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SAARP

NEWSLETTER Number 150

June 2019

adding life to your years

“Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature

dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill. Without books, the development of civilization would have been impossible. They are engines of change (as the poet said), windows on the world and lighthouses erected in the sea of time.

They are companions, teachers, magicians, bankers of the treasures of the mind. Books are humanity in print.”

Barbara W. Tuchman

WATER IS LIFE – SAVE IT

Many of the water systems that keep ecosystems thriving and feed a growing human population have become stressed. Rivers, lakes and aquifers are drying up or becoming too polluted to use. More than half the world’s wetlands have disappeared. Agriculture consumes more water than any other source and wastes much of that through inefficiencies. Climate change is altering patterns of weather and water around the world, causing shortages and droughts in some areas and floods in others. At the current consumption rate, this situation will only get worse. By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages. And ecosystems around the world will suffer even more. WWF

SOCIAL CLUB NEWS

NAPIER CLUB Alas, another victim of no new committee. The club has disbanded. My thanks to all those committee members who kept it running for so many years. On this subject, I replied to a question from a member as follows: I’m afraid that the “collapsing club” syndrome has even touched the Hallowed Halls of Harvard – I understand fewer and fewer are reading their library books. The younger generation seems to be wedded to “Web socialising” and electronic reading.

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SAARP NEWS

WEBSITE – Short stories Since I began loading them in March 2018 these are the statistics of the top ten downloaded in 2019. All these were on the website as of 1 January 2019. I have no idea how many are read on the website.

Title 2018 2019

High-road-less-travelled.pdf 2 042 798

Buttercup.pdf 905 376

Stop Me if You’ve Heard This One 254 275

Decision Time.pdf 710 264

Quick Payback.pdf 953 260

The Inscrutable Lady.pdf 509 255

A Mothers Revenge.pdf 218 237

Encore.pdf 733 236

The Runner.pdf 470 235

The Fountain.pdf 331 226

Do any of you read a story online? Please let me know if you do. ray@saarp.net NEWSLETTER – Feedback Here are two suggestions that you members may be able to advise on:

Suggestions from readers of different clubs to join

Suggestions on how to PUT ON weight “Health” and “food” were the two most frequently used words in the responses. This member’s comments really sums up a compiler’s dilemma: I always read the whole letter although some items interest me more than others. I suggest that you carry on providing items that you find interesting and that you want to share with the members. It will be impossible to please all the members all the time. NEWSLETTER – More feedback

Thanks for the latest Newsletter, with its interesting articles. Did you know that some banks offer special rates for pensioners? My bank, for example, charges no fees for ATM withdrawals, and current cheque accounts are also free. These special rates are available to customers of 60+ with the proviso that they maintain a specified minimum balance in their accounts. With the continual rise in bank fees, this represents a significant saving.

Your Mind Can Keep You Well. I am living proof of this. I have several hobbies, but decided recently to concentrate on writing: I enjoy it, and it is an occupation which I can continue to enjoy, even though my body no longer

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functions as it should. Last year, at 85, I wrote my first novel. The writing process was so exhilarating, that I feel as if I have subtracted 10 years from my age. I am still polishing up my manuscript, and meanwhile I have started a second novel. The important thing is that writing gives me a reason to get up in the morning. NEW MEMBERS - Request from our CEO Statistics show that more than three quarters of our members hear about SAARP by word of mouth. Our CEO has therefore issued this request: We presently have thousands of members with short term insurance through one of our 3 short term insurance providers. We try to ensure that our members receive their insurance at the best possible rates and encourage members to contact us regularly to ensure that they are receiving the best premium possible. In order to increase the number of members using our insurance providers we have decided to pay a once off fee of R50.00 to any member who introduces someone to us who then takes out their short term insurance through us. To receive this fee simply contact our insurance ladies with the particulars of the person and when the policy for their friend is activated we will automatically pay out the fee involved. There is no limit set on the number of introductions made. JOHN BENWELL CEO

