You may have heard that you can simplify your investment strategy just by owning index-based or passive investments. But is this a good idea?
You’ll want to consider the different aspects of this type of investment style. To begin with, an index-based investment is a vehicle such as a mutual fund or an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that mimics the performance of a market benchmark, or index — the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, and so on. (An ETF is similar to a mutual fund in that it holds a variety of investments but differs in that it is traded like a common stock.) You can also invest in index funds that track the bond market.
Index investing does offer some benefits. Most notably, it’s a buy-and-hold strategy, which is typically more effective than a market-timing approach, in which individuals try to buy investments when their prices are down and sell them when the prices rise. Attempts to time the market this way are usually futile because nobody can really predict when high and low points will be reached.
Plus, the very act of constantly buying and selling investments can generate commissions and fees, which can lower your overall rate of return. Thus, index investing generally involves lower fees and is considered more tax efficient than a more active investing style. Also, when the financial markets are soaring, which happened for several years until this year’s downturn, index-based investments can certainly look pretty good — after all, when the major indexes go up, index funds will do the same.
Conversely, during a correction, when the market drops at least 10% from recent highs, or during a bear market, when prices fall 20% or more, index-based investments will likely follow the same downward path.
And there are also other issues to consider with index-based investments. For one thing, if you’re investing with the objective of matching an index, you may be overlooking the key factors that should be driving your investment decisions — your goals and your risk tolerance. An index is a completely impersonal benchmark measuring the performance of a specific set of investments — but it can’t be a measuring stick of your own progress.
Furthermore, a single index, by definition, can’t be as diversified as the type of portfolio you might need to achieve your objectives. For example, the S&P 500 may track a lot of companies, but they’re predominantly large ones. And to achieve your objectives, you may need a portfolio consisting of large- and small-company stocks, bonds, government securities and other investments. (Keep in mind, though, that while diversification can give you more opportunities for success and can reduce the effects of volatility on your portfolio, it can’t guarantee profits or prevent all losses.)
Ultimately, diversifying across different types of investments that align with your risk tolerance and goals — regardless of whether they track an index — is the most important consideration for your investment portfolio. Use this idea as your guiding principle as you journey through the investment world.
Michael Christodoulou, ChFC®, AAMS®, CRPC®, CRPS® is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones in Stony Brook. Member SIPC.
Backstage School of Dance ribbon cutting. Photo from Councilmember Kornreich's office
The Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug. 12 to celebrate the grand opening of the new location of Backstage Studio of Dance.
Located at 200 Wilson Street in Port Jefferson Station, the studio is described on its website as “a place where kids of all ages, shapes and sizes learn to dance and perform and where creativity, individuality and self-expression is encouraged through a community of teachers, students and families who are passionate about the performing arts.” Serving the community for 35 years, the studio’s motto is “We don’t just teach you to dance, we teach you to love dancing.”
The event was attended by Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright, students and staff.
“Thank you to the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Chamber of Commerce, especially Jennifer Dzvonar, Joan Nickeson and Kristin Winter for their assistance in organizing the ribbon cutting and to Assemblyman Englebright and Councilmember Kornreich for their support,” said Gwenn Capodieci, the executive director of the studio. She also thanked her “incredible staff who make up the backbone of Backstage Studio of Dance and all the loyal families that support BSD and trust us with their children. It takes a village to run a dance studio and we are truly blessed with ours!”
“Backstage Studio of Dance in Port Jefferson Station is home to a passionate group of teachers and trainers who have made it their life mission to not just teach dance, but to teach students to love dancing. They have been committed to serving our community’s kids for over 35 years and are starting a new chapter in their new location,” said Councilmember Kornreich.
“Having a stage and her own location for the studio has been owner Gwenn Capodieci’s lifelong dream. I was so honored to be a part of their grand opening and can’t wait to see their next musical theater production performed at this new location. Congratulations to Gwenn and her amazing team,” he said.
Pictured in center from left, Gwenn Capodieci, partners Nicole Lattanza Terlizzo and Pamela Christopher Strain, Councilmember Kornreich and New York State Assemblyman Englebright.
For more information, call 631-331-5766 or visit www.backstagestudioofdance.com.
