July 5, 2018 – 5 Good Boomer Reads
The 5 Good Boomer Reads for the week of July 5, 2018:
- Morning Routines Differ Between Generations
- Smart Asset Has A Smart Retirement Calculator
- Intel Is Subject To An Age Discrimination Suit
- Frequent Fliers Suggest The Best Rolling Luggage
- Will A Thundershirt Work For Your Pet?
Host: Mike Mathews
Business Insider reports MSN poll on ways generations differ in their morning routines
Well, there are some surprising results and some not so surprising.
- Topmost in our minds: Those aged 65 and up tend to exercise and eat breakfast in the mornings — two recommended components of any morning routine.
- Also, almost a third of older adults exercise in the morning, compared to 18% of twenty-somethings and 25% of middle-aged folks.
- And old habits stay with us, roughly 35% of Boomers plan out their day the evening before, same as GenX and slightly more than GenY (Millennials)
Retirement Calculator Smart Asset
Smart Asset, a retirement calculating website, has a number of tools that are helpful for folks preparing to retire and maybe for others thinking about whether to return to a part-time or full-time job.
First off, the main calculator page has a series of simple categories to fill out, but you can decide if you want to dig deeper and answer further category questions.
Calculator
- Location
- Election age
- Annual Income
- Annual Retirement Expenses
Additional details
- 401k, 403b, 457b
- IRA
- Pension
- Whether to include Social Security benefits
- Marital Status
Or Look up by State if you’re thinking of moving somewhere else.
Intel age discrimination class action suit
The technology business is no bed of roses when it comes to employment. Intel is under investigation following a number of former employees deciding age might be a factor in their layoff in 2016.
The company has said it targeted low-performing employees, and workers whose projects were canceled. Intel said the restructuring is part of a company-wide effort to modernize its product line.
During layoffs in May 2016, the median age of the 2,300 employees who lost their jobs was 49 — seven years older than the company’s overall median age, according to company documents reviewed by the Journal
FULL DISCLOSURE
Intel has had layoffs for the last 22 years that I am familiar with. One of the people laid off in 2006 was me, after working at Intel for 10 years as an employee and another 10 years total either before or after as an agency or contract employee. The 2016 layoff was 10% of worldwide employees and is not being studied for discrimination.
The Best Rolling Luggage, According To Frequent Fliers
It’s Vacation Time, So Let’s Travel In Comfort
Forbes published a study of frequent fliers rolling luggage preferences and came up with 12 Carry-ons and 2 rolling bags that need to be checked. While a couple of bags are in the $100 range, most are in the mid-100s and more. Click through to read the favorites.
One feature I suggest avoiding: powered luggage, whether powered for speedy transport or for recharging electronics. Either way you cannot check them if needed because they contain Lithium-ion batteries.
Do Thundershirts Really Calm Dogs During Fireworks or What?
By the time you read this it will be too late for this year, but now’s the time to plan for next year or maybe for New Year’s Eve if you live in a party neighborhood.
First, these devices are generically known as “anxiety shirts.” Yes, Thundershirt is a brand name (careful if you click through, they force an obnoxiously loud soundtrack to play automatically).
The Bad News: Only one study has been completed on clothing that “hugs” your dog or cat and the results were based on self-reporting by owners on whether their pet appeared to be calmed. And only 18 animals were studied, far too small a sample for statistical value.
The Good News: 89% of the dog owners felt the shirts worked.
What if the shirts don’t work?
Well, there are a handful of other remedies that may be used instead or in combination, so there’s a chance that your pet will have an calmer evening the next time around.
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