Sunday morning traffic jam, Crawford Colorado

I had just checked into the Crawford Country Store and Motel—a combination convenience store and motel in Crawford, Colorado.  I had chosen to live at this clean and basic lodging during a five-day horse training clinic on the western slope of the Rockies.  After I found and entered my room, I dropped my bags and headed for the bathroom.  I walked in, turned to my right, and flipped the light switch—nothing happened.  “The light bulb must be burned out,” I thought.  I tried again—and nothing.  Well, I hustled back downstairs to the country store area and told the folks behind the counter that my bathroom light did not work.  A young man looked at me, chuckled, and said, “You need to flip the switch behind the towel.”  My jaw dropped and I asked, “There’s a switch behind the towel?”  He assured me that there was, as he had just used it that morning when he cleaned the room.  Shaking my head and wondering about whomever had decided to install a towel rack over a light switch, I went back upstairs to see if this was really true.  I put my hand behind the towel and felt a switch.  Bingo, the light turned on!

I thought about this for a moment…  I had a low opinion of the decision to place a light switch “behind the towel”—but then it reminded me of how often in life the real answer to something is hidden from us.  The obvious answer is often not the right answer—this is why we need to find those professional counselors, health care providers, and lawyers who know where to find the light switch we need.

Imagine for a moment that you suddenly have a diagnosis of some grave physical ailment.  You would most likely consider immediately hustling off to see experts places such as the Mayo Clinic or the Cleveland Clinic.  Another example: even though we are lawyers ourselves, we often hire other lawyers to give us advice in specific legal problem areas.  When we need to hire a lawyer, we seek out an experienced practitioner with a proven record.  You see, when I need an attorney, I want the best!  We don’t just hire the first person who says, “I’m sure I can take care of you, but I’m going to have to do some research in the area first.”  We hire legal counselors and refer our clients only to attorneys who can readily say, “Oh yes, we handle situations like yours every day.”  Those legal advocates know where the hidden light switches have been placed.

When it comes to dealing with the issues of the frail, elderly, and disabled, Law ElderLaw knows where those hidden light switches are.  Our areas of concentration are elder law estate planning, disability, Medicaid, and V.A. long term care benefits.  Our outstanding Law ElderLaw team turns on the lights for our clients every day!

My Bucket List Adventure:  February 27, 2010

My traveling companion, Joaquin Tortos, and I had just ended our eight-day horse trek through the Andes Mountains, so we were sleeping soundly.

But the peaceful night ended at 3:34 a.m. (the middle of the night)…  Our world was violently shaking, and all over the city, car alarms screamed that they were being violated.  300 miles away, chaos, death, and destruction devastated central Chile—but where I slept that night, no one died and no buildings collapsed.  Joaquin awoke and exclaimed, “That was a BIG earthquake!”  Joaquin Tortos is a veteran survivor of disastrous earthquakes.  He lives within the shadow of the Turrialba Volcano which recently reignited after a 150-year siesta.  His home is Costa Rica, Central America, which, like Chile, is a land of violent earthquakes and active volcanoes.

We were safe, but many miles away in Costa Rica and the United States, our families were deeply concerned that we might have been injured or killed.  One of my daughters was worried that I had died, and her husband reassured her with this thought:  “Honey, your dad is not dead—but if he is dead… that is the way that he would like to go!”  When I heard about his comment, I heartily agreed.

One of my sons took a much more pragmatic approach and checked Google Maps to determine that I was about 300 miles from the epicenter and deduced that I was out of danger.  As it turned out, there was extensive destruction throughout a 250-mile radius of the earthquake’s origin.

Although we were uninjured, our travel plans were turned upside down.  Chile immediately declared a national emergency and began to ration gasoline and other fuels.  All airline flights were cancelled due to the extensive damage in Santiago, the capital city.  All domestic flights in Chile are routed through Santiago.  The airport was out of operation, and many highways, bridges, and other infrastructure were destroyed.  See photos here.

Suddenly, we had a BIG problem!  How do you get home when your airline has shut down indefinitely and has cancelled all flights?  All telephone lines are jammed with calls and you are a long, long way from  home…  At first I thought, “Well, if we can’t get home, then we will just make the best of it.”  But I was promptly told that since gas was being rationed, there would be no more tours.  Fortunately, our horse trek tour organizer, Catherine Berard, and her assistant Susana Uribe worked tirelessly to rescue us and “find us a way out of Dodge.”

