tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30420134022125685562024-03-13T15:55:25.069-04:0060 is...<a href="http://www.zimbio.com/member/drjack99/covers/3"> <img alt="Zimbio Cover" title="Zimbio Cover" src="http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/img/afe1/drjack99/8l.jpg?m=drjack99" border="0" /></a>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-27210398443008238992009-08-26T14:56:00.007-04:002009-08-26T15:29:29.292-04:00VIDEO'sI know, when you read that title you probably thought that I was going to write something about ...well, videos. But actually, that's a new acronym I just learned recently. It stands for Vaccine Induced Disease Epidemic Outbreaks. I'm not going to attempt to convince you to take sides in this issue, but I hope you will take a few minutes to do a little personal research before you allow anyone to stick a needle in your arm to give you another vaccine for any reason.<br /><br />I was in one of the very early groups to take the polio vaccine, and I still remember it quite well. My whole family went to the local high school gymnasium and stood in a long line to get our dose. We didn't know at the time that many of the people in that line might actually become victims of polio, and later sue because it was determined that it was from the too-high levels of the polio virus in the vaccine. The later Sabine version was safer, I later read, but the damage was done.<br /><br />I'll give you just two links to get you started on your personal research.<br /><br />http://tvnewslies.org/tvnl/index.php/news/of-special-interest/10319.html<br /><br />http://www.wnho.net/response_to_cdc_health_research_guide.htm<br /><br />This is just the tip of the iceberg. I hope you will come back and share your thoughts with all of us.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-32845492941929402192009-08-18T18:00:00.004-04:002009-08-18T18:11:07.338-04:00Looking for extra income?I'm not sure how all this economic downturn has affected you and your retirement, or your plans for retirement, but I can tell you that I was really excited recently when I found an online site where I can put my writing skills to work for some extra income. Some assignments are very long-term, others may be completed in just a few hours. You decide what you are interested in. If you are a programmer, coder, transcriber, technical writer, creative writer, or virtual assistant, you can probably find something on oDesk.com that fits your skills. You can even take tons of tests for free and post your results to show potential employers on the site, and that can boost your chances of getting hired. Rather than try to tell you everything here, why not just go to the site by clicking on this square link below, and see for yourself. I hope you find JUST what you need here. Let me know how it goes, ok?<br /><a href="http://www.odesk.com/referrals/track/jackcarney?redir=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.odesk.com%2Fusers%2F%7E%7E9e1221ff35da0c78"><img src="http://www.odesk.com/images/banners/banner_provider_125x125.gif" alt="The On Demand Global Workforce - oDesk" width="126" height="125" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-22821118892645212982009-08-16T13:17:00.004-04:002009-08-16T13:28:17.090-04:00Just a Quick NoteLife has become far more hectic since I retired last December. It is a bit surprising just how busy you can get when you don't have a job. I had visions of sleeping late, sitting by the pool with a good book, having a good meal with a glass of wine, staying up too late. Actually, I must admit that I have done all of those things since I retired, but only on a very few occasions. Fortunately I have been very busy with projects around the house and traveling with family, so that other boring lifestyle I dreamed of after retirement hasn't plagued me yet. One thing I do regret is that I haven't found time to keep in touch or to keep this blog up to date like I had hoped. But it is very important to me to thank all of you for your emails and comments. I'm surprised how many of you will email me but are too ...shy to comment on the blog for others to see.<br />We just returned from the first two-week vacation we've taken in our 37 years of marriage. It was lovely, but I'm happy to sleep in my own bed. I will now be able to schedule some writing time I hope, so I look forward to hearing from you. Keep in touch, subscribe to the RSS feed, and let me know what's on your mind.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-67656070712521797812009-03-10T18:40:00.007-04:002009-03-10T18:49:10.427-04:00Beware of Scams!As a service to my friends and loyal readers, I'd like to pass along a website that I have discovered quite by accident. If you have some spare time and not much spare change, so you're looking for ways to make some money working from home, be very, very careful. ALMOST every offer you see online is just a scam designed to make money for someone else. YOUR money. So look before you leap by subscribing to the free newsletter offer you will find at<br /><a href="http://www.mrworkathome.com/">http://www.mrworkathome.com/</a> The research has already been done for you, the scams identified, and recommended sites are listed for you to consider. So far I've been very happy with what I've learned here. If you use this site I would really appreciate your feedback here, good or bad.<br />It is possible to make money online, working from home in your underwear. Just don't fall for the millions in a month offers. It takes work and persistence and patience. Oh, and it might take months before you begin to see any success at all. After that, well, that is up to you. Most people either sign up for the wrong oportunities, or they quit just before the success window begins to open.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-74336438576095424942009-03-10T18:37:00.001-04:002009-03-10T18:39:30.445-04:00FAT TIRE is Coming to Georgia!!In May 2009. If you don't know what that is, well, sorry 'bout that. Keep your eyes open.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-12843077382830819732009-03-09T11:25:00.004-04:002009-03-09T11:55:24.814-04:00Stay Tuned, loyal readers!Last time I wrote, life was hectic, I was very busy, and frankly I could not make time in my life for my favorite hobby, writing. Thats not a good state to be in. But then the unthinkable happened and suddenly I had all the time in the world. My company invited me, and about 100 of my peers, to take early retirement. They invited me to fire myself, and they offered some nice incentives. Now this was just before the whole economic system fell off the edge. Things were slowing, there were some headline articles using the "R" word. Housing seemed to be the real problem. Greedy lenders, unsophisticated buyers, all riding the crest of a wave that had to break sooner or later. Well, all that has now happened, and we are learning that housing was just one of many shaky bits. We've learned just how special some high level management folks think they are, losing millions for their shareholders while pocketing millions in options and bonuses and other perks, and haughtily saying they "deserve" it all. Well, it seems to me that if you own a bit of my business and I run it into the ground, you are not going to be too eager to give me a bonus for losing your money. Am I just missing something here?