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  • New? scam styles for 2008

    I guess people caught onto the heir scams, the constant spam about winning billions, the IRS refund scams and so now we have a newer take on all these.

    Among the current crop of emails are a new batch from dying persons allegedly in hospitals who want to give away all their money but are too sick to do so and can’t seem to contact their estate attorneys – but they have computers, Internet access and all and are quite able to use them…Okay – but after a few of the same sob stories it does gets tiresome – hey but at least the dead husband emails have stopped.

    Another batch are from those thanking me for contacting them and letting me know they have my money in escrow just awaiting my contacting them again including, of course, a strangely titled fee and verifying my address…Sure – like I ever contact you to being with [But I guess enough people do this to make it wort their while.]

    And those scammers who warn me that scammers are out there and to be careful – but letting me know they are not scammers like those others!

    But best of all I like the new end notes on the spammers emails – they only want me to buy into their business and tell me that they are not spamming and if I click on a particular link I will be removed and then – in serious tones – they tell me that any alleging that an email like theirs is spam – is engaging in illegal activity and link you to this “law.”

    I clicked thru on one of the remove me links – I usually don’t – but it went nowhere. And their link to the law does not say what they state – but I am guessing they scare off a lot who might report them. I don’t deal with the individual spammers but I sometimes alert senders that have bought into a spamming system. Many thank me and say they are just buying “leads” – usually sold under false pretenses so I figure they are business newbies and need warnings.

    Ah – life on the Internet – I have become a techie, love the online world, and know where my delete buttons are…

    glyconutrients, healthy aging, growing older, aging, nutrition, exercise, eating properly,

  • Happy 2008

    Four days into this new year and I feel it’s going to be a good one – for all of us!

    So here’s to everyone enjoying a healthy happy financially secure year in 2008 !

    glyconutrients, healthy aging, growing older, aging, nutrition, exercise, eating properly,

  • Another slap at those who retired

    Ahhhh- you work for a company for decades. You had good health and retirement benefits.

    Now? You might lose them or have them reduced if you are 65 and over.

    Why? See today’s news

    December 27, 2007
    U.S. Ruling Backs Benefit Cut at 65 in Retiree Plans
    By ROBERT PEAR

    WASHINGTON — The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Wednesday that employers could reduce or eliminate health benefits for retirees when they turn 65 and become eligible for Medicare.

    The policy, set forth in a new regulation, allows employers to establish two classes of retirees, with more comprehensive benefits for those under 65 and more limited benefits — or none at all — for those older.

    More than 10 million retirees rely on employer-sponsored health plans as a primary source of coverage or as a supplement to Medicare, and Naomi C. Earp, the commission’s chairwoman, said, “This rule will help employers continue to voluntarily provide and maintain these critically important health benefits.”

    Premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose an average of 6.1 percent this year and have increased 78 percent since 2001, according to surveys by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Because of the rising cost of health care and the increased life expectancy of workers, the commission said, many employers refuse to provide retiree health benefits or even to negotiate on the issue.

    In general, the commission observed, employers are not required by federal law to provide health benefits to either active or retired workers.

    Dianna B. Johnston, a lawyer for the commission, said many employers and labor unions had told it that “if they had to provide identical benefits for retirees under 65 and over 65, they would just drop retiree health benefits altogether for both groups.”

    In a preamble to the new regulation, published Wednesday in the Federal Register, the commission said, “The final rule is not intended to encourage employers to eliminate any retiree health benefits they may currently provide.”[emphasis mine – ld]

    Well it’s not the intention – but intentions don’t count….actions do..so wait and watch.

    What this can mean for many is that they can lose the “good” benefits if those benefits were the same as those of current under 65ers. A company may continue to provide the same benefits for all – but it now means they can change the benefits of those over 65 without it being considered age discrimination.

    Trust the company? The corporation? Maybe the very same ones who, when faced with problems and declining income for their shareholders, cut the pensions and the feds said “sure?”

    And, do you think the CEO’s will also face this or any downward changes? Or will they still have the top of the line health and pension/retirement benefits while you are now possibly going to lose yours?

    Isn’t it great to be aging in the good old us of a?

    Me? I’d prefer what the nay sayers call “socialized medicine.” Let’s all have the same health insurance benefits; universal health care.

    glyconutrients, healthy aging, growing older, aging, nutrition, exercise, eating properly,

  • Late December Thoughts

    As we wind down another year we tend to do as the god Janus did [hence January] we look both forward and backward and see a door to a future. This time of year can be depressing for many; it’s dark in some parts of the world, it’s a time for recounting [Janus looking backward], a time for family gatherings [and all those potential conflicts] and this year it is the middle of a long drawn out primary season that has yet to see a primary vote. But votes will occur when Janus looks forward.

    For those of us with birthdays in December and January there is the additional counting and re-counting. Not only is the year changing – we are adding another year to us at the same time. So on this nearly eve of Janus – I am reflecting doubly – as I am one with a January birthday. After many decades of life – I still see a positive future for us all – but we need to envision it and work toward its effect.

    I have been known to get pessimistic about the sorry state of our country but I take heart form my son’s hypothesis that everything has a way of balancing itself out. Guess that comes from having a psychologist for a mother. It’s the homeostatic idea of life, ecology, biology, etc. But I never applied it to politics like he does and that’s why he’s a sociologist ☺

    My optimism for 2008 and beyond is that we, as a country, will do more to take care of our own citizens; the young, the middle and the older ones.

    That we will protect our food supplies and stop allowing foods in the system that are rife with pesticides, bacteria, hormones and worse.

    That we will protect our farm land and stop poisoning the grounds that are so vital to growing good foods.

    That we stop poisoning the air we breathe.

    That we stop feeding hormones to our food supply.

    I could go on – but in short: That we will love, nurture and provide for all people from cradle to grave by giving food, shelter and medical care so that all can experience the most optimal development that is possible.



    Besides when you see this symbol outside your house on a cold December morning – you just have to have a positive outlook.

    glyconutrients, healthy aging, growing older, aging, nutrition, exercise, eating properly,

  • Happy Winter Solstice

    Soon we will be at the winter solstice [December 21/22] and as a friend joyfully said: “we start adding daylight back!”

    I don’t know – here in Portland I am still trying to get used to the fact that it is dark outside in the morning – until about 7:50AM – well into the 2nd week of January.

    What I am reminded of each turn of a season is when I was teaching in a small New England town and we celebrated the solstices and equinoxes [if those are the correct pluralization] by doing some of the rituals we found in mythology books.

    It was fun but all I can recall these many years later is that it was pretty cold out in the field in late December and most of us wanted to get back inside to a warm fire and warm food.

    But most of us have some sorts of rituals we do each season’s start…some have become religious rituals and some more individualistic. Most religions have a “holiday” that coincides with the turn of the season and they can be very similar. Like light being added at the winter solstice. There is the lighting of menorahs; the lighting of Christmas trees [and houses]; lighting of Kwanzaa candles and in my neighborhood, the lighting on boats that do a parade route on the rivers.

    Whatever is your winter ritual – enjoy it – add to it or keep it the same forever – it’s yours!

    glyconutrients, healthy aging, growing older, aging, nutrition, exercise, eating properly,