the number from and activate it, the crook could make a purchase before you even give it to a loved one.

So, how have cards tried to stop this? You may notice on the back of some cards a silver scratch off box. Under this box is a PIN number. Many gift cards now a days have this secret PIN number to insure that only the gift card recipient uses the value of the card on-line. If you buy a card, inspect it to make sure that the PIN number is still concealed. If not, a crook may have already scratched it off, recorded that number and could potentially steal the value just like before.

Now, as I mentioned, not all gift cards have this PIN, but that does not mean you should feel unsure about buying that gift card. Some cards, like the American Express Gift Card, come in sealed envelopes.  Others are glued to cardboard or have tamper resistant seals. So, when you buy a gift card - before it's validated - make sure the PIN has not been scratched off or the card been tampered with.

Have a happy and safe holiday!

Stealing from charity...now there's the Christmas spirit!

By Mike Stevens

What could be worse than stealing candy from a baby? How about stealing money from premature babies-- at Christmas time!

The Sporacio family of Farmingville has been raising money for the Little Angel Fund for the past three years. The fund is part of a support group for families with prematurely born babies. The Sporacio's were helped by the Little Angel Fund 2 and a half  years ago when their daughter was born. Since then, they have been trying to give back by raising money for other families in the same situation. To do that, Mike Sporacio sets up this huge Christmas display in his front yard each year with larger than life Santas, sleds, candy canes and more. People who pass by and like it are encouraged to drop money in a locked donation box. Then the money is emptied each night, and every penny is given to the charity. For the past two years they have raised about $2,500  each year. And to prove how angelic they are, they even pay the $1,200 LIPA bill (for the extra Christmas lights) out of their own pockets!.

Well, this year, while they've again been nice, someone else has been naughty. Very naughty. The other night--with Santa watching (apparently not very closely)--someone stole the whole donation box. The Sporacios are furious. Not that there was a lot of money inside -- maybe  $50 to $100 -- but there is a principle involved. It's bad enough to steal during Christmas from Charity, but worse --  from a charity benefiting KIDS!

Suffolk Police found the old donation box, empty of course, and they are still looking for the culprit.  The Sporacios are asking anyone with information to contact police.  If you'd like to make a donation -- perhaps to make up for what was lost in this brazen act of grinch-like thievery, contact the Little Angle Fund at 631 736 2512.

Foreclosure Stats

By Virginia Huie

Imagine losing the roof over your head. Thousands of Long Islander are facing foreclosure -- and the latest figures offer small comfort. New national statistics show foreclosure filings fell 7 percent in November from October. Suffolk had 107 new foreclosure cases in November -- down from 410 a year ago. Nassau saw 162 foreclosures -- down from 227. But experts say the numbers don't tell the whole story. The downturn in foreclosures is likely due to a new law that gives people 90-days to re-negotiate a mortgage with their lender. But once the 90-day moratorium expires early next year -- foreclosures will likely skyrocket. As a result, housing experts say a new face of homeless will be emerging on Long Island -- those who lose their homes to foreclosure. And the lack of rentals on the Island makes a tough situation even tougher. If you find yourself on the brink of foreclosure, there is help on the Island. The Long Island Housing Partnership in Hempstead is a good place to start. The mortgage counseling center hotline number is (516) 511-HOME. Community Development Corporation in Centereach is another good resource. The number is (631) 471-1215 ext. 158, (ext.166 for Spanish-speaking clients.)

Beauty Secret

By Holli Haerr

 

I must admit, the tune to "Beauty School Dropout" from the musical Grease was in my head as photographer Pete Cinnante and I headed to the Long Island Beauty School in Hauppauge for this segment on saving money. I was wondering how things would go (more than I normally do on the way to a story) because I would be getting a haircut.

 

Fortunately, the people who work at the beauty school’s clinic are NOT dropouts.

They’re students who have completed hundreds of hours of classroom training and are now getting real experience before they graduate – giving haircuts, colors and perms to clients who come through their doors. They also do facials, manicures and waxing.

 

Clients get a real deal, with haircuts that start at five dollars and color that starts at $20. Considering that at some salons, a woman’s haircut can cost $40 dollars or more, this is a big bargain. And, customers can feel comfortable in knowing that the students are supervised by teachers the whole time.

