Best ciities to live in the world

 The EIU (The Economist Intelligence Unit is the research and analysis division of the Economist Group, providing forecasting and advisory services through research and analysis, such as monthly country reports, five-year country economic forecasts, country risk service reports, and industry reports.) said cities were ranked on more than 30 qualitative and quantitative factors across five broad categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. These are the top 10 most liveable cities according to the EIU:

1)  Vienna, Austria

2)  Copenhagen, Denmark

3)  Zurich, Switzerland

3)  Calgary, Canada

5)  Vancouver, Canada

6)  Geneva, Switzerland

7)  Frankfurt, Germany

8)  Toronto, Canada

9)  Amsterdam, Netherlands

10)  Osaka, Japan

10)  Melbourne, Australia

Born again

Thanks to Richard for this

 Far away in the tropical waters of the Caribbean, two prawns were swimming around in the sea – one called Justin and the other called Christian.

The prawns were constantly being harassed and threatened by sharks that inhabited the area. Finally one day Justin said to Christian,

“I’m fed up with being a prawn, I wish I was a shark, then I wouldn’t have any worries about being eaten.”

A large mysterious cod appeared and said, “Your wish is granted” and lo and behold, Justin turned into a shark.

Horrified, Christian immediately swam away, afraid of being eaten by his old mate.

Time passed (as it invariably does) and Justin found life as a shark boring and lonely. All his old mates simply swam away whenever he came close to them.

Justin didn’t realize that his new menacing appearance was the cause of his sad plight.

While swimming alone one day he saw the mysterious cod again and he thought perhaps the mysterious fish could change him back into a prawn.

He approached the cod and begged to be changed back, and, lo and behold, he found himself turned back into a prawn.

With tears of joy in his tiny little eyes, Justin swam back to his friends and bought them all a cocktail.

Looking around the gathering at the reef he realized he couldn’t see his old pal.

“Where’s Christian?” he asked. “He’s at home, still distraught that his best friend changed sides to the enemy & became a shark”, came the reply.

Eager to put things right again and end the mutual pain and torture, he set off to Christian’s abode. As he opened the coral gate memories came flooding back. He banged on the door and shouted, “It’s me, Justin, your old friend, come out and see me again.”

Christian replied, “No way man, you’ll eat me. You’re now a shark, the enemy, and I’ll not be tricked into being your dinner.”

Justin cried back “No, I’m not. That was the old me. I’ve changed…………….

“I’ve found Cod. I’m a prawn again Christian”

Frauds and Scams 2

Seniors lose more than $3 billion to fraud each year. One of our most popular workshops is about scams and frauds. Yesterday I talked about the first five scams, today here is more detail about the second five. If you haven’t yet been approached by a scammer, you could face a scheme in the coming years. Sometimes family members, especially relatives caring for the elderly, are even the ones behind the attack. Some of the most common senior scams include:

1.     Charity scams.

2.     Funeral scams.

3.     Government imposter scams.

4.     Grandparent scams.

5.     Internet scams.

6.     Investment scams.

7.     Medicare scams.

8.     Reverse mortgage scams.

9.     Romance scams.

10.   Sweepstakes scams.

Investment Scams

You might get contacted by a person claiming to be a financial advisor, real estate investor or wealth manager who promises an exciting investment opportunity or big returns if you send them funds. These scams will take your money and not return anything to you.

Protect Yourself: Before sending any contributions to new investment, consult a trusted advisor with appropriate credentials and avoid fast decisions.

Medicare Scams

Someone may contact you claiming to be a Medicare representative who can help you save money by getting some form of additional coverage. The caller might ask for personal information or checking account numbers, and even have some information about you.

Protect Yourself: If you get a Medicare-related call, email or text, ignore it. If you have questions about your health coverage, contact Medicare directly.

