The base pay for a California state prison guard is $73,728, and with overtime many guards earn up to $100,000 annually. Five years ago Los Angeles Times reported that 6,000 guards were earning more than $100,000. One lieutenant raked in $252,570. Besides generous salaries and benefits, prison guards in California can retire as early as age 50. In retirement they are eligible to receive as much as 90 percent of their income: According to the state retirement formula, guards over 50 receive a percentage of their last year’s salary equal to three times the number of years worked. The prison population is growing 3 times faster than the state population--more jobs for union guards?
The price of prison guard unions
Monday, October 10, 2011
Thursday, September 08, 2011
Too Much Debt to Retire
Although you can blame the economy, this part of the article makes more sense--what was going on for the now 60 year olds in the mid-decade.
"The combination of easy credit, low interest rates and a consumption-oriented culture helped fuel a spending binge for Americans until the financial crisis. People with problems aren't just those who took subprime loans or spent foolishly on lavish lifestyles. They are people from all backgrounds, including some with six-figure incomes."
Too Much Debt to Retire - SmartMoney.com
"The combination of easy credit, low interest rates and a consumption-oriented culture helped fuel a spending binge for Americans until the financial crisis. People with problems aren't just those who took subprime loans or spent foolishly on lavish lifestyles. They are people from all backgrounds, including some with six-figure incomes."
Too Much Debt to Retire - SmartMoney.com
Monday, June 06, 2011
Valuing Seniors' Lives - Investors.com
"A commercial showing granny being pushed over a cliff by a person resembling Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., was recently put out by the Agenda Project, implying that the Ryan budget will kill old people by changing Medicare.
For the sake of accuracy, granny should have been dispatched by a character resembling Cass Sunstein, President Obama's head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
The Ryan budget attempts to curb the explosive growth of entitlements such as Medicare and Social Security so they are there for granny without burdening the grandchildren with unconscionable debt. Sunstein, as was pointed out during congressional testimony last Friday, literally believes granny should be sacrificed in favor of the kids.
In testimony before the House energy and commerce subcommittees on oversight and investigations, the 56-year-old Sunstein tried to walk back comments he made in a 2003 paper, "Lives, Life-years, and Willingness to Pay," written while he was a professor at Obama's one-time home, the University of Chicago."
Valuing Seniors' Lives - Investors.com
For the sake of accuracy, granny should have been dispatched by a character resembling Cass Sunstein, President Obama's head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
The Ryan budget attempts to curb the explosive growth of entitlements such as Medicare and Social Security so they are there for granny without burdening the grandchildren with unconscionable debt. Sunstein, as was pointed out during congressional testimony last Friday, literally believes granny should be sacrificed in favor of the kids.
In testimony before the House energy and commerce subcommittees on oversight and investigations, the 56-year-old Sunstein tried to walk back comments he made in a 2003 paper, "Lives, Life-years, and Willingness to Pay," written while he was a professor at Obama's one-time home, the University of Chicago."
Valuing Seniors' Lives - Investors.com
How to travel a lot without being a millionaire | Lifecruiser
You'll find some good tips from a blogger I've followed for many years. She lives cheap at home so they can afford to travel.
How to travel a lot without being a millionaire | Lifecruiser
How to travel a lot without being a millionaire | Lifecruiser
Your Retirement Checklist for Your 70s and Beyond
Take a look at this check-list, you might need to reevaluate. Includes a link to long term care.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Ischemic bowel disease
Just one more thing for older people to know about--I'd never heard of this condition, but apparently it does affect older people, one article I read said over 60, another over 70.
Ischemia, the noun for ischemic, means a low oxygen state due to inadequate blood flow. Bowel refers to the small and large intestine.
I received word that a friend was in the hospital, and when I called, I found out she has been in for two weeks, first in ICU, then step down, and she may be transferred to yet another hospital. She became ill at home with vomiting and diarrhea, called a friend to come, but had passed out by the time the friend got there. Another 2 hours delay and she would have been dead.
Read the article. Be informed.
Your Health -
Ischemia, the noun for ischemic, means a low oxygen state due to inadequate blood flow. Bowel refers to the small and large intestine.
Ischemic bowel disease results from inadequate flow of oxygenated blood to the intestines. The extent of ischemic bowel disease can range from mild to severe based on the amount of damage from lack of oxygenated blood. This is a potentially serious condition and requires care from your doctor.
I received word that a friend was in the hospital, and when I called, I found out she has been in for two weeks, first in ICU, then step down, and she may be transferred to yet another hospital. She became ill at home with vomiting and diarrhea, called a friend to come, but had passed out by the time the friend got there. Another 2 hours delay and she would have been dead.
Read the article. Be informed.
