Women’s Independent Press

These free programs at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Downtown & Business, 612 Smithfield Street, Downtown are held on Thursdays at 12:15 pm.

May 3 A Homeowner’s Guide to Hiring a Contractor: What Service Providers Don’t Want You to Know
Alexandra Sabina, Author and Lecturer

When you are ready to make repairs or major renovations to your property, how do you know if the company or person you plan to hire is trustworthy and reliable? Ms. Sabina, author of A Homeowner’s Guide to Hiring a Contractor, will explain where to find a services provider, questions to ask during the interview, how to obtain reliable references, and everything you should see on a contract before signing. Ms. Sabina’s book will be available for purchase after the program.

May 10 Betting to Win – Your Guide to Casino Gambling
Mark Gruetze, Administrative Editor
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Winning always makes a casino visit more fun. In order to do that, you need to know which bets to make and which to avoid. Join us as Mark Gruetze, longtime recreational gambler and author of the weekly Player’s Advantage column in the Trib, reveals the best strategies for blackjack, craps and other table games. You’ll learn how to make money, or at least how to make your money last longer!

May 17 Investing for Today, Tomorrow and the Future
Nadav Baum, Executive Vice President
BPU Investments, Inc.

Are you wondering how you can maintain your same lifestyle today, tomorrow and into retirement? It’s important to invest your assets so the principal and income will keep pace with inflation. After you understand your tax status, risk tolerance, expectation of return and time horizon, you’ll be prepared to create a plan of action that will help you achieve your goals.

May 24 No program – Enjoy the Memorial Day weekend!

May 31 Stock Shock: The Short Selling of the American Dream
(DVD – 72 minutes)

When Sirius XM Satellite Radio went public, potential investors were told they had the opportunity to realize enormous profits if they bought stock in this company that offers hundreds of commercial-free music stations, sports channels and talk show personalities like Howard Stern. This documentary is a cautionary tale of how unsuspecting (and unsophisticated) investors became victims of a calculated ‘pump and dump’ scheme that caused the stock fall to five cents a share before a massive recapitalization plan saved it from bankruptcy.

That many ancient cultures celebrated mothers including
theancient Egyptians who celebrated
the goddess Isis, the Mother of the Pharaohs
with an annual festival?

That ancient Greeks celebrated a holiday in honor
of Rhea, the mother of the gods ?

That ancient Romans celebrated a holiday in
honor of Cybele, a mother goddess?
That the celebrations were notorious enough that followers
of Cybele were banished from Rome

That in the British Isles and Celtic Europe, the goddess Brigid,
and later her successor St. Brigid, were honored with a spring Mother’s
Day, connected with the first milk of the ewes?

That In the 17th century, due to a clerical decree,
the British Isles initiated a religious celebration
of motherhood, called Mothering Sunday, held on the fourth Sunday during lent?
That the reason for the holiday was to serve as a reunification of the children of
mothers who were servants and trade workers who on Mothering Day, were allowed to
travel back to their home towns to visit with their families. This day also became a reprieve
from the fasting of lent, providing a time to enjoy a family feast with mom being the guest
of honor and Moms received gifts, such as cakes and flowers and a visit from their children?

That long before the “Hallmark” version of Mother’s day, Anna Reeves Jarvis was the 1st woman to
hold a celebration of Mothers day by declaring Mother’s day in 1858, in West Virginia?

That in 1914 the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution, signed by President Wilson,
that established a national Mother’s day?
That Since that time, Mother’s day has been celebrated by Americans on the 2nd Sunday
in May?

That the greatest advocate of motherhood, Anna Jarvis never had children of her own? Ms Jarvis
was dismayed over the commercialization of Mother’s day, “I wanted it to be a day of
sentiment, not profit,” she is quoted as saying.

www.Now.org   

Statement of NOW President Terry O’Neill

On Equal Pay Day, the day when U.S. women’s average earnings finally catch up with the amount men were paid on average in the previous year. That means that women must have worked more than 600 hours into 2012 to attain the same pay men received in 2011.

Recent reports show that the wage gap is wide for women across the board, regardless of educational level. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women with the same education as their male counterparts and doing the same job as men still earn far less. Just one example of the disparity can be found in a new study by the corporate governance firm GMI Ratings, which shows that women chief financial officers are paid an average of 16 percent less than their male counterparts. Overall, by one estimate, the average woman stands to lose about $400,000 over her working lifetime to wage discrimination. Such pay discrimination compels women to seek higher and higher degrees if they hope to begin to match their male peers in pay — often forcing women into the increasingly costly student loan market.

