The Means AND the Ends

The Means AND The Ends is the recognition that "getting there" is at least as important as where you're going. These posts are a curated collection of articles I've written as well as interesting finds that can be serious, humorous, and sometimes skeptical about investing and saving for retirement while being mindful that we must enjoy the ride all along the way.

11 Destinations Retirees Are Flocking To (And Why) – Travelbinger

Lifestyle, Travel

Do you have plans to relocate when retiring? Let me know in the comments.

When it comes to retirement, many people dream of a lifestyle that combines relaxation, good weather, and affordable living. Increasingly, retirees are searching for destinations that provide not only comfort but also a vibrant community, cultural experiences, and access to healthcare.

Across the United States, certain towns and cities have become hotspots for older adults seeking to enjoy their golden years to the fullest.

Read the entire article: 11 Destinations Retirees Are Flocking To (And Why) – Travelbinger

11 Destinations Retirees Are Flocking To (And Why) – Travelbinger Read Post »

The Hole Story: Why is There a Hole in The Old Farmer’s Almanac? | The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Lifestyle

Why is there a hole in The Old Farmer’s Almanac? We’re talking about the punched-out hole in the upper top left corner of the book. It’s not a mistake. It’s part of our history.

The classic Almanac paperback has a hole drilled in the top left corner of the paperback Old Farmer’s Almanac. Ever wondered why? When did it start?

Read the entire article: The Hole Story: Why is There a Hole in The Old Farmer’s Almanac? | The Old Farmer’s Almanac

The Hole Story: Why is There a Hole in The Old Farmer’s Almanac? | The Old Farmer’s Almanac Read Post »

Not Dead Yet – Woody Guthrie’s last recordings emerge 75 years later – Americana UK

Health & Fitness, Lifestyle

Woody Guthrie, extraordinarily, became a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Songwriters Hall of Famer, International Folk Music Award Lifetime Achievement honoree, and GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award winner, and the lead track off the collection is Woody’s only known recording of his iconic song ‘Plane Wreck at Los Gatos (Deportee)‘.

Guthrie wrote the track in 1948 in response to a New York Times article about a plane crash in Los Gatos Canyon, California, that killed 32 people, including 28 migrant farm workers.

Read the entire article: Not Dead Yet – Woody Guthrie’s last recordings emerge 75 years later – Americana UK

Not Dead Yet – Woody Guthrie’s last recordings emerge 75 years later – Americana UK Read Post »

Age-related cognitive decline can be slowed by eating healthy and exercising your body and brain | AP News

Health & Fitness

It’s official: Older Americans worried about cognitive decline can stay sharper for longer by exercising both their bodies and their brains and eating healthier.

That’s according to initial results released Monday from a rigorous U.S. study of lifestyle changes in seniors at risk of developing dementia. People following a combination of

Read the entire article: Age-related cognitive decline can be slowed by eating healthy and exercising your body and brain | AP News

Age-related cognitive decline can be slowed by eating healthy and exercising your body and brain | AP News Read Post »

You’re Only as Old as You Feel | Psychology Today

Lifestyle

Feeling younger is beneficial for your health.
People who report feeling younger show less brain aging.
Feeling older than your actual age is a predictor of future depression.

My dad will be celebrating his 80th birthday tomorrow, and he is living proof that age really is just a number. He’s not just surviving—he’s thriving. He still works full time running his small business, he lives independently, and travels internationally on a regular

Read the entire article: You’re Only as Old as You Feel | Psychology Today

You’re Only as Old as You Feel | Psychology Today Read Post »

How the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) Affects Investors | Zacks Investment Management Blog

Financial Planning, Retirement, Social Security, Taxes

Digging into the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) has been signed into law, which makes now a good time to review how the law financially affects individuals, families, and businesses. Depending on where you look, you can find sweeping praise or stern criticism of the law’s provisions. I’ll offer no such viewpoint here.

My goal instead is to give readers straightforward, objective commentary on how the bill impacts household and corporate finances, which by extension can provide clues regarding potential investment implications.

I’d like to start with what has not changed. Despite some speculation during the legislative process,

Read the entire article: How the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) Affects Investors | Zacks Investment Management Blog

How the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) Affects Investors | Zacks Investment Management Blog Read Post »

From corner office to crossroads: navigating purpose and identity after retirement | Gaynor Parkin and Dave Winsborough | The Guardian

Lifestyle, Retirement

A few months into an eagerly planned retirement, Martin described the transition as “a seismic shift”.“I thought I had it all figured out,” he said, the frustration evident in his voice. “I’ve been so looking forward to more time in the garden, picking up the guitar again, getting into a fitness routine and planning trips with friends.

”But somehow Martin’s plans haven’t translated into meaningful experiences for him – “I feel quite lost, which is very strange for me…

Read the entire article: From corner office to crossroads: navigating purpose and identity after retirement | Gaynor Parkin and Dave Winsborough | The Guardian

From corner office to crossroads: navigating purpose and identity after retirement | Gaynor Parkin and Dave Winsborough | The Guardian Read Post »

Complete skeleton of medieval knight found under former ice cream parlor in Poland – CBS News

Travel

The centuries-old complete skeleton of a medieval knight was found under the former site of a famous ice cream shop in Poland, researchers said. The discovery was made on a small plot in Gdańsk, a city on the country’s coast.

The site was once home to an ice cream parlor called Miś, which has operated there since 1962 but has since moved to a new location.

