ORLANDO, Fla.Don Kovac inserts a key, turns the lock and steps back in time. The one-bedroom, one-bath unit built in the 1960s has low ceilings, a small kitchen, little closets and 557 square feet reflecting a generation that didnt require much space in retirement.

This is not what the baby boomers want in a retirement community. They want big kitchens with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, walk-in closets, showers instead of tubs (unless they are Jacuzzis), wall space for flat-screen televisions and wireless Internet access.

And this is why Lutheran Haven in Oviedo, Fla., is part of a national trend that finds retirement communities reinventing themselves for the next generation of retirees, the silver tsunami of Americans just now entering their 60s.

The baby boomers want fitness, dining and fellowship, said Kovac, executive director of Lutheran Haven. We have no fitness equipment. We have a horseshoe pit nobody uses and a shuffleboard court. I dont think the boomers are going to want a shuffleboard court.

Elsewhere, retirement communities are linking with universities to attract college-educated boomers interested in lifelong learning. Glen

Meadows, in Glen Arm, Md., boasts of becoming the first in the nation to offer Masterpiece Living a program that stresses social, physical, spiritual and intellectual fulfillment.

CantaMia, a retirement community in Arizona, recently won recognition for its development specifically designed for boomers, including solar-heated green homes and a 30,000- square-foot facility that offers healthy cooking classes, Zumba, an indoor lap pool and a resort-style outdoor pool.

The wave of retirees is not here yet the first boomer turned 60 in 2006 but they are coming, and the retirement industry is already preparing for their arrival.

We need to start looking at this now, Kovac said. The wave is coming, and our campus is aging.

The transformation is taking place from working-class retirement communities such as Lutheran Haven to upscale facilities such as the Mayflower in Winter Park, Fla. Lutheran Havens most expensive unit, at $133,000, is about what the Mayflower charges for its entry-level apartment. Mayflowers most expensive is $670,170, along with a monthly fee of $3,886.

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Retirement communities being restyled to suit greater demands of baby boomers

This morning, April 23rd, former Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos safety Brian Dawkins announced his retirement, and the end of a 16 year NFL career, on the social media site Twitter.While there had been rumors that he was considering retirement, his fans are still sad to see this future Hall of Famer leave the sport.

Dawkins tweeted, "The Lord has blessed me to play in the NFL for 16 years. I would like to thank the Eagles & the Broncos 4 believing in me. I would like 2 thank all my teammates & Coaches that I have been blessed 2 go to battle with. Along with u, the fans 4 helping make my career 1 that I have enjoyed tremendously. In other words. I am announcing my retirement from the NFL #BBTB"

Given the announcement was on Twitter, his fans were quick to begin tweeting and Dawkins was soon trending. Here is what a few of his fans had to say:

Eric de le Sprecher tweeted, "Congrats Brian Dawkins for a great career in the NFL. This definitely shakes up the Bronco's D and draft scheme." As a Broncos fan, I can definitely say that Dawkins will be missed this season. I was hoping that Dawkins could have had another chance at the Super Bowl this year with Peyton Manning leading the team.

Denver Broncos fans are not the only ones sad to see Dawkins retiring. Eagles fan @scarroll13 tweets out, "Sad day in Eagles Nation - Brian Dawkins, a true legend (& my favorite pro athlete of all-time) is retiring #20B-Dawk"

Jake Sagal showed his appreciation of Dawkins by tweeting, "Thank you Brian Dawkins for 16 amazing seasons. I'm gonna miss seeing #20 make amazing plays out of nowhere. Thank you Brian."

Many question why Dawkins decided to retire before this season and a chance to play with Manning. Lushi Dia tweeted, "Why would Brian Dawkins retire?!?!! Wait at least after this year to see what Manning has left in him.."

However, the biggest question now regarding Dawkins retirement is if it will be as a Philadelphia Eagles member once again. According to reports, the Eagles have extended an invitation to Dawkins to return and retire with the Eagles during a game this season. CSNPhilly.com beat writer Reuben Frank has reported via Twitter, "Dawk has told the Eagles he'll retire as an Eagle. He'll be honored at a game this year. Might even be in town this week to talk about it." I guess we will just need to keep an eye on Twitter for the official word from Dawkins.