SAARP NEWS

BANKS - Have you been “fleeced” by yours? One of our members has brought this matter to our attention, and we suggest you take a bit of time to investigate your own bank statement – just to ensure that you are not unwittingly paying for a facility you do not want and do not use. The matter that was brought to our attention is something which we are told was done generally in the banking industry as a sort of “standard operational practice” and involves an overdraft facility which was is made available and offered to selected clients. Even if the offer was never taken up, interest is charged due to having the facility made available to you. Of course various institutions might use different terminology, but in essence people could find themselves regularly debited with a fee because money is kept available for you, even if you do not use the facility. At the time of offering this facility you are not necessarily always clear on the understanding that unless you decline the offer (preferably in writing) your account will be debited on a monthly basis for keeping the facility available to you. The member who reported the matter to us has done extensive investigations and found the bank account of his mother-in-law was debited for years, and that the fee

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was an escalating one which has over time increased to a large debit (over R 100-00 per month on an unused R 500-00 facility.) We recommend that you make sure you are not in this category of people that are being unwitting contributors for unused services – you owe it to yourself.

SAARP HOLIDAY CLUB

NOTE: Due to unprecedented demand for our holiday offers, we will restrict the number of points available each month. The following are examples of discounted off-peak holidays which our Holiday Club has on offer for you and your families. To book phone Renske on 021 592 1279 or email her at renskes@saarp.net

RESORT AREA DATE UNIT PRICE

Magaliespark Brits 15-19 July 1 bedroom R1495

Fairways Drakensberg 15-19 July 2 bedroom R2242.50

Fairways Drakensberg 22-26 July 2 bedroom R2242.50

Fairways Drakensberg 26-30 Aug 1 bedroom R3363.75

Dikhololo x 4 Brits 26-30 Aug 2 bedroom R1495

Dikhololo x 2 Brits 2-6 Sept 2 bedroom R1495

Dolphin View Umdloti 2-6 Sept 1 bedroom R1495

Hazyview Cabanas Hazyview 16-20 Sept 2 bedroom R2616.25

Sondela x 2 Bela Bela 18-22 Nov 2 bedroom R3737.50

Drakensberg Sun Drakensberg 9-13 Sept 1 bedroom R3363.75

Club Mykonos x 4 Langebaan May 1 bedroom R1495

Umhlanga Sands x 4 Umhlanga June & Aug 1 bedroom R1868.75

NOTE 1: The above prices include 15% VAT. NOTE 2: The price is for the entire period. NOTE 3: All cancellations must be made 7 weeks before check-in date. PAYMENT: Once Renske has CONFIRMED your booking she will submit an invoice containing SAARP’s bank details. Once you have deposited the required amount in SAARP’s bank account, please provide proof of payment using one of the following:

Fax : 021 592 1284 E-mail: info@saarp.net And remember to quote your ID Number and name.

DO NOT PAY ANYTHING UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE CONFIRMATION OF THE BOOKING AND THE INVOICE.

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HEALTH

INSOMNIA – Some surprising Causes The number of health conditions linked to poor or inadequate sleep is almost endless, with obesity, diabetes and heart disease topping the list. 1. Blue-light insomnia You’ve heard time and time again to turn off electronics an hour or so before bed because these devices emit a blue light that suppresses melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone. However, glaring blue light even three or four hours earlier — like watching TV during or shortly after dinner — is enough to delay melatonin production. 2. Stealth caffeine insomnia While it may be intuitive that drinking coffee for an afternoon pickup could interfere with your sleep later, people often have no idea that they’re consuming caffeine in other forms, like iced tea or chocolate. If you’re having trouble falling asleep, eliminate those items after lunch. 3. Free-wheelin’ insomnia Don’t let schedules go out the window. A higgledy-piggledy schedule means your body releases melatonin later in the day. Maintain as close to a regular schedule as possible, even on weekends. 4. Nap insomnia The most common time of the day when people get sleepy is between 2 and 3 in the afternoon, when we experience a natural dip in energy. Don’t take a nap. If your afternoon energy tends to be low, try scheduling something active for that time. It will help you feel refreshed, and research shows that exercisers have better sleep quality, too . . .. — so it’s a double bang for your buck. 5. Bed-confusion insomnia Reading may be a relaxing activity, but you should take your book to an armchair — not your bed. Reading in bed can cause your brain to associate the bed with activities that you pursue while awake, which can affect your ability to drift off at night. 6. Alcohol-induced insomnia Yep, a glass of vino can simmer you down and make it easier to fall asleep. However, while it may help you conk out, it causes lighter and more fragmented sleep in the second half of the night. It also decreases sleep quality — so you rise less refreshed. Limit alcohol to three hours before bedtime and imbibe moderately (one drink for women and two for men). Read all 11 here: https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2019/have-trouble-sleeping.html?cmp=EMC-DSO-NLC-WBLTR---CTRL-042619-F1-3724466&ET_CID=3724466&ET_RID=1554613&mi_u=1554613&mi_ecmp=20190426_Webletter_Clickbot_CTRL_SC4N_685000_1009801&encparam=xRFt%2fR1zIctQhbOyU8zfo6RmN9nevV5HTXunpOObw5U%3d

