Top Ten Reasons to Join "Wills for Heroes"

I write this blog entry on a Saturday morning at the Widener University School of Law (Harrisburg Campus) during a "Wills for Heroes" session, which offers free wills and other estate planning documents to first responders and their spouses or domestic partners.

Document preparation is accomplished by volunteer lawyers using custom-designed legal drafting software.  Client execution of documents occurs before volunteer notaries and law student witnesses.  Conduct of the entire process is guided by experienced staff.

This session is co-sponsored by the Dauphin County Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Young Lawyer's Division, and is supported by some benefactor organizations.  See: Brochure, Wills for Heroes Pennsylvania (PDF, 2 pages).

I followed this program for many years, but only became involved personally in 2011. See: PA Bar Promotes "Wills for Heroes" Further (07/18/11); "Wills for Heroes" Workshops Multiply in PA & DE (08/03/10); PBA's Young Lawyers Sponsor "Wills for Heroes" (05/06/09); and Firefighters, First Responders, and Free Wills (05/15/08).

This is the second such event that I attended at WLS-Harrisburg.  I participated in a similar, but much larger and longer session held here on a Saturday in mid-November, 2011.  I served as an "expert" on demand, discussing specific concerns or offering document solutions.  

Those five pro bono hours were shared with experienced local lawyers, enthusiastic second- and third-year law students, and efficient notaries -- all volunteers.  Our activities were organized by PBA staff.  Each participant was devoted to producing a set of individualized last wills, durable powers of attorney, and health care directives to worthy non-paying clients -- first responders and their life mates.

The first responder clientele had qualified for such pro bono legal services as firefighters, police officers, paramedics, corrections personnel, or probation officers, employed by or volunteering through a federal, state, or local government, or their related agencies and public service associations.  

Most first responders brought a spouse.  Some even brought their young children, who played with toys in a special area.  

The first responders had attended an orientation session or had received an explanation package previously.  The objectives, benefits, and limitations of the program were explained.  

An estate planning questionnaire was distributed for their completion in advance of their scheduled interview at the session.  Most had completed that questionnaire; but some arrived sheepishly in hopes of completing a blank one during their interview with a lawyer.  Either way was okay.

The process proceeded past sign-in, into a personal, confidential interview with a lawyer seated with a portable computer at a "station".  The lawyer then entered data from the questionnaire -- supplemented by responses during the interview -- into document assembly software specifically designed for the WFH program.  Special concerns could be addressed, within limits.  

Next, document drafts were printed, reviewed by the lawyer and clients, and revised if necessary.  Final documents, together with a representation letter (as to limited engagement and then termination of that professional relationship) and a post-execution instruction letter, were produced on laser printers.

The clients carried their document packages to a square table that appeared to host a bridge game looking for a fourth player.  The notary and two witnesses proceeded through the signing formalities with the clients.

An hour or so after signing in, the clients left with free, personalized, dependable estate and personal planning documents resulting from their intentional planning with professional implementation.

The benefits to the first providers are unquestionable and valuable.  But what are the benefits to the other participants -- the volunteer legal services providers?  

In keeping with a tradition of making Top Ten lists, I offer the top ten reasons to volunteer at a Wills for Heroes session in your area: 

#10: You can join hundreds of lawyers in many states who have participated in this program since 2001.

#9: You can eat free food -- donuts and coffee for breakfast, or soft pretzels, pizza, and soda for lunch -- depending upon your shift.

#8:  For lawyers, you can meet yourself years ago as a law student, or, for law students, you can meet yourself years from now as a lawyer, and then interact with your doppelgänger.

#7:  You can get your name/face in a newsletter or newspaper, or perhaps even on television -- but only if you sign the media consent form -- since such sessions often become local news.

#6:  You can brush up on estate planning law during the one-hour participants' orientation session offered before clients arrive.

#5:  You can learn about document assembly software, which is checklist-oriented and data-entry based, but which transfers a set of documents into standard word processing software.

#4:  You can hone your people skills in a safe and supervised environment.

#3:  For lawyers, you can obtain pro bono service credit and recognition.

#2:  You can meet some special, dedicated people --  the first responders -- as short-term clients.

and the best reason to volunteer at a Wills for Heroes session in your area -- particularly one sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Association -- is . . .

#1:  You can help first responders, who already work daily to help all of us.

Graphic reproduced from the Lawyers and Settlements Blog

Update:  06/12/12:

I noticed that the Wills for Heroes website linked to this post in its "News" section.  I'm pleased to be a part of their promotion of this worthwhile Program.

Lawyer's Christmas Greetings

Yesterday, I updated my posting from three years ago, Scrooge: Broker, Lawyer, Accountant, or Banker? (12/21/07), and then included the link in email sent to some folks as a Holiday greeting. There are few analyses like it available online.

Ultimately, I doubt that Scrooge was a lawyer, since he did not talk like a lawyer, even for that time.

