My Weekly Reading Progress Report

4396

his new book coming out in May, “Why the Rich Are Getting Richer.”
Rich Dad Poor Dad” 20 years ago
We’ve got to educate the young of this country. Otherwise we’re all going down together. And the gap between rich and poor is too high today. So education is more important, but what about financial education?
The biggest challenge I have is our school system teaches you not to make mistakes. How silly is that
consumers should teach themselves about financial education through reading and financial education courses. In “Why the Rich Are Getting Richer,” he attempted to teach about debt and taxes, which he said are two of the biggest factors dividing the rich and poor today

The No. 1 thing you should do to get rich, according to Robert Kiyosaki - MarketWatch

5 annotations

investing

1933

While the debt level is similar to 2008, the things Americans are in debt for have changed
Here’s how the numbers stack up for indebted Americans in 2017: Housing-related debt is down nearly $1 trillion since the 2008 peak, but auto loan balances are $367 billion higher, and student loans are a whopping $671 billion higher.
Previous Fed studies have shown Americans struggle with their auto debt, which often has high interest rates. The number of subprime auto loans that have fallen into delinquency hit their highest level since 2010
Another trend: Older Americans are taking on a greater share of debt than in years past. Those ages 60 and older held 22.5% of total household debt in the fourth quarter of 2016, compared with 15.9% in 2008 and 12.6% in 2003.
Although that may make young Americans breathe a sigh of relief, it’s still potentially dangerous, as high levels of debt could mean older Americans don’t have enough money saved for retirement.
the average American couple has only $5,000 saved for retirement,
The Fed did find some good news, though. Largely because of tougher underwriting standards for mortgages, the Americans holding debt have higher credit scores than in the past

U.S. households will soon have as much debt as they had in 2008 - MarketWatch

7 annotations

personal finance

2006

Gone are the days of retiring at 65 and spending your life on the golf course. Today, retirees are reinventing this next phase of their lives — be it volunteering at a favorite charity, developing a hobby or traveling the world. Some individuals are also deciding they don’t want to wait until 65, or even 55 or 45. What does retirement mean to you? And what do you expect of it in your future? This session will house a discussion on how people are transforming this milestone.
A 401(k) and IRA are not the only ways to fund retirement. There are a variety of other options, including Social Security, life insurance, annuities, home equity and perhaps even a pension. These choices aren’t always beginner-friendly, though. This session will do a deep dive into what other sources of retirement income you could consider using so you live comfortably in retirement.
We know we should put money in a 401(k) if we have access to one at work, or to throw extra cash in an individual retirement account… but how can we make sense of the investment choices available? Is it better to “set it and forget it” or actively manage the portfolio? How does one balance the funding needs of the future with the financial obligations of today? This session will cut through the noise of basic retirement planning advice, and help you go beyond the simple advice to start saving.
Planning for a comfortable, enjoyable retirement isn’t as simple as opening an individual retirement account or deferring a percentage of your salary into a 401(k) plan — it takes careful thought, a few calculations and maybe a little motivation.

From Gen X to Gen Z — here’s how to make your future retirement better - MarketWatch

4 annotations

4411

Whatever the style of trip, and of travel agent, Ms. Richter of ASTA hopes that travelers can appreciate the value of having a professional in their corner.“You can only do your first post-pandemic vacation once. We hope!” she said.
Increased interest has also opened the possibility for new iterations of travel-planning businesses. The company Authenteco, which went live last May, has 24-hour text messaging support and an online interface allowing users to enter their travel style, interests and desired trip details; Authenteco has seen a 667-percent increase in trip requests since January. Another company, elsewhere.io, began in this month and matches travelers with local experts to craft itineraries centered around off-the-beaten-track experiences.“We’ve seen around 200 to 300 new sign-ups per month, since November, with no paid advertising,” said Craig Zapatka, an elsewhere.io founder.
While the outlook for 2021 is more promising, travel agents are still reeling from the devastation of 2020. According to ASTA, the average agency saw business crater 82 percent last year and it laid off about 60 percent of its staff.
“A member will ask, ‘We’re interested in Cabo, but we’ve been very cautious. What’s the overall feel there?’ Or, ‘My husband is vaccinated but my kids and I aren’t’,” she said. “We get a lot of inquiries about varying requirements on different Caribbean islands. ‘Will I be able to leave my resort? How many times will I have to get tested?’”
“Lots of people got burned last spring. They didn’t have an advocate to call the airline and get their airline tickets or their cruise credited,” Ms. Burk said. “Now, the level of complexity needed to go on a basic trip has drastically increased. A client who, typically, would have planned on their own previously are looking to a professional to say, ‘Please show me the ins and outs.’”
According to a flash poll conducted by ASTA, the American Society of Travel Advisors, in early March, 76 percent of travel advisers are seeing an increase in customers in 2021, compared to before the pandemic, and 80 percent are hearing from travelers who have never worked with a travel adviser before.
According to ASTA, the travel-agent business (or travel adviser, per a 2018 ASTA rebrand) saw an uptick between 2016 and 2019, because of millennials: This age cohort was eager to outsource the planning and benefit from V.I.P. treatment.
Once the pandemic started, she found that “going to every hotel website, or calling them to find out what their safety protocols are, that’s a lot of time.”
“We had two days in March where we broke records for the number of transactions booked in a single day,” said James Ferrara, the president of InteleTravel, a 60,000-member global travel adviser network. “Our overall business is up 35 percent, not from 2020, which was an aberration, but from 2019, which was the highest year we’d ever had.”Nearly 50 percent of those inquiries are from new customers, Mr. Ferrara said.
“We have clients who are calling us from the 15-minute waiting period after their second vaccine shot,” said Wendy Burk, founder and chief executive of Cadence, a La Jolla, Calif., travel agency. “They’re making sure they don’t have an allergic reaction, and they’re on the phone with their travel adviser saying, ‘Book me now! Book me anything!’”
With more people getting vaccinated and the C.D.C. largely giving the greenlight to travel for those who have had all their shots, a real-deal vacation this summer may be a reality for millions of Americans.

Make Way for the Travel Agents. Again. - The New York Times

11 annotations

www.nytimes.com

4145

If you’re concerned about getting sick or needing to postpone your plans due to another wave of COVID-19 infections, then you might want to think twice about booking basic economy tickets with American and JetBlue. An itinerary modification will require a brand-new ticket with American or a $100 (or more) change fee, plus a possible fare difference, with JetBlue.
itineraries departing North or South America. AA will allow changes on all tickets originating outside the Americas and Asia for purchases made between April 1 and April 30. On the other hand, JetBlue recently unveiled an overhauled fare structure that launches on April 1, replacing the no-change-fee waiver that ends on March 31. Blue Basic tickets can be changed or canceled for a fee, as well as possible fare difference, as follows:
Additionally, the Chicago-based carrier is extending its waiver for tickets purchased for travel from international destinations, which will now expire on May 31. United says this will “help customers manage international requirements and restrictions.” Note that this international waiver excludes basic economy tickets, which, as of now, will return to being non-changeable and non-refundable come May 1.
On Wednesday, United Airlines confirmed to TPG that its limited-time flexible travel waiver for basic economy tickets will be extended to April 30. That means that all newly purchased United flights can be changed or canceled without a fee, subject to a possible fare difference.

United extends travel waiver, offering a big advantage over AA and JetBlue

4 annotations

thepointsguy.com

4276

"Our design was made to accentuate Yonder Escalante's fundamental ethos of adventure and discovery, but also incorporate elements of elegance, comfortability, and nostalgia," Hannah Collins, CEO of Yonder and principal designer and founder of ROY Hospitality Design Studio, shared. "Deeply valuing authenticity, we found it essential to integrate vintage and custom pieces that were representative of the property's history and the destination of Southern Utah as a whole. Escalante exudes a carefree energy that defines the Yonder experience, and we're excited for our guests to embrace that to the fullest extent."
"We are thrilled and fortunate to officially establish our new company, Yonder, today with the opening of our first property in the spectacular Southern Utah destination of Escalante," Charles Tate, chairman and co-owner of Yonder, shared in a statement. "The concept is rooted in the spirit of the American road trip, with the goal of connecting travelers to timeless Americana — the nostalgia of our past, an appreciation for the present-day, and a bright outlook toward the future. Guests are afforded an immersive connection to nature and the opportunity to partake in new experiences to explore the outdoors while staying true to a well-appointed lifestyle and never sacrificing on comfort, quality, or style."
In April, Yonder, a collection of modern hybrid resort concepts designed to provide travelers with a new way to experience America's most beautiful national parks, announced the opening of its inaugural property in Utah, which comes complete with 20 acres to roam, several accommodation types to choose from, and access to some of the most stunning outdoor destinations of the American West.
Located amidst the magnificent Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument near Bryce Canyon National Park, Yonder Escalante may just be what social distancing dreams are made of.

This Chic New Campground Has Instagram-worthy Cabins, Designer Airstreams, and a Drive-in Movie Theater | Travel + Leisure

4 annotations

4284

This edition of the annual Awards attracted 1,000 entries from the UK and 70 other countries,
UK WinnersFast/Casual: Nando’s (Harrogate, UK) / STAC Architecture 
Asia Bar: Foxglove (Hong Kong) / NCDA 
UK & International WinnersCafé: Kitty Burns (Melbourne, Australia) / Biasol Design Studio

2016 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards Announced | ArchDaily

4 annotations

www.archdaily.com

4523

"Even though we have differences, it's so nice to be together, and just keep enjoying the feeling that make us decide to be together, hopefully for many years in the future," says Jesús."Life keeps just being so generous, so wonderful. So that's my feeling -- is being thankful for that."
The family have also spent time in Finland and traveled together in Europe."Travel gives you a different perspective, a perspective on your own culture, but also, I think it kind of opens up your mind," says Irja, adding it was important to the couple to pass on their wanderlust to Erica."The story of how they met and their relationship in general definitely makes me believe in true love, kind of like a fairytale romance type," says Erica, who is in her early 20s and studied tourism and hospitality at college."I also think it's very unique and fascinating how two people from opposite sides of the world came to meet and have a daughter who is half Mexican and half Finnish," she adds. "I consider myself cool and unique for that reason!"
Today, Irja and Jesús still live in New York, they both work in hospitals in the city and run the photo and video business part time on the side.Jesús works in hospital patient relations. Irja -- now fluent in Spanish as well as Finnish, English and Swedish -- works in translation services for her hospital.
"Because I met Irja I came to New York and I started a new life here under conditions that I didn't imagine," says Jesús. "But certainly, I can tell you that feeling, that you feel inside -- it makes life beautiful anywhere."The couple happily settled into their New York life together and a few years later welcomed a daughter, Erica."We chose a name that works in Finland, Mexico and in the United States," says Irja.
They'd bought rings together on a return trip to Taxco earlier that year. At the time, they hadn't had a wedding date fixed, but it seemed like the perfect opportunity."Taxco is a famous silver mining town where they sell all kinds of silver items including jewelery with local stones," says Irja. "The thought was something like 'we are here in this perfect place, so we might as well buy rings in case we should need them any time in the future.'"
The year before, Irja endured some health issues, and her parents, who already liked the sound of Jesús, were irrevocably won round when they found out how he'd been there for her during this tough time."He was the one who was at my side and supported me through that experience," says Irja.
While Irja spent some of vacation touring alone, the two also enjoyed exploring together. Jesús prepared authentic Mexican tamales for Irja, and showed her his favorite spots in the city.And they traveled together to Taxco, a city known for its architecture and rugged mountainous surrounds."It's very popular with tourists, an old silver mining town," says Irja. "And it's very romantic. Like, you know, if you are supposed to fall in love, that's probably the place.""The trip was, I think, a big success," says Jesús, recalling driving through the mountains with Irja and admiring Taxco's beauty."I guess that's what you would call like a turning point," says Irja."After that, things were a little more solid," agrees Jesús.
In November 1991, three months after Irja's trip to Mexico, an opportunity arose for Jesús to visit New York for work.He was so excited at the idea of seeing Irja again. He decided to frame the trip as a "complete surprise" and only tell her he was in New York after he'd arrived. He stopped communicating with Irja in the lead-up to his visit to add to the surprise.But from Irja's perspective, Jesús had just stopped calling her. She was confused -- and when she found out he was in New York, it was the last thing she expected.
Irja and Jesús continued to send letters back and forth, and also speak on the phone on occasion, but the communication remained sporadic."There was no email, obviously no FaceTime, no texting," says Irja. "The mail between New York and Mexico City was a little erratic too. And the best you could do was just call long distance -- and I still remember very distinctly that it used to cost about 90 US cents per minute."
When Jesús got to the airport and he couldn't find Irja anywhere, he had no way of contacting her. Increasingly worried he'd missed her, he approached the airport staff and asked if they'd make an announcement over the overhead speaker.Finally, he found her with minutes to spare. Irja and Jesús said goodbye and promised to keep in touch, but neither of them had any expectations."The last thing that at that point in my life that I wanted to have was a man in my life, let alone a long-distance relationship," says Irja.
Jesús suggested that, rather than checking into a hotel, Irja could stay at his brother's apartment, which was currently unoccupied.Looking back, Irja says she's conscious she took a risk, trusting someone who was essentially a stranger."Here I am, in a strange city, in a part of the world that I have never visited before, it's the middle of the night here, am I doing something that's safe? Or is this really foolish?" she says today."But at the same time, I thought that we had a mutual friend, that both of us were very close with. And then I just kind of said to myself: 'Well, I guess you have to trust people, you have to be careful, but at the same time, you cannot lose all the trust.'"
"I was enjoying her conversation," says Jesús. "But also, I was enjoying the way she was showing me her eyes. They were beautiful, shiny eyes."I was not fully aware that I was in love," he adds. "But definitely that was the driving force."
Irja, meanwhile, was exhausted. She'd gone straight from work to the airport, but as soon she was introduced to Jesús, she felt comfortable in his presence. "He seems kind," she remembers thinking. There was a kind of decency about him, she says, that she warmed to right away.Jesús asked Irja if she was hungry. He working two jobs at the time, as a dentist and part time for his family's business, and he'd just finished for the day was keen to grab a bite to eat.
Marcus was thinking of his old high school friend, Jesús Estrella Jurado. Marcus gave Jesús a call and asked if he'd be able to meet Irja at the airport.Calling abroad was costly, so Marcus just relayed the key details: her name's Irja, she's from Finland, she lives in New York City, these are her flight details -- and she'll be landing in a few days.Jesús said yes right away. Sure, he didn't know much about Irja -- and Marcus hadn't given him much notice -- but he wanted to help out his friend.
"I was fairly experienced and fairly seasoned as a traveler and everything else. But the prospect of me landing in Mexico City around 10 p.m., in a city of 20-plus million inhabitants, not speaking Spanish, was not very attractive," Irja tells CNN Travel today.
Now in her early thirties, Irja was exhausted from a long summer navigating layoffs at her workplace, and dealing with some challenges in her personal life.This was the time to go for it, Irja decided, she was going to take those vacation days and enjoy that dream trip.

They met on an airport layover and fell in love | CNN Travel

16 annotations

4170

Finding the right financial advisor that fits your needs doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is legally bound to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that will help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Public Policy Risks Government policies affect many aspects of our lives, including the financial position of retirees, and these policies often change over time. Policy risks include possible increases in taxes or reductions in entitlement benefits from Medicare or Social Security.
Business Risks Loss of pension plan funds can occur if the employer that sponsors the pension plan goes bankrupt or the insurer that is providing annuities becomes insolvent. There are guarantees for private pension plans under the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) that could protect some of your pension income, but maybe not all of it.3
Stock Market Risk Stock market losses can seriously reduce retirement savings. Common stocks have substantially outperformed other investments over time and thus are usually recommended for retirees as part of a balanced asset allocation strategy. However, the rate of return that you earn from your stock portfolio can be significantly lower than the long-term trends. Stock market losses can seriously reduce one’s retirement savings if the market value of your portfolio falls.
Interest Rate Risk Lower interest rates reduce retirement income by lowering growth rates for savings accounts and assets. As a result, individuals may need to save more in order to accumulate adequate retirement funds. Annuities yield less income when long-term interest rates at the time of purchase are low. Low real interest rates will also cause purchasing power to erode more quickly.
Inflation Risk Inflation should be an ongoing concern for anyone living on a fixed income. Even low rates of inflation can seriously erode the well-being of retirees who live for many years. A period of unexpectedly high inflation can be devastating.
Lack of Caregivers Facilities or caregivers are sometimes not available for acute or long-term care, even for individuals who can pay for it. Couples may be unable to live together when one of them needs a higher level of care. For people who have lived together for decades, this can result not only in increased costs but in emotional stress.
Change in Housing Needs Retirees may need to change from living on their own to other forms of housing, such as assisted living or independent living in a retirement community, which combines some assistance with housing. These residences can be quite costly, and the most appropriate form of housing for an individual in a given situation may not be available in the chosen geographic area or may have a long wait for entrance.
Unexpected Medical Bills These are a major concern for many retirees. Prescription drugs are a major issue, especially for the chronically ill. Older people usually have greater healthcare needs and may require frequent treatment for a number of different health-related issues. Medicare is the primary source of coverage for health care services for many retirees. Private health insurance is also available, but it can be costly.
Unforeseen Needs of Family Members Many retirees find themselves helping other family members, including parents, children, grandchildren, and siblings. A change in the health, employment, or marital status of any of them could require greater personal or financial support from the retiree for that individual. Examples of financial assistance include paying healthcare costs for an elderly parent, paying higher-education fees for children, or providing short-term financial assistance to adult children in the event of unemployment, divorce, or other financial adversities.
Change in Marital Status Divorce or the separation of a cohabiting couple can create major financial problems for both parties. It can affect benefit entitlement under public and private retirement plans, as well as individuals’ disposable income.
Death of a Spouse Grief over a spouse’s death or terminal illness contributes to high rates of depression and suicide among the elderly.2 Then there’s the financial impact: A spouse’s death can lead to a reduction in pension benefits or bring additional financial burdens, including lingering medical bills and debts. Also, the surviving spouse may not be able or willing to manage the finances if they were usually handled by the deceased.
Longevity Risk Running out of money before they die is one of the primary concerns of most retirees. Longevity risk is an even larger concern today, as life expectancy has risen. The life expectancy at retirement is just an average age, with about half of retirees living longer and a few living past age 100.1
Employment Risk Many retirees plan to supplement their income by working either part-time or full-time during retirement. In fact, some organizations prefer to hire older workers because of their stability and life experience. However, success in the job market may also depend on technical skills that retirees cannot easily gain or maintain.
“There are many unexpected demands for a retiree’s funds," says Peter J. Creedon, CFP®, ChFC, CLU, chief executive officer, Crystal Brook Advisors, New York, N.Y. "For that exact reason, everyone needs a realistic emergency fund."
The Society of Actuaries (SOA) in the United States has identified a number of post-retirement risks that can affect income. They’re grouped into four categories. People preparing for retirement—or already in retirement—should consider them carefully.
The most careful plans and preparation for retirement can fall apart due to any number of post-retirement risks: an unexpected death, a lengthy illness, a stock market crash, or a pension plan that goes bankrupt. In addition, it is not unusual for people to live more than 30 years in retirement, due to increased incentives to quit early and rising life expectancy, which in itself presents a major risk that retirees will outlive their savings.

Common Post-Retirement Risks You Should Know

17 annotations

www.investopedia.com

4479

16 brilliant quotes
It's "crazy" for an expert to diversify.
Smart people do dumb things.
"Students learn corporate finance at business schools. They are taught that the whole secret is diversification. But the exact rule is the opposite. The 'know-nothing' investor should practice diversification
I met the towering intellectuals in books, not in the classroom, which is natural.
we wanted to know why and who, so we could avoid them."
The greatest minds are in books, not classrooms

Charles Munger quotes investing - Business Insider

7 annotations

investing

9204

The SECURE Act, which took effect in 2020, requires many traditional IRA beneficiaries to withdraw all the money in the account within 10 years and pay the resulting tax bill. Under the old rules, a 45-year-old who inherited a $500,000 IRA from a parent could take small distributions over his lifetime. The new law requires that all distributions be taken within a decade. "Now they have to take the entire amount over 10 years, and $50,000 a year likely puts them in a higher tax bracket," Kovar says.
"You have to have money to pay for the income taxes," said Eric Bond, a wealth advisor and president of Bond Wealth Management in Long Beach, California. "You really need to spend time with a tax preparer. Make the decision later in the year to get a good estimate of how much your taxes might be before you do it." For some people, it might be better to do a rollover after you retire, assuming your income will be lower. Once you convert, you don't want to be surprised by a sky-high tax bill.It's important to note that you don't have to convert your traditional IRA all at once. "Some people think it is all or nothing," Bond says. "You can gradually convert 10% a year for 10 years."
Many Americans have experienced job loss, pay cuts, furloughs and early retirements. This means that incomes will be lower for many Americans, making a Roth conversion more attractive. "Income arguably will be much less this year as the result of layoffs and the economy materially contracting," Sadowsky says.
"That is not true for anybody who has saved a significant amount of money," Kovar says. "Clients many times end up in a higher tax bracket. Between Social Security, pensions and required minimum distributions, people often remain in the same tax bracket they were in before they retired or are pushed into a higher one." If you need to take large withdrawals from a traditional retirement account in retirement, you could even be pushed into a higher tax bracket, which could have unexpected consequences. For example, Medicare beneficiaries could face higher premiums because Medicare premiums are based on your income.
"A Roth conversion is arguably a powerful tax diversification tool for financial planning," says Matt Sadowsky, director of retirement and annuities at TD Ameritrade. "The current environment makes it even more attractive to those considering a Roth conversion as part of their financial plan."
Historically low tax rates make 2021 a great time to convert your traditional IRA to a Roth account. "It's the best time in history to convert to a Roth," says Elijah Kovar, co-founder of Great Waters Financial in Minneapolis. "Between now and 2025, the last year of tax reform, taxes are on sale."
Taxes are low. Your income is reduced. You have the money to pay the taxes that become due. You don't want to leave heirs a big tax bill.
The impact of the pandemic along with low tax rates makes 2021 an opportune time to convert a traditional individual retirement account into a Roth IRA. But a Roth IRA conversion may not be the right financial move for everyone

Now Is the Time to Convert Your Traditional IRA to a Roth | IRAs | US News

8 annotations

4268

In the run-up to Christmas, the town will be hosting a traditional Christmas market to coincide with its lights switch-on (26 & 27 Nov) and, new for 2016
These make a photogenic backdrop for its Christmas street markets (Tuesdays 6, 13 and 20 Dec, till late).
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
On the second weekend of December, Shrewsbury Winterfest will involve festive crafts and carols in the Quarry park, a gingerbread-spiced food trail around the market and a ring of Christmas trees at the circular St Chads church.
a four-day Christmas market with stalls selling gifts, local produce and mulled wine (Market Place, 21-24 Dec)
Bakewell, Derbyshire
Shopping Bakewell’s thriving Monday market is always popular and its attractive cobbled courtyards and market square are home to independent shops and galleries
Totnes, Devon
Wander around the medieval streets, including the perfectly preserved Vicar’s Close, or for something more energetic, climb Tor Hill and join the East Mendip Way for a bracing walk across the hills.
This riverside town, on the Great Western Railway main line and National Express’s Plymouth coach route, has a glut of independent shops and cafes
Wells, Somerset
The moated Bishop’s Palace and Gardens, which has been home to the Bishops of Bath and Wells for over 800 years, will also be getting into the Christmas spirit, with workshops on creative gift-wrapping and wreath-making.

