The escalating retirement age
Posted: September 15, 2012 at 1:13 am
In June, Robert Benmosche, the chairman of the insurance giant American International Group, said an increase in the retirement age was unavoidable. What surprised many is how high he predicted the age would go.
"Retirement ages will have to move to 70, 80 years old," Benmosche told Bloomberg. "That would make pensions, medical services more affordable. They will keep people working longer and will take that burden off of the youth."
Currently, Americans are eligible for early retirement at 62, and full retirement at 66. The loss of retirement funds during the economic downturn forced many to acknowledge that they would have to work longer. But Benmosche's statement shocked many. Will people really have to work a decade or more longer than they expected to make ends meet in retirement?
The answer is yes, according to some retirement experts. A number of factors, accelerated by the Great Recession, are now forcing people to change the ways they save for and think about retirement.
"Most people didn't have enough retirement savings before the downturn. The downturn was the two-by-four hit over the head that made them realize this result," says Steve Vernon, the president of Rest-of-Life Communications, a company that helps people adjust the way they save for their post-work years.
The U.S. government has already acknowledged that the official retirement age will need to increase further than the already-revised 67 years. But doubts about the long-term solvency of Social Security linger. And the need for retirees to find funding beyond the government entitlement is making the official age obsolete anyway.
"The idea of retirement is morphing into a period of time where you work for an extended period, perhaps not making as much money or as many hours, but you still bring in money and keep going," Vernon says.
He says there are two primary reasons for the change:
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The escalating retirement age
Holloway eyes long stay in competition
Posted: at 1:13 am
MAN of the match Craig Holloway said after his side's 3-0 win against Faversham that he was very happy with his own personal performance but also paid credit to Faversham for the way they played.
Holloway produced a string of fine saves, especially in the second half, to keep the score at 2-0 before Gate wrapped the game up late on.
Sat 11 Aug 2012. - Football - Margate FC 2012-2013 Squad Photo Shoot. - Hartsdown Stadium, Hartsdown Road, Margate. - Craig Holloway.
Holloway said: "It's good feeling to get man-of-the-match. A couple of the saves I would have expected to make, the one from Wayne Wilson's effort was not too bad and then my mate Danny (Hockton) as well. He text me earlier in the day saying he would score so I had to keep him out.
"They came at us and it became very open in the last 20 as they had nothing to lose, they were throwing bodies forwards. Our centre halves and full backs put their bodies on the line and kept them out, it was a great performance from them.
"Our second goal was a special goal, it was a great counter attack. Rooky did well but I think Longy (Sam Long) gave him some info to let it go before he smashed it in.
"There is a good team ethic here at the minute. We are very organised and when we go into games we don't want to lose, we must be hard to beat and express ourselves."
Carl Rook was also on target on Tuesday but also had a contender for miss of the season when he scooped over from about a yard out with the goal at his mercy.
He said: "How I missed that I'll never know. I was on the line and I took a lot of stick off the fans which I deserved for that one, it was shocking. God knows how it went over the bar but it was harder to miss than score.
"We want easy draws but Aveley is not a very nice pitch. Faversham's pitch was OK but the last time I played at Aveley it was awful. It's the beauty of the FA Cup, seeing non-league teams go far."
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Holloway eyes long stay in competition
Second honeymoons
Posted: at 1:12 am
Social Climate By Mahar Mangahas Philippine Daily Inquirer
Not only President Noynoy Aquino but also other top officials achieved new personal bests in public satisfaction in the third quarter 2012
Social Weather Survey, which was conducted last Aug. 24-27 and released through BusinessWorld the last two Fridays.
The President. Compared to the second quarter 2012 survey of May 24-27, the percentage satisfied with P-Noys performance rose to 77 from 63, and the percentage dissatisfied with him fell to 10 from 21.
Consequently, his net satisfaction rating rose from +42 in May to +67 in August, topping his previous best of +64 in November 2010. Both his old and new personal bests are classified by SWS as Very Good (+50 to +69).
P-Noys net rating rose most of all in the National Capital Region, from merely +18 (Moderate) in May to +59 in August. It also rose significantly in Balance of Luzon, from +41 (Good) to +70 (Excellent), and in the Visayas, from +41 (Good) to +76 (Excellent). In Mindanao, it was at a Very Good + 61 in both May and August.
