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October 2021
MY SURREAL EXPERIENCE AT THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY Walk a Mile in a WW2 Soldier’s Shoes
My wife, Bev, and I made it back from France. Our trip was less eventful than the one I took 30 years ago, which I shared in the last issue. Our trip was a Viking River Cruise on the Seine and Rhone Rivers through the heart of France. We cruised from Paris to Normandy and back, hopped a train down to Lyon, and sailed the Rhone from there to Marseille on the French Riviera. The trip to Normandy included a visit to the famous Omaha Beach of D-Day fame and the hallowed cemetery of America’s war dead. The cemetery is on the top of a hill, looking down on the beach that the young men crossed. Thousands pounded through the surf when the gates fell open on their landing craft that fateful day. Loaded down with 50-pound packs and rifles in hand, they ran, crawled, and fought up a beach (crossed with barbed wire, obstacles, and mines) to hills loaded with German pillboxes and bunkers. Thousands died that day — June 6, 1944. The Atlantic Ocean will never wash away the stain of so much blood from those sacred sands. I stood at the top of the hill those young men stormed. Most would not see the old age that I now enjoy. Many did not even see the top of the hill. I imagined the fear and courage, the hesitation and determination, the selfishness and sacrifice that propelled them up those hills to the top where I stood on the ground that would become their resting place for the ages. I walked at a good clip from the bottom of the hill on the beach to the water’s edge. I bent down to feel the water of the English Channel and the sand of the Normandy beach in my hand. The gruesome events of D-Day were almost impossible to imagine amidst the pristine beauty of that seashore. As I stood there, children were playing in the water. Girls were lying on beach towels in bikinis. Boys were kicking soccer balls through the surf. It seemed almost sacrilegious so many people were so happy, free, and alive when so many would never enjoy the same simple pleasures again.
My walk to the water’s edge took eight minutes. Eight minutes was the distance they traveled with loaded packs and bullets flying. Their June 6 must have been a terrifying day as they charged the German hills to free Europe and end the Nazi oppression. From my view, atop the cemetery, the Germans had a perfect killing zone. They must have thought, “This is too easy.” Yet somehow, the Americans fought and bled their way across the beach, up the hills, and through the hedgerows to Berlin. In that perfectly groomed cemetery where nothing was out of place, I touched the white stone crosses of Nebraskans, Iowans, and South Dakotans. All young men who would never see 20, or 22, or 24. Almost ten thousand were buried there in tribute to the heart of America and a reminder of who we were. The human spirit is amazing. The greatness of our country at one time was awe-inspiring. From my spot, I could look down Omaha Beach to the famous rock, Pointe du Hoc. There was the 100-foot cliff that gave the Germans a clear view of the whole beach. They positioned artillery there to blanket the beach with artillery and mortar fire as the American soldiers landed and came ashore. On D-Day, 225 Rangers were sent to take the point. The success of the invasion depended on them scaling the cliffs and eliminating the German artillery’s strong point.
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Medicare Insurance Made Easy
402-614-3389 • 1
SELF-HELP BOOKS CAN’T DO IT ALL
How Reading Fiction Can Benefit You
More Comfort With Uncertainty Even though many stories (particularly those portrayed in popular movies) have nice happy endings, most people would agree that life sometimes leaves things a little more open-ended. While this fact might stress out some people, researchers have discovered
the thoughts and feelings of others. That’s because when the characters in the book we’re reading are thinking or feeling a certain way, we tend to think or feel that way with them. Less Stress and Better Sleep When we read fiction specifically, we tend to
Many CEOs and other successful individuals continually espouse the benefits of regular reading. Many times, leaders read self-help books to improve their leadership skills and become more successful.
This is all well and good, but even the most successful
that fiction readers don’t need “cognitive closure” as much as nonfiction readers.
disengage from the world — and that’s a good thing! Our
people in the world could be missing out on the unique benefits that come specifically from reading fiction. But what are those benefits exactly?
brains can’t always be functioning at their peak capacity. We need breaks, or else we’ll stress ourselves out and negatively affect
Greater Happiness Even if none of the benefits of fiction interest you, everyone wants to find ways to make themselves happy — and for many, that is reading fiction. According to one survey, 76% of participants said that reading makes them feel good and improves their lives. So, what are you waiting for? Dust off that novel you’ve been meaning to read and crack it open!
Greater Empathy When a psychologist analyzed 86 functioning MRI
other areas of our lives. Stress tends to keep us from sound sleep, but reading fiction before bed engages the imagination, taking us away from the stresses of everyday life before we drift off.