10 of the best small UK towns for winter breaks | Travel | The Guardian

12 annotations

travel

6715

Even the smallest villas are palatial – at 1615 square feet – featuring a large open-plan bedroom (with an enormous and supremely comfortable bed) and living room; a spacious open-plan bathroom; a terrace; a private pool; and little cabana overlooking the valley.
Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
seamlessly combines the natural environment with bold, contemporary living spaces.
Amankila
Soori Bali
. Every villa has its own outdoor lounge/dining area and private pool,
Taking centre stage is a spectacular three-tiered swimming pool, which steps down the hillside echoing Bali’s cascading rice fields. Wind your way downhill from here and you’ll find a fourth fabulous pool at ground level,
Viceroy Bali

The best luxury hotels in Bali | Telegraph Travel

8 annotations

travel

8500

The island has more than 107,105 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 2,113 deaths as of March 31, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The island is reporting an average of 170 cases per day, according to the weekly trend.
In Puerto Rico, the tourism industry accounts for 80,000 jobs and about 6.5% of the island’s total economy. "At the Tourism Company we are committed to the consistent development and strengthening of Puerto Rico as a tourist destination of excellence, in addition to maximizing the international projection that distinguishes it as an ideal destination where law and order prevail," Carlos Mercado Santiago, president of the Puerto Rico Tourism Co., said in a statement on March 14.
With spring break travelers, hotel occupancy is almost at capacity. Joaquín Bolívar, the president of Puerto Rico’s Hotel and Tourism Association, said he expects all the rooms to sell out for the week of spring break.Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi on Monday detailed a larger security plan for spring break. More than 3,500 officers will be stationed in tourist areas during the week, and the National Guard will have roughly 1,100 active soldiers stationed on the island to enforce the executive order.
"We've assigned a lot of police, especially in the area of Condado due to the high number of incidents," Orlando Rivera Lebrón, San Juan's police chief, told USA TODAY. "Ever since we started this plan, we have made several arrests and have intervened with a lot of disorderly conduct."
Puerto Ricans have expressed concerns over travel to the island and tourists contributing to the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The island has also experienced multiple episodes in which tourists became violent after being asked to wear a mask.
The current executive order in Puerto Rico, enacted on Feb. 8, says masks must be worn at all times, including outdoors. The island's curfew also runs from midnight to 5 a.m., and businesses are allowed to stay open until 11 p.m.
Meléndez Vázquez works and lives in the popular tourist area of Old San Juan, and he was nervous about all the violent incidents happening with tourists around the area who refused to adhere to local face mask requirements. "I would sometimes go to work thinking, 'Is this the day I'm going to have some aggressive interaction with someone?'"

Puerto Rico travel: Aggressive tourists lead to more police, fines

7 annotations

4341

Before carrying out a 401(k) rollover, it may be helpful to talk to your family and other advisors or mentors about your future plans. Think about when you’ll want to retire, what type of lifestyle you want to lead during retirement and other activities or hobbies you may be interested in pursuing later on. “The goal is to use this money to help you remain financially secure throughout your retirement years,” Krueger says. Lining up current funds, savings strategies and expected distributions with your life aims can guide your 401(k) rollover decision.
“Choosing to invest in an IRA can come with some great perks over a 401(k), including a more diverse selection of funds to invest in,” Jumper says. You might decide to place funds into different types of investments in the IRA, such as stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds and mutual funds.
If you decide to roll over your 401(k), your plan sponsor may directly transfer the money to your new account, which can be done without incurring penalties or taxes. The plan sponsor could also mail you a check directly. When a check is sent to you, it will arrive with a 60-day rule. “You have 60 days to deposit it into a qualified account, or it will incur taxes,” Sundin says. You might also face an early withdrawal penalty if you are not at least 59 1/2 years old.
“If you do a rollover to a Roth IRA, you will owe tax on the rolled over amount right away,” Jumper says. With a Roth IRA, you will pay taxes on the contribution now, but the future withdrawals are often tax-free.
Finding the right financial advisor that fits your needs doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with top fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is legally bound to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that will help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
If you have a check made payable to you, “you’ll get charged with the mandatory 20% withholding tax,” says Paul Sundin, a CPA and tax strategist at Emparion in Chandler, Arizona.
Sometimes employees are able to leave the funds in the account with the former employer. “Keeping your money with your old employer comes with more constraints,” says Pam Krueger, CEO and founder of Wealthramp in Tiburon, California. “You have limited investment options, less control over costs and you have to follow plan rules. Plus, it’s another account to keep up with.”
If you’re leaving your current workplace and have a 401(k) plan with the company, you’ll typically face several choices related to the account. You might choose to rollover the 401(k) plan. In this case, the balance in the 401(k) plan will be moved to a new account. This new account might be a 401(k) plan at your new employer or an individual retirement account. “While an old 401(k) can sometimes be rolled over into your 401(k) with a new employer, the most common course of action is to transfer those funds into an IRA,” Jumper says.
If you have a 401(k) plan through your employer, there are certain times when you may have the option of rolling it over to another account. A 401(k) rollover typically refers to moving your funds into a different retirement account. The transfer usually occurs when you leave a job or transition into retirement. “Rollovers can be simple if you prepare for the process ahead of time and learn what to look for and how it’s done,” says Jay Jumper, CEO of Future Capital based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

How to Rollover Your 401(k) | 401ks | US News

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Beginning May 1, Iceland will begin using a risk assessment color code at its borders to open up to even more travelers. Arrivals from low-risk areas (which will be coded green and yellow) will not be required to quarantine if they can present a negative PCR test at the border.
"Our experience and data so far indicate very strongly that there is very little risk of infection stemming from individuals who have acquired immunity against the disease, either by vaccination or by prior infection," Iceland's Chief Epidemiologist Thórólfur Gudnason said in a statement Tuesday. "When people are protected against the same disease, with the same vaccines that are produced by the same companies, there is no medical reason to discriminate on the basis of the location where the jab is administered."
During the pandemic, Iceland's borders have been closed to visitors from outside Europe's Schengen zone. But this week, the Icelandic government announced that it will open borders to travelers outside the Schengen zone who have been vaccinated or who have recovered from COVID-19.

Iceland Reopens to Fully Vaccinated Travelers From the U.S., UK | Travel + Leisure

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Parents can start at just $10 a month being automatically pulled out of their checking account into a savings account. Once it grows bigger, then decide what to do with it, like putting into a 529 plan, she advised.“Just start and everything else will fall into place,” Sun said.
Almost one-third, or 32%, said they have a savings account and 13% have a 529 plan. Meanwhile, 8% have savings bonds, cash or certificates of deposit (CDs) and 7% have an IRA or Roth IRA set up for their children.
When it comes to saving for retirement, most Americans (67%) said pandemic didn’t disrupt their plans and 19% are not sure how the crisis will impact their retirement.However, there is greater uncertainty among those who work part-time or are unemployed. Almost a quarter, or 23%, of part-time workers and 32% unemployed people looking for work said they are unsure of the impact.Of those who are unemployed and looking for work, 15% are actively making plans to delay their retirement.
Others took measures like borrowing money to cover everyday expenses (11%), stopping contributions to their 401(k) plan or other retirement accounts (6%), or asking for rent relief or a delay (5%). Only 4% took an early withdrawal from their 401(k) and 3% borrowed from their 401(k).
The pandemic has also caused Americans to postpone spending money on a vacation (54%), remodeling or renovating their home (15%) or buying a car (14%), the survey found.Those who had an increase in spending cited the cost of essential items going up (51%) and shopping due to boredom (24%) as the top reasons.
Of those who said they cut spending, 53% said worry about the current economic situation was the reason they cut spending, and 26% said it was because of a loss or decrease in a source of household income. Additionally, 16% feared another stock market downturn and 14% lost their jobs.
She’s now putting money aside into an online savings account and her Roth individual retirement account. She’s also saving for a trip to France once the pandemic ends and ultimately wants to buy a condo.“I have all these buckets for savings,” Kelly said. “It just feels good because I can actually put money in it now.”
“I literally sat down one day and went through all my finances and made a spreadsheet,” Kelly said. “I got to really see the numbers and I was shocked.”
“I didn’t realize how much money, especially in L.A., that I was spending on food and on my hair,” she said. “Once the pandemic hit, I had to start cooking for myself and doing my hair myself.”
“We have seen an uptick in an interest in investing,” said Sun, a member of the CNBC Financial Advisor Council. “They are seeing their checking accounts getting larger and they think that money is not earning enough for them.”
“We learned how to go to the grocery store not every day, but once a week, which meant meal planning and shopping with a list and those are fabulous money-saving skills,” she said. “We learned which of our subscription services we actually watch and which ones we don’t.”
About half, or 49%, said their monthly spending has decreased, compared to 33% last year.
In fact of those surveyed in a new CNBC + Acorns Invest in You survey, 46% said they are “more of a saver now” compared to before the pandemic.
While millions are still unemployed and many have seen their emergency savings run dry, it isn’t all necessarily negative. Many are saving more and spending less.

Here's how pandemic has impacted the financial lives of average Americans

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Our main message to U.S. citizens considering travel abroad remains the same—seriously reconsider going overseas right now,” said Ian Brownlee, the principal deputy assistant secretary of consular affairs. “If you are overseas right now, it’s going to be harder to come home for a while.” He recommended that, “All travelers should have a Plan B,” in case they should test positive and need to wait out the infection overseas. “Where would you stay, how would you pay for it, what would happen at home if you couldn’t get back to work?” he said.
These statements come only days after President Biden confirmed the continuation of previous restrictions on inbound travel to the U.S. coming from the U.K., Ireland, 26 other European nations and Brazil; and added South Africa to the list of banned countries in hopes of keeping out a new, highly-infectious COVID-19 variant that has arisen there.
President Joe Biden’s administration is reportedly considering the possibility of adding more nations to the list of those whose travelers are restricted from entering the U.S., due to COVID-19 concerns.According to Bloomberg, State Department officials issued a warning today to Americans that they should reconsider international travel in these pandemic conditions, as it could be quite risky. Besides which, they pointed out, those who go abroad may now find it harder to return home, referring to the new COVID-19 testing requirements for entry or re-entry into the U.S.

US Considers Restricting Travel From More Countries Amid COVID-19 | TravelPulse

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Walking or getting other types of physical exercise can also help increase happiness in retirees—as well as maintain physical and mental health. You can also combine exercising with socializing and start a walking club or taking a regular class with friends.
For retirees who aren't concerned about earning additional income, volunteering can be a better option than working. Doing good by helping others can not only fill the day but more importantly, it can create the meaning and purpose that people of all ages crave. That often translates into increased emotional and physical well-being.
While those who have achieved true financial independence have no need to work, others may find that working a few hours here and there does increase their financial security—which, in turn, increases their happiness. Even those not needing the additional income might find that their happiness and life satisfaction increases simply by being around others and being needed, particularly if the job requires significantly less stress and responsibilities than their pre-retirement careers did during their prime working years.
Research shows that social isolation negatively impacts retirees, and has been associated with general poor health, high blood pressure, and immune dysfunction, as well as increased risk for chronic illness, premature death, and cognitive dysfunction. So planning to include some sort of regular social activities into your retired life will be key to your happiness—and your longevity.1
It's best to plan ahead to ensure a successful and happy retirement. But it's not just financial planning that's important. It's important to plan out your activities, as well. Research shows that retirees who stay somewhat active with planned activities tend to be happier than those who don't. It also suggests that people who spend their time doing what they actually want to do during retirement are happier than those who don't.

How Will You Spend Your Time During Retirement?

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While many Caribbean islands have welcomed Americans (with hotels setting up on-site COVID-19 testing to make it easier for people traveling home), some islands have closed their borders amid the emergence of new coronavirus variants.
However, not all Caribbean island destinations received the CDC's highest warning. The Bahamas and Bermuda were classified as "Level 3: COVID-19 High," Grenada was considered "Level 2: COVID-19 Moderate," and Anguilla was "Level 1: COVID-19 Low."
Currently, Antigua and Barbuda welcomes U.S. travelers and requires passengers coming by air to arrive with a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within seven days of their flight, according to the U.S. Embassy in Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, and the OECS. Travelers then have to be monitored for COVID-19 for up to 14 days.
Antigua and Barbuda and Curaçao were added to the list this week, according to the CDC handing both spots a "Level 4: COVID-19 Very High" designation. The islands join other popular spots that share the highest warning, including Aruba, Saint Lucia, and Mexico, all of which welcome U.S. tourists.
A pair of popular Caribbean islands have been placed on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's list of countries Americans should avoid traveling to, joining several others the agency warns against visiting.

CDC Adds Pair of Caribbean Islands to Its ‘Do Not Travel’ List | Travel + Leisure

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The Amex Platinum already has a ton of useful, premium travel perks and provides up to $500 in various annual credits. Since travel is coming back with a vengeance, now is an ideal window of time to apply — and take advantage of pandemic-related perks as well as the rosy travel outlook.
One benefit, in particular, is an up-to-$30 monthly PayPal statement credit through June 30, 2021. If you apply and are approved for the card in March, that’s a total of up to $120 in statement credits with PayPal on purchases made at eligible merchants through the middle of 2021. Essentially, any merchant that accepts PayPal online will trigger the credit. Finally, existing Platinum cardholders aren’t left out either. While you won’t qualify for the welcome bonus mentioned above, if you’re already a cardholder as of Jan. 1, 2021, you can take advantage of exclusive Amex Offers, valued at up to $1,700.
Those 225,000 points are a staggering number for a welcome offer. However, this assumes that you can spend the full $15,000 at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations within six months of account opening. Even if you couldn’t max out the full $15,000, this is still a lucrative offer from Amex. Unfortunately, this 10x bonus is only applicable to new cardholders.
If you’re keeping track at home, between the welcome bonus points and elevated earnings at supermarkets and gas stations in the U.S., there is the potential to earn up to 225,000 Membership Rewards points within the first six months.
The only permanent Platinum category bonus is travel-related — 5x points on airfare purchased directly with airlines (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) or airfare and prepaid hotels through the Amex Travel portal. However, that’s not enough right now. Besides a generous welcome offer of 75,000 Membership Rewards points for new cardholders after spending $5,000 in your first six months of card membership, the truly unique part of the bonus is a multiplier on non-travel items.
Additionally, one of my favorite Platinum benefits is the ability to access elite-like perks when booking hotels through Amex’s Fine Hotels & Resorts program. With travel picking back up, this is one area where new (and existing) cardholders can actually benefit again.
As a Platinum (or Centurion) cardholder, you’ll have exclusive access to these premium airport spaces with a wide variety of drinks, quality dining, high-speed Wi-Fi and a mixture of seating for relaxation and work.
Airline executives and industry analysts are bullish about the upcoming resurgence of leisure travel. In fact, over the next several months, U.S. airlines may even be on track to begin making money again.
However, over the past year, Amex has shifted its flagship card from travel-centric to one focused on everyday spending. But as we transition away from life at home, there now exists a prime opportunity to take advantage of this card’s perks — for both the pandemic era as well as the imminent travel revival.
With airline bookings on the rise and vaccine distribution accelerating, this spring and summer will see many U.S. residents traveling again — some for the first time in over a year. One of the preeminent travel cards (and also one of the most premium) is The Platinum Card® from American Express.

Is now is the time to get an Amex Platinum card? - The Points Guy

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In the U.S., the number of people going through airports remains down nearly 60% so far this year compared with 2019. Most of those people are flying within the United States.Airlines are counting on widespread vaccinations to boost travel and for vaccine passports to give a boost to highly lucrative international flying.
The CDC issued new guidelines Monday for fully vaccinated people, saying they can – without face masks – meet other vaccinated people and visit unvaccinated people in a single household who are at low risk for severe disease. But the health agency still recommends against travel.“Every time that there is a surge in travel, we have a surge in cases in this country,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.
“It is crucial to establish uniform guidance” and “the U.S. must be a leader in this development,” more than two dozen groups said in a letter Monday to White House coronavirus-response coordinator Jeff Zients. The groups said, however, that vaccination should not be a requirement for domestic or international travel.
Leading airline and business groups are asking the Biden administration to develop temporary credentials that would let travelers show they have been tested and vaccinated for COVID-19, a step that the airline industry believes will help revive travel.

COVID travel: Airlines ask Biden to create standardized documentation

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Termini station in Rome is also due to become a hub for the vaccination program, which the government has vowed to speed up, as many 80-something Italians still wait for their injections.Giovanni Rezza, director of prevention of Italy's health ministry, predicted Tuesday that it will take "seven to 15 months" for the country to return to normality, if they can accelerate the vaccination drive.
Battisti's comments came at a presentation in Rome of the "treno sanitario," or "health train" -- a mobile hospital, with eight carriages designed to care for patients being shuttled between regions. It has been developed as Italy struggles with a third wave of Covid-19, and some regional health services are under more pressure than others.
Gianfranco Battisti, CEO of state-owned Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, has said that on these trains, both passengers and staff will be tested for Covid-19 before boarding. Passengers will have to arrive at the station an hour ahead of departure. "We will launch a covid-free train at the start of April," said Battisti."We have chosen the Rome to Milan route for the initial testing phase. Then we will implement this for tourist destinations for the summer.
We've had pre-travel testing, quarantine on arrival and "covid-free" flights. Now comes something new in the travel industry's battle against the pandemic: "covid-free" trains.The concept is being launched in Italy, the first European country to be hit hard by Covid-19, which, one year on, is in the grip of a feared third wave.

'Covid-free trains' are coming to Italy | CNN Travel

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Spuntino has a grungy, Edward Hopper-ish quality that is perfect for night owls. Squatting in one of Soho’s still ungentrified corners,
It’s open 24 hours a day and makes its own bagels
Voodoo Ray’s lives up to this because it serves pizza by the slice, a post-midnight pizza special and a solid drinks list – as well playing excellent music

London's best late-night restaurants and cafes – chosen by the experts | Travel | The Guardian

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Americans, have no fear — the future of retirement may not be as bleak as you fear.
The gender gap in Social Security benefits will narrow, women’s increased lifetime earnings will bolster how much money they get in retirement and retirement incomes in general will continue to rise, according to the Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank for economic and social policy research. “What struck me most was the realization that the sky is not falling for retirement security,” said Richard Johnson, an economist at the Urban Institute.
The Urban Institute measured numerous factors in retirement income, including Social Security, earnings, pensions, government benefits, and retirement account withdrawals.
The caveat: Social Security must remain completely intact. Right now the trust funds supporting the program are facing depletion by 2035, and if that occurs, retirees will see only 80% of the benefits their owed, according to the Social Security Administration’s trustees report released earlier this year. Should Social Security see this shortfall, 38% of Generation X and 40% of Xennials won’t be able to replace at least 75% of their preretirement income.
The gender gap in earnings has yet to close — or come close — but the gap in Social Security benefits is lessening. This gap is expected to fall from 37% for pre-boomers to 15% for Xennials. Xennial women may see a median of $22,000 in annual Social Security income at age 70 (versus the men’s $26,000), compared with pre-boomer women, who had an annual Social Security benefit of $13,100 (compared with pre-boomer men’s median of $20,800).

The future of retirement isn’t doomed, but retirees may still need some serious help - MarketWatch

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Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are still advising Americans not to travel. It's unclear if that will change by summer with more Americans vaccinated, but experts say even with vaccinations, it's critical that people watch the numbers and keep doing the simple things like wearing masks, washing hands and doing activities outside if possible.
"My mother has fully received her vaccinations and feels safer," said Rubin. "And with declining transmission, that opportunity is open not just for my family, but for many families out there as we encourage our loved ones to get the vaccination."
"These vaccines are highly effective against the disease, particularly severe disease," said Dean. "And so that really changes the math about what we're willing to do."
"We're seeing a huge surge in demand specifically for spring and summer travel in the last two weeks alone," Berg told "Good Morning America." "We've seen more than 100% increase in searches."
The news and interest in safely planning summer travel as first reported by the Washington Post, comes as President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that the U.S. will have enough vaccine supply for every adult by the end of May.
Royal Caribbean said this week its newest ship is set to hit the seas in May from Israel -- and all passengers must be vaccinated.
With summer just three months away and people eager to start booking travel, one cruise line is offering a way for people to do so amid the pandemic.

Experts weigh in on whether it's safe to travel this summer as bookings surge - ABC News

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this year at the Monaco Yacht Show.
Deliveries are expected to take place in the second half of 2017.
The company originally showed off its yacht concept in 2012, but later worked with the yacht building company Silver Arrows Marine to turn the concept into a reality
windscreen can be raised so that passengers can sit inside the boat while enjoying surrounding views while at sea.
the stylish yacht resembles a saloon style car, similar to Mercedes Model S-Class
air conditioning, a sound system, wine storage, and an ice maker.

Mercedes yacht Arrow460 Granturismo: PICTURES - INSIDER

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vehicle brands

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All foreign visitors to Mexico must register with the government online and present a QR code on their mobile device upon arriving. Land borders between Mexico and the U.S. remain closed. Masks are required on beaches and inside restaurants, hotels, shops, and airports.
Data gathered by Expedia in January showed strong search interest in hotels in Tulum, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Isla Mujeres, all of which are located in Quintana Roo.
Hotel, restaurant, and beach capacity limits are rising from 30% to 60% in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. Tours and attractions also are being allowed to increase their capacity to 60%, the government of Quintana Roo said on Twitter.

Cancun Eases COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Ahead of Spring Break | Travel + Leisure

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But that doesn’t mean Americans are set to jet off to an exotic locale. Most said their idea of a “dream vacation” was now the opportunity to spend time with friends and family.
To date, about 43 million Americans have received at least one dose of the two-shot Covid vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer since they received emergency use authorization from the FDA in December.
Undoubtedly, the last 11 months have taken a toll. In 2020, an overwhelming majority of Americans shortened, postponed or canceled their planned time off. At the same time, the average workday lengthened by nearly an hour, according to a working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
To that end, nearly half, or 48%, would give up their job, 38% would give up sex for a year, one-quarter would fork over all of their savings and 1 in 5 said they would dump their partner if it meant they could take a trip in the near future.
Desperate vacationers said they would willingly give up love, sex or money in exchange for a trip, according to a recent survey by travel search site Trivago.

38% of Americans would give up sex for a year just to travel again

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401(k) as woefully insufficient to meet the needs of American retirees.
a 401(k) do so through what is known as a "defined contribution" program. This is by far the most common form of the program, in which you (the employee) dedicate a portion of your paycheck toward your retirement account. Some employers will run what is known as an "employer match" program. This means
employer offers a matching contribution, always take them up on it.
Your retirement budgeting should be an active part of your financial life. This is something you should look at and consider on a regular basis, particularly since you will want to increase your contributions as you get older. The sweet spot will be if you can get to age 50 with enough room in the budget to start taking advantage of those catch-up contribution tax breaks.

