21 Oct 2013

5 Steps for Reconnecting in a World of Increasing Isolation

By Ginny Grimsley

Expert Shares Time-Tested Keys to Happiness

Emotional isolation is a growing problem, with more than one out of three adults aged 45 and older describing themselves as chronically lonely, up from one out of five a decade earlier.

The contributing factors are easy to identify: high unemployment; marriage rate at a historic low; increased reliance on technology over face-to-face communication.

"The main problem of tomorrow is that people are becoming inwardly focused and cut off from  their neighbors," says Christian E. Me?grelis, www.christian-megrelis.com, vice chair of the International Union of Economists, biblical scholar, and author of "Glossary of Hope," a contemporary distillation of New Testament teachings and their applications today.

"The global crisis is not only economical but individual. Especially in the industrialized nations, we are pulling farther away from our human connections to our own detriment."

Emotional isolation, which is on the rise according to a 2010 AARP study, has been found to cause or exacerbate a number of diseases, from Alzheimer's to cancer, and is as high a risk factor for mortality as smoking.

"There's quality of life to consider as well," Me?grelis says. "Lonely people are not happy people, hence the increased stress that causes physical illness. But we can change, individually and collectively, if we heed the wisdom that has endured for 2,000 years."

He offers five time-tested steps anyone can take to reconnect and restore happiness:

  • Work on loving everyone - from the stranger on the bus to your worst enemy. "This is difficult, I admit, but you don't need to do it perfectly to see the benefits," Me?grelis says. How does one take this from intellectual concept to practice? With humanitarian acts, Me?grelis says. Stop and help the person who has fallen down. Smile and say something kind to the harried store clerk. And give - not just what's easy to give, like the old clothes you no longer wear. Share your money, your time, your resources.
  • Don't judge! Another that's deceptively simple but gets easier with practice, Me?grelis says. "Passing judgment on others is actually a very selfish act; we do it in order to feel better about ourselves, but it really isn't effective in that regard," he says. When you catch yourself commenting negatively about someone else, whether loud or in your mind, stop yourself and consider your own flaws. Honesty demands you focus on and correct those before your neighbor's.
  • Forgive. Holding a grudge or seeking revenge for perceived wrongs is a primitive impulse response. Forgiveness is a cerebral sentiment that comes from the cortex of the brain - the source of reason. Reason is what allows us to resist dangerous primitive impulses in able to achieve more far-sighted objectives, such as social life, which is impossible without forgiveness.
  • Do good that makes a difference. Feeling we have no purpose in life or being unsure what our purpose is can lead to despair or indifference often resulting in sterile ambition, delusion or conceit, all of which serve to isolate us from others. We all have a purpose, whether or not it's easily discernible. "Whatever place is yours in society, bring your brick every day to the never-ending construction of a happier world and you will quickly recognize your purpose," Me?grelis says.
  • Have faith. You don't have to subscribe to a particular religion or follow dogmatic rules to have faith. "It's actually harder than that!" says Me?grelis. Faith is the belief that there is something greater than us, the creator of the world in which we live, guiding all with an order and a purpose. Faith may be - and often is - marked by periods of doubt, but it should be the compass to which you return. Faith brings with it a connection to all other living things.

Achieve, or at least work toward, these five steps and the result will be hope, Me?grelis says.

"Hope is happiness - a state of mind that transcends ordinary happiness," he says.

 

About Christian E. Megrelis

Christian E. Megrelis holds master's degrees in engineering, business and political studies. He is the founder of Exa International, a multinational engineering company, and vice chairman of the International Union of Economists. He is also the former vice chair of the United Bible Societies, a major world publisher of the Bible. He is the first publisher of the Bible in the French-speaking world.
15 Oct 2013

More People Face Challenge of Balancing Ethnic Identities

By Ginny Grimsley
NYC-raised, Iranian-schooled Woman Says We Should All
Embrace & Preserve Cultural Traditions

What does it mean to be an American? The answer to that question is changing.

It's exemplified in stories like that of Shaghayegh "Sharon" Farsijani, raised in New York City until she was a teenager and then transplanted to Iran for her high school years. Her experience trying to balance two vastly different cultures while recognizing the beauty in both was difficult but ultimately liberating, she says.

"I was a Brooklyn girl and my parents were quite 'American' although they were Iranian natives. My father wanted me to live in Tehran for a few years so I could experience his culture," says Farsijani, whose new book, "Lacking Lips of Time," (http://lackinglipsoftime.info), puts to words her feelings from that time.