<br /><br />Enough of that. It's all been talked to death already, and there are no quick cures for what ails us now. We have not seen the bottom. We have nothing with which to compare this quagmire. So lets talk about something else. Something much more personal. I'm learning that as we age certain things are likely to happen. Among them is the likelihood that some things won't work quite like they used to, and some things will send us some very painful messages to let us know they are not working so well any longer. The doctors have a nice word for that. Neuropathy, nerve pain. I know. So I'm asking you to please stay tuned here, check in once in awhile, because I'm going to start telling you all about neuropathy and what you might be able to do to relieve some (or all) of your nerve pain, with the advice and consent and help of your doctor, of course. I don't believe in the shotgun approach to resolving illnesses as a general rule. But in my case, I'm throwing everything I have at this because frankly, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. I unexpectedly found myself retired, and in too much pain to even celebrate my new freedom. So I'm not really very patient with the idea of being a patient right now.<br /><br />Either right here on this blog, or on a website or blog I will direct you too, I will provide some information about various therapies I am doing and affiliate links you can use to buy the devices I'm using. This is not intended to be medical advice. I am not qualified to do that. This is more in the nature of a personal testimonial concerning some severe nerve pain and how I am learning to deal with it. I urge you to make your doctor, naturopath, chiropractor, or who ever else you consult, your ally in dealing with this so that you can get on with enjoying your life.<br /><br />As I began to experience these pains, I was clueless as to what was happening to me, who I should consult with, or how to simply get through the next night. Since it is more narrowly focused than I wanted this blog to be, I am leaning toward starting a new blog or creating a website just for nerve pain, with special concern for the baby boomers who have become loyal readers. I've enjoyed writing for many years, and I do appreciate the occasional e-mails some of you have sent. I hope to hear from more of you and more often, now that I have more time to read and reply. I hope to have this new site ready for you by the end of March, '09.<br /><br />Stay Tuned!!<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-43817673727725003112008-11-18T10:17:00.004-05:002008-11-18T10:29:20.868-05:00The Times They Are A-Changin'I have left my post. I've abandoned my writing. I have grown tired.<br />All of these might have been suitable titles for this post, but the sad fact is that I have just been too busy and could never find both the time and energy to sit here and create. I will soon be retiring and perhaps I will find some time then, though to tell the truth, retirement looks even busier than working every day. There are things to repair that have been overlooked or ignored. There are things to paint that I have conveniently put off. There are bathrooms to upgrade. There is ALWAYS yardwork to be done.<br /><br />Actually, I don't feel too bad about not posting anything here since August, because I appear to be the only one who ever visits this blog anyway. That's not a whiny complaint, just an observation. I haven't done much to encourage visitors or promote the site in any way. I write as an outlet, and because practice is important. I used to believe that practice makes perfect, but then I learned that nobody is perfect, so I quit practicing. But now I plan to find time to practice and if you have wandered back here again, I hope you will find something interesting to read. Even more important, I hope you will PLEASE leave a comment or at least say hello. Til then (December 19th) I won't try to write more.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-28749943585111430252008-11-18T10:09:00.006-05:002008-11-18T10:16:46.468-05:00Test Your Brain AgeHow "old" is your brain? How alert are you? How well do you concentrate? How well do you recall? Here's a great little brain exercise. Use it often. In case you do not read Japanese, here are the instructions in English.<br /><br />1. Touch 'start'<br />2. Wait for 3, 2, 1.<br />3. Memorize the numbers' positions on the screen,then<br />4. Click the circle from the smallest number to thebiggestnumber.<br />5. At the end of game, the computer will tell you how old your brain is. Just click the link. <br /><br /><a href="http://flashfabrica.com/f_learning/brain/brain.html">http://flashfabrica.com/f_learning/brain/brain.html</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-30510526733582850792008-08-08T17:32:00.003-04:002009-03-09T12:04:14.658-04:00NostalgiaHere’s a bit of nostalgia for you. Young people today live in a totally different reality from the one you and I had a few decades ago. It’s not their fault they can’t relate, or ours!<br />Jack<br /><br /><br />Hey Dad," one of my kids asked the other day, "What was your favorite fast food when you were growing up?"<br /><br />"We didn't have fast food when I was growing up," I informed him. "All the food was slow."<br /><br />"C'mon, seriously. Where did you eat?"<br /><br />"It was a place called 'at home,'" I explained. "Grandma cooked every day and when Grandpa got home from work, we sat down together at the dining room table, and if I didn't like what she put on my plate I was allowed to sit there until I did like it."<br /><br />By this time, the kid was laughing so hard I was afraid he was going to suffer serious internal damage, so I didn't tell him the part about how I had to have permission to leave the table. But here are some other things I would have told him about my childhood if I figured his system could have handled it:<br /><br /><br />Some parents NEVER owned their own house, wore Levis, set foot on a golf course, traveled out of the country or had a credit card. In their later years they had something called a revolving charge card. The card was good only at Sears Roebuck. Or maybe it was Sears AND Roebuck. Either way, there is no Roebuck anymore. Maybe he died.<br /><br />My parents never drove me to soccer practice. This was mostly because we never had heard of soccer. I had a bicycle that weighed probably 50 pounds, and only had one speed, (slow). We didn't have a television in our house until I was 11, but my grandparents had one before that. It was, of course, black and white, but they bought a piece of colored plastic to cover the screen. The top third was blue, like the sky, and the bottom third was green, like grass. The middle third was red. It was perfect for programs that had scenes of fire trucks riding across someone's lawn on a sunny day. Some people had a lens taped to the front of the TV to make the picture look larger.<br /><br />I was 13 before I tasted my first pizza, it was called "pizza pie." When I bit into it, I burned the roof of my mouth and the cheese slid off, swung down, plastered itself against my chin and burned that, too. It's still the best pizza I ever had.<br /><br />We didn't have a car until I was 15. Before that, the only car in our family was my grandfather's Ford. He called it a "machine."<br /><br /><br /><br />I never had a telephone in my room. The only phone in the house was in the living room and it was on a party line. Before you could dial, you had to listen and make sure some people you didn't know weren't already using the line.<br /><br />Pizzas were not delivered to our home. But milk was.<br /><br />All newspapers were delivered by boys and all boys delivered newspapers. I delivered a newspaper, six days a week. It cost 7 cents a paper, of which I got to keep 2 cents. I had to get up at 4 AM every morning. On Saturday, I had to collect the 42 cents from my customers. My favorite customers were the ones who gave me 50 cents and told me to keep the change. My least favorite customers were the ones who seemed to never be home on collection day.<br /><br />Movie stars kissed with their mouths shut. At least, they did in the movies. Touching someone else's tongue with yours was called French kissing and they didn't do that in movies. I don't know what they did in French movies. French movies were dirty and we weren't allowed to see them.<br /><br />If you grew up in a generation before there was fast food, you may want to share some of these memories with your children or grandchildren.