Article on BabyBoomer-Magazoine.com

Many Baby Boomers, the group of us born between 1946 and 1964 and the largest generation in U.S. history, may have been lulled into a sense of complacency by reports that we as a group stand to inherit trillions from our parents.

But economists who have spent a lot of time researching the transfer of wealth from one generation to the next (intergenerational transfers) reached this wake-up call of a conclusion: the Baby Boomer Generation should not expect to inherit much, if anything, from our parents. This emerging picture is confirmed by an AARP study, "Baby Boomers Envision their Retirement, An AARP Segmentation Analysis," which found that, "Most boomers will receive a small inheritance, if they get anything at all."

In fact the average inheritance received in 2001 amounted to $48,000, according to AARP, a nice enough figure, but not one to base a comfortable lifestyle on. The really large payouts appear to be reserved for those already at the upper end of the economic scale. When measured as a percentage of wages, we will receive roughly the same amount of inheritance as their parents did. Not only will inheritances represent very minor additions to Boomers retirement resources, but also their distribution across the recipient population is also likely to be highly unequal. This substantially negates the view that inheritances will redress the shortfall in Baby Boomers retirement assets.

So, what happened to Baby Boomers windfall of as much as $136 trillion that we were supposed to inherit? While it's true that Baby Boomers parents had indeed built up sizable nest eggs over the last 50 years, longer life expectancies, soaring health care costs, long–term care costs, and recently the poor economy have chipped away at these nest eggs, reducing our chances that we will inherit enough to live by our BABY Boomers standards.

Baby Boomers retirement will also be vastly different from our parents. We expect to remain more active, work longer, and travel more and live longer than our parents' generation - therefore expectations are that to maintain our Baby Boomer retirement lifestyle expectations, it will cost us more than our parents. For us, retirement is more a lifestyle transition than an end in itself. To maintain our standard of living in retirement, conventional wisdom has held that retirees need roughly 65–75 percent of their pre–retirement income, and this figure is likely to increase to 80 or 90 percent as people are living longer and staying more active than in generations past.

The bad news is, Baby Boomers should expect very little in the way of wealth transfer from their parents and we are likely to need more money in retirement than we might be thinking.

The good news is, there's still time for most Baby Boomers to proactively plan and organize our finances so that we may enjoy a secure and fulfilling retirement.

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Article on BabyBoomer-Magazine.com

So what happens when the oceans get warmer do to the Greenhouse Effect? Water expands as it warms. Therefore, sea level will raise as the top few hundred feet of the oceans warm and swell. Meltwater from polar and mountain glaciers is another potential source of sea level rise.

Sea level is currently rising at a rate of 1/10 inch per year. Due to the CO2 already in the atmosphere, sea level is projected to continue rising if unchecked over the next centuries. Projections for the year 2100 is showing oceans rising by as much as three feet. The impacts of rising sea level include loss of coastal ecosystems, flooding of cities, displacement of coastal inhabitants, and increased vulnerability to storm surges. And the effects would be magnified if the frequency of severe storms increases, as some climate models project.

Over the past century, approximately 70% of the world’s shorelines have been retreating due to sea level rise and increased erosion. Over the next century, increased erosion is likely as sea level rises. Erosion will increase along different types of unprotected shoreline, including the low-lying barrier dunes of the southern U.S. Atlantic Coast and the soft cliff coasts of California.

Thirteen of the world’s fifteen largest cities are on coastal plains. Many smaller cities, such as Alexandria, Egypt’s ancient center of learning, also face a severe risk of inundation with a 39-inch rise in sea level. Parts of San Jose and Long Beach, California, are about three feet below sea level and New Orleans is about eight feet below sea level today. Cities at risk cover a wide range of economic circumstances, yet many will require extensive infrastructure development to minimize the potential impacts of flooding, particularly from storm surge.

The United States could lose 10,000 square miles of dry land if sea level rises two feet. But the impacts of rising sea level vary from one region to another. These maps identify areas along the U.S. Gulf and Atlantic Coasts that are vulnerable to a 5–10 feet rise in sea level. The U.S. Pacific Coast is far less vulnerable to coastal flooding because the land rises more abruptly from the sea.

