Mature Life Features

Cecil Scaglione, Editor

Hit Some Sort of Record . . .

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. . .with the following review I posted after a visit to Sunrise Urology, where I go every four months to have a camera peer into my bladder in search of cancerous growths, which have been spotted and excised twice in the past three years. When none have grown, I undergo chemo therapy for three weeks after each visit.

Apparently hundreds of folks interested in Sunrise Urology have lauded the following.

Sunrise Urology, P…

8/1/18

It’s not easy to like someone who shoves a tube up into your bladder, but Dr. Lin and his team make everything work quickly and as comfortably as possible. ciao

Written by Cecil Scaglione

November 24, 2021 at 5:00 am

Posted in Health

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All Group Activities Cancelled . . .

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. . . for two weeks at Sunrise of Gilbert in the wake of three COVID-19 quarantines

in the Independent Living wing and reports of other cases elsewhere in the facility along with reports of the rising number of new cases out there in the world.

You could hear a huge sigh of relief whoosh through the building because someone has taken charge. There have been a couple of yowls about the cessation of the free-booze happy hour. But the inmates responded readily to the fact that everybody can do whatever they want, there just aren’t any group activities for this period other than meals in the dining room and bus trips for shopping.

Written by Cecil Scaglione

November 23, 2021 at 5:00 am

How does the Kyle Rittenhouse . . .

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. . . saga continue?

Does the DOJ come up with federal charges?

Does he sue the media and candidate Joe Biden for defamation?

Does he become the face and spokesperson of right-wing conservatives?

Does he go on a lecture tour?

Does he write a book? Make a movie?

Or does he tell the world to leave him alone and try to disappear into the mundane mob to live a life?

I don’t think we’ll let him.

Written by Cecil Scaglione

November 22, 2021 at 5:00 am

Traffic Safety . . .

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. . . relies on the fact

that every driver believes everyone else on the road

is an idiot.

Written by Cecil Scaglione

November 21, 2021 at 5:00 am

Posted in Viewpoint

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To Be a Big Gun in Business . . .

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. . . get yourself an M B A

and make sure you don’t get fired.

Written by Cecil Scaglione

November 20, 2021 at 9:44 am

Posted in Finance

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Lending to Family Member Not Good Business

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Neither a family borrower, nor a family lender be, to paraphrase Shakespeare.

Shakespeare also wrote that lending money to a friend is an excellent means of losing both your friend and your money. But with a relative, you lose your money and the family ties become frayed.

A colleague lent in-laws half the price of a home to help them acquire the property. It didn’t take long for the in-laws to resent the situation. Not only have they not paid off any of the loan, they’re no longer speaking to their benefactor.

It’s been estimated that as much as $65 billion is lent to a family or friend.

It seems logical for people to turn to their parents or siblings in time of fiscal misfortune.

But before you dig into your pockets to bail out a relative, ask yourself several questions.

First of all, do you need the money? If you do, how are you going to be able to go after it when your relative shows no sign of repaying you?

If the borrower-to-be has a history of overextended credit cards, late rental payments, or job-hopping, you’re foolish to expect the money will be repaid.

The use of the money is an important factor. If the loan will be used to enable a family member to complete a college education or help elderly parents keep their home or give a start-up boost to a family entrepreneur, you might give the matter serious thought.

Making a loan to your grandson and his wife so they can splurge on an anniversary cruise or to a daughter who collects race horses makes much less sense.

Parents have another concern: giving a loan to one child may spark jealousy in the other children.

Family and financial experts agree on one major point: worse than the loss of money in any of these person-to-person transactions is the fracture of the relationship. In many cases, the borrowers, either through guilt or resentment, distance themselves from their benefactors.

Putting things in writing can avoid some of the personal pitfalls. This is a financial transaction and should be treated as such.

Lender and borrower should agree upon and write down the amount of the loan, interest rate, and payment schedule. If you need to run it buy an attorney, do so. It’s a good idea to have the signing of the loan document witnessed or notarized.

If the person makes a request for money and doesn’t see it that way, you can suggest bluntly that if he or she wants charity, ask for it.

Written by Cecil Scaglione

November 19, 2021 at 5:00 am

Posted in Finance

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Politicians Get Sick . . .

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. . . when they have only one foot in the gravy.

Written by Cecil Scaglione

November 18, 2021 at 5:00 am

With Inflation Hoisting Prices . . .

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. . . we’ll soon have to get a loan to buy stamps

so we can mail in our payments.

Written by Cecil Scaglione

November 17, 2021 at 5:00 am

Posted in Finance

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There is no Word for . . .

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. . someone who loses a child.

But the word widow or widower

for someone who has lost a spouse

has no real definition because it has no ending.

Written by Cecil Scaglione

November 16, 2021 at 5:15 am

Posted in Memories & Milestones

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Tax-Preparer Can Help You Enjoy Christmas

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While spending money may be taking most of your attention during the Christmas Season, you should take a moment to make some plans on how to save some money before the end of the year rolls around.

You can join the millions of taxpayers who accounted for more than $470 billion in tax-deductible charitable donations last year. Just make sure your check is in the mail before Dec. 3 and always get a receipt for anything you give to a non-profit group.

Take care if you’ve finally decided to fork over the family flivver to a charitable organization. The Internal Revenue Service has cracked down on abuses of this practice. No longer do you deduct the Blue Book (considered the market price) figure listed for your ancient auto. The norm now is to take what the organization gets for the vehicle when it is auctioned off.

As with all tax-related matters, discuss your plans with your tax preparer before making any decisions.

When you review your charitable-giving for the year, you might consider a gift of stocks and bonds that will not only elicit smiles from the recipient of your largess, but make yourself feel financially merry, too.

Review your investment portfolio. If you have some money-makers that could shove you into deeper tax-paying waters, consider giving a portion of them to your favorite charity to lighten your tax burden.

Written by Cecil Scaglione

November 15, 2021 at 5:00 am

Posted in Finance

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