How to Max Out Your 401(k) in 2019 - TheStreet

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investing

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6. Identify Your Ikigai The Japanese define purpose with the concept of “ikigai.” Ikigai is the intersection of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs and what you can get paid for.
5. Identify What Gives Your Life Meaning and Purpose AND Makes You Happy The traditional pursuits of retirement: hobbies, volunteer work, travel, part time jobs, exercise, friends, leisure, family and more can all offer you meaning, purpose and happiness.
4. Take Care of Your Finances In 1943, psychologist Abraham Maslow theorized that the most fundamental human needs are physiological (air, water, food, clothing and shelter) and safety (personal and financial security, health and well-being). These basic needs must be met before an individual can focus on secondary and higher level needs such as love and belonging, esteem and self-actualization.
3. Meet With a Life Coach You may work with a financial advisor to help guide your investing and saving choices, but did you realize that there are life coaches that specialize in helping you transition to life after retirement? Just as a financial advisor can help you navigate the complex and sometimes emotional choices in your financial life, a retirement coach can do the same with personal choices faced by people at or near retirement. A retirement coach can help you view retirement not as an ending, but as a transition into a new, exciting phase of life. You may have planned your retirement financially and even planned where you wanted to retire, but what else are you going to do for the next 20, 30, or 40 years? Be prepared for some tough questions about life and death, regrets or forgotten dreams. They might help lead you to part-time work, humanitarian efforts, entrepreneurial adventures, or even artistic pursuits that you hadn’t considered before. A retirement coach can also help navigate intangibles such as building a new social network and finding value in how you spend your time.
2. Try an Mindfulness App Mindfulness apps are all the rage right now. The idea behind most of them is to help you with being aware of how you are feeling and learn to control your thoughts which will result in more happiness and meaning in your life. Headspace: Start with their calming one-minute breathing exercise to see if this is something for you. Calm: Voice led meditation and a range of calming background sounds. Stop, Breath and Think: This app checks in with how you are feeling and recommends a meditation based on your mood. 365 Gratitude: 365 Gratitude is a science-based app that will motivate you to cultivate a grateful mindset in just 5 minutes a day. Gratitude is a key component of feeling and finding meaning.
1. Hit the Books to Find Meaning for Life After Retirement When you were choosing a college major or career, did you ever turn towards books to help you zero in on your passions? Maybe it’s time to reread those guides. When you listen to podcasts or read interviews from visionaries and millionaires, one of the most common pieces of advice you’ll hear is to read a book. That advice works as well for pursuing a passion in a career as it does for finding your meaning for life after retirement.
Frankl believed that the very pursuit of happiness is what thwarts happiness, but once you have a reason to be happy – i.e. a meaning – happiness comes automatically. Happiness is about looking inward. It’s about satisfying your needs and wants. Happiness without meaning results in a shallow, self-absorbed life. When things go well, when your needs and desires are satisfied, you’re happy. When things get difficult, watch out. Meaning is different. It’s focused outwards, on others. It’s about taking care of others and contributing to your community or society as a whole. When we see our purpose as larger than ourselves, we no longer need to pursue happiness. It comes naturally, even in the face of temporary setbacks and discomforts.
While we’re in the daily grind of working for a living, we often visualize life after retirement as happy, stress-free relaxation. Getting a little R&R is certainly important, but there is a limit to the amount of napping, puttering around the house and daytime television a person can take. Without a plan for life after retirement, many retirees find themselves feeling vaguely unfulfilled and restless, craving something more but not knowing what that something might be.

Prepare for Life After Retirement: 6 Ways to Find Meaning and Purpose for this Stage of Life | NewRetirement

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However, the numbers alone show that despite reopening the Maldives has been able to keep the pandemic largely in check.As of February 2021, the country has had 17,828 confirmed cases and just 58 deaths.
Many Maldivians who work in hospitality found themselves effectively "stranded in paradise," forced to stay at the resorts where they worked in order to look after just a handful of guests. Two staff members at the Kuredu Island Resort & Spa tested positive for the virus in March 2020. As a precaution, the entire resort was locked down. While quarantining on a postcard-pretty tropical beach wasn't the worst possible scenario for the guests, it wasn't as dreamy for the staff members who were charged with keeping the place running indefinitely.
As a direct response to the increased amount of time visitors were spending in the Maldives and the fact that most people were going digital-only for work and school, the resort devised a special package for guests staying a full month. The 28-day offering includes meals, high-speed internet, wellness activities and use of a kids' club and is priced from $42,600 for a family of four. They weren't the only ones. The Anantara Veli dug in even further, selling "all you can stay" packages for unlimited bookings for up to a year at a cost of $30,000. Another luxurious property, The Nautilus Maldives, promoted a "workation" package priced from $23,250 for seven days.
"Our biggest advantage is the unique geographical features of Maldives," he says, adding that the implementation of strict hygiene protocols combined with the ease of spreading people on different islands made a compelling combination for travelers who wanted to get away from it all. "We promoted the destination as a safe haven to the tourists."
The Maldives' heavy reliance on ultra-luxury resorts also worked in its favor when it came to testing and social distancing. For example, some high-end properties conduct additional in-resort Covid testing as an added layer of protection against the spread of the virus.
The country's geography also lends itself well to coronavirus protocols. Many hotels and resorts are on their own private islands -- there are more than a thousand to choose from, even before man-made islands come into the equation -- which makes isolating and social distancing exceptionally easy.
Part of the decision was financial. According to data from Michigan State University, tourism contributes 28% of the Maldives's GDP, one of the highest totals in the world.
The Maldives, an Indian Ocean island archipelago practically synonymous with romance, normally sees north of 1.7 million visitors per year. In 2020, it had around 500,000. And despite the significant decrease, it marks one of the most successful tourism stories amid the pandemic.
In most destinations, being a million tourists short over the previous year would be a huge cause for concern, the result of a horrible natural disaster. But that was before 2020, and before the coronavirus pandemic changed the way we travel forever.

How the Maldives became the biggest 2020 international tourism success story | CNN Travel

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At the Marker Key West Harbor Resort, which sits on two lush acres in the Florida Keys, transactions from guests over the age of 55 were 70 percent higher in January 2021 than in December 2020, translating to a 41 percent increase in spending.
The tourism industry, battered by the pandemic, is now getting a much-needed boost from this new surge. Hotels and resorts, which have faced record-low occupancy throughout the pandemic, are wholeheartedly embracing the fresh wave of travelers, with many rolling out new programming and features geared toward their oldest demographic.
And all older travelers should choose destinations where hospitals have not been overburdened by the pandemic, Dr. Green said, because vaccinated or not, older Americans are more likely to suffer from non-Covid-related health issues.
“The vaccine is still not 100 percent effective, and if you’re living basically in a sea of virus, it’s good to be very careful even though you’ve been vaccinated,” said Dr. Manfred Green, director of the public health program at the University of Haifa in northern Israel. “We’re still not sure if someone who is vaccinated could acquire the disease without getting sick, meaning the virus would be with them and they could transmit it to someone else.”
And Lauren Bates, founder and owner of Wild Terrains, a women-only tour operator with itineraries in Mexico, Portugal and Argentina, said she was stunned when bookings in December and January — for trips starting as soon as May 2021 — were 40 percent higher than in January 2020, and three-quarters of the women who booked in that time were over the age of 55.“We’re seeing a lot of women in their 60s and 70s booking trips with friends,” she said.
Some older travelers are even opting to finally book those big-ticket dream trips. Fernando Diez, who owns Quasar Expeditions, a luxury cruise operator in the Galápagos Islands, says that in December, when frontline health care workers were among the very first Americans to receive vaccines, he saw a wave of requests for trip information from doctors and nurses.
“There’s a lot of pent-up desire among seniors, and a sense of life running out,” said Jeff Galak, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. “There’s a theory called mortality salience: When your own mortality is brought to mind, behaviors change. We’re going to see upgrades to better cabins on cruise ships, and booking of better hotels.”
And while some older adults are focusing on short distances and Covid-19 precautions at their destinations when it comes to post-pandemic travel, others are enthusiastically planning to just go big.
Receiving that coveted first shot, she said, wasn’t just a factor in convincing her to book the trip. “It was the whole of the decision,” she said. But even having been immunized, she knows the vaccine is not a magic bullet, and wanted to be sure she was selecting a vacation spot where she trusted sanitation measures and where social distancing would still be possible.
That sense of safety is partly because Hawaii, with its mandatory quarantine and contact tracing, has managed the pandemic well. The couple feel confident that if they were to face any health issues while on the island, they wouldn’t be stymied by an overburdened health system.
At the Foundry Hotel in Asheville, N.C., an 87-room luxury hotel housed in what was once a steel factory for the Biltmore Estate, reservations made with the hotel’s AARP promotional rate were up 50 percent last month. Aqua-Aston Hospitality, a Honolulu-based company with resorts, hotels and condos in its portfolio, reports that senior-rate bookings climbed nearly 60 recent in January.
“We’ve very willingly been compliant with masking and social distancing, and have basically lived inside of our bubble here in Dallas,” Mr. Drayer said. “We haven’t been inside a restaurant in a year. So we’re anxious to get out now and do things a little more safely.”
Across the United States, older people have been among the first in line to receive their Covid-19 vaccinations. And among hotels, cruise lines and tour operators, the data is clear: Older travelers are leading a wave in new travel bookings. Americans over 65, who have had priority access to inoculations, are now newly emboldened to travel — often while their children and grandchildren continue to wait for a vaccine. For the silver-haired, it’s a silver lining.

A Different Early-Bird Special: Have Vaccine, Will Travel - The New York Times

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www.nytimes.com

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World's Sexiest Bedroom: Keemala, Phuket, Thailand
Best-Dressed Hotel: Palazzo Margherita, Basilicata, Italy
Above & Beyond: Awasi, Patagonia, Chile
Romance in the rainforest is served up at this tree-top suite, which has been crowned the world's sexiest bedroom.Each Thai villa has four poster beds, al fresco bath tubs and a private pool
the 19th century property has been restored by Francis Ford Coppolla to its current opulent aesthetic
Most Spoiling Spa: Amanemu, Mie, Japan
Amanemu has incorporated the Japanese bathing tradition of onsen, making it a very authentic and overly Zen spa experience; the watsu pool is definitely a highlight'
Blissful solitude awaits on the edge of Chile's Torres del Paine national park

The best boutique hotels on the planet | Daily Mail Online

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hotels

www.dailymail.co.uk

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“When the city was put under lockdown, there was no one on the street,” said Li Hong Gang, a lantern vendor. “Now, business is recovering and I am satisfied with my sales.”The city’s recovery has drawn close scrutiny, with video images of a crowded music rave in a swimming pool making global headlines in August.
“I feel happy,” said Song Bo, 33, who works in the auto industry. “Last year, we just stayed at home without doing anything or slept at home every day. This year, though we still need to wear masks, is much better.”
As the Lunar New Year approached, things were nearly back to normal in Wuhan, which has been largely virus-free for months, as people scrambled to make last-minute purchases of food and decorations for family celebrations ahead of the Year of the Ox, which begins on Friday.
WUHAN, China - People thronged the streets of China’s central city of Wuhan this week, as they made final preparations for the Lunar New Year to bring the curtain down on a year marred by the coronavirus pandemic that killed thousands.

In Wuhan, last-minute shopping and a return to normal on Lunar New Year eve | Reuters

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The city of 7.5 million people has recorded around 10,700 infections and 188 deaths since January last year.
Hong Kong plans to ease some of its coronavirus restrictions starting Feb. 18, re-opening sports and entertainment facilities and extending dining hours to 10 p.m. from the current 6 p.m.
“It’s nice, it’s very peaceful,” Zhou said. “It’s the spring festival, nobody wants any conflict and anything political.”
Crowd controls were in place and temperature checks were mandatory.“Next year I hope everything will be better,” said Peter Luk, 63, a retiree shopping at Victoria Park. “We should have all sorts of things - political merchandise, things to eat, toys and flowers, everything.”
But protests evaporated as the coronavirus pandemic prevented large gatherings. Then China imposed a sweeping national security law in June and Hong Kong authorities began arresting activists and opposition politicians.
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year fairs, usually an opportunity to sell creative merchandise critical of the government alongside festive foods and decorations, are subdued this year amid coronavirus restrictions and a sweeping national security law.

Hong Kong holds scaled-down Lunar New Year fairs amid COVID-19, China crackdown | Reuters

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We cannot just develop a vaccine for COVID-19, call it “job done”
We need to use the reboot to incentivize sustainable innovation and green investment.
Perhaps we don’t need as much stuff as we thought we did. Perhaps we can fill our lives with closer relationships, with moments, with creativity. Perhaps we recognize what really counts in our lives: being safe and being free.
This means the protection and sustainable management of our global commons—such as our atmosphere and the earth’s rich diversity of plant and animal species—must be center-stage of priority-setting in our societies.
Ecosystem and biodiversity loss are threatening the planet’s ability to provide goods and services –deforestation for example, disrupts our weather patterns and the water cycle, contributes to climate change, and destroys the habitats of important species.
extreme weather events such as cyclones and floods
Zoonotic diseases aren’t the only symptom of poor planetary health
All of this has played out in a globalized network of trade and travel.
ecosystem destruction, species loss, global warming, colliding with risky human behavior like illegal wildlife trade.
zoonotic virus
Humanity’s dysfunctional relationship with nature has caused this wider disease.
It is a symptom of the ailing health of our planet.
COVID-19
COVID-19 is a reminder of how vulnerable even our modern, technologically advanced societies are.

COVID-19 Is a Symptom of the Planet’s Ailing Health | Time

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New York City, for example, is both expensive and crowded around Christmas.
Plus, the city only has about five hours of daylight in December,
London, England
We consulted travel website Kiwi.com's Christmas Price Index from 2016, which ranks the most expensive cities to visit during Christmas, a
Reykjavik, Iceland
Denali National Park, Alaska
there are only 5.7 hours of daylight per day during the month.
And if you want to see the city's Christmas decorations, you'll have to be willing to battle crowds,
Washington, DC
The average cost for a "Christmassy day" in Washington, DC in December is $589.44, making it the second-most expensive city to spend
cost you about $477.75 to spend Christmas Day in London.
best to save your vacation to Denali for the warmer months.

Places to avoid traveling to on Christmas - INSIDER

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weather

www.thisisinsider.com

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Trend 5: Extended stays will explode in popularity.After a year of stay-at-home orders and border restrictions, many of us are experiencing a pent-up desire to travel. As COVID-19 vaccination programs roll out worldwide, consumer confidence will grow.We expect a large proportion of people will forego holidays in the first half of the year and save their allocation for longer, far-flung trips over the summer months. After being denied travel for so long, people are hoping to make the most of their first trip. Travelers may be willing to spend more, travel to new locations or stay somewhere out of the ordinary.
Trend 4: Travelers will demand a new era of flexibility.Building flexibility into future bookings is crucial for travel providers in their efforts to build trust, and early evidence suggests that the industry is listening. For example, in September, American Airlines, Delta and United took the major step of permanently eliminating change fees.
Trend 3: The barrier will break on loyalty programs.Airlines and hotel groups have used their loyalty programs to generate demand in response to challenging economic headwinds. As a result, expect a significant surge in travelers booking with the air miles and points they have been unable to use during the pandemic. With extended loyalty programs and innovative new offers, there will be intense competition this year, and the value of air miles and loyalty points will fluctuate. Travelers will look to leverage the expertise of travel partners to navigate this.
Trend 2: Trusted advice will be a major competitive differentiator.In the travel industry, trust has become more critical than ever before. The climate of uncertainty created by COVID-19 has meant that travelers are increasingly seeking out trusted brands to help them navigate the complexities of new travel regulations.
Trend 1: A new wave of innovation will hit the mainstream.While 2020 will be known for significant disruptions to travel, one positive outcome of the crisis was how it motivated organizations to accelerate technology development, particularly the digitization and automation of travel.
Facing one of the most challenging waves of disruption since the tragic events of 9/11, travel companies have had to adapt themselves to survive. Now a full year since the pandemic began, the question isn’t will travel come back, but what will recovery look like?

Trends Set To Redefine the Travel Industry | TravelPulse

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www.travelpulse.com

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Lead author, Prof Phyo Myint, director of the Aberdeen Clinical Academic Training Scheme said: "This is important research, led by medical students, who have demonstrated robust use of publicly available data to inform future policies in preventing the spread of Covid-19."
Tiberiu Pana, one of the authors of the study, said: "We found that international travel was the strongest predictor of mortality increase."Our assessment of available data indicates that very early restrictions on international travel might have made a difference in the spread of the pandemic in western Europe, including the UK."These findings are particularly important as the world looks to control future waves and strains of the Covid-19 pandemic and prevent related deaths."
International travel had the biggest impact on Covid death rates for countries hit in the pandemic's first wave, a study has found.Researchers in Aberdeen focused on the world's worst affected 37 countries.They examined factors including border arrivals, population density, the percentage of people living in urban areas, age, and health issues.The team said early restrictions on international travel could have made a difference in the spread.

Covid-19: International travel 'biggest impact' on deaths - BBC News

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www.bbc.com

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Snorkel, scuba dive or take a scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef
Join the locals at one of the Gold Coast's top beaches
With its international airport and excellent shopping, the tropical city of Cairns, in Queensland's far north, is a convenient access point for the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest, but don't miss the great things to do in and around town. You'll find brilliant cafés, bustling markets and plenty of beaches nearby. Relax by one of the pools at a five-star resort, day trip to the nearby stylish villages of Port Douglas and Palm Cove, or spend your days out and about exploring this city oasis.
A short ferry ride from Hervey Bay is World Heritage-listed Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island

Guide to Queensland - Tourism Australia

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specialty travel

www.australia.com

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7. No, there is no mandatory quarantine when you return to or arrive in the United States. It is recommended by the CDC and President Joe Biden, however. The CDC recommends that travelers get tested three to five days after travel and stay home or in a hotel to self-quarantine for seven days post-travel regardless of the test results. If you don't get tested after the trip, the CDC says "it's safest'' to stay home for 10 days. Biden's executive order states that travelers arriving in the U.S. from an international destination are "required to comply with other applicable CDC guidelines concerning international travel, including recommended periods of self-quarantine or self-isolation after entry into the United States.''
6. Yes, airlines are trying to make it easier to stay up to date on new COVID-19 travel restrictions and organize test results and other documents while avoiding logjams at the airport. United Airlines on Monday announced a new "travel-ready'' center on its mobile app and website.
5. No, you don't need to get a test before your flight out of the U.S. if you're headed to certain destinations, including Mexico. You will, though, if you're headed to select Caribbean destinations, Canada, the United Kingdom and scores of other countries with entry restrictions. Check with your airline and destination for details. Traveling within the U.S.? Coronavirus tests aren't required to board a plane, though some destinations, most notably Hawaii, require you to quarantine if you don't receive a negative test result before departure.
4. No, airlines won't be testing you when you arrive at the airport for an international flight to the U.S. Travelers are on their own to obtain the required test, which must be taken no more than three days before your departure date. Hotels from the swank Atlantis in the Bahamas to timeshare resorts throughout the region have rushed to add on-site testing for guests, so check in advance to see what's available and add the cost to your vacation budget. Make sure you make a reservation for a test if offered in case slots fill up quickly. For more information on testing options in international destinations, check the websites and social media accounts of U.S. embassies. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico has assembled a list of private providers throughout the country, and so has the embassy in Costa Rica.
3. Yes, you can avoid a test by submitting two things before your flight home: test results that show you had COVID-19 within the past three months and a note from a health care provider or public health official that states that you have recovered and been cleared for travel.
2. No, you aren't exempt if you've had a COVID-19 vaccine.
1. Yes, U.S. citizens are subject to the new rules.
"What if one of us tests positive and one of us doesn't? Where do we stay? What do we do?'' she said. "Everything was so up in the air it was absolutely not worth the risk.''The Secrets resort they booked through American Airlines vacations is offering an insurance policy of sorts, a free stay of up to 14 days if they were forced to stay in Mexico and quarantine after testing positive for their return flight. (The policy is in effect through March 31.)"I'm like, 'There's got to be some kind of catch in that because that's an awful lot of money they're going to lose,''' she said.
There is already evidence the testing requirement, which means travelers have to find a place to get tested during their vacation and risk being stranded if they test positive, is having an effect. United Airlines said last week that it has seen an increase in cancellations and a decline in bookings to Mexican beach resorts since the rule was announced.
The goal, of course: to help stop the spread of thecoronavirus that causes COVID-19. International travel is still severely restricted around the globe, but U.S. vacationers craving a getaway have been flocking to beaches in Mexico and the Caribbean in part because of a lack of restrictions in many destinations.
For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, all passengers ages 2 and older must present a negative coronavirus test taken no more than three days before their flight or proof they recovered from the virus within the past three months. Those who don't will be denied boarding. Canada, the United Kingdom and many other countries already had this entry requirement.

COVID travel: Test now needed for boarding international flights to US

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Airline workers – especially flight attendants – have found themselves in the role of mask police. To date, nearly 3,000 passengers have been banned from Delta, United, Frontier, Spirit, JetBlue, Alaska, Hawaiian and Allegiant airlines, according to the latest figures from airline representatives The actual number is likely much higher since two of the country's largest airlines, American and Southwest, don't reveal how many passengers they have banned."Almost a year in, we still do not have basic federal safety requirements such as a mask mandate,'' the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA said in a statement last week. "We're eager to work with the Biden administration to protect aviation workers and passengers.''
"It is a federal policy and you have two choices: comply or don’t fly,'' he said.Airlines, unions and consumer advocates have been calling for a federal mask mandate since the early months of the coronavirus pandemic but found no support from President Donald Trump's administration.
Airlines already require masks and ban passengers who don't comply, but wthout a federal mandate, passenger cooperation is basically voluntary, he said. Even with the Federal Aviation Administration's recent order that it will no longer give warnings to misbehaving travelers."Suppose we had the same method for (in-flight) seats belts or smoking?'' he said. "We said, 'Well, we recommend you have seat belts. We recommend you don't smoke.' How would that work? It would be chaotic.''
President Joe Biden has promised a mask mandate on flights, trains and buses for months, and he plans to make it a reality onThursday.Biden, who said on his first day in office that "changing the course of the COVID crisis'' is a top priority, plans to issue an executive order promoting COVID-19 safety in domestic and international travel. It follows an order mandating masks on federal property announced Wednesday.