Gift from inaugural football team member to support comprehensive excellence within Department of Athletics
Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis and Director of Athletics Shawn Heilbron announced that the University has received a $3 million gift from the Kehoe Family Foundation to support comprehensive excellence within the Stony Brook Department of Athletics. The gift was made by the Kehoe Family Foundation which is comprised of Stony Brook football alumnus Kevin Kehoe ’77; his wife Lorraine; brothers Brian, Tim, Michael, and Jeremy; sister Deirdre Chanis; and daughter Julia. “I really enjoyed my years at Stony Brook and playing on the original club football team. I’ve been fortunate in my career to build a couple of businesses which has given me the opportunity to start the Kehoe Family Foundation. You can’t help but take enormous pride in seeing how far Stony Brook Athletics – and the football program specifically – have come. When I looked at where the program is now and where it can be in the future, I saw a great opportunity to make a difference. I’m happy to be even a small part of what will be an amazing journey,” said Kevin Kehoe as he reflected on what Stony Brook means to him and why he was compelled to have his foundation make this gift. The gift from the Kehoe Family Foundation is the third-largest in department history. The foundation’s donation will fund the replacement of both the north end zone video board and south end zone scoreboard in Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium, launch an Athletics facilities master planning project, support the renovation of the football locker room, and provide operational support to Athletics Career Development & Leadership programming. Through these priorities, the Kehoes’ gift will directly support the department’s vision to positively transform the life of each student-athlete and its mission to elevate the national profile of the University by winning championships; inspiring school pride; and fostering transformational experiences for student-athletes, alumni, and the Long Island community. “I have been inspired to learn about the Kehoe Family Foundation’s approach to generational giving, and Stony Brook University is incredibly grateful for their generosity,” said President McInnis. “The growth of Stony Brook Athletics over the past six decades has been breathtaking, and I’d like to thank Kevin and his family for this meaningful gift, for this wonderful demonstration of team spirit, and for proving, as we like to say at Stony Brook…once a Seawolf, always a Seawolf.” In recognition of the Kehoe family’s generosity, we are proud to submit to the Stony Brook Council and SUNY Board of Trustees the recommendation that the Kehoe name be displayed within Stony Brook Athletics’ facilities where we plan to name the entryway of Island Federal Arena as the “Kehoe Family Atrium” and the south end zone scoreboard in LaValle Stadium as the “Kehoe Family Scoreboard.” “This is a time of tremendous optimism and opportunity for Stony Brook Athletics, and I’m exceedingly grateful to the Kehoe family for their generous commitment at a time when investment is so critical. This gift addresses several vital needs for our department while providing significant momentum as we enter our first year as an all-sport member of the CAA. As a student-athlete when Stony Brook’s football program was in its infancy, Kevin is now graciously contributing to its continued elevation. I am indebted to him and his entire family for their trust and belief in what we are building,” said Director of Athletics Shawn Heilbron. “We are grateful for the vision and generosity of Kevin Kehoe and the Kehoe Family Foundation. Not only are they strengthening the foundation of Stony Brook Athletics, but as an alumnus and former student-athlete, Kevin’s leadership will go a long way toward inspiring the next generation of Stony Brook students and alumni,” said Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the Stony Brook Foundation Justin Fincher. “We look forward to the family’s continued partnership as our Athletics program begins this exciting new phase in its evolution.” Kehoe earned his bachelor’s degree at Stony Brook in 1977 and was a founding member of the university’s football team. As members of the inaugural football team at Stony Brook, Kevin and his teammates were pioneers who laid the foundation for what the program has become 45 years later. Kehoe was born in New York City but lived much of his life in Southern California, with stops in Florida and Texas. He began his business and consulting career with Coopers & Lybrand in 1984. Nearly a decade later in 1993, he launched his own consulting firm, Kehoe & Co., where he worked until he founded The Aspire Software Company in 2014. In 2021, he sold Aspire to Service Titan, where he retains a position as a consultant. In addition to his successful business career, Kevin is a published author of his memoir, One Hit Wonder: The Real-Life Adventures of an Average Guy and the Lessons He Learned Along the Way. Today, Kevin and his wife of 20 years, Lorraine, live in Arizona. About Stony Brook Athletics: Stony Brook University’s Athletics Department sponsors 18 varsity intercollegiate athletic programs that compete at the NCAA Division I level. Their world-class facilities include the 12,300-seat Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium, and a sports complex housing the 4,000-seat Island Federal Arena, which opened in the Fall of 2014. All of Stony Brook’s men’s and women’s programs offer athletic scholarships. For more information about the Stony Brook Seawolves, visit stonybrookathletics.com.
What is portability? The word is defined as the ability to be easily moved, but in the context of trusts and estates, it means so much more. In this regard, portability is one of the strongest tools in the planner’s toolbox to reduce or eliminate federal estate taxes after the deaths of a married couple.