 

My haircut by Kniecaj Guerrido (who plans to open a salon in Patchogue after she graduates in March) was great and the customers who were there when I was seemed very satisfied.   

 

One woman has been getting her haircut there for 40 years!

For more information about the Long Island Beauty School, located in Hauppauge and Hempstead- you can check out their website here.

And here’s a link to more money saving tips on our Long Island Survival Guide. Have any fun ideas of your own? Feel free to leave a comment!

Senior Pedestrians Watch Out!

Drew Scott

 If you're hoofing it in Nassau county, watch out!

 Seems, a brand new report identified Nassau as the state's second deadliest county for senior citizen pedestrians. According to the study, between 2005 and 2007, 39 seniors died at the hands of automobile drivers and buses. 21 seniors died in Suffolk!

 I interviewed Janet Matrejek of East Meadow. She nearly died five years ago while crossing the intersection of Front Street and Merrick Avenue in East Meadow. She told me a car struck her while she was in the cross walk with the green light. The impact sent her 30 feet into the air and down the street. It took her months to recover.

Other senior citizens at the Town of Hempstead center in East Meadow report similar close calls with cars while they were in the cross walk with the right of way! Their advice? Please, drivers SLOW DOWN!

Governor Patterson has ordered the Department of Transportation to implement an immediate study of dangerous intersections for pedestrians. They have also been ordered to make recommendations to make these intersections and roadways SAFER in the coming months and report back to the Governor.

A recommendation that Janet Matrejek says is long overdue.

Home for the Holidays

By Jill Wagner

We're just about halfway between Black Friday and Christmas Eve, so it's fair to say the holiday season is in full swing.  And this year, despite the gloomy economy, Long Islanders seem to be getting into the holiday spirit! 

On a personal note, I can tell you I am THRILLED to be back home for the holiday season.  A couple years ago I moved to Michigan for my first on-air reporting job.  I really enjoyed my time in Lansing, the state's capital.  I made a ton of great friends and even more importantly, got some great reporting experience.  But at the end of the day, it wasn't home! 

So now I'm back on Long Island, lucky enough to report for News 12---the station I grew up watching!  And that means, in addition to some of the more depressing stories about the recession and crime, I also get to cover some of the wonderful holiday celebrations that are uniquely Long Island. 

I mean, where else would hundreds of people gather to light -- not a big Christmas tree -- but a big duck!  Yes, I'm talking about the famous East End Big Duck in Flanders.  It's quite a sight.  Hundreds of kids counting down for Santa to flip the switch that turns the lights on a wreath wrapped around a 20 foot toall and 30 foot long duck.   

And then there's the Freeport Christmas boat cruise.  What an image---dozens of boats decked in hundreds of lights cruising along the Nautical Mile.  You can see all the festivities on a special News 12 series, "Tis the Season," starting next week.  It's the type of holiday celebration you'll see only on Long Island!    

A Morale Boosting Night

By Doug Geed

     I know, I know -- the news is depressing to listen to these days. Now imagine how me and my fellow anchors at News 12 feel every single day talking about the recession, layoffs, foreclosures and bailouts. So much of this is cyclical -- just part of our economic system. But an awful lot of it is due to just plain greed.

      That's why it was so enjoyable for me to host the recent Suffolk County Council Boy Scouts annual dinner where the organization gave out its Distinguished Citizen Award. This year there were three recipients -- all of them professional athletes who I've enjoyed rooting for in the past -- and all of them Long Islanders who give back so much to their community.
       Marty Lyons -- the former defensive lineman and member of the so-called Sack Exchange for the NY Jets was honored along with two former NY Islanders -- Clark Gillies and Pat LaFontaine. 

           Marty founded and heads the Marty Lyons Foundation which, since 1982, has granted wishes to terminally ill children. Pat's organization -- Companions in Courage -- builds unique interactive game rooms in hospitals for children. And Clark's group -- The Clark Gillies Foundation -- helps children across Long Island and the tri-state area who are physically or financially handicapped.
      Think of all the nonsense going on involving professional athletes these days. They make millions of dollars playing a game yet waste their talents and disappoint their family, friends and fans by refusing to play for their team because they don't like the way management has decided to use them -- or by driving drunk -- or by organizing illegal dog-fighting gambling rings -- or by carrying guns illegally in public places.
     But it was refreshing to see these talented athletes who now spend their lives helping the less fortunate.