For your amusement, you may wish to consider well-circulated, alternative greetings written in "legalese" that also attempt to convey, more or less, a spirit of the season.

• An Employment Lawyer’s Version of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” (12/13/10), by Michael R. Greco

• The Night Before Christmas -- for Lawyers (12/18/06).

• A Lawyer's Christmas Greeting (07/24/07).

• Lawyer's Christmas Card (In Politically Correct Legalese), also posted here and here (12/13/04), among many, many other places.

Merry Christmas!

Would the PA Dept of Aging Change its Name?

During an unscheduled late morning session held over coffee and donuts on Tuesday, April 1st, 2010, at a restaurant in Harrisburg, a representative of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, sitting among co-workers, was overheard discussing whether the Department should change its official name to the "Pennsylvania Office of Getting Older" ("OGO" or "Pogo").

When queried, the representative disclaimed any authority for seeking feedback or for involvement in a name change project, but he did comment.

"Some of my co-workers wonder if we should consider a change in our name. We're changing everything else lately. Personally, I'm tired of the negative connotations of some abbreviations used to reference the Department.

"Now, I gotta get back to the office . . . and don't print my name."

One source confirmed that concerns do exist within the Department that many people abbreviate the Department's current name into the acronym "DoA". That term carries a negative connotation in medical terminology.

"Our work is not about that condition at all," said that source. "That would be under the jurisdiction of the Department of State's Funeral Directors Licensing Board."

That same source noted that many journalists refer to the Pennsylvania Department of Aging loosely as the "Aging Department." That name conflicts with the "enhancing" and "empowering" themes in its posted mission statement.

The ripple effects of such a name are uncertain, too, in a society that prizes youth. Remember what happened to the Oldsmobile.

Some workers, without explanation, have transferred to other departments having more positive, long-lasting names, like the "Welfare Department" or the "Health Department". But linking those departures to the Department's name remains purely speculative.

Also some confusion in mail deliveries may find their cause in the Department's current name. When the Department's name is called out in the central mail sorting room as "Aaa...Ging!", some deliveries are earmarked improperly to the Office of the Attorney General (A.G.).

That might not be as much of a problem if the name of the Department would be changed to the "Office of Getting Older".

"Everyone is 'getting older', right? That would be a politically correct name, and no joke" said one Department worker.

That worker confirmed, also, that more than one name had been floated initially. At least a few names were rejected due to their acronyms, specifically the "Office of Older People Services" ("OOPS"), the "Department of Inter-generational Experiences" ("DIE", which was viewed as similar to the current acronym -- although a variation, the "Independent Department of Inter-generational Experiences" or "iDIE", was considered trendy), and also the "Agency on Senior Services".

As to the current suggestion for a name change, there is some concern about the new acronym ("POGO") as being too fanciful or flashy, and perhaps vulnerable to trademark disputes.

The idea of any name change may not be well-received by the Department's affiliated agencies at the county level, but for other reasons -- their changed acronyms.

Presently, each local entity is known as an "Area Agency on Aging" ("AAA"). Local workers have come to love the alliteration of the longer appellation.

Also, many county agency office workers have delighted in the anonymity of their offices' "AAA" name, which can reduce their workload. Since "AAA" is frequently confused with other organizations having identical acronyms, such as the "American Automobile Association", the "American Arbitration Association", and the "American Antropological Association", it is believed that many Pennsylvanians making an initial inquiry call those other offices instead, and then tire of their voice mail systems.

One employee in a county aging office expressed concern about losing its "AAA" rating -- something to be prized in today's beleaguered economy.

These benefits would disappear if the local agencies would be renamed the "Area Agencies on Getting Older" ("AAGO"). Who would confuse a local getting older agency with the Apartment Association of Greater Orlando or the American Academy of Gnathologic Orthopedics?

Such a changed name for the Department would also affect its leader, who would then be known as the "Secretary of Getting Older" ("So GO").

The Governor's Office apparently was unaware of any movement to change the name of the Department.

"If it comes to us, we'll have to study it carefully," said a liaison. "But a rose by any other name is still a rose, don't you think?"

Believing, and Playing College Football at 59

On Sunday, February 1, 2009, on his Hour of Power religious broadcast, Rev. Robert H. Schuller interviewed Mike Flynt, the author of "The Senior" (207 pages; Oct, 2008), which conveys the message: "It's Never Too Late to Tackle Your Dreams!"

Mike Flynt was swapping stories with some old football buddies when he brought up the biggest regret of his life: getting kicked off the college team before his senior year.

So, one of his pals said, "Why not do something about it?"

Most 59-year-olds would have laughed. Flynt's only concern was his eligibility.

He not only returned to college football, but actually made the team at his alma mater -- Sul Ross State, an NCAA division III school [and a member of the Texas State University System].

His remarkable story begins with a tough upbringing by a violent father who trained him to fight at every opportunity. His fighting habit took him in and out of jail several times, until a faith conversion turned his life around on the very day he was contemplating suicide.