According to federal law, each person has a lifetime estate and gift tax exemption ($12.06 million per person in 2022). As long as the taxable gifts they have paid out during life and at death is under this exemption, no taxes will be owed on the estate at the time of death. While the current exemption is over $24 million, this will sunset for deaths after Dec. 31, 2025.For any individual death after that date, the exemption will be $5 million, indexed for inflation. Unfortunately, New York State does not allow for portability so other estate tax planning remains necessary.
As an example, take a couple with $14 million total in assets, all held jointly or with the spouse named as beneficiary. The first spouse dies in 2022, the assets all pass over to the survivor and when the survivor dies, all assets will be taxable in that person’s estate. Estate taxes would be owed because the estate is larger than the survivor’s exemption, and if the second spouse dies after Jan. 1, 2026, the tax will be largely based on the reduced exemption amount.
Enter portability to save the day! The IRS allows the surviving spouse to have their own exemption plus any leftover amount of the first to die spouse’s exemption. The first to die spouse’s exemption is portable.However, this is only available if an estate tax return was filed at the time of the first death and election was made for portability. In our example, since the first spouse passed all assets to the survivor, none of the exemption was utilized.
If a tax return was filed for the estate and portability was elected, the estate of the survivor will have the applicable exemption amount from the year of death and the $12.06 million exemption from the first death in 2022. That will amount to over $17 million in exemption, thus eliminating all federal estate taxes.
The election to transfer the first deceased spouse’s unused applicable credit amount must be made on a timely filed estate tax return, usually within 9 months of the date of death or the last day of the period covered by an extension. If the tax return is not filed timely, the estate could utilize a simple procedure to obtain an extension to file a late tax return solely for the purpose of electing portability. The caveat is that the estate was not otherwise required to file an estate tax return. If more than 2 years had expired, the estate could ask the IRS for a Private Letter Ruling to obtain permission to file a late estate tax return.
The good news is that, in July 2022, the IRS amended its regulations to elect “portability” of a deceased spousal unused exclusion amount up to five years after the decedent’s date of death. This is especially relevant with the prospect of the federal applicable credit amount being reduced to $5.0 million (indexed for inflation) after Dec. 31, 2025.
As an example, the first spouse dies in 2018 and leaves everything to the surviving spouse — which would be tax free and no part of the deceased spouse’s credit was used. Now the surviving spouse has assets of $8.0 million. Since the federal credit is $12.06 million, no tax would be due if the surviving spouse died before December 31, 2025. However, if the surviving spouse dies after that date, there would be a federal tax for any estate assets in excess of $5.0 million (indexed for inflation).
Under this new amendment, the estate of the first deceased spouse could file for an extension to file a late estate tax return to capture the unused exemption of the first spouse to die. The survivor would have his or her own exemption plus the unused exemption, escaping all federal estate taxes.
Executors, trustees, or surviving spouses of an individual that died within the past five years should seek advice from a trusts and estates attorney regarding this important change in the regulation. It may be prudent, even in a more modest estate, to file the return and preserve the unused exemption amount as a planning tool for the surviving spouse.
Nancy Burner, Esq. is the founder and managing partner at Burner Law Group, P.C with offices located in East Setauket, Westhampton Beach, New York City and East Hampton.
The entrance to Cedar hill Cemetery. Photo by Chris Ryon
By Tara Mae
From slightly spooky to sublimely serene, the Port Jefferson Village Center’s latest exhibit captures the majesty and tranquility of Port Jefferson’s historic Cedar Hill Cemetery.
Titled Cedar Hill Cemetery: Hidden Sanctuary of Our Past, the exhibit of approximately 60 photos offers insight into the still-operational, non-denominational cemetery as seen through the lens of Port Jefferson Historian Chris Ryon and historic photographs from the Library of Congress.
The Hulse family plot at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Photo by Chris Ryon
Located on the second floor mezzanine of the Center, the show, which opens Sept. 5, features black and white, color, and near-infrared photographs, evoking different emotions and transcending different periods of time.
The photos trace the seasons, years, and decades of the cemetery, which was established in the mid-19th century and houses the grave markers for some of the area’s most prominent and historic names, including members of the Woodhull, Roe, and Mather families.
Ryon, who began regularly photographing the cemetery about ten years ago, curated the exhibit and contributed most of the images, including all of the near-infrared pictures, which require a specially outfitted camera. He said he is fascinated by the distinctive, haunting images it can yield.