Cathy apologized that the airline refused to refund any money due to the loss of our flights and that emergency travel was going to be… “a little expensive.”  We assured her that our wives would be oh-so happy to have us back home and that they would forgive this over-spending.  Unfortunately, I did not know that my wife had just sent an e-mail which stated, “If you cannot get back… I will just go on without you.”

Nonetheless, we hired a private driver to race through the twists and turns of the Andean passes to try to make the Chile/Argentina border crossing by the closing time of 9:00 p.m.  We held our breath while our driver used both lanes to make better time.  We reached the Argentinean border guards at exactly 8:53 p.m. and they closed the gates behind us!

Early the next morning we dragged into the offices of AeroLineas Argentina to see if we could get tickets to Buenos Aires, which we could.  From there we flew to Panama City, and then to be reunited with our Costa Rican family and my wife, Rose.  Whew!

Please help with Chilean disaster relief.  Here are two trusted organizations which can help us make people’s lives better:

Habitat for Humanity

American Red Cross

A gentleman whom I respect recently shared some advice about how to provide yourself with your own self-administered CPR.  The story he told happened when he was experiencing what he believed to be a heart attack. Instead of calling 911, he recruited a co-worker to drive him in rush-hour traffic to the hospital. He then started to give himself what he described as “self-help CPR”. He said, and I quote, “I had read about self-CPR and I started to use it to stay conscious.  This is important.  You cough hard every two seconds.  It massages the heart and keeps it beating while you get help.  People with heart attacks have been able to drive themselves to the hospital.  I started doing that even though it hurt my chest; at least pain told me I was still alive.”

It is important to note that when he finally did get to the hospital, it turned out that he was NOT suffering a heart-attack. But it made me wonder, can we really give ourselves “Cough-CPR” to save our lives during a heart attack?

One of the great things about modern technology is you can look up almost anything on the internet.  I went to http://urbanlegends.about.com, to check out this self-CPR idea.  They report that legend of self-help CPR began with a 1999 email that was circulated which stated that you can save your own life during a heart attack by coughing.  About.com experts checked it out with a number of sources and found out that it is NOT an advisable thing to do.  In fact, the American Heart Association specifically states that one should not attempt self-help CPR and that there is no validation of this particular method.  On the contrary, belief in self-help CPR is dangerous because it can lead you to think it is safe to drive yourself to the hospital.

Doctors say that the coughing procedure has only been used in very limited and experimental occasions with patients experiencing some sort of irregular heartbeats.  There are no known cases where a person who was alone survived a heart attack by using Cough-CPR.  In other words, if you experience intense chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attack, don’t cough!  Call 911 and allow the emergency medical system to get you the kind of help you need.

*For more information on heart attacks and how to recognize the symptoms please click on the following links:

• The American Heart Association
• Health Central
• WebMD
• The Mayo Clinic

**For more information about CPR and lifesaving techniques please visit The American Red Cross.

Rick Law and Granddaughter Lucy "ringing bells"

Recently,  I experienced that it is far more ‘profitable’ to ring bells for the Salvation Army when you partner up with an enthusiastic four-year-old granddaughter.  Let me tell you the story,  which illustrates some key principles on how to get people to say “yes.”

It was the Saturday before Thanksgiving.  My wife, Rose, my granddaughter Lucy, and I stood by the exit door of a major Chicagoland food store.  We were ringing bells for the Salvation Army, which does charitable work for the distressed and dispossessed.  To put it bluntly, we were like beggars on the street.  It was obvious to us that many people were choosing to treat us as “the invisible.”  They would intentionally avert their eyes from us!

Rose and I knew that if we could get young Lucy involved with the bell ringing, it would certainly help us to fill our bucket.  It did not take long for Lucy to become enthused about asking people for money—and the results were outstanding!

It was fascinating to watch as Lucy implemented her “give me money” strategies.  She whirled, twirled, and danced with enthusiasm while I hummed aloud a Christmas tune.  Every time the exit door opened, she would look people directly in the eye, extend an open hand, and cheerily say, “Happy Holidays!”

