Tuesday, June 28, 2016

1932: A Bank Advertises Free Investment Adivice

From the January 20, 1932 issue of The New York Times:



The correct advice, of course, would have been "Don't buy, SELL!" After the Crash of '29, the Dow rebounded by 30% in 1930. Then stocks began to slide toward oblivion. By the summer of 1932 the Dow would be 89% below its pre-Crash high. To recover from such a loss, one would have to watch one's portfolio go up by 825%.
Posted  by James L. Macdonald, Retired Senior Vice President, Merrill Anderson Co. Inc.

Monday, June 27, 2016

Monetizing the House, the Old-Fashioned Way


Sarah Purcell's house


When Sarah Wentworth Purcell's husband died in 1776, she became a gentlewoman in reduced circumstances. To generate income she took in roomers.  Today, writes Amy Zipkin in The New York Times, Airbnb and other rental sites enable retirees, predominantly women, to monetize their homes in the same way. (Yes, everything old is new again.)

Short-term rentals generate extra money without requiring the homeowner to take on new debt. No home equity loan. No reverse mortgage. In addition:

Rentals may allow the homeowner to remain in a house tbat's otherwise unjustifiably large for an empty nester. Arranging rentals keeps the homeowner healthily active. And the homeowner meets a stimulating stream of new people, perhaps including visitors from around the world. She might even get to know someone who's about to become famous.

Sarah Purcell did. In 1777 one of her roomers was a Scot waiting for his ship to be built nearby. The ship was the Ranger, and John Paul Jones became our nation's first navel hero.

Sarah's home still stands in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, now known (sorry, Sarah) as the John Paul Jones House.
Posted by James L. Macdonald, Retired Senior Vice President, Merrill Anderson Co. Inc. 

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Movie Review—Genius

Genius
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by Peter J. O'Connell

Genius. Released: June 2016. Runtime: 104 mins. MPAA rating: PG-13 for some thematic elements and suggestive content. 

Geniuses: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Thomas Wolfe, Maxwell Perkins . . . wait, who? Yes, Maxwell Perkins, who has been called an “editor of genius” both for the great writers he “discovered” and championed and his own skill at the craft of editing. 

Genius is a story of the relationship between Perkins and Thomas Wolfe. The film begins in 1929 when Wolfe (Jude Law) brings a massive manuscript, entitled O Lost, to Perkins (Colin Firth) at the Scribner's publishing house. Perkins struggles with both the text and the author but eventually gets the work to publishable size under a new title, Look Homeward, Angel, which becomes a classic.

A friendship springs up between the two men, who are of contrasting personality types. The near-alcoholic Wolfe is disheveled and logorrheic and is in a relationship with Aline Bernstein (Nicole Kidman), a married theatrical set and costume designer much older than he is. Perkins is a staid workaholic—he works in his office, on the commuter train, and in his suburban home—who always wears a wide-brimmed hat--in the office, on the commuter train, in his suburban home. (This affectation is never explained or even referred to in the film.)

The relationship of editor and author begins to be almost a surrogate father-son one. The relatively early death of his father affected Wolfe deeply, and Perkins, according to his wife, Louise (Laura Linney), always wanted a son, but had five lively daughters instead. Perkins, however, seems more interested in his work than in his family.

And Perkins has to work hard to bring Wolfe's second novel, Of Time and the River, down to publishable size. The original manuscript fills three crates, and Wolfe keeps adding pages as Perkins keeps cutting. Moreover, Wolfe wants to “liven up” Perkins. This effort is strikingly illustrated when Wolfe takes the editor to an African-American night club and has a jazz version of Perkins' favorite song, “Flow Gently, Sweet Afton,” played. 

Eventually, tensions fueled by the Wolfe-Perkins relationship arise between Aline and Thomas, Aline and Maxwell, and Louise and Maxwell.  Hemingway (Dominic West) puts in an appearance to denigrate Wolfe, and F. Scott Fitzgerald (Guy Pearce) shows up several times. Fitzgerald has the opposite problem to Wolfe's logorrhea; he has writer's block. He also has a problem that he considers more significant than any of Wolfe's; he has to care for a wife who is descending into madness.  

As Wolfe's fame grows, other publishing houses attempt to “poach” him from Scribner's. Wolfe also becomes irritated by comments that his success is due to Perkins rather than to his own genius. Finally, there is a break between the two men.

Director Michael Grandage has chosen a cast of almost exclusively British and Australian actors to play the iconic American characters of the story. Jude Law has the difficult task of having to portray a character who is simultaneously appealing and annoying. He succeeds at the second part of his task. Colin Firth has the challenge of portraying a character whose own creative inner force is encased in a stolid exterior. He succeeds with the stolidity. One definitely wishes that Grandage had cast a more “New York” actress than Nicole Kidman as Aline Bernstein.

Grandage also has chosen a palette for the film that is grayish/brown, much like the clothes worn by the characters. Presumably, that was done to fit the Depression era in which the story takes place. What it actually does, more than create a historical feel, is add an even more muted quality to the action, which, despite the geniuses on display, is quite muted. 