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EYESIGHT

Eyes - Floaters and Flashes They can be harmless or signal a vision-threatening problem. Almost everyone will experience eye floaters in their lifetime, especially as they get older. They’re those tiny spots or lines that look like they’re in front of the eye, but they are actually floating inside it. Flashes, which look like streaks of lightning, are more common with age, too. Most of the time, neither floaters nor flashes are cause for worry. But under certain circumstances, they require immediate medical attention. What they are Floaters can appear as rings, whips, sheets, squiggles or other patterns and tend to move as the eye moves — for example, moving up when the eye moves up and settling downward when the eyes are still. Flashes are different. They are split-second bright white disturbances in the vision that people often describe as a lightning bolt. Causes Most of the time, both floaters and flashes are due to normal age-related changes in the vitreous, the gel structure that fills the back of the eye and keeps the eye round. Either floaters or flashes can be signs of a posterior vitreous detachment, in which the vitreous separates from the back of the eye — something relatively common after age 50. Usually they are not a cause for concern: A retinal tear or detachment, on the other hand, is a serious problem. (See below.) When to worry If floater changes are minor or gradual, there is no need to be concerned. But if the changes are drastic — such as a dramatic increase in the number of floaters, the sudden onset of floaters, seeing something that seems like a curtain coming down over your vision, or any other decline in your ability to see — they can be a useful warning sign of a retinal tear or detachment. What to do next If you notice these signs, see an ophthalmologist or a retinal specialist within 24 hours. The doctor will be able to see whether there has been a tear or a detachment. Neither one causes any pain because there are no pain receptors in the eye, so the exam is the only way to detect damage. If you experience pain, there’s something on the surface of the eye, not within the eye. Treatment If you catch a retinal tear early enough, you can have a laser procedure to have it repaired. This can be done in a doctor’s office, and you’ll go home the same day. With a retinal detachment, the retina separates from the back wall of the eye, like wallpaper peeling off a wall. This is an emergency situation and, if not treated promptly, can cause permanent vision loss. But if you act fast, you can save your sight. Andrea Barbalich, AARP

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https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2019/understanding-eye-floaters-flashes.html?cmp=EMC-DSO-NLC-HLTH---NMCTRL-050819-F1F-3748918&ET_CID=3748918&ET_RID=1554613&mi_u=1554613&mi_ecmp=20190508_Health_Clickbot_CTRL_SC4N_654300_963201&encparam=xRFt%2fR1zIctQhbOyU8zfo6RmN9nevV5HTXunpOObw5U%3d

THE MIND

TRAIN YOUR BRAIN - keep your mind young ‘Every week someone will ask me, will I be OK if I do crossword puzzles?’ says the bearded neuroscientist Henry Mahncke, CEO of the US company Posit Science. ‘My answer is no. Yes, you are thinking — you’re trying to find an anagram or a synonym — but you’re not making the brain faster or more accurate. For that you need to challenge yourself.’ Many of us can now look forward to an extended middle-age lasting well into our seventies, even beyond. If we are to enjoy this extra time, we need to extend our mental lifespans to match our physical ones. And that means making the most of breakthroughs in neuroscience which show that our brains keep learning and adapting throughout our lives. People have recovered from strokes, despite permanently damaging whole areas of their brains, because other areas have stepped in, like airline passengers seizing the controls from an unconscious pilot. ‘You’re never too old to learn,’ says Dr Lara Boyd, a brain researcher at the University of British Columbia who works with stroke patients. ‘There’s no drug you can take — the primary driver of neuroplastic change in your brain is your own behaviour. But the dose needed to learn new skills, or relearn old ones, is very large.’ In 2017, the US National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine examined 17 possible ways to slow cognitive decline and dementia. The three most promising were physical activity, blood pressure management and cognitive training, including speed-processing programmes. ‘No pain, no gain’ urge the physical fitness freaks. This seems to apply to mental exercise too. The brain may really be like a muscle, and able to get stronger throughout life. It is clear that we should be avoiding the ruts and doing regular mental heavy lifting: through physical exercise, social contact and new challenges. Old dogs, it turns out, may be a lot younger than they thought. Extra Time: Ten Lessons for an Ageing World is published by HarperCollins.