Mike Flynt has much to offer others, not only through his story, but through his belief that it's never too late for God to heal your heart and fulfill your dreams. [Links added.]

Wikipedia's entry for Mike Flynt describes his difficult, even wacky, challenge in playing college football a second time around:

Mike Flynt is a linebacker for Division III Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas and wears the number 49.

Flynt is a strength coach by trade and was a conditioning coach at Nebraska, Oregon and Texas A&M. He is the inventor of the Powerbase Fitness exercise equipment. * * *

Flynt has given new meaning to being a college senior. He is a grandfather and is retired. His youngest child is a freshman at the University of Tennessee. Two of his children are older than any of his teammates.He is eight years older than his own coach, Steve Wright.

He played his last collegiate game for the Sul Ross Lobos in 1970. In 1971, he was thrown out of the university. One of his original college coaches was Jerry Larned, and he has counseled him at the start of his comeback.

Despite the fact that he is two generations older than his teammates, Flynt, a career strength and conditioning coach, told Sports Illustrated that he can still do some things in the weightroom that the other players can't. Flynt says he can still do 25 consecutive pull-ups, for example. * * *

Once he plays, he will become the second oldest man to play in an NCAA game. Neither the NCAA or NAIA keeps age as a statistic, but research hasn't turned up anyone older than their mid-40s playing NCAA Football.

On August 23, 2007, ESPN posted an article entitled "Flynt, 59, making comeback with Sul Ross State University" by Mike Golic & John Siebel.

Finding out he was [still eligible to play football], Flynt returned to Sul Ross State this month, 37 years after he left and six years before he goes on Medicare.

His comeback peaked Wednesday with the coach saying he's made the Division III team's roster. He could be in action as soon as Sept. 1 [2007]. * * *

"I think it was Carl Yastrzemski who used to say, 'How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?' I'd be in my late 20s or early 30s, because that's how I feel," said Flynt, who has made a living out of physical fitness.

"That's been my approach to this whole thing. I feel that good. I'm just going to find out if I can perform and make a contribution to the team." * * *

Flynt's life was supposed to be slowing down this fall. With his youngest child starting at the University of Tennessee, he and Eileen, his wife of 35 years, are planning to take advantage of being empty-nesters for the first time.

Instead, they've moved to this remote patch of West Texas so Flynt can mend an old wound and, he hopes, inspire others. * * *

The article reported a side-effect of his effort to master a nearly-impossible challenge: "[H]e laughed about the reality that fellow Baby Boomers are getting the most out of his comeback."

"People are kind of in awe. They keep comparing me to themselves and where they are physically," he said.

"If I can help anyone out by what I'm doing, then it's all worth it."

On September 15, 2007, Sporting News reported in "'Senior' LB suits up, but 59-year-old Mike Flynt doesn't play" that, after the team's third game, "[h]is first hit, however, will have to wait another week."

The 59-year-old linebacker remained on the sideline throughout his team's 55-14 loss to Division III powerhouse Mary Hardin-Baylor.

Coach Steve Wright decided to play it safe in hopes of keeping Flynt healthy for the rest of the season, especially the home opener next weekend. Leg and shoulder problems kept Flynt from even traveling to the first two games.

He made this trip, and so did his wife and about 50 former teammates and other admirers, all hoping to see "The Senior" mix it up with kids one-third his age.

They weren't the only ones disappointed. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Mary Hardin-Baylor band chanted "We want Mike Flynt!" followed by "49! 49!" (his jersey number) and finally, "Put Mike in!"

Flynt's fan club, who've dubbed themselves the "Sul Ross Baby Boomers" and wear buttons with a picture of him in uniform, joined the chants. Later, they started their own, merely shouting his last name. * * * [Links added.]

Then, as a team member listed on the roster, he played in a game against Texas Lutheran University.

Jaime Aron reported on October 13, 2007, in "59-Year-Old Linebacker Returns to Field Posted" that Flynt first played at left offensive end on a point-after-touchdown play:

To the shreiking delight of his wife, three kids, grandson and a legion of new fans, 59-year-old Mike Flynt returned to college football action Saturday night.

His Sul Ross State teammates marched for a touchdown on their opening drive against Texas Lutheran and Flynt went in at left end on the extra-point unit. He sealed his block as the kick went through, marking his first game action in 37 years.

He remained a fixture at that spot on extra points and field goals. His first block wasn't much, but it didn't matter.

The play culminated a comeback that began almost as a dare at a reunion this summer, then was delayed by the kind of lingering aches and pains that slow most card-carrying AARP members. * * *

Texas Monthly noticed the older senior's game-play, posting a Mike Flynt multimedia feature in March 2008.

After the season, Mike wrote his book, The Senior (co-authored with a professional writer), which is available online and in stores. Portions of the book are made available online by Google Books.

You can read the text of that brief interview of Mike Flynt with Rev. Schuller on the website of the Hour of Power.

The interview concluded with Flynt's personal statement of faith.