      And as for the Boy Scouts -- what an amazing group of kids. You hear all the bad news happening in the world -- all the lying, cheating and greed -- and then you look to this organization and the volunteers and the participants and it gives you such a boost in morale. Their dedication to country, to family, to community and just basic simple goodness is an inspiration in so many ways. What an honor to share in their great night.

     Here's some more information on the charities of Marty, Clark and Pat.

http://www.martylyonsfoundation.org/

 

http://www.cic16.org/index.asp

 

http://www.clarkgillies.org/

There IS Such a Thing as a Free Lunch

By Holli Haerr

If you have kids and would like to save money when you eat out, you can.

 

All you have to do is Google "kids eat free" and your town's name, "kids eat free" and "Long Island" or just plain "kids eat free" and a bunch of choices will pop up. In most cases, they offer one free kids meal with each paying adult, so you can't bring a birthday party there with one parent and expect to get 12 free meals. But there are several places where you can save if you're going out with your family.

Here are a few:

 

Moe's Southwest Grill, which has four locations on Long Island and will soon open a fifth.

 

Finn MacCool's on Main Street in Port Washington.

 

J & R's Steakhouse, which has several locations.

 

And several IHOPs have afternoon and evening hours in which kids can eat free. The times vary at each location. I called several and found that the IHOPs in Babylon and Bay Shore do offer free kids meals at certain times. The people at the Hicksville and Manhasset IHOPs told me they don't. (So you might want to call your local IHOP to find out if it does, and the specific hours.)

 

In addition, certain restaurants offer free food during a child's birthday month if you sign up for their club.

 

Keep in mind, when you Google "kids eat free", some of the online articles may be outdated. And just because a national chain says there are "kids eat free" deals, doesn't mean that the local restaurant offers it. It's a good idea to call before you go.

 

Enjoy!

The Challenge

By Erin Colton

As most of you probably know, our Evening Anchor Scott Feldman (otherwise known as  "Anchor In Charge") is the host of our Network game show, "The Challenge." Ever seen it? I spend my week counting down the days until it airs.

So the other day, I posed a little challenge of my own to  Scott.

I get to work really early. How early you ask? How 'bout 2am! So come about 9 o'clock, when normal people arrive at work, I'm a little stir crazy. I usually use this to fuel fights, errr, discussions around the newsroom. But this past Friday I challenged Mr. Feldman -- to a good 'ole fashioned arm wrestle.

What? Two anchors can't arm wrestle these days? What's the problem with that? It promotes competition around the station. (At least that's the excuse I used with management.)

Anyway, Scott totally embraced my challenge. In fact, the whole newsroom did. What was at stake? Rights to being named the best anchor at the station. (Scott was unaware of this.) But it was on, a head-to-head battle of strength, endurance and anchor agility. Is that sweat I see seeping from Scott's forehead? I think so.

But the problem is, Scott is almost as competitive as I am, so it got intense at times. (Especially when I was near nailing his arm to the table.) And to add to it, there may have been louder "Erin" chants than there was "Scott." But the head anchor kept his cool in the end and finished a good fight.

I'm not going to reveal who won and who lost, because I just don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. What matters is that we came out of the wrestle even better friends than before. And, I think even better anchors. (Another excuse I gave to management for staging an actual fight at my station.)

So if you're looking to get closer to someone, create some more chemistry, or just want to reenact a scene from the News 12 newsroom. Give an arm wrestle a try.

By the way, call me "Anchor In Charge." (But don't tell Scott.)

Surfin' for Sales

By Holli Haerr

If you're holiday shopping and looking for bargains, you might try searching online. Sometimes, websites have better deals than stores. For example, when I got my cellphone (not a fancy one) it was free online but would have cost $30 at the store - and both were run by the same company! Of course, I ordered it from the website.

So, what's the best website for finding deals?

Turns out, there are several. Professor Dawn DiStefano teaches marketing and e-commerce at Nassau Community College and researched several sites, including some that have so called "brick and mortar" stores (stores you can visit) such as www.Walmart.com, www.Target.com, www.BestBuy.com.