Biden flight mask mandate: How new order changes COVID travel safety

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“Many organizations need older volunteers. The challenge is to connect new pensioners to the voluntary activity that already exists in the community,” Bauger says.
There will be many more elderly people in the population in the years to come, both in Norway and throughout the Western world.“That means there will also be a lot more elderly people with a lot of resources,” Bauger says. “We’ll probably see then that there are even more ways to grow older.”
They often have a job that is physically demanding and where they have little control over their work day. They have to go to work and do the same thing every day, regardless of how they are feeling that day. They can’t work from a home office or spread their work throughout the week.“For these people, the job probably has more of an effect on their health than if you can put your work aside based on how you’re feeling that day, as I, as a researcher, can do,” says Grøtting.
She has also found that most people do better in the years right after they become retired. They report less stress and fewer depressive symptoms — and a generally better quality of life.
The newly retired pensioners also felt strongly about the feeling of being able to control their own lives.“It's a good feeling for most people,” says Bauger.Retirees would like to have a good relationship with their children and good contact with their grandchildren. But some said they protected themselves from others who could take control of their lives. They are careful to say yes to new obligations, including caring for grandchildren.
By analysing their stories, he found some shared success factors that contributed to having a good life as a retiree.“It means a lot to have a healthy body. This is not the same as not having aches and pains. But it means a lot to have a body that you feel works,” says Bauger.
Bauger says for this group, it matters a lot whether retirement is something you choose for yourself, or is something you have to do.“It also means a lot to many if they have a partner to share their retirement time with,” he says.“It also does matter what kind of finances you have as a pensioner. Research shows that people whose finances are robust as pensioners are more socially active and perhaps also more physically active,” he says.
“Some people feel that going out the door to work for the last time precipitates a drop in their quality of life. But the research shows that after a while, most get used to all the free time they have as retirees. At that point, their quality of life returns to what it was before they retired,” he says.
One is that about 75 per cent of all elderly have roughly the same quality of life, before, during and after their retirement.“But if you had a stressful or tiring job that contributed to lowering your quality of life, you’ll probably experience retirement as a relief,” says Bauger.
Research has shown that the transition from working life to retirement can be a major change for many.“For that reason, you might want to try it out a little beforehand, by reducing the amount you work, just as many people are doing nowadays,” he says.“And it might be good to think a little about how you want to spend all that free time you’ll suddenly have. You should definitely do this before you suddenly find yourself retired,” the researcher says.
Bauger notes that there are many more ways to retire now than before.And that can be good, he says. Bauger has interviewed both recent Norwegian pensioners and studied international research on the same topic for his doctoral dissertation.
The media and financial folks are very concerned about retirees’ finances. But perhaps people should think more about their social life when they retire, Bauger says.“This is, after all, also very important for most of us,” Bauger says.

What makes a good life in retirement?

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sciencenorway.no

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How to travel: Eurostar's Ski Train service runs on Fridays and Saturdays between December and April, with stops in Moûtiers (around nine hours from St Pancras), Aime-la-Plagne and Bourg-St-Maurice. From Bourg-St-Maurice, it's an hour's bus journey (40 minutes by taxi) to Val d'Isère.
How to travel: Take the Eurostar from London to Paris
For something more off the beaten track, make your way to Greece's remote northwestern region of Epirus and join The Slow Cyclist for a two-wheeled jaunt along the deserted roads and ancient mule tracks of Zagori.
How to travel: Sunvil can help you curate a rail-and-sail adventure from the UK to Corfu, Paxos, Lefkas, Parga and Sivota. If you plan on hopping from sun-soaked shore to shore by ferry, the Eurail Greek Islands Pass covers 53 islands.

Five No-Fly Destinations to Inspire an Eco-Conscious Getaway | SUITCASE Magazine

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The electric vehicle switch is Lyft’s latest step toward making the business more sustainable
First, the company will focus on policies to accelerate electric vehicle cost parity; second, it will provide electric vehicle rentals to drivers as part of its Express Drive program; finally, Lyft plans to build demand for electric vehicles among all Lyft users.
The goal is to only acquire EVs for the program by 2026, and for all Express Drive vehicles to be electric by 2028.
second
First
First, the company will focus on policies to accelerate electric vehicle cost parity; second, it will provide electric vehicle rentals to drivers as part of its Express Drive program; finally, Lyft plans to build demand for electric vehicles among all Lyft users.

Lyft commits to all electric vehicles by 2030 | Engadget

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www.engadget.com

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In other words, we’re people who are fully capable of change and flexibility. Early retirement requires both of these habits. Are there any other myths about early retirement that you’ve heard?
The 4% Trinity Study rule is antiquated and outdated. There is no way you won’t run out of money Contrary to popular critique, the 4% safe withdrawal rate is not some one-size-fits-all approach that people — come hell or high water — must blindly and stubbornly adhere to for the duration of their retirements.
Early retirement in a trailer sounds like a life of destitution In mid-November of 2015, my retirement renaissance article got picked up by Business Insider. Business Insider often does publish personal finance material, but they are far from an early retirement resource. The publication is well read among the general population.
destitution In mid-November of 2015, my retirement renaissance article got picked up by Business Insider. Business Insider often does publish personal finance material, but they are far from an early retirement resource. The publication is well read among the general population.
If you earn money after retirement, then you aren’t retired To the retirement police, you can’t be retired if you’re making money by doing work. Doing work, after all, is what people do “for a living”, and therefore, if you do something postretirement that generates cash, you’re not actually retired.
We remain completely flexible and willing to change. Flexibility happens to be a critical element of our postretirement lifestyle. If things don’t work out exactly like we planned, we change. We find a solution. It might include us working a seasonal job or two. Or, maybe we look for ways to reduce our spending. Choosing a lower cost of living area is another idea, to include overseas travel to areas like Thailand and Costa Rica. When you’re retired, your options are virtually limitless.
Our lifestyle is cheap. We spend in the neighborhood of $30,000 to $35,000 a year. We do this by boondocking as much as possible on BLM land, which is free government-owned wilderness to call home — usually for a maximum of 14 days before you need to move on. Find a spot, park your rig and enjoy nature. Of course, no hookups (electric, water and sewer) available, so you’ll have to provide your own power, water and hold on to your waste products or dispose of them safely (thank you for making that job easier, Mr. Composting Toilet).
Four years of living expenses in short-term savings. We have almost four years of living expenses in our Ally savings account, which will provide a nice little buffer once the next recession hits. Until then, we live off our monthly cash flow from our passion projects (this cash flow was a complete surprise, by the way) and by depositing dividends into our checking account rather than reinvesting them (this was a recent change).
$1 million at retirement is nothing, you’ll need more It might surprise many of you to know that we didn’t have $1 million saved when we officially set sail in our Airstream. That’s right, we aren’t one of those “rich people”, though we are rich enough to make our lifestyle work.
Fitness. I’m a fitness fanatic. In fact, I used to be that guy who went to the gym multiple times a day on some days. Yes, an actual “gym rat”. Now, I’m working out at more reasonable intervals and enjoying more time away from the gym. This year, I will be taking my Planet Fitness gym membership with me around the country.
YouTube channel. My wife and I spend time running a growing YouTube channel. I’m the one filming the majority of the videos, and I’m also the guy who edits the videos and puts together the final product. Our talking videos only take about 30 minutes to edit, but hiking and exploration videos can take hours to edit with music. It’s fun, though!
Rockstar Finance. For near the entire year of 2016, I worked closely with J$ as his primary technical resource. I built out the entire Rockstar Directory from scratch (with J$ delivering the vision, of course). Today, I manage the operational side of Rockstar Finance after ESI Money bought Rockstar Finance, and I couldn’t be happier. [ESI Money columns also appear on MarketWatch.]
Full-time travel. We sold both of our homes and travel the country for a living. Full-time. Our Airstream is our home. Yes, our only home. We pulled out of the KOA in Tucson, Ariz., April 1 of 2017 and began our new lives of travel (we are temporarily back in the KOA, but we’re leaving once again for permanent travel).
You will completely lose your purpose in life To believe a statement like this, you must also believe that your job is the only source of purpose in your life. Respectfully, that just sounds devastating. A single point of failure. And, it does not represent my life. At all.
Sometimes, the stuff that people say about early retirement (and early retirees) is terrible. It is assumed that early retirement is the end of productive life and that unless we’re swimming in millions in cold hard cash, early retirement will eat us alive.

Why early retirement IS all it’s cracked up to be - MarketWatch

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Armed with this knowledge, you’ll know where you are. That will give you that feeling of being in the driver’s seat, because you’ll have your own plan in answer to those three fears. You also know that no plan will ever work out. But the work that’s gone into the plan will help you adapt, as circumstances change — that’s why we plan, because it gives you resilience.All of this will hopefully make Life Two truly the best time of life.
How much “lifestyle risk” you can stand determines how much investment risk you can tolerate. For example, if your investments lost £5,000 in a year, how much would you have to reduce the annual income you’re drawing? And how would that make you feel? How about £50,000? These kinds of exercises are essential to defining your risk tolerance and managing your financial plan throughout Life Two.
For those who want something more, I’ve found that even non-geeky people understand the notion I call your personal funded ratio. It compares how much you have (and are likely to add, if there’s time for future savings) with how much you need to continue the lifestyle you desire. A score of more than 100 per cent is good; under 100 per cent suggests a need for remedial action. There’s a free calculator tool on my website to help individuals and couples make this comparison.
It’s important to remember that you and your partner are not just a couple, but also two different people (I got this idea from Tony Parsons). Many readers of my blog like the idea of a Venn diagram — two intersecting, partly overlapping circles — to identify activities you share and activities you want to keep separate. All three parts of the Venn diagram are important.
Everybody’s plans for Life Two will differ. Some may long to laze on a beach, or spend more time with the grandchildren, whereas others will want to “give something back” or keep working. There are questions that you can ask yourself to help identify these desires; the answers will help you to formulate a plan that’s unique to you. I’ve discovered many such sets. Let me show you two of them.
There are three main subjects that will tackle the three fears I mentioned: psychological (identity), practical (time), and financial (make it last). We should probably start the financial education about 20 years before retirement, when there’s still time to make a big improvement. The psychological and practical education should begin five years before retirement.
Employers with Life Two-educated employees should see improved productivity, and a greater ease of getting people to accept retirement — so, it could even help with workforce planning. I’d like to think employers might pay for this later life learning — but in practice, this may be a journey you have to make alone, perhaps with guidance from a financial adviser.
The financial angle is: “I don’t think I have enough. Will I run out of money before I run out of life?” In all my years of experience, it’s typically the biggest fear people have around retirement, particularly as defined contribution pensions become the norm. But there are psychological and practical issues too. “If I stop work, will I lose my identity? And how will I fill my time?” That’s why education can help.
There’s a psychological explanation. There’s idealism when we’re young and inexperienced, followed by stress as we strive for success and realise there are things that will never be perfect, followed eventually by an acceptance that perfection is unnecessary, and “pretty good is pretty good . . . and that’s enough.” Our measuring stick eventually changes, and we gradually change to seeing the glass as half full rather than half empty. More importantly, there’s a neurological explanation, involving that fact that the dopamine supply in our brains that constantly drives us to do more and better things, declines over time so we get progressively less pushy and frustrated — and happier.
Let me start with how happiness varies with age. Have you heard of the u-curve of happiness? In country after country, survey after survey always shows that we’re happy in our youth, then our happiness tends to decline, bottoming out around our late 40s, then it rises again until we become happiest of all in our later years.
Life One is our grown-up working life. Life Two is what follows. It’s the best part of life, so much so that Life One is just the long prologue that finally gives way to the main event, when enjoyment, happiness and fulfilment peak.
While more specific, the phrase “life after full-time work” is a mouthful. So I created an acronym for it, using the first letters: (l)ife (a)fter (f)ull-(t)ime (wo)rk, and it came out as LAFTWO. Aha, I thought, that’s how my Texan friends would say “Life Two”. And suddenly three years of assembling thoughts fell into place, and acquired a structure, purpose and much more.
Just as our working lives have changed immeasurably over the decades, so has our concept of retirement — not to mention how our long-term savings are structured. So in my own (very happy) retirement, I have been working hard to try and redefine it.

Life Two: What we used to call ‘retirement’ | Financial Times

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www.ft.com

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Research shows that challenging the brain in new ways can help to keep you mentally sharp. While you're working, that often comes with the territory: meeting new people, mastering new skills. But when you retire, you may have to be more proactive.
Loneliness can be a part of aging. But it doesn't have to be. If work has been your primary social outlet, moving away from that world can feel like a shock. Think about what social connections you want to maintain, and what new ones you want to build on — ideally before you retire.
And that dream about a life without an alarm clock? Go for it, but keep some boundaries on your sleep habits. Sleep is the foundation for a resilient life, and getting up at the same time each day (within an hour) is a healthy routine to keep — even without a job to report to every day.
Taking the time to think about what brings you meaning and purpose gives you a clearer vision of where you will find a good quality of life — and some helpful road markers to know if you are getting closer or further away.

How to live your best life in retirement - Mayo Clinic

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www.mayoclinic.org

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5. Priorities won’t magically change When I was planning early retirement, my mind drifted to all the things I would do with my free time. I would definitely ski more. I had plans to write more and reach more people. Both visions came true.
4. You’ll never have enough time I worked a standard 40-hour workweek. I was required to take an hour unpaid lunch. My commute was about an hour round trip. Advertisement Add it up. That’s 50 hours accounted for every week. Over the course of a year, that’s about 2,500 additional hours freed up to do what I want.
3. Transitions are even harder I didn’t anticipate the magnitude of the emotions that came with these major changes. But I assumed things would quickly get easier as we transitioned to a new phase of life. I was wrong.
2. Change is hard I’m fairly stoic. I can count on one hand the number of times I remember shedding a tear in my adult life. Yet on my last day of work, I found myself overcome with emotions.
1. What got you here won’t get you there Shortly after leaving my job, I was interviewed by Todd Tresidder on the Financial Mentor podcast. He asked one question that stumped me: “What price did you pay to achieve financial freedom?”

This first year of early retirement has been one of the hardest of my life - MarketWatch

5 annotations

4554

Johnson added: "In a time when travel is largely restricted, trips delayed and a passion for seeing the world put on hold, we hope these photographs provide a glimpse of all that has happened around the world in the last year, both the difficult moments and the triumphs celebrated."
Whitney Johnson, vice president of visuals and immersive experiences at National Geographic, was one of the curators and told USA TODAY in a statement that the photos "were chosen from among some of the best photographers in the world and represent some of the most memorable moments of the year."
To that end, National Geographic's "18 Timeless Photos That Remind Us Why We Miss Traveling" explores beautiful places to help "inspire your future itineraries and remind you of the breathtaking scenes the world has to offer."
For many, it's been a year of canceled trips. And missed experiences. And wanderlust. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, photography and videography of the places we yearn to travel remind us of the world beyond quarantine and provide hope and inspiration for future travels.

National Geographic travel photos 'remind us why we miss traveling'

4 annotations

4138

The days are long, but years pass quickly. Retirement offers the priceless gift of time, but you need to determine how to use it. Without a goal or some kind of focus, you might feel busy, but have nothing to show for it. It's easy to fritter away time watching TV, going shopping, running errands and keeping house. For many people a truly rewarding retirement comes only when they try to accomplish something that’s important to them. That might mean learning a new language, starting a new business or contributing to a favorite charity. When you reach the end of the day or the end of the year, you want to leave a mark, create a memory or make someone happy.
You still have to work on relationships. Loneliness is a well-recognized risk of retirement as friends move away or die off. While retirement is a time to relax, you still need to make an effort to keep your personal relationships alive with your spouse, children and friends. Consider doing something special for your spouse, make an effort to see your children and pick up the phone to call a friend. You should also reach out to make new friends, perhaps new neighbors or the people who share your new interests.
Money is important, but it’s not everything. So much preparation for retirement involves saving and investing that you sometimes forget there’s much more to retirement than money. Many retirees start out feeling financially secure, but then realize they don’t have any idea what to do in retirement. While it’s essential to plan for how you’re going to generate the income you need, it’s also important to figure out the interests and activities that will make retirement a rewarding and worthwhile period of life. Everyone needs something to look forward to beyond a monthly deposit into their checking account, whether it’s a job, relationship, dream vacation or spending time with grandchildren.
You will develop a new identity. Many people identify themselves and others by the work they do. You might think of yourself as a plumber, a nurse, a marketing executive or a social worker. After you retire, and especially as the years go on, people are less interested in what you used to do and more interested in what you are doing now. Are you a golfer, a gardener, a volunteer or a world traveler? Many people have found that they develop a new role in retirement. Establishing a new identity can be a challenge, but also an opportunity for a fresh start.
Be prepared for a surprise. Beyond the normal changes that evolve in life, many retirees advise that you should be prepared for a major shock. You could face setbacks like an expensive home repair, a car accident or a spouse or close friend dies. Other surprises may involve new opportunities. Your old boss might ask you to come back to work as a consultant. One of your children could invite you to move in with his or her family. A community organization might propose that you spearhead a fundraising campaign. Nobody can predict what’s going to happen, but it helps to be both mentally and financially ready when it does.
Life still changes. Retirement is a big change in itself. But even after you stop working and your kids are grown up, life goes on. You might move from your family home to smaller living quarters, or maybe relocate to a retirement destination in the sunbelt. Either way, you may have to develop a new circle of friends and find new stores, restaurants, doctors and hairdressers. And the changes will continue throughout retirement. Children may come and go, grandchildren may arrive and you may confront a major medical issue. Retired people sometimes get divorced, start new relationships or get remarried. Change doesn’t stop just because you’re retired.

6 Things You Learn After Retirement | On Retirement | US News

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4613

“It has such a strong message,” said art student Park Sung-chan, 20. “This will remind us what we’ve been through in 2020 with the coronavirus and is also environmentally friendly.”
The result? Three-legged stools 45cm (18 inches) recycled from white, pink, blue and black masks, which Kim displayed in his graduation exhibition.
To lessen the risk of coronavirus transmission, Kim keeps them in storage for at least four days. Then, removing elastic bands and wires, he wields a heat gun over the masks in a mould, melting them down at temperatures over 300 degrees Celsius (570 degrees Fahrenheit).
Bothered by the waste caused by disposable face masks, many of which are made of polypropylene, the South Korean furniture design student has come up with an eco-friendly solution, melting them to make stools he calls “Stack and Stack”.

The face-mask seat: a South Korean student's attempt to recycle in COVID times | Reuters

4 annotations

4507

Income inequality is higher than in other rich countries
Most of the rise in inequality happened over a decade ago (see chart 1). Polls usually suggest that Americans care less about inequality than they do about economic opportunity.
A recent paper by Raj Chetty of Stanford University and colleagues documents the “fading American dream”. In 1970 more than nine in ten 30-year-olds earned more, in inflation-adjusted terms, than their parents did at the same age
By 2013 median household income before taxes was 1.6% lower than it was in 1999.

Inequality or middle incomes: which matters more? | The Economist

4 annotations

government

www.economist.com

15785

It's a bittersweet tale, but one that shows happiness can be found in the most unexpected places.
Set in Oklahoma, it follows four generations of Cherokee women across four decades as they persevere in the face of poverty, wildfires, oil spills and violence.
Through their relationships, Dolan dissects how modern love interplays with privilege, power and self-searching.
It draws parallels between racial tensions in the US today and in the years following the civil rights movement of the late 60s, while encouraging readers to "reimagine hope".
Writings are drawn from a diverse crowd including Haitian-American novelist Edwidge Danticat, Anuradha Roy in the Himalayas and Margaret Atwood, who pens a dystopian poem.
Open relationships, racial dynamics and class form the backbone of Leilani's darkly humorous yet insightful debut novel. Aspiring artist Edie loses her job and moves in with the married man she's been sleeping with… and his family.
When the two form an unlikely bond, their friendship teeters into strange, heartbreaking territory.
Sixteen-year-old Olivia's search for her missing father leads her to an offbeat enlightenment retreat in the mountains where leaders claim that they can teach people to fly. As you might have guessed, things take a sinister turn
Disease? Check. Quarantine? Check. If you thought that Donoghue - the author behind bestseller-turned-blockbuster Room - s
We recommend picking up this funny yet heartfelt book if you've recently found it all too easy to feel cut off from your pals. (
There will be many books written about the year 2020: historical, analytic, political and comprehensive accounts. This is not any of those." Instead, it's a short, intimate read that feels like a gesture of connection in these unprecedented times.
honest portrait of the Black immigrant experience in the American South. For more on the immigrant diaspora, try Brown Album by Porochista Khakpour.
A terrorist attack on a train in India unites three otherwise disparate characters: a Muslim girl from the slums of Bengal, a right-wing gym teacher and a trans woman who aspires to be an actress.
Maggie finds five letters in her will, each addressed to mysterious men and - you guessed it - she sets off on a road trip to hand-deliver them
, The High Low host's essays explore the anxieties and agendas that consume our modern lives, and interrogate the stories we tell ourselves.
So has journalist and new mum Elisabeth, the protagonist of Friends and Strangers, who has moved from New York City to small-town America - that is until she meets babysitter Sam.
Her latest fiction follows the chilling story of a lonely, 72-year-old widow determined to solve a murder myster
Bennet's tale follows twins Desiree and Stella who run away from their Deep South town aged 16.

The 26 Best Books to Read in Summer 2020 | SUITCASE Magazine

18 annotations

4231

Dogs are so connected to their owners that they share similar stress levels, according to a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports. W
What did seem to matter was how stressed their owners were—cortisol levels in dogs synced up with those of their humans—and certain human personality traits.

Why Being Neurotic Might Be Good for Your Dog | Time

2 annotations

advertising and marketing

www.architecturaldigest.com

4770

Ukranian-born Dinara Kasko was working as an architect in Kharkov (a city in eastern Ukraine) when she began to experiment with baking
Her cake and pastry designs took the form of buildings
Kasko tells Architectural Digest all about her transition from architecture to pastry artist.
people started calling me an architectural chef. After early success, I decided to commit to that role full-time.
I prefer plain geometric shapes and sharp straight lines as an aesthetic. I tend not to use many colors. Instead, I prefer playing with contrast and minimalism.