MF: I think that people need to believe in themselves and not be afraid of failure.

I think our young people today are taught to be normal and not to step out and try things and they need understand that failure is not who you are.

Failure is just something that happens to you. But you have to step out and try. You have to believe in yourself.

You have to try and you have to trust in God.

RHS: That’s what your faith does for you.

MF: Yes sir.

* * *

"I had to try."

-- Mike Flynt, in The Senior (2008)

In PA, Bingo's Gamblin', Poker Ain't

Gambling by seniors is a concern, not only in Pennsylvania, but nationwide, because involvement in games of chance can become additive, and the financial consequences can become dire.

Bingo is a game of chance, seniors know. But seniors who play poker in PA can be relieved: Playin' Texas Hold 'em ain't gambling.

The Senior Journal noted on November 12, 2008, in a brief posting online that "Senior Gambling [is] Getting Attention":

Gambling addiction is a significant problem in the United States impacting adults of all ages and their families.

Older adults are, perhaps, more vulnerable than other age groups given their greater dependence on fixed incomes and more limited ability to recover to secure debt or recover from gambling losses. * * *

The traditional game of chance for seniors is bingo, a pastime that serves as a recreational event in many communities.

The growth of riverboat and Indian casinos, state and national lotteries, and Internet access to off-shore sports and parlor betting, has dramatically increased access for all adults including seniors. * * *

An Associated Press article, dated April 2, 2001, entitled "Wagering: boon or blight of retirement?" reposted by Today's Senior Network, is representative of reports noting that "[a]s the number of older gamblers surges, experts worry that seniors are more vulnerable to financial ruin." See also: "Are seniors gambling away their retirement?" by Liz Weston, posted on MSN-Money, who noted that "[c]asinos, slot machines and poker parlors on seemingly every corner present high-rolling seniors a growing opportunity to lose their nest eggs."

I noted the debate in Pennsylvania in a prior posting, "Gambling, "Gray Lives" & Grief" (11/02/06); and that debate continued as licensed casinos began operation in the Commonwealth statewide.

On January 15, 2009, The Philadelphia Inquirer published a commentary by Daniel R. Reynolds, entitled "Gaming law has been a bust." He asserted that, "[a]s Pa. officials tout a rise in revenue, they overlook the cost, and an unfair tax system."

This year will mark the fifth anniversary of Pennsylvania's gaming law, originally conceived as a way of protecting the state's horse-racing industry. Neighboring states such as Delaware and West Virginia had instituted slot-machine gaming to boost purses at their racetracks.

But the bill's initial intent got hijacked at some point. Signed by Gov. Rendell in July 2004, the bill was sold not as horse-racing protectionism, but as a tax-relief vehicle. Revenue from gaming, it was said, could be used to trim property taxes.

Written by the office of now-indicted former State Sen. Vincent Fumo, the bill expanded gaming way beyond the imagination of the framers of the horse-racing protection bill, who merely envisioned slot machines at the state's four racetracks. As it turns out, when slots casinos become operational in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania will have 61,000 slot machines - more than any other state except Nevada.

State officials say they are cutting taxes with gaming revenue. In fact, they are subjecting Pennsylvanians to higher taxes.

The government says nearly $1 billion in gaming revenue has been made available to trim property taxes, but it isn't fluttering down from heaven or being printed by the Federal Reserve. It's coming out of the pockets of Pennsylvanians who are walking into casinos, putting it into slot machines, and not getting it back.

Expanding gaming in Pennsylvania is simply an additional de facto tax -- on top of the state lottery implemented many years ago. * * *

In response, some organizations have addressed "compulsive gambling" by education of consumers and training of professionals.

For example, the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania is a nonprofit organization affiliated with the National Council on Problem Gambling.

Its purpose is to educate and disseminate information on compulsive gambling and to facilitate referrals.

The Pennsylvania Council provides speakers, workshops, seminars, and information on this public health problem to business, industry and labor groups, schools and colleges, health care and treatment facilities, and to community and religious organizations.

In 2008, CCGP held a 2008 Statewide Conference on Problem Gambling. Its website lists weekly Gamblers Anonymous local meetings at statewide locations. Its next training sessions, "Advanced Gambling Treatment Seminars - Level II," will be offered this month and beyond by that organization "Courtesy Of The Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem." [Links added.]

But, at least in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, such outreach efforts need not be directed towards poker players. Because they are not "gamblers."

It has been judicially determined, in that county at least, that participation in a game of Texas Hold 'em, even with bets, is not gambling, since it is a game of skill.

The ruling by the Court of Common Pleas of Columbia County, PA was reported on January 24, 2009, in an article entitled "A Crazy Game of Poker; Judge Rules Poker is a Game of Skill in Gambling Case" by Eric Bower, posted by BloomUToday.

Last week Columbia County Judge Thomas A. James Jr. ruled that Texas Hold’em poker is a game of skill and therefore not gambling under Pennsylvania law.