Coastal wetlands are especially vulnerable because they are within a few feet of sea level. In the United States, a sea level rise of one foot could eliminate 17–43% of today’s wetlands, with more than half the loss in Louisiana. As sea level rises, new wetlands will form further inland, but the total area will probably be reduced. In developed areas, dikes and other structures will prevent new wetlands from forming.

With the oceans of the world covering 71% of the Earth’s surface, Baby Boomers can easily visualize the potential impact that rising oceans will have on the Earth if progress Global Warming is not checked.

Get more information about Global Warming at: http://www.climatecrisis.net/

BABY BOOMERS TAKE ACTION !

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Article on BabyBoomer-Magazine.com

As the 16 million Americans that served in World War II returned home in 1946, the Baby Boomer bomb detonated - which led to the biggest population boom in US history. Just as powerful as any atomic bomb, its effects have radiated through society for literally decades.

As a True Baby Boomer myself, I'm empowered by the fact that we have become the single largest economic group in the United States today. We are well educated and increasingly well preserved. Our social, cultural and economic impact on our country has been unprecedented in its history.

Why are Baby Boomers so influential in American society and economic policies?

Baby Boomers:
• Have more discretionary income (wealth) than any other age group
• Control 70% of the total net worth of American households - $7 trillion of wealth
• Own 80% of all money in savings and loan associations
• Spend more money disproportionately to their numbers
• Are not fanatically loyal to brands
• Watch television more than any other age group
• Read newspapers more than any other age group
• Account for a dramatic 40% of total consumer demand
• Most of all 3 branches of our US Political system are Baby Boomers

In the United States, a February 2007 survey found that 95% of the 41 Congressional Democrats surveyed agreed "it's been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the Earth is warming because of man-made problems" while only 13% of the 31 Republicans surveyed agreed. Support for action to mitigate global warming, such as ratification and implementation of the Kyoto Protocol is strong on the political left, while many on the political right either dispute the scientific consensus on global warming or oppose action to mitigate global warming, instead favoring adoption.

With the power that Baby Boomers hold socially, economically and politically, as a group if we want to Save the Earth from Global Warming - Baby Boomers can make the difference. We just have to want to do it.

Get more information about Global Warming at: http://www.climatecrisis.net/
Also: http://www.projecthotseat.org

Article on BabyBoomer-Magazine.com

During this winter Baby Boomers in the Northern Hemisphere noticed that something is very wrong with the weather. In January trees and flowers start to blossom, birds that usually migrate to south to warmer climate begin nest building, ladybirds with ants crawl happily around and ski resorts in Europe offer hiking instead of skiing. It is all because of the unusually high temperature being more than 5ºF above average. The winter eventually arrived bringing fierce snowstorms in USA and hurricane-force winds in Europe.

All human endeavor hinges on climate. Thus, the potential for abrupt climate change should prompt businesses to re-examine possible impacts on many climate-affected sectors. They include: agriculture; water resources; energy resources; forest and timber management; fisheries; coastal land management; transportation; insurance; recreation and tourism; disaster relief; and public health (associated with climate-related, vector-borne diseases such as malaria and cholera).

The climate changes are happening and many business people are already facing them. With rising temperatures the changes will accelerate and become more extreme. Due to a sheer complexity of the climate modeling it is not clear what regions will be effected and how. This kind of uncertainty makes future business planning complicated. It is going to be challenging and difficult but any difficulties always bring new opportunities. New consulting companies specializing in business risk forecast and management related to changing climate conditions are going to emerge. Those operating globally will reconsider the supply chain management and shifting customers’ demands. Those operating locally will have to find new suppliers and perhaps completely change the business. In some regions services or agriculture activities will not be appropriate anymore because of local climate change. In other regions huge demand for new services will have to be satisfied.

Those Baby Boomers with vision, who foresee the coming changes, will have competitive advantage. Those still doubting, hesitating and waiting when things happen, would have to be satisfied with what is left.

Baby Boomers can make a difference by getting involved in a "GREEN" Business!

Get more information about Global Warming at: http://www.climatecrisis.net/

BABY BOOMERS TAKE ACTION !

http://www.babyboomer-magazine.com/