Edible Arrangements, Edible, Food Art, Edible Art | Architectural Digest

5 annotations

desserts and baking

8441

Arsenalna, a station on Kiev’s Sviatoshynsko-Brovarska line, is the world’s deepest at 105.5 metres below ground.
Ukrainians are pretty big on easter eggs. Less so, stuffing their faces with low-quality chocolate: they favour more intricate designs using wax on ornaments known as pysankas

25 amazing facts you probably didn't know about Ukraine

2 annotations

tourist destinations

9872

James R., who requested not to use his last name to protect his privacy, still works part-time as a professor online, but says that leaving his full-time job gave him a new level of happiness. "I found as I get older, my tolerance for stress and pressure has diminished. It's more difficult to deal with hassles now," he said. Since he now works from home, and only part-time, there are certainly fewer hassles these days.
Bill Davidson had always wanted to retire early. "When I was in my 30s, I wrote down several goals, and one was to retire at age 55. Then in 2008, I lost a lot of money in bad investments or bad timing and I said, 'I'm not sure I'm able to do that," he told Business Insider."When I was about 54 and a half my employer said, 'Hey, we're ready for you to go, and we'll give you a nice package to do that,'" Davidson said. "It was a little bit of a shock because it was on more on their terms than mine. But, I still had options, and they paid me through my 55th birthday, they were great."
After she retired, Karen Stermitz knew she needed an adventure. "I retired at 55 and immediately started looking for other work. But we were in a remote little town in Washington, and people wanted me to move to Seattle," she said. While she wanted to work, she found that many of the jobs she tried were rather different than the marketing role she had retired from at HP. "I was constantly bored and looking for purpose in life. I did some charity work, I always do charity work," she said. "So for me, the beginning was really hard and very boring."
David Fisher, a former police officer and university safety officer from the Finger Lakes region in New York, loved his work. Saying goodbye to it was tough. "The best part is that everything is on my schedule again. The worst part is that I am not in law enforcement anymore. It did hurt my feelings a little bit. I was in law enforcement for almost 40 years, and I don't have that camaraderie with my fellow brothers in blue anymore," Fisher told Business Insider. "I don't hang out with them. I'm not involved in that anymore."
Bill Brown, who lives in South Carolina, was worried by his former coworkers' comments that he'd 'go crazy' in retirement. He ended up building a woodworking shed to try something new. "I was perfectly happy for the first couple of days taking naps," he told Business Insider. "But, you do get tired of it.""The first few days of retirement I really spent doing nothing but going over to that shed, looking around, and thinking, 'Hm, I wonder what I'll even bother making,'" he continued.
"It's been the happiest time of my life. And, fortunately for me, I got to retire early and I've already enjoyed it for a long time," said Dirk Cotton, a former AOL employee who lives near Chapel Hill, North Carolina and now spends his days researching and writing about retirement. He writes about retirement on his website, and spends his days teaching others about retirement and its realities. "I spend hours and hours and doing this. I love it. I managed a very large organization at AOL and it kept me very, very busy," he said. "But, I think I may be busier since I retired than I was when I was working."
For nine retirees, the circumstances of retiring and how life looked afterwards have been very different. From living a low-key retirement in the Midwest like James R. of Minnesota, to selling their home to travel the world like Joe and Karen Stermitz, there are lots of directions it could take.

9 real retirees share what it's like to stop working - Business Insider

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4124

10. There is an end to retirement.
9. There is an old saying, “I married you for better or worse, but not for lunch.”
8. Where did all the “friends” go?
7. Busy or bored? It’s your choice.
6. The transition to retirement isn’t easy.
5. Inflation is real.
4. Maintaining your lifestyle isn’t as easy as it looks.
3. In the old days, we used to tell employees about the three-legged stool of retirement income:
2. I am convinced that, once retired, the ability to rebuild savings remains essential.
1. No matter how well you’ve prepared and how generous your sources of retirement income, money is always on your mind.

10 retirement lessons from a retired retirement pro - MarketWatch

10 annotations

4398

Priced at 15 pounds for two pizzas, the Elliots say the business was profitable from day one.“We absolutely think this is going to be something that is going to be staying around after the vaccine in 2021,” James said.
“We tried to launch this back in 2014 and it was a spectacular failure, people just weren’t ready for it. But then the pandemic put everyone at home and suddenly everyone was really missing pizza and we relaunched the kit and it’s just been madness ever since,” said James.
The restaurant used to be fully booked every day with a three-month waiting list and employed 20 people. Now there’s a staff of four handling about 80 home delivery orders per week, Knappett said.Targeting the high-end of the market, meal kits cost 150-250 pounds for two and come with cooking instructions.
“It’s a very hard feeling to have to give this control to the guests...But the word that we use every day more than any...is survival, and if we didn’t do that there wouldn’t be a restaurant to come back to,” he told Reuters while packing a box of his home-tasting menu.
From fast food to fine dining, some restaurants in Britain are relying on home kits to keep them afloat during lockdown, turning clients into cooks who recreate favourite meals in the comfort of their own kitchens.

Can't dine out? UK restaurants offer DIY meal kits to survive lockdown | Reuters

5 annotations

4333

The cost of living in Iceland was always high, and the country had already started veering toward high-end travelers, like at the Blue Lagoon’s Retreat Hotel, where rooms start at about $1,300 a night, and the upcoming Six Senses in the Össurá Valley. One appeal of going to Iceland now is definitely its built-in social distancing. With a population of 361,313 as of 2019, according to the World Bank, the nation has seen 5,277 cases of COVID-19 and 26 deaths, the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center reports.
“I think the idea is to attract high-earning professionals from Silicon Valley or San Francisco to spend their money here, instead of there,” former parliament member Asta Gudrun Helgadottir told the outlet.
But there is one major stipulation: “To be granted permission for an extended stay, the person in question must demonstrate an employment relationship with a foreign company (or verify self-employment in the country where they have a permanent residence) and meet the income and health insurance requirements.”
A year ago, tourism revenue accounted for 42% of Iceland’s economy, and while the country has been taking advantage of the downtime caused by the coronavirus pandemic by putting $12 million into improving roads and sites for future tourists, it is also anxious to jumpstart its tourism industry again after it has seen a 79% decline.

Iceland Is Reopening to Tourists — but Only Those Who Make at Least $88,000 a Year | Travel + Leisure

4 annotations

4470

“What’s maddening for the consumer is that you buy a shirt that says ‘100% cotton,’ and yet you’re given no information about any of the chemicals or additives that have been used.”
“It’s always in your best interest to wash clothing before wearing,” he says. Nilsson agrees, saying washing new clothes “reduces the content of chemicals,” especially residual chemicals that may be left over from the manufacturing process.
Unfortunately, Nilsson says, “these chemicals are so far not well studied regarding skin uptake or related health effects” in humans, so it’s not clear whether exposure to these chemicals in your clothing could make you sick.
Allergic rashes aren’t the only health issue associated with clothing chemicals. In a 2014 study, a group of researchers from Stockholm University in Sweden tested 31 clothing samples purchased at retail stores, and that were “diverse in color, material, brand, country of manufacture, and price, and intended for a broad market.” They found a type of chemical compound called “quinoline” (or one of its derivatives) in 29 of the 31 samples, and the levels of this chemical tended to be especially high in polyester garments. Quinoline is used in clothing dyes, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified it as a “possible human carcinogen” based on some studies linking it to “tumor-initiating activity” in mice—though the agency also states that no human studies have been conducted to assess the cancer-causing potential of quinoline.
It’s not clear how common disperse-dye allergies are among the general public. But there is one way to limit your risk for bad reactions: “By washing new clothing, you might remove a little extra dye and so have a lower exposure,” Nedorost says.
“If a patient comes in and has a rash around the back of the neck and along their sides around their armpits, the first question I ask is what they wear when they work out,” she says.
Allergic contact dermatitis is an immune system-related reaction to an allergen that has come into contact with your skin. It causes a delayed reaction: a rash that appears a few days after exposure, and then can last for weeks. “When we see allergic contact dermatitis from clothing, it’s usually from disperse dyes,” says Dr. Susan Nedorost, a professor of dermatology at Case Western Reserve University and director of the dermatitis program at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. Disperse dyes are primarily used in synthetic clothing materials like polyester and nylon, Nedorost says. And they may be present at higher levels in a brand-new, unwashed article of clothing.

Why You Should Always Wash New Clothes Before Wearing Them | Time

7 annotations

4514

Essex, Connecticut
Poulsbo, Washington
On the Kitsap peninsula 35 minutes by ferry from Seattle, this picturesque little town highlights its Nordic heritage
Shipshewana, Indiana
Essex embodies every Hollywood cliche about small town New England but does so in the most winning way. There are white clapboard federal-style houses with the Stars and Stripes aflutter, classy boutiques and a corker of a tavern.
This fascinating town is halfway between Detroit and Chicago, making it a perfect stopover on a road trip.
Guerneville, California
90 minutes’ drive north of San Francisco,
since the 1970s the town has become a welcoming resort for the LGBT community. At its heart is the Russian river, with canoes, kayaks, umbrellas and beach chairs available for rent.

10 of the best small towns in the US: readers’ travel tips | Travel | The Guardian

9 annotations

travel

14020

connect architecture, design, and patisserie. A beautiful cake as well as a beautiful building, needs preliminary design.
So when it comes to a new creation, she doesn’t start with the ingredients. She starts with Autodesk 3DSMax.
turned her back on the construction industry to spend her days building ornate cakes with the help of a 3D printer.
as soon as she started working in the industry, she just knew it wasn’t for her. So the 27-year-old Ukrainian looked for a way to apply her skills to another arena.
So far, Kasko’s biggest clients are her friends and she also has 180,000 Instagram followers t

3ders.org - Architect Dinara Kasko switches from buildings to super cool cake design with a 3D printer | 3D Printer News & 3D Printing News

5 annotations

visual art and design

www.3ders.org

5818

The bridge stretches 150 metres (490 feet) through the Trường Sơn Mountains,
A golden footbridge suspended by a pair of enormous concrete hands has opened in Vietnam
The Ba Na Hills — where Cau Vang is located — is a resort town designed in the style of a French medieval village.
designed by TA Landscape Architecture
Many couples visit the resort town to take pre-wedding photos in a romantic setting — albeit a staged one.

Vietnam's new bridge is held up by a pair of giant concrete hands - Business Insider

5 annotations

exercise

7600

Belgium is known for its beer -- and one brewery in Bruges just built a two-mile-long underground beer pipeline to cut down on transportation costs and traffic congestion.
Hydrogen-powered cars and planes are on the rise, and this week Germany announced plans to launch the world's first completely hydrogen-powered passenger train in 2017.

Amsterdam's autonomous canal boats, and more in the week that was | Engadget

2 annotations

www.engadget.com

4527

Midcentury Modern with a touch of Moroccan
Here are 11 of our most popular homes:
A Malibu trailer transformed
Jamie Klasfeld brought in designer Bryan Wark to bring a light-filled design to her 1946 Tudor home in West Hollywood, influenced by modernist architect Irving Gill.
Darth Vader-looking home is saved from the dark
Coe renewed the exterior of the Naples Island house to be “reminiscent of a boat, but modern in aesthetic and function.” The inside was fully converted as well, to invite the ocean views.

A look back at the most popular homes featured in 2017: Is your favorite here? - LA Times

6 annotations

books and literature

www.latimes.com

7352

1. San Antonio, Texas, the United States of America
2. Puebla, Mexico
8. Budapest, Hungar
7. Agra, India
8. Budapest, Hungary
This Eastern European country is home to many universities and travelers can feel the student atmosphere throughout. The red bricked city offers culture, amazing parks and greenery.
Whether you want to relax in Zanzibar or sample the cuisine of Malaysia, budget travel in 2019 is all about cheap destinations that offer an outsized experience.
3. Hawaii, the USA

The 18 Best Budget Travel Destinations For 2019

8 annotations

food

7415

it will allow the possibility of a fully personalised car, such that nobody’s Rolls-Royce would look like any other
3D printing, for instance, is, he notes, already being used to make parts for Formula One racing cars. Red Bull and Lotus are among the teams known to use 3D printing in the manufacture of parts for test cars,
Personalised hamper sets and other accessories are available to those with the money to buy a Bentley Bentayga.
Umbrella storage in the Rolls-Royce 103EX – no detail is overlooked.
Rolls-Royce
latest project, the Rolls-Royce 103EX, is a vision of where the company’s car making will be in years to come.

Rolls-Royce predicts it will create the tailor-made car for the rich and famous | Style Magazine | South China Morning Post

6 annotations

cars

www.scmp.com

10904

The tragedy of what we are witnessing is that many of our younger residents are interacting with each other and not adhering to the recommended prevention measures, while our older residents continue to experience the results of this increased spread with the worst health outcomes, including death,”
California residents starting in March were urged to stay home as much as possible and state health orders shut down all but essential businesses such as grocery stores.
The U.S. also has had consistent testing failures that experts say contribute to an undercount of the actual virus rate.
However, New York’s 72,302 deaths are by far the highest total in the country and nine times more than California’s tally, and its rate of confirmed infections of about 2,100 per 100,000 people is twice California’s rate.

California Surpasses New York for Most COVID-19 Cases in US | Time

4 annotations

4563

picking up some new hobbies? Like home-growing shiitake mushrooms to feas
Retirement will give him plenty of time to stock up the home bar.
the days of couch-sitting ahead, get him some ultra-nice, very comfortabl
An ultra-plush, organic cotton robe is a splurge p
Seiko's diver watch is a great gift. Really, you can never go wrong with
He has a lot of movie-watching in front of him. Get him a 4K TV so those movies look really good. And when he's not watching, this Frame model will display a piece of artwork he selected. Because he has time to appreciate art now, too.

15 Best Retirement Gifts for Men - Top Gift Ideas for Retiring

6 annotations

shows and events

www.esquire.com

4817

$
FinTech
Quid looked at more than 50,000 companies and chose 50 it deemed the most promising.
50 most promising startups from around the world, based on Quid’s research.
The final list was shaped by some preset parameters: Biotech was excluded, and 10 of the companies were from outside the U.S.
. Almost eight years later, it turns out that the list had its share of flops—companies that shut down or lost value—but some notable home runs as well. Cloudera, Palantir, Evernote, Twitch and Spotify all increased at least 30 times in value since 2009.
Quid narrowed the list from 5,000 to 200 by ranking the companies according to a series of metrics: time between funding rounds, number of rounds, quality of investors and amount raised.

These Are the 50 Most Promising Startups You’ve Never Heard Of

7 annotations

investing

9192

The jump in the overall confidence index stands in contrast with most other measures of confidence (e.g., Univ. of Michigan, TIPP/IBD, and Bloomberg), which all showed flattish-to-slightly weaker performances in September. According to the report: “Consumers’ assessment of present-day conditions improved, primarily the result of a more positive view of the labor market.
At 104.1, the September level was the highest reading of the recovery

US: Consumer confidence index was much stronger than expected - RBS

2 annotations

bank

www.fxstreet.com

4331

Retiring as a millionaire may seem like a fantasy rather than a practical financial goal, yet it’s possible with savvy monthly saving.
Saving programs to help you reach that mark could include your employer’s 401(k), which is a tax-advantaged retirement savings account, or a Roth IRA or traditional IRA. Investment options include low-cost index funds.
20 years old, you’ll need to stash $319 a month toward retirement to hit your goal of a million dollars in 47 years
If you are 40 with no savings, that number jumps all the way to $1,240 a month straight to savings to reach a million for retiremen
As you can see, the longer you wait, the more you will have to pay. Do yourself a favor, and start saving early.

Retirement savings by age: How much you'll need to invest each month

5 annotations

personal finance

4625

Musicians’ stories about being questioned, harassed and banned by the UK Border Agency are plentiful.
DO: GET HELP BOOKING YOUR TOUR FROM THE LOCALS
Find someone who knows the local music scenes and the audiences best suited for your music to enhance your band’s chances at a successful tour.

10 Do's and Don'ts When Touring Europe | Houston Press

3 annotations

music

www.houstonpress.com

4816

Built in 1891 and recent restored, this hotel embodies New England in a nutshell,
an average annual price of $530 per night
This historic building was once home to Pearl’s Brewhouse in the 19th century during Prohibition. Now, it’s a modern-meets-rustic hotel
annual price of $454 per night.
This luxurious downtown Chicago hotel features sweeping views of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan.
Before planning your next trip, take a look below at the 10 top hotels in the U.S. in 2018:
annual price of $538 per night.

The 10 Best Hotels In The US In 2018, Revealed | HuffPost

7 annotations

hotels

www.huffingtonpost.com

7439

I’m on a yoga and hiking break in the French Alps, one of a new collection of summer wellness holidays by UCPA, a French non-profit organisation that runs affordable, active holidays for adults under 45s
UCPA is best-known for its ski trips, but also offers summer activities including surfing, kayaking and mountain biking
The low prices mean few frills. We are staying at UCPA Argentière, a 292-bed hostel in a village near Chamonix. Most rooms are four- to six-person dorms,
At Le Lavancher, a ludicrously pretty alpine hamlet, we turn uphill, ascending steadily until we reach a viewpoint. We eat our packed lunches overlooking the Mer de Glace, France’s biggest glacier, on the northern slopes of the Mont Blanc massif.
The cost of the holiday includes a pass for local buses, trains and ski lifts, so we can hike in different beauty spots.

Few frills but great value: a yoga and hiking holiday in the French Alps | Travel | The Guardian

5 annotations

4531

The travel company analysed millions of user-written reviews to find out which company offers the best experience for its customers — and the Middle Eastern airline came out on top.
A couple of our readers, Owen and Rory, documented their experience for Business Insider during a recent trip on board an Emirates A380.
Middle Eastern airline's first and business class passengers can relax in one of the Emirates lounges before boarding
Soft drinks are provided in an automated mini-bar...
outside. First class on an Emirates Airbus A380 only has 14 seats, so the service is tailored to each individual.
you can book a slot in one of two onboard showers and spas. The room has heated flooring and each passenger is given five minutes of running water during their 30-minute session

What it's like to fly first class on Emirates - Business Insider

6 annotations

transports

uk.businessinsider.com

8879

as an Irish property plenty of consideration has also been given to its many spaces for socialising. Serving rare Irish whiskeys and local craft beers, the Tack Room bar will host performances of traditional and contemporary Irish music near nightly;
Completed in the 1860s and converted into a hotel in the 1980s, the property will soon be given a new lease of life
One of Ireland’s richest men and the co-owner of Sandy Lane resort in Barbados, J.P. McManus bought Adare Manor in 2014
the manor is currently in the midst of the largest restoration project of its kind in Ireland, with the hope that it will reopen in October as one of the world’s best hotels
Guests who return this autumn can expect a hospitality experience that has been recalibrated and elevated in almost every way
Walking trails extend throughout the property, guests can fish along its river,
through woodland dense with some 19,000 trees and to the doorway of a significantly expanded homestead. Originally a "calendar house" with 365 windows, 52 chimney stacks,
Each with a decorative fireplace and all individually styled, bedrooms and a scattering of suites have been reinterpreted by interior designers Richmond (London’s Beaumont, Four Seasons Moscow)
Falconry will be on offer too,
On televisions and phone handsets, those irritating power lights will turn off automatically at bedtime

First look: Behind the scenes at Adare Manor, Ireland's most exciting new hotel

10 annotations

tourist facilities

www.architecturaldigest.com

8370

Where better to appreciate a city you’re visiting than from the ultimate vantage point
these restaurants come alive and create unforgettable dining experiences
The Standard (Manhattan, New York)
At.mosphere (Dubai, UAE)
The Signature Room (Chicago, Illinois)
New York Bar (Tokyo, Japan)
WP24 (Los Angeles, California)
Le Jules Verne (Paris, France)

These Are 14 of the Tallest Restaurants in the World Photos | Architectural Digest

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fishing

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Switzerland's chocolate capital
The city may have its cultural hotspots (it’s outstanding art gallery, the Kunsthaus, is one of them), but this isn’t where you’ll find the long queues. Instead, lines of fans form outside the chocolate shops. It would be no exaggeration to say it’s the most exciting craft chocolate destination on the planet
Confiserie Honold, our first stop, created the world’s first cherry kirsch baton nearly a century ago.
We walk to H Schwarzenbach, a goods store opened in 1864 where time seems to stand still. Here, you can buy the riches of empire – imported teas, coffees and Grand Cru couverture, as well as chocolate-making ingredients, such as beans from Madagascar, Bolivian cocoa and Mexican butter.

Zurich, Switzerland's chocolate capital | Travel | The Guardian

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travel

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Hong Kong — 4.86
Spain — 5.43
The World Economic Forum's "Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report
Singapore — 4.85.
Australia — 5.10
Japan — 5.26

WEF: The 13 best countries in the world to visit

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mathematics

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During flights, Loukas tries as many different meals as possible – from economy class snacks to premium multi-course feasts

An inflight food reviewer rates the best and worst airline meals

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Here are 10 smart ideas for how you can use that extra cash:
The long-term consequences of keeping these accounts open can wreak havoc on your financial life. Consider that the average interest rate on a credit card is 15.07% right now.
The money you put in -- up to $3,350 for individuals and $6,750 for families, with an extra $1,000 for those over age 55 -- is tax-deductible.
The easiest and perhaps safest way would be to buy four shares of theSPDR S&P 500 ETF
exchange-traded fund that gives you exposure to the 500 largest publicly traded companies in America.
1 share of Amazon, currently trading for about $770. 1 share of Alphabet Class C Shares, also trading for about $770. 7 shares of Facebook, currently trading for about $130 per share. 18 shares of Starbucks, currently trading for about $55 per share.
with $1,000, you could easily take a nice vacation abroad

10 Smart Things You Can Do with $1,000 Right Now | Fox Business

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news

www.foxbusiness.com

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For Thanksgiving, the data crunchers suggest booking the week of October 31 to get the most savings (7.7%) or the week of October 17 (for savings of 5.1%)

These are the best times to book your holiday travel - MarketWatch

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travel

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Every autumn, birds migrating from the Americas - including several endemic species - make a pitstop on the island, making this prime territory for twitchers. There are several expert-led birdwatching packages available if you fancy giving it a whirl.
entire Moinho da Cascata, where a terrace overlooks the sea and a waterfall tumbles down a cliff in the distance.
The small and wonderfully welcoming hamlet of Faja Grande is the most westerly village in Europe and about as far removed from modern-day stresses as one could hope.
Quinta das Grotas
Set in a stone-built house in Guadalupe, it serves Graciosa specialities alongside it's signature dishes of seafood cooked on roof tiles.
For something a little quieter and under-the-radar, visit São Lourenço, a beautiful village in which white houses and terraced vineyards tumble down into a bay
Santa Maria is famed for its handcrafted textiles
the remnants of two submerged volcanic craters, Capelinhos and Caldeira.
If volcanic landscapes are your thing, head north to the unusual lava formations of the Arcos do Cachorro, where the coastline is perforated with grottoes, tunnels and arches.
of Angra's 18th-centurygolden age -
To experience Azorean culture beyond the hubbub of Sāo Miguel, make a beeline for Angra do Heroísmo, where cobbled streets are lined with historic buildings reminiscent of Angra's 18th-century golden age - the Igreja da Misericordia ("the Church of Mercy") is a particularly beautiful, very blue, focal point.
Its various accommodation options are serviced by a restaurant, organic food shop and craft workshops.
The former is surrounded by Monte Brazil, overlooking the Bay of Silveira.
Hotel do Caracol
Bathe in the clay-brown thermal pool at Parque Terra Nostra and don't miss the ruins of Monte Palace Hotel, the Aqueduct, the Caldeira Velha, the Ponta do Canário, the Ponta da Ferraria and the Portas da Cidade.
The twin lakes of Lagoa das Sete Cidades - one blue and one green - lie together in the crater of a dormant volcano; hike the 12km circuit around the lakes, with several routes down to the water's edge.
the island's most popular restaurant - for just-off-the-boat tuna steak, smoked black pudding and pineapple cake; Taberna Açor for cured meats; or the no-fuss Mané Cigano where plates are piled high with grilled-to-perfection sardines.
In Ponta Delgada, try A Tasca
It's minimalist lofts and apartments set in former tea-plantation buildings are prime for those seeking a boutique, design-forward stay.
On the island's northern coast, Pico do Refúgio is a heady cocktail of nature, art and contemporary design

A Pocket Guide to the Azores, Portugal | SUITCASE Magazine

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The cherry on the cake? It's easily reached from Tokyo by train.
Fashion buyers with an eye on high-quality denim are known for hopping it to Kurashiki; the Kojima District is known as the birthplace of Japanese-made jeans
the Venice of Japan,
Take a peek at the work of photographer Charles Fréger. In his Yokainoshima series, he documents the outlandish costumes worn during ancient Japanese rituals at festivals and ceremonies. Keep your eyes peeled for that ogre.
art island"
Never say kekko (roughly meaning beautiful or splendid) until you've seen Nikko".
sunset strolls and a theatrical plot of cliff-edges which more than make up for its lack of stylish beach bars
like God's own work, it's actually bound by a web of tight rules designed to protect it from exploitation
It's the perfect detox destination

Culture Call: Five Lesser-Known Destinations in Japan We Love | SUITCASE Magazine

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"Global University Employability Survey,"
10. University of Tokyo, Japan
The leading research institution has a staff-to-student ratio of just seven, one of the lowest of any university on the list.
4. University of Cambridge, UK
5. Stanford University, California, US
known for its entrepreneurial spirit and has become closely associated with the Silicon Valley tech hub.
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US
The fourth-oldest-surviving university in the world houses 150 faculties across six schools
It lays claim to 85 Nobel laureates and 58 National Medal of Science winners

Times Higher Education: 21 most employable universities in the world - Business Insider

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education

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You (could) hear the tsunami alarms. It's rather eerie,
We've canceled the (tsunami) advisories because it doesn't look like it's becoming a large wave or any larger,"
The first wave didn't materialize, which is a great thing," Keeler, who was in contact with staff in Sand Point, told the Anchorage Daily News. No reports of major structural damage were made on the island, Keeler told the newspaper.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck off southern Alaska's coast late Tuesday, shaking the Alaska Peninsula and briefly sparking tsunami concerns before officials said no destructive waves were coming.