Researchers say several other archaeological discoveries have been made at the site in recent years, including the remains of cottages dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries and an ancient city street.

Read the entire article: Complete skeleton of medieval knight found under former ice cream parlor in Poland – CBS News

Complete skeleton of medieval knight found under former ice cream parlor in Poland – CBS News Read Post »

intermodal containers on dock

How Trump’s Tariff Revenue Helped the Government Make Bank In June

Industry, Markets

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The federal government collected $26.6 billion in tariff revenue in June, rising again as President Donald Trump’s tariff policy began to take hold.

Spending decreased by $187 billion in June, resulting in a budget surplus of about $27 billion for the month.

Read the entire article: How Trump’s Tariff Revenue Helped the Government Make Bank In June

How Trump’s Tariff Revenue Helped the Government Make Bank In June Read Post »

Why Stocks Rallied in Q2 Despite Fear and Economic Uncertainty  | Zacks Investment Management Blog

Industry, Markets

How Stocks Managed to Rally Through the Noise in the Second Quarter

In the three months ending June 30th, U.S. and global stocks did what they’ve done many times before: they climbed a wall of worry.

If we start this story in April, we know that the market’s uneasiness was triggered in response to the shock of tariffs and accompanying fears of a global trade war/economic slowdown. In short order, the S&P 500 plunged into correction territory and dragged investor sentiment down with it. Headlines were awash with predictions of prolonged economic pain, and many investors became extremely skeptical.

Read the entire article: Why Stocks Rallied in Q2 Despite Fear and Economic Uncertainty  | Zacks Investment Management Blog

Why Stocks Rallied in Q2 Despite Fear and Economic Uncertainty  | Zacks Investment Management Blog Read Post »

Barrett-Jackson to Bring World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions to Columbus, Ohio, June 25-27, 2026, at Ohio Expo Center & Fairgrounds | Bay to Bay News

Lifestyle, Travel

Barrett-Jackson is bringing The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions to Columbus, Ohio, June 25-27, 2026, at the Ohio Expo Center & State Fairgrounds.

The 2026 Barrett-Jackson Columbus Auction will be held at the Ohio Expo Center & State Fairgrounds, long considered one of the most dynamic and unique event venues in the Midwest. Located in the heart of Columbus on a campus occupying 360 acres, the Expo Center features 19 buildings and 1.4 million square feet of event space under roof, as well as on-site parking for 14,000 vehicles, making it one of the most flexible and accommodating sites in the region.

Read the entire article: Barrett-Jackson to Bring World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions to Columbus, Ohio, June 25-27, 2026, at Ohio Expo Center & Fairgrounds | Bay to Bay News

Barrett-Jackson to Bring World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions to Columbus, Ohio, June 25-27, 2026, at Ohio Expo Center & Fairgrounds | Bay to Bay News Read Post »

SSA Expects Megabill to Remove Tax for Nearly 90 Percent of Social Security Beneficiaries | The Epoch Times

Retirement, Social Security

Currently, out of the 58.8 million seniors who are at least 65 years old who receive Social Security income, 64 percent do not have to pay tax on these benefits, according to the report.

Once the OBBB comes into effect, 88 percent of such individuals won’t have to pay taxes on their benefits.

Read the entire article: SSA Expects Megabill to Remove Tax for Nearly 90 Percent of Social Security Beneficiaries | The Epoch Times

SSA Expects Megabill to Remove Tax for Nearly 90 Percent of Social Security Beneficiaries | The Epoch Times Read Post »

You just retired (or are about to). Now what? – ABC News

Retirement

FWIW, This is EXACTLY what we do on a monthly basis with our retirement income plans… check spending against account values and adjust if necessary. ~jrs

If there’s a single group of people who are likely to be experiencing the most consternation over recent market events, it’s those who have just retired or who are on the cusp of hanging it up.

But as with most things in life, the key for new- and near-retirees making it through this period with their sanity intact is to focus on what they can control.

People who have just retired or are about to do so are vulnerable to sequence-of-returns risk, which means that a bad market shows up early in retirement. And this imperils your portfolio’s ability to last throughout your retirement years.

Read the entire article: You just retired (or are about to). Now what? – ABC News

You just retired (or are about to). Now what? – ABC News Read Post »

vegetable and meat on bowl

Here Are the Next Great Food Capitals of the World — And Why You Should Visit Now

Lifestyle, Travel

If you travel for the food, you’ve probably visited at least some of the destinations crowned the top international cities for food and drink in our Global Tastemakers Awards, but once you’ve checked the usual suspects off your bucket list, what’s next?

We surveyed our team of editors to come up with a list of cities that might not be on your radar yet for their culinary scene, but we predict that soon enough they’ll be on everyone’s

Read the entire article: Here Are the Next Great Food Capitals of the World — And Why You Should Visit Now

Here Are the Next Great Food Capitals of the World — And Why You Should Visit Now Read Post »

17 Retro Photos of Baseball Throughout the Decades

Lifestyle

From the crack of the bat to the smell of fresh-cut grass, there’s something timeless and electrifying about going to a baseball game.

These snapshots capture the excitement and roar of the crowd as history was made, transporting us to an era when stadiums weren’t just ballparks but places where dreams were made and shattered in the bottom of the ninth.

Read the entire article: 17 Retro Photos of Baseball Throughout the Decades

17 Retro Photos of Baseball Throughout the Decades Read Post »

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