Latest news with #CazenoviaCollege
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Barabak: It's not just Biden. There's a history of presidential health cover-ups
Suddenly, it's 2024 all over again. Once more we're litigating Joe Biden's catatonic debate performance, his lumbering gait, his moth-eaten memory and his selfish delusion he deserved a second term in the White House while shuffling through his ninth decade on earth. Biden's abrupt announcement he faces an advanced form of prostate cancer has only served to increase speculation over what the president's inner circle knew, and when they knew it. "Original Sin," a book by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, published this week, is chock-full of anecdotes illustrating the lengths to which Biden's family and palace guard worked to shield his mental and physical lapses from voters. John Robert Greene is not at all surprised. 'It's old news, hiding presidential illness,' said Greene, who's written a shelf full of books on presidents and the presidency. 'I can't think of too many … who've been the picture of health.' Before we go further, let's state for the record this in no way condones the actions of Biden and his political enablers. To be clear, let's repeat it in capital letters: WHAT BIDEN AND HIS HANDLERS DID WAS WRONG. But, as Greene states, it was not unprecedented or terribly unusual. History abounds with examples of presidential maladies being minimized, or kept secret. Read more: Cancer diagnosis and a new book fuel questions about Biden's decision to run in 2024 Grover Cleveland underwent surgery for oral cancer on a yacht in New York Harbor to keep his condition from being widely known. Woodrow Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke, a fact covered up by his wife and confidants, who exercised extraordinary power in his stead. Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy both suffered serious, chronic ailments that were kept well away from the public eye. Those surrounding Ronald Reagan downplayed his injuries after a 1981 assassination attempt, and the Trump administration misled the public about the seriousness of the president's condition after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 a month before the 2020 election. The capacity to misdirect, in Biden's case, or mislead, as happened under Trump, illustrates one of the magical features of the White House: the ability of a president to conceal himself in plain sight. Read more: Biden is diagnosed with 'aggressive' form of prostate cancer "When you're in the presidency, there is nothing that you can't hide for awhile," Greene, an emeritus history professor at Cazenovia College, said from his home in upstate New York. "You've got everything at your disposal to live a completely hidden double life, if you want. Everything from the Secret Service to the bubble of the White House." Greene likened the Neoclassical mansion at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. to a giant fish bowl — one that is painted from the inside. It's highly visible, but you can't really see what's happening in the interior. That deflates the notion there was some grand media conspiracy to prop Biden up. (Sorry, haters.) Yes, detractors will say it was plain as the dawning day that Biden was demented, diminished and obviously not up to the job of the presidency. Today, Trump's critics say the same sort of thing about him; from their armchairs, they even deliver quite specific diagnoses: He suffers dementia, or Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. That doesn't make it so. "It's a very politicized process. People see what they want to see," said Jacob Appel, a professor of psychiatry and medical education at the Icahn School of Medicine in New York City, who's writing a book on presidential health. "You can watch videotapes of Ronald Reagan in 1987," Appel said, "and, depending on your view of him. you can see him as sharp and funny as ever, or being on the cusp of dementia." (Five years after leaving the White House, Reagan — then 83 — announced he was in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.) To an uncomfortable degree, those covering the White House — and, by extension, the public they serve — are forced to rely on whatever the White House chooses to reveal. "I don't have subpoena power,' Tapper told The Times' Stephen Battaglio, saying he would have eagerly published the details contained in his new book had sources been willing to come forth while Biden was still in power. 'We were just lied to over and over again." It hasn't always been that way. In September 1955, during his first term, President Dwight D. Eisenhower suffered a heart attack while on a golf vacation in Denver. ""It was sudden," said Jim Newton, an Eisenhower biographer. "One minute he's fine and the next minute he was flat on his back, quite literally." The details surrounding Eisenhower's immediate treatment remain a mystery, though Newton suggests that may have had more do with protecting his personal physician, who misdiagnosed the heart attack as a bout of indigestion, than a purposeful attempt to mislead the public. From then on, the White House was forthcoming — offering daily reports on what Eisenhower ate, his blood pressure, the results of various tests — to a point that it embarrassed the president. (Among the information released was an accounting of Ike's bowel movements.) Read more: 6 doctors on Biden's cancer diagnosis, how it may have arisen and his treatment options "They were self-consciously transparent," Newton said. "The White House looked to the Wilson example as something not to emulate." Less than 14 months later, Eisenhower had sufficiently recovered — and voters had enough faith in his well-being — that he won his second term in a landslide. But that 70-year-old example is a notable exception. As long as there are White House staffers, campaign advisers, political strategists and family members, presidents will be surrounded by people with an incentive to downplay, minimize or obfuscate any physical or mental maladies they face while in office. All we can do is wait — years, decades — for the truth to come out. And, in the meantime, hope for the best. Get the latest from Mark Z. BarabakFocusing on politics out West, from the Golden Gate to the U.S. me up. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
21-05-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
It's not just Biden. There's a history of presidential health cover-ups
Suddenly, it's 2024 all over again. Once more we're litigating Joe Biden's catatonic debate performance, his lumbering gait, his moth-eaten memory and his selfish delusion he deserved a second term in the White House while shuffling through his ninth decade on earth. Biden's abrupt announcement he faces an advanced form of prostate cancer has only served to increase speculation over what the president's inner circle knew, and when they knew it. 'Original Sin,' a book by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, published this week, is chock-full of anecdotes illustrating the lengths to which Biden's family and palace guard worked to shield his mental and physical lapses from voters. John Robert Greene is not at all surprised. 'It's old news, hiding presidential illness,' said Greene, who's written a shelf full of books on presidents and the presidency. 'I can't think of too many … who've been the picture of health.' Before we go further, let's state for the record this in no way condones the actions of Biden and his political enablers. To be clear, let's repeat it in capital letters: WHAT BIDEN AND HIS HANDLERS DID WAS WRONG. But, as Greene states, it was not unprecedented or terribly unusual. History abounds with examples of presidential maladies being minimized, or kept secret. Grover Cleveland underwent surgery for oral cancer on a yacht in New York Harbor to keep his condition from being widely known. Woodrow Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke, a fact covered up by his wife and confidants, who exercised extraordinary power in his stead. Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy both suffered serious, chronic ailments that were kept well away from the public eye. Those surrounding Ronald Reagan downplayed his injuries after a 1981 assassination attempt, and the Trump administration misled the public about the seriousness of the president's condition after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 a month before the 2020 election. The capacity to misdirect, in Biden's case, or mislead, as happened under Trump, illustrates one of the magical features of the White House: the ability of a president to conceal himself in plain sight. 'When you're in the presidency, there is nothing that you can't hide for awhile,' Greene, an emeritus history professor at Cazenovia College, said from his home in upstate New York. 'You've got everything at your disposal to live a completely hidden double life, if you want. Everything from the Secret Service to the bubble of the White House.' Greene likened the Neoclassical mansion at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. to a giant fish bowl — one that is painted from the inside. It's highly visible, but you can't really see what's happening in the interior. That deflates the notion there was some grand media conspiracy to prop Biden up. (Sorry, haters.) Yes, detractors will say it was plain as the dawning day that Biden was demented, diminished and obviously not up to the job of the presidency. Today, Trump's critics say the same sort of thing about him; from their armchairs, they even deliver quite specific diagnoses: He suffers dementia, or Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. That doesn't make it so. 'It's a very politicized process. People see what they want to see,' said Jacob Appel, a professor of psychiatry and medical education at the Icahn School of Medicine in New York City, who's writing a book on presidential health. 'You can watch videotapes of Ronald Reagan in 1987,' Appel said, 'and, depending on your view of him. you can see him as sharp and funny as ever, or being on the cusp of dementia.' (Five years after leaving the White House, Reagan — then 83 — announced he was in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.) To an uncomfortable degree, those covering the White House — and, by extension, the public they serve — are forced to rely on whatever the White House chooses to reveal. 'I don't have subpoena power,' Tapper told The Times' Stephen Battaglio, saying he would have eagerly published the details contained in his new book had sources been willing to come forth while Biden was still in power. 'We were just lied to over and over again.' It hasn't always been that way. In September 1955, during his first term, President Dwight D. Eisenhower suffered a heart attack while on a golf vacation in Denver. ''It was sudden,' said Jim Newton, an Eisenhower biographer. 