Things To Do In SW Florida

By MATTHEW DALY, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is set to create a National Energy Council that he says will establish American “energy dominance” around the world as he seeks to boost U.S. oil and gas drilling and move away from President Joe Biden’s focus on climate change.

The energy council — to be led by North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s choice to head the Interior Department — will be key in Trump’s pledge to “drill, drill, drill” and sell more oil and other energy sources to allies in Europe and around the globe.

The new council will be granted sweeping authority over federal agencies involved in energy permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation and transportation, with a mandate to cut bureaucratic red tape, enhance private sector investments and focus on innovation instead of “totally unnecessary regulation,” Trump said.

But Trump’s energy wishes are likely to run into real-world limits. For one, U.S. oil production under Biden is already at record levels. The federal government cannot force companies to drill for more oil, and production increases could lower prices and reduce profits. read more

By Sally French, NerdWallet

It’s getting easier to find top-notch dining experiences on cruises.

Cruise lines are increasingly catering to high-end tastes, offering specialty dining experiences often led by high-profile chefs. For example, British royal chef Darren McGrady, who once served Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana, helped create an afternoon tea experience for Princess Cruises.

Even notoriously budget-oriented cruise lines market to foodies with celebrity endorsements. Carnival Cruise Lines features Food Network personality Guy Fieri through his onboard restaurants including Guy’s Burger Joint and Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse.

No matter your cruise budget, here are some chef-approved tricks to eating better on a cruise.

1. Try a specialty dining experience

Afternoon tea served on the Sun Princess. (Photo by Sally French)

British royal chef Darren McGrady helped create an afternoon tea experience for the Sun Princess ship from Princess Cruises, which debuted in the spring of 2024. For $30, guests can take part in an hour-long experience filled with stories from McGrady’s time with the royal family, etiquette tips and history lessons — all presented via a series of video clips. (While on a press trip on the Sun Princess, I was able to join one of these afternoon teas.) read more

James Royal, Ph.D. | (TNS) Bankrate.com

Investing can often be broken down into a few simple rules that investors can follow to be successful. But success can be as much about what to do as it is what not to do. On top of that, our emotions throw a wrench into the whole process. While everyone knows you need to “buy low and sell high,” our temperament often leads us to selling low and buying high.

So it’s key to develop a set of “golden rules” to help guide you through the tough times. Anyone can make money when the market is rising. But when the market gets choppy, investors who succeed and thrive are those who have a long-term plan that works.

Here are 10 golden rules of investing to follow to make you a more successful — and hopefully wealthy — investor.

Rule No. 1 — Never lose money

Let’s kick it off with some timeless advice from legendary investor Warren Buffett, who said, “Rule No. 1 is never lose money. Rule No. 2 is never forget Rule No. 1.” The Oracle of Omaha’s advice stresses the importance of avoiding loss in your portfolio. When you have more money in your portfolio, you can make more money on it. So, a loss hurts your future earning power. read more

Rachel Christian | (TNS) Bankrate.com

Most baby boomers — those born between 1946 and 1964 — are now in retirement. While many have enjoyed successful careers and comfortable lifestyles, others find themselves in a less-than-ideal financial situation. A common regret among this generation is not saving more for their golden years.

According to Bankrate’s 2024 Financial Regrets survey, 37% of baby boomers (ages 60-78) say their biggest financial regret is not saving enough for retirement. Of participants in the survey, it was the most commonly cited regret by far.

By examining the financial regrets and successes of baby boomers, younger generations can learn from their good habits — and steer clear of their bad ones.

5 biggest financial lessons from baby boomers

Here are the five biggest lessons younger generations can learn from baby boomers — and how to implement these good habits into your own life.

1. Start saving early

If boomers could go back and do one thing differently, many would start saving for retirement earlier.

Saving for retirement might not be top of mind when you’re just starting out in your career, but thanks to the power of compound interest, it pays to start early. Every dollar you save today has the potential to grow exponentially over time. read more

Cruise lines traditionally roll out some of the best deals of the year for Black Friday and Cyber Monday with some discounts already available.

Here’s a rundown of deals from some of the lines.

Atlas Ocean Voyages: The all-inclusive luxury line offers up to 20% off and up to $600 onboard credit for suites or $400 for staterooms on select Antarctica expeditions. Book by Dec. 7. Details at atlasoceanvoyages.com or call 844-442-8527.

Carnival Cruise Line: Free room upgrades and up to 40% off cruises rates on select sailings through March 2025 for sailings booked by Dec. 8. Details at carnival.com or call 800-764-7419.

Celebrity Cruises: Book between Nov. 29-Dec. 3. Guests can save up to 75% on the second guest in their stateroom, plus up to $800 in
additional savings per stateroom. Good for sailings departing from Nov. 8, 2024 through May 10, 2027. Guests can also save up to 35% on
shore excursions and other onboard amenities. Offer is not applicable on Galapagos sailings. Details at celebritycruises.com or call 888-751-7804. read more