"I witnessed much beauty living in and attending school in what used to be ancient Persia, and I embraced it, but I had to do that while adapting to a much more restrictive, religiously observant, culture. It's a fine balancing act between conforming and staying true to who you are."

Farsijani says poetry helped her synthesize her feelings and appreciate the beauty - the people, culture and land - around her. She later went on to earn her MBA, became a noteworthy journalist in Iran and traveled extensively, eventually forging a new career in the United States.

While preserving and embracing ethnic and cultural heritage is easier in some ways in America today, she says, it's also more complicated. Farsijani shares three "snapshots" of our contemporary American "melting pot":

• Hispanics, our largest minority, represent a multitude of cultures. Fifty-one percent of Hispanic adults in the United States say they identify not with a generalized "Latino" heritage but with their family's country of origin. And 69 percent say Latinos have many different cultures. That poses challenges for families who want to preserve cultural traditions in a nation that tends to paint diverse groups of people with a broad, homogenous brush.

"One of the beautiful things about our cultural diversity is that it enriches all of us, whether or not we share that ethnicity," says Farsijani. "Something as basic as a dish of chicken and yellow rice can be prepared one way in Colombia and another in Costa Rica."

By exploring and appreciating what different cultures make available to us as Americans, she says, we can help ensure traditions remain authentic and available.

• Many more people identify themselves as multi-racial. With racial differences often come cultural differences. In 2000, for the first time, the U.S. government officially recognized that some Americans identify with more than one race. That year, the Census offered us the option to check multiple races to answer the question, "What is this person's race?"

"It's surprising that it took 210 years to make this change, but it's a huge step forward in helping individuals balance their multiple racial and ethnic identities," Farsijani says. "When the government basically tells you, 'You can only be one race,' it's sending a message that your other identities have no value."

• With more diversity of immigrants comes greater religious influence. The U.S. government grants full residency status to about a million new immigrants each year. For centuries, we received wave after wave of Christian European immigrants, and those from other Western-hemisphere nations. But our melting pot has been expanding with a spike in immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Middle East-North Africa region.

"There is no way to quantify the numbers because our government does not ask an immigrant's religion," Farsijani says. "But we can assume more pronounced diversity of religious and cultural colors on America's family quilt, including Islamic and Hindu faiths."

Acceptance of these different faith perspectives helps make the U.S. a stronger union, Farsijani says.

"America is beginning to look more like New York City in terms of diversity," Farsijani says. "My hope is that we are able to appreciate our common humanity."

About Shaghayegh "Sharon" Farsijani

Shaghayegh "Sharon" Farsijani has a cultural background that is as diverse as her poetry is sensual. Born in New York City, she moved to Tehran with her parents, a native Iranian who wanted her to experience the culture of her ancestors. She eventually made her way to California, then to Paris and finally New York City again. After working as a reporter, graduating with her MBA and traveling extensively, she embarked on a journey to write with a deeper focus, culminating in her first book of poetry.

15 Oct 2013

Why Business Leaders With a Higher Purpose Have More Engaged Employees

By Ginny Grimsley
H.R. Strategist Shares 3 Tips for Firing Up Your Workplace

How many employees roll their eyes during meetings to discuss new initiatives?

How often do they scramble to complete a task not because they love it, but because they're afraid of the consequences if they don't?

How many mutter "not in my job description" when asked to assume a new responsibility?

"These are examples of people whose work is providing them with nothing more than a paycheck," says Trevor Wilson, human resources strategist, CEO of TWI Inc., and author of "The Human Equity Advantage," (www.twiinc.com).

"And even though that's ostensibly why we go to work, it's not what gets us excited and enthusiastic about what we do."

The solution, he says starts with business leaders and managers. If their work is not fulfilling any higher purpose for them than making money, they're lacking one of the essential qualities necessary for helping their employees become engaged - and for keeping engaged employees enthusiastic.

"You need to step back and assess your own situation," Wilson says. "Are you driven more by your fears - of not being able to pay your bills, of losing your job, of failing? Or are you driven by the knowledge that you, like every one of us, have the capacity to do amazing things?"

Business leaders who are striving to create something that will leave the world a better place are not only more engaged themselves, they're more likely to do the things that help their employees engage, Wilson says.

"Our search for happiness is our search for our purpose, and we achieve both by bringing all of our skills and talents - our human equity - to the job," he says.

