Thursday, March 31, 2011

WineontheKeyboard

WineontheKeyboard


The Annual Spring Question

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 04:00 AM PDT

Will the lilac bush bloom or not this spring? 2010 lilac waiting game.  2009 lilac blooming wait. Well, I’m patiently waiting again.

lilac bush beginning to bud

I’m not thinking the snow we had last weekend helped things much…

lilac bush in the snow

What do you think? Will it bloom this year? Finally?

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Consumer Boomer

Consumer Boomer


Closed-End Bond Funds – What Are The Risks?

Posted: 31 Mar 2011 06:15 AM PDT

Post image for Closed-End Bond Funds – What Are The Risks?

A closed-end bond fund is a popular type of investment as it is a convenient and affordable way to increase income. Closed-end funds are build like a mutual fund but trade like a stock. Investors should take a careful look at the closed-end bond fund option when looking to diversify their portfolio. It can offer many benefits, from low share costs to high yields, with the end goal being to provide investors a return on their income.

How it Works

Close-end bond funds are purchased in a portfolio of bonds based that have been grouped based on particular criteria. It may be that they are all from a similar type of company or have a similar yield. There is typically an objective in mind when the the portfolio is created. Closed-end bonds, unlike other types of bonds or stocks, have just a fixed number of shares available. The shares are purchased and trade like stocks. Close-end bond funds can not be managed by individuals, you must use a broker.

Traditionally there is an initial public offering, the shares are snapped up, and then traded on an exchange. Investors make money by the payments on the underlying bond or when shares rise in value.

What is the Benefit

Because closed-end bond funds can be traded all day long, versus an open ended bond that only gets traded at the close of day, the flexibility in buying and selling at the best price is a huge benefit. Another benefit is that the bonds in a closed-end bond fun are packaged, almost like whole selling, the price is typically lower and you can find some good deals. Often one dollar worth of assets can be purchased for seventy or eighty cents. Also, unlike open end bonds that typically pay yearly, closed-end bonds are often paid monthly or quarterly.

What are the Risks of Closed End Bond Funds

Once a fund is launched there rarely ever will be new shares added and the portfolio is closed to new funds. This can be a drawback if the funds in the portfolio start doing poorly. Also, the leverage for closed-end bond funds is borrowed money, so the risk is increased. Finally, because the bond is based on current market value, when things go bad in the stock market, the value of the portfolio can decline rapidly.

Other things to Consider

When choosing a closed-end bond, as mentioned, you must use a broker. This means you will be paying a fee or commission to someone else. The price of closed-end bond funds are based on the Net Asset Value (NAV) which change with daily market conditions. The price can fluctuate greatly based on supply and demand. A broker will be able to best survey market conditions and make the best decisions for the portfolio. The benefit is that rather then waiting on the NAV at close of trading, like in open end funds, the value can fluctuate all day long and can be paid above the NAV.

Creative Commons License photo credit: Dread Pirate Jeff

Baby Boomers U. S. (The Blog)

Baby Boomers U. S. (The Blog)


Baby Boomers Blog Carnival Eighty-fifth Edition

Posted: 30 Mar 2011 04:16 AM PDT

Welcome to the March 30, 2011 editionBaby Boomers U.S. Blog Carnival of the Baby Boomers Blog Carnival. There are some really well thought out and insightful Boomer articles for you to peruse this week.

So, grab a cup of coffee (or tea),  sit back in your most comfortable chair, put up your feet and Enjoy.

This one’s for you!

Family

Rona Burstein presents 20 Simple Ways Anyone Can Help the Environment posted at Masters in Environmental Health, saying, “Saving the planet is a hot topic. But many of us think that the things that need to be done are either out of our control or far too expensive for our budgets. But, just because you can't afford to put solar panels on your house doesn't mean you can't make an impact.”

General

Denice Davis presents Will you help me? posted at Positive Perspectives.

Joe Plemon presents Selling Your House to Pay Off Debt: Good Idea or Bad? posted at Personal Finance By The Book, saying, “Should you sell your house to pay off your debt? The answer is “it depends”. Read on for rationale.”

Health

Kris presents Is saturated fat bad for you? posted at Kris Health Blog, saying, “An article answering the question is saturated fat bad for you, supported by evolutionary logic and peer-reviewed research studies.”