She also looked at some that are online only, such as www.Overstock.com and www.Amazon.com. For a certain camera, she found the best price was on Best Buy. And the best price on a GPS was on Overstock.

Overall, she says if you're looking for deals, shop around. (At least, you can do it with just a few clicks.) But - she says don't buy from a website you don't recognize just because the price seems good.

Before you buy, add in the cost of shipping (if there is one).

And, check websites you're not familiar with before you buy.  James Reed, from Nassau's Consumer Affairs Department says you can go to websites run by places such as the Federal Trade Commission, which has links like this one, with tips for consumers about online shopping.

It's Cheaper To Keep Her (your old car that is)

By Mike Stevens

Steve Rozansky, owner of Family Auto Service in Baldwin says it's cheaper to fix up what you have, than go out and buy a new car.

It had been a few years since I last talked with Steve. I wasn't even sure if he was still in business, given the economy. But it turns out, business is booming! He is, in a sense, turning nuts and bolts into gold. Rozansky says it's too early to know exactly how much more business his auto repair shop is getting -- but he says its noticeable.

"People are going, you know, Steve, I don't want to buy a new car . What will it cost me to keep my car for another few years?"

"Nationwide, according to two industry sources -- AAA, and the Automotive Service Association -- there are not yet any hard numbers to show how much the auto repair business is growing.

But there's enough anecdotal evidence to show there is a trend.

Customer Jayne Gold -- a nurse from Freeport -- happened to be in Steve's shop when we were shooting our report about this for News 12 Long Island. Gold is one of those who says they want to hold onto their current vehicle longer -- in her case a 1994 Isuzu Trooper.

"I just started a new position and want to make sure everything is fine with that before I go into another major debt."

Gold plans to get a new vehicle eventually, but a noise in the muffler-- the reason she brought her Isuzu in to get checked-- isn't enough to make her do that just now.

Steve invited her into the work area to see for herself, with the SUV hoisted in the air, what is causing the noise. It's a piece of pipe that needs to be replaced. It's not the kind of thing that has to be done right away, but it does need to be fixed if she wants to keep her vehicle longer.

So when you are trying to decide for yourself, whether it's better to get a car fixed, or buy a brand new one, experts like Steve say it all comes down to the bottom line.

"Sometimes they get repair bills, and feel it's very high. But if you compare the repair bills to the lease payments of a car, you're saving a bundle"

In Gold's case -- given the economy, she wants to handle her next new car purchase differently than she has in the past. She wants to have a large down payment to make the least amount of monthly payments and get the least amount of credit. Though there are generally a lot of nursing jobs available, she says she has been laid off in the recent past and wants to make sure in the future, she does not have a lot of new debt.

Oh, and one more thing. When you are trying to calculate whether the repairs on your old car are going to cost more or less than buying a new vehicle -- don't forget to consider the amount of down payment you will need, the monthly payments for however long it takes to pay it off, and an increase in auto insurance.

Street Renaming for Brookhaven Hero

By Lily Stolzberg

I first heard of Army Veteran Joseph Dwyer when I saw a photo of him on the cover of the newspaper. The Mount Sinai native was holding a wounded Iraqi child. It was an image that became a symbol of the war. Now it's an image that reminds people, especially his family, of the terrible effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.

Dwyer suffered from the mental disorder after returning home from Iraq. His battle came to an end when he accidentally overdosed as a result of PTSD. Today the Town of Brookhaven renamed Pipe Stave Hollow Road in Mount Sinai in honor of Dwyer, who was the father of a beautiful little girl named Meghan.

Doctor's say PTSD didn't become an official diagnosis until 1980. Before that it was known as Shell Shock. But regardless of what it's called, it's a very real, debilitating disorder. There are so many different symptoms including persistent frightening thoughts, sleeplessness, and flashbacks to traumatic events.