One striking example is the Mather family marker, a 41-ton obelisk that is the largest memorial in Cedar Hill. Standing high above its neighbors, a focal point in any photo, it features the names of John R., prominent shipbuilder, and his son, John Titus, founder of Mather Hospital.
With the near-infrared, details such as snow covered tombstones and skylines framed by trees and awash in clouds, the hint of the harbor in the background, take on a gothic luster. The cemetery’s gates appear stark and imposing. Names and details of the gravestones are frequently in sharp focus, names clearly visible.
“I just keep going back to infrared; it is just so ominous looking … green turns white, shadows become more pronounced, etc,” Ryon said, adding that he was drawn to the cemetery as a subject because of his dual appreciation of photography and history. However, he sees the exhibit and cemetery appealing to more than photography and history buffs.
The gates of cemetery came from the 71st regimental armory on Park Ave. in NYC. Photo from Library of Congress
“This cemetery has everything: photographic interest, history, insight into the lives of people in Port Jefferson … I return because it is a serene, moody place different from our everyday lives,” Ryon explained. “Through this exhibit, we are trying to encourage people to visit the cemetery; they will be rewarded for it.”
Situated on 23 acres of carefully tended rolling hills (the highest point is 271 feet above sea level), grass roads, and reimagined sheep pasture at the end of Liberty Avenue, Superintendent of the cemetery Ken Boehm described Cedar Hill as “an oasis in the middle of suburbia.”An additional few acres of untouched wooded property enhances the feeling that the cemetery complements and almost sprouts from the natural world.
Architectural details, such a somewhat squat, “brick house” that once housed the deceased awaiting burial and now holds landscaping equipment, are testaments to the cemetery’s evolution from privately owned land to publicly accessible final respite. And, of course, historic Cedar Hill Cemetery continues to function as originally intended.
“Not to sound corny or anything, but we are helping people at the worst time in their lives, so to be able to maintain this place, make it a sanctuary any way we can, is very rewarding,” Boehm said.
In April of 1859 Hubbard Gildersleeve sold 13 acres of his land to the Cedar Hill Cemetery Association, which had been established on March 30, 1859, with the express purpose of establishing a public cemetery. Prior to this, residents had largely continued the long held custom of burying loved ones in family plots on private property.
“These larger cemeteries were all established around the same time; there was a change in the way we thought about the dead, and how we wanted to respect them,” Ryon said.
The Association still exists today and oversees the cemetery’s operations.
Back row, from left, Nick Hartmann, Will Hatfield, Spencer Woolley, Tom Cove and Ken Boehm. Front row, from left, Nick Koban and Dennis Jourdain. Photo by Chris Ryon
Cedar Hill’s first official burial was of Mary B. Hulse, wife of Charles L. Hulse, who died March 27, 1859. Gravestones, belonging to people who predeceased her, soon joined Mrs. Hulse.
Since it was considered both disrespectful and unwise to disinter the actual bodies from their more informal resting places, bits of soil from those locations were moved with the markers to their new homes. Families who visited would often picnic and tend the gravesites; photographs from different eras may show them sitting among the graves or looking towards the water.
People still come to visit their loved ones, do some plantings at the family plots, and take in the views, though they rarely picnic, according to Boehm.
Other modifications, not just in behavior but appearance, have been made over the years. The tall gates, somehow both welcoming and austere, which greet or guard the entrance to the cemetery depending on the time of day, were purchased from a salvage yard in 1971. They once protected the 71st Regiment Armory on Park Avenue in New York City, and need some TLC after so much time on the job.
“The gates will be restored; people want to restore them. Fundraising and other efforts are in development,” Ryon said.
This ties into the larger goal of Hidden Sanctuary: to bring more public awareness to its existence and garner more support for its preservation and maintenance. The Cemetery Association and Village of Port Jefferson are discussing plans to create QR codes, implement cemetery tours, and generally invite people to take advantage of all the cemetery has to offer.
“The exhibit is important to make the public aware of this beautiful sanctuary right in our village. Many do not know it exists. We are hoping to share our cemetery with everyone and take some of the stigma out. We are non-denominational, all are welcome,” President of the Cemetery Association Gail Tilton said.
The Port Jefferson Gallery at the Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson presents Cedar Hill Cemetery: Hidden Sanctuary of Our Past from Sept. 5 to Oct. 31.Join them for an opening reception on Sunday, Sept. 11 from 1 to 3 p.m. Viewing hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. For more information about the exhibit, call 631-473-4778 or visit www.portjeff.com/gallery. To learn more about Cedar Hill Cemetery, call 631-371-6113 or visit www.cedarhillcemeterypj.com.