LIFE

TED TALK - The gift and power of emotional courage Think about this: Emotions are data; they are not directives. Psychologist Susan David shares how the way we deal with our emotions shapes everything that matters: our actions, careers, relationships, health and happiness. In this deeply moving, humorous and potentially life-changing talk, she challenges a

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culture that prizes positivity over emotional truth and discusses the powerful strategies of emotional agility. A talk to share. EXCERPT: But one person did not buy into my story of triumph over grief. My eighth-grade English teacher fixed me with burning blue eyes as she handed out blank notebooks. She said, "Write what you're feeling. Tell the truth. Write like nobody's reading." Listen here: https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_david_the_gift_and_power_of_emotional_courage

QUIZ

WINE LOVERS - Can you fill in the blank? Medium-bodied [ . . . . .] with berry jam aromas, citrus & brown sugar flavours & medium acidity. Answer at the end of this newsletter.

TRANSPORT

SAFETY LEVELS

Transport mode used by user Fatalities per

billion passenger kilometers

Airline passenger 0.1

Railway passenger 0.16

Bus/Coach occupant 0.43

Car occupant 4.45

Powered two-wheelers 52.59

Fatality risk using different mode of transport

COMPUTER WORLD

CYBER ATTACKS A new report finds that, while attacks on consumers are down 24 percent, attacks on businesses are up 235 percent. Cybercriminals went after businesses in a big way. Can consumers breathe a sigh of relief? Considering the most businesses have your data, probably not. EMAILS - Endings The various ways different cultures sign emails are set out on a BBC article. Here are some highlights:

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Depending on where you live, the words you use to sign off your email could be just as important as the content.

Some 40% of the Koreans in this study found the Australian emails to be impolite, compared to 28% the other way around

Ending an email with the verbal equivalent of a hug can seem awkward to people from more reserved cultures

The significance of cultural signposts doesn’t mean there’s no room for individual personality

Language behaviours are essentially cultural behaviours The cultural significance of closings The few words at the end of an email can provide insight not just into social status, gender, relationship dynamics and workplace culture, but also the broader culture. In Nigeria, for example, it’s common for emails to end on a religious note, such as variants of, ‘Stay blessed’. The personalised closing of Kenyan chef Njathi Kabui, ‘Eat well’, is both professional and political. Kabui says that while "most Kenyans sign work-related emails in the typical colonial way" with British-influenced expressions like ‘Sincerely’ and ‘All the best’, he’s sought to decolonise even his emails. Read the article here: http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20190508-why-the-way-you-close-your-emails-is-causing-confusion?ocid=global_capital_rss&ocid=global_bbccom_email_09052019_capital The article touches on a sore point with me. I wrote the following to the Plain English Society in the UK:

Perhaps I'm a 75-year-old fuddy-duddy but "Regards" and "Best Regards" from businesses or strangers annoys me. Can English not come up with a modern version of "Yours faithfully", "Yours truly", "Yours sincerely", or "Sincerely". I’m nobody's "Yours" and I'm not always "Sincere" (sometimes I’m pretty annoyed by the sender) - I just want to sign off in a neutral way. HELP!

No response, as yet.

BOOKS

READING LISTS Many members asked for recommendations in terms of what books to read. Well here are 150 that will keep them amused for a while.

