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Farm but no fowl: How Florida aquaculture is growing the economy

Florida’s thriving aquaculture industry is a vital part of the state’s economy, generating more than $165 million in sales annually and supporting jobs across rural and coastal communities. Recognized as agriculture by the Florida Legislature in 1993, aquaculture contributes to food security, environmental sustainability and economic resilience. “Just like terrestrial, land-based agriculture, aquaculture is the process of growing or raising a product,” said Shirley Baker, UF/IFAS professor of aquaculture and associate director of the School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences. “The people who do the work consider themselves farmers. Their products are simply plants and animals grown or raised underwater.” Overseen by the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS), the industry includes an estimated 1,500 varieties of food fish, bait fish, mollusks, aquatic plants, alligators, turtles, crustaceans, amphibians, caviar and ornamental fish. With proper regulatory support, aquaculture can continue to be a driving force in Florida’s economy and environmental stewardship. The hallmark of Florida aquaculture is ornamental, or tropical fish, the saltwater and freshwater species bred for aquariums. In 2023, the sector generated more than $57 million, making the state the country’s top pet fish producer. In fact, 95% of ornamental fish in the United States come from the Sunshine State. About 90% of Florida’s ornamental fish are freshwater varieties. Farmers primarily raise live-bearing species in sterilized earthen ponds dug into loam or bedrock. They fill ponds with sexually mature fish called broodstock and harvest offspring using baited traps. Most egg-laying fish are grown in commercial hatcheries. Like ornamental fish, the demand for farmed seafood has grown as wild-caught sources are increasingly depleted. Globally, more than 50% of all seafood for human consumption is produced through aquaculture. “Seafood is considered one of the most in-demand sources of lean protein in the world, and it has to come from somewhere,” said Matthew DiMaggio, director of the UF/IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory in Ruskin. “The ocean can't produce any more than it already has, so aquaculture has to make up the deficit.” In Florida, as the number of fish farms and the scale of their operations have grown, the value of food fish sales has skyrocketed. Between 2018 and 2023, sales rose from $4 million to $26 million, a 550% increase. Some of the most common Florida food fish are tilapia, striped bass, cobia, pompano and red drum. They’re housed in various ways. Operations can include fiberglass ponds, vats and tanks inside greenhouses and recirculating systems occupying entire warehouses. Farmers typically start with fingerlings, or juvenile fish, purchased from reputable suppliers. Aquaculture farmers share their experiences Evans Farm of Pierson, Florida, is among the pioneering food fish farms in the state. Originally cattle farmers, the company expanded to sell tilapia, striped bass and caviar harvested from sturgeon. Fish are kept in filtered, recirculating ponds and long tanks known as raceways. They’re transported live to grocery stores and markets in vans outfitted with tanks and filtration systems. “Our fish are thriving, and they’re healthy. We grow them with great water quality, and we feed them excellent food,” said Jane Davis, who owns the business with her mother and brothers. “Although they’re raised in water, they’re no different than other agriculture crops, whether it's cattle, chickens or anything else.” Mollusks are another significant contributor to Florida aquaculture. While the sector includes oysters and scallops, clams are the dominating commodity; in 2023, they brought in $32 million of the state’s $43 million in mollusk sales. Clam farmers generally obtain grain-sized seed clams from hatcheries. The smallest varieties are initially cared for in nursery systems. Once the shells become large enough, they’re transferred to bags submerged off the coast. Cedar Key resident Heath Davis, no relation to Jane Davis, transitioned from fishing to clam farming in the mid-1990s. He and his father, Mike Davis, own Cedar Key Seafarms, one of the state’s leading wholesale clam distributors. “Before, as fishermen, we would go out and place nets wherever we thought the fish were,” Heath Davis said. “But clamming is like farming. We lease a 2-acre, underwater plot from the state and harvest the product from our designated field.” The Florida Aquaculture Plan In November, the Florida Aquaculture Review Council, the official conduit between FDACS and farmers, published the latest revision of the Florida Aquaculture Plan, a detailed list of research and development priorities. Florida’s climate, infrastructure, streamlined regulations and positive business environment have positioned the state to become the national leader in aquaculture, but innovation is required to remain competitive, according to the document. It’s a message Heath Davis echoed. “Aquaculture farming is such a huge part of Florida’s economy,” he said. “It could hold some of the answers needed to sustain the growing number of people living on this peninsula.”