Reverse Mortgage Scams

If you own your own home, you could be contacted by an individual claiming that you could access some of the equity in your residence with a reverse mortgage. They may offer to appraise your home for a fee, give you an invalid home value and ask you to sign up with inaccurate loan documents.

Protect Yourself: Don’t respond to any requests that ask you to share details about your home or make a payment for a reverse home mortgage. If you’re interested in getting a reverse mortgage, reach out to a reputable lender or advisor in your area and talk about your options.

Romance Scams

If you sign up for an online dating site, you could be approached by imposters who express interest in starting a relationship. After you talk on the phone or start dating, the scammer will ask for money to help pay for their utility bill, a parking ticket, home repair or something else. The scheme could go on long-term, especially if you date for a year or more.

Protect Yourself: To avoid falling victim, research the people who contact you via an online dating site. If you aren't sure, ask someone you trust to evaluate the situation and steer clear of money requests.

Sweepstakes Scams

A fraudster could contact you to congratulate you for winning a lottery. They might send you a fake check, which may initially look real until it is rejected by the bank, and you might be asked to pay for fees or cover taxes.

Protect Yourself: If you are asked do not pay any fees or cover taxes. If you are told that someone who is incompetent has either won a prize or incurred an obligation, look into it carefully. Do not allow anyone to forward you money of any kind in any way that you must pass on to anyone else.

Frauds and Scams 1

 Summertime and the living is easy and the scammers are out to get you.  Seniors lose more than $3 billion to fraud each year. One of our most popular workshops is about scams and frauds. If you haven’t yet been approached by a scammer, you could face a scheme in the coming years. Sometimes family members, especially relatives caring for the elderly, are even the ones behind the attack. Some of the most common senior scams include:

1.     Charity scams.

2.     Funeral scams.

3.     Government imposter scams.

4.     Grandparent scams.

5.     Internet scams.

6.     Investment scams.

7.     Medicare scams.

8.     Reverse mortgage scams.

9.     Romance scams.

10. Sweepstakes scams.

Here’s a breakdown of how these elderly scams work, along with what to do to avoid falling prey to an attack.

Charity Scams

If there’s a hurricane or other natural disaster in your area, a criminal might call you and ask for donations to a non-profit that is working to rebuild the region or help needy families.

Protect Yourself: Don’t agree to give to charities over the phone or when first approached. Instead, investigate the organization and find a number to call if you are interested in giving a donation.

Funeral Scams

If you place an obituary in a local publication after a loved one dies, a thief might contact you and insist that your deceased relative left behind a debt that needs to be paid. In another variation of this scam, the criminal might attend the funeral service to gather information about you before asking for money to cover an unpaid debt. Someone pretending to be from the funeral home could call you and insist that there are extra charges that didn’t get paid yet.

Protect Yourself: For all these attempts, refuse to send money immediately and ask for written documentation of the expense.

Government Imposter Scams

You might receive phone calls from people pretending to be from the IRS or Social Security Administration that demand immediate payment of unpaid taxes or ask for personal information in order to continue your Social Security or Medicare benefits. The scammer could be using a technique called spoofing which makes it appear as if the incoming phone number is legitimate. The caller is likely to ask you for information or demand you make a payment, which might need to be in the form of a gift card.

Protect Yourself: “These government agencies will never initiate contact with people through a phone call, so you can be sure that the person calling you is a scammer.

Grandparent Scams

In this scenario, a person will pretend to be the grandchild of the person who answers the phone and ask for money. The caller might claim they are having an emergency, such as a car accident or problem with the law, and don’t want anyone to find out. They might ask you to send them money or gift cards.

Protect Yourself: Setting up a code word for your grandchildren to use in a real emergency is a good thing to do.

Internet Scams

If you share information about yourself through social media, you could be targeted by scammers online. Internet scammers can find out personal information about you that is available online and use that to craft a scenario that might motivate you to provide funds or share more information.

Protect Yourself: If you receive a message that asks you to click on a link or share details about your identity or make a payment, press “delete.”