Genius is admirable in its attempt to be a kind of dual biopic about important cultural figures, but as F. Scott Fitzgerald might have said, the movie is definitely “this side of paradise.”


“Footnote” to the film: Thomas Wolfe's literary reputation has undergone several ups and downs. Writers as diverse as Ray Bradbury, Jack Kerouac and Hunter S. Thompson have spoken of his great influence on them. William Faulkner at first admired Wolfe but then concluded that his writing was “like an elephant trying to do the hoochie-coochie.” In 2000, the centenary of Wolfe's birth, literary scholar Matthew Bruccoli published a reconstruction of O Lost, the pre-Perkins version of what became Look Homeward, Angel, and proclaimed it superior to the published version.       




Wednesday, June 22, 2016

An English Teacher’s Secret to Aging Well

Flossie-Lewis-Aging
She's 91 and disabled, but Flossie Lewis says she feels like she's 15

Flossie Lewis does not mince words. The former English teacher asks the producers of PBS NewsHour’s Brief But Spectacular if the video she’s making is going to go viral before agreeing to share her thoughts on aging.
Her honest, wise words on aging have been making the rounds on social media since May, when the video first appeared. And it bears repeat viewing.
The changes that happen to your body are inevitable, Lewis says. “There is indigestion and your teeth fall out and suddenly you need hearing aids.”
But being old is a state of mind, says Lewis. “Now, I’m 91.  I’m badly crippled, but I still think I’m 15.”
What keeps her going?
  • Going outside with her walker or in her wheelchair
  • Writing light verse for the Piedmont Gardens Senior Living Community newspaper The Crest
  • Watching politics
She also says you never know when romance is coming your way.


Watch the video below to hear more of Lewis’ thoughts on aging.

One of the Most Important Things to Do For Your Grandkids


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Grandparents and grandfriends go to great lengths to protect the children in their lives. Among other things they provide safe environments, share stories that connect children to their roots and, in some cases, help pay for their education or after-school activities.
They care deeply. So why then does the number of adults up to date on their vaccinations remain low?

Only 20 percent have received their Tdap vaccination to provide protection from tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough.

To help educate unsuspecting older adults, children and youth and families, Generations Unitedrecently launched Valuing Vaccinations Across Generations, an awareness campaign designed to bridge age-specific efforts to increase immunizations into intergenerational conversations within families and among different generations.

Our campaign goal is simple: We want to encourage people to wear a #BandAGEofhonor and protect their family and others by ensuring their vaccinations are up to date. It’s a unique effort that uses a lifespan approach to spark conversations around building healthy intergenerational communities where people of all ages are valued and can thrive.

At Generations United, we’re not experts in vaccinations. So we’re honored to be working in partnership with the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as we develop this international effort.

Together, we’re developing tools to encourage intergenerational dialogues about health and protecting other generations. To date, we’ve created a lifespan vaccine infographic, social media memes, videos, and a recently released intergenerational discussion guide that includes activities and discussion starters. All of these are available on our new website www.bandAGEofhonor.org.

Elvis as Role Model

We’re also elevating “vaccine champions,” people like Elvis Presley, who became the poster boy for the polio vaccine when he took his shot from an army doctor before going on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956. Vaccine rates among the American population shot from 2 percent to 85 percent by the time of his Army discharge in 1960.

Grandparents and other older adults have the same opportunity to demonstrate leadership.
Eighty-nine-year-old Tom Taylor, who lived through the polio epidemic and remembered Elvis’s impact, said just as much in his video testimonial on the value of vaccines for all ages: “We have to do what we can to keep our communities healthy and to help our young children who are coming up.”

People who eat well and exercise help keep our communities healthy. You can help the young children coming up by staying current on immunizations and encouraging those you love to do the same. Click here to continue reading.


