Featured Stories
In This
Issue
Meet The "Rapping Grandmas" of San Francisco
Since their "rap video" went viral, the Grant Avenue Follies of San Francisco are a big hit, having performed on TV with Mario Lopez as well with The Steve Harvey Show. Their "respect your elders" rap video resonates with all ages, cultures and ethnicities.
Hidden Patagonia
Travel writer Don Mankin has been to Patagonia before but never to the region that few know about and even fewer have visited.
Know The Symptoms Of Parkinson's
Every year, 100,000+ people are diagnosed with Parkinson's. Motor symptoms include trembling, stiffness and rigidity. Get the facts at
Bombarded With Medicare Advantage?
What are the advantages of a Medicare Advantage plan? Learn the "pros and cons" before signing up.
Is a Reverse Mortgage Right For You?
Learn why a RM may be right for you.
Best Kept Secret For The 55+
kept secret for senior living. Discover why.
Mourning For a Pet Is Hard
Grieving for a pet can be as hard as grieving for a human.
Looking For Independent Senior Living?
per month. Home-style living with meals included.
Ask Larry: "Is a Black Swan Coming?"
Totally unpredictable, a black swan event (market crash) can cause catastrophic damage to the economy. It's important to have a diversified portfolio and cash on hand.
Be Kind
Let me know what kind of stories you prefer to read in The Scoop,
the leading digital publication for boomers and seniors in the SF Bay Area. Please feel free to forward this issue to your family and friends. Subscribe today. It's FREE!
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Meet The "Rapping Grandmas" From
San Francisco
"Respect Your Elders!"
Publishers Note: A cabaret dancer of the Chinatown night clubs of the 1960's, Cynthia Yee, 77, founded the Grant Avenue Follies of San Francisco 20 years ago. The popular dance troupe recently created a rap video that went "viral". This is her story.
Q: Your rap video "Goi Mou Sou" went viral.
How did this come about?
During the Asian Hate movement of 2020, many Asian elders were being assaulted and we were asked to participate in the rallies.
I suggested that we should do something different besides carrying a sign and after over dinner brainstorming, the rap "Gai Mou Sou" was born. It generated 98.4K on YouTube and over 150K views on Steve Harvey's Show.
The message of our rap is to tell youngsters that we are grandmas and must be respected. Gai Mou Sou is a chicken feather duster that Grandma used for dusting but if the kid was not behaving, she would turn the stick around to show authority…saying whack, whack, whack.
Q: How did you get started in show business?
When I was 10 years old, my family was a tenant in an apartment complex that was owned by professional dancer, Dorothy Toy also known as the Chinese Ginger Rogers.
I was intrigued seeing her in the lobby with ballet slippers and travel case in hand coming back from her travels. I talked to my mom into asking her about taking ballet lessons and she recommended that I take class from her instructor at the time named Sergei Temoff.
Seven years later, my mother received a call from Dorothy asking if I would be available to join a show she was producing to go on the road. She needed a dancer because one of her dancer’s needed surgery and would be out for a couple of months.
Two months turned out to be years and I traveled the world for about 10 years with what was known as the Toy & Wing Revue.
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Mysterious,
Hidden Patagonia
By Don Mankin, Travel Writer
As I guided my kayak through a narrow, twisting marble cave, I marveled at the swirls of turquoise-colored rock. Although it was
only my second day in the Aysén region of Patagonia — the remote, breathtakingly beautiful region that has inspired dreamers, adventurers and entrepreneurs for over a century — I understood
why they came and why so many of them stayed.
I have traveled to the southern tip of Patagonia several times, to explore Torres del Paine National Park, to cruise through the Strait
of Magellan and to Antarctica, and to stand in a blasting wind on
Cape Horn. But the Aysén region, located in Chile’s southernmost third, is even more remote and beautiful.
To quote famed wilderness photographer, Linde Waidhofer, this is the “Unknown Patagonia,” the region that few know about and even fewer have visited.
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Your morning Joe will taste a lot better in a funny coffee
mug from John Donaghue, an award winning creative art director and creator of Under Cardiac Arrest Comics. On sale for $8.97 at Zazzle. Great gift idea.
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April is National Parkinson’s Month
Know The Symptoms
Of Parkinson's
Parkinson's Awareness Month is a global opportunity to increase awareness about the condition and its symptoms, as well as to educate communities about the resources available to them.
World Parkinson's Day is celebrated on April 11th and began in 1997. It commemorates the birth date of Dr. James Parkinson who first identified Parkinson's about 200 years ago.
Every year, 100,000+ people are newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the United States. Parkinson’s is a long-term disorder where the central nervous system degenerates and affects the motor system.
Motor symptoms like trembling, stiffness and rigidity are usually associated with Parkinson’s disease. Symptoms typically occur slowly. One side is often affected first but as Parkinson’s disease progresses, both sides are affected.
Parkinson’s Facts
• There are no two persons that experience the same symptoms.
• Non-movement symptoms are more difficult to deal with than motor symptoms.
• Loss of smell and small handwriting are some early symptoms of Parkinson’s.