The Light That Lasts: Exploring the Meaning and Magic of Hanukkah

Hanukkah may not be the biggest holiday in Judaism, but culturally it’s one of the most recognizable — a celebration of resilience, identity, family, and (let’s be honest) some of the world’s finest fried foods. Behind the candles and the dreidels is a deeper story that continues to resonate across generations, especially in a time when conversations about cultural identity, belonging, and freedom are front and centre. Where It All Begins: A Miracle of Light in a Time of Darkness Historically, Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem around 164 BCE after the Jewish people, led by the Maccabees, revolted against oppressive rule. When they reclaimed the Temple, tradition says only one day’s worth of purified oil remained — yet it burned for eight days. This “miracle of the oil” inspired the festival: eight nights of light triumphing over darkness, both literally and symbolically. Cultural Significance: A Celebration of Identity and Resilience Hanukkah stands as a powerful reminder of: Religious freedom — the right to practice one’s traditions openly Perseverance in the face of adversity The strength of cultural identity and community While it is not one of Judaism’s major holy days, its timing in the winter — often alongside Christmas — has made it a cornerstone of Jewish visibility in North America and worldwide. For many families, the holiday carries a warm mix of pride, heritage, and continuity: a chance to tell stories, honour ancestors, and reinforce cultural roots in a rapidly changing world. The Festive Side: Food, Family, Flame… and Spinning Tops Hanukkah traditions vary around the globe, but common themes include: Lighting the Menorah Each night, families add one more candle, filling homes with increasing brightness — a powerful metaphor for hope and persistence. Fried Foods Potato latkes, sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts), fritters — all fried to commemorate the oil of the miracle. Dieticians everywhere look the other way. Dreidel Games The spinning top (nun, gimel, hey, shin) is tied to historical stories of Jewish children studying Torah in secret. Today it’s mostly about bragging rights and chocolate coins. Gifts and Gatherings Gift-giving is a more modern tradition in some regions, influenced by cultural exchange with North American holiday norms. Looking for an angle or Story? Hanukkah in a multicultural society — how Jewish visibility shapes community identity The Maccabees and modern conversations about resistance and resilience Evolving Hanukkah traditions across the global Jewish diaspora Food as cultural storytelling — the symbolism of oil in holiday cuisine The rise of public menorah lightings and interfaith holiday events How Hanukkah has been portrayed in pop culture — and why representation matters Why Hanukkah Still Resonates Today Hanukkah is more than a ritual of candles — it’s a celebration of survival, spirit, and cultural pride. In a world where communities continue to navigate questions of identity, inclusion, and tradition, the Festival of Lights offers a meaningful lens on perseverance and the enduring human drive toward hope. Connect with an expert today! Journalists exploring religion, culture, family traditions, or seasonal celebrations can connect with Hanukkah scholars, Jewish studies experts, cultural historians, and community leaders on ExpertFile for interviews and deeper insights. Find your expert here: www.expertfile.com