The ruling stems from gambling charges filed against Walter “Buzz” Watkins and his girlfriend Diane Dent in September.

Watkins is a manager at the Good Old Days Bar in Bloomsburg and also runs the poker tournaments held there.

In addition to hosting poker at Good Old days, Watkins also hosted cash poker games in a garage at his residence in Bloomsburg. The legality of those games soon came into question after State Police received complaints about the poker games and began an undercover investigation. * * *

The game being played at the garage was $1-$2 No Limit Texas Hold’em poker.

The undercover officer indicated that Dent was the dealer when he played. The officer reported that Dent or Watkins would exchange player’s cash for playing chips when they entered the game. Dent and Watkins would also exchange chips for cash when a player left.

No fee was taken by Watkins or Dent to play[. I]nstead, players were encouraged to tip Dent at the end of every hand based on the pot’s size, just as they would in conventional casinos. * * *

Police filed 20 charges each against Watkins and Dent on September 19th. Watkins said that around 15 officers raided his garage while poker was being played when he was arrested. Watkins also said that Dent was asleep in the residence that was also raided by police when she was arrested. * * * [Link added.]

The judge's opinion resolved the case in favor of Watkins and Dent, according to the article.

All charges in the case were dropped last week after Columbia County Judge Thomas A. James issued a 16 page opinion on the case.

The basic question, according to Judge James’ ruling, is whether poker is dominated by chance or skill.

James wrote is his opinion “Simply, if chance predominates, Texas Hold’em is gambling. If skill predominates, it is not gambling.”

In Pennsylvania, video poker machines are not allowed because their outcomes are primarily due to chance, not skill.

In the case of Texas Hold’em, however, Judge James explained that extensive literature exists that describes winning strategies to play the game.

James quoted several books on the matter including Mike Caro’s “Secrets of Winning Poker”. In an excerpt from the book James used, [the author said] “the money flows from the bad players to the strong players.” * * *

The decision issued by Judge Thomas A. James, Jr. on January 14, 2009, in the matters of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Watkin and Dent (PDF; 14 pages, plus Order) is fascinating reading.

I recommend it to poker players of all ages.

* * *

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

-- "The Gambler"
sung by Kenny Rogers

Update: 01/29/09:

The American Bar Association Journal's "Law News Now" posted an article on January 29, 2009, entitled "Is Poker a Game of Skill that is Legal? S.C. Judge Will Decide" by Debra Cassens Weiss, on this topic.

Five college buddies nabbed in a poker bust are asking a South Carolina judge to decide whether Texas Hold 'em is an illegal game of chance or a permissible game of skill.

A South Carolina law bans ''any game with cards or dice'' but state Attorney General Henry McMaster says his office interprets the statute to ban games that rely more on chance than skill, the Associated Press reports. And for years, the office has viewed Texas Hold ’em as an illegal game of chance.

Thirty-eight other states have laws that also bar games of chance, according to Colorado lawyer Chuck Humphrey.

Some poker players are beginning to claim — with some success — that the laws don’t apply to them. A Pennsylvania judge ruled Texas Hold ’em is a game of skill and acquitted a man who held poker games in his garage, according to CardPlayer.

And a Colorado jury acquitted the organizer of a poker league after a University of Denver statistics professor testified poker is a game of skill, according to a press release by the Poker Players Alliance. * * *

Laughing through Cancer

On Friday, January 16, 2009, in the afternoon, the National Public Radio show Fresh Air from WHYY will reprise nationwide an interview first aired on March 12, 2008, entitled For Comedian, Humor Eases 'Toughest Journey' that considers humor as a weapon or a palliative against cancer.

The interview of comedian Robert Schimmel covers extreme topics -- from fun to funerals -- as experienced by "one of Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Comics, [who] had his own stand up specials on HBO and Showtime, and has appeared regularly on Howard Stern and Conan O'Brien."

The circumstances of comedian Robert Schimmel's life are grim: He lost his son to leukemia, married and divorced the same woman three times, and battled cancer.

But throughout it all, Schimmel managed to find strength in humor.

His recent memoir is Cancer on $5 a Day: How Humor Got Me Through the Toughest Journey of My Life.

The book by Robert Schimmel, published February 2008 by Da Capo Lifelong Books (hardcover, 240 pages), is available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other outlets.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer's review was quoted in Amazon's online review:

A remarkable and riveting account [in which] Schimmel is fiercely candid and direct.

This could be the most profanely adult book of inspiration you'll find.

But inspiring it is, and moving, without being mawkish or phony. Schimmel is simply too laugh-out-loud funny, and his storytelling too compelling. * * *

Another book review posted on Curled Up With a Good Book, by staff writer Barbara Bamberger Scott, described the experiences and attitudes related by the author:

The comic leaves his "audience" howling.

"They need this. They need the distraction, the change of pace, the release." Coaxing laughter out of his medical team and his chemo companions is one side of the story.