I had the pleasure of watching people who would have passed us by… stop.  With Lucy standing in their path and with outstretched hand and cheery greeting—they would pull out a dollar bill or their pocket change.  She would take the money and  put it in the bucket slot.  In fact, she quickly became “Queen of the Bucket.”  She would clearly express her displeasure when anyone tried to skip her hand to put the money directly in the slot.  That was her job!  The photo below shows Lucy with left hand outstretched and right hand and arm covering the top of the bucket and the money slot.  (This is a candid shot!)

Why was Lucy so successful in getting people to do what she wanted?  The answer to that question is  important to each one of us who need to get people to say “yes” to our “ask”:

1.    She was in alignment with one of the key marketing principles highlighted by Robert Cialdini, PhD in his landmark book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion—she got people to like her.  Cialdini refers to ‘liking’ as “the friendly thief.”  We will say yes to those we like.  Lucy is a cheery little girl who presents a familiar and friendly image.  That image triggers a positive association in the eye of the beholder.  Nearly everyone knows and loves, or has been loved by, a happy child.  When they looked at  Lucy, they did not want to disappoint someone that they liked; and

2.    She placed herself in their path while clearly and unmistakably confronting people with a straightforward “ask.”  Her body position and her outstretched hand were the request, and behind her stood a red bucket and her smiling grandparents; and

3.    She never gave up, even when she experienced rejection.  When people ignored her or refused to give her money, she simply pulled herself together and got ready for the door to open again.  Isn’t that just like a child?  They will just keep on asking until they get to ‘yes’ (or your discipline boundary).

What “yeses” do you need to get this week to be more successful in your law practice, your health care community, or your professional practice?  Think about Lucy’s lessons and how they can help you fill your bucket!  Work to make yourself more likeable and to trigger positive associations within your prospect.  Be more direct in asking for what you want and/or a referral.  Finally, don’t give up!  The first ”no” sets you up for the next opportunity.

By the way, this Christmas and holiday season, please give generously to the many charities like the Salvation Army who serve the under-resourced and those who are in great need.

Thanks,
Grandpa Rick

Rick Law and granddaughter Lucy with "Biker Chick" Kate

Do you enjoy a chance to act like a kid again?  I sure do!  Recently I received an invitation to a Halloween party at Heritage Woods in Yorkville, Illinois.  My friend, Jane Johnson, is the marketing maven there.  Heritage Woods of Yorkville is a supportive living facility (SLF), more commonly known as an assisted living facility.  Residents of SLFs need a little help from someone with their everyday activities of daily living.

I gathered up my costume and my four-year-old granddaughter Lucy and we headed off for the party.  Lucy was dressed up as Belle, who is better known as the “Beauty” in Walt Disney’s movie Beauty and the Beast.  Lucy was my date for the big party.

Lucy with "Three Grandmas"

When we arrived, we were greeted by the residents, the staff, and families, many of whom were dressed in holiday costumes.  As with most parties, it was lots of fun and there were way too many good things to eat!  Heritage Woods had a whole day of events.  The staff competed in a chili cook-off—the savory recipes were submitted by members of the local police and fire departments.  Not surprisingly, the dietary manager won first place.  (That seems to hint at the idea that the residents eat mighty fine!)  In second place was my friend Jane Johnson, the marketing director.  She had prepared her favorite “white chili with brown turkey” recipe.

First Place winner Joan with the Heritage director of nursing

More than 75 residents ate chili, listened to music, and enjoyed the ice cream sundae bar.  After lunch there was music and even dancing.  All the employees were dressed in costumes.  Norma, who was dressed as “the scarecrow”, was voted first place for staff costumes.  The best resident costume was won by Joan, who was dressed as a witch.  The pictures in this blog tell the story much better than words.

Norma the Heritage Woods Scarecrow

The only thing that surprised me was that many of the residents left the hubbub in mid-afternoon so they could catch a nap and refresh before dinner.  But a great time was had by all!  Thank you, Jane, for inviting me to a fun-filled afternoon at Heritage Woods of Yorkville.

We all like to save money—especially on legal matters.  Millions of people are now using do-it-yourself online legal form services like www.legalzoom.com.  To check it out, I went there, too. Their home page proudly raves, “Save time and money… created by top attorneys… helps you create reliable legal documents… we even review your answers and guarantee your satisfaction.”  There is even a testimonial from an attorney who says, “As an attorney, I have been pleasantly surprised with the ease and efficiency of legalzoom.”

