Kansas Senior Press Service News ArticlesKansas Senior Press Service News ArticlesBy Dave Brown
Kansas Senior Press Service
So you bought a new computer! There it is, in all its pristine elegance, out of the box, shiny and new. Now the problem is, what software should be installed on it?
Well, there are obvious items. You will want a word processor, maybe a spreadsheet, a Web browser, and anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall programs to protect your new machine from the “nasties” on the Internet. (If you are an Apple Mac owner, you can ignore the anti-virus stuff.)
But what about the not-so-obvious? Utility programs are available, many at no cost, to make your computer life easier and less frustrating. Let’s discuss a few of the major utility programs that every computer user should at least consider.
Decompressing. When files are transferred between computers or over the Internet, they normally are compressed first. Compression makes files a lot smaller. Most compression programs will reduce the size of a file by one-half to two-thirds, making it easier to attach to an e-mail. Some e-mail services will not allow you to attach to an e-mail a file larger than three or four megabytes. But more important, the process of compression puts a kind of protective enclosure around the file, reducing the risk that it will be corrupted as it is moved from computer to computer and over the Internet.
On the Apple Mac, compression is included in the operating system. All you have to do is select the file, go to “File/Compress,” and it is done automatically. To decompress, all you do is double-click the icon and the operating system will open the file in its normal configuration.
For Windows machines, the compressor of choice is WinZip (www.winzip.com). It is so well-known that compressing a file is known as “zipping” a file, and decompression is known as “unzipping.” In its deluxe mode (containing both compressing and decompressing), WinZip sells for $29.95.
A new decompressor on the market, called “7-Zip, ” is free. Find it at www.7-zip.org/.
Reading PDF files. “PDF” stands for portable document format. Invented by Adobe, PDF is a way of creating a document that can be read by any computer that has Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is a free download from http://get.adobe.com/reader/otherversions/.
PDF documents often are attached to e-mails, and you’ll need the free Adobe Reader. If you have it installed, all you do is double-click on the file icon; the software will automatically open it for you. Almost everyone uses PDF because it works on all computers. You just oughta have it!
Playing music. Computer music is dominated by iTunes, a free download from www.apple.com, and QuickTime Player (for videos), also a free download from Apple. Versions exist for both Mac and Windows machines.
RealPlayer — also free from www.real.com — has versions for Windows and Mac. The version that plays videos, called SuperPass, costs $14.99 a month (kind of expensive).
Web browsing. For Windows machines there’s Internet Explorer, which comes with all the Windows operating systems. For the Mac there’s Safari, which also works on Windows machines and is much faster than Explorer.
So why am I suggesting Firefox? It’s a free download from www.mozilla.com/firefox. It is fast and has first-rate (though not perfect) ad blocking and pop-up blocking. You can add all kinds of features available on the Firefox Web site.
Instant messaging. There’s a new kid on the block, called Trillian, which has support for AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, and IRC. Versions for iPhone and Mac OS X are forthcoming. It is loaded with features such as tabbed messaging, global status changes, instant lookup with automatic Wikipedia integration, and contact alerts. You may want to read about it at www.ceruleanstudios.com/learn. There is a “pro” version with some extra features for $25.
Google Earth. This marvelous tool allows you to zoom into almost any place on earth and even look at little towns (try the town of Feltre, Italy), where you can see the topography as well as the maps. It’s easy to use and free.
Dave Brown is a database developer (Database Associates, LLC) and an Apple Mac fanatic. He convenes the Macintosh section for the Seniors Computer User Group (SenCom), and loves tech-talk.
By Lisa Taranto
Kansas Senior Press Service
A few weeks ago, I was taking a nice, leisurely run on The Plaza. The weather was almost perfect for a midday jog. I had about 40 minutes to absorb the breezy scenery at one of my favorite places in Kansas City.
As I was rounding a small hill in Mill Creek Park, I noticed a gentleman (probably 25 years my senior) running just ahead of me. We were running at nearly the same pace, but my legs were carrying me just a step faster.
Now, when it comes to running side-by-side to a total stranger, I treat the experience just as I do when driving on a major highway. If I’m traveling barely faster than the car ahead of me, I typically pass. Otherwise, both cars would be neck-and-neck for a longer period of time than seems comfortable. I like to pass, get in front, and be on my way.
So the scenario was similar on this beautiful day. I passed on the left and took my place in front of the elder gentleman.
However, even with my iPod blaring Katy Perry tunes, I could hear the steps approaching behind me. This 60-plus senior was back on my heels and he wanted the lead.
This quite possibly could have been a “guy thing,” but I think it was a “senior thing.” People over 65 are in better shape than ever, and in sports like running they want to prove it to the rest of us.
Tennis is no different.
Whenever I play a doubles match and my opponents happen to be seniors, I figure that they will play good angles, they will have great hands, and they will place a drop shot at my feet like it was their full-time job.
Tennis is a lifelong sport, and it pays to play. A study of more than 10,000 men who played tennis three times a week revealed that risk of death from any cause was reduced by 50 percent. In addition, tennis players who played at least three hours a week had a 41 percent lower risk of death from coronary artery disease.