<br /><br />Just don't blame me if they bust a gut laughing.<br /><br /><br /><br />Growing up isn't what it used to be, is it?<br /><br /><br /><br />MEMORIES from a friend:<br /><br />My Dad is cleaning out my grandmother's house (she died in December) and he brought me an old Royal Crown Cola bottle. In the bottle top was a stopper with a bunch of holes in it. I knew immediately what it was, but my daughter had no idea. She thought they had tried to make it a salt shaker or something. I knew it as the bottle that sat on the end of the ironing board to "sprinkle" clothes with because we didn't have steam irons. Man, I am old.<br /><br />This concludes the message I received today from a friend. I didn’t write any of it, but I certainly can relate to just about every line of it. Change is not of itself bad. But not all change is good either, is it?<br /><br />I have a feeling that not too many of our grandchildren have ever actually used an iron…steam or otherwise. They will probably do ok without that experience.<br /><br />Newer homes are being designed around the lifestyles of today’s families. There is no “dining room”, since most meals are taken in front of the TV. And driveways have to be wider to accommodate all the cars. Very few homes get by with just one TV, or even one computer. As for phones, soon everyone will have one blinking in their ear 24/7, maybe even implanted if we don’t soon come to our senses. And I just read a few weeks ago that BMW now has a car without a steering wheel. It is controlled by a joystick. So all the whiz kid game players will soon have a head start when it comes to driving skills. Scary thought, isn’t it?<br /><br />Jack<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-8169925480965150612008-06-26T20:48:00.003-04:002008-06-26T20:56:17.737-04:00Help Reduce Consumerism!!(Whatever THAT means!)<br />Who can deny that those of us in North America tend to buy too much "stuff" we don't really need? Then we tire of it very quickly and go buy some more "stuff". George Carlin got a lot of laughs by pointing that out, but it is a sad situation really. Here's one very easy way you can help counter-balance this, and it is totally FREE. In your web browser type the words<br />freecycle network. Then join a group in your general area. I even found one in Victor Harbor, Australia (I have some friends there). Once you join, read the rules. Basically, everything you OFFER must be FREE. Before you can list something you WANT, you must OFFER something.<br />The site will be moderated. Instead of throwing away something you no longer want or need, offer it to someone else who might get some use out of it. It's very simple. I passed along a box of books and a few other items and I'm still looking for a few things we need, like an old (but working) sewing machine. Try it out. And then come back here and let us know what you think.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-38636253187472656372008-05-14T08:43:00.003-04:002008-05-14T08:48:35.808-04:00New Link - Try it out!<p>Here's a link to a handy wage calculator, and you can use it for US currency or UK. On the left side you can click on whether you want to enter an hourly wage to base your calculations on or calculate your take home pay based on an annual salary. Enter your filing status and deductions and you can quickly see a good estimate of what taxes you will have withheld and what your daily, weekly, monthly take home will be. I have added this link to the "favorite links" at the bottom of the blog so you can come back and use it any time. Let me know if you have other links we might all find useful.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://us.thesalarycalculator.co.uk/hourly.php">http://us.thesalarycalculator.co.uk/hourly.php</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-82810895898995282472008-04-19T15:10:00.003-04:002008-04-19T15:29:40.494-04:00Your Input?It costs nothing, but it can be very worthwhile to a lot of people you may never meet. Often people push and shove to give their opinion even when no one really wants it. Others are quick to give an opinion about things they have very little knowledge of. But right here, right now is your chance to give your opinion about the articles posted here, to people who want to know what YOU think. I hope that my articles hit on a topic or two that might be helpful to you, and adding your personal experiences, whether in support of what I've written or to correct some lack on my part, is very welcome. You may have noticed that I'm not selling any products, thought the site is supported by ads. I have nothing to sell. But I check reports that indicate just how many visitors have been here, and I am always amazed that so many people can have so little to say. I've been told that only a very tiny percentage of folks who read a blog will ever bother to make a comment. Maybe that's a good thing. I can't say. For myself, the only way I know that you like what you read, and maybe even benefit from the information in some way, is if you just say so. Tell me what you like, what you don't like, what you want to know more about, or what YOU know from your personal experience. This was not intended as my soapbox, but as a forum for ideas that might benefit all of us as we work our way thru issues that are common to baby boomers. You might save someone else from the mistakes you have already discovered, or avoid problems you already have successfully dealt with. Maybe you can just offer a word of encouragement, or a bit of preventative medicine. Share this blog address with friends and family. There are many articles here and surely something will hit their funny bone or spark some interest. So please, take a minute and either drop me an e-mail (just hit the button provided all the way at the bottom of the last page) or enter a comment here. I KNOW you are out there!! I can hear you breathing.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-49842008143148266852008-04-16T16:41:00.004-04:002008-04-16T16:51:16.031-04:00Older, but not necessarily wiserJust because we have logged a few miles, that's no guarantee of wisdom. We should avoid a superior attitude and a condescending approach to young people. In fact, once in awhile a really bright one comes along.<br /><br />There was a young man who wanted very much to enter a particular university. The interviewer, an older man, for some reason took pride in how tough he was, and how few managed to get past him. Well, the young man had passed the GED and SAT tests and his scores were impressive, but the old man was determined to show him how little he really knew.<br />"Young man, you have done quite well, but now I want to give you a very important choice. You choose whether I shall ask you one very difficult question to conclude this interview, or ten fairly easy questions." The young man's future hinged on his decision. "I'd like you to ask me just one very hard question, sir." "Aha!", thought the old man, "I've got him cornered now!"<br /><br />"Ok, young man. Which comes first, DAY or NIGHT?" The lad thought about it for a few minutes and then confidently replied "Day comes first." "How do you know that?" shouted the old man. "Oh no, sir!" the lad said with a small smile. "You said you would ask only ONE hard question!"<br /><br />There is a lesson somewhere in that.