As a Broncos fan, I would like to extend a huge thank you to Dawkins for his time with the Broncos. He will definitely be missed this season.

Deborah Braconnier is a former athlete and avid football fan. She is a freelance writer and Featured Contributor for the NFL and Olympics. She has followed the Denver Broncos since she was a child and is looking forward to a season with QB Peyton Manning. Follow her on Twitter at @fwcdeborah.

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Brian Dawkins Announces Retirement from NFL Via Twitter and Twitter Responds: Fan Perspective

It's never too late to start planning your retirement security. Here's a one-size-fits-all strategy that will help secure an adequate stream of income in your later years.

With the giant baby boom generation entering traditional retirement years largely under-saved, the issue of how to secure adequate income for these years has been thrust under a national, if not global, spotlight. Thankfully, this is a fixable problem.

In a new study, Fidelity Investments and Strategic Advisers found that 38% of current retirees do not have enough income to cover their fixed monthly costs and that working Americans can expect a 28% income drop after they retire. Thats a sizable hole to plug and its made deeper by some false illusions.

(MORE: More Americans Flunk Themselves in Personal Finance)

For example, 66% of workers plan to work past their normal retirement age in order to make ends meet. But in reality only 12% will. Joblessness is part of the issue. But so is poor health. In fact, while just 34% of todays workers expect to be in fair or poor health at retirement age, the reality is that 43% will experience significant decline, according to the study.

These findings underscore the yawning need for more retirement security, and according to Fidelity the fix is much the same for every age groupthough the earlier you start the more certain the results. In a nutshell, here are five steps to adequate retirement income, regardless of age:

How do these steps fill the gaps? Lets look at a typical Generation X worker (aged 34 to 47). On average, in retirement this worker anticipates needing $4,900 of monthly income (in todays dollars). Yet looking at this workers assets and savings rate, the study found likely monthly income would be just $3,200 (through Social Security, pensions and savings withdrawals). That leaves a gap of $1,700 a month.

This worker can close the gap through the steps above. Heres how it works:

Start with asset allocation. Most of Gen X is way too conservative with just 50% invested in stocks. At 37, exposure should be 83%. Greater growth potential over the next 30 years translates into another $350 of monthly income in retirement. Savings? The typical Gen Xer is socking away 5% of pre-tax earnings in a tax-favored account. By increasing that rate one percentage point each year until the rate reaches 10%, and then maintaining it, the worker adds $550 of monthly income.

(MORE: Inside the Presidents Club)

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Retirement Income: 5 Steps to Fill the Gaps

The average baby boomer will fall far short on their necessary retirement income.

About 44% short.

Thats the grim prediction in a new study by Fidelity Investments which looked at average amounts saved, projected Social Security benefits, home equity and other factors across three demographic groups: baby boomers, Gen-Xers, and Generation Y (aka echo boomers).

Like the massive RETIRE Project Georgia State University conducted for decades, the Fidelity study assumes that because some expenses decline once you retire, you dont need as much income to maintain your standard of living.

But thats about where the similarity ends.

While the GSU study(1) estimates that an individual earning $50,000 to $90,000 per year needs to replace 80% of that amount the first year of retirement in order to maintain their standard of living, this amount includes the taxes youll still have to pay on some of your income/ On the other hand, the Fidelity study also assumes youll need 80% of your pre-retirement income, but on an after-tax basis.(2) As a result, the before-tax income you will need will actually be 25% higher than the monthly amount cited.

Numbers Dont Lie. Humans Do

Another potential flaw in the Fidelity Retirement Savings Assessment study is that it relied on self-reported data, which can be less than accurate compared to independent sources for income and account balances. For instance, the average Gen-X worker was found to have a median age of 37 and a current income of $72,000 before taxes. The average baby boomer- age 55- reported annual earnings of $74,000- just $2,000 a year higher. It seems a bit improbable that a 55 year old would only have a $2,000 income edge over someone 20 years younger.

Finally, while the survey included roughly 3,000 individuals ages 25 to 85, it was conducted entirely online, which naturally eliminates individuals who do not have access to a computer or wish to take the time to fill out an extensive survey.

The Shocking Shortfall

More:
Scary Retirement Numbers--No Matter How You Calculate Them

Retirement might seem like the last priority for small-business owners. But funding your retirement plan can save 30 to 40 cents on the dollar because of tax breaks.