Everyone is entitled to do her/his own analysis of the survey findings. Personally, I do not emphasize too much the timing of the interviewsthat is to say, during the tragic week of mourning for the lost Interior Secretary Jesse Robredobecause I prefer to look at the total picture encompassing the two successive quarters, in which the obvious big difference was the ouster of Chief Justice Renato Corona. For that very popular move, the people apparently give credit not only to P-Noy but also to other top officials.
Another remarkable thing is that this new personal best has happened as late as the ninth quarter of P-Noys term, when the honeymoon should normally be over. In the surveys closest to their ninth quarters, the net ratings of Presidents Cory Aquino and Fidel V. Ramos were +64 and +55, respectivelyalso Very Good, but below P-Noys nowwhile that of Joseph Erap Estrada was merely +13 (Moderate). Their respective personal bests of +72, +69 and +67 happened much earlier in their terms. (Comparing with Gloria Arroyo is no use, since her personal best in nine years as president was a mere +30.)
The Vice President. Vice President Jojo Binay likewise scored a new personal best in August, with 82 percent satisfied versus only 6 percent dissatisfied, for a net rating of +76, after already having posted successive excellent +70s in both the first and the second quarters. His previous best was +74 in March 2011.
To me, it is proper to compare a vice president not with a president but with previous VPs. As popular as Jojo Binay presently is, some past VPs were even more popular. In FVRs time, his VP
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Second honeymoons
The Daily Drivers car review: 2013 Audi A5 Coupe
Posted: at 1:12 am
The Daily Drivers | By Peter Couture and Lyra Solochek, Times Staff Writers
By Peter Couture and Lyra Solochek, Times Staff Writers Peter CoutureLyra SolochekTampa Bay Times In Print: Saturday, September 15, 2012
Audi gives its A5 a gentle facelift for 2013 that keeps it one of the more striking coupes on the road. The midsize A5 is more about style and personal luxury than performance, but that doesn't mean it suffers in the get-up-and-go department. Audi also makes a cabriolet, a convertible A5.
Appearance: Audi has remade the A5 with sleeker designs, with crisp body creases and yet more flowing lines than the previous model. The biggest change comes in the headlights that bookend the now single-frame grille. They are more angled and carry Audi's iconic light strips as daylight running lights. It's both an aggressive and elegant look very R8. The taillights also now have LEDs.
Performance: The turbocharged 2-liter four-cylinder produces 211 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, which may not be performance-car numbers, but still makes for some fun acceleration. We noticed turbo lag only when really stepping on it. The electromechanical steering is responsive, with good feedback. The A5 has Audi's quattro all-wheel drive, which makes for a composed ride and handling. We think the 8-speed tiptronic automatic is one of the smoother transmissions on the market its shifts are almost imperceptible and it helps the A5 get decent fuel economy.
Interior: The A5 is more about personal luxury for the driver and front passenger. There's ample headroom and legroom, as well as power leather seats (12-way for driver and eight-way for the passenger). Its low roofline doesn't allow much headroom or legroom in the rear. Better leave the back seats for kids. Elsewhere, the cabin has Audi's usual fine fit and finish, even though there's a little more plastic than we'd like in a luxury model. Lyra found the front seats to be plush and comfortable, but Peter would have liked more lumbar support after taking the A5 on a jaunt to Orlando. Audi seems to be making its multimedia interface a bit more intuitive, but the A5's controller knob is far forward on the dash's console. We remain annoyed that Audi builds in an extra step to control the AC fan speed. Peter also found the placement of the button for the in-dash driver information display confusing. Why is it on the tip of the windshield washer stalk? Instead of a push button, you press the key fob into the dash to start the car. The panoramic sunroof brings in lots of light, but the shade screen is opened and closed manually.
Our 3 favorites
Peter Couture
Sleek styling: A coupe should attract attention. It does.
Driving modes: You can choose from four settings.
Getting personal: Chavez Jr. vs. Martinez in Vegas
Posted: at 1:12 am
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Just the idea of a big 160-pound fight had promoter Bob Arum reminiscing about the 1980s, when Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns took on all comers and middleweights ruled the boxing world.
Saturday night's fight between Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Sergio Martinez isn't exactly Hagler-Hearns, but it is intriguing enough to get boxing fans excited about the middleweight division again.
Chavez defends the piece of the 160-pound title Martinez believes should still be his when they meet in a fight that seems quite personal to both. There's a good chance the fight could turn into an old-fashioned brawl, the prospect of which was enough to sell out the 19,000-seat UNLV campus arena for the Mexican Independence Day weekend bout.