At today's ceremony I met a Veteran who served 10 months in Vietnam. Larry Noon says in the 40 years since he served, he has battled with alcohol and drug addiction. He has been clean for 20 years but he says he never tackled the root of the problem. He recently completed a 90 day PTSD program at the Northport Veteran Affairs Hospital. He says he is so grateful for the help he received, 

Officials at the VA hospital say since the beginning of the Iraq war they have treated as many as 360 Veterans suffering from PTSD. That doesn't even count the World War Two or Vietnam Vets that walk through their doors. They tell me they want to help even more people who may be suffering from this disorder.  If you are a Veteran who served in Iraq or Afghanistan or know of someone who is and may need help, you can call The VA hospital at 1-800-444-0005. If you are a Veteran of any other war, call (631) 261-4400.

I hope as you pass Joseph Dwyer's street, you remember our Veterans, the men and women who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

$1.95 a gallon

By Bill Korbel

Yesterday was a great day.  I  found gas for less then $2.00 a gallon and filled up for less then 30 bucks.  That's the first time gas been that low since January 2005.  Almost 3 years ago. 

I have a small book in my car and enter maintenance, oil changes, and fuel purchases,  so, I can easily look back and see trends in car operation or in this case, fuel prices.

On January 1st, 2002 I filled my tank for $1.15 a gallon.  On July 1st of this year I paid $4.30 a gallon. That's $3.15 more per gallon.  An increase of over 300%.   Ouch!  That really hurt. Actually the average from January 2004 to January 2007 was a fairly reasonable $2.30 a gallon.  But 2007 started off with gas at $3.15 and it only went up from there reaching a max late this summer before thankfully taking a nose dive back to the first sub $2 a gallon price since early 2004.

My wallet certainly will benefit from cheaper gas,  but the trick now is not to fall back into bad habits because you know this is not going to last.  There is only so much oil in the ground and it is inevitable that the price will start to climb again back to the painful levels of August.  Think of this as a gift but let's not take our mind off the goal of smaller and more efficient vehicles and other forms of energy.  I have always considered gas efficiency when buying cars and I am still leaning towards getting a hybrid when I buy my next car. Fool me once, same on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.   

Paying for Plastic (and Paper too!)

by Lea Tyrrell

Anytime we're asked to start paying for something we now get for free, expect sparks to fly.  You might be thinking that I'm talking about the MTA proposal to start collecting tolls on the East River crossings to close a humongous budget gap, but I'm not. I'm talking about the proposal introduced in the Suffolk legislature to have shoppers start paying for disposable grocery bags. If it's approved, you'll be charged 5 cents for every plastic or paper bag you use in the supermarket.

I remember when the idea of paying for TV was first proposed.  I thought it was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard.  Who would pay to watch television when we can do that for free??  Turns out, pretty much everybody!  Who can live now without cable??  I know I couldn't.  Perish the thought of having to give up the Discovery Channel, TLC, the History Channel and HGTV.  Not to mention News 12 Long Island and my job!.  And these days a lot of us are also paying for something else we can get for free - radio!

Still, having to pay for a bag for your groceries struck a nerve.  When we discussed the topic on Long Island Talks, some viewers didn't think now was the right time because we're paying more for everything else thanks to the tanking economy. 

One viewer commented:

"I just saw your segment about the legislator who wants to charge a fee for the plastic bags. I understand her point about the environment...however like someone had said on your show NOW is not the time, lady. Instead of trying to take money from the taxpayers why doesn't she try to think of a way to help the taxpayers.

But another viewer made a great observation.  We're really paying for the bags already.

"So what makes the consumers so negative about the charge system?  The answer is that people want convenience without being made aware that they are paying for it.  People want the “give away” bags because they are convenient (they don’t have to lug their own or keep them clean) and they are “free”. The truth is however, the bags are not free. The stores have to buy those bags and train their staff to pack them properly. They add those costs to the cost of the food. But because the bag costs don’t appear separately on the bill, consumers think the bags are free."

But shoppers who are already devotees of the "bring your own bags" practice think the idea is long overdue.  And with good reason.  The United States is behind the pack on this issue.  In 2002, Ireland instituted a levy on plastic shopping bags.  They call it a "plastax."  And it's been hailed a huge success.   The 15 cents per bag charge has cut their use by 90% and raised millions of euros in revenue.

Earlier this year, the government of China, where they use about 3-billion plastic bags a day, banned the use of free plastic bags and ordered that customers be charged for them.  Uganda, South Africa, and Bangladesh have also banned the bags.  Here in the U-S only San Francisco has gone forward with a plastic bag ban requiring all large grocery stores, and soon pharmacies, to only offer biodegradable bags typically made from corn byproducts. 