Park sitting at his favorite bench in Stony Brook Village.
Photo by Barbara Anne Kirshner
By Barbara Anne Kirshner
SWEET 16! A milestone in the life of a teenager-a threshold into exciting adventures on the horizon whether it be college, military service, work, Sweet 16 ushers in all of life’s expectations with parents right there to rejoice and take pride in accomplishments awaiting their child.
BUT what if the Sweet 16 is your precious dog? In that case, 16 becomes a dreaded number foreshadowing the impending end. You look at your little charge and instead of being filled with joys for the future, you are reduced to the dread of that haunting overriding question “WHEN?” When will your companion suffer the ravages of old age? When will our time together run out? When will you experience your last day together and be forced to whisper “goodbye”?
All these thoughts fill me with dread. Park has been the BEST boy, my special little man. I’ve written about how we met; how I was hesitant to take on another dog with two at home already; how he became Park The Christmas Puppy having joined our family on Christmas 2006; how he became my traveling buddy; how strangers marveled at how good he was in his stroller as we toured local stores; and how, on numerous occasions, cars stopped, and people called out, “That is the most beautiful dog I’ve ever seen!”
Park sitting at his favorite bench in Stony Brook Village. Photo by Barbara Anne Kirshner
Then the day came when my editor asked me to write an article on the 2014 motorcycle exhibit at the Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s Educational and Cultural Center in Stony Brook Village. The curator asked me to come down on July 3, Park’s birthday. I couldn’t bear to leave my boy on his special day, so I asked if he could join and thankfully, Park was welcomed. They were impressed with how good he was as we toured the exhibit and how he let me work just as long as I was in his eyesight.
The curator suggested that Park and I stop off at the Village Green, a lush park-like section fronting quaint shops at the Stony Brook Village Center. Park and I were delighted with this picturesque spot and we rested for the first time on what was to become “Park’s Bench.” That was the first of our annual visits to this special bench overlooking Stony Brook Harbor. Every year since then, no matter what we have planned for his birthday celebration, we pause at his bench — two friends sitting and enjoying a few quiet moments together before the rest of his birthday festivities begin.
Last year Park was paralyzed, having gone down May 15, 2021, through the summer including his birthday. Then miraculously, through constant visits to the vet for treatments, he regained the use of his hind legs in late September 2021.
Now, at 16, his face shows signs of age though amazingly, he hasn’t grayed, but his eyes now lack that playful sparkle once so prevalent and that constant energy is gone. He has a decided tremor that seems to be more apparent with each passing day and lately he’s faltering again when he walks.
Yet I am blessed to have my little man at Sweet 16, to still be able to pet him and look into those loving eyes. But TIME and the BIG question “WHEN” loom large.
When Park decides he has had enough of this world, it will be one of the greatest hits in my life as there is no consolation for the loss of a loved one. The only solace for me comes from an adage from Brandon McMillan of the original Lucky Dog series:
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
A resident of Miller Place, Barbara Anne Kirshner writes theater reviews for TBR News Media and is a freelance journalist, playwright and author of “Madison Weatherbee — The Different Dachshund.”
In John Hanc’s forward to John P. Cardone’s Chronicles of a Nature Photographer (Waterview Arts), he states the book “reminds us that, just on the other side of the highway, deep in the recesses of, say, one of our magnificent Long Island State Parks, are the streams and brooks, the marshlands and estuaries that still provide a home to birds, animals, plants, flowers.” This beautifully explains Cardone’s celebration of nature in a book that offers his passion in prose and imagery.
Author John P. Cardone
Cardone is a vibrant storyteller with a pastoral bent. He defines “chronicles” as “documenting personal experiences over time in a historical fashion.” But he offers more than just an account, infusing the fifteen chapters with wry observations, wit, and honesty. As a result, his revealing narrative is wholly personal. “Let me start by saying that everything you read here is true and with no exaggeration or embellishment.”
In the first chapter, Cardone begins with his fascination with the hummingbird. He juxtaposes his struggle with cancer and his journey with stem cell transplant with his desire to photograph these elusive birds. Eventually, with his wife’s help, Cardone builds a hummingbird garden during his recovery (which also coincided with the pandemic). He draws a subtle connection between the opportunity to capture images of these rare creatures and his eventual healing.