He offers these tips for fostering a culture in which employees are actively engaged:

• Use performance evaluations to learn more about your employees' strengths, interests and goals. Each employee has strengths and talents that often go unrecognized -- and untapped -- in the workplace. Helping them to identify these and use them at work contributes to their feeling that their work has purpose and results in more engaged, productive employees. "People want to bring all their talents to what they're doing - we're happiest when we're doing what we're good at it," Wilson says. "In order to know what those skills, talents, even personality traits are, managers must get to know their individual employees."

• Do not treat all employees equally. All employees are not equal and treating them as if they were leaves engaged, enthusiastic employees feeling shortchanged and disengaged employees feeling entitled, Wilson says. "Acknowledge and reward employees who are going the extra mile and point out the ways they're contributing that may not be quantifiable or part of their 'job description.' The successful salesman who routinely coaches less successful colleagues is displaying a strength that won't show up on his sales sheet but is, nonetheless, a valuable contribution to the company."

• Recognize and reward employees' demonstration of strong values. Values are part of the human equity that all of us bring to work in varying degrees. Honesty, integrity, compassion, work ethic - our best employees usually have these and other strong, positive values.  Business leaders may unconsciously recognize them, for instance, by giving a very honest employee their trust, but they should make a point of acknowledging them publicly as well. "Our values are the foundation of our purpose and an expression of our true selves," Wilson says. "Employees who are both able to demonstrate their values at work, and rewarded for doing so, having a greater sense of purpose."

About Trevor Wilson

Trevor Wilson is the CEO of TWI Inc. and creator of the human equity management model. He is the global diversity, inclusion and human equity strategist who regularly speaks at corporate functions. TWI's clients include some of the most progressive global employers in the world, including Coca-Cola, Ernst & Young, BNP Paribas and Home Depot. TWI's trademarked human equity approach was instrumental in catapulting Coca-Cola's South Africa division to the top performing division worldwide.

14 Oct 2013

Life Insurance Tips

By Ginny Grimsley

Consumer Advocate: Life Insurance is Finally
Changing to Meet Today's Needs
Expert Shares 4 Ways It's Becoming More Relevant

The percentage of Americans who have life insurance has hit a 50-year low, despite the fact that more Americans than ever have grave concerns about their ability to financially weather a crisis or to someday retire, according to recent surveys.

That tells consumer advocate Ted Bernstein that people are unaware of recent changes that make life insurance more affordable, more accessible, and more relevant to today's needs.

"The fact is, more of us need life insurance. Nearly half of all couples are in dual-income households; if something happens to one spouse or partner, the survivor is likely to have trouble paying the bills," says Bernstein, founder of Life Insurance Concepts, Inc., (www.lifeinsuranceconcepts.com), and a leading proponent of innovations that benefit consumers.

"Add to that, 38 percent of Americans believe they won't have enough money to retire," he says, citing a 2012 Pew Research survey. "Life insurance provides that retirement income."

Finally, he notes, large numbers of people who had corporate life insurance lost it when they were laid off during the recession.

"While some of those people are back to work, they're at lower paying jobs with fewer benefits. Now, they believe they can't afford a new policy, or they fear they may be rejected if they try to get an individual policy," Bernstein says. "Most of those people are wrong. In fact, unless a person has serious health issues, buying an individual policy -- not part of an employer program -- will cost less and offer more benefits."

Bernstein details four ways life insurance is becoming more accessible and relevant:

• Don't assume you'll be rejected or pay more because you're overweight, use tobacco or marijuana infrequently, or have been treated for substance abuse. Underwriters are trying to determine whether lifestyle or medical issues affect your mortality today, Bernstein says. So if you're 30 pounds overweight with no related medical issues, you have a good shot at standard coverage. As for tobacco use, a blood test determines the amount of cotinine - a byproduct of nicotine metabolism - in your system. A certain level is acceptable to some carriers. Marijuana use may not automatically trigger rejection if you have no associated issues. For those with a past history of drug addiction and successful treatment, standard coverage is possible. The key is disclosure.

• Getting older does not mean you automatically pay more. The old rule was to buy young and lock in lower premiums, then hang onto your policy for dear life. "That only benefited insurance companies and the agent who sold the policy," Bernstein says. Today, healthy buyers will get more insurance for the same or less premium by refinancing their existing coverage. "It's a refi - use the built-up equity, the cash value of your policy, to neutralize your older age. Thanks to better mortality rates, healthy buyers always get better coverage today than the policy they bought 10, 20 or 30 years ago," Bernstein says.