Christien presents How Much Does a Tummy Tuck Cost? posted at How Much Does Everything Cost?, saying, “People will do pretty much anything and everything to look good and feel better. They can face all the risks of taking medication and undergoing surgery just to have that well toned body. Because of this, cosmetic surgeons have jumped on this opportunity and have provided people with certain procedures targeted on certain parts of a patient's body.”

Edna Goldberg presents 16 Quick and Easy Exercises to Stay in Shape posted at Nurse Practitioner Education, saying, “Staying active is one of the essential ways to make sure you are staying healthy. This is a list of 16 quick and easy exercises that can help you stay in shape.”

Carmen Engel presents What the light breathing exercise can do for you? posted at Meditation for the Soul Blog, saying, “Make your day better “Breathe the light in and relax”"

David Leonhardt presents Your Mind Is What You Eat posted at Self-Help Happiness Blog, saying, “The World Health Organization has identified 2020 as the year when depression is likely to become the second biggest cause of disability – after cardio-vascular disease. In addition to all the other benefits of good nutrition, preventing an increase in depression has just been added to the list.”

Peter Stockwell presents Do You Need Natural Vitamin Supplements? posted at The Senior Walking Fitness Blog, saying, “Natural vitamin supplements can help us keep fit. But do you know which ones yo buy?”

Denise Harris presents Bioidentical Hormones And Aging posted at Aging and Disability, saying, “A second look at hormones replacement therapy shows that bioidentical hormones have the ability to reverse the aging process.”

Humor

Patti Lecron presents SIP ‘N SLIP by P.B. Lecron posted at A French Education, saying, “A French slip of the tongue.”

Retirement

Consumer Boomer presents Roth IRA Qualifications posted at Consumer Boomer, saying, “Here's what you need to know about the Roth IRA qualifications.”

Work

Charles Chua C K presents Effective Ways to Build a Successful Career posted at All About Living with Life.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of baby boomers blog carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

BCSubmitter.comRemember, when you submit an article, please fill in the Category and Remark Fields to add your own description of your post. Please Submit only ONE Article per Carnival, multiple articles Will Not Be Accepted.

Since this is a community endeavour, please feel free to advise me through comments or my contact form if there is something you think I can do to improve the Carnival.

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The Boomer Chronicles

The Boomer Chronicles


Four Random Thoughts for a Wednesday

Posted: 30 Mar 2011 11:06 AM PDT

  • I hope I never need a face transplant.
  • Why are abortion foes always directing their anger at women? Why not educate men to use condoms?
  • The worst problem in the world should be something like getting people to floss.
  • If you don’t know who Rebecca Black is, here’s how to catch up

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

WineontheKeyboard

WineontheKeyboard


Going Home-Quincy IL Style

Posted: 30 Mar 2011 04:01 AM PDT

SuperGuy was feeling a bit nostalgic…or had cabin fever…and suggested a road trip to Quincy IL.

Quincy Il sign

He mispent spent his high school days growing up in Quincy and hadn’t been back in years. Like 20+ years. I admit I wasn’t totally enthusiastic about the road trip, since I’d just gotten home from Houston…but I agreed after a bit of bribery. because I’m such a good wife. (the not to be mentioned bribery, might have involved antiquing, I’m just sayin’)

childhood home in Quincy ILHere is his home. Was his home? I mean, is it not to-die-for cool?

side yard of house

Look at the cool side view. The balconies. The round bay column thingie.
corner of maine and 18th st. quincy il

Wouldn’t you love to have the big old front porch? Hang out with your high school friends? Really, this house looks amazing. Isn’t that brick sidewalk cool? (how many times have I used cool in the post???)

It was a bed and breakfast for a bit long after SuperGuy and his family left. We went to a nice antique store and the owner of the store knew all about who had bought the house over the last 20 years. Very entertaining.

quincy bridge

We drove around town for a bit. By the Quincy bridge, out by the river.

river bluff quincy il

We drove along the series of parks on the river bluffs over looking the river, while SuperGuy regaled me with tales of his childhood antics.

quincy paper company

I took photos upon photos of old buildings and sights around town. I had a really good time (but don’t tell SuperGuy, ’cause I want him to think he owes me. :mrgreen: )

I managed to come home with a new darling piece of milk glass and a red & cream colored plate that matches nothing I own, but I fell in love with it.

So there you have it, going home, Quincy, IL style.

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