You Aren't What You Own

For a while now, America's economic growth has been fueled by consumption, and that consumption was enabled largely by growing public and private debt. Though Jimmy Carter was ridiculed for his lecture to the American people about the dangers of such pervasive materialism, he had a point, it turns out.

Now there is a movement among some segments of the populous who are rejecting the rat race, the pursuit of flat screen HDTVs, multiple homes, and fancy cars. And they're happier because of it. Money, it turns out, only buys happiness up until a certain point of comfort. Once we have achieved a moderate level of wealth, able to pay for good food, shelter, nice clothes, and entertainment, it doesn't take too much more to make us pretty miserable.

There's a great (and popular) article in this week's New York Times about the people who are leading a movement toward frugality. And they're happier for it.

I Drink at Home, YEEEEAAAAH, With Somebody Else

Alcohol sales are historically recession resistant, but not at bars anymore. It's way cheaper to buy some booze at the store, invite a few buddies over, and have a little party. If you live somewhere awesome like Miami, you can enjoy views of palm trees and water. If you live somewhere on the boring side, at least you can hang out outside during the summertime. Maybe play some bean bag toss and listen to music with a few beers. Good times.

From Time - 

"Sales of alcoholic beverages at bars and restaurants fell 4.6% in 2009, while sales at liquor stores, supermarkets and other retailers for "at home" drinking rose 1.2%, the report said. Americans are gulping 10 drinks on average each month at home, compared with only 5.7 drinks in bars and restaurants, the report notes."

The article goes on to discuss a proposal by New York's governor, David Patterson, to allow wine sales at grocery stores. I don't know why that guy gets such a bad rap. I think he's great.

Mass Health

Massachusetts is often at the leading edge of healthcare reform because of the high quality of its medical facilities, and therefore, the high cost of medical services and insurance in the state. Harvard Business School senior lecturer and Brookings Institution senior fellow, Robert Pozen, has articulated some good ideas in today's Boston Globe.

Meat Good

Give human energy. Make smart. You read NPR.

"Food For Thought: Meat-Based Diet Made Us Smarter"

Fun(gus) Times

I hope that all of my readers need to be concerned about bacterial infections at the gym, because that means that you go to the gym. If you don't, then you have much more worrisome problems to consider, like heart disease and cancer. That will render less horrifying this article from the New York Times about "MRSA...athlete’s foot, jock itch, boils, impetigo, herpes simplex and ringworm, all of which you are rather likely to be exposed to while working out."

So, make sure that you keep your dirty clothes separate from your clean ones (and keep them in different bags, like maybe a plastic one from the grocery store), wash your hands before and after you work out, and shower off well when you're done. If you don't think you're likely to be exposed to something nasty, consider this -

"At any given time, he said in an interview, one person in three in the United States suffers from a skin disease that can be spread to others, even while in the incubation stage."

This Is News?

"MP3 Players Might Harm Hearing"

Yeah, and vuvuzelas just might do the same thing. I suppose it's noteworthy that the researchers found that hearing was temporarily harmed by listening to an MP3 player at high volume, which I assume leads to louder and louder playing volume and further damage. Then, after 30 years, the iPod generation(s?) will be completely deaf.

If you own an iPod, you might consider setting the max volume at a level that does not hurt your ears, even in quiet surroundings. Then you can be assured that you won't destroy your hearing when you're listening to your music on the plane or at the gym. This is how it is done -

-Settings
-Volume Limit
-Use Clickwheel to set maximum volume
-If you're doing it on your punk kid's iPod, you can even set a combination, or just click "Done."

HSAs Are Going Through Changes

And they're not good ones. This was emailed to me by a Unitedhealthcare South Florida account executive -

As expected, the IRS recently released that there are not going to be any changes on HSA limits in 201l.  These limits include:

Maximum Contribution:

     $3,050 Individual

     $6,150 Family

HDHP Maximum Out-of-Pocket:

     $5,950 Individual

     $11,900 Family

HDHP Minimum Deductible:

     $1,200 Individual

     $2,400 Family

An additional catch-up contribution of $1,000 is available to account holders ages 55 and older.