• You can save on premiums and provide guaranteed income for your beneficiary by choosing the payout in installments. Traditionally, life insurance claims are paid in one lump sum. The new Installment Life Option is an innovation to meet the needs of people without sufficient retirement savings, and for those concerned their loved ones may lose the principal through mismanagement or a stock market correction. "When the policy owner chooses a deferred payout at the time of purchase, the insurance companies can reduce premiums by as much as 50 percent because they will have more time to pay the claim," Bernstein says. "Plus, your beneficiary doesn't have to worry about managing a very large sum of money."

• Purchasing no load insurance = better value across the board. In the past, life insurance buyers had no option but to buy a policy from companies with built-in commissions. These are non-negotiable and not disclosed to the buyer. While Bernstein strongly recommends buying through a knowledgeable agent, he urges buyers to inquire about "no load" policies priced without the built-in commissions. "You pay a fee to the agent that is typically lower than built-in commissions, and it's transparent; making comparison much easier," Bernstein says.

About Ted Bernstein

Ted Bernstein is a third-generation life insurance specialist with decades of speaking out and advocating for changes on behalf of consumers. He was the first to introduce "no-load" life insurance in the mid-1980s and recently developed the Installment Life Option. Bernstein is a nationally recognized expert in alternative distribution strategies and life insurance product development.

10 Oct 2013

How to Be an Above-Average Man

By Ginny Grimsley
Former U.S. Marine Officer Offers Tips for Stepping Up
a Man's Game

What kind of man did you think you would be as a boy? Are you that man, or are you even the guy you'd like to be?

Marshall Chamberlain, a man who has experienced life as a U.S. Marine Corps officer, businessman, husband, father, world traveler, boat dweller, writer and all-around adventurer says it might be time for you to step outside of your comfort zone and become one of the few and proud above-average men.
"It's easy to slip into a lifestyle that you don't want," says Chamberlain, a man who prefers goal-oriented pursuits, such as survival classes and building things, over mundane routine. He's also the author of "The Mountain Place of Knowledge," the first book in the Ancestor Series of adventure-thrillers (www.marshallchamberlain.com).

"Over time, the decisions you make accumulate and lead to a place you may not have expected. In some ways, males in our society have lost the art of being free men, so I want to encourage them to make a conscious decision about who they want to be and rigorously pursue that goal."
Chamberlain outlines the path to being an above-average man.

· Be honest with yourself. There's always room for improvement, whether we're talking about average men or above-average men. It may not be easy, but be honest about your weaknesses - really honest. For example, are you where you want to be in terms of physical fitness? How do you feel when you see yourself in the mirror? Being in shape is its own reward, but it also serves just about every other aspect of an above-average man's life, requiring discipline, determination and good judgment. What's on the outside is a dead giveaway to what's inside. Are you fulfilled in your job? Are your relationships unconditional? Do you really have friends?

· Embrace transformation. The journey to becoming an above-average man will be a rocky road; but it will be well worth it with results you can be proud of. It will require change. We are creatures of habit - but would you rather be like a domesticated house pet with a set feeding schedule or a free man who looks forward to life's challenges and opportunities to grow wise? Challenge yourself and you'll find talents and strength you didn't know you had.

· Measure yourself. You can't know if you're improving unless you establish baselines. Fitness is easily measured; review what you're buying at the grocery store right now, and measure your waistline. How many push-ups or pull-ups can you do now, and how many will you be doing in six months? Measure creative and intellectual pursuits. For example, if you're learning a new language notice the improvement in conversation from week to week. Try reading articles in the new language; if you can't understand them at first, try again a month later. If you want to be a good person, understand and practice the characteristics of impeccability.

· Be hungry for life. It's easy and safe to retreat into things that we already know and do. New ideas and activities challenge your brain and body. Think about the assumptions you have about life, and seek out ideas that contradict them. Deeply consider the merits of both, and think about what makes sense after doing so. Consider getting out of the house for a weekend - that could mean something as extreme as a Stone Age survival course, or something more intermediate, like a camping trip. Maybe it's time to experience a new culture in another country. Life is too fascinating to be lulled into a complacent existence.

About Marshall Chamberlain

Marshall Chamberlain is a man focused on his passions, with no time for pets, lawns, plants, puttering around or companion compromises. He has a Master's Degree in Resource Development from Michigan State University and a graduate degree in International Management from the Thunderbird School near Phoenix, Ariz. He was an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and spent many years in investment banking, venture capital and even a stint as a professional waiter. He is obsessed with preparedness, survival and independence. This combination of traits and an unconditional openness to life lead him to all manner of adventure. Chamberlain's primary worldview is simple but profound?"I'm in awe of the magnificence of this world."