From the very start, Cardone offers a thorough background on his subjects. His knowledge is impressive and seems vast, but he articulates with an accessible and almost conversational tone. He gives enough explanation of his photographic process without overwhelming the reader with technical details. He has ventured out in all weather, in all conditions, capturing a host of animals and settings, fascinated by the range of species, markings, and habitats.
He makes a strong case for flowers as subjects. “… I can tell you that what photographers generally agree upon is what affects a photograph—and most will say light, color, and composition. With flowers as your subject, you have all of these and more.” Whether the focus or used as a framing border, this chapter contains incredible photographs — all vivid, rich, and colorful.
Of course, the greatest joys of the book are the color photographs, 175 in all, which are elegantly reproduced. A glorious study of an osprey landing on its nest, its wings slightly expanded, sits across from a regal American bald eagle, almost posing for its portrait.
From photographing insects with interesting angles and unusual compositions to vast landscapes and waterscapes, Cardone attains remarkable results. In Chapter 12, “A Bird in the Hand,” he shares personal pictures of his family on a visit to the Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge in Noyac. The final chapter has nearly two dozen glorious photos of wild horses.
‘Chronicles of a Nature Photographer’
The author’s sense of humor permeates the entire text. Whether introducing the white-tailed deer (“Love Them or Leave Them”) or expounding on his love of photographing turtles (an exchange with his four-year-old grandson, Noah, who references Raphael and Leonardo), Cardone finds whimsy and delight in his art and his life. The quests — such as his search for the snowy owl — present both small and big joys, along with surprises. (The day he photographed this particular owl as well as a harbor seal.)
While the book focuses predominantly on his Long Island experiences, Cardone ventures as far as the Rocky Mountains. He first visited the Rocky Mountain National Park during his military service (1969-70) when stationed at Fort Carson, eight miles from Colorado Springs. He then purchased his first camera and learned how to develop black-and-white film and print with an enlarger. Fifty years later, in April 2017, he returned to the Rocky Mountain National Park, photographing elk, moose, bighorn sheep, screech owls, and a range of scenic views.
There is a certain Zen to Cardone’s approach: “Sometimes, as a nature photographer, I will take a long pause and just soak up the beauty of what I’m seeing. Being in the moment is a mindfulness practice that can help calm you.” This crosses over into his pleasure in the planning of excursions. (Currently, he offers two kayaking tours of Carman’s River: one is a photography tour and the other a naturalist tour.)
Cardone is an artist, a fan, but above all, a teacher. The book reflects someone who stands in awe of nature but embraces its possibilities. He seeks deeper understanding and communicates both the encounters and the underlying zeal. His ultimate goal is to inspire the reader to “put [his] hiking boots on and get out in nature. It’s all there, just waiting for you to visit. And if you are a parent or grandparent, to nudge the children in your life toward loving nature as well.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A resident of Ronkonkoma, author John P. Cardone is the founder of the Long Island Authors Group, a nature photographer, a wildlife photography instructor, and a lecturer on nature topics. Chronicles of a Nature Photographer is his sixth book and is available online at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. To learn more about John, his books, and his nature work, visit his website at www.WaterviewsBook.com.
Tilda Swinton a scene from the film.
Photo courtesy of MGM
Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel
In description, the plot is simple. A woman finds a bottle and releases a djinn (i.e., genie). The Djinn grants her three wishes; this is a straightforward story told hundreds of times over thousands of years. But suppose the woman is a narratologist, a scholar studying the literary theories of narrative? Suppose she is an academic who understands the interconnective nature of stories? Althea Binnie understands that “wish stories” are cautionary morality tales and “wishing is a hazardous art.” Her knowledge makes her hesitant to ask for her heart’s desire. So, the Djinn shares the story of his incarcerations. The result is Three Thousand Years of Longing, a thoughtful rumination layered in concepts. While rich in emotional complexity, the depth might not be as profound as it hopes.
Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba in scenes from ‘Three Thousand Years of Longing.’ Photo courtesy of MGM
Director George Miller has smartly co-adapted (with Augusta Gore) A.S. Byatt’s novella The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye. Drawing on a wealth of sources, Miller weaves elements nodding to One Thousand and One Nights, Canterbury Tales, The Decameron, Gilgamesh, and others into a meditative film that somehow still manages to maintain a raw intensity. Miller’s eclectic directing career has included the Mad Max series, The Witches of Eastwick, Lorenzo’s Oil, and Happy Feet. With Gore, he has infused the mostly serious screenplay with flashes of dry wit and a unique gallows humor.