There are also 2 provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that are scheduled to take effect in 2011, unless Congress changes them:

1) The tax penalty on HSA withdrawals not used for qualified medical expenses will be increased from the current 10% penalty to 20%.

2) Expenses for OTC medications (other than insulin) will not be eligible for payment or reimbursement from HSAs or other types of consumer-directed health accounts, unless they are obtained with a prescription.

For additional details, please refer to the IRS document at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-10-22.pdf

The 2nd provision is a real shame. It was really easy to pay for something at the drug store that was eligible to be paid with HSA dollars. All you had to do was use your card like you would any other debit or credit card. Drugstores had even begun noting on the receipt which of your purchases were covered.

Lord Have Mercy

I had to take my girlfriend to the emergency room last night (she's ok now : ), and since she lives quite near Mercy Hospital, a place that occupies priceless waterfront property just like Mt. Sinai on Biscayne Bay, that's where we went.

I'm just writing this to say how wonderful the staff was and how nice we found the hospital environment. My only concern was that our doctor looked like he stepped out of a soap opera, but that's pretty standard for Miami. People tend to be really, really, ridiculously good-looking here. I'm not sure that my girlfriend was paying attention to what he was saying, but the nurses that followed were conscientious and informative. A+'s all around, Mercy Hospital.

In their honor, I'm posting one of the most beautiful (Marvin Gaye) songs ever written (sorry about the cheesy sunsets, but this was the only one I could find with an embed code) -

25 Smackers

Dollars, bucks, greenbacks, clams, dead presidents, big ones. 25 of 'em.

If you would like this amount of moolah in your pocket (and by "pocket," I mean "a number designated to an account that you open"), go to ING's Sharebuilder and open an account by May 25th, using the promotion code MAY25. Open the account with a minimum of $25, and they will match that amount.

Now you've got half a C note that you can start trading and become the next Warren Buffett. Then you can move to Omaha and drink all the cherry Coke you want, and maybe update your glasses once every 20 years. Looking sharp.

MediFraud

Wanna know one of the many, many reasons that the healthcare system is so messed up in this country? Do you? How about teams of con-artists, doctors among them, making fraudulent claims in the tens of billions, paid for by the rest of us?

When I see a young guy driving a Bentley or a Lamborghini in Miami, my gut reaction is now that he's a crook or a celebrity, but most likely a crook since I would probably recognize a famous dude who can afford a $400,000 car that has 2 seats and no trunk space.


http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/12/1576543/former-pitcher-i-made-millions.html

Fitness

Paul Ryan's the best. He's whipping congress into shape literally.

To watch click here.

Nuyoricans Can't Handle Their Coke

The journal "Addiction" has published the results of a study that links outdoor temperatures of over 75 degrees to increased death among cocaine users. The solution they suggest is hilarious -

"What to do? Air conditioning and special health alerts could help in urban areas where cocaine use is high, the study suggested."

Not "don't use cocaine." Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Read it on MSN Health & Fitness.

Singapore Healthcare

I found this article on the Singaporean Healthcare System very interesting. It was a bit confusing to process all the details, but my understanding was that they have a government sponsored catastrophic insurance plan and payroll taxes that are put aside in an account to be spent on medical expenses. It was also interesting to see the different countries' healthcare spending and "healthy living" ages. I'm certainly not a proponent of government sponsored insurance, but they seem to have some of the right ideas. Click here for the article.

2010 Is Gonna Be the Best Year Ever

I can't believe that I haven't posted anything this year. I've been more focused on my restaurant blog, I suppose.

Well, here are a few articles that have grabbed my attention, as of late -

Strokes Are Increasing Among Young

This is surprising, but I do have a young friend who recently had a mild one. I get queazy just thinking about it. I also feel pain in my chest when I think about heart attacks. I'm quite squeamish.

"The best way to ward off strokes, heart attacks, and a host of other diseases is to eat right, exercise, and refrain from smoking."

The Danger of Taking Aspirin Daily

Check with your doctor on this one, or tell your parents to do so if they're the ones you're worried about, like I was.