09 Oct 2013

Join the Love Affair with Yarn

By Ginny Grimsley
By: Betty Hectman

A lot of people are going to be celebrating I Love Yarn Day on October 11.  According to the Craft Yarn Council there are over 50 million people of all ages who knit, crochet or otherwise work with yarn.  And it's no wonder.  It's not just the destination of getting a scarf or sweater; the journey is full of benefits.  Knitting and crocheting are great anxiety busters, offer something productive to do while waiting and can be a social outlet when done with a group.  Want to Join in?

Getting Started

It's great if you have a friend or family member to teach you, but if not, there are other options.  Check out your local yarn store.  According to Lisa Garcia of the Close Knit Circle yarn shop in Tarzana California, for a nominal fee they will teach someone to knit or crochet.  In addition with a yarn purchase comes the invitation to hang out at the group table in the store and get help on a project.  Some of the craft stores like Michael's or Jo-Ann's offer group lessons.  Try your local community college.  Pierce College in Woodland Hills, California offers yarn craft classes as part of their extension program.

If you're more of a do it yourselfer, it is possible to learn on your own.  There are numerous  books on the market, but Betty Hechtman, author of two yarn related mysteries series  suggests doing what she did and trying a kids' kit.  "I found that the instructions were broken down into easy to follow steps with lots of illustrations. And if the instructions would work for a ten-year-old, I figured they would work for me.  I learned how to crochet granny squares with a kit meant for kids and it changed my life."

First Projects

Don't defeat yourself by choosing something too complicated for a first project.  Also, it is best to stick with easy to work with yarn like basic worsted weight.  A scarf is a great project to start with using either this free knitting pattern or this free crochet pattern. Both use only the most basic techniques.

The Beauty of Handmade

Every knit or crocheted item has its own story.  The experience of picking the yarn, making the project and what was going on in your life are all woven into the stitches.  Remember that what makes handmade items special is they look like real hands made them.  That means there might be a wiggly stitch here and there, but just look at it as part of the tale.

About Betty Hechtman

Betty Hechtman is the author of "Yarn to Go," the first book in the Berkley Prime Crime Yarn Retreat mystery series, as well as the author of the best-selling Berkley Prime Crime Crochet mystery series. The eighth book, "For Better or Worsted," comes out in November.  She has also written newspaper and magazine pieces, short stories and screenplays as well as a children's culinary mystery. She has a bachelor of fine arts degree and has been active in handicrafts since she was a small child. Hechtman divides her time between Los Angeles and Chicago.

01 Oct 2013

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Beyond the Controversy of Screening

By Ginny Grimsley
Pioneering Psychotherapist Shares 3 Exercises for
Maintaining Emotionally While Coping with a Diagnosis

Breast Cancer Awareness Month has been one of the most successful campaigns to raise public awareness in recent history. Unfortunately, in terms of successfully reducing breast-cancer mortality, the results have been mixed, which has caused fierce debate among doctors, researchers, non-profit groups and patients.

"Embedded in the message driving the campaign every October includes instruction to women to strongly consider getting screened for breast cancer, which is often asymptomatic during the early stages, in the hopes of finding cancer before it metastasizes," says cancer psychotherapist Dr. Niki Barr, author of "Emotional Wellness, The Other Half of Treating Cancer," (canceremotionalwellbeing.com).

Debate over the efficacy of screenings has arisen as new studies reveal possible shortfalls:  self-examinations haven't been proven effective; younger women experience false positives due to denser breast tissue, as well as missed positives, despite clinical examinations; and recently published studies such as The New England Journal of Medicine's findings on three decades of screening have been mixed, Dr. Barr says.

The latter found that screenings did reduce late-stage cancer rates, to a small extent, but mammograms also drastically increased over-diagnosis and unnecessary treatment,  including surgeries, toxic drugs and an incalculable amount of stress and suffering, she says.

"I think each woman needs to consider screenings on an individual basis. Family history, age and other risk factors should be considered in their decision," Dr. Barr says. "It's equally important to remember that, should you or a loved one be diagnosed with breast cancer, you should care for your emotional well-being as much as you take measures to restore physical well-being."