Alaska earthquake: Magnitude 7.8 quake strikes off Alaskan coast - CNN

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Bijou", "bougie" and "chi-chi" are all often used in conjunction with Kastellorizo. It might be the largest island in an archipelago of the same name, but ferries to the Kastellorizo only run a couple of times a week, meaning it has remained a highly exclusive destination.
A visit isn't complete without ogling the subaquatic majesty of Alonissos' Marine Park, the largest marine-protected area in Europe.
Fortunately, its time in the spotlight has not resulted in boatloads of tourists making their way to its shores; island life remains fairly unspoiled. Sunburnt landscapes, quiet tavernas and cobbled towns are yours for the taking - just don't start singing.
Visit Hozoviotissa monastery, dramatically built into the rock-face by hand. Rocky terrain means Amorgos is also an excellent place to hike; it's said that wherever you are on the island, you can always see the blue sea all around you.
This tiny island (it's less than 12km by 4km) is spectacular; emerald-green water,
Head to the green north of the island to horseback ride and hike across the fertile landscape with lush vegetation continuing all the way down to the coastline.
A Byzantine fort, harbour town built in the style of Mussolini's Italy and ancient shipwrecks scattered off the coast are just some of the delights that await.
but this quiet island is steeped in history.
Named after Icarus, the doomed youth who flew too close to the sun, this wing-shaped island seems to have magical properties; residents live longer than almost anywhere else in the world.
Visiting the island is like going back in time; traditional village life plays out with inhabitants sitting outside their houses in the cool evening breeze - a far cry from the summer humdrum of Mykonos or Corfu.
think sun-parched mountains ringed by green-blue waters, with plenty of shoreline tavernas in which to while away the hours
Make a pitstop at Chora Castle, a 13th-century Venetian fort with impressive views of the island. The idyllic capital of Chora is packed with higgledy-piggledy artisan shops; look out for handwoven fabrics and locally gathered sea salt.
Samothraki is a boho enclave of sleepy villages with panoramic views; visit for the hundreds of natural pools and waterfalls scattered across the island.

The 12 Best Greek Islands for an Under-the-Radar Getaway | SUITCASE Magazine

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Growing up in a society where models, movie stars and women of influence are all white, meant that I had struggled to find my place in the world.
The life energy of the country pulsed through me and I felt at one with the place. I cried when it was time for me to leave
Here, it was ok to be English and non-white. Saying I was from Oxford led to questions about the university and whether or not I liked the rain.
It was in Malaysia that I really fell in love with my beautiful patchwork skin.
Little interactions like this are why my moment in Turkey was so powerful.
If I say I'm mixed-race, I get stared at patiently as my conversation partner waits for me to provide a more comprehensive rundown of my DNA. Discussing my skin made me uncomfortable, made me feel different, made me feel less.
We didn't travel abroad much when we were growing up, but we'd have wonderful staycations around the UK: the Lake District, Brecon Beacons, New Forest.

Otherness is My Superpower: My Journey to Belonging | SUITCASE Magazine

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the open sandwiches at Aamanns Deli are unreal. Order for the table and share everything so you can sample a range of toppings.
Go for an early-morning jog down by the river followed by hearty porridge portions at Grød.
How about a beer at To Øl’s Brus bar followed by pizza at Bæst? It’s a winner any day of the week; really lovely interiors, relaxed vibes and a wide selection of food and drinks.
. I’m on my phone a lot while travelling for work, mapping out my trips and keeping up to date with social media, so the few hours extra boost is a real lifesaver.
Oversized coats, loose-fitting trousers and comfortable, almost gym-worthy, sneakers seem like the thing across all ages.

Matthew Spade’s Insider Guide to Copenhagen | SUITCASE Magazine

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There are various other huts, Hobbit houses and electric grass pitches too. Set in the Isle of Wight's Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, there's plenty to do and see on your doorstep - but we recommend heading back here in the evening when Big Bertha (the pizza oven) fires up and SiloFlix cinema is in full swing.
If you're not busy seeking out eggs from the roaming hens (we jest, produce can be ordered in too), on-site yoga classes, massage treatments, horse riding, painting and a writing studio are there to keep your mind away from work.
These eco-friendly geodesic domes make for a green getaway in every sense of the phrase; set on a hillside of the North Yorkshire Wolds, its views stretch 100km across the vale.
Bubble Domes are the top choice, thanks to 180-degree transparent walls, plush beds, pressure showers, coffee machines, breakfast delivery and telescopes for admiring Orion's belt.
but you'll find us in one of its two spherical tents suspended from the trees. For something more under the radar, head to this Ravenglass campsite on the west coast.
Built around 1120, this Norman castle could be straight out of a Grimm tale, with time-worn gargoyles and creeping ivy decorating an imposing tower that gazes over Usk to the Black Mountains beyond. L

The UK’s 11 Coolest Camping and Glamping Sites | SUITCASE Magazine

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San Pedro de Atacama as a base for exciting adventures in Chile.
Mexico's thousands of "cenotes.
"Cenotes" are natural sinkholes filled with freshwater— and there are several thousand of them in Mexico.
Check out the local art scene and savoury chocolate in Puebla, Mexico.
under-the-radar places in Latin America
the colonial villages and local markets in Sacred Valley, Peru.
San Blas Islands, Panama.
Check out the national park in the Golfo de Chiriquí in Chiriqui Province, Panama.
"This place looks like untouched paradise with perfect palm trees on sand spit islands surrounded by perfect turquoise waters.
Do the Quilotoa Loop in Ecuador.

Under-the-radar places to visit in Latin America - Business Insider

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tourist destinations

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For example, if you invest $50 every month for the next five years at 8% annually, and keep that money invested for 40 years, you could pad your retirement account by almost $80,000.
You can set up automatic monthly contributions to your Roth or traditional IRA via many brokerage firms. If your future employer offers a 401k plan, get signed up for that - contributions can be automatically taken out of your paycheck. Since it's automated, you won't have to worry about remembering it every month - just be sure to keep a budget so you know how much you can afford to contribute.
Whenever you're choosing specific investments, always investigate the expense ratio. Even small fees can eat away at your portfolio over time. Consider going with exchange traded funds or index funds, which typically carry much lower expense ratios than actively managed mutual funds.

5 Retirement Savings Tips for College Students – Cents Ability

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investing

cents-ability.org

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Thankfully, baking soda, our favorite household workhorse, can help a lot.

Deep Clean Your Couch With Baking Soda

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clothing

lifehacker.com

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Herne Hill, London
UK Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire
Lake District
Peebles, Scotland
ELSEWHERE IN EUROPE Cinque Terre, Italy
Lake Bled, Slovenia
JAPAN Gunma Prefecture, Honshu
Kamikochi national park, Honshu
Out of season, Bled remains a hidden gem. We visited in October and had this incredible landscape almost completely to ourselves.Isadyl
Adirondack mountains, New York State
The area, in northern New York State near the Vermont state line, is about five hours’ drive from New York City, and there are plenty of fine places to stay and lots of hiking trails.
Avoid popular Kyoto and head to Gunma Prefecture for spectacular autumn vistas. Hire a car in Tokyo and drive 150km north west to Minakam, stopping off at beautiful Suwakyo Gorge on the way, where thrillseekers bungee from the 42-metre-high bridge.
In central Honshu, three hours’ drive north-east of Nagoya, is one of the most beguiling places in the Japanese Alps (also called the Hida mountains). The mountain slopes are covered with forests of larch and beech that blaze scarlet and orange in the autumn.

Where to see spectacular autumn colours around the world: our readers’ tips | Travel | The Guardian

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travel

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It’s beautiful and very rich
but a staple lunch option for me is the chicken shawarma wrap, a freshly cooked Lebanese flat bread filled with thin slices of amazing chicken, loads of salad, tahini, yoghurt and spicy sauce
Dog Track is a new restaurant in the centre of Belfast that has a sushi-style conveyor belt, only it’s serving tapas. There is lots of stuff for under a fiver. Today, because it’s cold out, I had a beef cheek and horseradish ravioli with tomato and basil ragu, spinach and parmesan.
We host a lot of international guest chefs at our restaurant and after work they don’t really want to eat fancy food, they want to eat dirty Scottish stuff
When I ate there, I had an amazing pulled pork sandwich from Ròst – the meat was really moist, the seasoning was great, there was a nice apple and celeriac coleslaw in it,
The guy who runs it, Giuseppe Scarpetta, is a proper chef and he uses really good meat from HJ Edwards, the butchers next door, who also supply my restaurant.
Right around the corner from my restaurant in Liverpool is this great place. They do small plates and have some really good vegan options, such as these sweet potato wedges. If you get the three-for-£12 deal at lunch, I would also recommend the roasted cauliflower with almonds, pomegranate, tahini, yoghurt, harissa and herbs – it is outstanding.
The red bean rice cake is a favourite
You can get two or three really tasty things for under a fiver and they really fill you up.
Kowloon is one of the oldest bakeries in Chinatown.
Philip Clayton at Haxby Bakehouse makes amazing bread and pastries, and savoury things, too
They are £1.30 each, so you can get three for under a fiver, and you get a weird mix of ingredients – tofu skins, pig intestine, konjac, Spam – all boiled in a very delicious salty, spicy broth
The black bean, cheese and spinach one is a winner. You can’t help but start to munch as soon as you leave the shop
the light bite at Millers in Haxby is exactly the right size, and it’s a proper treat to have perfect fish and chips that you want to bury your face in and weep salty tears of joy

The best food you can buy for a fiver (or less!) – from jamón cones to 'breakfast banjos' | Food | The Guardian

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extreme landscapes, rife with jaw-dropping oases and bountiful wildlife.
taste for culture.
desert hikes and 300 days of sunshine a year,
A Southern Belle's paradise,
European city break that guarantees sunshine and alfresco dining already in March,
laze in a hammock and forget the trials and tribulations of everyday life.
Tel Aviv is home to some of the best restaurants
Jordan's southwestern desert.
archaeological wonderland.
Tokyo's much calmer and more traditional counterpart rivals the buzz of the nine-million metropolis.
botanical gardens
This is the time to see Japan's iconic sakura (cherry blossom). Take a couple of weeks off and travel around the country, which is fairly easy to get around thanks t

Where to Travel in March | SUITCASE Magazine

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Singapore has topped the table of best expatriate destinations for the second year running, but Sweden is the best place for raising children
As for expats' less-favored places, Brazil came in last in the overall table, while Egypt was second-last. Italy was last and Brazil second-last for economics
HSBC defines an expat as any adult currently living away from their country of origin, and interviewed almost 27,000 people in 190 countries to get its findings.
nearly half felt they were healthier living in Singapore,
China second-last for "experience"
Almost 70 percent of expat parents living in Sweden said their children's health and wellbeing had improved since moving.
But HSBC's polling on specific cities found that London and New York rated well, with 71 percent of expats in those cities believed that working there would improve their job prospects when they returned home,

Singapore the best place for expats, while UK, US are just OK, according to HSBC survey

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bank

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Be sure to look out for Tizzie-Whizies - they're rare and legendary creatures in these parts. With the body of a hedgehog, wings of a dragonfly, antennae of a bee and the tail of a squirrel, they're instantly recognisable.
Historians and archaeologists have since contradicted such claims, but the rugged and dramatic rock formations carved out over centuries by unrelenting waves make it easy to understand why Geoffrey of Monmouth chose it.

Myth and Magic: Five English Destinations that Make Your Imagination Run Wild | SUITCASE Magazine

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stargazing, kayaking, guided walks and gorge scrambling.
reputation for its award-winning activities centre.
After days spent hiking and walking, a dip in the freestanding Victorian-style tub instantly cured my throbbing, delicate city feet. If you've got the cash, it's worth upgrading for this sweet 20 minutes of hot, hot bliss alone.
With all the comfortable eco-concious rooms, cosy snugs, well-stocked bars, a posh restaurant and an overwhelming amount of snuggly sofas, The Torridon is a poetically romantic love nest, whose majesty competes with nearby natural landmarks. window.d3r_tracking_key = "t"; window.d3r_tracking_expires = "2524608000"; <img height="1" width="1" style="display:none;" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=558853347596024&ev=PageView&noscript=1"/> !function(c,h,i,m,p){m=c.createElement(h),p=c.getElementsByTagName(h)[0],m.async=1,m.src=i,p.parentNode.insertBefore(m,p)}(document,"script","https://chimpstatic.com/mcjs-connected/js/users/0dcad700775f6610dcba713c1/926d40ed1c9de51688d505c90.js");
The Torridon could easily be ripped from the pages of a fairy tale.

The Torridon, Scotland, UK | SUITCASE Magazine

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www.iamherbalifenutrition.com

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nitric oxide
keeping our blood vessels flexible to increase blood flow
Protein contains amino acids that promote the production of nitric oxide. Consider soy protein, since soy contains all 9 essential amino acids, and soy foods have low or no saturated fats.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
You can find them in fresh fish of many kinds
Vitamins C and E, as well as alpha lipoic acid
It is a component everyone needs, regardless of age or gender.
nitric oxide is a vital molecule in your body and essential to your cardiovascular health
The body’s N.O. levels are lowest at night; that’s why nitric oxide supplements are best taken at night or before bedtime
Nitric oxide production supports healthy blood pressure levels already within a normal range and blood vessel elasticity.

5 Ways to Improve Heart Health and Nitric Oxide Production

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best cake recipes
Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich’s saffron and lemon syrup cake
For the cakebutter 200gcaster sugar 270geggs 4ground almonds 200gturmeric a pinchsemolina 140gplain flour 2 tbsplemon 1, juice and zestsalt a pinchbaking powder ½ tsp
Stir in the eggs, ground almonds and turmeric, then fold in the semolina, flour, lemon juice and zest, salt and baking powder. Mix well and pour into the cake tin. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes, then turn the cake around to ensure that it bakes evenly and bake for a further 10-15 minutes.

The 20 best cake recipes: part 2 | Life and style | The Guardian

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desserts and baking

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scroll down to see the most beautiful and influential travel Instagram accounts on the planet, ranked in ascending order
If you're in need of some inspiration, Business Insider has teamed up with The Indie Traveller to bring you a comprehensive list of the most inspiring, wanderlust-inducing, and influential travel Instagram accounts
a project he called the "Peaks of Europe." He is also Toyota’s latest 4×4 ambassador. Check out his blog here.
17-year-old photographer Jannik Obenhoff from Munich, Germany, is officially the most influential travel Instagram account on this list. He says he's "just a boy with a camera.
Christian LeBlanc "lostleblanc" says he escaped the 9-to-5 and now travels vlogging and filmmaking around the world. He's currently in the Philippines.
Chelsea Yamase is a Hawaii-based creative travelling the world as an athlete, model, and writer.
Vlogger Louis Cole is travelling the world on a 90-day adventure.
David Pomfret has been "saying yes to life" all the way around South Africa on a VW Bus

The most followed travel accounts on Instagram - Business Insider

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travel

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Though there is an assortment of brand-new and fully redesigned passenger cars hitting the road for 2020 model year, their numbers are dwindling as buyers are instead choosing sport-utility vehicles as their rides of choice. Stalwart sedans like the Chevrolet Impala and Ford Taurus are being discontinued, with the number of small cars in particular thinning rapidly. While there were 26 subcompact models on the market as recently as 2016, they’re down to just 17 for 2019, with the Ford Fiesta and Chevrolet Sonic reportedly bowing out at the end of the current model year.
The famed British exotic sports-car maker Aston Martin is building a full-electric version of the gorgeous and capable Rapide coupe. It comes wrapped in aluminum and carbon fiber body panels, and packs dual rear-mounted motors that generate over 600 horsepower with 700 pound-feet of torque. That should enable a 0-60 mph time under four seconds; top speed is 155 mph
Cadillac introduces a new compact luxury sedan for 2020, the CT4. Adorned with uncluttered styling, it fills the slot in the lineup that was vacated when the ATS was discontinued. Few details on the base model are available as of this writing, but we do know it will be rear drive with all-wheel-drive available, and come powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a 10-speed automatic
A mid-engine Chevy Corvette has been rumored for decades and it’s a reality for 2020. Carrying the famed Stingray moniker, it’s the most aggressively styled ‘Vette yet, with a wild exotic-car appearance. It comes with removable roof panels that can be stored in the forward-situated trunk.
A new name in the auto business, a Canadian company called Electra Meccanica says it will begin selling a new three-wheel single-passenger EV called Solo by year’s end. It looks a bit odd with its abbreviated styling, but will start at just $16,250.
Supercar maker McLaren debuts its first grand touring car for 2020, the appropriately named GT. A grand tourer is traditionally a more accommodating alternative to a flat out sports car that can be used as a daily driver or taken on extended road trips comfortably. The GT rides on a carbon fiber structure and its super sleek bodywork

Here Are The Coolest New Cars For 2020

6 annotations

cars

www.exploreraton.sustainraton.org

5005

Here are 38 of the best-value and most popular afternoon tea spots around London, ranked by price from the most expensive to the cheapest.
33. The Ritz — £54
Expect to munch on biscuits and bakes that nod to famous designers — think Manolo Blahnik stilettos or the Burberry classic trench coat as biscuits — as well as savoury skewers, taster spoons, elegant canapés, and tea sandwiches. £52, or £62 with Champagne.
31. Prêt-à-Portea at The Berkeley — £52
29. Mad Hatter's Tea Party at The Sanderson — £48
Sanderson Hotel. It includes Alice in Wonderland-inspired hidden menus, decorated teapots, and items like a mocha chessboard gateau, chocolate and pistachio blue caterpillar, Alice’s cinnamon, apple and peach “Drink Me” potion and Tweedle Dee lemon curd financier
20. Chocolate Dreams Afternoon Tea at St. Martin's Lane Hotel — £40
St. Martin's Lane Hotel has teamed up with Hotel Chocolat to bring you The Chocolate Dreams Afternoon Tea at The Den
12. Vegan Afternoon Tea at La Suite West — £29
completely vegan menu at La Suite West. Finger sandwiches, scones with fresh coconut yoghurt and strawberries, cashew nut cream cheese, BBQ tempeh, and scrambled tofu are all on the menu.
5. The National Cafe — £22.50

Best afternoon tea in London - Business Insider

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beverages

uk.businessinsider.com

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The Alzheimer’s Association is leading a $35 million study to look at whether lifestyle has an impact on brain health — and now the U.S. National Institute on Aging is contributing $47 million to extend the examination to brain imaging
The additional funds will allow U.S. POINTER to expand the study into the first large-scale investigation of how lifestyle affects well-known biological markers of Alzheimer’s in the structure of the brain. The study will use advanced brain imaging technology like PET and MRI scans to look at the effects of lifestyle interventions on brain health (overall and regional brain shape, size and blood flow, and on indicators of heart health risk and small vessel disease).
older adults are potentially larger than pharmacological treatments. The U.S. POINTER study will use a geographically and ethnically diverse population to test half of the participant’s brains for two

Just how much does lifestyle influence Alzheimer's? | Considerable

3 annotations

health and fitness

considerable.com

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Travelers enjoy the amenities of staying in Raton as we're located at the crossroads of Colorado, Texas and New Mexico.

Visit Raton NM, United States

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hotels

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In a nod to the small business community, the Department of Labor issued a final rule earlier this week that may nudge more employers to offer joint retirement plans—MEPs—but it’s not all that employers were hoping for. “This is NOT the MEPs that everyone has been so excited about,” says Nevin Adams, chief of marketing for the American Retirement Association via email.
Texas. It also clarifies that Professional Employment Organizations (benefits providers) that sponsor MEPs are okay to be doing so (it was a grey area under DOL regs before). And there’s a new exception that lets worker/owners without employees into PEO MEPs. Before, employers had to have a commonality of interest to form a MEP: An engineering association, for example, could have a “closed” ME
Technically, what the DOL rule does is broaden the definition of employer. So, “bona fide” employer groups or associations and Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) may act as an “employer” for purposes of sponsoring a MEP. The idea is that by banding together they can negotiate lower fees and pass those cost savin
There’s no question there is a lack of coverage: more than 28 million full-time private sector employees and more than 23 million part-timers do not have access to a workplace 401(k) retirement plan, according to the American Retirement Association.
offloads the plan administrator role and that fiduciary responsibility. But the employer is still the plan sponsor and has that fiduciary role. That’s something else that the DOL RFI hopes to address.

DOL Small Business Retirement Plan Rule Not The Cure-All That’s Needed

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work

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Called [AR]T, the AR experiences will feature works by seven artists chosen by the contemporary art museum, that will pop up across London, San Francisco, New York, Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
collaborated with New York's New Museum to launch a series of augmented reality (AR) experiences that will see six large-scale virtual artworks take over major global cities.
The artists involved are Nick Cave, Nathalie Djurberg and Hans Berg, Cao Fei, John Giorno, Carsten Höller and Pipilotti Rist.In the various works, large alien-like creatures can be spotted dancing atop city buildings, and portals offer a glimpse into alternative, sketch-style worlds with no perspective.
Groups of ten people will each be given an iPhone with the [AR]T app and a set of headphones, before being led by an Apple team member around each city.
During the sessions, which will last around five to 10 minutes, participants will encounter the six interactive artworks in famous public spaces like London's Trafalgar Square or New York's Grand Army Plaza in Central Park.Viewers will also be able to take
Djurberg and Berg's work, titled This Is It, introduces viewers to digital fairy-tale worlds by revealing magical creatures inside hollowed out trees, while Giorno's Now at the Dawn of My Life sees inspirational phrases float around in the air.