(fMRI) studies, he found that the same parts of the brain that fire up when reading fictional stories also fire up when we’re seeking to understand
MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLANS ARE THEY ALL THE SAME?
supplement plans is different when the coverage is identical. They think supplements should be like other products, e.g., tires, jeans, cellphones, cars, and houses. There should be a measurable qualitative difference to correspond to the higher price. Medicare supplements, however, are intangibles. They are simply a promise to provide a service. Consequently, it is more difficult to detect a difference with a corresponding price point. So, why do some people pay more if the policies are all the same? They shouldn’t! But with the knowledge I just passed on to you now, hopefully you’ll know better than to trust all the big names — give me a call if you or a friend need a good recommendation.
plan and policy for their individual needs and budget. Congress eventually went through three different legislative processes to regulate Medicare, the supplements, and plans over the years. One of the purposes was to improve the consumer experience through simplification and consolidation. The result is that Medicare supplements are limited to a certain number: plans A through N. All of these plans are standardized. They are essentially the same in their structure and coverage. Plan G is simply Plan G. In short, it does not matter which insurance company offers Plan G. It will be the same Plan G, or Plan N, or Plan A, etc., with any company. The only difference is the price.
I want to talk about a common misunderstanding people have when choosing their Medicare plan. The line I hear repeatedly is, “I’m looking for the best coverage for the least amount of money.” The key to understanding the cost of Medicare supplement plans is knowing the law. Since Medicare’s creation in 1965, insurance companies have jumped in to fill the gap both figuratively and literally. They designed Medigap policies to help supplement Medicare coverage. The number and variety of Medigap policies grew exponentially, which is the blessing and curse of capitalism. The number and kind of policies were so many that it was a problem for consumers.
Prospective clients have a hard time believing that the cost of Medicare
Consumers were confused. They could not understand and discern the best
2 • OmahaInsuranceSolutions.com
A SENIOR’S PET FAQ GUIDE Should I Get a Pet?
Testimonial
needs your help! Whether it means going on walks with your dog or playing with toys to entertain your cat, pets are a great way to find companionship in the middle of your routine. I love walking Max, but I’m not thrilled about picking up poop. I wish I could train him to hold it until we get back to our yard. Pets are also a fantastic way to relieve stress and find new friends in your community as an icebreaker or shared activity. I used to borrow friends’ dogs when I was single.
You might be considering getting a pet, but you’re struggling with completely justified concerns: Will you be able to afford it? What will happen to your pet if you’re gone? What if you trip over your pet? Our team at Omaha Insurance Solutions has compiled a quick guide so you don’t have to keep wondering for long. Q: Can I afford a pet? The costs of a pet can vary on whether you’re adopting a young or adult pet. Very young pets may have higher rehoming costs and still require all their vet shots, which can cost extra. Adult pets that need new homes may not have initial rehoming costs and have all their shots, depending on whether they’d been adopted from a home, shelter, or the streets. Overall, it would help if you put aside up to $500 for the initial costs of adopting a pet, their supplies, and their first vet visit. After that, your pet will often only have the ongoing cost of $500 a year, assuming they’re healthy. (Mixed breeds, or mutts, tend to be the healthiest!) When I got my bulldog, Max, from the Omaha Humane Society, it was under $250 with shots included. Coco is a pure breed ragdoll cat, and I am embarrassed to admit what I paid for her! Considering her bad attitude, I overpaid.
“Very informed with answers to all insurance needs and my questions. Recommend you call him if you want straightforward correct answer to your insurance needs. Really knows his business.” –Michael V.
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When they arrived at the cliffs, the Rangers found that their specially designed 100-foot ladders fell far short of the top of the cliffs. Plan B was to fire grappling hooks through mortars to the top of the point. The grappling hooks held, and the rangers scaled the cliffs as the Germans fired down upon their heads. By the night of the first day of battle, the Ranger battalion had taken the cliff, and one-third of the 225 rangers were dead or wounded. More were lost in the repeated German counterattacks. By June 8, the second day of battle, only 75 Rangers of the original landing group were still alive and bearing arms. On our cruise, I met Marshall from Atlanta, Georgia. Marshall was 3 months old when his father hit Omaha Beach on D-Day. He was in the second wave. My great uncle, Clarence Gates, died in the second wave on the shore. Marshall’s dad survived, though he lost his right arm. Our day of visitation was an emotional one at the cemetery when Marshall laid a wreath at the main memorial honoring the 10,000 fallen men. Marshall’s father lived to 80, and Marshall proudly displayed his father’s military photo pinned to his chest as the bugler played taps. No matter the hardships I will endure in my life, nothing will be as hard as the eight minutes those young heroes endured running up a beach with bombs exploding, bullets flying, and comrades dying around them. I have a very good and easy life because someone else has done it for me.
They are chick magnets.