Women working full-time annually are paid 77 cents for every dollar paid to a man, and the gap is significantly wider for women of color. An unprecedented number of women are now family breadwinners due to persistent unemployment rates, making pay equality critical not simply to family economic security but also the nation’s economic recovery.

Thanks to the wage gap, women are more vulnerable during economic downturns, making government action to strengthen pay equity laws more essential now than ever before. NOW calls for passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 1519/S. 797) and a stronger bill, the Fair Pay Act (H.R. 1493). In the meantime, we call on President Obama to issue an executive order protecting employees of federal contractors against retaliation for disclosing or asking about their wages — an important first step that would reach more than 20 percent of the civilian workforce. Together, these measures can help to create a climate where wage discrimination is not tolerated, employers provide a women-friendly workplace, and government has the enforcement tools it needs to make real progress on ending wage discrimination.

www.theoutdoorclassroompa.org 

When we hear the word ‘weed’ we may grumble and grovel,
but many times this word may lead us to exquisite wildflowers.
One of the most eye-catching of these ‘weeds’ is Butterfly
Milkweed.
Butterfly Milkweed has many common names including
Butterfly Weed and Orange Milkweed, but scientifically
Butterfly Milkweed is known as Asclepias tuberosa.
The common name Butterfly Milkweed comes from the
plant’s relationship to butterflies. Butterfly Milkweed, which is in the milkweed family, is one of the host plants, or larval food sources, for caterpillars such as the queen and monarch. Caterpillars are very persnickety eaters and without these plants these caterpillars would not grow to become butterflies. Not only is this plant host to caterpillars, but it also attracts many adult butterflies due to its flower shape, bright color and lovely nectar. Wildflower lovers are often astonished when they see this blossom while driving along quiet country roads through meadows and farm fields. It is not a flower that one sees everyday, which is one of the reasons why a sighting is so special. Many New England states have watched populations of this plant drop drastically, and in some states Butterfly Milkweed is listed as an endangered species. Luckily, if you have a sunny spot in your garden you can provide a lovely habitat for Butterfly Milkweed, all while bringing beneficial insects such as butterflies into your garden. This summer as you plan to spruce up your landscape please keep our friend, Asclepias tuberose, in mind.

The Outdoor Classroom staff

For fifteen years, the Home Instead Senior Care® franchise network has been devoted to providing seniors with the highest quality care in their own homes, and to arming families with the information they need to make the best decisions about caring for aging loved ones. Below is a list of webinars offered by Home Instead Senior Care and related to important senior topics. Click the link to get more information and pre-register on any webinar below (email: info@asaging.org  or call: 415-974-9600) if you have questions about registering for or accessing a recorded webinar. Choose this link to get upcoming webinar information and other helpful articles delivered to your email.

Educational Opportunities - Family Caregiver Support Webinar Series

The 2012 Family Caregiver Support Web Seminar Series provides access to information and advice from professionals experienced with issues faced by family caregivers.
Caring for a senior loved one can bring a sense of fulfillment, but usually not without a few challenges as well. To help you feel a little more confident and equipped in your role as a family caregiver, the Home Instead Senior Care® network is launching the 2012 Family Caregiver Support Web Seminar Series, featuring free monthly seminars for family caregivers on a variety of essential caregiving topics.
The web seminars, hosted in cooperation with the American Society on Aging (ASA), provide tips, information and advice from the perspective of professionals who are well-versed in issues facing families caring for aging loved ones.
Please note, these Family Caregiver Webinars are not eligible for CEU credits. The CEU credit offering is only available for the webinars featured in the Professional Family Caregiver series.
Please pre-register for any Family Caregiver Webinar by the deadline of 9 PM PST the day before! for the following 2012 Senior Care Web Series. Please click each “Register Now” link below for more details of each webinar and to sign up.
Recorded webinars will be available for viewing following the live sessions. It may take up to two weeks following the session for the archived version to be posted.
________________________________________

Webinar Schedule
Navigating the Senior Care Maze - Family Caregiver Webinar
Wednesday, May 23, 2012 | 10:00 AM Pacific / 11:00 AM Mountain / 12:00 PM Central / 1:00 PM Eastern. Register Now.

Caring for Someone with Alzheimer’s - Family Caregiver Webinar
Wednesday, June 27, 2012 | 10:00 AM Pacific / 11:00 AM Mountain / 12:00 PM Central / 1:00 PM Eastern. Register Now.

Managing the Stress of a Family Caregiver - Family Caregiver Webinar
Wednesday, July 25, 2012 | 10:00 AM Pacific / 11:00 AM Mountain / 12:00 PM Central / 1:00 PM Eastern. Register Now.