What is not as obvious, at the very bottom of the home page, is their disclaimer of liability.  Go ahead and  scroll down to the bottom of the page—you’ll see the disclaimer in very light print. It states:

“The information provided in this site is not legal advice, but general information on legal issues commonly encountered.  Legalzoom’s legal document service is not a law firm and is not a substitute for an attorney or law firm.  Legalzoom cannot provide legal advice and can only provide self-help services at your specific direction.  Please note that your access to and use of legalzoom is subject to additional terms and conditions.”

The words “additional terms and conditions’ is a hot-link that if you click on it will take you to an even longer disclaimer! The disclaimer guts all of the assurances of reliability and suitability of use that you may have assumed were part of the “actual review of your answers and guarantee of satisfaction.”  YOU ARE THE “LAWYER” WHO CHOOSES THE LEGAL FORM!

If you decide to be your own lawyer, please understand that  legalzoom has the best of all worlds.  They advertise that they will provide you with the best form of your choosing and save you money—but if you ever have a problem because of that document, they’re not responsible.  You are the one who made the decision about which legal document was right for you and your circumstances.

Just yesterday in a meeting with a client, that client exclaimed, “Wow, I never knew that there were so many things to think about in our estate planning.”  I responded, “You know, that’s what most people say when it comes to estate planning, disability, Medicaid, or veteran’s benefits.  You don’t do this work every day, so you just can’t know all of the issues.”

The real value of what any professional counselor does is listen to your description of your circumstances and goals, and then choose the best course of action.

There is an old story about a factory which shut down due to an equipment failure.  The owner of the factory called a renowned expert to rush to the factory to get things moving. The owner told him, “This shutdown is costing us $100,000 per day!”  The expert arrived, walked around the faulty machine, then took out a screwdriver and adjusted a thing or two.  Within moments the machine came back to life and the factory began to hum with activity.  The owner was thrilled—until he was given a bill for $10,000.  He roared, “But it took you less than 10 minutes to fix the machine—it cannot possibly cost $10,000!”  The expert calmly responded, “No, it took me a lifetime to know exactly where and how to use that screwdriver.  The bill is $10,000—but the value to you is $100,000 per day.”

Moral of the story:  The right solution for the circumstances often requires a lifetime of preparation.

“How do you grow up to become Santa Claus?” I innocently asked the white-bearded man.  Laying a finger aside of his nose, he looked at me gently and told his story.

“My birth name is John Scheuch, and Christmas 2009 will be my 34th year as Santa Claus.  Being Santa is a multiple-generation calling—my father, grandfather, stepfather, and uncle have all donned the role.  In 1975, my mother (who knew that I yearned to be Santa) gave me my first custom-tailored suit.  But in those days I had a couple of challenges.  First, nobody recognizes a young Santa with dark hair and beard.  Second, I didn’t know where to go to learn all of Santa’s secrets!  Being Santa is not a “guy-group” activity; you can’t just go hang out with a bunch of Santas to learn—and at the time I couldn’t find a mentor.  Nonetheless, I had a calling to be Santa, so I decided to just start—after all, I had my suit…  So I began to quietly share with a few friends that I was Santa Claus.  One friend asked if I could come and visit his four-year-old son, Rex.  When I agreed, he added, “When you visit, could you please tell Rex to turn out the bathroom light at night?”  That was my first “ah-ha moment” as Santa, because a real Santa knows everything—but how can he, without a little help from the parents?

That was 34 years ago, and I am now visiting the children and grandchildren of those I first saw.  I keep a file on every child I have ever visited.  Now when I see a child whose parents I knew when they were children, I will often say, “You know, Mikey, when your daddy was your age he wanted me to bring him a red Tonka truck.”  People are amazed that Santa not only knows all but he remembers everything about them too.

Let me tell you about a call that changed my life. One night, I received a mysterious call from a man who identified himself as the Chief Elf of “The Elves of Christmas Present.”  The Chief Elf asked me several questions:  “Do you really look like Santa?  Do you work on Christmas Eve?  Are you afraid to fly?”  He then told me about a gravely ill child who had asked her parents to help her to go to the North Pole, see Santa Claus, and help him deliver Christmas presents.  The Chief Elf asked me to help make that wish come true.  I told him, “I’m your man!”

