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Aging does not happen gradually but happens in waves at early 40's and early 60's and at 78 years, say Stanford scientists. This means we should be proactive and act by having a regimen of exercises that we take extra care to do when we are at these ages so that we compensate for rapid muscle loss or other aging related issues including balance, posture, skin health, cardiovascular, and other health issues. Nutrition can also be geared to specific foods that will strengthen us.

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David Brooks says the Paul Ryan Budget proposal is a bold step forward that is badly needed in this debate on health care, even though it has some grave weaknesses which need to be corrected. It is a bold step forward because he says Democrats say they want no middle class tax increases, or are not willing to say what kinds of tax increases they support, and yet they believe the Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security programs are worth preserving. This is'nt based on reality. He cites the weaknesses, beginning with the one discussed in David Leonhardt's column in the New York Times on April 7, 2011. Too many Americans pay too little into Medicare taxes and expect to collect several hundred thousand dollars more in Medicare benefits. The example given in Leonhardt's column is from a study that shows 56 year olds with average earnings pay about $140,000 in dedicated Medicare taxes over a lifetime, and then go on to collect $430,000 in benefits. Middle class and affluent boomers can't get off paying their share like everybody else. Its just the right way for their children and the nation's children. Ryan's plan excludes older people reaching retirement in ten years. The other major weakness is that the cuts are too deep. Things like the Pell grants which Ryan proposes to cut back to 2008 levels need to be preserved, and more money has to go into science, education and research and early childhood education for the U.S. to be competitive with China and India. The Ryan proposal places cuts that would be required so that tax revenues need to be at 18% of GDP. The number where a larger consensus exists is for tax revenues at 20% of GDP (also supported by business and the Wall Street Journal's editorial columns). This would preserve programs that are most productive for the economic future of the U.S. Ryan's proposal lets the hope for reducing costs of medical care rest entirely on future retirees deciding how much medical care (tests, procedures etc) they consume through larger cost sharing. Yet a structure and framework is needed to manage these costs effectively, and some combination of incentives to retirees to control costs and an effective structural framework is needed. ...

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This WSJ editorial describes the choices facing states in the U.S. for Medicaid- staying in and increasing the strain on state budgets or opting out altogether from Medicaid when hospitals in the states have enlarged their Medicaid dependent programs- as being a kind of extortion. Justice Kennedy said this was not giving the states much of an option, and Justice Scalia described it with a Jack Benny humor quote about being held up by a robber saying "your money or your life." Justice Roberts described the overwillingness of states to accept federal funds that got them to this point. The overall sense of the hearings at the U.S. Supreme Court on the third day, was that of skepticism on the part of Justices Scalia, Alito, Kennedy and Roberts, leaving Solicitor General Verrilli to make an appeal to humanitarian and patriotic sentiment about millions of the poor who would go without medical care if the Court ruled against the government.

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The Glasgow COP26 summit could be the beginning of a new era for mankind as the city that started the industrial revolution in Britain takes the world on a turn into a new era of ecologically conscious living. This BBC report looks at changes we should be experiencing in 2022 to 2030. Electric cars that take the place of current automobiles, increasing use of construction materials other than cement and concrete, use of solar and wind energy. From a mental health standpoint lifestyles built around walking and cycling, more forested areas and green spaces in and around cities, cleaner air, quieter cities, food choices and agricultural choices made around health and better ecology. Personal investments, corporate investments and pensions of $139 trillion invested in a way that cuts carbon emissions. Governments and private citizens enabling transparency and regulation, weekly monitoring on matters relating to emissions in one's own neighborhoods and local region.  ...

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Britain's prime minister Boris Johnson lays out the rules for reopening in a 50 page document. It says people should use masks in public transport and outside. It also recommends people not use the subways at this time but use cars, bicycles or walking to work as better alternatives. Subway stations such as Waterloo were relatively quiet as people practiced guidelines and acted cautiously. The rules were seen as confusing but the prime minister says the reopening is much more complex than the closing which simply said "stay at home."

People were advised to work from home when possible and gave people in construction the ability to get back to work. Restaurants, hair salons, shops remain closed till a later stage. There is concern that cases could spike again and the prime minister clearly stated this would mean putting the brakes again. Britain is the second highest in deaths after the U.S. 

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Only about a third of the people in southeast Asia are fully vaccinated compared to 58% in the US. With growing inequality and a slowdown in production the supply chain in this region is hit hard. The region includes Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia. This region's growth rate is cut from 4.4% in April to 2.5% for 2021 by the World Bank. Manila based Asian Development Bank forecast is for 3.1% growth as coronavirus outbreaks lead to major lockdowns. This happened in Malaysia, Cambodia, and Indonesia. It has also worsened the global supply chain disruptions from clothes to cars and commodities.

As supply chains are restructured, and western countries increase manufacturing at home to avoid higher shipping costs, uncertainty of far flung supply chains, production is likely to decline.

World Bank sees 24 million more people below the poverty line in Asia this year than projected earlier.

