Music & Memory
Thank you for a wonderful article on music therapy [Five Spot, March 5, City Weekly]. My caregiver's support group recently watched the film Alive Inside about how music can help those suffering from memory loss—there was not a dry eye in the room.
My 96-year-old mother has macular degeneration and is legally blind. She also is diagnosed with Alzheimer's and has major memory problems, both short- and long-term. I would love for her to have her chosen music. I gave her activities director the article on Alle Salazar's program and suggested we work on getting my mother and other residents in her assisted-living facility all set up. I'd like to help collect the necessary equipment.
May I suggest an outreach to prospective Eagle Scouts for them to do a collecting project? Teens are probably the most plugged-in group in America, and they go through lots of electronics. A scout in my neighborhood collected blankets for a homeless shelter—I believe he wound up with more than 100 blankets and helped a great many people.
How about posters at electronic stores and the electronic departments of department stores for customers to bring in their old iPods, chargers and Skull Candy? I see optometrists collecting eyeglasses to send to Third World patients; these recipients are close to home. What do you think?
Thank you for your dedication and enthusiasm.
Vicki Martin
Clearfield
Editor's note: To participate, donate, volunteer or learn more about Jewish Family Services' Music & Memory Program, visit JFSUtah.org/our-programs/music-memory.
Protect Water From Homo-Horde
What makes Gov. Gary Herbert think state legislation will be any more effective in preserving freedom of religion than it was in banning same-sex marriage?
The governor of Kansas revoked anti-discrimination protection for the LGBT after my letter to the editor was printed in the Kansas City Star describing the hateful, hostile, harassing homo-horde that used to gather around Temple Square at conference time.
Gov. Herbert should not support anti-discriminationlaws if he wants to preserve our population from embracing homosexuality.
Michael W. Jarvis
Salt Lake City
Guinness Facts
There are in fact three different levels of alcohol in Guinness sold around the world.
The Guinness Ted Scheffler noted in his somewhat inaccurate piece ["Guinness for St. Paddy's," March 12, City Weekly], which falls in around 4.1-4.3 percent, is the Guinness that's sold all around the U.K., where the pub scene isn't necessarily about just getting drunk. This same alcohol level is also (conveniently) sold in Utah to comply with the state's archaic and morally misguided alcohol laws.
The second type is sold around the rest of the county, and can be found in Utah liquor stores—that's 5.5 percent alcohol.
The third, containing 7.5 percent alcohol, is exported to Third World countries where bang for the buck is what's sought. This type can be found at specialty beer stores as well as some Utah liquor stores, labeled "Guinness Special Export."
Dave Wagner
Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia
Editor's note: Ted Scheffler was referring to the alcohol content of Guinness draught in his article, not bottled beer.