'One minute he's fine and the next minute he was flat on his back, quite literally.' The details surrounding Eisenhower's immediate treatment remain a mystery, though Newton suggests that may have had more do with protecting his personal physician, who misdiagnosed the heart attack as a bout of indigestion, than a purposeful attempt to mislead the public. From then on, the White House was forthcoming — offering daily reports on what Eisenhower ate, his blood pressure, the results of various tests — to a point that it embarrassed the president. (Among the information released was an accounting of Ike's bowel movements.) 'They were self-consciously transparent,' Newton said. 'The White House looked to the Wilson example as something not to emulate.' Less than 14 months later, Eisenhower had sufficiently recovered — and voters had enough faith in his well-being — that he won his second term in a landslide. But that 70-year-old example is a notable exception. As long as there are White House staffers, campaign advisers, political strategists and family members, presidents will be surrounded by people with an incentive to downplay, minimize or obfuscate any physical or mental maladies they face while in office. All we can do is wait — years, decades — for the truth to come out. And, in the meantime, hope for the best.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Yahoo
World Atlas names the 10 best places to live in upstate NY. See the list
Vineyards in New York's Finger Lakes region are bustling, Adirondack communities are sprouting creative co-ops and college towns once defined by buzzing campuses now also boast vibrant, year-round economies. Folks are settling into homes in upstate New York rather than visiting for a weekend or seasonal getaway. A purposeful move is afoot, toward cleaner air, smaller communities and a far more affordable cost of living when considering a lifestyle in large metropolitan areas like New York City. Here's more about 10 exceptional communities that offer affordable cost-of-living and scenic landscapes with irreplaceable small-town charm, according to the World Atlas, a website that publishes content about resources surrounding travel and other topics. Located in Livingston County, Geneseo is a college town with diverse culture and unique character. Geneseo was designated a National Historic Landmark Village in 1991 and has a quaint character and a bustling campus of the State University College at Geneseo. The village's vintage theatre offers musical and cinematic performances and the National Warplane Museum is a family favorite. Nearby, Long Point Park on Conesus Lake is great for waterfront access, a stroll or a picnic. This Madison County town is located at the southern end of Cazenovia Lake and has a charming downtown district. It's also home to Cazenovia College and the town is known for its active engagement in historical preservation and the arts. Chittenango Falls State Park is nearby - and boasts a stunning 167-foot waterfall and winding trails and walking paths in the park. Boating and fishing art popular activities here as well. This Madison County town encompasses a village by the same name. Home to Colgate University, the community is steeped in history and boasts an array of academic and cultural events and is names after an American founding father Alexander Hamilton. The village center features its well-maintained 19th-century architecture filled with eateries, art galleries and vintage boutiques. The town, established in 1795, also has a weekly farmer's market and features the wares of area artists and local produce. The town isn't far from Cazenovia (also on the list) and Chittenango Falls State Park and nearby Eatonbrook Reservoir offers opportunities for hiking, fishing and boating. The village of Saranac Lake spans three towns in two counties - Franklin and Essex counties - and is the largest community within the Adirondack park in northern New York. This quaint town is often overshadowed by its more frequented neighbor, Lake Placid, yet it offers an equally captivating charm with far fewer crowds. Winter transforms Saranac Lake into a snowy wonderland, ideal for outdoor enthusiasts who can go snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and mountain biking on nearby Dewey Mountain. Warmer weather brings on activities such as hiking and kayaking. Local cafes, galleries and shops are aplenty here as well. Potsdam is a town celebrated for its educational and cultural contributions, with both Clarkson University and SUNY Potsdam. The town's rich history is closely tied to the Gilded Age, and its architecture reflects this period's grandeur. This St Lawrence County town is located at the foothills of the Adirondacks and is home to some lovely parks, including Postwood Park on the waterfront, which has a beach and swimming area. Then town is also a great spot for hiking, biking and cross-country skiing, The village, on the banks of the Raquette River, is home to dozens of eateries and specialty shops, galleries and museums. This village in the Adirondacks twice hosted the winter Olympics and serves as an all-around sports mecca from skiing to triathlons, and from skating to hiking. Lake Placid sits on the southern shores of a lake by the same name and surrounds the much smaller Mirror Lake. Numerous wooded hikes start from trails in the village, which is also known for a wide array of quaint shops and restaurants. Fall foliage is simply spectacular here. Ithaca is located at the southern end of Cayuga Lake. This unique spot, a progressive city with a small-town feel, is home to two top-level colleges - Cornell