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Volvo sales reached about 135,000-140,000 units in North America in 2003-2004 and is dropping since then down to about 100,000 units. Now Volvo worldwide which had a loss in the 2008 first quarter of $151 million on a decline in sales by $400 million and selling 22,000 fewer cars, compared to same quarter 2007, is cutting production. Volvo is affected by its mix in sales with larger cars and its larger SUV not selling as well as its smaller cars. This even though sales are expanding in Russia and China. The exchange rate between the Swedish kronor and the dollar is hurting Ford as the adverse exchange rate has cost Ford $1.7 billion in losses in the last 2 years. About 3000 workers buyouts in the last 2-3 years from a global workforce of 25,000. And 100 positions were cut through consolidation at a single North American headquarters in New Jersey. North American dealerships will be reduced from 350 to 300 by 2009. Production cuts are at plants making the larger models. Production has been cut at the Torslanda plant in western Sweden, where the pace of production will be cut by one third from 60 an hour to 44 an hour cars produced. The plant shift redction will lead to about 700 layoffs by January2009. No cutbacks are planned at the plant in Belgium which makes smaller cars and the S60 crossover SUV. ...

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Renault and Nissan will work with Mr Agassi to test electric cars in Israel on an experimental basis before developing its own electric cars from scratch by 2010.

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Forty years after a canal around Utrecht's old town was turned into a 12 lane motorway, the Dutch city is replacing the motorway with its 900 year old moat. Utrecht old city is now surrounded once again by greenery and water rather than concrete and fumes of exhaust. Efforts to sideline cars and bring back healthier living with bicycles began in 2002. The city was born in 1122. In 2017 the city opened a 12500 bicycle park next to the rail station. The central Zocherpark has been restored to 1830's design. This should be an inspiration for other cities in Europe. It is also a reminder for other cities in America, in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be careful before they let motorways take over. Even in the waterfront of American cities such as Chicago and Seattle the motorways have taken much space where greenery and fresh air would make for healthier living. Some French cities have done what Utrecht has done, supporting the general trend to return these wide healthy spaces back to the people.  ...

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As China shifts away from construction to support the economy no government support is given to real estate company Evergrande to reorganize it operations. Evergrande has $300 billion in debt and its sprawling operations all over China will now be dismantled. The decision is made in an Hong Kong courtroom on the 12th floor of the Hong Kong Court Building as reported by Alexandra Stevenson of the NYT. China is now moving away from the economic support of internet companies such as Tencent and Alibaba and construction firms such as Evergrande. More investment is going into renewable energy and companies that are leading in technologies such as BYD in electric cars worldwide. Investment is also being made in funding improvement in standards of living in the rural interior of the country that was neglected during the boom years and in tackling climate change. This is a very different China as president Jinping looks for other ways for economic development that fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN and the goals of building a better China for all its people in less developed rural areas and in urban areas.  ...

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US and UK complete a trade agreement, the first of its kind with major trading partners. US has a $11 billion surplus in $148 billion two way trade with UK which is just ahead of India and behind Vietnam in trade with the US. Vietnam has acted as aproxy for Chinese exports to US something the DJT administration is taking action to correct. UK first 100,000 cars exported to US will not face a 25% levy, and UK exports will only face the 10% levy on all countries, including on British aluminium and steel. This agreement happened Thursday May 8 after a night call from Trump to Starmer moving up the negotiations to get awin for the US and the UK, that will also act as a model for other countries to reach trade agreements with the US. India, Japan, South Korea, could be next followed by EU. It also opens up engagement with China on a trade agreement. UK's Starmer thanked president Trump. The agreement was a first and it boosts stock markets in the US, shows the US can do this. ...

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Friedman on the $110 billion to fight wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan that does little to advance American interests and values. Especially today when the peoples of the Middle East are struggling to be free of the corrupt military regimes that have ruled their countries, and are trying to setup democratic processes in their countries. The pressing needs at home which are better attended to with these funds. The need to redirect some of this to help young people in the Muslim world bring new hope, development and democratic processes to their countries.

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The Honda Fit sold in 115 countries shows the concentration and focus Honda placed in samll cars that has achieved such impressive results in a small car. It is a small car that gives a quality vibe that penny pinching rivals like the Toyota Yaris or the Chevy Aveo cannot match according to this test driver. It has a lot of things that you find in a refined quality car so this car would appeal to a lot of people in a fuel efficient culture for driving. It has a surprising amount ofspace for seating and for storage for a car of this size and has a lot of features that make this car small but nice car to be in.

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Shear of the NYT says president Trump is taking risks of losing support from low income people who supported him in the presidential election by making aggressive cuts in programs that help low income people. In his first budget plan deep cuts to social programs and increase of 10% in defense spending of $54 billion is planned. The new health care plan of the Republicans House and Speaker Ryan is seen by the Congressional Budget Office as increasing uninsured people by 14 million. Trump has left Social Security intact, but he sees other cuts as cuts to the "administrative state' and overreach on entitlements. The budget plan is titled "America First," and shrinks foreign aid, cuts state department budget by about a third, and cuts funding to PBS, other agencies, and cuts social program spending.

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A plan to postpone a 21% cut in payments to doctors for treating Medicare patients, and instead give a slight payment increase under a House proposal, at a total cost of $245 billion over 10 years, is raising questions about the the impact on the USA budget deficit in coming years. The Congressional Budget Ofice says the House health bill will increase the deficit by $239 billion by 2019. In past years the lawmakers in Congress have postponed the implementation of these cuts, and the administration would like to see this as a separate item and not showing increasing the deficit. The American Medical Association lobbied to have this provision in exchange for its support to the health care plan.