Violence alters human genomes for generations, researchers discover

In February of 1982, the Syrian government besieged the city of Hama, killing tens of thousands of its own citizens in sectarian violence. Four decades later, rebels used the memory of the massacre to help inspire the toppling of the Assad family that had overseen the operation. But there is another lasting effect of the attack, hidden deep in the genes of Syrian families. The grandchildren of women who were pregnant during the siege — grandchildren who never experienced such violence themselves — nonetheless bear marks of it in their genomes. Passed down through their mothers, this genetic imprint offers the first human evidence of a phenomenon previously documented only in animal models. The genetic transmission of stress across multiple generations. “The idea that trauma and violence can have repercussions into future generations should help people be more empathetic, help policymakers pay more attention to the problem of violence,” said Connie Mulligan, Ph.D., a professor of Anthropology and the Genetics Institute at the University of Florida and co-senior author of the new study. “It could even help explain some of the seemingly unbreakable intergenerational cycles of abuse and poverty and trauma that we see around the world, including in the U.S.” While our genes are not changed by life experiences, they can be tuned through a system known as epigenetics. In response to stress or other events, our cells can add small chemical flags to genes that may quiet them down or alter their behavior. These changes may help us adapt to stressful environments, although the effects aren’t well understood. It is these tell-tale chemical flags that Mulligan and her team were looking for in the genes of Syrian families. While lab experiments have shown that animals can pass along epigenetic signatures of stress to future generations, proving the same in people has been nearly impossible. “Resilience and perseverance is quite possibly a uniquely human trait.” —Connie Mulligan Mulligan worked with Rana Dajani, Ph.D., a molecular biologist at Hashemite University in Jordan and co-senior author, as well as anthropologist Catherine Panter-Brick, Ph.D., of Yale University, to conduct the unique study. Dajani envisioned the research project; because of her intimate knowledge of the Syrian population and its tragic history, she designed the study to cover three generations of Syrian refugees to Jordan. Some families had lived through the Hama attack before fleeing to Jordan. Other families avoided Hama, but lived through the recent civil war against the Assad regime. The team collected samples from grandmothers and mothers who were pregnant during the two conflicts, as well as from their children. This study design meant there were grandmothers, mothers and children who had each experienced violence at different stages of development. A third group of families had immigrated to Jordan before 1980, avoiding the decades of violence in Syria. These early immigrants served as a crucial control to compare to the families who had experienced the stress of civil war. Study coauthor Dima Hamadmad, a Syrian researcher and the daughter of refugees, led the search for families that met the study criteria and collected cheek swabs from 138 people across 48 families. "The participants took part in the research out of love for their children and concern for future generations,” she said. “But more than that, they wanted their stories of trauma to be heard and acknowledged.” Back in Florida, Mulligan’s lab scanned the DNA for epigenetic modifications and looked for any relationship with the families’ experience of violence. In the grandchildren of Hama survivors, the researchers discovered 14 areas in the genome that had been modified in response to the violence their grandmothers experienced. These 14 modifications demonstrate that stress-induced epigenetic changes may indeed appear in future generations in humans, just as they can in animals. The study also uncovered 21 epigenetic sites in the genomes of people who had directly experienced violence in Syria. In a third finding, the researchers reported that people exposed to violence while in their mothers’ wombs showed evidence of accelerated epigenetic aging, a type of biological aging that may be associated with susceptibility to age-related diseases. Most of these epigenetic changes showed the same pattern after exposure to violence, suggesting a kind of common epigenetic response to stress – one that can not only affect people directly exposed to stress, but also future generations. “We think our work is relevant to many forms of violence, not just refugees. Domestic violence, sexual violence, gun violence: all the different kinds of violence we have in the U.S,” said Mulligan. “We should study the effects of violence. We should take it more seriously.” It’s not clear what, if any, effect these epigenetic changes have in the lives of people carrying them inside their genomes. But some studies have found a link between stress-induced epigenetic changes and diseases like diabetes. One famous study of Dutch survivors of famine during World War II suggested that their offspring carried epigenetic changes that increased their odds of being overweight later in life. While many of these modifications likely have no effect, It’s possible that some have functional effects that can affect our health, Mulligan said. The researchers published their findings, which were supported by the National Science Foundation, Feb. 27 in the journal Scientific Reports. While carefully searching for evidence of the lasting effects of war and trauma stamped into our genomes, Mulligan and her collaborators were also struck by the perseverance of the families they worked with. Their story was much bigger than merely surviving war, Mulligan said. “In the midst of all this violence we can still celebrate their extraordinary resilience. They have persevered,” Mulligan said. “That resilience and perseverance is quite possibly a uniquely human trait.”

Dinosaurs in New Mexico Thrived Until the Very End, Study Shows

For decades, many scientists believed dinosaurs were already dwindling in number and variety long before an asteroid strike sealed their fate 66 million years ago. But new research in the journal Science from Baylor University, New Mexico State University, the Smithsonian Institution and an international team is rewriting that story. The dinosaurs, it turns out, were not fading away. They were flourishing. A final flourish in the San Juan Basin In northwestern New Mexico, layers of rock preserve a hidden chapter of Earth’s history. In the Naashoibito Member of the Kirtland Formation, researchers uncovered evidence of vibrant dinosaur ecosystems that thrived until just before the asteroid impact. High-precision dating techniques revealed that fossils from these rocks are between 66.4 and 66 million years old – placing them in the catastrophic Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. “The Naashoibito dinosaurs lived at the same time as the famous Hell Creek species in Montana and the Dakotas... They were not in decline – these were vibrant, diverse communities.” – Daniel Peppe, Ph.D. “The Naashoibito dinosaurs lived at the same time as the famous Hell Creek species in Montana and the Dakotas,” said Daniel Peppe, Ph.D., associate professor of geosciences at Baylor University. “They were not in decline – these were vibrant, diverse communities.” Dinosaurs in their prime The New Mexico fossils tell a different story than originally thought. Far from being uniform and weakened, dinosaur communities across North America were regionally distinct and thriving. Using ecological and biogeographic analyses, the researchers discovered that dinosaurs in western North America lived in separate “bioprovinces,” divided not by mountains or rivers, but by temperature differences across regions. “What our new research shows is that dinosaurs are not on their way out going into the mass extinction,” said first author Andrew Flynn, Ph.D., ‘20, assistant professor of geological sciences at New Mexico State University. “They're doing great, they're thriving and that the asteroid impact seems to knock them out. This counters a long-held idea that there was this long-term decline in dinosaur diversity leading up to the mass extinction making them more prone to extinction.” Life after impact The asteroid impact ended the age of dinosaurs in an instant – but the ecosystems they left behind set the stage for what came next, the researchers said. Within 300,000 years of their extinction, mammals began to diversify rapidly, exploring new diets, body sizes and ecological roles. The same temperature-driven patterns that shaped dinosaur communities continued into the Paleocene, showing how climate guided life’s rebound after catastrophe. “The surviving mammals still retain the same north and south bio provinces,” Flynn said. “Mammals in the north and the south are very different from each other, which is different than other mass extinctions where it seems to be much more uniform.” Why the discovery matters today The discovery is more than a window into the past – it’s a reminder of the resilience and vulnerability of life on Earth. Conducted on public lands managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the research highlights how carefully protected landscapes can yield profound insights into how ecosystems respond to sudden global change. With a clearer understanding of the timeline of the dinosaurs’ final days, the study reveals not a slow fade into extinction but a dramatic ending to a story of flourishing diversity cut short by cosmic chance.

