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Seniors

There is both strength and beauty in diversity

NIAGARA, Wis. — There is so much dissention and unrest in our world right now. There seems to be a 50--50 split of opinion on just about every issue we face as a nation. In fact, my husband and I have noticed this in something as simple as The Daily News opinion poll. In too many situations, these differences have erupted in violence with the most tragic of consequences. What we need is an understanding, as well as an acceptance, of our differences and an appreciation of how those differences make us stronger as a family, a community, and a nation. Like just about everything in life, ...

Senior News: Would you want to live to be 100? Traits common to centenarians

NIAGARA, Wis. — It seems an impossibility, but there are now more than a half million people living around the world who are 100 years or older. This number is up from about 20,000 in the 1960s. The largest population of centenarians can be found in Japan and the United States. In fact, Japan had been the home of the oldest person, Kane Tanaka, who died last year at the age of 119. Tanaka was a member of a smaller group of supercentenarians, a name given to people who live beyond 110 years. The oldest human of all time was a French woman, Jeanne Calment, who lived to be 122 years old! ...

Family Ties receives donations

Chris Tomassucci/Daily News Photos Ava and Selena Okler donated much-needed items to Dickinson-Iron Community Services Agency’s Family Ties Adult Day Care Center in Iron Mountain as part of their Christmas in July celebration. Soap, treats, candy and necessities were donated for the participants at Family Ties. From left are Carole Bevilacqua, Ava Okler, Family Ties Director Tammy Tomassucci, Helen Arcand, Charles Cain, Kathy Bilgreen, Harold Bell and Selena Okler.

The forces and events that shape our personalities

NIAGARA, Wis. — How do we become the unique individuals that we are? What shapes and defines our personalities? There has long been a debate as to which has more influence: nature or nurture. Do we have our genetic DNA or our family environment to thank … or to blame? Experts have pretty much decided it is a combination of the two. But there is another factor that we may not always consider, and that is the generation into which we were born. Today, I want to explore that for a bit because the events of history that occurred within our formative years, definitely shaped our lives in ...

Summer brings fun in the water … and old memories

NIAGARA, Wis. — Our much-anticipated summer is now in full swing, and with it comes all manner of fun in the water. Our beautiful northern region provides us with many lakes and rivers, so opportunities for fishing, boating, kayaking and swimming abound and have created lots of fun memories for many. My memories of water, however, are far from fond. I have always had a fear of the water, and never learned to swim. If there is any truth to the commonly held belief that there are “sinkers” and “floaters,” I am definitely of that first category. I grew up in Ripon, Wis., in the ...

Staying a step ahead of the computer hackers

NIAGARA, Wis. — Last week I described my own experiences with computer hackers: the near misses, the deceptions and the inconveniences created by having to take precautions after each incident occurred. I was lucky — all three times. I lost no money. But there is no guarantee that any of you who use a computer will be safe just by reading about my experiences. I wanted to find someone who could give us all some good solid advice on how to avoid getting hacked. What better source than to ask someone who makes a living troubleshooting personal computers? And I found her right in my ...