New research shows that a 30% calorie reduction in overweight (but not obese) individuals over three months improved their memory by an amount equal to the difference between memory of those over 50 and memory of those under 30.  Read the article to lean about the obvious caveats to this research.

Many of the high yield savings accounts (e.g., Ing Direct, Emigrant Direct, and others you can find at bankrate.com) have lowered their yields to around 2.4%.  Interestingly, Emigrant Bank has created a new entity called Dollar Savings Direct that currently offers 3.5%.  As far as I can tell it is identical to Emigrant Direct except [...]

New psychological study shows that abstract thinking feeds procrastination while concrete thinking helps get things done.  You know that exercise routine you’ve been talking about starting up in January? Well, forget about how virtuous it is, or how healthy, or how it might boost your confidence. Instead, think about putting on your sneakers and tying [...]

Required minimum distributions for IRA owners, plan participants and beneficiaries are waived for 2009.  While this might have been a little more helpful in 2008 with the large decline in balances this does add some flexibility in 2009. Increased flexibility for investing in 529 plans.  Under the existing rules for 529 plans, account owners can [...]

Here is the new breakdown for the DJ-AIG commodities index.  By January 15th, the index will have the following weights (2008 weights in parentheses). Natural Gas: 11.89% (12.24%) Crude Oil: 13.75% (13.16%) Gasoline: 3.71% (3.78%) Heating Oil: 3.65% (3.82%) Live Cattle: 4.29% (4.89%) Lean Hogs: 2.39% (2.55%) Wheat: 4.79% (4.70%) Corn: 5.72% (5.66%) Soybeans: 7.59% [...]

In my role as risk manager for my clients I try to envision what macro economic changes could happen and determine whether my portfolios are situated to weather that change.  I was looking at various hyper inflation scenarios (for when the economy gains traction again) and reexamined whether commodities would be a viable tool. From [...]

Until January 15th you can pick up Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan book for free.  While I certainly don’t agree with everything she advocates, there is a lot of good advice in the book.

Produced by Ned David Research this graph shows the ratio of stock market capitalization to Nominal GDP in the U.S. from 1924 to 2007. Unfortunately, I’m not positive if this was constructed using total market capitalization or just the free float, but since the series goes back to 1924 and using free float is a [...]

A foresight report provides the following (somewhat commensense) tips on how to stay alert, prevent senility and have a fulfilling life. Connect Be Active Be Curious Learn Give Avoid significant debt Additional Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/oct/23/healthandwellbeing