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-37051817265204360932008-04-15T10:55:00.000-04:002008-04-15T10:56:52.204-04:00Soy Protein or Whey Protein?So much research is being done about protein supplement shakes, especially since so many diet and weight loss books advocate it. Hard to be sure just which is better. And whether one is better for men and the other for women. The "experts" can't seem to agree totally, but I'm beginning to think that if you follow almost any of the information far enough, someone is making a buck or two off of whatever they have written. In one sense, soy protein might be better for men AND women, but then you come across someone who says just the opposite. My opinion, having considered a ton of writing on the subject, is use either one, unless you have a lactose intolerance. Just use it in moderation, like everything else. Too much protein is very hard on the kidneys and liver. If you are using either one for weight loss, add a healthy dose of exercise to it, or you will be disappointed with whichever one you choose. If you are using protein shakes as a supplement to food sources of protein in order to GAIN weight and build muscle mass, don't overdo it. All the hype is just that, hype!<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-40883999545234498862008-04-01T16:13:00.003-04:002008-04-01T16:55:14.351-04:00Well? How Am I Supposed To Lose It?Funny how at that "certain age" we wake up, look in the mirror and say "How did this happen?" The wrinkles come on very slowly, so we don't really notice. The pounds and inches seem to add up at an even slower pace for many of us. But now you've taken a good hard look in the mirror and you want to finally DO something about the extra pounds. First, if you believe nothing else you read today, especially from this site, believe this: effort and commitment are required. If you think otherwise, stop reading here please. Go browze thru some of my other articles. I hope you will find something there you like. For those of you who are still reading, I'd like to share a few little tips with you. With just a little regular effort, and with little positive changes, and with a little daily commitment to improve your health, you can easily lose ten pounds this month. And by the way, I don't play April Fools jokes. Now you might be thinking, "Ten pounds is hardly worth it. I need to lose fifty pounds!" Well, by the end of August you could be there, but not if you keep making excuses. Just start. NOW!<br />First, if you are in otherwise good health, you should still consult your medical practitioner before you make any changes in your diet or exercise level. I am not a doctor of <em>any</em>thing, and I do not give health advice. I am just passing along some information.<br />Here are just a few tips. You may have heard them all before. If so, then apparently you didn't put them to good use, or you wouldn't be reading about losing weight, right? <br />1. NEVER skip breakfast. Ideally, eat a little solid protein in the morning. Leftover skinless chicken or fish, or maybe some peanut butter. Missing breakfast triggers a survival response in your system. You don't want that.<br />2. Do not connect weight loss with diet. With eating habits, yes. Diets, NO.<br />3. Do not assume you have to spend money to lose weight.<br />4. If you are able to walk to the end of your street, go NOW. If it is raining, take an umbrella.<br />Don't make excuses. If it is not safe to walk in your neighborhood, make a guess about how long it would take to walk to the end of your street, and walk around your house or apartment for that long. If you have some stairs, use them too. If you walk only five minutes today, GREAT! <br />Tomorrow, walk at least that far or that long again. Eventually you want to increase both the time and the distance walked. Set a goal in 30 days of 30 minutes a day. If you simply cannot do that, keep at it until you can. You can walk in place in your bathroom for 30 minutes if you can't do anything else.<br />5. Shake up your eating habits. Learn to like fresh fruit. Skip the bagel and cream cheese in the morning and eat a banana or a few strawberries. Eat them very slowly. Enjoy. <br />6. Do not drink water or anything else with your meals. Wait at least an hour after eating to drink. Never eat anything until at least 1/2 hour has passed after you have anything to drink.<br />7. If you doctor approves, pick one day each week to eat solid protein and drink extra water. No carbs. A little chicken in the morning, maybe some fish for lunch. You get the idea. No veggies, no pasta. Just protein and water. You will need extra water. <br />8. Two days each week plan at least six small meals. SMALL meals. 1/2 portions. Consider a portion to be about the size of your palm. 1/2 portion of pasta or potato or rice, 1/2 portion of veggies, 1/2 portion of lean meat. Use seasonings to make it tasty and interesting. Chew slowly.<br />Do not snack between meals. Plan your meal times so that your last meal of the day is at least three hours before bedtime. <br />9. Never allow yourself to go hungry. That sends the wrong signals to your body to start storing fat.<br />10. Weigh yourself no more than once a week. <br />11. Whether you like it or not, lean muscle burns calories, fat does not. Weight bearing exercise is essential for maintenance of healthy bone structure and density, and you don't have to be a body builder. Just use fairly light weights if you like, but use them to increase the intensity of your walks, and to tone your muscles while you are watching TV. <br />12. Make the TV your timekeeper. Each time a commercial break comes up, do one set of some type of exercise, and walk around the room or around the house until the commercials are over. Do this at least three evenings each week. You will find that the later into a program or movie, the longer the commercial breaks get. You aren't interested in them anyway, so why not invest the time in your health?<br /><br />Well, that's an even dozen ideas. There are many more. If you would like to share some here, let me know. The fact is, you can take control of your weight with just a little discipline, and small changes in your daily habits. Too often, we see a little hill and convince ourselves it is a mountain. Don't defeat yourself. And maybe one evening a week, treat yourself to something you've been craving all week. Have a small bowl of ice cream or a piece of pie. Good eating habits the other 167.5 hours or so every week should earn you a little reward!<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-85295085388831313092008-03-21T15:26:00.000-04:002008-03-21T15:28:36.666-04:00It's ALL Good!I keep hearing that phrase in reference to a wide variety of situations. Lately I’ve been thinking that perhaps this flood of information in the form of glossy print advertising, telling us the secret to good health, extended years of life, energetic old age, etc. is ALL good information. After all, “they” all claim that there has been a ton of research or at least they provide page after page of testimonials from the thousands who have turned their lives around using a certain exercise product, nutritional supplement, aromatic candle, or mind-altering CD. How are we to know just what is good and what is not? How are we to decide which new product is the one we have been needing to resolve our nagging health concerns, or help us avoid future health concerns? We are clearly suffering from information overload, especially those of us who are part of the baby boomer generation who have eased into that stage of our lives when we finally start paying attention to our health. Oh, we now understand that we should have been paying attention to it a few decades ago, but we cannot turn back the clock. Well, some marketers are now telling us we can even do that if we just sink a chunk of change into their latest gadget or gimmick. With so much information coming at us how is it that I can say that it’s all good? I say it’s good because at least it is causing a few of us to pay attention, and to start asking questions. It’s stimulating some of us to take charge of our own health, instead of leaving it all to chance. But let’s say that you agree with me that there are certain nutrients that you probably should be concerned about, and that there are those that might help you with certain health issues. How can you decide what to take and what to avoid? If we invested in all the wonderful nutrients and herbs and vitamins we read about, we would probably create a few new problems to deal with. For one, we would be broke. So what should we do? Here’s my humble opinion. I am not a medical professional. I cannot, and do not, give medical advice. So what I am about to say is worth every penny you are paying for it.