Chavez Jr. is fighting to escape from the shadow of his father, the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez, and establish himself as one of the new stars of the sport. Martinez is trying to solidify his position as the best middleweight in the world, and dispatch a fighter he doesn't think even deserves to be in a title fight.
At the final pre-fight news conference, they traded verbal shots, with Martinez about as angry about an opponent as any fighter can get.
''It will not be an easy knockout,'' Martinez said. ''I will punish him a lot and after that I will knock him out.''
Martinez is a 2-1 favorite in the scheduled 12-round bout, which will be for the WBC title that Martinez held before being stripped of it by the ratings organization. Chavez ended up fighting for the vacated title against Sebastian Zbik, part of the reason Martinez says he has a lot of animosity toward him.
''It is very simple. I cannot accept the fact he is world champion,'' Martinez said. ''The only reason he is world champion is because he is Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the son of the legend, and his mouth is so big - even bigger than his own brain - and he's talking too much.''
The fight is part of a big boxing night in this gambling city that also features Mexican sensation Saul ''Canelo'' Alvarez in a 154-pound title defense against Josesito Lopez a few blocks away at the MGM Grand hotel. The Chavez-Martinez fight will be broadcast on HBO pay-per-view at a suggested price of $49.95, while the Alvarez fight will be broadcast without an extra charge on Showtime.
Chavez, who has struggled in recent fights trying to make the 160-pound limit, was a surprisingly light 158 pounds at the official weigh-in Friday. Martinez came in at 159 pounds.
Dr. Venus Opal Reese Unlocks Secrets to Business Success at Live Event
Posted: at 1:12 am
DALLAS, Sept. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Dr. Venus Opal Reese (drvenusopalreese.com), chief executive mentor, speaker, author, and entrepreneurial coach, announces that the next installment of her "Be a Business Bad-A$$" live event is scheduled in Dallas on September 27, 28, and 29. Dr. Reese has earned a reputation and a following for her unique approach to business success by helping professionals recognize the link between self worth and entrepreneurial progress. She has been featured on national news programs, consulted O Magazine, and her work has been produced in off-Broadway productions. Reese is known as the "defy impossible" expert because she has transformed her life from "the streets to Stanford," meaning she grew up literally living on the Baltimore streets to earning a Ph.D. from Stanford University.
This event is designed to benefit C-level executives, entrepreneurs, and other purpose-driven high achievers. Topics for discussion and analysis include strategies to strengthen the link between expertise and self worth, techniques to leverage confidence into true money-making success, and untapping hidden potential that comes from obstacles.
"Successful high-achievers are often the most driven and the most unfulfilled. They know how to make it happen but struggle with letting themselves feel good and proud. Trust me I know. Getting off the streets and through Stanford didn't mean I valued myselfparticularly from a money-making standpoint," Reese explained. "Like so many successful purpose-driven leaders, I looked impressive on the outside but felt bad on the inside. This is why I teach business professionals how to see themselves with compassionate eyesso they can take new, inspired actions that make them proud. My work is all about knowing your intrinsic worth, your game-changing genius, and leveraging that in the marketplace, rather than your survival masquerading as your title, bank account, or your credential."
The "Be a Business Bad-A$$," live event will take place September 27, 28, and 29 at the Luxe Stoneleigh Hotel and Spa in Dallas. Registration is available at http://www.beabusinessbadass.com/live or by calling 214.551.9233.
About Dr. Venus Opal Reese Dr. Venus Opal Reese is a speaker, author, chief executive mentor, "Business Bad-A$$" entrepreneur coach, and theatre artist. She has consulted O Magazine and has been featured on ABC News, CBS News, PBS, in Glamour magazine, Diversity Inc. and the Associated Press. Her keynotes, programs, trainings, services, and systems are based on more than 20 years of research, teaching, personal experience, and multiple branches of theoretical and philosophical training. She is a former Coast Guard Reservist, as well as an advocate for the Birdhouse for Women in Recovery, a nonprofit. More information on this dynamic entrepreneur is at drvenusopalreese.com.
For more information, please contact: Dr. Venus Opal Reese, dr.vor@defyimpossible.com, 214.551.9233
This press release was issued through eReleases Press Release Distribution. For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.
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Dr. Venus Opal Reese Unlocks Secrets to Business Success at Live Event
Hatching entrepreneurial success
Posted: at 1:12 am
14 September 2012 Last updated at 10:26 ET By Gillian Sharpe BBC Scotland News
In a large open plan office in a building in the Gorbals in Glasgow, small groups of people or individuals are hard at work.