While doctors, nurses and medical staff tend to your body, you can tend to your mental health with some of these exercises she recommends to her patients:

• "Catch" anxious feelings before they become anxiety. Prevent anxious thoughts from becoming full-blown anxiety by "catching" those feelings before they intensify. If you find anxious thoughts repeating themselves in your mind, take out some index cards and a pen and write them down, one by one, one per card. When you've written them all down, try to identify which one thought started the chain reaction.  Then find the thought that came next. Continue until you have each thought in order. Now, go back to the first thought and write down a new thought that does not make you feel anxious. When the first thought comes to mind, substitute it with the second thought. Continue through the list until you have positive, empowering thoughts for each negative, anxious one.

• Release painful feelings and then let them go: Writing down painful thoughts and feelings through journaling is an excellent way of exorcising them. Some people find rereading what they've written can be helpful, but others hesitate to use this tool for fear someone will find it and read their private thoughts. For those people, Barr suggests an extra measure of release: Shred the pages while focusing on "letting go" of those feelings.

• Give your mind respite by escaping through music and meditation: Music is a tonic for many things: It can help us relax, lift our spirits, provide an escape from anxious thoughts and the here and now. Always have favorite CDs easily accessible so you can escape with music whenever you need to. Meditation CDs are available to help you learn how to meditate and to provide guided imagery for meditation, which is scientifically proven to trigger soothing chemical changes in the brain. Try "Meditation for Beginners" by Jack Kornfield or "Guided Mindfulness Meditation" by Jon Kabat-Zin. Finally, sleep is an absolute must for both physical and emotional health. If you're having trouble sleeping, there are CDs and downloads to help! Try "Sleep Through Insomnia" by KRS Edstrom.

"Having an actual box, with three-dimensional items, gives patients something tangible to use during a confusing time," Dr. Barr says.

About Niki Barr, Ph.D. (@NikiBarrPhD)

Niki Barr, Ph.D. founded a pioneering psychotherapy practice dedicated to working with cancer patients in all stages of the disease, along with their family members, caregivers and friends. In her book, she describes an "emotional wellness toolbox" patients can put together with effective and simple strategies, ready to use at any time, for helping them move forward through cancer. Dr. Barr is a dynamic and popular speaker, sharing her insights with cancer patients and clinicians across the nation.

01 Oct 2013

5 Things Americans Should Know about Guantánamo

By Ginny Grimsley
Former Intelligence Officer Says U.S. Isn't Getting Full Story
Regarding Prison

When was the last time you read, saw or heard much from the media about the Guantánamo Bay prison? Eric Wentz, a 26-year veteran of the U.S. Navy who worked as an interrogator and linguist at the prison, says it's no mistake if you haven't.

"I remember when there were Guantánamo stories on a near-daily basis - that was when President Bush was in office. But there have been comparatively few Gitmo stories during President Obama's tenure," says Wentz, a former intelligence officer and  author of a new Readers Choice Award-winning novel based on his experiences, "Killing Sharks: De Profundis," (www.ericwentz.com).

"The United States is still holding more than 160 prisoners at our prison in Cuba and, while critics here and abroad have protested their indefinite detention without charges or trials, they represent a real risk to our national security," Wentz says.

"Americans should be well-informed when these debates arise, and they simply are not."

Wentz reviews five things the American public should know about Guantánamo.

• Letting go of detainees is not a good option. Al-Qaeda's current No. 1 and No. 2 leaders in Yemen were once prisoners at Guantánamo, and the terrorist group's No. 1 in Libya also came from the prison. In Southern Russia, a number of former detainees went on a rampage, killing more than 100 innocents during a single afternoon of attacks. In fact, these outcomes after detainees are released have become so common, Wikipedia has a page devoted to it: "lists of former Guantanamo Bay detainees alleged to have returned to terrorism."

• The potential for diplomatic chaos. It's not hard to ruffle the feathers of other world powers, which often compromises U.S. relations globally, as witnessed in the aftermath of Edward Snowden's leaks of NSA spying and the Syrian crisis. Imagine the blowback onto the United States if one of its military bases frees a detainee that later assassinates another nation's leader or government official.

• Gitmo: the misinformation campaign. During Wentz's time at the prison, there was absolutely no indication that torture of any kind ever occurred. "To my knowledge, only four terrorists were ever waterboarded - and that was done by the CIA, and not at Guantánamo," he says. Yet reporting insinuates that torture is a common occurrence there. "I once read a headline: 'Guantánamo Detainee, Who Was Waterboarded, Tells Int'l Community ....' It doesn't say where the waterboarding occurred, but the insinuation is there." Such misinformation campaigns are among the tactics outlined in the Manchester Document, also known as the al-Qaeda Handbook.