Apple augmented reality art tours to take place in six major cities

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body art

www.dezeen.com

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will offer passengers an 'immersive sensory experience of the subaquatic world,
the dark and cavernous Blue Eye lounge has more than a hint of a Bond villain’s lair.
world's first underwater ship lounge
The high-tech space also comes with “body listening sofas” that vibrate discreetly to promote “corporal resonance
The underwater projectors, which are said to be non-intrusive to the marine biosphere,
Passengers will observe the underwater world through two giant curved portholes

Cruise ship unveils James Bond-style 'multi-sensory underwater lounge' experience

6 annotations

tourist destinations

8108

It looks like an upside-down bathtub with wings, pretty odd for a spy jet that was among the nation's most highly classified pieces of military hardware.As I stand in front of the plane code-named Tacit Blue at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, near Dayton, Ohio, I'm reminded that it still holds a bit of mystery.Engineers made fun of Tacit Blue's design by nicknaming it the Whale, but the program -- declassified in 1996 -- was deadly serious. It was all about stealth. Pentagon Cold War strategists desperately wanted to build planes that could evade Soviet radar.And so the Air Force launched
Cynda Thomas, widow of the first Tacit Blue test pilot Richard G. "Dick" Thomas, said she was with her husband in Los Angeles when an airline pilot accosted her husband during a test pilots' banquet at the Beverly Hilton.
"One and a half" Tacit Blue planes were built, Dyson said, so that "if we lost one, we could have a second one up and flying in short order." What happened to the other half of Tacit Blue? "I think it was done away with -- with total respect to secrecy."Mechanical remnants from a related black program called Have Blue "are buried at Groom Lake," according to a 2011 Air Force

Area 51 spy plane and other aviation tales | CNN Travel

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armed forces

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but the best time to visit is after dark, when the twinkling lights of the City’s skyscrapers look like a site-specific art installation.
Boundary Rooftop
Aviary
DJs play Wednesday to Friday while weekends are the time to brunch on king scallop crumpet with seaweed butter and hollandaise

The best rooftop bars in London

4 annotations

dance

www.nationalgeographic.com

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The city has transformed since becoming Slovakia's capital 25 years ag
Bratislava shares part of its history with Budapest due to its time under the rule of the Hungarian kingdom.
life in Košice, the second biggest town in the country, is much slower and more contemplative.
For the ultimate coffee experience, there's Cafe Slávia. Set in the well-preserved Art Nouveau building
One of the oldest spa towns in Slovakia, Bojnice is most famous for its magnificent fortress.

Going to Slovakia? 11 of the best places to visit | CNN Travel

5 annotations

social science

edition.cnn.com

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Of course, not all destinations are ideal. That’s why each year, International Living compiles its Annual Global Retirement Index and spotlights the best places to retire abroad based on factors such as housing, benefits and discounts, cost of living, health care, development, climate and more.
9. France
6. Ecuador
Ecuador is home to all-around amazing weather, with varying climates depending on its region. The cost of living is highly affordable; local mercados sell high-quality produce at low prices,
3. Costa Rica
Costa Rica is also known as the “Switzerland of Central America” thanks to its neutrality, safety and stable banking system
2. Panama
The country’s Pensionado Program is known as one of the best retiree programs in the world, offering generous discounts to pension-holding retirees on expenses ranging from medical expenses to entertainment.

10 Best Places To Retire Abroad In 2020 | HuffPost Life

8 annotations

www.huffpost.com

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The star-studded night sky casts the salt flats shades of blue. During the dry season the ground hardens and polygonal patterns of salt rise from the ground
Salar de Uyuni has two distinct seasons. The rainy season (December to April) is when visitors come to witness the Salar’s breathtaking mirror effect
Tour operators consider June through August their high period, and rates may rise accordingly.
Many visitors indulge in a three-day tour (or longer) that includes the deserts, volcanos, geysers, hot springs, and high-altitude lakes to the south
Travelers can book tours in advance online, through tour offices in La Paz, or they can simply arrive in Uyuni and peruse the options in town
Salt Flats

These Salt Flats Are One of the Most Remarkable Vistas on Earth

6 annotations

tourist destinations

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Living in a UBRC that is connected to a top-tier medical and research center can be a huge benefit for the aging population. If having access to the best doctors and researches and therefore the best treatment options and medical procedures is a main priority
Living in a college town can help all parties involved avoid this problem altogether.
more reliable in college towns. There are also more readily available ride-sharing options like Uber UBER, -0.63% and Lyft LYFT, -1.57% that retirees can take advantage of instead of having to always ask a friend or family member.
RCs are privately-owned retirement communities in college towns with a connection to a local college or university that offers benefits to retirees. UBRCs are not all the same, but most of them include these elements: a location usually within one mile of the school, a formal program that integrates the community and the school, continuing care with both independent and assisted living options, and a proven relationship between the housing provider and the school.
With retirement lasting as long as 40 years, new retirees may struggle to keep their calendar full, but living near a college or university can help fill all your newfound free time in a rewarding and enriching way. Schools that are part of a UBRC offer a variety of options for the aging population to pursue education, like auditing classes or attending guest lectures and other university events. Others have courses that were specifically developed for retirees at little to no cost.

Why you may want to retire to a college town - MarketWatch

5 annotations

business operations

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journey through Europe with my then-boyfriend. It was a mostly miserable experience that left me feeling incredibly insecure about my ability to travel and enjoy it.
Turns out, it’s a little tricky to find a friend to accompany you on a somewhat last-minute short trip across an ocean. I couldn’t find anyone able or willing to tag along. So, about half a year after that bad breakup, I ended up traveling overseas alone for the first time on a four-day whirlwind adven
nervously booked another solo trip, this time to Mexico. I already knew I was capable of traveling alone and keeping myself safe, so why the nerves
Turns out, I had nothing to fear. My trip to Tulum — filled with cenote snorkeling, Mayan jungle ruin tours and seemingly endless beachside mojitos — was just as good as, if not better than, my trip to Berlin.
Your money, your rules. You don’t want to pay for a posh hotel room? You don’t have to. Same goes for dropping $75 on a single meal. You can be as thrifty or as spendy as you want, and nobody’s going to fight you over it.
If you’re traveling with a friend or significant other, odds are you’re going to spend the bulk of that trip talking to that person. Sure, you might chat with a couple of strangers and make a new acquaintance or two. But for the most part, you have built-in companionship.

Flying solo: Why traveling alone is the way to go - Chicago Tribune

6 annotations

unrest and war

www.chicagotribune.com

4753

Whether it’s a close day trip destination or as far as a foreign land, now is the
Seeing a live show is not only a fun activity, but it also has health benefits. According to new research from Goldsmiths, University of London, "Regularly experiencing live music is the key to building a long-standing improvement to well-being."
Lifelong learning helps boost your memory. S
university, reach out to your alumni association to see if you can mentor a student that is studying in the same career field that you are experienced in.
beneficial to your surrounding community but rewarding to you in many ways. Several studies have found that volunteering has both mental and physical health benefits. Pick a cause that you are passionate about or find a volunteer opportunity that you would enjoy doing. Give back to your communit

5 Fun Activities You Can (and Should) Do In Retirement

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homework and study tips

blog.kohud.kendal.org

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, a bigger dog will have a better chance of keeping up with you. You’ll want an energetic pup to run alongside you, hike with you, and match your motivation. Active breeds include retrievers, malinois,
You’ll want a friendly dog who is social, plays well with others, and will love all the attention you’re ready to give
es as they don’t need a ton of exercise but have sweet dispositions and are glad to sit on your lap and relax with you when you get home
Great Danes can also be amazing apartment pets. The name “gentle giant” is super fitting with this breed whose calm demeanor makes them perfect for small space living.

How to Pick the Best Dog for Your Family | PEOPLE.com

4 annotations

advertising and marketing

people.com

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snowy winter, consider heading south for your retirement years. These retirement spots have mild winter temperatures, as well as many amenities retirees need, according to a U.S. News analysis of
Fort Myers, Florida Located on the Caloosahatchee River near Florida’s Gulf Coast, Fort Myers is an ideal place to spend your retirement years fishing or boating. Fort Myers has short and mild winter
many retirees to the Sarasota area. This Gulf Coast Florida city has warm and dry winters. The average temperature ranges
Nashville, TennesseeThe music scene draws many people to this melodious city, and there any plenty of amenities that make retirees likely to stay in town. Highly regarded health care is available
Lakeland, FloridaWaterfront property is abundant is this inland Florida city named for its many lakes. Winter weather is consistently pleasant and ranges from
Raleigh-Durham, North CarolinaThe research triangle is named for its three research universities: Duke University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, which provide jobs and amenities to the community. Health care is available at Duke University Hospital and the Universit

The 10 Best Places to Retire in the South | Retirement | US News

6 annotations

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Smart phones and the internet not only keep you in touch with family and friends, but digital wealth is quickly becoming the future of financial plann
Technology has streamlined nearly every aspect of our lives, especially personal finance. With the tap of a button, consumers can update beneficiaries on investment accounts, check their portfolios, and read financial statements. It’s not surprising that the boomer generation will quickly adopt these solutions due to the complexity in their lives, including mixed families, supporting children and parents, and trying to enjoy their own lives.
Fitbits are a great analogy. Like financial technology, it presents point-of-time decision making reminders to change behavior and increase productivity. If I missed my daily step goals on Fitbit, for example, it might prompt me to go for a walk around my neighborhood late in the day. This mindset hasn’t been fully realized in the financial space, but will. If a financial app or technology portal closely tracks my spending behaviors, you bet it will make me second-guess that splurge at the mall.
That said, technology will increase the reliance on traditional financial advisors. The abundance of personal financial data available to consumers will ultimately leave them with more questions on their individual situations, thus sparking the need for professional advice. My favorite analogy is WebMD, which didn’t eliminate the need for doctors. It presents you with all of the possible scenarios related to your symptoms and, more often than not, causes you to quickly draw conclusions (often incorrectly) on your health issue.
Boomer: How are the boomer generations investing behaviors impacting the advisory industry?

How technology fits into a Baby Boomers retirement planning | Fox Business

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investing

www.foxbusiness.com

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retire comfortably. Yet many Americans are overconfident about what they will have for retirement.
-- as you’re saving for retirement and other financial priorities -

Could you be saving so much for retirement that you’re missing out on living your best life now? - The Washington Post

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welfare

www.washingtonpost.com

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up a 4-month or 12-month adventure where you can keep your job and do all your work -- and still have the opportunity to travel to countries and cities you never would have thought you could visit

Want to travel the world and still keep your job? This may be...

1 annotation

telecommuting

www.clickorlando.com

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Many of us are aware of AAA travel discount and roadside assistance. However, there are several other benefits of AAA Travel that you may not know about. I
Best Western Hilton Royal Caribbean Princess Cruises Hertz
Rental
Discounts
When traveling abroad, AAA lets you pick up the foreign currency at your local office before going overseas. This benefit lets you avoid the currency exchange booth or having to find an ATM as soon as you arrive. You can also use the AAA Dollars Plus Mastercard travel rewards credit card to earn up to 3% back on every purchase. A third option is a prepaid AAA MemberPay debit card.

9 Benefits Of AAA Travel (Besides Roadside Assistance)

5 annotations

business travel

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Is there a retirement “crisis,” or isn’t there?
: “The purported ‘Retirement Crisis’ is nothing more than a way for the industry to scare people into staying working for longer and longer instead of enjoying the remaining years of their lives.”
40.6 percent of all U.S. households where the head of the household is between 35 and 64, inclusive, are projected to run short of money in

Reality check: Is there truly a retirement ‘crisis’? - MarketWatch

3 annotations

homework and study tips

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"Adults acting like adults THATS WHAT THIS IS and that's why they're GLOWING," one fan wrote of the women. "I love a mature relationship," another weighed in.

Katy Perry Supports Orlando Bloom's Ex Miranda Kerr and the Internet Could Not Be Happier | E! News

1 annotation

beauty

www.eonline.com

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Campbell made history when she became the first black British model to appear on the cover of British Vogue in 1987 and the first black model to appear on the cover of French Vogue the following year. She has appeared on the front of more than 500 magazines to date.

Naomi Campbell pays tribute to London roots as she wins icon award | Fashion | The Guardian

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men 's fashion

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Fixd was one of the biggest Kickstarter campaigns ever. It’s a revolutionary device that allows YOU to know what’s wrong with your car before taking it in to a mechanic so they can’t take advantage of you ever again. Just plug it into your car, pair the Fixd device with your smart phone, and viola!
tired of how often they get smudged, and having to use your shirt to try and rub off the smudges, which only ends up rubbing them around and not truly clearing your lenses
This is our editor’s pick for coolest gift this year, not only because it’s awesome, but because it will help you avoid more accidents on the road.

19 Insanely Cool Gadgets That Are Going To Sell Out Soon - Prime 8

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hardware

prime8.com

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sydney-based digital agency universal favourite teamed up with nearby bakedown cakery to create ‘complements’.
can be seamlessly stacked and locked together to form surprising and sophisticated flavor-ways.
universal favourite created a modular staircase shape that was 3D printed into positive forms
shape was turned into molds by bakedown cakery, and filled with a variety of chocolate colors

architecturally-inspired, modular chocolates designed to pair and share

4 annotations

food

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autonomous canal boats

Amsterdam's autonomous canal boats, and more in the week that was

1 annotation

boats and watercraft

www.engadget.com

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More elaborate experiences await those who book one of three “cruise plans”, which incorporate overnight stays at hotels along the route and allow for sightseeing tours in Izu.
stretches between Yokohama (about half an hour from central Tokyo) and Shimoda City at the southern tip of the Izu Peninsula, The Royal Express offers its passengers a variety of tours and itineraries.
last week’s unveiling of The Royal Express completes the triumvirate of exceptional new luxury trains now taking travellers in grand and leisurely style to some of the most beautiful stretches of the country.
Train passengers can take a sightseeing cruise on a replica of one of Perry’s ships, or could after disembarkation go hiking along the rugged Jogasaki Coast,
Designed by Eiji Mitooka (also responsible for the look of Kyushu Seven Stars), each of its carriages features unique decorative elements and intricately patterned woodwork is on display throughout.
the bar carriage features a piano and a curved ceiling embedded with stained-glass panels.
costs from JPY25,000-35,000 (about £170 to £240), while extended overnight itineraries cost from JPY135,000 (£930) per person.
The Royal Express

The Royal Express: Japan's newest luxury train revealed

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children

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Here’s how these travel influencers made (and saved) money to travel the world…before they were famous
I first broke into the industry of teaching overseas when I participated in the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF) back in 2005.
Back then getting paid as an influencer wasn't a thing. It was all about finding remote work. I took as many freelancing and copywriting jobs as I could. I even worked as a virtual assistant for other big bloggers and then would dip into my savings when some months were tight.
It was a great introduction to overseas living and my experience teaching ultimately gave me the impetus to get my Master of Education in French teaching.
Berna Anat is an Annoying Millennial and the creator of a financial advice video series for young people called Felicia's Wallet. By night, she’s... the exact same thing, because she saved up to quit her job in January 2018 and has been traveling the world debt-free ever since.
Think about how much money you typically spend on eating at restaurants, shopping for new shoes or clothes, or nights out partying with friends. Then start changing your spending habits

13 Wild Ways These Influencers First Saved Money To Travel The World

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business operations

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Lonely Planet just released its Best in Travel for 2018, a comprehensive guide that includes the top 10 cities, countries, and regions to visit
Oslo celebrating 50 years of marriage between their king and queen, the city's opera house is also turning 10 years old.
a renaissance for this 9,000-year-old cave city in Southern Italy. Perched on a rocky outcrop, Matera is made up of stone dwellings and a maze of monasteries, churches, and caves.
5. Kaohsiung, Taiwan
8. San Juan, Puerto Rico
7. Matera, Italy
2. Detroit, Michigan

Lonely Planet's top 10 cities to travel to in 2018 - Business Insider

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travel

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The Christmas Market in the Place de la Cathédrale in Strasbourg, France
Tallinn Christmas Market, Estonia
Wiener Weihnachtstraum in Vienna, Austria
The Cathedral Christmas Market in Cologne, Germany
Christmas Market at Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic

6 of the Best Christmas Markets in Europe and Beyond

5 annotations

food

mymodernmet.com

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The program has the delightfully straightforward name of Roboat, and is being carried out by researchers from MIT and two Dutch universities (the Delft University of Technology and Wageningen University and Research).
the Roboat project will also explore the creation of data-gathering robots to help with public health issues. This will build upon work done by MIT's Underworlds initiative, which wants to put sensors in sewer systems to watch the ebb and flow of disease
the Roboat program is also partnering with the city of Boston,

Self-driving boats will be tested on Amsterdam's canals next year - The Verge

3 annotations

boats and watercraft

www.theverge.com

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He’s pledging to invest $500 million in innovations specifically to address their needs.
because I want to show how private capital can play a constructive role helping migrants—and any profits will go to fund programs at the Open Society Foundations
the UN summit failed to produce a “global compact” for world leaders to share responsibility for the crisis. The issue will now be delayed until 2018,
Soros (pictured above) describes a “collective failure” of policies to handle increased migration

George Soros is investing $500 million to help refugees in ways governments can't — Quartz

4 annotations

business and industrial

qz.com

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I retired in September 2015 after 33 years with The Wall Street Journal,
So much for expectations.
my wife and I have been hit with a number of bills that we simply didn’t anticipate. googletag.cmd.push(function () { var slot = googletag.defineSlot('/2/marketwatch.com/retirement_story', [[1, 1]], 'ad-teads') .addService(googletag.pubads()); slot.setTargeting('product', 'inarticlevid'); slotMachine.add('Teads', slot, 'ad-teads'); }); Like the emergency-room visit for my wife’s knee, and the subsequent physical therapy (about $1,000). And the help that our granddaughter needed when she moved to a new town (another $1,000). And the two plumbing emergencies last spring ($700). The list goes on.
Yes, we’ve had a wonderful time. But we need to do a better job of pacing ourselves—physically and financially.
We traveled to France, New York, Washington, Arizona, the Caribbean, Virginia, New England and the beach (several times), all in the first 12 months.

The biggest surprises I found in retirement - MarketWatch

5 annotations

work

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attract tourists with their vibrant and vivid architecture.
Now, the practice has become law, and if you live on the island and want to paint your home, you must ask for permission from the government, who will assign your home a color.
the residents only recently started transforming their homes.
Burano, Italy
Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, South Africa
Balat, Istanbul, Turkey
Júzcar, Spain
Over time, the neighborhood has become a destination for design-savvy tourists and visitors in town for the Istanbul Design Biennial.
Hollywood. In 2011, Sony Pictures executives asked the Andalusian enclave if they could paint the town blue as a publicity stunt for those famous blue cartoons, the Smurfs. When The Smurfs 3D movie promotional blitz was over, Sony offered to restore the town back to its iconic pueblo blanco.The residents of Júzcar, however, had gotten used to the tourists (and their euros) and voted to keep the city blue.

13 of the most vibrant and colorful cities in the world - Business Insider

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tourist destinations

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The luxurious resort is in a northern region of the country called Finnish Lapland — 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle.
435 euros, or about $512 dollars per night.
First built in 1999, the roofs of the igloos are made of thermal glass to allow the room to remain warm
For a bigger party, Kakslauttanen has accommodations that sleep up to six people
from August through late April
The hotel has 53 igloos that are meant for two people, and 12 igloos meant for four

See the Northern Lights from a glass igloo at Kakslauttanen in Finland

6 annotations

shows and events

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Not that Östersund is lacking in modern attractions: it also has contemporary art galleries, and the ski centre of Åre, Sweden’s only world-class downhill slopes, is nearby
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Poznan, Poland
The heart of it is Stary Rynek, the old market square, surrounded by colourful merchants’ houses now mostly devoted to eating and drinking. The best cafes, however, are a short walk away from the main tourist drag: Piece of Cake (Zydowska 29) does excellent coffee too,
There is some impressive architecture: the medieval castle, the baroque Robba fountain, a slew of great bridges, and many contemporary jewels.
Tromsø, Norway
Want to see the northern lights? My hot tip is to live in hope, but expect nothing. The best chances are had in northerly destinations away from the coast
The city is a good base for day trips to ski areas such as Krvavec, 15 miles away. The Sava river, north of the city centre, is great for water sports, including canoe slalom at the Tacen world championship course.
Åre-Östersund, Sweden
Poznan does several special cakes, most famously the St Martin’s croissant
Tromsø fits the former category nicely: it’s about as far north as you can get in mainland Europe on a budget airline.

Top 10 winter city breaks in Europe | Travel | The Guardian

11 annotations

travel

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ski resorts
Montafon, Austria
Schruns is the main village, with the most hotels – including two four-stars – restaurants and shops, as well as direct access to Silvretta Montafon and another smaller ski area called Golm, with 43km of pistes.
The four main ones – Schruns, Gaschurn, Silbertal and St Gallenkirch – give access to the the region’s largest single ski area, Silvretta Montafon, with 140km of pistes.
Courchevel 1850, France
One of the world’s largest ski areas, the Trois Valleés offers 600km of pistes linked by 165 lifts. It’s all accessible from Courchevel but for beginners and early intermediates the 150km of local slopes provide ample entertainment, with some challenging off-piste terrain too.
Cortina, Italy
The majority of them are ideal for intermediates although beginners will flourish on the tree-lined blues of Socrepes in Tofana, and Mietres in Faloria

The 10 best luxury ski resorts - Telegraph

8 annotations

tourist destinations

7960

The Investors Podcast with Preston Pysh and Stig Brodersen
The podcast covers a range of investing topics, with in-depth conversations with leading lights of the investing world. If you are thinking about reading a particular investment book, chances are good that these guys have interviewed the author.
Recent guests on the podcast include NYU finance professor, Aswath Damodoran, F. William McNabb, CEO of Vanguard Group, and Bill Miller, who ran the Legg Mason Value Trust. Mr. Ritholtz was also kind enough to have me on the show, but my favorite episode has to be Mr. Ritholtz’s interview with Jack Bogle, founder of Vanguard Group. Mr. Ritholtz gives listeners an amazing perspective on his decades in the financial-services business
Bloomberg’s Masters in Business with Barry Ritholtz

5 Investing Podcasts You Should Listen To - The Experts - WSJ

4 annotations

radio

blogs.wsj.com

11108

here, candy-colored-contrasts seen through his nikon D750 transform hot, dry dubai into a cold blue city with blooming pink hues.

paolo pettigiani takes an infrared portrait of skyscrapers and sand in dubai

1 annotation

society

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Sage, a company that makes cloud accounting software for small businesses, released a study exploring the commonalities between the founders
In Europe, London is the city with the most billion-dollar companies. Berlin is number two and Stockholm three.
Thirty-seven percent were started by only one founder.
Sixty percent of the founders who reached the billion-dollar mark are first time founders. Twenty-three percent of founders are on their second attempts.
The top three industries with the most unicorns are consumer internet, software and ecommerce.
Those companies have a combined value of nearly $319 billion. But financial services is at number two with a combined value of more than $132 billion.
2007 is the year that yielded the most billion-dollar companies.
In 2014, 58 companies became unicorns. In 2015, that shot up to 86, but in 2016, the number dropped to 41.
In 2016, China and the United States were neck and neck for the number of companies gaining unicorn status.
The United States has 144 unicorns in total. China has 47 and India has 10.
There is only one company in the top 10 that was launched in the 1990s: Alibaba, at number five, started in 1999.