In the year 2020, 50 percent of the population is expected to be older than 60. This increase is reflected in tennis. Over the past decade, the national championships for age groups 50 and older have gained an almost 20 percent average increase in participation. Currently, national rankings go up to 85+ for male tennis players and 80+ for females, with several pilot programs in higher age divisions.
Local senior leagues and clinics are popping up all over the nation as seniors take up tennis, even later in life, and get great health benefits, not to mention a competitive edge. Even Wii games are useful in improving tennis skills.
Why do seniors brave the elements and deal with tired muscles and other aches and pains to play tennis? They like how it makes them feel, and they like to win.
Maybe Dodo Cheney, who plays in the U.S. Women’s 85+ leagues and holds the record for the most United States Tennis Association National Senior titles — more than 300 — says it best when it comes to playing tennis in the golden years.
“As I’ve grown older, I’ve grown much more competitive,” she said. “I really love to win.”
Four days before I wrote this article, I played a doubles match against a 68-year-old grandmother of seven who, before we spun for serve, told me she had a swollen right knee and a recent hip replacement. She was worried that her game would be compromised and that she wouldn’t provide much competition.
After schooling me in a quick two sets, she came to the net, shook my hand, and told me what a great match I had played.
I swear I saw her wink with a gleam in her eye.
Lisa Taranto is a Kansas City certified fitness instructor and lifestyle and weight management consultant specializing in senior adult fitness.
By Alexandra R. English
Kansas Senior Press Service
It has become increasingly common for collectors to make phone calls to arrange payments on a debt. The effectiveness of these phone calls comes from the collectors’ ability to raise concerns among people who fear what may happen if they cannot work something out with the collection agency.
Remember that collection is a business. The people who are making these phone calls usually work on a commission, and make money by getting payments out of you. You do not have to talk to them. But, on the first call or two, you may want to explain your situation honestly to see whether anything can be negotiated. Do not promise payments higher than you will be able to make. Refuse requests to submit post-dated checks, because the company may cash the check even if your income changes and you no longer have the money. The financial consequence of delivering a check that cannot be cashed is probably greater than your liability on the original debt.
Be aware of where you are in the process. Many creditors know how to say just enough to make you afraid of what will happen next. Understand that the collection agency cannot garnish your pay or attach your bank account unless the case has gone to court.
If you inform the collector in writing that you refuse to pay the bill or that you do not want the collector to contact you anymore, those contacts must stop. Your letter might say something like this:
I am writing to request that you stop contacting me about my account, number __________, with [creditor’s name], as required by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 USC section 1692c(c). This letter is not meant in any way to be an acknowledgment that I owe this money. I will take care of this matter when I can. Your cooperation will be appreciated.
Sign and date the letter, keep a copy for your records, and send it to the collector via certified mail.
Debt collectors are not allowed to harass or abuse you. They are not allowed to call earlier than 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. They are not allowed to make false or misleading representations or talk to other people about your debt situation, except to find out where you live or work. If you believe that a debt collector has done any of these things, you may have a complaint under the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act and you may wish to contact an attorney. You have one year from the date the event occurs to bring a lawsuit against the collector.
Court actions to collect money. A court action to collect money begins when the creditor sends you a summons. The summons may arrive in the mail or through the sheriff’s office. Generally you will be given a court date. You should appear at court and request a trial if you would like to dispute the creditor’s claims. You may wish to request a trial to give yourself time to work something out directly with the creditor. If you do not request a trial, a default judgment is granted for the amount of money that the creditor is seeking plus court costs. You will also owe any monthly interest that has accrued on top of the original debt.
If your only source of income is Social Security, federal law protects that money as long as it resides in a bank account in which only Social Security funds are deposited. You may need to file an affidavit with the court to notify the creditor that your bank account contains only Social Security funds and cannot be garnished.
Garnishment of wages can only occur when a case has gone to court. People who earn less than federal minimum wage at 30 hours per week are protected from garnishment. (The federal minimum wage will increase from $6.55 to $7.25 per hour on July 24). People making above that amount can have 25 percent of their income garnished. In most court cases, a garnishment continues until the amount is paid in full. For this reason, once a creditor has filed a lawsuit and judgment has been entered, you may wish to make payment arrangements with the creditor to avoid garnishment.
If creditors do not know where you work or where you bank, they may get that information from you by having the court order you to appear at a “Hearing in Aid of Execution.” While that term may sound scary, it is simply a hearing for the creditors to obtain information that helps them collect (or execute) a judgment. At that hearing, you can be required to tell the creditor where you work, where you bank, and other information. It is important for you to attend any Hearing in Aid of Execution of which you are notified. If you do not attend the hearing or arrange with the creditor not to appear, you can be held in contempt of court and arrested.
Though it is possible for creditors to garnish your wages, they cannot take certain assets that are exempt in Kansas, including your home, your household goods, up to $1,000 in jewelry, up to $20,000 in an automobile, a burial plot, and up to $7,500 worth of trade tools. If you have a secured debt on a house or car, however, you will need to continue making payments until the debt is paid in full if you wish to avoid foreclosure on the house or repossession of the car.
Alexandra English is an elder law attorney with Kansas Legal Services, Inc.
These articles are also available electronically at the Center on Aging Website: http://www2.kumc.edu/coa/Senior_Press_Article/Topic_Index.htm