Alithea leaves her London home and travels to a conference in Istanbul. Plagued by bizarre demonic hallucinations, the slightly damaged Alithea is withdrawn and almost taciturn. She purchases an innocuous glass bottle from the backroom of a small shop and, from this container, releases the Djinn. Immediately, she suspects the Djinn to be a trickster, the most common and traditional belief about these spirits.
As the Djinn relates his history, the pair open up to each other. His three personal stories, presented as offerings, create a symmetry with the three tendered wishes. The flashbacks are vividly created with the magic more in the telling and humanity than in the effects.
He begins by relating his relationship with the Queen of Sheba and how Solomon incarcerated him for the first time. The next story jumps ahead to another court centuries later. The last encounter was in the 1800s when he found a love he desired more than his freedom.
The framing device occurs in the Istanbul hotel room, where Alithea and the Djinn wrangle over conflicts and needs. Miller beautifully stylizes the merging of the past with the present and the present with fantasy. CGI is not overused, and whenever it is employed is effectively presented.
Tilda Swinton delicately assays the hyper-aware but sensitive and withdrawn Alithea with pain and hope. She yearns for more but expects nothing. Idris Elba’s melancholy Djinn matches her yearning but provides a grounding. The Djinn’s ability to adapt and grow earns Alithea’s trust, allowing her to help him escape being caught between realms that would leave him in oblivion. She learns that “we exist only if we are real to others.” Perfectly matched, these two actors embody the dust of humanity and the fire of a djinn.
The featured cast populates the flashbacks with appropriately heightened, if slightly generic, performances — woodcuts and illustrations brought to life. The exception is Burcu Gölgedar, as Zefir, the object of the Djinn’s 19th-century passion, gives a ferocious portrait of a woman with an unquenchable passion for knowledge that nearly drives her mad. In addition, Melissa Jaffer and Anne Charleston share a hilarious cameo as Alithea’s bigoted London neighbors.
Much of the film focuses on the importance of stories and the art and act of storytelling. This roots in the idea that stories began as a way to explain existence and the unknown. Gradually, mythos gave way to science, the latter being “what we know … so far.” Gods outlived their purpose and were reduced to metaphor. These are heady topics, and occasionally Miller struggles to clarify so many ideas. However, his perfectly cast stars make these exchanges compelling, if not completely accessible. Wrapped in the mythology is the larger question: Can we escape fate?
Perhaps the movie poses too many questions and fails to answer many of them. Its epic nature often conflicts with its desire to be an intimate romantic fantasy. But with the underlying passion in its lead performances, Three Thousand Years of Longing makes a strangely haunting and ultimately uplifting experience.
Rated R, the film is now playing in local theaters.
One of the most famous adventures from the Star Trek universe, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Director’s Cut), celebrates 40 years with a return to select theaters nationwide on Sunday, Sept. 4, Monday, Sept. 5 and Wednesday, Sept. 8, courtesy of Paramount Pictures, Turner Classic Movies and Fathom Events.
On routine training maneuvers, Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) seems resigned that this may be the last space mission of his career. But an adversary from the past has returned with a vengeance. Aided by his exiled band of genetic supermen, Khan (Ricardo Montalbán) has raided Space Station Regula One, stolen the top-secret device called Project Genesis, wrested control of another Federation starship, and now schemes to set a most deadly trap for his old enemy Kirk.
The anniversary screening also celebrates the franchise’s beloved Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura), who passed away on July 30 at age 89 and includes exclusive insight from Turner Classic Movies.
Locally the film will be shown at Island Cinema De Lux, 185 Morris Ave., Holtsville on Sept. 4 at 4 p.m. and Sept. 5 and 8 at 7 p.m.; Regal Ronkonkoma Cinema 9, 565 Portion Road, Ronkonkoma on Sept. 4 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sept. 5 and Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.; AMC Stony Brook 17, 2196 Nesconset Highway, Stony Brook on Sept. 4, 5 and 8 at 7 p.m.; Farmingdale Multiplex Cinemas, 1001 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale on Sept. 4 at 4 p.m. and Sept. 5 and Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.; and Regal Farmingdale 10, 20 Michael Ave., Farmingdale on Sept. 4 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sept. 5 and Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.
To purchase tickets in advance, visit www.fathomevents.com.
As we are learning to live alongside COVID-19, we also have a heightened awareness of the importance of strong lung function. For those with chronic obstructive lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, as well as those who smoke and vape, the consequences of COVID-19 are especially severe.
