Recent content by Lethe200

I usually prefer the original artists. However, I agree with songwriter/musician Gordon Lightfoot, when it comes to Kris Kristofferson's iconic "Me and Bobby McGee". He said when he heard Janis Joplin's version, "...chills went up and down my spine" at how poignantly she sang that song. It was...

Spouse and I get our flu and COVID booster shots every year, no exceptions. I get a mild sore arm; he doesn't have any side effects at all.

The subsidies are set to expire Dec 31, 2025. Extending them is the sticking point between the two parties.

I’ve covered Obamacare for years. Here’s who should be worried as enrollment starts. Healthcare.gov open enrollment begins Saturday with premiums rising and enhanced subsidies set to expire. But not all Americans are being hit equally. Washington Post November 1, 2025 Analysis by Paige Winfield...

Exactly. Too many people don't account for inflation and taxes when they are saving for retirement. For a dinner that costs $50 to reach $100 with a 3% annual inflation rate, it would take approximately 23.3 years. This can be calculated using either a financial formula or the more...

Absolutely! People who move into a facility without first checking out what's available often make a big mistake. Spouse and I believe that waiting until the last minute is a mistake. There are many senior living facilities in our area - literally, hundreds - with a variety of options. Most...

Vaping is controversial for a number of reasons. The first is that it CAN be as addictive as smoking, especially at higher concentrations which is what the industry is moving towards. The second is that the advertising is aimed at young teens, and the "candy" flavorings make this habit seem...

Fleet Week is a big celebration here in the San Francisco Bay Area. With the shutdown, the Canadian Snowbirds, Canada’s premier military flight demonstration team, were the headliners. It is normally the Blue Angels, but in their absence, the Snowbirds stepped up and performed. They even took a...

We've been low-salt for decades so a lot of commercial lunchmeats taste too salty for us. Not fond of head cheese as I'm not a big lover of aspic normally, but my mom loved the stuff and was always thrilled to be able to find it at a deli. It's not common in NorCA markets. Haven't seen olive...

Enjoyed Season 1 of "High Potential". Very well cast, well-written mysteries. Season 2 has just started, so I'll wait until most of the episodes have posted before I start S2. Otherwise I mostly watch pro sports and documentaries.

University of California sets world record with five Nobel Prizes in one week These awards bring the University of California’s total to 75 Nobel Prizes since 1934. SF Chronicle Oct 10, 2025 The University of California made history this week, as its faculty and alumni won five Nobel Prizes...

Photo courtesy of Matador Network's 20 Things You Didn't Know About Oakland, CA. This is a drone view of Lake Merritt, often called the "Jewel of Oakland", looking eastwards across San Francisco Bay and the coastal headlands of SF and San Mateo counties. Lake Merritt was the first wildlife...

Spouse and I went to get our COVID and flu booster shots yesterday. We belong to Kaiser Permanente HMO, and all vaccination shots are free. There was a short delay in approving the COVID booster, and we happened to be visiting our local Kaiser facility for a phys therapy treatment, on the...

Hi Pepper, Try the new link. US News literally updated the link to 2025 results in the time it took me to format the post, LOL!

Do be aware that EVERY facility has its own "atmosphere", or "culture", if you prefer. We investigated 8 different senior facilities near us for my MIL, and every single one was distinctly different from the others. Only YOU can decide what's important to you and what suits you best. There are...