But Schimmel still has to walk that lonesome valley by himself. He tries pot, Reiki, and crystal therapy. He talks to a rabbi AND a chaplain. * * *

He has seven sessions of chemo, the last one sufficient to teach him "I'm human," as his immune system crashes.

He has to decide he wants to survive, "which is not easy with cancer-killing poison coursing through my body, my face eternally hovering an inch above the toilet bowl, and my body feeling either as cold as Antarctica or as hot as the surface of the sun."

Visions of his children and his father inspire him. He holds on.

When he's told he's finally in remission, he says to his doctor, "I'm trying to cry but you've been beating the shit out of me for six months and I got no crying left."

Cancer is mean. It requires strong medicine and a strong will. Schimmel got both.

But he also stepped outside the bounds of his own suffering to make others laugh. To make me laugh. And you. * * *

BlogTalk Radio maintains a support group online, Laugh at Cancer Support Community Information, described as "a radio show for those families touched by cancer in any way."

ReachMD, in association with XMRadio, offers commercial educational programs intended for physicians. A few presentations in 2008 relate to the role of humor in the comprehensive setting of cancer treatment.

• Cancer on $5 a Day (Chemo Not Included) - 06/30/2008
• Robert Schimmel on Humor in Surviving Cancer
- 04/28/2008
• The Power of Humor - 04/21/2008
• Eight Chemo Sessions & Life Lessons - 04/07/2008

In addition to the reprised interview of Robert Schimmel on Fresh Air, NPR offers links to prior past discussions, free online, including:

• April 15, 2003 -- Humor Therapy
• Feb. 17, 2000 -- Fighting Breast Cancer With Humor

For those who wish to hear Schimmel's interview [32 min 44 sec], click here, then click the Listen Now icon.

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."

~Winston Churchill
per Quotations for Cancer Patients, Survivors, and Loved Ones

PA Inheritance Tax Returns: Banded, not Bound

On November 24, 2008, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, through its Inheritance Tax Division, issued a bulletin addressed to "All Individuals Who Are Filing A Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax Return Rev-1500" requiring such filings in the future without permanent or restrictive bindings.

The Department's new policy regarding the connective material for paper filings of Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax Returns, through the local Pennsylvania Register of Wills offices, is now in effect:

Effective, December 1, 2008, the Department of Revenue has converted the processing system for the Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax Return to a scanning and image process.

Therefore, the Inheritance Tax Return must be filed on a scannable return, either provided by the Register of Wills office, available on the Department of Revenue's web site, or [provided by] a software vendor who has had their software preapproved by the Department of Revenue.

The Return should be compiled in the following order:

• The 3 page REV-1500 Return
• Any appropriate schedules based on the estate's assets and deductions
• A copy of the decedent's will, if appropriate
• A copy of any inter-vivos trust, if appropriate
• A copy of any deed concerning real estate listed on Schedules A, F or G (all legal-sized documents should be reduced to 8 1/2 x 11 paper if possible)
• Any additional documentation to verify the value of assets or deductions

The return should be held together with either rubber bands or a binder clip.

Do not use any staples, metal or plastic binding, 3-ring binder, paper clips, [or] metal fold over straps, etc.

All of the above must be removed by Inheritance Tax Division employees before the documents can be sent for scanning. This will slow down the processing of the return, the examination of the return and finally the response to the estate representative. [Formatting added.]

If you don't already get it, you can call for clarification, as indicated in that Announcement: "Further information can be obtained by calling the Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax Division at 717-787-8327 or faxing your question to 717-772-0412 for J. Paul Dibert, Chief, Inheritance Tax Division."

Let's all call.

"A dry martini," [James Bond] said. "One. In a deep champagne goblet."
"Oui, monsieur."
"Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet.
Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?"
"Certainly monsieur." The barman seemed pleased with the idea.
"Gosh, that's certainly a drink," said Leiter.

-- Ian Fleming's novel Casino Royale (1953),
per "Shaken, Not Stirred" on Wikipedia

Update: 01/29/09:

The PA Department of Revenue, Inheritance Tax Division, recently made it known that it will accept a request for an extension to file a PIT Return, sent by email. For further information, see: PA EE&F Law Blog posting "Extensions, Envelopes & Electricity" (01/29/09).

History Channel Airs "Corpse Tech"

On Friday, November 28, 2008, from 7 to 8 pm, The History Channel aired a Modern Marvels episode entitled "Corpse Tech" (2008, 50 mins.) that featured Dauphin County (PA) Coroner Graham Hetrick and Funeral Director Nathan A. Bitner, both of Harrisburg, PA.

Celebrating ingenuity, invention and imagination brought to life on a grand scale, MODERN MARVELS® tells the fascinating stories of the doers, dreamers and sometime-schemers who created everyday items, technological breakthroughs and man-made wonders.

It may seem grisly or macabre, but a human's body remains useful long after the person who lived in it has passed away. From forensic investigations to medical experimentation to organ and tissue transplantation, every cadaver has a purpose.