<br />First, do your own research. Second, ask your doctor or nutritionist. Third, work on only the one or two most important health concerns you have at a time. It is amazing how often resolving one major issue leads to a cessation or noticeable reduction of other problems. To illustrate, here’s a scenario that has been repeated countless times.<br />Ada Z goes to the doctor because she is tired all the time, she has no energy, her back hurts, her ankles ache, she gets headaches in the afternoon, she is a little lightheaded when she gets up each morning, she get indigestion all the time, her head is stopped up constantly. The list of complaints goes on and on. Ada Z (A to Z) has a very good doctor who takes the necessary time to actually do a good workup on Ada. He orders a few simple tests, and gives Ada a call when he has all the information he needs to help her. Ada visits the doctor and after hearing his recommendations, pays for the visit and leaves, silently vowing to find another doctor. Why? Well, Ada is upset and disappointed that after spending money for the office visits and getting all that lab work done, all this very good doctor did was tell Ada that she needs to lose about 30 pounds and drink more water. Ada is indignant. She knows that she is a little heavy, but that’s what happens as you get older, right? And besides, he didn’t even give her a prescription! <br />Sadly, that is the reaction of far too many people in similar situations. Sadder still is the fact that some doctors succumb to the pressure put upon them by patients and pharmaceutical companies to write prescriptions. Patients demand drugs, and not just ANY drugs. They want the one they saw on TV this morning. Drug companies have invented illnesses and given them names so they can sell some new concoction and do what they are all in the business for – make money for their shareholders. But this very good doctor knows that Ada is chronically dehydrated, and this causes many of her body systems to function at less than peak efficiency. In addition to that, Ada is putting a lot more strain on her back and her ankles, and soon her knees and hips, because of the “little bit of extra weight” she is carrying around. A drug to put her to sleep, a drug to clear her nasal passages and sinuses, a drug to ease the joint pain, a drug to relax the muscles, a drug for vertigo for her light headed mornings, a drug for her indigestion, a little something for those headaches, and Ada would have left the doctor’s office feeling like she was already on the road to recovery. But she would have still been overweight and under-hydrated. And all those symptoms would have simply returned as soon as she ran out of the drugs, and maybe they would be even worse on the next go ‘round. <br />So here is my opinion, my non-medical advice. Be honest with yourself. Do some research for yourself. Find and learn to appreciate and listen to a good doctor who is not so quick on the draw with that prescription pad. And last, either be determined to do what you need to do to maintain good health or correct the problems you can correct, or learn to endure those things you cannot or will not address. Along the way, there may be an occasion for some properly prescribed medication. Strep throat comes to mind. Otherwise, quit being satisfied with treating symptoms instead of getting to the root cause of your problems and seriously attacking those. Ada could probably manage to drink another few glasses of water each day without any major disruption to her life. She could probably park a few rows further away from the grocery store, maybe walk up a flight to get to her office and avoid the elevator, and maybe skip a bowl of ice cream or two along the way. But that would mean that she had to make her health her responsibility.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-30724215157656280302008-03-19T16:08:00.003-04:002008-03-19T19:10:56.019-04:00Why are gas prices so high?Well, once again, the same tired e-mail is circulating telling us how we can supposedly force the gas stations to lower their prices at the pump. Ridiculous!!! Think about it. why would gas prices be any different than any other commodity? If there is plenty of...milk, and you don't like the price at store A, you drive to store B, check the price and, if it is lower, you buy your milk there. Now, if enough people discover that store B can save them money on milk, store A might possibly be forced to either lower their price on milk to compete, or settle for selling less milk, right? Simple theory. Fundamental example of a free market economy. Now, it is unlikely that one person switching stores would have any impact at all, but this person tells all his or her friends where to buy cheap milk, and together, they all spread the word, so that soon, store B is having trouble keeping up with the demand. To slow the demand, and perhaps to take advantage of the increased flow of customers, store B raises their price on milk. Meanwhile, store A realizes that they have lost business, and to some extent, they lower their milk price. Now both stores are selling some milk, and customers are happy. That is what happens when there is plentiful supply and sufficient demand. But let's look for just a minute at the gas situation. We have, on a global scale, finally crossed the line between a supply driven gas price to a demand driven price structure. Why? That's very simple. We now have more demand than supply. With China soon moving from a few million vehicles to hundreds of millions, that demand is not likely to drop, is it? Here is a whole new demand source for a constantly dwindling supply of fossil fuel, and the supply that remains is increasingly more difficult, and expensive, to get to. So, boycott whatever company you want to for however long you like, the supply won't grow a bit, and the demand will still have grown tremendously. You may SHIFT the demand from one company to another, but you won't shrink that demand. So it is well past time to quit sending this silly e-mail around the world, and focus instead on how to shift a significant part of the demand to some other fuel source, like hydrogen, solar power, etc. We have now produced something over a trillion barrels of oil so far, and some "experts" believe that there is still about 2 trillion more barrels in the earth...somewhere. Much of it might be under very deep water, and we're exploiting that already. Much of it is in oil shale, and technology is making that more practical to get too. But if you believe anything about the oil crisis, believe this. IT WILL NOT BE ENOUGH.<br /><br />Now, that is just my opinion, based on all that I've read on the subject, and on what I recall of a very well researched lecture I saw on TV several months ago in the wee hours. I'd be happy to hear your opinion, or to try to field your questions. I'm no expert, so your input can only help.