20 Facts About the World's Billion-Dollar Startups

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business and industrial

www.entrepreneur.com

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HSBC on Wednesday released its expat explorer report, looking at the best places in the world

HSBC ranking of 16 best countries for expats to live

1 annotation

bank

uk.businessinsider.com

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BMW Motorrad Vision Vehicle
references the earliest two-wheel designs from the company.
is capable of expanding a driver’s range of perception and enhancing their driving capabilitie
all four concepts share characteristics key to the company going forward: all are electric, all are zero emissions
It sports next-gen innovations like frame-assisted steering and the most out-there of all—the ability to control the bike so that it never falls over,
And now, the fourth and final—the BMW Motorrad Vision Vehicle, a sculptural futuristic motorcycle—debuts today
To celebrate 100 years of making “ultimate driving machines,
create four concept vehicles
BMW Vision Next 100
the car’s interface, called the Companion, controls driving

BMW Motorrad Vision Concept Motorcycle Unveiled in Santa Monica

10 annotations

motorcycles

fortune.com

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The cofounder of Virgin Mobile USA and Halo Neuroscience, Sarva currently runs three businesses, give or take. He's the founder of Knotable, a web-based dashboard for managing and coordinating work
"Try to do your head-down work from somewhere where people can’t find you
This works best in small groups or in one-on-one meetings. Big group meetings don’t accomplish this well,
To keep his priorities in order while he goes about apportioning time,
he makes "now and later" lists inspired by David Allen’s methodology
Sarva tends to schedule solo-work blocks for important (but not necessarily urgent) tasks in the mornings, before the randomness of the day can butt in.
in what may be an inversion of typical priorities, Sarva schedules space for unstructured social time, so the people he works with know he's around and available for them,
First, he blocks out time for solo work when and where there's nobody else around
Sarva only meets with other people when it serves one of three functions
They create the social burden of like, ‘We're all here for the meeting. Where's the output

How This CEO Manages Three Companies And His Very Limited Time | Fast Company | Business + Innovation

10 annotations

aerospace and defense

www.fastcompany.com

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Travelers come from far and wide to check out the hugely popular Bath Christmas Market, where vendors peddle holiday gifts and throngs of shoppers add to the festive atmosphere.
We looked at airfare trends, climate data, and worldwide cultural calendars to select 13 vacation spots
Another Southeastern city that should be on your radar for December is Atlanta, Georgia.
We looked at airfare trends, climate data, and worldwide cultural calendars to select 13 vacation
San Antonio, Texas
Bath, England
Must-sees for first-time visitors include the World of Coca-Cola and a studio tour at the CNN Center— both companies are headquartered there

The best places to visit in December for every type of traveler - Business Insider

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food

7507

The museum is designed as an introverted and abstract volume, connecting with the landscape only through the huge windows opened on the exhibition space
Lumen Museum of Mountain
Mahlknecht, who is a founding partner at locally based firm EM2
Skylights punched into the pitched ceiling allow daylight to enter the whitewashed hall.
A significant intervention made by Mahlknecht and his team is the addition of an elevated structure housing the new AlpiNN restaurant.

Lumen Museum of Mountain Photography perches on a mountainside

5 annotations

construction

www.dezeen.com

7026

is set to launch three lavishly appointed cruise ships from 2019.
reservations will be possible from May 2018 onwards.
the ship accommodates just 12 guests and features an arsenal of high-spec toys including jet skis, water skis and diving equipment.
In Italy, Borgo Santo Pietro hotel has launched its superyacht Satori. It features just five guest rooms
, The Wellesley hotel in London’s Knightsbridge also operates the 56m MY The Wellesley superyacht.
the Ritz-Carlton hotel group
The most desirable residences of all will be two 138sq metre duplex penthouse suites, designed by Ritz-Carlton in collaboration with cruise-ship design firm Tillberg Design of Sweden.
Trips will last between seven and 10 days and will serve expected destinations such as the Mediterranean and Caribbean,

A hotel-on-sea: Ritz-Carlton launches luxury cruise ships

8 annotations

transports

8903

The large study proved conducive to good work
it accommodates five adults and one child under 12 in its 390sq m (4198sq ft). A gym with a treadmill, bike and free weights, a dining room, a full-service kitchen and a dressing room resembling an Armani shop
The Armani
The Armani Dubai Suite, designed by Mr. Giorgio Armani himself, occupies a grand sweep of level 39 in the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building
Armani Hotel Dubai can claim one of the most impressive addresses in the emirates,
The Armani Dubai Suite certainly provides all the amenities one might expect of a private home in Dubai, and functions genuinely well as a longer-term residence as well as a sumptuous retreat for long weekends in the city
I groaned when I saw that all the tech in the suite - curtain functions, lighting, music, AC - was controlled through one central iPad, but it was easy to use and functioned without a glitch

Dubai's best address? Inside the discreet designer suite in the world's tallest building

7 annotations

tourist facilities

8089

29. Greenville, South Carolina
39. Rochester, New York
. In its 2017 ranking of the best places to live in America, U.S. News & World Report gathered data on these crucial components for the 100 most populous US cities.
8. Boston, Massachusetts
2. Denver, Colorado
categorized the data into five indexes for each city — job market, value, quality of life, desirability, and net migration
19. Grand Rapids, Michigan
6. Seattle, Washington
12. Boise, Idaho
1. Austin, Texas
4. Washington, DC

Best places to live in America - Business Insider

11 annotations

business and industrial

5994

Taking the musical plunge “was the most humbling thing I have ever done,” the 72-year-old Ms. Beeghly says
such attitudes have changed with gusto. “People of any age can learn to play and [gain] a level of satisfaction,” says Dr. Ernst, who founded New Horizons, a program that encourages adults to play musical instruments
There used to be a “widespread belief that if you did not begin learning a musical instrument in your childhood or school years, you had missed your chance,” says Roy Ernst,
Moreover, a growing body of research suggests that playing an instrument or singing in a choir can enhance emotional well-being, brain health, cognition and hearing function.
There is technology that can be helpful, too, from YouTube videos to play-along computer programs to apps that provide accompaniments to whatever you’re playing. You can also get music on your iPad, which can be very helpful if you want to enlarge the size of the notes you’re trying to read.

The Joy of Learning to Play an Instrument Later in Life - WSJ

5 annotations

guitar

www.wsj.com

5065

After the election, you wrote Donald Trump a letter. What inspired you to write it, and did he ever get in touch afterward?
In 2017, Marriott plans to open 500 new hotels. Sorenson spends about 200 days a year traveling and visiting Marriott locations.
Another thing you did last year was travel to Cuba with President Obama. Tell me about that experience.
You're on the road about 200 days a year. What tips do you have for traveling like a pro?
I try to stay awake the full 13- or 14-hour flight over so that by the time I get there, I'm exhausted enough to get a great night's sleep.
Getting the natural light, particularly when you're in a different time zone, is really important,

Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson interview: Top travel destinations, travel hacks, and Trump

6 annotations

travel

8938

the Russian ruble has been the best performer of the year as the oil market rebounded.
Brazil's Ibovespa stock index remains the best performer for 2016. This is largely due to hopes that President Michel Temer, who took office after Dilma Rousseff was impeached,
When it comes to U.S. high yield corporate bonds, a number of energy names were top performers as bets that oil would stabilize paid off.
On the other side of the spectrum, digital currency bitcoin was the best performer this year, rising more than 100 percent as capital controls in places like China and isolationist rumblings in the U.K. and U.S. have fueled interest in alternate currencies.
Nigeria's equity market fared worst in the year.
Natural gas was the standout, up more than 60 percent over the past 12 months
Lastly, Anton Oilfield Services was the top performer when it comes to emerging market corporate bonds.

Here Are the Best and Worst Performing Assets of 2016 - Bloomberg

7 annotations

art and entertainment

5804

the public art fund has announced that in may 2017, anish kapoor will bring ‘descension’ — a continuously spiraling funnel of dark water — to brooklyn, new york
‘with descension, he creates an active object that resonates with changes in our understanding and experience of the world
the spiraling whirlpool is treated with an all-natural black dye, creating a seemingly endless hole
the presentation of ‘descension’ in brooklyn follows its first display as a smaller, interior work at india’s kochi-muziris biennale, following which it travelled to galleria continua in san gimignano, and later to a solo exhibition at versailles

anish kapoor to install an endless black whirlpool in brooklyn

4 annotations

visual art and design

10270

Loukas has circled the globe 17 times and started tracking his many meals in 2012. His blog covers meals had while traveling a total of 428,000 miles on 405 different flights

The Food Served on Airlines Around the World | Travel + Leisure

1 annotation

transports

5093

Time Out's City Life Index,
affordability, happiness, and liveability.
most fun and excitement in 2018.
31. Singapore (98.7)
20. Los Angeles (116.8)
12. Tel Aviv (125.8)
28. Sydney (106.1)
26. Hong Kong (109.6)
2. Porto (137.9)
17. San Francisco (119.4)
4. Melbourne (132.3)

The 32 most fun, friendly, and affordable cities in the world - Business Insider

11 annotations

dining out

7451

Curaçao
Reunion Island is a French Island territory located in the Indian Ocean, and is a fantastic alternative to the popular Maldives,
Reunion Island
Michel Karam, CEO of müvTravel, called Reunion Island "one of the most unusual island paradises on the planet
you will find gorgeous beaches and beautiful European inspired architecture," a spokesperson said. "One of the most colorful parts of the island is the Pietermaai District
INSIDER asked some of the most influential travel bloggers and experts from the likes of HotelTonight, Secret Escapes, Topdeck Travel, and TravelSupermarket for the most breathtaking and memorable lesser-known islands
Reu
Faroe Islands
Perfect for long walks in scenic surroundings, the Faroe Islands offer exceptional and wild natural sceneries and rare wildlife sightings
Madeira, Portugal

100 under-the-radar islands everyone should visit in their lifetime - Business Insider

10 annotations

tourist destinations

9582

Michel Cluizel, 15-Piece Box, $35
For those who have to worry about Valentine's Day around the corner, otherwise known as Chocolate's Great Day of Reckoning, we're here to help
. L. A. Burdick Small Wood Assortment, $26
The wooden box, Krader added, provides an extra sense of fun. “It’s so cute,” she said, noting that the company’s charitable giving (it donates to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, which helps orphaned elephants and other savannah creatures), was an added plus.

We Found the Best Chocolate Truffle in the World - Bloomberg

4 annotations

energy

8716

2. An investment plan
4. A health care plan
1. A solid income plan.
One of the mistakes I see when prospective clients come to my office — retirees and pre-retirees alike — is that even when they do go for financial advice, they don’t necessarily contact a retirement professional.
5. A legacy plan
. You should also consider how your expenses might change over the years

To Retire Comfortably, It Isn't All About Investing

6 annotations

investing

www.kiplinger.com

7756

Spanish officials have already introduced an online ticketing system for the fortified Islamic palace of Alhambra
escape from the too-many-tourists trap
There are hopes in Italy’s Cinque Terre that a similar system could reduce the visitor masses pounding the venerable cliff paths every year
Venice, Amsterdam and Dubrovnik are likewise trying to nudge visitors away from hotspot
Amsterdam has already banned banned beer bikes, coaches, new tourist shops and cruise ships from its historic city centre
The Greek island of Santorini is also limiting the number of cruise passengers to 8,000 per day this year

Europe's beauty spots plot escape from the too-many-tourists trap | World news | The Guardian

6 annotations

tourist destinations

7571

Basil's, Mustique's iconic wooden bar, is still packed with happy partygoers
Villa Carissa
On Mustique, the sun always shines, the service is impeccable and the most arduous task is navigating the privacy ensuring total lack of signage in your ubiquitous golf cart
The five-bedroom Carissa villa is available through the Mustique Company (mustique-island.com) and costs from $25,500 (£22,800) a week.

Mustique: 50 years of the world's most glamorous island

4 annotations

beverages

7335

Uber is testing investors’ patience to a degree that’s unprecedented
But it’s important to remember that Uber’s results during its first eight years look a lot like those of Amazon during its early years. Every year from its founding in 1994 until 2000, Amazon lost more money than the year before, leading skeptics to wonder if the company could ever turn a profit.
Uber has lost money every year since it was founded in 2009, and its losses seem to keep growing. An obvious interpretation of these results is that Uber’s fundamental business is unsound, and the company will never reach profitability.
The optimistic case for Uber says that it’s just pursuing an even more ambitious version of Amazon’s strategy
but Uber is investing heavily in things like expanding to India and developing self-driving cars. Perhaps all that new spending is simply offsetting the profits of the more mature parts of Uber’s business.

Why Uber lost $2.2 billion in 9 months - Vox

5 annotations

music

www.vox.com

9922

the team at helicopter glamping started the project by purchasing the decommissioned sea king in an online auction,
an intimate cockpit seating area boasts views over the carse of stirling in scotland
a mini kitchen, shower room, and bed in the tail offer comfortable and homelike living
un dome and doubled glazed patio doors added to the side of the helicopter let in natural light and lead to a decked area where guests can enjoy views of the hills. inside the cockpit, the flight deck has been refitted with swivel seats and a table made from an old fuel tank cover, allowing visitors to experience the helicopter in its original glory. inside, a mini kitchen, shower room, and bed in the tail offer comfortable and homelike living an intimate cockpit seating area boasts views over the carse of stirling in scotland signage, lighting, and paintwork were all restored to original condition nina azzarello I designboom aug 02, 2017 98 62 4 27 have something to add? share your thoughts in our comments section below. name (required) e-mail (will not be published) (required) text comments policy LOG IN designboom's comment policy guidelines generally speaking, if we publish something, it's because we're genuinely interested in the subject. we hope you'll share this interest and if you know even more about it, please share! our goal in the discussion threads is to have good conversation and we prefer constructive opinions. we and our readers have fun with entertaining ones. designboom welcomes alerts about typos, incorrect names, and the like. the correction is at the discretion of the post editor and may not happen immediately. what if you disagree with what we or another commenter has to say? 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'among the basic lifestyle needs of clothing, food, and shelter, food is the most fundamental and indispensable aspect,' explains the japanese retail brand. architecture in japan (310 articles)architecture in tokyo (8 articles) #design 1277 jul 31, 2017 made of bamboo launches hand crafted toy cars using eco-friendly materials #design made of bamboo's toy cars are hand crafted using eco-friendly materials with minimal industrial processing. made of bamboo's toy cars are hand crafted using eco-friendly materials with minimal industrial processing. bamboo architecture and design (189 articles)toys (8 articles) #readers#design 1741 jul 28, 2017 three designboom competitions live now - share your work with the world! #design find out how you can have your work exposed to some of the most important players in the global design scene, and share your ideas with a far-reaching and highly » find out how you can have your work exposed to some of the most important players in the global design scene, and share your ideas with a far-reaching and highly influential audience. #design 292 jul 24, 2017 LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2018 call-for-entries now open! #design for the sixth year in a row, designboom collaborates with LEXUS to present the LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2018 — this year's theme is 'CO-'. for the sixth year in a row, designboom collaborates with LEXUS to present the LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2018 — this year's theme is 'CO-'. 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a mini kitchen, shower room, and bed in the tail offer comfortable and homelike living
this decommissioned sea king helicopter has taken on a new life as a hotel, providing guests with luxury accommodation inside the aircraft.

helicopter hotel offers luxury aircraft accommodation

6 annotations

tourist facilities

7862

the Fukushima family has mastered and preserved the intricate art of Japanese confectionery known as wagashi.
approximately 200 different types of sweets are created throughout the year,

Great Big Story : Perfecting Japan's Seasonal Sweets Through Six Generations

2 annotations

food

www.greatbigstory.com

7759

staircase leading from the grand theater to the upper-level exhibition space and dining facilitiesimage © lucas k. doolan
with this series, he intends to capture the experimental encounters and representing spaces in connection to the local people and its surrounding context
taichung metropolitan opera house

lucas k. doolan captures taichung metropolitan opera house

5 annotations

music

6781

Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort.
Glacier, Montana
Built in 1904, Yellowstone’s Old Faithful Inn
This is the largest log hotel in the world and, some say, the world’s largest standing log structure.
Olympic, Washington
This is one of the few places in the world where it’s possible to hike from a sandy beach, through a rainforest to a glacier-covered peak.
From the hotel there are pontoon boat trips across the lake, canoes to rent and hiking trails to the Grinnell glacier.
Yellowstone ,Wyoming

Where to stay in the 10 most popular US national parks | Travel | The Guardian

8 annotations

travel

10555

the Harvard-educated American designer Bill Bensley has designed more than 200 hotels in 30 or so countries
most recently, the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort and Spa in Vietnam, a project in which, even by his own extraordinary standards, he might be said to have stretched the boundaries of his imagination.
50-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City, on the largest of its islands in the Gulf of Thailand, the hotel opened earlier this year
Its signature villa, for instance, which opens in November, will have its own 50m infinity pool.
But then Bensley hasn’t just designed a hotel, he’s conjured a little town, a whimsical place of brightly painted, lantern-lit streets that look as though they’ve stood there for decades

Inside the incredible JW Marriott Phu Quoc

5 annotations

tourist facilities

8531

harmonizes the city’s past and present, especially emphasizing the iconic panama canal
f W hotels worldwide, ‘W panama‘ opened on march 1st, 2018 as the first hotel of the luxury brand in central america
also offers versatile meeting rooms and event spaces large enough to host the city’s most important activities.
designed by studio gaia with distinct hues and textural contrasts.
the five shipping containers found throughout the hotel are the main destinations, where they attract the guests to mingle and enjoy
containers are located in the hotel’s living room, wet deck, and the destination bar which is called ‘the cargo’

studio gaia designs first W hotel in central america with colorful indigenous patterns

6 annotations

tourist facilities

7551

The smartwatch “era” is so young that Apple and (everyone else) is still gathering data about how, why and when they’re being used.
the nexus of the problem is really about how the watch feels to use.

The Apple Watch needs an ‘OK’ button | TechCrunch

2 annotations

tech news

techcrunch.com

6915

The round bar juts over the edge and at 63 stories high,
In our list you can find places to lounge back with a loved one, soak up the city in a full 360˙ sweep, and even party late into the night as a million lights sparkle far below
This alfresco bar-cum-restaurant is 61 floors above the bustling streets of Bangkok,
No rooftop bar in the city has a 360 degree view of Bangkok that matches this,
There’s a large circular bar in the centre and a huge illuminated arch that changes colours throughout the night
Cru Rooftop Bar Bangkok is the highest and certainly one of the fanciest rooftop bars in Bangkok.
Cielo Rooftop Skybar (formerly Zeppelin) hits the right notes with a great view, affordable prices and plenty of front-row seats for the sunset.

Top 20 Rooftop Bars in Bangkok 2017 - Bangkok Nightlife

7 annotations

gardening and landscaping

www.bangkok.com

8105

Asia's smallest economies are growing faster than giants like China, according to the World Bank.
Southeast Asia's frontier nations are stepping up their infrastructure drive to boost growth and diversify their economies
We have seen Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia trying to imitate Vietnam's model of luring FDI to prop up their export capacity."
Vietnam — which has transformed its economy from a mainly farming one to an exporter of electronic goods like smartphones — stands as their role model,
Cambodia has gained particular appeal for Chinese manufacturers seeking to relocate, which aligns with China’s strategy to export industrial capacity
Laos, a long-delayed $5.7 billion railway from China through northern Laos officially began last month

Asia's Smallest Economies Are Among Its Fastest Growing - Bloomberg

6 annotations

manufacturing

2914

The Economist's 2017 safe cities index, sponsored by NEC, ranked 60 cities based on the factors of personal security, digital security, health security, and infrastructure security.
7. Sydney, Australia
1. Tokyo, Japan
No US cities cracked the very top of the list — San Francisco came closest, with a ranking of 15.
4. Toronto, Canada
9. Hong Kong
6. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
3. Osaka, Japan

The 11 safest cities in the world | The Independent

8 annotations

movies and tv

www.independent.co.uk

5497

This summer, beat the crowds by heading to lesser-known destinations
Instead of standing in line to see the Gothic styles of Milan Cathedral in Italy, visit Cologne's picturesque hallmark,
visit Colmar, France
This French town is only a hop, skip, and a jump away from the border of Germany
visit Gothenburg, Sweden
visit Traverse City, Michigan
For a more current experience, visitors can also check out Långgatorna, a modern street known as a bustling "Little London.
visit Cologne, Germany

Cheaper alternatives to major tourist cities - INSIDER

8 annotations

tourist destinations

www.thisisinsider.com

6424

Sky pool 'bridge
the first sky pool 'bridge', which is between two apartment buildings and is considered a world first.
The Embassy Gardens development is in Nine Elms, the new riverside district that wraps around the former Battersea Power Station.
it's the fully transparent 20cm-thick glass pool that will be turning heads. The pool measures 7.5m long by 5.8m wide and is 3m deep, with a water depth of 1.2m.
Residents enjoying a swim will have spectacular views of London,
. They also get to share rooftop sun terraces, a spa, summer bar, orangery, gym, cinema and "exclusive" club membership.

Sky pool 'bridge' lures residents to the first Embassy Gardens apartments | Stuff.co.nz

6 annotations

www.stuff.co.nz

6261

Finding the next big thing is hard
The Berkshire chief executive officer spoke at length Saturday about his failure to pounce on opportunities in tech stocks
Buffett, 86, said the Republican health plan that cleared the House of Representatives was sure to help the wealthy, and the billionaire reiterated his view that society needs to do more to help people he called “roadkill” because they get left behind by capitalism.
They went through “a litany of trends they missed, mistakes they made,” Wallman said. “I’ve never seen them exhibit so much vulnerability.”
Warren Buffett’s annual bash for Berkshire Hathaway Inc
Buffett said his analysis on Apple differed from IBM, in part because the iPhone maker is more of a consumer-products company.
For most of his career, Buffett avoided technology stocks, saying the companies were outside his expertise. On Saturday, however, he issued a mea culpa for being too late to spot their potential.

Buffett Confronts Search for Next Big Thing After Missed Chances - Bloomberg

7 annotations

investing

6301

second-highest salary went to pharmacy managers,
patent attorney came in third.
best paying jobs in America are concentrated in health care, technology, and law.
Physicians have the highest
The median annual earnings of a nuclear engineer, $94,852, are about half those of a doctor.
25 jobs best-paying jobs, 11 are in the tech industry
Nurse practitioner comes in at 14th place, with a median annual salary of $104,144 and physician assistant landed seventh, at $112,529.

These Are the 25 Best-Paying Jobs in America - Bloomberg

7 annotations

financial news