John L. Reakes

03/12/2025

🦙 Meet Whitetop, the world's oldest llama who just broke the Guinness World Record at 27 years (and counting)! This bucktoothed sweetheart spends his days comforting chronically ill children at Victory Junction camp in North Carolina.

What makes this remarkable animal special isn't just his longevity but also his loving personality. Whitetop has a knack for helping shy campers come out of their shells with his gentle nature and apparent love for selfies—he even positions himself for the perfect camera angle!

The camp now sells "Still Spit'n" t-shirts in his honor, though staff notes he's too happy in his job to spit. Now that's dedication!


Source:

A bucktoothed llama that spends his days comforting chronically ill children at a North Carolina camp founded by NASCAR royalty has been crowned the world’s oldest llama in captivity.

03/11/2025

The Social Security Fairness Act has reached a significant milestone with over 1.1 million retroactive payments issued to public servants. The average Social Security payment of $6,710 provides meaningful support to teachers, firefighters, and police officers who previously faced reduced benefits.

Looking ahead, eligible Social Security recipients will see permanent increases in their monthly payments starting in April. This represents an important change in how retirement benefits work for those who maintained public pensions while contributing to Social Security throughout their careers.

Worth noting: Some beneficiaries may see modest increases while others could receive over $1,000 more monthly.


Source:

The agency said it has so far sent retroactive benefits to more than 1 million people due to the Social Security Fairness Act.

06/28/2024

The most common response I've heard when presented with the opportunity to fund a 529 plan is, "what if my child doesn't go to college?" Did you know there is now a potential fix for that?

01/14/2024

01/11/2024

Buckle Up for Market Shifts in 2024! Join LPL Financial's FREE Webinar

Join the experts at LPL Financial on January 24th at 11 AM CT for Outlook 2024: A Turning Point. Dive deep into the evolving landscape of stocks, bonds, and the overall market. Uncover potential opportunities, navigate potential risks, and chart your course for the year ahead.

Reserve your spot now - seats are limited! [https://forms.office.com/r/QeDFHsXSeN]

01/05/2024

Sometimes you never know when or where that door might be...

11/09/2023

I wonder at what rate inflation has eroded the purchasing power of dried meat since the 1600s 🤔

09/08/2023

📢 Medicare drug price negotiations may have a muted impact on drugmakers in the near term.

✅ Analysts suggest that other factors like competition and patent expirations may already affect revenue and profits.

💊 Some drugs on the list are not significant contributors to their company's business.

📅 Negotiated prices won't go into effect until January 2026.

🔒 Lawsuits filed by drugmakers may prevent negotiated prices from being implemented.

🩺 Negotiations may have a more significant impact in future rounds, especially for biologic medications.

🤔 The long-term impact of negotiations could influence drug development strategies.



Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/30/medicare-drug-price-negotiations-may-have-muted-impact-on-drugmakers.html

08/18/2023

🌍 Don't want to commit to staying in a smaller town? Explore more of Europe with day trips!

Many beautiful places are within easy reach of the larger cities in Europe. Thanks to excellent train and bus schedules, many of these other attractions are just a few hours away from Europe's major cities.

Here are just a sampling of day trips you can take, depending on where you're staying in Europe:
🇦🇹 Munich to Salzburg, Austria:
• A quick cross-border train journey
• Prices starting at $27 each way
• Explore the birthplace of Mozart
• Stay at Hotel Schloss Leopoldskron for historical luxury
• Enjoy classic Austrian cuisine at S'Kloane Brauhaus

🇵🇱 Berlin to Szczecin, Poland:
• An easy bus trip from Berlin's central bus station
• Arrive in just over two hours
• Explore the riverfront and try local beer and vodka
• Stay at the luxurious Park Hotel in the Old Town
• Indulge in Polish and international dishes at the hotel's restaurant

🇫🇷 Paris to Luxembourg City, Luxembourg:
• High-speed train journey in just two hours
• One-way fares starting at $34
• Explore medieval fortifications in the "Gibraltar of the North"
• Experience the charm of one of Europe's smallest capital cities

🌟 Don't miss out on these incredible European day trips! ✈️🌍

Source:

The next time you're visiting a major European city, try taking an easy, convenient detour to one of these beautiful, under-the-radar destinations. Read on.