ICYMI

Wait Till 70 for Social Security? Nope

/ SupremeCmdr / 6 Comments

Schroders surveyed pre- and post-retirees 45 and older and found that only 10% planned to wait until 70 to claim benefits.

Wait Till 70 for Social Security? No Way, Say Most Americans: Survey — https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2021/06/24/wait-till-70-for-social-security-no-way-say-most-americans-survey/

It is painfully obvious to me that the majority of Americans are claiming benefits at both early and full retirement ages because they need the money and can’t afford to wait until age 70. Only healthy elders on financially sound footings will be deferring social security payments until their later years.

Yikes!

More Retirement Income Ahead!

/ SupremeCmdr / 7 Comments

Total individual life insurance policy sales increased 11% in the first quarter, compared with first quarter 2020. This is the highest growth in the number of policies sold in a quarter since 1983. New annualized premium also experienced significant growth, up 15% from prior year, according to LIMRA’s First Quarter U.S. Individual Life Insurance Sales Survey.

LIMRA: First Quarter U.S. Life Insurance Policy Sales Highest Since 1983 — https://www.limra.com/en/newsroom/news-releases/2021/limra-first-quarter-u.s.-life-insurance-policy-sales-highest-since-1983/

I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you.

Bryan Mills, played by Liam Neeson in the film Taken

I had my annual wellness visit earlier this week.

5.10 168 130/84 BMI 24.14 O2 sat 98%

CHOLESTEROL 175 mg/dL
TRIGLYCERIDE 69 mg/dL
HDL 65 mg/dL
LDL CALCULATED 96 mg/dL
NON-HDL CHOLESTEROL 110 mg/dL

All of my other labs were normal too.

I have multiple relatives who have lived well into their 90’s. My maternal grandmother lived to 100. I’m going to need another source of retirement income. And for all of my friends and colleagues who never thought I would make it this far…

AST 23 U/L

ALT 7 U/L

GGT 36 U/L (12/2015)

PSA 0.7 (9/2020)

New Source For Jet Fuel

/ SupremeCmdr / 1 Comment

Researchers have developed an innovative way to convert plastics to ingredients for jet fuel and other valuable products, making it easier and more cost effective to reuse plastics. The researchers in their reaction were able to convert 90% of plastic to jet fuel and other valuable hydrocarbon products within an hour at moderate temperatures and to easily fine-tune the process to create the products that they want.

Washington State University. “New technology converts waste plastics to jet fuel in an hour.” ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210517124937.htm (accessed May 18, 2021).

Yeah I know this has absolutely nothing to do with mortality risk but it was SO COOL I had to post it.

Diet Matters – You Studied What?

/ SupremeCmdr / 1 Comment

When the researchers looked at the functions of the genes in the three sample types, they found that the ancient and non-industrial groups contained a diverse array of genes linked with the breakdown of starches. This indicates that the diets of the ancient and non-industrialised populations were high in complex carbohydrates, like vegetables and grains.

What 2,000-year-old poo says about our gut bugs – https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2021-05-13/what-two-thousand-year-old-poo-says-about-our-gut-bugs/100131336

I’m not quite sure what this research tells us other than eat more complex carbohydrates, the Paleo Diet and low-carb people are wrong, and the vegans of the world just might be onto something.

AND I think I missed my calling in life. Studying and researching ancient shit sounds like cool work.

HT – https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2021/05/links-5-13-2021.html

Update:

Here’s the mortality aspect from a different research study.

Salosensaari, A., Laitinen, V., Havulinna, A.S. et al. Taxonomic signatures of cause-specific mortality risk in human gut microbiome. Nat Commun 12, 2671 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22962-y

Alcohol (just a wee bit) Lowers CVD Mortality Risk

/ SupremeCmdr / 3 Comments

Moderate alcohol intake – defined as no more than one alcoholic drink for women and two for men per day – may be associated with a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease when compared with individuals who abstain from drinking or partake in excessive drinking, according to a new study. Of the 53,064 participants, 7,905 (15%) experienced a major adverse cardiovascular event: 17% in the low alcohol intake group and 13% in the moderate alcohol intake group. People who reported moderate alcohol intake were found to have a 20% lower chance of having a major event compared to low alcohol intake (in adjusted analysis), and also had lower stress-related brain activity. Kenechukwu Mezue, MD, the study’s lead author, cautions that these findings should not encourage alcohol use, but that they could open doors to new therapeutics or prescribing stress-relieving activities like exercise or yoga to help minimize stress signals in the brain.

SOURCE: American College of Cardiology, news release, May 6, 2021 accessed 05.08.21 — https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2021/05/05/14/48/new-acc-21-research-explores-flu-vaccines-sleep-htn-secondhand-smoke-alcohol-and-stress-acc-2021

My liver understands but does not necessarily agree with the findings of this study.

My Only Other Comment on Covid-19 Vaccine Blood Clot Risk

/ SupremeCmdr / 3 Comments

My only comment on the J&J vaccine blood clot risk was a technically correct statement. This is my only other comment on Covid-19 Vaccine induced blood clot risk. Get vaccinated. We now know how to fix it.

“Our experience shows us that these clot reactions are very rare, but they can be treated,” lead co-author Dr. R. Todd Clark, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, said in a statement. “Americans can feel comfortable getting vaccinated and should discuss any vaccination concerns with their doctor.”

Doctors successfully treat rare J&J blood clot, case report shows — https://www.livescience.com/johnson-and-johnson-vaccine-blood-clot-treatment-case-report.html

“COVID-19 infection is a significant risk factor for CVST. A preliminary analysis of U.S. data during the COVID-19 pandemic, available online, preprint on April 15, 2021, found that the risk of CVST due to infection with COVID-19 is 8-10 times higher than the risk of CVST after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. The public can be reassured by the CDC’s and FDA’s investigation and these statistics – the likelihood of developing CVST after a COVID-19 vaccine is extremely low. We urge all adults to receive any of the approved COVID-19 vaccines.”

Karen L. Furie, M.D., M.P.H., lead author of the special report, chair of the department of neurology at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and chief of neurology at Rhode Island Hospital, The Miriam Hospital and Bradley Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island

Guidance on diagnosis and management of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis after a COVID-19 vaccine — https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210429/Guidance-on-diagnosis-and-management-of-cerebral-venous-sinus-thrombosis-after-a-COVID-19-vaccine.aspx

Like I said earlier, I have a lot of respect for Brownies.

My Only Comment on the J&J Covid Vaccine Blood Clot Risk

/ SupremeCmdr / 1 Comment

Dr. Karb was in the same residency class at Brown as Dr. Lee.

I have much respect for Brownies.

That’s it. My only comment on the J&J vaccine blood clot risk.