The good news is that we can improve lung function with simple lifestyle modifications including exercising, eating a plant-based diet with a focus on fruits and vegetables, expanding lung capacity with an incentive spirometer, and quitting smoking and vaping, which damage the lungs (1). Not only people with compromised lungs will benefit from these techniques, studies suggest everyone will benefit.
Improving asthma
In a randomized controlled trial of asthma patients, results show that after 14 days those who ate a high-antioxidant diet had greater lung function than those who ate a low-antioxidant diet (2). Additionally, those who were in the low-antioxidant diet group also had higher inflammation at 14 weeks. Inflammation was measured using a c-reactive protein (CRP) biomarker. Those who were in the low-antioxidant group also were over two-times more likely to have an asthma exacerbation.
The good news is that the difference in behavior between the high- and low-antioxidant groups was small. The high-antioxidant group had a modest five servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit daily, while the low-antioxidant group ate no more than two servings of vegetables and one serving of fruit daily. Carotenoid supplementation, instead of antioxidant foods, made no difference in inflammation. The authors concluded that an increase in carotenoids from diet has a clinically significant impact on asthma and can be seen in a very short period.
Focusing on COPD
Several studies demonstrate that higher consumption of fiber from plants decreases the risk of COPD in smokers and ex-smokers. Bear with me, because the studies were done with men or women, not both at the same time.
In one study of men, for example, results showed that higher fiber intake was associated with significant 48 percent reductions in COPD incidence in smokers and 38 percent incidence reductions in ex-smokers (3). The high-fiber group ate at least 36.8 grams per day, compared to the low-fiber group, which ate less than 23.7 grams per day. Fiber sources were fruits, vegetables and whole grain, essentially a whole foods plant-based diet. The high-fiber group was still below the American Dietetic Association-recommended 38 grams per day. This is within our grasp.
In another study, women had a highly significant 37 percent decreased risk of COPD among those who consumed at least 2.5 serving of fruit per day compared to those who consumed less than 0.8 servings per day (4).
The highlighted fruits shown to reduce COPD in both men and women included apples, bananas, and pears.
Using incentive spirometry
An incentive spirometer is a device that helps expand the lungs by inhaling through a tube and causing a ball or multiple balls to rise in a tube. This action opens the alveoli and may help you breathe better.
Incentive spirometry has been used for patients with pneumonia, those who have chest or abdominal surgery and those with asthma or COPD, but it has also been useful for healthy participants (5). A small study showed that those who trained with an incentive spirometer for two weeks increased their vital capacity, right and left chest wall motion, and right diaphragm motion. This means it improved lung function and respiratory motion. Participants were 10 non-smoking healthy adults who were instructed to take five sets of five deep breaths twice a day, totaling 50 deep breaths per day. The brands used in the study are inexpensive and easily accessible, such as Teleflex’s Triflo II.
In another small, two-month study of 27 patients with COPD, the incentive spirometer improved blood gases, such as partial pressure carbon dioxide and oxygen, in COPD patients with exacerbation (6). The authors concluded that it may improve quality of life for COPD patients.
Increasing exercise
Exercise can have a direct impact on lung function. In a study involving healthy women ages 65 years and older, results showed that 20 minutes of high-intensity exercise three times a day improved FEV1 and FVC, both indicators of lung function, in as little as 12 weeks (7). Participants began with a 15-minute warm-up, then 20 minutes of high-intensity exercise on a treadmill, followed by 15 minutes of cool-down with stretching.
What is impressive is that it was done in older adults, not those in their twenties and not in elite athletes.
Note that you don’t need a treadmill to do aerobic exercise. You can walk up steps or steep hills in your neighborhood, do jumping jacks, or even dance in your living room. Whatever you choose, you want to increase your heart rate and expand your lungs. If this is new for you, consult a physician and start slowly. You’ll find that your stamina improves rather quickly with consistency.
We all should be working to strengthen our lungs. This three-pronged approach of lifestyle modifications – diet, exercise and incentive spirometer – can help without expending significant time or expense.
References:
(1) Public Health Rep. 2011 Mar-Apr; 126(2): 158-159. (2) Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 Sep;96(3):534-43. (3) Epidemiology Mar 2018;29(2):254-260. (4) Int J Epidemiol Dec 1 2018;47(6);1897-1909. (5) Ann Rehabil Med. Jun 2015;39(3):360-365. (6) Respirology. Jun 2005;10(3):349-53. (7) J Phys Ther Sci. Aug 2017;29(8):1454-1457.
Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com.
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