In CORPSE TECH, MODERN MARVELS tours the boneyard to discover just how our remains are put to use.

Meet a County Coroner and visit the University of Tennessee's famous Body Farm to see how dead bodies contribute to criminology. And tour a morgue, a crematorium, and one of the largest tissue banks in the United States to discover the multitudinous fates awaiting our earthly vessels.

So, whether saving a life, catching a crook, or memorializing the departed, CORPSE TECH will show you how the job gets done.

The nationwide television appearance of Graham Hetrick and Nathan Bitner --both of whom I've known here in Harrisburg for awhile -- came as a surprise to me when I viewed the new episode.

However, their appearance had been noted in advance in a Press Release issued by Dauphin County, PA, dated July 23, 2008, entitled "Dauphin County Coroner to Appear on TV Show" (which only mentioned it in the title).

Graham noted the significance of death as an emotional and spiritual event that holds the deepest meaning. Nathan explained (and demonstrated) how rendering a corpse in a presentable way can allow for some closure in the grieving process.

The documentary was upbeat, detailed, and antiseptic in exploring the technological, business, and environmental aspects of its offbeat, but common, topic -- disposal of human remains by burial or cremation.

This episode is one of a few produced by The History Channel about death, which include:

• Crypts, Coffins and Corpses -- "From the Ganges River to a college of Mortuary Science, this is a comprehensive look at how mankind has dealt with the dead throughout the ages."

• Rites of Death -- "How does belief in an afterlife affect rituals which give meaning to the greatest and most terrifying of mysteries: death?"

• Business of Death -- "Go inside the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science, where they believe in hands-on training."

• Cemeteries -- "Industry insiders offer a behind-the-scenes look at the $20 billion American funerary business. It's the one journey we all make."

• Beyond Death -- "Mainstream researchers, mediums and those who have had near-death experiences help explore the eternal mystery of what awaits us when we die."

That last episode leads to the topic presented in A&E/History Channel's Paranormal State: Cemetery, which featured Pennsylvania State University students in their club affiliated with the Paranormal Research Society:

Other students at Penn State University join clubs to play chess, speak French or go camping.

But a special few share an interest that goes far beyond this plane of existence. They are The Paranormal Research Society (PRS).

Under the leadership of club founder and director Ryan Buell, the intrepid team sets out each week to discover the truth behind terrifying real life mysteries, hauntings and ghosts. * * *

If you are interested in their investigation at cemeteries, this is what that episode covered:

Spend some quality time among the gravestones with Ryan and the rest of the PRS crew as they track a disturbing force to a mysterious, unclaimed cremation urn.

• Forget the Ghostbusters! Call the Paranormal Research Society!
• PRS investigates cases submitted by ordinary people suffering hauntings and other phenomena.
• A gothic graveyard is a suitably creepy setting for PRS' latest investigation.

I know, I know . . . you'd rather watch Modern Marvels: Corpse Tech, like I did.

Well, I have some bad news, straight from The History Channel's website: "There are no upcoming airings within the next two weeks."

"Last Will" Movie Now in Production

"Tatum O'Neal, Tom Berenger and James Brolin will face deception, corruption and misguided family loyalties" in the independently-produced, suspense dramatic film "Last Will," which is presently in production.

For information about the film to be released in 2009, see: Last Will, posted by the Internet Movie Database.

The article "Trio fight for estate in 'Last Will' -- Tatum O'Neal, Tom Berenger, James Brolin join drama" (10/31/08) by Gregg Goldstein, posted by The Hollywood Reporter, described the movie's plot:

"Will" centers on Hayden (O'Neal), a woman framed for the murder of her wealthy husband (Berenger) in their affluent Midwestern town.

With all evidence stacked against her, she's arrested by a detective (Brolin) and begins a quest to uncover the truth.

Another posted article, "Production Begins On 'Last Will'" (10/31/08) posted by News Guide, expands upon that plot line:

In LAST WILL, a beautiful young woman Hayden (TATUM O'NEAL) is framed for the murder of her wealthy husband Frank (TOM BERENGER).

With all the evidence stacked against her, Detective Sloan (JAMES BROLIN) arrests her and Hayden finds herself in the fight of her life as she tries to uncover the truth.

Set against the backdrop of a wealthy Midwestern city, LAST WILL tells a story of deception, corruption and misguided family loyalties. * * *

Last Will is in the "shooting" stage, on location, according to that article:

Shooting began in Kansas City, Missouri on October 27 [2008] under the direction of Brent Huff (CAT CITY, WELCOME TO PARADISE), the actor/writer/director who's bringing his latest project to his native Missouri.

Huff directs from a screenplay by Alan Moscowitz. The film is produced by Irmgard Pagan and executive produced by Miguel Pagan for Moviecid. * * *

The behind the scenes creative team includes cinematographer Andrew Huebscher (Sundance Festival entries IN THE MORNING, SWALLOW), production designer Lori Mazuer (CAT CITY), and costume designer Jayme Bohn (NIGHT TRAIN, WELCOME TO PARADISE).