The afternoon of Christmas Eve arrived and I was getting ready.  Suddenly the Chief Elf called again, and with a broken voice he said, “I have bad news…  She died this afternoon…  But her grieving parents want us to go on and take her younger brother.”  Later that night I met a shattered family and a wide-eyed little boy. We grabbed my bag of toys and jumped into a helicopter. Together, we flew through a Kansas Christmas night, delivering Christmas gifts.

That moment caused me to want to devote myself to serving children with the greatest needs—children who are terminally ill, children in hospice, and children with a loved one who may be dying.  My passion to serve has led me to become Executive Director of Santa America. It’s a non-profit, volunteer organization that brings love, hope, and joy to special children and their families.”

Help Santa John and Santa America to fulfill their mission.  Please go to their website, www.Santa-America.org, and make a contribution to support them in their never-ending work of bringing Santa to exceptional children who are in crisis.

I will never take Santa Claus for granted again! Most of us grew up with Santa Claus as a beloved Christmas icon. Maybe you have one or two special Santa memories that you cherish. Did you take your kids to visit Santa and then tuck the photo away as a life-long Christmas treasure?  I sure did! I have always taken it all for granted. I never realized how hard it is for parents of a special needs child to give their kids a Santa moment.

At the July 2009, Autism Society of America conference, I met Santa John of Santa America whose mission is to bring “Unconditional Love, Hope and Joy wrapped in a warm Santa hug to special needs children and their families 365 days a year!”  (see Compassionate Santa Services.) Santa America and the Autism Society of America announced a “gentle alliance” that will help children affected by autism and their families have a rewarding experience with Santa for the holiday season.  “Autism is a complex neurodevelopment disability that typically appears in the first two years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others.”

Santa John told me, “Children dealing with Autism cannot tolerate the noise, crowds, and the wait involved in a Santa visit. Trying to take kids with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to see Santa at the mall is total sensory overload. As the child and his parent struggle to deal with the situation some other well-meaning adult scowl and say sarcastically, ‘Can’t you control your child?’ The true answer is no! They really can not control their ASD child.  Even if  parents try their best to give their child what every other normal family enjoys as an  American Christmas Tradition, the parents and the child are often humiliated and rejected.”

Santa-America tenderly serves three groups of very special children:

• Children in hospice or children with parents or grandparents in hospice; and
• Children with chronic pediatric conditions  or in palliative care; and
• Children suffering post traumatic stress due to abuse, violence, or other trauma.

I asked how Santa ‘knows all’ when dealing with such challenging situations. Santa John warmly shared that every Santa America Santa is given very careful training. He learns how to:

• Identify a child on the autism spectrum
• Learn to ‘tone it down’ to avoid causing a negative response
• Learn to use story-telling cards and relaxing techniques

Last Christmas, Santa John and the Kansas City-Autism Society Heartland Chapter gave over 50 families an opportunity to meet Santa and have photos taken with him. Santa John told me that, “visits were scheduled with 3-4 families every 30 minutes. Each family met with Santa in a private room next to a cozy fireplace. Santa had his Book of Good Boys and Girls with a page for each child listing their birthday, friends, teachers, and what they wanted for Christmas. Most importantly, the families knew that everyone there would be accepting of any behavioral differences their child might have.”

As I listened to this kind and caring man share his compassion for these special kids, I realized that he is a Santa who is a model of the true meaning of Christmas. Santa John says that what Santa America needs most is for us all to donate to help Santas across our nation deliver gifts of Love, Hope, and Joy.  Click here to donate.

Santa John’s amazing personal story will be the subject of next week’s blog.

Shawn Hunt before and after

Almost three years ago, when I first met Shawn Hunt, I had to look him in the eyes and tell him that his pre-employment handwriting analysis revealed that he had early diabetes symptoms.

Now, I am proud to introduce you to a healthy Shawn who successfully serves Law ElderLaw, LLP as both an intake paralegal and our super-creative graphics designer.   During the time that he has been with us, he has dedicated himself to the oh-so-difficult change to a healthier lifestyle.