University and Ithaca College. Cornell - with its sprawling and hilly campus - houses landmarks such as the 1875 Sage Hall and 1887 Barnes Hall. Central within the city is the Ithaca Commons, a pedestrian mall that spans several blocks in Tompkins County's county seat. The area features many shops and eateries and is also a gathering spot for many, as well as an location where activists gather. The weekly farmer's market - on thre waterfront - is also a must-see. There are also several spectacular state parks nearby - Buttermilk Falls, Robert H. Treman and Taughannock Falls. Gorgeous gorges and waterfalls also cut through parts of the city - including the famed Ithaca Falls and the multiple cascades known as Cascadilla Falls along the Cascadilla Gorge Trail. Skaneateles, with its unique shops and restaurants, sits astride the northern tip of Skaneateles Lake in Onondaga County. Home to Carpenter Falls and Bahar Nature Preserve and of course Skaneateles Lake, the town is an outdoor enthusiast's dream. Skaneateles Lake is considered to be one of the highest Finger Lakes, at almost nine hundred feet above sea level, and there are also several parks in Skaneateles, including Clift Park, Thayer Park and Shotwell Memorial Park. The town also boasts a quaint historic district, which hosts a Charles Dickens-themed festival each December. The historic district boasts a wealth of well-preserved 19th century buildings and has been a part of the National Register of Historic Places since 1984. Known primarily due to extensive interest in horse racing, namely the Saratoga Racing Hall of Fame, the town of Saratoga Springs also boasts cultural depth, including the popular Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Broadway Street, which forms the town's core, is bustling and lined with unique boutiques, cozy cafes and art galleries. Saratoga Springs also has natural mineral springs, which have attracted visitors seeking wellness for centuries. The Saratoga Spa State Park also offers a tranquil retreat. Often described as "America's hometown," this Otsego County town is known for its small-town charm, lakeside draw and baseball. Cooperstown is home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and is somewhat of a pilgrimage for sports fans. The town sits at the foothills of the Catskill Mountains and rests on the shores of Otsego Lake - known as "Glimmerglass." The popular annual Glimmerglass Festival celebrates opera and music in a stunning lakeside venue - and will mark its 50th anniversary in 2025. Cooperstown's historic district has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980 and includes more than 200 properties and buildings, including Doubleday Field, several inns and a still-operating post office. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: World Atlas names the 10 best places to live in upstate NY. See list
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Yahoo
World Atlas names Bath one of the safest towns for senior living in New York. Here's why.
Bath was recently named one of New York state's 11 safest towns for senior living, according to the World Atlas. Crime rates are low and life operates at a slower pace in Bath and other charming towns located across the state, according to the World Atlas, a website that publishes content about resources surrounding travel and other topics. Bath, the Steuben County seat, and other communities named in the study have dedicated senior housing options and nearby medical centers or hospitals that helped them rank high in the list. Bath Village Mayor Mike Sweet called Bath a 'very safe' place. 'The biggest issue we have are small nuisances from people that are transient coming into the village for one reason or another,' Sweet said. 'We don't have a huge crime rate at all.' Located in New York state's Southern Tier, Bath sits just south of Keuka Lake, surrounded by rich agriculture and family-owned farms. Bath is known to have the longest continuously running county fair in the nation, according to World Atlas. Founded in 1793, the town is also home to First Presbyterian Church, one of eight Tiffany glass sanctuaries in the entire country. According to World Atlas the median house price in Bath is around $230,000, making the town an attractive option for retirees seeking a tranquil yet engaging environment. Here's more on which other towns in the Empire State are safest for senior living - where living "transcends mere tranquility, offering a rejuvenating mix of safety, culture, and community," according to the website. More: Village of Bath hires new police chief. What to know about Donald Lewis. Founded in 1793, this Madison County town is located at the southern end of Cazenovia Lake and has a charming downtown district. It's also home to Cazenovia College and the town is known for its active engagement in historical preservation and the arts. Chittenango Falls State Park is nearby - and boasts a stunning 167-foot waterfall and winding trails and walking paths in the park. The median house price in Cazenovia is approximately $330,000. Often described as "America's hometown," this Otsego County town is known for its small-town charm, lakeside draw and baseball. Cooperstown is home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and is somewhat of a pilgrimage for sports fans. The town sits at the foothills of the Catskill Mountains and rests on the shores of Otsego Lake - known as "Glimmerglass." The popular annual Glimmerglass Festival celebrates opera and music in a stunning