THE MERRILL PAGES

2009 INDEX OF ARTICLES

1. Is decentralization recent news - Is it news for the UN expatriate?
2. Bogus theories may help you think twice before you jump on the badwagon and are sparked by hefty and uplifting management words.  Remove the jargon and you may be speaking of just the same old repeat as before. 
3. Language - writing and speaking is not only about proper and decent usage but also without jargon. 
4. Bicycle performance depends on what your goals are, speed, touring or fitness. 
5. UN Pensions - what else you need to know - 1 is about the India Pensioner proposal to reinstate full pension for those who availed the lump-sum and have completed the actuarial-estimated life expectancy in retirement.
6. Is your UN salary tax free?.
7. The great disruption is an eco-friendly reminder from Thomas Friedman. Do your part.
8. Aging populations is a hot topic but the UN retirement age is unchanged. This can impact the UN pension fund in the future? 
9. Getting fit faster is about keeping fit with less effort. 
10. Does long life qualify reinstatement of full pension for those who availed the lump-sum option?
11. CAFICS letter on tax exemption of UN Pension - UN retirees domiciled in Canada.
12. Letter to the President from Paul Krugman is a fascinating read. 
13. Zero history traces the origins of zero. 
14. Clues to a lucid old age gives tips for extending your mental capacities 
15. Tax News for UN Retirees residing in Canada published in AFICS bulletin, New York. 
16. USA Private Pensions - what can UN staff learn from it?
17. Sweden's Svenska Handelsbanken runs profitably without budgets.
18. UN Pension Fund - expansion of survivor benefits - Letter to UNJSPF Board 
19. When stock prices drop, where does the money go?
20. Sports - theory and practice - sometimes you have to "walk the talk."
21. Winners of the recession is a good illustration on the changes in consumer demand. 
22. Green issues for Earth Day - thinking globally and acting locally. 
23. The Growth Fetish is about the challenge of the democratic capitalist model. 
24. Going to school is a great video to view. What a motivation these kids have to get their education. 
25. The credit crisis is a great video to watch as it illustrates graphically what lead to the financial meltdown of credit markets. 
26. Formula for long life is words of wisdom from a 97-year old Japanese physician/writer.  
27. Saving and Investment Tips from the US government is an excellent resource. 
28. UN Pension - Letters of Concern is an exchange of several letters with UNJSPF re the UN Pension fund. 
29. UN Pension - can you sue? Not in your wildest dreams. Who would want to do it anyway. 
30. UN Pension Update - Exemption and Recovery.
31. Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is good information for UNICEF's Operations and Budget Officers. 
32. Mutual funds make sense for ordinary investors.
33. Letter to the President - bicycle access on US roads - sent by mail and other web sources. 
34. UN Pension Lump-sum - ex G4 visa holders a need for clarification. 
35. UN Pension - Canadian nationals - Illustration
36. The coffee morning is one of those ways to hang out with friends in retirement. 
37. Women and children in war zones is that stark reminder that women suffer in most circumstances. 
38. India got it right with the language issue (in Sri Lanka Times of Feb 15, 2009). 
39. UN Pension tax exemption - Canadian nationals
40. UN translations for free, courtesy of Google. 
41. Slump time has arrived says Lee Wei Ling, Director of the National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore.
42. UN Pension Fund - what the CEO said....
43. Bicycling in the snow in January and  February 2009.  
44. President Barack Obama's inaugural speech  as the 44th President of the USA on Jan 20, 2009 
45. Personal data security is a short brief on the safeguards you can take.
46. The longevity issue is not about getting older?
47. Portfolio theory - lessons learned from this financial meltdown is about asset allocation.   
48. UN Pension fund concerns  published by UNIPS. 

2008 INDEX OF ARTICLES

60 articles were published in 2008.  I have been at about 50% capacity compared to previous years for a couple of reasons.  Perhaps, I am reaching the limit of writing topics since my list is almost exhausted now. Secondly, I am taking a greater interest in meeting local town officials and others and trying to encourage more commuter bicycling and are doing more commute bicycling, having donned the car for almost 10 years now for all my local trips from 5-10 miles range. Third, I spend more time with local friends.  Fourth, and most important is the more frequent visits to Florida to spend time with the grand-kids (7 years and 17 months).

Once again, I thank my many UNICEF and other friends for their e-mails about these writings. I am glad to see that some of you express interest in the content of some articles.  I hope to continue this web log through 2009 as well.