Smaller Snack Attack

Bigger isn't better, but thinking that way got us into our obesity epidemic. Food makers are starting to make smaller portions. Coke and Pepsi both sell 8 oz cans of soda. Kraft offers 100 calorie single serve packages of Oreo Thin Crisps, Wheat Thins and other snacks. You'll soon see the king sized candy bars phased out.

The trend has even reached restaurants, with half-sized portions. If you need something sweet, buy up a couple bags of Halloween candy. The portions are small so you don't have to eat a whole lot just to get a little sugar fix.

Medicare 2006 Coinsurance and Deductibles

Here are the new fees for Medicare in 2006

Part B cost = $88.50/month

Part A
Inpatient hospital deductible $952
Days 61-90 in hospital $238/day
Days 91-150 in hospital $476/day
Days 21-100 in skilled nursing facility $119/day

Part B
Deductible = $124/year

How does an EIA differ from a traditional fixed annuity?

An EIA (Equity Indexed Annuity), like all fixed annuities, has a guaranteed ("fixed") minimum interest rate, which does not change over the life of the policy. Besides the minimum interest rate, an EIA also has the potential for additional increases in value by linking to one or two market indexes.

EIAs are an important wealth management tool because of their unique benefits and broad appeal. EIAs combine:

• The opportunity to share in potential market index gains, with
• The safety and guarantees of fixed products.

Looking at the steady growth of the EIA product category, it's clear that American consumers like their combination of guaranteed safety plus upside potential.

Medicare Part D - Help for Low Income

Beneficiaries eligible for both Medicaid & Medicare (dual eligible) with assets of $2,000 for single person and $3,000 for couples –

1. No monthly premium or annual deductible.
2. Beneficiary pays $1 for generic and $3 for brand name drugs if below poverty level, or pays $2 for generic or $5 for brand name drugs if income is above poverty level and below 135 percent of poverty level.
3. Medicare pays all other drug costs (no “gaps” in service).

Beneficiaries below 135 percent of poverty with higher assets ($6,000 for a single person and $9,000 for couples) –

1. No monthly premium or annual deductible.
2. Beneficiary pays $2 for generic or $5 for brand name drugs.
3. Medicare pays all other drug costs (no “gaps” in service).

Beneficiaries below 150 percent of poverty level, not eligible for above programs, and have assets below $10,000 for single person or $20,000 for couples –

1. Monthly premium based on sliding fee scale.
2. $50 annual deductible.
3. After the deductible, beneficiary pays 15 percent of drug costs for next $2,200 of drug costs.
4. Medicare pays until $5,100 of drug costs.
5. After $5,100 of drug costs, beneficiary pays $2 for generic or $5 for brand name drugs.

Friday Funny - Reunion

You know, I was thinking of going to my 40 year kindergarden reunion, but I've gained like 100 pounds since then.

Medicare Part D - Drug Coverage

Medicare Part D - Drug coverage is coming shortly. We will be able to help you sign up after November 15th. Here are the basics

1. In 2006, the beneficiary pays $35 per month premium ($420 per year) if they want this coverage. Beneficiaries are not required to enroll in Part D, but if they enroll later they will pay a higher monthly premium than normal.
2. Beneficiary pays $250 annual deductible before Medicare pays anything.
3. Beneficiary pays 25% of the costs of the next $2,000 of drug expenses (beneficiary pays $500 of next $2,000 of drugs costs plus all of the first $250 of drug costs for a total of up to $750).
4. After $2,250 of drug costs, there is no coverage until the beneficiary has paid another $2,850 worth of drug expenses (beneficiary pays up to $3,600 for up to $5,100 in drug costs).
5. Catastrophic coverage begins after beneficiary has paid $3,600 of out-of-pocket expenses ($5,100 total drug costs). The beneficiary pays the greater of $2 for generic, $5 for brand name drugs, or 5 percent of the costs, whichever is greater.
6. Low-income individuals (depending on their income) pay a much smaller amount of their drug costs.

Celebrating Milestones with Seniors Turning 65

Patrick Stewart - July 13

During his first season on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Stewart was so convinced he would be fired from the series that he didn't unpack his bags for six weeks. In his native Britain, he's best known for his acclaimed stage career. Stewart began performing as a teenager.

Alex Trebek - July 22

Emmy award-winning game show host Trebek began his broadcasting career as a newscaster in his native Canada. He replaced Art Fleming as the Jeopardy! host in 1984. He owns a California ranch that specialized in breeding, training and caring for thoroughbred racehorses.

Linda Gray - September 12

Gray is familiar to fans of the long running Dallas TV series as Sue Ellen, the wife of the infamous JR. Other pursuits include producing a video project highlighting Santa Monica, Calif., charities and the community services they provide. She's also an ambassador of goodwill for the United Nations, having completed a mission to Nicaragua.