There is a quiet buzz about the place. Some are on the phone, others looking at papers or their computer, some chatting.
These fledgling businesses have already made it through a selection process to join those already taking part in the Entrepreneurial Spark business start-up accelerator programme.
It is designed to help businesses get up and running successfully and, as their website puts it, "to drive entrepreneurial mindsets and behaviours".
This whole room is known as the hatchery, the businesses as chicklets, the aim to help them fly the coop.
Over the next few months, BBC Scotland will be following some of these businesses on their journey, through the highs and lows of setting up your own.
A contemporary country band might seem like a rather unusual business start-up but Paul Bain and Claire McArthur, who perform together as Raintown, are doing just that.
Both are very aware that the music business is changing.
"This is a whole new music business landscape," Paul tells me.
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Hatching entrepreneurial success
Penn State finds success on 4th down, despite skid
Posted: at 1:12 am
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Fourth-and-1 at midfield on the game's opening drive, and Penn State is going for it.
The previous regime might have played it safe in such a situation and punted to play for field position. Most other coaches probably would, too.
But these are Bill O'Brien's Nittany Lions now.
''So once we get really close to the 50, I'm pretty much not going to punt it,'' the coach said this week. ''I'm just going to tell you that.''
Talk about a new era at Penn State.
So many changes have engulfed the program hit by scandal and strict NCAA sanctions, and one of the biggest is the coach and his strategy. O'Brien arrived in January from the New England Patriots, where he coordinated a high-octane offense, and ever so slowly, he is trying to employ the same aggressive approach at Penn State.
The results so far have been so-so. Navy (0-1) visits Beaver Stadium on Saturday, with Penn State hoping to avoid its first season-opening three-game slide since it was 0-4 in 2001.
The offense is young or inexperienced at most of the skill positions. The execution has been sporadic in the red zone. But there's no doubt that the play-calling has been spiced up, and that's all O'Brien.
The Nittany Lions converted two fourth-and-1 plays in the opening drive last week against Virginia, leading to Kyle Carter's 8-yard touchdown reception for a 7-0 lead.
Later, linebacker Glenn Carson ran for 19 yards and a first down on a fake punt on fourth-and-4 from the Penn State 42. And backup quarterback Steven Bench ran for 15 on a fourth-and-3 from the 50 for another first down later in the second quarter.
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Penn State finds success on 4th down, despite skid
Extra: Is online education a threat to teachers? – Video
Posted: at 1:10 am
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Extra: Is online education a threat to teachers? - Video
Google and Khan Academy Launch Search for Top Online Educators
Posted: at 1:10 am
Earlier this week we told you about Google's new Course Builder open source software designed to help independent educators create their own online curriculums. Now Google is taking its commitment to online education a bit further by teaming up with Khan Academy to launch Next EDU Gurus, a search for emerging online education superstars.
What makes the Next EDU Guru program unique is that it focuses on an educator's ability to leverage video to deliver their messages to students. Over the course of the next two weeks, a panel consisting of education and video experts from Google and Khan Academy will review entrants who apply to the program. Ten winners will be flown to San Francisco to receive further training and support from YouTube and Khan Academy staff, as well as a $1,000 B&H gift card to be used for video production equipment.
A look at the program's video message offers a clear signal to would-be entrants that Next EDU Guru is looking for individuals who know how to creatively educate through entertainment and story telling rather than simply posting dry instructional videos online.
In a post announcing the program YouTube Education team member Angela Lin reinforced this focus on creativity.
"Do you set historical events to music? Doodle your geometry? Sing your Shakespeare? We're looking for content creators who create all kinds of curriculum-related videos, from grammar to geography, history to histograms. You can submit any style of video as long as its educational and family-friendlyjust bear in mind that we're looking for content creators who can take people on a journey through a topic," she wrote.
The only apparent down side of the program is that it is currently limited to residents from English-speaking countries including the U.S., Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, the U.K., and Canada (excluding residents of Quebec). Winners flown out to the three-day workshop, scheduled for Oct. 17-19, will receive a daily per diem, meals, and the possibility of being granted a Khan Academy fellowship.
Although the program will certainly give the online education movement a boost, it's also a way for Google to bolster its video advertising initiativesYouTube will only consider entrants who already have monetization enabled for at least half of all videos in their channel archive on YouTube. Those interested in trying their hand at becoming a part of online education history don't have long to prepare, the deadline for applications is Oct. 1.
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Google and Khan Academy Launch Search for Top Online Educators