This is how Shawn told me his story:

“Three years ago, our company insurance agent at Law ElderLaw told me that I had been denied health coverage. I was devastated!  My health issues were due to a genetic predisposition and my weight.  I tipped the scale at nearly 400 pounds, and it was taking a serious toll on my health.  I would get random bouts of numbness in my hands and feet and sometimes climbing stairs felt more like I was mounting an expedition to the Mount Everest’s summit.  I knew that change had to happen, as my life was in jeopardy.

I started my transformation changes at 397 pounds with a size 48 pants.  The first week of dieting was pretty tough, as cravings and temptations seemed to abound—but I ended week one with a 16 pound loss. Wow!  ‘This isn’t too hard,’ I thought—but soon my weight loss crept to a halt.  Then I knew that diet alone would not be enough and that I would have to add exercise and weight training.

Once I started lifting weights and running, I started to gain more energy every day. Cutting out pop and replacing it with water also helped greatly.  My meal plans were drastically overhauled.  I vowed that I wouldn’t put another dollar through a drive-through window for a long while.

My body started to change and fat slowly gave way to muscle.  I started to drop pant sizes quickly.  I put myself on a strict diet consisting of six small meals a day roughly the size of my palm.  Maintaining the routine and schedule of eating like this wasn’t all that easy, but I seemed to be able to manage it.  I cut out most fried foods, all junk food, pop, and red meat.  I replaced these things with fish and chicken, vegetables, fresh juice, oatmeal, vitamins, and many other healthy choices.  I grew to love them over time.

I have lost 115 pounds of scaled weight and gained a large amount of muscle.  I have gone from a 48” to a 38” waist.  My health has been greatly improved, and my overall sense of well being has been restored.  I really can’t put into words the feeling of accomplishment that I feel right now.  This has been one of my greatest challenges and also one of my greatest victories.  Don’t get me wrong, I know that  I’m not done—but now I look forward to the rest of the journey!”

Shawn is not doing anything magical. He is following the time-tested path of healthy eating and consistent exercise.  All of us at Law ElderLaw are happy to see him looking good!  He even went tent-camping in the woods last weekend and came back peppy.  Congratulations, Shawn!

At the Marbles store, they love to sell games that are “easy to learn and difficult to master.”  That is the key principle that you can use to boost and/or maintain your brain power.  As we have previously written, we are really excited about a new Chicago-metro store called Marbles.

Marbles store owner Lindsay Gaskins and her team are committed to helping brains age well.  And they have a lot of fun doing it!  Each of the brain games they sell in their store serves a specific purpose and benefits a specific part of the brain.  “The whole concept for the store came out of the idea that there are new developments in science saying that if you exercise your brain you can stave off Alzheimer’s—you can  live better and longer,” says Lindsay.

Since each of the games is available to try in the store, people get very involved in finding out what is their next step toward brain health.  “We get people who will sit and play the games for half an hour or more, and that’s what our intent is.”

So what are some of the best tools to start with?

• Keep Your Brain Alive – this book explains how to create new connections in your brain by doing physically different things than you’re used to.
• Rush Hour – a classic game, Rush Hour is every valet’s worst nightmare: how do you get the red car out of the gridlock moving only a few spaces at a time?
• Tangoes Classic and Tangoes Deluxe – this game, based on the same concept as ancient Chinese tangram puzzles, lets you build pictures using wooden shapes to match those on a set of 45 cards.  You can play as a couple, and have races to see who can build the picture first.  This game was rated “top senior gift” in the Chicago Tribune during the fall of last year.
• 30-Second Mysteries – this is a book full of quick mysteries you can play with the whole family – on a road trip, around the table, or wherever!
• Dakim – at around $2,300, the priciest “toy” in the store is a computer system that works with an individual to improve parts of their brain they might be having trouble with.  It’s geared toward seniors and features music and pictures from the 40s & 50s.  Content updates every night and the system tracks a user’s progress. It’s touch-screen for people who are not as computer savvy.  There is a system available to try at Marbles locations, and the Dakim system also has placements in many senior centers and care facilities.

I asked Lindsay if there was one thing she wanted people to walk away with.  “Get up and do something about your brain health.  Mental stimulation is really important and really fun, and if you get engaged you’ll feel better.  We want people to love their brain as much as they love their body.”

Marbles has two locations with another on the way.  At each location they have weekly events, including game nights and brain aerobics classes.  Scheduled events can be found at www.MarblesTheBrainStore.com.