"Now, medical experts say some people who are taking aspirin on a regular basis should think about stopping. Public-health officials are scaling back official recommendations for the painkiller to target a narrower group of patients who are at risk of a heart attack or stroke. The concern is that aspirin's side effects, which can include bleeding ulcers, might outweigh the potential benefits when taken by many healthy or older people."

12 Steps To Boost Your Health For Life

A friend of mine posted this on Facebook and it's wonderful advice. Try this one - Drink more water. It'll give you more energy and "crowd out" other bad foods and beverages you might be consuming.

Oh, Holy Crap!

You better watch out
You better not cry
Put down that egg nog
So that you don't die...

From ThirdAge-

"Researchers at University of California at San Diego found Christmas Day and New Year's Day to be the most deadly of the year. More people die of natural causes on those two days, with heart attacks leading the way."

Motivational Quote of the Day

"The difference between try and triumph is a little umph."

-Unknown

I like that.

Take It Off

I heard the news some time ago that those wacky Brits were planning on banning neckties in their hospitals, but now that might happen in the U.S. of A.?

Didn't we kick their butts and any vestige of their culture out 233 years ago? We don't even drive on the same side of the road! What's that you say? We speak the same language? Yeah, right. They think "subway" means "underground pedestrian walkway." It's obviously a purveyor of delicious, yet affordable, sandwiches.

Read all about it! Here

One woman has found a business opportunity in the infectious nature of neckties, by selling ones that have an anti-microbial coating on them. This is a hilarious way to end an article -

"She recently took delivery of the first shipment of ties bearing a design based on the H1N1 'swine-flu' virus. 'I'm so excited,' she says. 'H1N1 is a really pretty virus.'"

Marriage Is What Brings Us Together Today

Married people who have children are happier than married people who don't have children and are also happier than people who are unmarried who do have children. Interesting.

health.msn.com/kids-health

And this is from the Princess Bride, one of the greatest movies ever made -



I met Chris Sarandon (Prince Humperdink) at Albany Airport once. It was a fine day.

Men's Health Dr. Oz Health Tips

This is a great list of easy things one can do to improves one's health by Dr. Oz. Two excellent tips were getting enough sleep and eating breakfast, certainly things most people can do. Another helpful tip is that the best way to help one's back is pull-ups and that staying in bed is only going to make back problems worse. I recently moved and haven't joined a new gym, but I have used body weight exercises to stay in shape. Some of the most challenging exercises are pull-ups and push-ups. So, not having a gym doesn't mean there is no way to get a good workout, all one needs is a bar for pull-ups or I use the I-bar in the basement. Read the whole list here.

Be Happy

Here are five tips on how to be so from ThirdAge. They have nothing to do with driving a fancy car or wearing diamonds around your neck. I'm fairly certain that those things will not make you happy.

1. Reflect more, be true to yourself. "We must recognize the importance of good stuff every day, always nurture the good stuff and reflect on the good stuff," Thibodeau said. He said people smile, laugh, feel good and have energy about the positive things in life. "We forget about the good stuff," he said. "How many messages we receive are positive?" Thibodeau asked. He suggested that people take time for family and visit a friend, read and write poetry, and follow their heart, he said. "Take time for matters of the heart," Thibodeau said.
2. Leave no regrets. The sin of old life is melancholy, Thibodeau said. "No matter what you're doing, show up and do the best you can," he said. He referred to Ann Quindlen, an author and a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, who said, "I show up, I listen, and I try to laugh." People never forget an act of kindness or someone who took the time to come to a funeral, Thibodeau said. "Your friends need you more than Oprah," he told the audience.
3. Become love. Be a loving presence to others. The biggest regrets are that we have not loved enough and didn't spend more time with family and friends, Thibodeau said.
4. Enjoy more. Live in the moment. Thibodeau asked the crowd to stand up and follow what looked like a dance and the cheer, "I feel good, I feel fine, I feel happy all the time." He said we will be judged for what we have not enjoyed. "Laughter and play are so important to our health," Thibodeau said. "One of the greatest gifts is to give someone the gift of joy."
5. Give more than you take. Give more and nurture a legacy. "What are you going to leave behind?" Thibodeau said, adding that good work always lasts.