Tuesday, June 21, 2016

What to Do with Strawberries This Season

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From the Bangor Daily News

When Treworgy Family Orchard in Levant posted on Facebook Saturday afternoon that they had a great opening day for strawberry season (they’ll be reopening for picking this weekend), I couldn’t help but get a little excited. Strawberries have been my very favorite fruit since childhood — the one I most look forward to, and relish eating. They also come with a bevy of happy memories — both from childhood and adulthood.
And though my kids and I haven’t picked strawberries these last few years, this summer we won’t miss it. I want my kids to have the happy memories of time spend plucking berries from bushes, stealing a few to munch on and taking them home to enjoy in so many ways.
Strawberry picking is a tradition that I’ve carried forward from my own childhood. As a little kid, I would inevitably be wearing all white when we’d arrive at the field nearby our Dutchess County, New York, home. We’d weave through the rows, past green leaved plants teaming with berries, in search of the plumpest, sweetest ones. By the time we left, with baskets of fresh, sweet, brilliant red berries, I’d be stained pink from my head to my little (formerly white) Keds. It was messy and sticky and hot and so much fun.
My kids have been berry picking since they were old enough to crawl. When they were really little, learning from my own experiences as a child, I’d practically color-code them to the berries we were picking: Red clothes for strawberry season, blue for blueberry season. It wasn’t intentional — at least not at first — but it helped stem the mess. So did the baby wipes I always made sure to pack for the trip to the fields.
When we pick, we aim to pick a lot. Strawberry season is so short, so you have to take advantage while you can. Some berries will be plucked from the box and popped into our mouths — a sweet snack. Others will be turned into jams and cooked into baked goods. And some will be frozen for winter. There’s nothing better than adding that taste of summer to whatever you can on the coldest days of the year. It’s hope in a bite.
Are you planning to go strawberry picking this season? Here are some ideas what to do with your haul.
Freeze them: Storing fresh strawberries lets you enjoy them all year long. To do so, wash and hull the strawberries. Place in a flat layer on a baking sheet or in a freezer safe container and freeze. Then transfer the frozen berries to a freezer container or bag for storage.
Turn them into sauce: Strawberry sauce is delicious on waffles, pancakes, ice cream and more. Use this easy method to make a two-cup batch to enjoy now or save for later. Combine 2 cups hulled and chopped strawberries with 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a bowl (the berries will release their juices as they heat). Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer to storage containers and freeze until ready to use. Defrost before using.
Slice them in salads: If you aren’t eating summer berries in your salads, it’s time to start. From the classic spinach salad (with sliced strawberries, candied almonds and a balsamic dressing) to more inventive grain salads, tossed salads and more, strawberries pair well with leafy greens, grains, tangy vinaigrettes and sharp cheeses.
Toss them on ice cream: Fresh berries on ice cream? Yes, please! (They’re also good on yogurt and in cereal too!)

Movie Review—Now You See Me 2

  
Now You See Me 2
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by Peter J. O’Connell

Now You See Me 2. Released: June 2116. Runtime: 129 mins. MPAA rating: PG 13 for violence and some language.

Now You See Me (2013) was a fairly enjoyable heist/mindbender flick about a group of magicians (i.e., illusionists) who function as entertaining Robin Hood-types. The “magic” tricks and stunts involved were on the farther frontiers of probability but not into the realm of impossibility.

Now a new director, Jon M. Chu, has brought us a sequel, Now You See Me 2. NYSM2 has a plot too silly and convoluted to bother summarizing, a hideously overbearing score, superfluous characters, so many scenes of cheering crowds that the movie seems more like an account of a rock group’s concert tour than a feature film. Unlike the first film, the illusions are obviously computer-generated rather than seeming done by humans. For that matter, the characters seem more like superhero-types than normal, though extremely talented, people. Curiously, though, the big “reveal” at the finale is neither computer-generated nor a product of great ingenuity. It’s just a letdown, literally and figuratively. Then the movie ends with the characters descending a staircase into darkness. They needn’t bother going down. They are already in a cinematic cellar.

The performances by Daniel Radcliffe, Lizzy Caplan and Woody Harrelson in one of his twin-character roles are annoyingly bad. Dave Franco doesn’t perform at all. Jesse Eisenberg, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Woody Harrelson in the other of his twin-character roles show up to collect checks. Only Mark Ruffalo and Sanaa Lathan act as if they were in a picture that had some merit. One admires their professionalism but pities their misapprehension. What’s a good time to see Now You See Me 2? Never is a good time to see it!   



Friday, June 17, 2016

Cut The Clutter: Start Now To Help Parents Sort Through Keepsakes

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People often say that they are dreading the task of going through their parents' house after they pass away because of all the stuff tucked in the attic, basement and garage.
Likewise, older clients frequently mention that they wish their children would take the time now to look through old boxes and family keepsakes. They are concerned that their possessions will become a burden when they're gone, and they don't want a precious family heirloom to be overlooked because no one knows its importance or value.
The thought of spending a couple of hours looking through old photos, school papers and collectibles is not at the top of anyone's list. However, there are some real advantages to sorting things out while everyone is still able:
Knowing the background
We have all picked up an old black-and-white photo at some point and been unable to identify the people staring back at us. We're left wishing we had asked someone who knew when we had the chance. The same goes for that piece of artwork, jewelry or furniture. Learning the history of items makes it easier to decide whether to keep them.
Sharing history 
It can be disappointing when you find something that has been hidden away and realize it could have been really useful for a child's school project or for your research into your family history. Being able to hold a picture of the grandmother they never met or read their grandfather's account of his military service can be so interesting to young children and helps to create a special bond between generations. Storing old things in boxes where no one can see them is a missed opportunity.
Paying expenses early
Some items may require money or up-front planning to move, ship or dispose of. Identifying those items without a tight deadline can save you money later. Research how to dispose of something properly, where to sell it or how to move it well before it needs to be done, instead of when you're pressured by a medical emergency or a real-estate deadline.
Taking your time
Going through a parent's lifetime possessions does not have to be accomplished in one weekend. In fact, breaking the project up into manageable increments will make the work less taxing and also allow time for smart decision-making and for keeping family peace. You don't want to have to decide what to do with antique furniture, photo albums, dish collections and tax filings all at the same time. Conquer one category or space at a time. Click here to continue reading.