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-57699352042685899622008-03-10T18:24:00.003-04:002008-03-10T18:39:48.238-04:00Not in a recession yet, but this may be worse than you thinkInteresting information. At present, with the decline in housing values at around 8.4% nationally, 13.5% of homeowners now owe more than their homes are worth. But this is happening with only with an 8.4% fall in the housing market. What happens with a 15% or 30% fall? Goldman-Sachs, now praised for avoiding the pitfalls of sub-prime lending, projects that this won't bottom out until we reach 15% or even 30%. First American Finance (NYSE:FAF) calculated the effect on homeowners if housing prices started falling, using data from December 2006 (and they certainly have started falling, haven't they?) Brace yourself! These numbers can be shocking. Already at 8.4%, what would happen if the prices drop to 15%? At that po8int about 21% of homeowners would be "upside down" in their mortgages. And to satisfy those who believe it could continue to a 30% decline in home prices - that would leave 39% of homeowners owing more than their homes are worth. Now, you may think that this will not affect you because you have built a lot of equity in your home. Or perhaps your mortgage is paid off. Good for you! Maybe you don't have a Adjustable Rate Mortgage. Good for you again!! But, you will still be hit with the effects of this crunch in one way or another. You see, what frankly scares a lot of lenders at this point is that it might become more attractive, and even financially less damaging, for some of these folks caught up in the squeeze to simply walk away from their mortgages. When and if this happens is large numbers, credit of any kind for anyone will become far more difficult to obtain, and prices of everything could go thru the roof. In addition, the impact on your home value, when so many homes are being seized in foreclosures, may shock you and alter your own financial planning significantly. It has already become far less attractive for many people to own a home. In fact, the new reality maybe that home ownership is not going to be the American dream that it once was. So watch the news, keep your powder dry, and stay flexible. None of us will escape the effects of this trend, recession or not. That's my opinion. What's yours?<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-12846765191010125232008-03-04T08:47:00.002-05:002008-03-04T08:52:32.680-05:00Treatment without diagnosis is malpracticeThis is not a political blog and it will not turn into one. But perhaps you would like to know a bit more about this recession we keep hearing about and reading about in the media. We have not been in a recession ...yet. Technically, Bush was correct, though many people don't want to believe that for one reason or another. A recession can only be properly identified after two consecutive quarters when there has been a decline in the GDP. Jul-Sept the economy grew at a 4.6% pace. That slowed to a .4% increase in the Oct-Dec quarter, but still it was an increase, not a decrease. Based on other economic indicators, there are difficult economic times upon us, but not a recession. If we find in mid to late April that the first quarter was a negative, then we still can't declare a recession until a second consecutive quarter of decline. That's the accurate answer to the question that the media seems to have already answered, perhaps driving the nail deeper before the fact rather than being content to simply report what has occurred. Typical. I did a little research in the wee hours of the morning. Warren Buffet says we are in a recession. He's wrong. Sometime in July we might find that the first two quarters of 2008 were the beginning of a recession, but before then it's just hype and hysteria. It's like telling someone they have terminal cancer before any lab results have come back. You will certainly get their attention, just as all this media talk about recession has. But let's not <em>create</em> the news. Do you agree?<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-35187597626925322982008-02-14T15:57:00.003-05:002008-02-14T16:02:54.564-05:00Butter or Margarine? Hmmmmm...This is interesting ...<br /><br />Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into this wonderful stuff wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back. It was a white substance with no food appeal, so they added the yellow coloring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clever new flavorings. <br /><br /> DO YOU KNOW.. the REAL difference between margarine and butter? Read on to the end...this is just starting to get interesting!<br /><br />Both have the same amount of calories.<br /><br />Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams.<br /><br />Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.<br /><br />Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.<br /><br />Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few, and only<br />because they are added!<br /><br />Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods.<br /><br />Butter has been around for centuries while margarine has been around for less<br />than 100 years.<br /><br /><br />And now, for Margarine…<br /><br />Very high in trans fatty acids.<br /><br />Triple risk of coronary heart disease.<br /><br />Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers<br />HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol)<br />Increases the risk of cancers up to five fold.<br />Lowers quality of breast milk.<br />Decreases immune response.<br />Decreases insulin response.<br /><br />And here's the most disturbing fact.... HERE IS THE PART THAT<br /> IS VERY INTERESTING!<br /><br />Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC!!!<br /><br />This fact alone was enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is used to change the molecular structure)<br /><br />You can try this yourself: Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it in your garage or<br />shaded area. (open) Within a couple of days you will note a couple of things:<br /><br />Ø no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)<br />Ø it does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value.<br />Ø nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not find a home to grow. Why? Because it is nearly plastic. <br /><br />Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast? <br /><br />Regular readers,<br />If you have been keeping up with me for the last few years you already know a lot of this. I don’t use butter OR margarine. I use something better than either of those. If you want to know what, send me an e-mail.<br /><br />I posted this almost the way I received it. I had to do a little editing and cleanup, but the text is mostly the way it came to me. This might be the seventh or even the twenty-seventh time I’ve received this, but I don’t believe I’ve ever posted it anywhere.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-866319396616894512008-02-11T06:35:00.000-05:002008-02-11T06:50:40.782-05:00The Winter DoldrumsTo those of you who regularly read my ramblings here, I apologize for my recent absence. Though I am humbled to think that anyone would purposely read anything I write, I do appreciate your kind indulgence and try to provide some sort of verbiage here on a fairly constant, if irregular, basis. But the unavoidable fact is that no matter how sleek the sail boat, without some wind to fill the sails it's just a place to sit. I hit a patch of nothingness recently, no wind, or some might say, no hot air to fill my sails. I have just been sitting, taking a small break. <br />If life is a grand experiment, then mine is still in progress, though at times the progress is too small to measure by any conventional means. <br /><br />Since all that I write and publish in this space is free, then perhaps I cannot be fired. I hope to soon be fired up though, enough at least to write something. Ideas are percolating, vague thoughts are forming, fingers are itching to get at the keyboard. But for about three weeks I've been just coasting, both in terms of writing and music. If this was a paying gig, I would be near starvation at this point, but fortunately I do still having a J O B. And I haven't been completely idle. My wife, who is enjoying a hopefully brief hiatus from gainful employment, has kept me fairly busy at home sorting and sifting through piles of "stuff", mostly mine, and we have begun to recapture our office/exercise room. Soon we will start on the music room where the wallpaper has already begun to remove itself, either out of boredom with my music or a realization that it is no longer wanted. Then there is the foyer, the dining room, the guest bath, the master bath, and ...well the list is endless. Like the crews that paint the Golden Gate Bridge, once we get to the end of the list, if ever we do, it will be time to start over. Somewhere along the way, I will try to write a few lines here, and I hope you will find time to read them, and more importantly, to comment on them and contribute your own thoughts. This has been a too-solitary work so far. I have hoped that it would become more of a forum.