• The International Red Cross says Gitmo is well run. The prison is well-run and should be a model for the treatment of prisoners worldwide - this is according to an assessment from the International Red Cross. This good news regarding the prison is likely something you've never read. Americans have been fed a steady stream of only bad news about the prison, but there are good reasons for its existence.

• Consider the source - the lawyers of detainees and their plea to the public. The only news coming out from Gitmo recently has involved the detainees' hunger strike, which has had some success in its original purpose: to build sympathy. One of the lawyers for the detainees has also represented, in past decades, members of the Irish Republican Army, who used the same tactic while imprisoned by the British. The hunger strike came shortly after the lawyer's visit, Wentz says, and it's not coincidence. Additionally, while the British didn't use feeding tubes, the U.S. military has, which is something detainees have come to count on, he says.

About Eric Wentz

Eric Wentz is a 26-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served as an intelligence officer, interrogator and linguist. He has a bachelor's degree in history and English literature, a master's degree in linguistics, and a Master of Science degree and doctorate in educational administration. He is also a certified SCUBA diver and an experienced canoeist. His novel, "Killing Sharks: De Profundis," has won the Readers Choice Book Reviews Bronze Award.

25 Sep 2013

Are You Incorrectly Insured?

By Ginny Grimsley
Industry Innovator Shares 3 Things Everyone Should Know
About Life Insurance

What things did you buy in 2003 that are still optimally serving your needs in 2013? Ted Bernstein is guessing there aren't many - and that's the way you should view life insurance bought so many years ago.

"Think of all the tools most of us use every day - computers, mobile devices, telephones. If yours is even just a few years old, it's probably slow compared to what's available now and certainly much more limited in its functionality. And you probably paid more for it several years ago than you would for a new one today," says Bernstein, founder of Life Insurance Concepts, Inc.  (www.lifeinsuranceconcepts.com), and a leading voice for innovation in the industry for decades.

"It's the same with life insurance. Most people don't understand that the insurance they bought years ago could be either obsolete today or it just may not be serving them as much as it should be," Bernstein says.

"There is a crisis in the life insurance industry today, he adds, and it's leaving people uninsured, underinsured and most importantly, incorrectly insured."  It is the incorrectly insured that Bernstein is most concerned about as it is the fastest growing class of insured's in the United States.

"Life insurance makes a tremendous difference in the quality of a business or the lives' of loved ones should something happen to a primary breadwinner or key business person," he says. "It should be easy to purchase, easy to understand and it should be affordable - but unfortunately, that is usually not the case. I think there are too many people who should be adequately covered who are not.

Bernstein reviews some of the things everyone should know about life insurance:

How do you know if you are incorrectly insured?  Are you aware of the following, which are some things everyone should know about life insurance today:

1. Life Insurance can be purchased without sales commissions. Many insurance policies have commissions for the agent built into the policy by the insurance company. These are non-negotiable, even by the agent, and are usually not disclosed to the buyer. Without those built-in commissions, the performance of a life insurance policy is superior; creating an option every life insurance buyer must be aware of today. These "no-load" policies are purchased from experienced agents.  No load does not mean "no agent." Instead of built-in commissions, consulting fees are paid to agents who charge fees that are disclosed and transparent. The fees do not increase the premiums or affect the cash value performance.

2. For the first time since Ben Franklin introduced life insurance more than 200 years ago ... life insurance buyers can now choose an installment option to determine how the proceeds of their life insurance policies are paid to their beneficiaries. Until the deferred installment option was available, the only payout choice was a lump-sum, which some policyholders worried would be more than their loved ones could handle. An even bigger benefit, however, is that deferred payout gives insurance companies more time to hold the funds, which reduces premiums as much as 50 percent for the same amount of insurance with a lump-sum death benefit. This gives policyholders the option to purchase an amount that will better cover the needs of their beneficiaries.

3. Deferred payouts provide a guaranteed source of income that's not affected by market fluctuations. The Installment Life Option, which we have created and introduced to the market, allows policy owners to create a protected, ongoing source of income for their beneficiaries that is not affected by market or economic conditions. Options include proceeds paid in guaranteed, pre-determined amounts over a period of years.  The structure is a "win-win," because the provider is guaranteed more time to pay out proceeds, and the savings are passed to the consumer in the form of lower premiums, or more benefits.