Your Health -
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Monday, April 04, 2011
Public pension crisis has some bracing for worst
"A recent study of some 126 state-sponsored pension plans by the Center for Retirement Research revealed that assuming investment returns of 6%, the plans will run out of money by 2023 or 2025, depending on their framework.
Assuming an even more generous 8% investment return, the plans will run out of money in 2033 or 2041."
Should you take out your public pension funds and reinvest on your own?
Investment News
"The Ohio House of Representatives is weighing a slate of changes to the state's five public pension plans, including tying the cost-of-living-adjustment to the Consumer Price Index and capping it at 3%, instead of an automatic 3% increase.
Another part of the law would raise contributions by police officers and firefighters to 12%, from 10%, and raise the age at which employees could take their full pension to 52, from 48."
Although I retired at 60, it looks like today you should plan to work to 65 or 70, unless you've put aside other funds, as we had done. I don't regret a minute that I've had those 10 good years of activities and travel I enjoy--on the other hand, retirement is much more expensive than I imagined. I'm thankful I was able to sock away 15% in tax deferred plans, and for many years learned not to use my income which would have resulted in a more materialistic lifestyle.
Assuming an even more generous 8% investment return, the plans will run out of money in 2033 or 2041."
Should you take out your public pension funds and reinvest on your own?
Investment News
"The Ohio House of Representatives is weighing a slate of changes to the state's five public pension plans, including tying the cost-of-living-adjustment to the Consumer Price Index and capping it at 3%, instead of an automatic 3% increase.
Another part of the law would raise contributions by police officers and firefighters to 12%, from 10%, and raise the age at which employees could take their full pension to 52, from 48."
Although I retired at 60, it looks like today you should plan to work to 65 or 70, unless you've put aside other funds, as we had done. I don't regret a minute that I've had those 10 good years of activities and travel I enjoy--on the other hand, retirement is much more expensive than I imagined. I'm thankful I was able to sock away 15% in tax deferred plans, and for many years learned not to use my income which would have resulted in a more materialistic lifestyle.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Reed Krakoff set to hit fashion big-time after Michelle Obama carries $1,000 tote (and despite the price it's already sold out)
If a story looks really ridiculous, I run it through Snopes. I know. I know. Conservatives don't like this fact checking website because they say it's just a mom and pop outfit, but hey, I was a librarian for 25 years, and when I was checking facts, most of the time it was just me, by myself. Anyway, when I saw the story about Michelle Obama and the $1,000 handbag with a photo, I thought it was fake or photoshopped. First of all, it's an ugly, ugly bag,and second,it's teal and her shoes are blue. And this woman is giving "sacrifice" a bad name when she tells us to eat our carrots and she goes out for ribs. Could she really follow up that story with something this tacky? Don't know. I've always said her husband wasn't one of us, but I had hopes for her (by not one of us, I don't mean I'm a birther, because if his mother is an American, that's good enough for me).
Reed Krakoff set to hit fashion big-time after Michelle Obama carries $1,000 tote (and despite the price it's already sold out) | Mail Online
If you think this isn't a retirement story, look in your closet at all the funny looking bags you have. Or in the mirror--ha, ha.
Reed Krakoff set to hit fashion big-time after Michelle Obama carries $1,000 tote (and despite the price it's already sold out) | Mail Online
If you think this isn't a retirement story, look in your closet at all the funny looking bags you have. Or in the mirror--ha, ha.
Friday, March 11, 2011
In this case, sweating is a good sign
Recent work led by University of Iowa neuroscientist Natalie Denburg, Ph.D., suggests that for a significant number of older adults, measurable neuropsychological deficits do seem to lead to poor decision-making and an increased vulnerability to fraud. The findings also suggest that these individuals may experience disproportionate aging of a brain region critical for decision-making.
"Our research suggests that elders who fall prey to fraudulent advertising are not simply gullible, depressed, lonely or less intelligent. Rather, it is truly more of a medical or neurological problem," said Denburg, who is an assistant professor of neurology in the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. "Our work sheds new light on this problem and perhaps may lead to a way to identify people at risk of being deceived."
What I found interesting was that they can measure poor decision making and sweating--apparently, it's good to sweat the small stuff! "Good decision-makers display different anticipatory responses (amount of sweating) prior to a good or a bad choice, which appears to help them discriminate between the two options. In contrast, the older adults with poor decision-making abilities did not sweat more or less when deciding between a good or bad choice."
Link
"Our research suggests that elders who fall prey to fraudulent advertising are not simply gullible, depressed, lonely or less intelligent. Rather, it is truly more of a medical or neurological problem," said Denburg, who is an assistant professor of neurology in the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. "Our work sheds new light on this problem and perhaps may lead to a way to identify people at risk of being deceived."