It's all an effort to prevent THIS:

Landfills full of plastic bags.  The group, Worldwatch Institute, estimates Americans throw away 100 billion polyethylene (crude oil or petrochemical based) plastic bags each year.  The group says only 0.6% of bags are recycled.  But a group that represents the supermarket industry, the Food Industry Alliance, wants Suffolk to give the county a chance to improve those numbers.

Next month, a Suffolk law goes into effect promoting the recycling of plastic bags.  It calls for retailers to set up in-store bag collection sites, such as a bin, for customer to deposit bags after using them.  It also requires retailers over 20,000 square feet to make reusable, cloth bags available for shoppers to buy.

Will it make a difference keeping more plastic bags out of the waste stream?  We'll have to wait and see.  But, in the meantime, many environmentalists are just glad the issue's being debated.  Maybe enough to get more people to remember to keep those reusable, cloth bags in the trunk.

 

 

Fluoride and Tea... To Drink or Not To Drink

By Mary Mucci

In case you’re not sure , there is no fluoride in Long Islands drinking water.  But  if you think fluoride is essential to dental health.   Think again.  Comparison studies have been done with counties similar to Nassau and the results were there is no difference in the number of cavities between the county that’s fluoridated and the ones that are not. 

I could imagine that fluoride is helpful in some way to reduce plaque and keep cavities at bay.  After all it’s an enzyme poison that’s still used to kill rats.  I’m told it will kill everything in your mouth.  But if you swallow enough…or worse yet a child swallows enough they can die.  It has happened…but that case I’m thinking of involved a fluoride treatment at a dentists office.

So why is 65 %  of the nation’s water fluoridated with a substance I’m told is as toxic as lead?  That’s a very good question.  Some fluoride occurs naturally.  Much of it is a waste product of the aluminum industry.   Hundreds of scientists have petitioned Congress to put a halt to water fluoridation until the issue can be adequately studied.

Critics say not only does fluoride displace iodine in the thyroid causing low thyroid, it also causes digestive problems. And believe it or not, it’s been found to weaken rather than strengthen bones.  It used to be that someone in the hospital with a hip fracture was given a shot of fluoride.  No more.  It was discovered that this well meaning effort actually worsened outcomes for the elderly. 

So what does this have to do with tea?  Well actually all juices and sodas manufactured in areas with fluoridated water have a fluoride issue also.  But back to tea.  Tea is supposed to be healthy.  Black and green tea contain antioxidants which have been lauded in the press.  But does the fluoride “contamination” outweigh the benefits?  For Paul Beeber, a Hicksville lawyer who has been fighting fluoride for thirty years, the answer is yes.  For herbalist and clinical nutritionist Dr. Jeanne D’Brandt  the smart thing to do is to limit the amount of  green, black and white tea that you drink.  But when it comes to herbal teas, you need not be so concerned since these are from a variety of different plants that do not uptake fluoride like the bush teas.

I got interested in this issue since I discovered that every time I had a few cups of black or green tea a day my nails would chip and peel.  I also have a low thyroid.  Hence my on camera  phone call to Choice Organic tea.  A spokeswoman told me that anyone with a thyroid problem should not drink tea.  The truth is though that countless people have undiagnosed thyroid problems.  And that fluoride will increase the likelihood their problem will worsen.  Fluoride displaces iodine and our thyroids need iodine to work properly.  If we want to have a fighting chance of staying healthy we need to stay away from toxins like these.  Why are they in our foods? {After all we eat foods grown in fluoridated water.} Really good question.  Thank God and thank Paul Beeber and the New York Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation {NYSCOF} that at least it’s not in Long Island’s tap water.

To Your Good Health,

Mary Mucci

Contacts:

Dr. Jeanne D’Brant

Clinical Nutritionist,  Registered Herbalist AHG,

Chiropractor and Asst. Progessor of Biology SUNY

631 757 1324  Fort Salonga

Paul Beeber, Elder Law Attorney and

Anti Fluoridation Activist  NYSCOF newsletter

New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation

516 433 8882  Hicksville