If you started a business during the last few years, and then watched too much of your earnings evaporate at tax time, you might be able to change that.

If you aren't putting any money into aretirementsavings plan for your business, you are probably giving more than is necessary to Uncle Sam and short-changing your future too. And that is easy to fix.

It might seem like a mistake to stash anything away forretirementnow when your business is demanding so much cash and time. But becauseretirementsavings plans give you a tax break upfront when you contribute money to them, you can often stretch your money further simply by using one of these plans.

"Aretirementplan is critical," said Robert Keebler, a Green Bay, Wis., certified public accountant. "For every dollar you put away, you can save about 30 to 40 cents in taxes."

And once your money is in aretirementplan, Uncle Sam won't touch it until youretireand start pulling money out for living expenses after age 59 {. The money remains off-limits to taxes untilretirement, a much better alternative than keeping it in a bank savings account, where interest is taxed annually.

If you are a sole proprietor with no employees, setting up aretirementplan is almost as easy as opening a savings account. So you don't have to worry about another headache added to the demands of the day. "You go to a broker like TD Ameritrade or a mutualfundcompany like Fidelity, tell them you want to set up an individual 401(k), and that's it," said Denise Appleby, chief executive of ApplebyRetirementConsulting of Grayson, Ga. "It's simple."

The best plan for sheltering as much money as possible from taxes, she said, would be a solo 401(k). The amount you can save is based on a formula applied to your compensation.

For example, say you earn $100,000. Just like any 401(k), you will be able to contribute up to $17,000 as an employee in 2012. And anything you contribute will lower your taxable income. And, as a sole proprietor, you get an extra benefit. As the employer, you can also contribute about $18,000 through the company to your own 401(k), Appleby said. Your business then gets the benefit of reducing taxes by taking an $18,000 deduction.

So as you combine the $17,000 and $18,000, you come up with about a $35,000 contribution to yourretirement, and you get tax benefits on the entire amount. Try the calculator at http://www.tinyurl.com/smallbiz401k.

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Retirement strategy for small-business owners: Grab the tax break

Everyone wants to know how much money they need to save for retirement. When planning, don't forget to account for inflation and fluctuations in investment returns, Hamm says.

Over the last few months, Ive read several articles that center around the idea that people should be saving every possible dime that they can for retirement. For example, Daily Finance recently had an article entitled Forget the 4% Rule: Retirements Common Wisdom Is Obsolete:

The Simple Dollar is a blog for those of us who need both cents and sense: people fighting debt and bad spending habits while building a financially secure future and still affording a latte or two. Our busy lives are crazy enough without having to compare five hundred mutual funds we just want simple ways to manage our finances and save a little money.

The theory was simple: If you spent a maximum of 4% per year of your retirement funds, the decline in principle will be slow enough that your money would last as long as you did. Though the percentage seems modest and the reasoning sound, this 4% rule ignores two factors that have become increasingly, glaringly relevant: first, market volatility, which has battered retirement savings over the last decade, and second, inflation, the silent force that erodes purchasing power year after year.

What does that mean?

The other issue with basing your retirement plan on simple rules is that it can lead to complacency. But the idea that you can set it and forget it and everything will be fine is a trap.

There are so many experts telling people different things, that theyre not going to have to worry, DArruda said. A rule means something in writing, something enforceable. But in retirement planning, theres a fluctuating source. You cant take a guarantee.

Lets look at an example case from a reader that Ill call Marvin.

Marvin has $800,000 put away for retirement, mostly in really conservative stuff like bonds and cash. Overall, hes earning about 2% a year on his money. He was bitten by the stock market collapse in 2008 and doesnt want his money in stocks. Marvin wants to retire in ten years, so he wanted to know how much money he should be putting away.

I asked him a few questions. How much does he anticipate spending (in current dollars) per year in retirement? He told me about $50,000. What will his Social Security benefits look like? He estimated around $1,500 a month (adding up to about $18,000 a year).

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Retirement savings: How much is enough?