LAST WILL shoots at over 20 locations in the Kansas City area before wrapping at the end of November [2008].

An exact release date for the movie is not specified.

Thus, if you want to watch a movie with "last will" in the title during the near future, you will be limited to existing movies, like:

• Last Will and Testament of Marboro Patch (movie released: 12/31/04; DVD released: 03/22/05)

• The Last Will (released 2005)

• The Last Will and Testament of Tom Smith (released 1943)

• Mr. Marfil's Last Will and Testament (Unknown release date)

Well, maybe you could skip the last one, if you anticipate a dull, but critical crowd for "movie night" at home.

Photo posted by The Hollywood Reporter of
Tatum O'Neal (left), Tom Berenger and James Brolin (Getty Images photos)

Elder Leaders Successful in Sports

On Wednesday, October 29, 2008, National Public Radio broadcast a segment entitled "NCAARP? Old Coaches Don't Quit" by quick-witted commentator Frank DeFord, who took note that "there are an awful lot of old folks in sports today."

I don't mean your decrepit 30-something-year-old players, who are invariably called "aging veterans," but the actual AARP geezers who are still breathing and pulling the strings.

Senior citizens, oldsters, who are — ugh — "many years young," graybeards who are — ugh — "up in years." * * *

Here in Pennsylvania, we are proud of our elder sportsmen, like Joe Paterno, head coach of Penn State's football team. Wikipedia describes his accomplishments:

Joseph Vincent Paterno (born December 21, 1926, in Brooklyn, New York), nicknamed JoePa, is the head coach of Pennsylvania State University's college football team, a position he has held since 1966.

Paterno, along with Chris Ault, Bobby Bowden and John Gagliardi, is one of four active coaches who have also been inducted in to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Paterno holds the record for the most victories by a Division I FBS football coach. Paterno also has more bowl game wins and more FBS undefeated seasons than any other coach in college football history. * * *

He could have begun studying in 1950 to become a lawyer (see: "Courtroom's loss is college football's gain" by Beano Cook posted 08/14/01 on ESPN), but he loved coaching football too much. That desire still drives him today, and his age does not limit his success.

DeFord noted JoPa's role as a poster-senior for the elder leaders who consistently guide some successful sports teams:

If Penn State keeps winning, Old Joe Paterno — in the vernacular, JoePa, with the emphasis on the latter — will be coach of the national champions at the age of 82.

But then, Pa can't stop coaching. Or Old Bobby Bowden, who is merely 78 and has his Florida State team ranked No. 15, could pass him for most career wins. * * *

DeFord named three old-style play patrons, whom he contrasted with today's new-age sports seniors:

• Glenn Scobey "Pop" Warner (retired at 67) -- 44-year career as a head coach (1895–1938), who coached at (among others) the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh, Stanford University, and Temple University
  

• Bear Bryant (retired & died at 69) -- 37-year career as a head coach (1945 - 1982), with 25 years at the University of Alabama

• Woody Hayes (retired at 65) year career as a head coach (1947-1978), with 28 years at Ohio State University

DeFord also mentioned another recently successful Pennsylvania sports franchise -- the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team and its "senior" leadership:

Look who's managed the Phillies to the World Series — Old Charley Manuel, a war baby of 64. The general manager, Old Pat Gillick, is a Depression Baby of 71.

And the Phillies had to beat Old Joe Torre's Dodgers to get to the Series.

The commissioner of baseball is Old Buddy Selig, who is 74. * * *

"Talk about reinventing yourself at twilight time" -- that is the point of DeFord's commentary, which you can hear, in replay online, here.

DeFord concluded his comments with an observation: "Sometimes these days, sports looks like an assisted living facility — or the United States Senate."

That is an interesting observation -- one that was noted, and then presented by a reporter to JoPa, in "Desire to coach still drives 81-year-old Paterno" by Ivan Maisel posted 04/15/08 on ESPN:

Washington is one of the few cities outside of University Park, Pa., where an 80-year-old man yearns to work long hours in the public eye.

Six members of the U. S. Senate are over the age of 80. Two of them, Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), both 84, are running for re-election this year.

"I'm told that 90 is the new 80," Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., who turns 91 in November, told The New York Times last week.

If that is true, maybe 80 is the new 65. According to U.S. government data, a man who turned 65 in 1991 had an average life expectancy of a shade under 15 years.

When Paterno hit that demographic wall in 2006 [the year that the photo (above) was taken], his last complete season had come a last-play loss to Michigan away from an undefeated regular season and a berth in the BCS Championship Game.

Maybe old doesn't have the same meaning that it did a generation ago, a decade ago, or even last week. * * *

Read that article for JoPa's characteristic, somewhat gruff, response to the injection of age into a substantive conversation.

Go Lions! Go Phillies!! and Go seniors!!!

"Believe deep down in your heart that you're destined to do great things."

-- Joe Paterno