Keep Your Brain Young

You're never too young to start preventing Alzheimer's disease. The more you stimulate your brain, the better you'll fare, says Elizabeth Edgerly, a spokesperson for the Alzheimer's Association. Research suggests ways to keep your brain fit:

1. Feast on fruits and veggies. In a study of 1836 elderly men and women, those who drank fruit or vegetable juice at least 3 times per week had a 75% lower risk of developing Alzheimer's than those who juiced up less than once a week.

2. Stay close to family and friends. In a a study of 2513 men, those with the least contact with friends and family in late life were nearly 3 times more likely to develop dementia than those with the most social activity.

3. Get moving and raise a toast. In a study of 471 adult children of Alzheimer's patients, moderate drinkers and those who exercised regularly scored better on memory, problem-solving and other mental tasks than those who didn't drink or exercise.

Friday Funny - I'm a senior citizen

I'm the life of the party... even when it lasts 'till 8pm.
I'm very good at opening childproof caps with a hammer.
I'm usually interested in going home before I get to where I'm going.
I'm good on a trip for at least an hour without my aspirin, antacid...
I'm the first one to find the bathroom wherever I go.
I'm awake many hours before my body allows me to get up.
I'm smiling all the time because I can't hear a word you're saying.
I'm very good at telling stories...over and over and over and over.
I'm aware that other people's grandchildren are not as bright as mine.
I'm so cared for: long-term care, eye care, private care, dental care.
I'm not grouchy, I just don't like traffic, waiting, children, politicians...
I'm positive I did housework correctly before the Internet.
I'm sure everything I can't find is in a secure place.
I'm wrinkled, saggy and lumpy, and that's just my left leg.
I'm having trouble remembering simple words like... uh...
I'm realizing that aging is not for sissies.
I'm walking more (to the bathroom) and enjoying it less.
I'm sure they are making adults much younger these days.
I'm in the *initial* state of my golden years: SS, CD's, IRA's, AARP.
I'm wondering, if you're only as old as you feel, how could I be alive at 150?
I'm anti-everything now: anti-fat, anti-smoke, anti-noise, anti-inflammatory.
I'm a walking storeroom of facts... I've just lost the key to the storeroom.
I'm a Senior Citizen and I think I am having the time of my life... Aren't I?

5 Important Lessons to Learn - Lesson 3, 4 and 5

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.
"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.
"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.
By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.
"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away.
The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.

The peasant learned what many of us never understand!Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.

The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away".
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

Most importantly... "Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody's watching."

NOW more than ever - Peace...Pass It On...

5 Important Lessons to Learn - Lesson 1 and 2

1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.
During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello." I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain
One night, at11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.

A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached..It read:

"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others." Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.

Friday Funny - 10 signs you're at a bad zoo

1. When no one else is looking, you swear that the monkeys are mocking you.
2. The Bears exhibit is nothing more than the guys cut from the football team during training camp.
3. The stripes on the zebra tend to peel away in the heat.
4. The Zookeeper always wants to take the Rhino for a walk.
5. The Lion in the lion cage closely resembles the one from The Lion King.
6. The alligator in the Reptiles exhibit is nothing more than the University of Florida's Mascot.
7. If you deposit 50 cents, the giraffe will magically appear and talk to you.
8. Ask the Tour Guide too many questions and you're suddenly dipped in some sort of sauce and placed in the Tigers den.
9. The Elephant appear to be two guys in a two part Elephant suit.
10. Two words: Hippo Dogs!

Serve Up the Squash

Get ready for an extreme makeover on your dinner plate this fall. Once considered merely a humble vegetable, squash has now been dubbed a "nutritional powerhouse" by the American Dietetic Association.

The most nutritious varieties are also the most colorful—on the inside, that is. The deep orange or yellow flesh comes from plant pigments known as carotenoids, such as beta carotene. These antioxidants may reduce the risk of several types of cancer, heart disease, and cataracts. In addition to their disease-fighting power, winter squash can provide other important nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, phosphorus, and fiber.

Stuffed Butternut Squash
2 medium butternut squash
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup wild rice, rinsed
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat bread, shredded
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 cup orange juice

Cut each squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and fibers. Lay squash cut-side down in microwave-safe baking dish with 1/2 inch of water in the pan. Microwave on high about 10 minutes or until soft. Let cool.

Meanwhile, bring water to a boil, stir in wild rice and simmer 40 minutes or until water is absorbed. Coat a skillet with cooking spray and sauté onion and garlic until onion is soft. In a mixing bowl, combine rice, onion, and garlic with remaining ingredients.

Scoop out squash pulp leaving enough for a shell. Chop pulp and combine with rice mixture. Stuff mixture into each shell, place squash in baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 205 calories, 1 g fat, 656 mg sodium, 6 g fiber, 0 cholesterol, 7 g protein, 46 g carbohydrates