100 (Fiction) Books to Read in a Lifetime We've seen these lists before - from Amazon to the Telegraph to Time Magazine and beyond. Plenty of folks have lists of the 100 best books of all time, the 100 books you should read, and on. And beautifully, despite overlap, they are all different. The glorious subjectivity of art means that no two of these lists should ever be exactly

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alike. So this is ours, our special snowflake of a list, born out of our passion for books. We kept it to fiction this time. Some of the expected classics are there, alongside some more contemporary fare. There is some science fiction, some YA, and above all else, some unforgettable stories. Find them here: https://www.abebooks.com/books/100-books-to-read-in-lifetime/ 50 Essential Non-Fiction Books (You'll Actually Read) Similar to our list of 100 (Fiction) Books to Read in a Lifetime, this list of 50 non-fiction books contains recommendations you might actually read (if you haven't already). This curated list covers the gamut of non-fiction, from compelling war stories to key feminist texts, to unbelievable struggles for survival, to tales of life in the culinary trade. You may not completely agree with our recommendations, there are surely key titles missing, so please share your recommendations for essential non-fiction books everyone should read. Find them here: https://www.abebooks.com/books/50-essential-non-fiction-books/index.shtml READER’S BOOKS I received this list from a member:

Jonas Jonasson: “The Hundred-year-old man etc.” (so clever) and “The girl who saved the King of Sweden” - amused by the SA beginning of the latter)

Marina Lewycka, especially “The Lebutkin Legacy” and to a lesser extent “We are all made of glue”

Fredrik Backman: “A Man Called Ove”

Alexandra Fuller (all her books)

Alice Hoffman (ditto - very light)

Deborah Rodriguez: “The little Coffee Shop of Kabul” and her others

Karen Joy Fowler: “We are all completely beside ourselves” (brilliant!)

Sally Andrews: both Tannie Maria books

Koos Kombuis: “The Complete Secret Diaries of God”

And some non-fiction

Jay Griffiths: “Wild: An Elemental Journey”

John D. Ratey & Richard Manning: “Go Wild” and “Spark” by the former

David R. Hawkins: “Power vs Force

Norman Doidge: “The Brain that changes Itself”

Anne Moir (geneticist) & David Jessel: “Brainsex” (“the brain is sexed in the womb”)

Manal Al-Sharif: “Daring to Drive”

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RETIREMENT

RETIREMENT This little booklet is too late for us but what about our children and grandchildren? Do them a favour and tell them about it. Don’t let them make the same mistakes that some of us have made. Seven Questions to Answer Before You Turn 65 by Hilary Henderson

Where Do I Want to Live When I Am Old and Frail?

How Do I Turn My Investment Capital into a Steady Income?

What Do I Need to Do if My Income Is Insufficient to Maintain My Standard of Living?

What Should I Do about My Health?

How Will I Structure My Life to Give It Purpose?

How Do I Build a New Social Network?

Who Can Help Me with All This? To obtain copies of this book, contact

Toll Free 0800 990 914 (South Africa)

+44 20 3014 3997 (outside South Africa)

orders.africa@partridgepublishing.com

www.partridgepublishing.com/africa It is available in Softcover an eBook. RETIREMENT – Tips

Do treat yourself to breakfast at a trendy coffee shop. Panic when you realize you have no idea what ristretto and affogato are. Stagger to park bench.

Do not sit on park bench. The next thing you know; you'll be feeding pigeons.

Do remind yourself that you can now do all those things you've always wanted to do: Learn French, get in shape, take advantage of last-minute travel deals.

Do suppress the urge to use these words in conversation: "grand-children," "tech illiterate," "used to be," "colonoscopy."

Do call a friend who retired a few years earlier for a catch-up lunch. Hear that he can't make it, owing to the last word on your forbidden list.

Do not go on Facebook and track down the high school sweetheart you should have married. That's for after midnight.

Do take a drive to the country, returning to the city during rush hour, when everyone is leaving. When you see the commuters sitting in traffic, fuming, wave and smile as you whiz by at 90 kilometres an hour.

Isn't retirement grand?