How to Balance Work and At-Home Care - Family Caregiver Webinar
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 | 10:00 AM Pacific / 11:00 AM Mountain / 12:00 PM Central / 1:00 PM Eastern. Register Now.
Senior Cognitive Issues - Family Caregiver Webinar
Wednesday, September 26, 2012 | 10:00 AM Pacific / 11:00 AM Mountain / 12:00 PM Central / 1:00 PM Eastern. Register Now.

Helping Seniors with Finances - Family Caregiver Webinar
Wednesday, October 24, 2012 | 10:00 AM Pacific / 11:00 AM Mountain / 12:00 PM Central / 1:00 PM Eastern. Register Now.

Helping Seniors with Loss of Independence - Family Caregiver Webinar
Wednesday, November 28, 2012 | 10:00 AM Pacific / 11:00 AM Mountain / 12:00 PM Central / 1:00 PM Eastern. Register Now.

Multi-Generational Living - Family Caregiver Webinar
Wednesday, December 19, 2012 | 10:00 AM Pacific / 11:00 AM Mountain / 12:00 PM Central / 1:00 PM Eastern. Register Now.

If you, or any organization of which you are a part, is interested in learning more about Alzheimer’s, please contact our office. We would be happy to speak to your group free of charge about this subject, our services, and even employment opportunities.
Sincerely,

Rebecca Champagne, Human Resource Coordinator
Home Instead Senior Care
1102 S Braddock Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15218
Phone: (412) 731-0733
Rebecca.Champagne@homeinstead.com

By Joyce Faulkner
www.joycefaulkner.com/books.htm

I met Geri at the University of Arkansas in the fall of 1966. You couldn’t miss her. Her carefully constructed hairdos sported tiny clip-on bows in the oddest places…over one ear or just above springy bangs or in the curl at the top of a French twist. She was a quirky beauty – one that made people pause and reflect on how the room changed when she arrived.
She dated my boyfriend’s buddy and I saw her at parties almost every weekend for two years. I can’t say that we became close but she made me laugh when she imitated the Supremes – or when she slow-danced by herself, eyes closed and face upturned like a sunflower seeking light.
When I eloped, she wore her prettiest dress and snapped pictures and ate cake and toasted us with cheap champagne. I remember her waving as we drove off to enjoy our new life when my husband graduated in June 1968. It was the last time I saw her.
She was in love, but that relationship didn’t work out – nor the next or the next. While we traveled the world, she finished school, got a job, and moved to Tulsa.
I was in the hospital having a baby when Geri disappeared in 1975. We waited – pretending she was okay. Three weeks later, I held our infant son on my shoulder, clutched my husband’s hand — and cried when a friend called to tell us that they’d found her in an abandoned apartment building – raped, mutilated, and murdered.
Over the years, I tried to visualize her face but could only bring those silly bows into focus. Lying in the darkness with my husband snoring beside me, I thought about how scared Geri must have been – and how alone. I’d get up and blow my nose and stare out the window – watching for the glint of a knife in the shadows.
When I couldn’t stand it anymore, I started reading – first about Ted Bundy, then Gacey, and a host of other monsters. True crime magazines soon turned into tomes by Ann Rule and Robert Ressler. I began volunteering at a rape center – and moved on to textbooks to further my knowledge of psychopathy and serial rape.
In 2000, I began writing about a predatory ghoul who kidnaps young women and hurts them. Terrified of John Walsh and Larry King, my villain is a rambler – moving from town to town, taking a victim here and another there – driving a truck or working with an airline. He is aging but still dangerous – using the internet to lure his prey.
I finished the book that I called USERNAME — and put it away in a drawer. “Goodbye,” I whispered to my almost friend. “I wish…” Actually, I didn’t know what I wished…that she was alive? That I’d figured out who killed her? That I wasn’t so damned afraid?
Then our son turned 30 — and we heard.
They found Geri’s murderer! He was old — sick from drugs and drink and debauchery – and a truck driver. They matched his DNA to her rape kit and he confessed. In fact, he’d killed several times before Geri. Exhilaration gave way to more horror – Geri died in 1975. Since then, Clyde Carl Wilkerson had traveled to every state in the continental US. There had to be others. Unknown others.
“The bastard never knew how special she was,” a friend said when he heard.
“He didn’t care,” I murmured. “He can’t.”
I still cry at night when it’s dark and my husband’s sleeping – and Geri still haunts me. A book, it seems, is not enough. I guess I knew that all along but I had to try.