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22-04-2012 15:14 Live Snippet by Alex Clare performing הוֹרֵנִי published by JCreateTV YouTube view counts pre-publication: 42 All Copyrights go to Alexander Clare More Information on JCreate at

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הוֹרֵנִי - Alex Clare - Video

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23-04-2012 11:02 The URBAN CRUISER is a sleek and durable personal transporter that is comfortable and easy to use. A robust 1200W motor powered by three 12V 80AH SLA batteries which provide rugged, heavy-duty performance. Features include a windshield, user-friendly steering wheel, headlights, brake lights and turn signals, 13" wheels and rear-wheel drive for great outdoor performance. The URBAN CRUISER combines great comfort and stability with the latest in performance technology. Batteries and Charger included. Our Deluxe Personal Transporter with Windshield; Rooftop; Steering Wheel. Ask about optional huge rear wire basket; golf bag attachment; weather enclosure; CD/MP3/digital radio/speakers. Specifications: Accelerator: Hall Accelerator Continuously variable speed system; Battery: 12 Volt 80AH X 3 Brakes: Dynamic regenerative electromagnetic brake and mechanical drum brake Braking distance: 5.0m (dry surface) Body: Fiberglass Range: 50 - 60 km per battery charge Charger: Output: 110V (AC); 36V/8A fully automatic efficiency off-board pulse charger Chassis: Steel Controller: Curtis electronics - microprocessor-based PMV system providing optimal levels of torque Drive system: Rear-wheel direct drive, sealed mini transaxle, 36V DC motor Incline capability: 20% Lights and signals: Headlight, brake lights, turn signals Motor: DC 36V/1200W Overall size: Length: 1670mm (65.75"0 Width: 840mm (33.0") Height: 1660mm (65.35") Product weight: Unit: 125kg Batteries: 26.3 kg X 3 Total weight: 205 ...

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A Deluxe Personal Transporter The Urban Cruiser sleek durable freedom - Video

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Posted 24 April 2012 13:58pm by Martin Stockfleth Larsen with 0 comments

So, display advertising. Its a channel that many people deemed to be dead some years ago due to huge declines in CTR and conversion rates, but today online display advertising is hotter than ever.

The changing technology landscape has completely re-energised the whole display advertising space.

Not only are display-ad revenues growing faster than ever before, but how we use this channel in the overall marketing mix is being redefined, thanks to a lot of brave venture firms and Google.

1. A shift from offline to online

Marketing spend is shifting from offline to online marketing. The reason behind this is digitalization; people are increasingly spending time online, whether using a computer, tablet, smartphone or any other connected device.

Display is benefitting greatly from this shift.

2. Innovation

Innovation drives growth; thats a fact. Features like retargeting, RTB, DSP, DMP, SSP and DCO are finally becoming real.

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It´s time to get personal. Display, you’re next

By Joe Carroll - Mon Apr 23 20:30:15 GMT 2012

F. Carter Smith/Bloomberg

Aubrey McClendon, chairman and chief executive officer of Chesapeake Energy Corp.

Aubrey McClendon, chairman and chief executive officer of Chesapeake Energy Corp. Photographer: F. Carter Smith/Bloomberg

Workers labor on a Chesapeake Energy Corp. natural gas drill site in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Chesapeake has lost a quarter of its market value since the end of March as questions about McClendons finances compounded plunging natural-gas prices.

Workers labor on a Chesapeake Energy Corp. natural gas drill site in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Chesapeake has lost a quarter of its market value since the end of March as questions about McClendons finances compounded plunging natural-gas prices. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg

Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) Chief Executive Officer Aubrey McClendon has been adding oil fields to his personal holdings faster than he can find cash to drill them. Hes steering the company down the same road.

Chesapeake, producer of more U.S. natural gas than any company except Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), outspent its cash flow in 19 of the past 21 years while amassing millions of acres of drilling leases from the Rocky Mountains to Appalachia.

As the company moved to close this years projected funding gap with $12 billion in planned asset sales, investor criticisms of McClendon over a potential conflict of interest are stoking concern about the stability of the company. Chesapeake shares are down 22 percent this month, heading for the worst monthly loss since 2008, the last time McClendons personal finances intruded on company business.

Chesapeake is walking a tightrope right now, Mark Hanson, an analyst at Morningstar Inc. (MORN) in Chicago, said in a telephone interview. McClendon has shown a predilection to outspend, sometimes recklessly.

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Chesapeake 25% Decline Seen Spurred by Personal Conflict