If you have any concerns or questions, schedule a visit with your primary care physician to learn more.
Physicians Medical Group of San Jose is the largest independent physician’s association in Santa Clara County. We have been part of the community for 40 years with more than 1,000 doctors in 460 offices plus we speak 30+ languages. Call 888-988-8682 or visit pmgmd.com for more information.
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"Bombarded With Medicare Advantage Ads?"
By Evelyn (Evie) Preston,
The Money Lady
My very savvy friends opted out of traditional Medicare for an Advantage Plan—it was cheaper than Medicare plus a private supplemental (Medigap) plan and it offered extras—mainly dental and vision coverage.
However, the shock of losing their personal physicians and changing to an out of the way medical office as well as new drug coverage caused them to claw back their decision…not an easy exercise with hours on a telephone slog…and not possible to recoup everything.
Q: Why are Medicare Advantage plans bombarding seniors with ads?
The promise of a one-stop-shop for Medicare, Medigap and drug coverage is compelling. It’s less work and oversight but be prepared to take the plan you get with its set staff of professionals.
If a member wants an out-of-plan specialist, surgeon or hospital, they’re no longer covered. And the “free” extras? Considering the coverage, there’s not much “advantage” over out-of-pocket costs.
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Ask Marilyn
"Is a Reverse Mortgage Right
For Me?"
With over 15 years experience right here in Silicon Valley, I can help answer your questions about reverse mortgages.
Will the bank own my home?
The bank does not take ownership of your home; they simply extend
a loan to you. You continue to own and live in your home and are responsible for payment of property taxes, required insurance and if applicable, HOA fees.
Do my children/family members lose their inheritance?
No, a borrower may designate an heir of their choosing.The heir(s) will inherit the home after the last surviving borrower passes away
and may then choose to keep (by paying off the amount of reverse mortgage balance) or sell the home. Should they choose to sell, any remaining equity after paying off the loan (minus interest and fees) would be theirs.
What is the lending limit of the HECM reverse mortgage?
As of January 1, 2023, it increased to $1,089,300. Which means it's very likely you can qualify for more money.
To learn more about reverse mortgages, feel free to call me today.
408.722.0010.
Marilyn Brown Ross Branch Manager & Reverse Mortgage Professional NMLS #453436/1221981
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Discover Resort-Style Living For The 55+ In San Jose, CA
Luxury properties, professionally landscaped, golf course views, city views, openness of the community, trees and waterfalls.
We have many properties for sale at The Villages Golf & Country Club in San Jose, CA. Resort-style senior living for the active adult 55+ years. Mid $400,000s to $1,000,000+.
To receive an exclusive tour of the community and preview selected properties, call Carla Griffin today. 408.274.8766.
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Mourning For a Pet Can
Be As Hard As Grieving
For a Human
By Sam Carr
The Conversation
Disenfranchised grief refers to losses that society doesn’t fully appreciate or ignores. This makes it harder to mourn, at least in public.
Many pet owners know that our connections with animals can be
The key ingredients of human attachment are experiencing the other person as a dependable source of comfort, seeking them out when distressed, feeling enjoyment in their presence and missing them when apart. Researchers have identified these as features of our relationships with pets, too.
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Discover Chateau-Cupertino
Senior Independent Living Community With a Flair
Senior living doesn't get any better than living at Chateau-Cupertino whether you're in retirement or just ready for the next great phase of your life. Enjoy a home-life environment in your own senior apartment with three fresh served home-style meals daily.
Housekeeping and laundry services, all basic utilities, great activity programs, game rooms and transportation--all included starting at $3,400 per month.
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Cupertino is one of the best places to live in CA--home to world famous Apple company.
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ASK LARRY
--Larry Hayes, A050 Publisher
"Is a Black Swan Coming?"
--Joe, San Jose, CA
No one really knows. A "black swan" (market crash) is an extremely negative event or occurrence that is impossibly difficult to predict. Think 9/11, the dotcom bubble of 2001, the housing crash/recession of 2008 and the Covid 19 pandemic of 2020.
Because a black swan event is totally unpredictable, it's important to have a diversified portfolio. Avoid putting all your money in one place, one sector or even in one country.
If you're interested in taking risks, create a separate portfolio for yourself that you can experiment with. But don't play with all of your money. Keep some of it in very conservative, highly liquid investments because black swans do happen.
Letter To Publisher
"I've enjoyed reading your ActiveOver50 newsletter for many years.
Your recent article about opening a high-yield online savings account was Right On.
But you did not tell your readers where to go to find the latest and highest Interest rates.I have done lots of searching for the best website to find this information.
Scroll down just past their sponsored sites and they list in order all the top 15-20 banks with highest interest rates."
Best High-Yield Savings Account Rates
Keep up your good work.
--Chuck Worley
Got a Question? Or Comment? Ask me anything. If I don't know the answer, I'll ask someone who does. Ask Larry is written by Larry Hayes, CEO/Publisher of A050. Email: [email protected]. Visit: ActiveOver50.com
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