lakeside venue - and will mark its 50th anniversary in 2025. Cooperstown's historic district has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980 and includes more than 200 properties and buildings, including Doubleday Field, several inns and a still-operating post office. The median house price in Cooperstown hovers around $350,000, according to World Atlas. This Madison County town encompasses a village by the same name. Home to Colgate University, the community is steeped in history and boasts an array of academic and cultural events and is names after an American founding father Alexander Hamilton. The village center features its well-maintained 19th-century architecture filled with eateries, art galleries and vintage boutiques. The town, established in 1795, also has a weekly farmer's market and features the wares of area artists and local produce. The town isn't far from Cazenovia (also on the list) and Chittenango Falls State Park. Hamilton's median house price is approximately $350,000, according to World Atlas. This Lewis County town is in the heart of the Black River Valley - which is between the snowy Tug Hill region and the foothills of the western Adirondacks. Lowville is the county seat and boasts a rich agricultural history - particularly dairy which is celebrated during the town's annual Cream Cheese Festival. Nearby Whetstone Gulf State Park features challenging trails and a scenic 3-mile-long gorge, which is ideal for hiking. The median house price in Lowville is approximately $230,000, according to the World Atlas. This Tioga County town in New York's Southern Tier s known for its historic architecture and vibrant community life, featuring a beautifully preserved (and walkable)19th-century village center that in 2009 was named the "Coolest Small Towns in America" by Budget Travel. Owego has both a town and a village by the same name. Hickories Park, located on the Susquehanna River, features riverside trails, playgrounds, picnic areas, a dog park, camping sites and fishing spots. Each June the village holds its annual Strawberry Festival with live music local artisans and food, block parties and other events. The median house price in Owego is around $150,000, according to the World Atlas. Located in Yates County, at the north end of Keuka Lake, Penn Yan is filled with unique and historic spots, including Birkett Mills, which is Penn Yan's oldest industry, established in 1797. The village has shops and other businesses and some nearby wineries are top-notch. Hike the Keuka Outlet Trail to a waterfall, visit one of the nearby swimming beaches or stop by a sustainable farm in the area. Penn Yan's median house price is approximately $380,000, according to World Atlas. Potsdam is a town celebrated for its educational and cultural contributions, with both Clarkson University and SUNY Potsdam. Founded in 1806, the town's rich history is closely tied to the Gilded Age, and its architecture reflects this period's grandeur. This St Lawrence County town is located at the foothills of the Adirondacks and is home to some lovely parks, including Postwood Park on the waterfront, which has a beach and swimming area. The village, on the banks of the Raquette River, is home to dozens of eateries and specialty shops, galleries and museums. Potsdam's median house price is approximately $160,000. The village of Saranac Lake spans three towns in two counties - Franklin and Essex counties - and is the largest community within the Adirondack park in northern New York. This quaint town is often overshadowed by its more frequented neighbor, Lake Placid, yet it offers an equally captivating charm with far fewer crowds. Winter transforms Saranac Lake into a snowy wonderland, ideal for outdoor enthusiasts who can go snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and mountain biking on nearby Dewey Mountain. Local cafes, galleries and shops are aplenty here as well. The median house price in Saranac Lake stands at about $540,000. History is aplenty in this Seneca County town located between the northern end of Seneca and Cayuga lakes. Known as the birthplace of the American women's rights movement, Seneca Falls fully embraces its unique history. Must see stops include the Women's Rights National Historical Park and the Wesleyan Chapel, which held the first women's rights convention in 1848. The town is also home to the Seneca Meadows Wetlands Preserve for nature lovers and charming shops and cafes within its downtown district. Each December, the towns transforms into the fictional Bedford Falls for a weekend festival, as its said that the town inspired the setting featured in the movie "Its a Wonderful Life." The median house price in Seneca Falls is around $210,000. History is aplenty in this Essex County town, located within the Adirondack Park, at the confluence of Lake George and Lake Champlain. Fort Ticonderoga, a key military site of the 18th century, stands as a testament to the town's historical importance. The Hancock House - a replica of founding father John Hancock's mansion - is a museum and headquarters for the Ticonderoga Historical Society. There's also a Star Trek-themed "museum," where fans and past cast members visit recreated sets of the original television show. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy the LaChute River Walk, a three mile loop on a public path. The median house price in Ticonderoga is about $260,000. This article originally appeared on The Leader: World Atlas names Bath among 11 safest towns for senior living in NY
