A $100 Dollar Bill

I came accross this the oher day and thought I should share it

A $100 Dollar Bill  by Author Unknown

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $100 bill. In the  room of 200, he asked. "Who would like this $100 bill?"

Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $100 to one of you -  but first, let me do this."

He proceeded to crumple the 100 dollar note up. He then asked. "Who still  wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" He dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.

He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson.

No matter what I  did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It  was still worth $100.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt  by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.

We feel as  though we are worthless; but no matter what happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to God and to those who love you.

The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do, what we have or who we know, but by...WHO WE ARE.

You are so special in all the world there is only one you -- don't ever forget it.

Remember, you may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.

Please share this very important message with your friends, family and associates. Especially our youth. Thank you!

Inheritance to supplement your pension?

A sad comment on the state of pension planning.


One in six adults relies on inheritance to fund old age By James Hall, Consumer Affairs Editor, The Telegraph, posted 7:00AM GMT 17 Mar 2012


More and more people seem to be banking on the death of a loved one to help get them through their old age. That’s risky, because the high costs of elderly care can erode someone’s savings in their final few years, and an inheritance might shrink as a result,” said Joanne Segars, the NAPF’s (National Association of Pension Funds) chief executive.


The NAPF survey, which was carried out by Populus and based on a group of 2,000 adults, found that people aged between 45 and 54 are the most reliant on inheritance.


A fifth of this age group said that they are banking on a windfall from their parents.


Ms Segars said: “Those a decade or so away from retirement seem to be putting greater store in what might get left to them in a family will, perhaps because their own savings are inadequate. Sadly less than half the workforce is putting anything into a pension, so most people are in for a deep shock and a fall in living standards come retirement.”


She said that regular payments into a workplace pension can make a big difference to retirement pots, “especially with the help of employer contributions and tax breaks”. However she added that a “simpler, more generous state pension should be top of the Government’s to-do list”.


The survey also found that 8 per cent of people are relying winning the lottery to fund their retirement.


Meanwhile, almost one in seven people who is already a member of a workplace scheme said that they are not confident that they will have enough money to live off in retirement.


When there are very little options people rely on chasing the rainbow. If governments wanted to help they would make access to Old Age Pension and Canada Pension easier, not harder. Steven Harper vision of Canada is not one that most Canadians agree with, but that fact only makes his determination stronger.


He,  I think, believes that Canadians are not smart enough to know what is in their best interest so it is his job to provide for us. Religious Zealots are dangerous. Most Canadians do not trust his government.


A poll taken before the budget found that 49 per cent of Canadians are preparing for a "bad news" budget from federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and that 57 per cent do not "trust" Harper and the Conservatives to make the "right choices" to ensure the budget is "fair and reasonable."


As well, more than two-thirds of Canadians oppose the view that the country needs to "sacrifice" pensions to keep taxes down or increase the retirement age to control rising pension system costs.


"If he moves on pensions, it's going to get nasty," Ipsos Reid president Darrell Bricker said in an interview Friday.


Bricker said it's clear the government has "conditioned" the public for a tough budget and that Canadians won't be expecting tax cuts or a message of "sunshine and celebration" from Flaherty.


But it has failed to prepare the public for the political time bomb - on pension cuts - that seems ready to explode.


The issue was unexpectedly catapulted to the top of the country's political agenda in January when Harper announced in a speech in Davos, Switzerland, that the future costs of the pension system would be scaled back to keep it affordable.


Since then, the government has increased the eligibility age for Old Age Security (OAS), which provides benefits for people once they turn 65. and the OAS eligibility will be increased gradually to 67.



Still, the poll shows Canadians have not been persuaded by Harper. Among the highlights:

• 70 per cent of Canadians disagree with the statement that "social programs, seniors' pensions, and other benefits in Canada are more generous than we can afford to pay for."
• 70 per cent also disagree with the statement that "we need to keep taxes down, even if it means we have to sacrifice in terms of seniors' pensions and other social benefits."
• 68 per cent disagree with the statement that "given the financial pressures on Canada's public pension system, it is necessary to increase the retirement age from 65 to 67."

The telephone poll of 1,012 adults occurred Feb. 13-20. It has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.




Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Canadians+want+pension+changes+poll/6318290/story.html#ixzz1pQuZltSp

More kindness acts

When you make someone’s day, it bounces back on you. It's a great feeling to witness the joy and surprise on peoples faces when you do something like:
 • Smiling at them

• Saying “Good morning” with meaning and joy in your voice

• Offering your place in line to a harried fellow shopper

• Bringing a cup of coffee to your office mate without asking

 • Doing a task for a co-worker

• Over-tipping at your favorite restaurant

• Taking time with someone who needs it

• Being a fully present listener

It doesn't take much to create a joyful moment. Look around, and you'll find there are more openings than you think. They're everywhere!

Kindness

The following is part of an email I received from Ely Shemer, which I thought I would share

Random Acts of Kindness - Get Supercharged with Kindness Motivation Tips

Are you looking for ideas or motivation tips to make a difference in your life or for someone else's life? Are you like most everyone and just don't have much time? Can you perform random acts of kindness every day?

Honestly, it doesn't take much time to brighten someone's life. A few minutes a day can make a difference to a person or a family. Just some kindness and the evidence that someone cares about them can turn their world around.

These motivation tips don't take much time, so begin to make a difference today! You'll feel better -- and so will the recipient of your kindness.

1. Send at least one e-mail (email is old technology, and used by us boomers for you younger folks, facebook or twitter once) a day telling someone:   how much they are appreciated thanking them for something they did for you telling them something you like about them You can also send beautiful, encouraging e-cards, by visiting http://www.togetherwecanchangetheworld.com  You'll find the right e-card for every occasion - these are not your usual, everyday e-cards!

2. Send a note of appreciation to your local Fire Station to encourage the people who make a difference in everyone's lives. This doesn't happen nearly enough for these people who put their lives on the line for all of us every day.

3. Have everyone in your family (even if it's just you) drop all their loose change in a large glass jar you keep on the counter. Every six months decide where to send it Make a family ritual out of the event and make a difference in someone's life almost effortlessly. (I suggest you donate the funds to the local food bank)

4. Buy a few extra items at your grocery store and drop them by your local homeless shelter or food bank. You'll make huge a difference, simply by adding a handful of extra items and a few minutes to your shopping.

I hope these kindness motivation tips help you realize together we CAN change the world - one kindness at a time!