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SAARP SERVICES

Please go to www.saarp.net and click on the Benefits tab to see our range of member services:

Contact us at SAARP Tel: 021 592 1279 Fax: 021 592 1284

Call us and we’ll call you back to save your phone bill e-mail: info@saarp.net

Or see it all at www.saarp.net

SAARP, its suppliers, publisher, printer and contributors do not have any intention to provide specific medical or other advice but rather may provide readers with information in terms of its rights under the Constitution of South Africa. Information provided here is not a substitute for professional advice of any nature, more particularly medical advice, care, diagnosis or treatment, neither is it designed to promote or endorse any medical practice or treatment, programme or product. It is placed on record that SAARP does not endorse or recommend any product advertised or mentioned on or in any of our publications. Additionally, and similarly, SAARP does not offer professional advice in any area, including, but not limited to, law and finance. In all cases, should readers require advice, they should consult a properly accredited and qualified specialist in the field.

TRIVIA

SNIPPETS

Can you eliminate stupidity through legislation? “Texting while crossing road may be banned” BBC headline

Reading online: We wondered what post length captures the most attention on average. We dug into the data and found the answer: 7 minutes. (At 130 per minute that is 910 words). Anything that takes longer for the average person to read is better when you deliver it through another format, for instance as a PDF file.

How deadly are nightshades? The foliage and berries of belladonna (deadly nightshade) are extremely toxic. There are several related common foods including potatoes and eggplant. The relevant chemical ingredients have good and bad potential. The main takeaway message concerns potatoes – do not eat those that have been kept for a very long time or are sprouting.

Men. Wallets change how you sit. Many men carry a wallet in their back pocket. This is a major cause of lower back pain. Every time you sit on that wallet you are

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distorting the lower lumbar portion of your spine. This can eventually weaken and destabilize the spine. So get off your wallet.

QUESTION Are you guilty of this?

During my years as a restorer of cottage furniture, I bought/acquired/found/stole every bit of wooden furniture in my previous home and in this one, with the excess materials and part-items filling the garage. There’s never been a car in the garage in the 30yrs we’ve lived here!

It is beyond my capacity to grasp why a R250,000 car stands in the driveway while the garage is filled with “stuff” that collectively would probably not bring in R5,000. FOOD FOR THOUGHT Humans are everywhere. Like cockroaches and rats, they are adaptable, multiply quickly and travel well. They are tough and resilient. They are clever. They can be territorial, diurnal, nocturnal, or crepuscular. They can be kind or vicious. Humans have become, for better or worse, lords of the planet. If the dinosaurs were still alive today, humans would kill them for trophies, or eat them, or put them in parks and zoos. They would be no match for sapiens. Humans, not they, are the apex predators of all time on this planet. How Language Began: The Story of Humanity’s Greatest Invention (Everett, Daniel) DIFFERENT PREJUDICES? Years ago a young couple in South Africa fell in love – Apartheid was in force so they emigrated to Ireland. One day a local asked them why they chose to come to Ireland. They said it was because they were not allowed to marry in South Africa. “Why not,” he asked, “I thought you were both Catholic?” QUOTE "A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad." Theodore Roosevelt FOOD FOR THOUGHT Think of civilisation as a poorly-built ladder. As you climb, each step that you used

falls away. A fall from a height of just a few rungs is fine. Yet the higher you climb,

the larger the fall. Eventually, once you reach a sufficient height, any drop from the

ladder is fatal.

SMILE The parking lot of the celebration of the class’s twenty-fifth reunion was littered with family cars when Dumbo arrived in his Rolls Royce and his Gucci trappings of success. As the wine took effect the question was popped.

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“Dumbo how come you are so successful?”” “Maths,” he replies simply. “Come on Dumbo you could not add two and two together.” “Maths, I tell you, maths is great. I buy these items for two Rand and sell them for five Rand. It’s amazing the profit you make from a three percent mark-up.”

ANSWER TO QUIZ

Coffee! I kid you not . . .. These days you can apparently suggest anything to a gullible market. Tea next? “Subtle hints of green leaves, misty smells, berry (obligatory) and strong acidity.” Ray Hattingh PS We know that people do not actually live in Reality. By deleting, distorting and generalizing, we inhabit our perceptions and interpretations of Reality.

Contact us at SAARP Tel: 021 592 1279 Fax: 021 592 1284

Call us and we’ll call you back to save your phone bill e-mail: info@saarp.net

Or see it all at www.saarp.net

adding life to your years