What I found interesting was that they can measure poor decision making and sweating--apparently, it's good to sweat the small stuff! "Good decision-makers display different anticipatory responses (amount of sweating) prior to a good or a bad choice, which appears to help them discriminate between the two options. In contrast, the older adults with poor decision-making abilities did not sweat more or less when deciding between a good or bad choice."
Link
Friday, February 25, 2011
Financial Health of the Cognitively Impaired May Be Forgotten
"The capacity to effectively manage one's finances is among the first things to go in individuals with emerging cognitive impairment, the authors note in their report. Patients with MCI may start by having trouble balancing their checkbook and paying bills; then, often within a year, they'll have trouble with more basic financial skills, such as counting coins and paying in cash.
"When a patient is diagnosed with MCI or mild dementia, the patient and family should be told that the patient's ability to manage their finances is going to decline probably relatively rapidly over the next couple of years," Dr. Widera said."
Financial Health of the Cognitively Impaired May Be Forgotten: Report
"When a patient is diagnosed with MCI or mild dementia, the patient and family should be told that the patient's ability to manage their finances is going to decline probably relatively rapidly over the next couple of years," Dr. Widera said."
Financial Health of the Cognitively Impaired May Be Forgotten: Report
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Save your brain--exercise!
"Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory, "
PNAS 2011 108 (7) 3017-3022; published ahead of print January 31, 2011
In the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study, "scientists started with 120 elderly volunteers who were relatively inactive but did not have dementia. Half were randomly assigned to begin walking 40 minutes a day, three days a week for a year while the remainder only stretched and performed toning exercises for the same time period. After 12 months, the group that walked showed an average 2% growth in the hippocampus compared with when they began, while the control groups suffered a more than 1% shrinkage in the same region compared with when the study started.
“If you estimate the change at an individual level,” says study co-author Arthur Kramer of the University of Illinois, “a yearlong exercise program can turn back the clock about two years with respect to the volume of the hippocampus.” "
Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/01/31/want-to-improve-your-memory-take-a-walk/#ixzz1Euftky36
PNAS 2011 108 (7) 3017-3022; published ahead of print January 31, 2011
In the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study, "scientists started with 120 elderly volunteers who were relatively inactive but did not have dementia. Half were randomly assigned to begin walking 40 minutes a day, three days a week for a year while the remainder only stretched and performed toning exercises for the same time period. After 12 months, the group that walked showed an average 2% growth in the hippocampus compared with when they began, while the control groups suffered a more than 1% shrinkage in the same region compared with when the study started.
“If you estimate the change at an individual level,” says study co-author Arthur Kramer of the University of Illinois, “a yearlong exercise program can turn back the clock about two years with respect to the volume of the hippocampus.” "
Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/01/31/want-to-improve-your-memory-take-a-walk/#ixzz1Euftky36
Monday, February 21, 2011
Boomers Find 401(k) Plans Come Up Short
You have to read to the midsection or botton to see why: many boomers started too late with too little. Vanguard now recommends 15% be set aside for retirement. Also, I'm not sure who came up with that idea that retirement life requires less than your working life. It's very expensive to do the things you waited all your life to do--or in my case, didn't know you wanted to do until you got there. And no, you can't retire early if you are paying off your kids college loans, got a divorce in mid-life, still have a mortgage, or you want to go out to eat a lot and travel more. Increase your savings, decrease your want list.
Boomers Find 401(k) Plans Come Up Short - WSJ.com
Boomers Find 401(k) Plans Come Up Short - WSJ.com
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Healthy Lifestyles Related to Subsequent Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Another reason to exercise, not smoke, and eat all the colors, just like mother said. Age related macular degeneration might be reduced as much as 3-fold.
Archives of Ophthalmology -- Abstract: Healthy Lifestyles Related to Subsequent Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, December 13, 2010, Mares et al. 0 (2010): archophthalmol.2010.314v1
Archives of Ophthalmology -- Abstract: Healthy Lifestyles Related to Subsequent Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, December 13, 2010, Mares et al. 0 (2010): archophthalmol.2010.314v1
Walking reduces Alzheimer's progression, 1.5-tesla MRI shows
"With the help of 1.5-tesla MRI, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have found that walking 5 miles per week helps reduce the progression of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease in adults already afflicted with the condition, according to a study presented today at the RSNA annual meeting.
The findings expand upon results of a previous study released last month, which found that walking at least 6 miles per week helped to preserve brain size and prevent the onset of dementia in healthy adults."
Read more here. Lethean Cottage: Walking reduces Alzheimer's progression, 1.5-tesla MRI shows
The findings expand upon results of a previous study released last month, which found that walking at least 6 miles per week helped to preserve brain size and prevent the onset of dementia in healthy adults."
Read more here. Lethean Cottage: Walking reduces Alzheimer's progression, 1.5-tesla MRI shows
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