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-50605771068525292012008-01-23T16:02:00.001-05:002008-01-23T16:05:51.542-05:00Today's Recession UpdateHow can you protect your retirement finances?<br />If you are concerned about your 401K or IRA or other investments you hope to use to finance your retirement, now would be an appropriate time for concern, but not for panic. <br />After the sudden emergency ¾ point rate cut by the fed yesterday, Asian markets recovered nicely, though early news from the European markets was not so upbeat. The Korean market rose nearly 11%, Japan recovered about 2%, Hong Kong eked out a point or two and Australia rose 4 ½ % after the fed announced the unexpected cuts. Will that be enough to stop the decline? I doubt it, but it may be enough to slow it down so that we have a softer landing and a shorter recession period. As I wrote yesterday, just the news headlines seem to trigger panicky investment moves by pension and hedge fund managers and individual investors alike. Cartoonist Bob Englehart had a cartoon in the Hartford Courant on January 17th with the following caption: “DESPITE THE MEDIA'S CONSTANT ATTEMPTS TO BRING ABOUT A RECESSION, EXPERTS SAY THE ECONOMY IS STILL STRONG.” Perhaps it is not so strong, but certainly the media is pouring gasoline on the burning building and shouting for someone to call the fire department. At what point does the media cross the line between reporting the news and creating the news? Or is there a line anymore?<br /><br />On the flip side, there are a number of economists and fund managers who believe that any major moves from stocks to bonds might be something to regret later. In 1987 those who basically sold their stocks at the bottom failed to benefit from the recovery when stocks later soared. To a lesser extent the same thing happened in 2002. So your protection strategy should be based on just what your retirement timeline is, not headlines. If you plan to retire in 5 to 10 years, it might be best to simply ride this cycle out, because you likely have time to recover any losses, assuming that your present portfolio is reasonably diversified. If you plan to retire in less than 5 years, it might be wise to shift some portion of your holdings into bonds. Some analysts are predicting bond yields in the “high single digits” before the markets shift back to equities. The fact is, no one can say for certain what tomorrow will bring. One thing is certain though. <br />The is more unstable footing ahead for perhaps the next 5 or 6 quarters, maybe longer, so if you have a longer time till retirement the question is whether you can ignore all the headlines and immunize yourself from the panic while this cycle runs it’s course. One economist I spoke with many years ago put it this way. If you can’t sleep at night, you have too much at risk. If you sleep all night without interruption, you don’t have enough at risk. Maybe that’s not the proper gage for you, but it illustrates my point. If you think you can stay calm amidst all the hysteria, maybe you should just leave your 401K alone for now. Reassess every quarter, re-balance as needed, but stay with your plan. If that causes you too much heartburn, then move a portion of your holdings into bonds and then watch closely. At some point you will want to get back to your “pre-panic” balance. Likely you will miss some of the trends upward before you know it, but I don’t think that will be next week or next month, maybe not even next year. If you find yourself watching your balance every day and wringing your hands, then the next several quarters will be difficult for you. <br /> Tomorrow we’ll talk more about how this whole scenario developed<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-73844229088252737122008-01-22T18:57:00.000-05:002008-01-22T20:48:39.007-05:00Recession - What's Happening?What is the trigger?<br /><br />There can be no doubt that we are in the midst of some very troublesome economic times. The meltdown of the housing industry in the wake of all the greedy sub-prime lending coupled with $100 a barrel oil have put the U.S. economy in a real tizzy. Worldwide, markets are being affected by the weakening of the U.S. dollar, and there is no shortage of headlines to stir up public emotions in every major city. The problem is serious enough without the chicken little “sky is falling” headlines. But when I read the leading article headers on three online news sources before 6am this morning and they all were trumpeting the drop of every major foreign market over the three-day weekend, they seemed to me to be a sort of guarantee of panic among investors here as well, as soon as the markets opened today. Investing is so sensitive to emotion that national economies are vulnerable to such media hype. Today was a disaster for the markets in China, and that will have a serious effect on our markets on Wednesday, no doubt. People have their narrow little comfort zone and it doesn’t take much to discomfort them. But it seems clear to me that too much of what drives us is fear, not facts. Headlines, not hard evidence. You see, when the headlines around the world hammer on the topic of the housing crunch, foreign investors get jittery. When they get jittery they steer investments away from the U.S. markets, the balance of trade becomes further unbalanced, and the dollar weakens. The weakened dollar causes a whole cascade of other problems including the impact on American tourists abroad paying more than they imagined for their vacations, and that results in less foreign travel. We really do now have a global economy and just like a mobile, if you touch one part of it, the whole thing moves. What is a little scarey is that in recent times it seems that you only have to look like you might touch it, and the whole thing starts to move.<br /><br />We know that it is the institutional investor that drives the markets, right? Not the individual trying to eke out another point or two from his IRA or his 401K. But I’m beginning to believe that panic stirred up by “worst case scenario” reporting can galvanize a large body of private investors and they can become a force in the financial markets too. I don’t believe that a single pension fund manager or other institutional investor with a portfolio of $500 million to manipulate is going to have much more influence on market trends than 50,000 individuals all moving around their $10,000, or 20,000 trying to decide where to put their $25,000 401K funds. The point is that if enough momentum develops based on panic created by headlines, $500 million dollars can create a pretty good shift, and I think that is what we are beginning to see repeated over and over, day after day. Abroad, the media is telling foreign investors that the U.S. is headed for a serious recession and they better protect themselves. Not too unlike my whole generation sitting in the hallways of our elementary schools with our heads covered by our arms because we were all sure that at any moment a nuclear bomb was going to land on our heads. Now, I’m not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but I do know that sitting on the floor with my hands over my ears is not going to offer much protection from a nuclear blast. But since we seem to now have a very large herd of panicky investors pushing us to the brink of recession, we do need to have a plan for protecting our retirement finances. Tomorrow we’ll talk about how to protect your 401K, or at least how to reduce your losses in these turbulent times.