In this post we’re going to take a look at Option 1 & 2 of SB1040 (known as Senate Bill 1040), a piece of legislation passed here in Michigan which forces all state school employees to change their retirement pension plans by selecting from one of three options. If you’re just now joining us, you may want to read my SB1040 Introduction post first. … [Read more...] about SB1040 Pension Plan Options – Option 1 & 2
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SB1040 Pension Plan Options – Introduction
When you were a kid, there were a number of stories and fairy tales about coming to a fork in the road and having to choose the right path to take. Of course, you can only choose one. And once you choose it, there’s no turning back. Some of the roads will lead you to safety, and other will lead you to danger! Unfortunately for the teachers of Michigan and my wife, this isn’t just a child’s story – it’s SB1040. SB1040 (short for Senate Bill 1040) is a piece of legislation that was passed here in Michigan which changes the pension plan options for all state school employees. Basically, each employee has to choose from one of four proposed options before October 26, 2012 that will significantly alter the structure of their pension … [Read more...] about SB1040 Pension Plan Options – Introduction
Top Ten Reasons to Celebrate the Fourth of July
10. It inspired other countries not to put up with anyone else’s B.S. 9. The Revolutionary War gave us our fore-fathers. And our fore-fathers gave us something to put on our coins. … [Read more...] about Top Ten Reasons to Celebrate the Fourth of July
How Much Do Things Cost in England?
Cheers! I’m writing you today from England. The last time I came here, I published a short post about how different the prices were between the UK and United States. I thought it might be fun to share those observations again. Note: This post was originally published 12/02/2011. Think things cost a lot where you live? Here’s a little perspective from our friends across the Atlantic. While on a business trip through England, there were a few things I couldn’t help but notice about their financial situation. Although most of what I found was narrowly limited to my travel agenda, I thought I’d share my list of observations: … [Read more...] about How Much Do Things Cost in England?
Yes, People Still Fall for Pyramid Schemes
I stumbled upon a very strange thing this week when I was traveling for business through a rural part of Ohio … Setting the Scene: I had finished work, ate some dinner, and was looking for a place to chill out on my laptop. With limited options, I found a local Tim Horton’s Coffee & Bakery shop and decided to hang out there. When I entered, the first thing I noticed was the place was packed! “Perhaps this was the happening place to be on a Wednesday night” I thought. So I ordered my coffee, took a seat, and got on my computer. The majority of the people that were there looked slightly less than well-off. But among them were a few very well (and overly dressed) young women. Preying Upon the Ignorant: I got on my phone to have my … [Read more...] about Yes, People Still Fall for Pyramid Schemes
Why Is It So Hard To Buy Something?
Have you ever gone to buy something and it seems like all the forces of the world are against you? I’m talking about walking into a store with money in hand, and yet the staff seems to do everything in their power NOT to help you? I know that sounds pretty ridiculous, but this is something that I observe all the time. And to make matters worse, I can think of a lot of other people that have brought it up as well! Why is this?? When I’m about to make a relatively huge purchase, shouldn’t there be a little more eagerness to work with me? Or are employees really just that apathetic? Here is an actual example that will illustrate my point. It took place last week when I went to buy some flagstone pavers for my gardens. To set the stage, … [Read more...] about Why Is It So Hard To Buy Something?
What is Happening to the Middle Class?
Is there any coincidence that unemployment rates seem to be improving in the year before the next US presidential election? No matter if you side with the Democrats or Republicans, the issues of job creation and the economy will be hot ones for each of the candidates – in particular to the ears of the middle class voters. But will any of them have any fresh remedies to reverse what has been happening to the middle class for decades prior? The Slow Erosion of the Middle Class: Unfortunately, it seems doubtful. According to a recent article from Fortune Magazine featured on CNN Money, the issue goes much deeper than any policy set forth by the Obama or Bush administration. Consider the following turn of events: … [Read more...] about What is Happening to the Middle Class?
Buy Your Own Death Star for $852 Quadrillion
Okay, this one is too much fun to pass up. Consider it your Sunday comic blog post … A few weeks ago, MSN covered a quirky article from the blog Centives entitled “How Much Would it Cost to build the Death Star?”. Yes, that would be Darth Vader’s Death Star; the giant planet-like weapon from the first 1977 Star Wars movie (or Episode IV if you’re a true nerd!) The blog, ran by students at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, used some logical reasoning to estimate the size of the Death Star and roughly how much steel the creation would consist of. Here are the highlights: … [Read more...] about Buy Your Own Death Star for $852 Quadrillion