About Ted Bernstein

Ted Bernstein has been a consistent innovator in the life insurance industry. He was also the first to introduce "no-load" life insurance in the mid-1980s. One of the few agents ever to address the Society of Actuaries, Bernstein is nationally recognized as an expert in alternative distribution strategies and life insurance product development. In the late 1980s, Mr. Bernstein launched the first fee based Life Insurance Policy Audit and Review service for Trust companies and life insurance fiduciaries.  He is a member of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting.  A native Chicagoan, one of Ted's most notable professional accomplishments was having the honor of acting as Muhammad Ali's life insurance agent.

24 Sep 2013

Are You Prepared to Leave the Business You Built?

By Ginny Grimsley
Experts Share 3 Crucial Planning Steps

More and more small business owners are selling their companies, with sales hitting a four-year high earlier this year in the United States, and Canada predicting its largest small business turnover ever in the next five years.

"Many of our CEOs are baby boomers approaching retirement age," says Kathleen Richardson-Mauro, co-author with Jane M. Johnson of a practical new guide, "Cashing Out of Your Business," http://www.richardsonmauroandjohnson.com/.

"We're about to see a tsunami of ownership transitions and Kathleen and I worry that too many of  these small business owners are not taking steps early enough to plan for it," adds Johnson.

Richardson-Mauro, a Certified Financial Planner, and Johnson, a Certified Public Accountant, specialize in helping business owners successfully transition out of companies and achieve their goals. They recently launched an educational website, Business Transition Academy, to help owners plan their exits on their own.

"Most CEOs don't realize they need to start planning years before they might, potentially, be ready to sell or hand off their business," Johnson says. "And while a lot of that planning is to ensure they'll have the money to meet their lifestyle goals, there are other equally important considerations."

Small business owners tend to pour their lives into their companies and it doesn't take long before their identity is entirely defined by their job, the women say. In order to achieve a successful after-life, they need to start laying the groundwork early for their emotional separation.

Johnson and Richardson-Mauro suggest these steps for small business owners of any age to begin preparing mentally for their non-CEO future:

• Start now. You never know when you might receive an unsolicited purchase offer or what life events might rock your world. Most owners do not start thinking about transitioning out until some event gives them a jolt: a significant birthday; children graduating from college or starting their own families; illness or injury.

"Planning improves your chances for a successful outcome and gives you more control over the process," Richardson-Mauro says. "We sometimes don't realize just how much our lives revolve around our business - or we do realize it and don't want to think about it because the future looks scary."

With planning, you can ensure you still have a social life, a sense of accomplishment, challenges, and the other intangibles that make us satisfied and gratified.

• Identify what you want to get from your ownership transition. You'll have both financial and non-financial goals and objectives. Financial may include receiving enough money to live on for the rest of your life and creating a foundation to further a cause important to you. Non-financial may include regaining balance in your life and following a passion you gave up when you started your business.

Consider goals in every area of life, the authors say, from health, to family, to social connections.

"This is about remembering your true passions, determining what's most important to you, and deciding what you want to do when you can spend less or no time with your business," Johnson says.

"This will re-energize you and provide you with direction as you figure out the best way to transition the ownership of your business. It will also enable you to minimize any chance for regrets."

• Identify your fears, concerns and other barriers that prevent you from planning. Many owners fear what will come next and worry about losing their life's purpose. Most wonder if they will have enough money to live the lifestyles they desire, and they're concerned about their employees' futures, Johnson says.

"Take proactive action to address these concerns by having a family meeting; discussing the future with your spouse; and identifying your actual financial needs. That will allow you to find solutions and work through them," says Richardson-Mauro.

The two women say they've met many business owners who one day just decided they were tired of the headaches and ready to relax. They sold their business or otherwise transitioned out, only to discover they were bored, lonely and unhappy.

"After all of your years of work and sacrifice, you deserve a happy life after business," says Johnson.

"It's completely doable," adds Richardson-Mauro, "with planning.

About Kathleen Richardson-Mauro

Kathleen Richardson-Mauro, CFP, CBEC, CM&AA, CBI, has owned and operated five small companies and has successfully assisted more than 150 business owners in achieving their transition goals.

About Jane Johnson

Jane Johnson, CPA, CBEC, CM&AA, started her career in public accounting and finance at General Electric, then established her own practice. Fourteen years later, she negotiated the sale of her firm, retaining all of her clients and team members. In 2010, Jane received the Excellence in Exit Planning Achievement Award from Pinnacle Equity Solutions.

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