Boomers Rule in Beaufort
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Latest retirement statistics from Kiplinger
Topic: Beaufort, SC
RETIREMENT 12 Great Places to Retire by Pat Mertz Esswein & Mary Beth Franklin For most of our lives, where we live is firmly tied to where we work. But once there's no job to commute to, we have the liberating -- and exhilarating -- opportunity to pull up stakes. Your options are limited only by your imagination and your financial wherewithal.

Studies by the Del Webb Co., designer of the original Sun City retirement communities, suggest that baby boomers are more likely than their predecessors to move in retirement. Once boomers start to retire, they will do so at a rate of more than 10,000 a day for the better part of two decades, says E. Thomas Wetzel, president of Retirement Living Information Center, a Web site that helps consumers find their ideal retirement spot.

There is no one-size-fits-all plan for this 76-million-strong generation, however. Retirees who relocate generally prefer a safe, uncrowded destination with good medical facilities and a low cost of living. But there is also a nascent trend among retirees to flee the suburbs for downtown to take advantage of all the excitement and conveniences that revitalized cities have to offer.

So if you're thinking about relocating, we've scouted the U.S. for great places to retire. Even if you're years from packing it in, this guided tour of 12 terrific destinations will give you a taste of the wide range of choices for your next phase of life. You'll find some surprises here, including a few places with wintry weather that usually (and unfairly) knocks them off most retirement lists. (Your faithful editor has eliminated 11 duds from the list.)

Beaufort, S.C. About 35 miles north of Hilton Head Island, Beaufort is emerging as a new destination for retirees. Its palm-tree-lined historic downtown, filled with funky restaurants, upscale shops and turn-of-the-century houses, offers the charm of Savannah but on a smaller scale. Overlooking Beaufort Bay, this town is a paradise for boaters, kayakers and fishermen, and its mild climate is ideal for year-round golf. A typical three-bedroom, two-bath house sells for about $200,000. Entertainment is plentiful, and includes performances by the Lowcountry Shakespeare Co. and the Beaufort Orchestra.

Population: 13,000 Income tax: Top rate of 7%; no tax on social security benefits or on the first $3,000 of retirement income for those under age 65, or on the first $10,000 for those over 65. Property tax: $794 per $100,000 of assessed value ($50,000 is exempt for homeowners 65 and older) Sales tax: 5% (prescription drugs are exempt) www.beaufort.com

Hooray for Siberia!
Mood:  special
Topic: Movie choices
Some Dataws are worried that Beaufort may be a sort of cultural Siberia when it comes to movies.

Actually, it's more of a cultural Austria since H'wood is more interested in the type of films popularized by 'Ahnult' Schwarzenegger. They make tons of money, don't require actors and appeal to those who shell out for sex and violence.

If you prefer violins to violence, however, there is one venue that will please: The Beaufort Orchestra holds eight performances a year (soon to be nine). Your feet won't stick to the floor, you won't bump into any Terminator fans and if good writing is your pleasure, just slip across the border to Salzburg and try Johannes Crisostomos Wolfgang Amadeus (Gotlieb) Mozart on for size. (Good 'ol Mo.)

Hasta la Vista, Baby

Baseball in Washington DZ
Mood:  energetic
Now Playing: New York Mets
Topic: Sports Page
The following is just 34 years of pent up frustration. I believe that this missive will easily capture the major league record for most baseball cliches per paragraph:

Somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout. But in Washington, D.C. they are going stone crazy. For the first time in 34 years, they have a good reason... the hometown baseball team is sporting a one-game win streak. While the National Hysteric and erstwhile baseball fan George Will was chuntering on about Public TV, the Nationals were in Florida, takin? care of business. Oh yes, you see, Jose Guillen and company dispatched the amazin? Mets, 5-3. You could almost hear Perfessor Stengel say, "can?t nobody here play this game?" (editor's note: when it really counted, the Mets came back on opening day to win 4-3.)

Oh, and you can forget the sobriquet ?Nationals?, they?re the ?Nats?. Period. Solved the problem of what to call the old time Senators and the old time Nationals, both of whom devolved Into the Nats. The first team is now trading as the Minnehaha Twins and the second as the Arlington Rangers. By the way, the trademark ?Senators? is owned by none other than George W. (Bush not Will). Welcome back, Nats.

Anyone old enough to remember the 1971 Senators is probably old enough to remember the July 23, 1969 All-star game played in D.C. Two Giant Willies (Mays and McCovey) teamed with the Alous and the Roses, et al, to beat the Americans 9-3. Of course, the Mets alone sent three unknown rookies, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman (unbelievable). Washington got the game because it was the 75th anniversary of baseball (with an asterisk, since baseball probably got official in 1890). The baseball Gods sent a major league rainstorm to clear out the celebrities at the night game scheduled for July 22. The following day the celebs were at the airport, and their tickets were available to mere mortals.

Yours truly was behind third base, as true celebs like Hank Greenburg and Mickey Vernon roamed the aisles. Mayo Smith wasn?t sure whether to place his outfielders in the upper or lower deck to defend against McCovey. It turns out he shoulda tried the parking lot as Willie became the only guy besides Arkie Vaughan to slam two round-trippers in the midsummer classic. If you remember Arkie, you are really up there.

Speaking of up there, hometown hero Frank ?Hondo? Howard sent one of his frozen ropes to the deepest part of the upper deck which atoned for a spectacular fielding lapse in the top half of the inning. He was followed by Tiger Bill Freehan who scored two with his own 4-bagger.

Ever notice AL pitchers are the only ones to throw meatballs in the all-star Game? Harmon Killebrew goes 0 for 3? Unfortunately, Washington?s favorite pitcher Darold Knowles, along with Detroit's Denny McLain (Cy Young), and the O's Dave McNally (Cy Old) got touched for 11 hits and 9 runs en route to an embarrassing 7th straight AL loss. American League fans just shrugged knowing full well that the O's would pound the stuffings out of the Mets in the World Series. When that didn't happen, they started to worry.

Oh yeah, while Ernie Banks and Roberto Clemente sat on the bench, some guy named Bench got a homer. Go figure.

Devil in the White City
Mood:  bright
Topic: Book Review
.Devil in the White City by Erik Larson is the non-fictional account of the building of the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Its subplot details the crimes of one of America's earlier serial killers with the unlikely name of Holmes. The novel is peopled with the likes of Frederick Law Olmsted, Little Egypt, George Ferris, Buffalo Bill Cody and a cast of thousands.

The Columbian Exposition (or World's Fair as it came to be known) introduced many new ideas and products to America as it entered the 20th century: urban electrification, Shredded Wheat, the Ferris wheel and others. This novel deals with the efforts of Frank Burnham as the project manager for the fair. Interspersed are chapters concerning Holmes (real name Herman Mudgett) and his plots to isolate and kill men, women and children who wandered into his Midway lair. Recommended. Barnes and Noble has it.

Welcome!
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Datw Pride Blog Debuts
On March 25, 2005, Dataw Pride announced a new Web Log or "Blog". This is an open blog, since many heads make light work. It will tend to be restricted to Dataw Residents since that's the only place we will advertise. If we attract any crazies, we can remove them, tout de suite. It will be loosely moderated to check for the usual web etiquette such as profanity, inappropriate content, wasted bandwidth, etc.

A blog is like a journalized chat room, allowing you to add a topic, comment on existing topics, rant, vent, discuss a book you just read, etc.

So sit back, limber up those flying fingers, and have at it...

Best,

Chuck