Financial Advisors' Role in Influencing Social Security Claiming

For millions of Americans, financial advisors are a trusted source of financial and retirement preparation information. This includes providing advice and information on Social Security benefits, a critical component of most Americans’ retirement finances. To gain greater insight into what financial advisors say to their clients about Social Security, an online survey of over 400 professional financial advisors was conducted in the Spring of 2011. The results reveal that a majority of advisors believe that they are responsible for educating their clients on the role Social Security will play in their retirement income. Moreover, advisors have the ability to influence their clients’ decisions about when to claim their Social Security retirement benefits. Three-quarters advise the majority of their clients on when to claim. In addition, the study finds that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is the leading and preferred source of information and education for financial advisors and their clients. Over half of advisors say it is a major source of Social Security-related information, more than any other source. However, advisors are critical of the job SSA does in educating advisors and the public, and are interested in additional resources from the Agency. Financial advisors also indicate that the financial services companies they work with could improve their communication and education efforts as it relates to Social Security. The research findings uncover a need for improved methods of educating and disseminating information to financial advisors and the public on Social Security.

The historical coverage of televised media events in print media: The Case of the Eurovision Song Contest

This study argues that, historically, televised media events managed to become prominent in the public agenda, not only through their live broadcast on television, but also through their long-term, continuous visibility in the print media. This, both on the level of the intensity of their press coverage; and also on the level of their framing as important and significant events for society. In other words, media events have enabled a content-based “coexistence” between print media and television. Through a thematic-qualitative analysis, the study describes how two Israeli, popular and elite newspapers promoted the public discourse on two of the most famous media events in Israel’s history: the 1979 and 1999 Eurovision Song Contests in Jerusalem. Findings reveal an intensive print media coverage of the two shows, from both “soft” (gossip) and “hard” (politics) perspectives. In addition, differences were found in the historical coverage of the contests in popular newspapers, compared to elite ones

In-Vitro steroidogenesis of newly formed corpora lutea and the non-luteal ovary in the rat, rabbit, hamster and guinea-pig

The steroidogenic abilities of the newly formed corpus luteum (8-10 h after ovulation) and the non-luteal ovary were compared in the guinea-pig, hamster, rabbit and rat using an invitro incubation technique. Histologically, newly formed rat corpora lutea (CL) were highly luteinized whereas the CL of the rabbit and guinea-pig were only partially luteinized. The CL of the hamster showed the least amount of luteinization. Serum progesterone was highest in the rat (18 ± 3 (s.e.m.) ng/ml). In the hamster, it was about 8 ng/ml, whereas in the rabbit and guinea-pig it was about 1 ng/ml. Serum androstenedione ranged between 0.5 and 1 ng/ml. Serum testosterone was lowest in the hamster (60 pg/ml) and highest in the rabbit (470 pg/ml), whereas in the rat and guinea-pig, testosterone levels were similar (about 240 pg/ml). Serum oestrogens were at baseline levels in all species. The CL of the rat exhibited considerably greater steroidogenic ability than the CL of the other species, producing 70 ± 6 ng progesterone/mg per h, 215 ± 14 pg androstenedione/mg per h, 49 ± 3 pg testosterone/mg per h, 3 pg oestrone/mg per h and 1 pg oestradiol/mg per h. Rabbit CL produced only progesterone (7 ± 2 ng/mg per h). Newly formed hamster CL produced none of the above steroids. In general, the ability of the CL to produce progesterone in vitro correlated with the degree of luteinization found by histological observation. Guinea-pig CL were embedded deeply in the ovary and could not be obtained without damage. Consequently, a portion of the ovary containing a corpus luteum was incubated. There was no difference in the steroid production by this portion of the ovary compared with the non-luteal ovary. The non-luteal ovary of the rat produced the highest amount of progesterone (10 ± 2 ng/mg per h). The guinea-pig non-luteal ovary produced about 5 ± 2 ng progesterone/mg per h, whereas the non-luteal ovary of the rabbit did not produce any. On the other hand, the hamster non-luteal ovary lost progesterone. Non-luteal ovaries from all species produced androgens. The non-luteal ovary of the guinea-pig contained especially large numbers of atretic antral follicles. The guinea-pig non-luteal ovary produced extremely large amounts of androstenedione (1110 ± 210 pg/mg per h) and testosterone (606 ± 154 pg/mg per h) compared with the amounts produced by the non-luteal ovary of the rat, hamster and rabbit. In the non-luteal ovary, interstitium and atretic antral follicles are the probable source of androgens. Oestrogen production by the non-luteal ovary was at baseline levels in the four species studied correlating with the absence of healthy antral follicles. The results indicate the extreme species differences that exist in ovarian function in the early postovulatory period

Macroeconomic Fluctuations, Inequality, and Human Development

This paper examines the two-way relationship between inequality and economic fluctuations, and the implications for human development. For years, the dominant paradigm in macroeconomics, which assumed that income distribution did not matter, at least for macroeconomic behavior, ignored inequality--both its role in causing crises and the effect of fluctuations in general, and crises in particular, on inequality. But the most recent financial crisis has shown the errors in this thinking, and these views are finally beginning to be questioned. Economists who had looked at the average equity of a homeowner--ignoring the distribution--felt comfortable that the economy could easily withstand a large fall in housing prices. When such a fall occurred, however, it had disastrous effects, because a large fraction of homeowners owed more on their homes than the value of the home, leading to waves of foreclosure and economic stress. Policy-makers and economists alike have begun to take note: inequality can contribute to volatility and the creation of crises, and volatility can contribute to inequality. Here, we explore the variety of channels through which inequality affects fluctuations and fluctuations affect inequality, and explore how some of the changes in our economy may have contributed to increased inequality and volatility both directly and indirectly. After describing the two-way relationship, the paper discusses hysteresis--the fact that the consequences of an economic downturn can be long-lived. Then, it examines how policy can either mitigate or exacerbate the inequality consequences of economic downturns, and shows how well-intentioned policies can sometimes be counterproductive. Finally, it links these issues to human development, especially in developing countries