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-4881213827792346782008-01-21T18:56:00.000-05:002008-01-21T19:14:25.523-05:00Wealth and HappinessAs a young person I thought that if I could ever accumulate a lot of wealth I would surely be very happy. From what I observe today, there are still a lot of folks who believe that. They work so hard and devote so much of their time and energy to the accumulation of wealth and the acquisition of "stuff" that they have very little time left for anything that truly matters. I have known wealthy people. I have known happy people. In some few cases I have known wealthy people who were also very happy. But the interesting thing is that the ones who were both wealthy and happy were happy long before they achieved any wealth at all. When they were poor or just making their way like the vast majority of us, they really valued their relationships with friends and family above all else. For a few, they placed their spiritual well-being above wealth, but seemed to have financial success anyway. They worked hard for it, but kept such work in perspective and kept their lives in balance. Once they became wealthy, they had no hesitation in using their wealth to benefit others, to help others in need, to share their time and their wealth. But without exception, they told me they were no more or less happy being wealthy than they were at any other point in their lives. And the few wealthy folks I knew who did not have their lives in balance or their egos in check, were miserable, unpleasant to be around, and obsessed with themselves and their supposed importance. But money alone does not grant happiness or status, at least not among those who know the value of more important things.<br /><br />Ross Perot found this out firsthand. "Right after my company got successful, as a young man I met some of the wealthiest people in the world. I found that they were such unhappy, lonely people... I learned that money and happiness are unrelated." So, if you are unhappy today, it would be wise to look further than your bank balance for the source of your troubles. There is no doubt that having money makes many things easier, and I recall one very wealthy person saying that "I've been rich and I've been poor. Given a choice I would choose rich." But what if you don't have that choice? Happiness is not something you can buy at any price, nor is it something that another can take from you if you truly possess it. We must learn to love what we have, and not pine for what we do not have, and choose to be happy. Appreciate what we have, reach out to help others, and happiness will find us.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3042013402212568556.post-65553030713705190972008-01-19T14:06:00.000-05:002008-01-21T11:48:02.247-05:00Recession - Will it affect you?Many of the folks I know and work with seem to be totally unconcerned about all the recession talk. It is not the most frequent topic of conversation. In fact, many are not even all that sure what a recession really is. Wikipedia provides this information: In <a title="Macroeconomics" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macroeconomics">macroeconomics</a>, a recession is a decline in any country's <a title="Gross domestic product" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_product">gross domestic product</a> (GDP), or negative real <a title="Economic growth" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_growth">economic growth</a>, for two or more successive <a title="Fiscal year" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiscal_year">quarters</a> of a year. However, in the United States the official designation of recessions is done by the business-cycle dating committee of the <a title="National Bureau of Economic Research" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Bureau_of_Economic_Research">National Bureau of Economic Research</a> (Feldstein, 2007). That Bureau defines a recession more ambiguously as "a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months."<br /><br />Like the law of gravity though, you do not need to understand it to be affected by it. The fact is, if we do indeed continue toward a recession, it will affect everyone in our society in some way, though some far more than others. The phenomenon that interests me most though is the way that the media frenzy over certain things seems to push us in the direction of our fears. The mere mention of recession seems to create in us a tendency to take steps that will make a true recession even more likely, like some self-fulfilling prophecy. Many other factors are at play here, of course, but our own fears must certainly take a significant chunk of the blame for the general direction of the economy. It is not at all unusual for the herd to head in some general direction based on some murmurings and grumblings, without any clear vision of just where they are going...or why. (I also happen to believe that the tendency of the workforce to demand more pay and benefits for less and less production pushes us further from stability and closer to recession, but let's save that for another day)<br /><br />To reduce or minimize the effect that any cycle of the economy might have on you, it would be wise to avoid the herd altogether. The herd of baby boomers have some things in common that are not at all to our advantage. For example, the herd has not planned well for retirement. The herd does not have the reputation for saving. The herd has not typically learned to deny themselves any instant gratification that the media pushes at them. No, as a group, we have not invested in 401K plans or Keoghs or IRA's to the extent we probably should have. We indulged ourselves with bigger and better and newer and more conspicuous "stuff", instead of fixing up what we have or making do with what we have and realizing that we don't necessarily NEED all the things we WANT. As a result, as a herd, baby boomers might be hit pretty hard by a recession, right at a time when they are least prepared to handle it. What about you? Do you have access to liquid assets to cover 3 to 6 months of basic living expenses? Have you made most of your major purchases with cash rather than plastic? Have you learned to identify what you need, and resist at least some of your wants? Are you impressed by all the "bling", or do you still have an appreciation for the simple but elegant things that are designed to serve us well and last a long time?<br /><br />My wife and I were talking this morning about a new phone being advertised that has a GPS feature. We agreed that it was a really neat idea and that we would like to have one. Then we both quickly realized that the cell phone with a camera in it also seemed like such an important thing to have, that when our phones were due to upgrade, we both got camera phones. The camera feature seemed like such a great idea, but we both quickly found that the novelty didn't last and we rarely have had any reason to use it. To me, that was just one recent example of how the media helped us to waste money on something we at first knew nothing about. Constant advertising helped to create in us a want for this new technology, and then in time we allowed the constant bombardment to change that want into a need. The passage of time, and very little time at that, turned that into "I have no idea why I thought I needed this thing." And it is not just cellphones, it's everything new that is flying at us from every direction.<br /><br />Will the recession, if there is one, affect you? You bet it will. but how much it will affect you has a lot to do with how you are living your life from day to day. There is a certain protection in simplicity.<div class="blogger-post-footer">visit http://thenew50.blogspot.com</div>Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16115997715151785952noreply@blogger.com0