Q: What if I trip over my pet? Whether you have a cat or a dog, sometimes, pets dash right by your feet (or are lying down, not easily visible), and you can trip over them, causing you to slip and fall. Rambunctious pets are very dangerous later in life. However, the risk of accidents can be greatly reduced if you adopt an older pet who doesn’t have high-strung puppy or kitten energy anymore. I have tripped over Max a few times, but it is usually when we are roughhousing. Q: How do I protect my pet’s future? Often, you can leave behind protected funds in a will or trust that’s intended for your pet’s care, just in case, anything happens. That will ensure your pet is well taken care of or at least transitioned into a great home.
Q: What are the benefits to owning a pet as a senior?
There’s no better way to motivate yourself to exercise or
Thanks so much for reading, and we hope you’ll find the purr fect best friend!
I brought back a handful of Omaha Beach. It is a relic I keep on my bedstand to remember.
eliminate loneliness than having a pet that
Christopher J. Grimmond
402-614-3389 • 3
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
11414 W. Center Rd., Suite 250 Omaha, NE 68144 402-614-3389 OmahaInsuranceSolutions.com
INSIDE This Issue My Surreal Experience at the Beaches of Normandy
1
2
The Unique Benefits of Reading Fiction
2
Are Medicare Supplement Plans the Same?
3
Should I Get a Pet? A Senior’s Guide
3
Testimonial
3
Oktoberfest Soft Pretzels
4
How the MLB Helped Create Disney+
Thanks, Bud!
Baseball’s Former Commissioner and Streaming TV
leagues like World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and the National Hockey League (NHL). (It even assisted HBO!)
You don’t become America’s national pastime without learning how to adapt — and Major League Baseball (MLB) made the ultimate pivot. This October, MLB’s biggest stars and teams with the most wins all-time will take the field for the 2021 playoffs. The winners will be crowned champions of the world, but the league these champs call home already owns an equally prestigious title: the founders of streaming services. Their legendary reign started back in the early 2000s, when former MLB commissioner Bud Selig asked every team in the league to contribute $4 million for the creation of Baseball Advanced Media (BAM). At that time, the dot-com bubble had yet to burst, and Selig wanted America’s once favorite sport to “keep up with the times,” so to speak. BAM created a website for each team, but it soon took on other qualities that gave it an edge. The Hustle reports that BAM offered online video, multidevice watching services, and a large data and broadband structure before other major platforms even existed. BAM became such a smashing success that it soon became BAMTech and started creating platforms for other popular sports
In 2017, one of the biggest players in movies, Disney, invested in BAMTech, claiming a majority stake,
and began its transition into streaming services. Soon after, as The Hustle reported in July 2021, Disney announced Disney+, a streaming platform whose features were similar to that of Netflix and BAM. In March 2021, Disney+ hit more than 100 million users, making it a powerhouse in streaming — all created because of BAMTech. Today, BAM and BAMTech are credited with being on the forefront of streaming services and continue to hold a power position over streaming and within entertainment companies. “Media companies are not good at tech and really struggle with large scale,” says investment analyst Rich Greenfield in The Verge. “They don’t trust companies like Google or Amazon, who want to displace them. BAM is seen as friendly.”
4 • OmahaInsuranceSolutions.com
Open Enrollment Period is from Oct. 15–Dec. 7 each year. The official name is actually Annual Election Period (AEP). You may make changes to your Medicare program during that time. The changes will take effect Jan. 1. AEP is only once per year, so you don’t want to ignore it, especially if you are on expensive medications or dissatisfied with your current plan. WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Change from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan. • Change from a Medicare Advantage Plan back to Original Medicare.
• Switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another Medicare Advantage Plan. • Switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan that doesn’t offer drug coverage to a Medicare Advantage Plan that offers drug coverage. • Switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan that offers drug coverage to a Medicare Advantage Plan that doesn’t offer drug coverage. • Join a Medicare drug plan. • Switch from one Medicare drug plan to another Medicare drug plan. • Drop your Medicare drug coverage altogether. Continued on Back ...
11414 W. Center Rd., Suite 250 Omaha, NE 68144
402-614-3389 OmahaInsuranceSolutions.com
If you would like us to look at your medications, please get us a list of your medications with dosages. Email is the best way: Chris@OmahaInsuranceSolutions.com. We will run your medications through the calculators to determine the best Part D or Part C plan for you. We can then make the changes. Also, if you are dissatisfied with your plan or don’t like the 2022 changes, we can talk. Please, give us a call at 402-614-3389. You have been outstanding clients. We appreciate all the great feedback and five-star reviews on Google. Please, share our information with your family and friends who are on Medicare or going on Medicare. A few months ago, I helped a client’s mother save over $2,400 per year on her Medicare supplement. She was a very young 96!
11414 W. Center Rd., Suite 250 Omaha, NE 68144
402-614-3389 OmahaInsuranceSolutions.com
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