The Meaning Behind Hanukkah Meals

As families around the world prepare to celebrate Hanukkah, University of Rochester professor Nora Rubel can expound on the deeper stories behind the holiday’s foods, rituals, and evolving traditions. Rubel, a scholar of Jewish studies and chair of the Department of Religion and Classics, specializes in how Jewish identity is expressed through everyday practices and food. For instance, her work explores how dishes like latkes and sufganiyot (fried jelly donuts) carry meanings beyond the kitchen. “Food is one of the most powerful ways communities tell their stories,” Rubel says. “During Hanukkah, the foods we make and share help us remember the past, celebrate resilience, and connect with one another.” Hanukkah runs from Dec. 14 through Dec. 22 this year. Oil at the Heart of Hanukkah: Why Fried Foods Matter Many people recognize the holiday through its signature fried foods. But Rubel notes that these traditions developed over centuries and vary widely across cultures. • Ashkenazi Jews typically serve potato latkes. • Sephardic and Mizrahi communities prepare sufganiyot, bimuelos, zalabiya, and other fried sweets. • Some families incorporate dairy dishes, drawing on medieval interpretations of the Hanukkah story. What unites these foods, Rubel explains, is the symbolism of oil, which commemorates the miracle at the heart of the Hanukkah story. Many Ways to Celebrate Rubel emphasizes that Hanukkah is not a monolithic holiday. Its rituals, from lighting the menorah to singing blessings and exchanging gifts, vary across communities and generations. Some families add new traditions such as: • Hosting “latke tasting” gatherings • Experimenting with global Jewish recipes • Incorporating social justice themes into nightly candle-lighting • Sharing stories of family immigration and heritage “Hanukkah is a living tradition,” Rubel says. “It continues to evolve, and food is one of the ways people reinterpret what the holiday means for them today.” A Resource for Understanding Jewish Life Rubel’s broader scholarship focuses on American Jewish life, cultural memory, and how religious identities are shaped in the home as much as in the synagogue. She is a go-to resource for journalists covering holiday practices, regional Jewish cuisines, and the meaning behind rituals that shape the season, and is featured in “Family Recipe: Jewish American Style,” a new documentary now airing on PBS stations across the United States. Rubel is available for interviews throughout the Hanukkah period and beyond, and can speak to how traditions differ in Jewish communities around the world, the evolution of Hanukkah in American culture, and contemporary interpretations of rituals and identity. Click on Rubel's profile to connect with her.

“Lake Health Under the Microscope: RPI Researcher Offers First Real-World Look at Herbicide Impact”

In a recent Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute news release “RPI Collaborates on First-of-its-Kind Research Study to Keep New York Lakes Healthy,” Dr. Kevin Rose is featured as the essential expert behind an unprecedented field study of the aquatic herbicide florpyrauxifen-benzyl (FPB / ProcellaCOR) in New York lakes. As Director of the Darrin Fresh Water Institute (DFWI) at RPI, Rose helped lead the research team that examined long-term, real-world behaviour of the herbicide—discovering that while it disappears rapidly from open water, it lingers in lake-bed sediments for over a year and even spreads beyond original treatment zones. Rose’s involvement highlights his role in translating cutting-edge freshwater science into actionable insights for lake managers, regulators and communities. “New products are occasionally introduced into ecosystems as we work to prevent harm from threats like invasive species,” says Rose. “Many of these tools can bring tangible benefits, but it’s essential to understand their long-term impacts and potential unintended consequences.” Dr. Rose’s leadership brings clarity to an issue that can easily be oversimplified in public debate. By grounding the study in real-world field data rather than controlled laboratory assumptions, he provides a more accurate picture of how aquatic herbicides travel, transform, and linger in lake systems. His work highlights why science-based lake management — informed by long-term monitoring — is critical for maintaining the health, resilience and recreational value of New York’s freshwater ecosystems. For journalists covering invasive species, lake health, climate resilience, herbicide use or the future of freshwater ecosystems, Dr. Kevin Rose is an essential source. He brings both scientific authority and real-world relevance to a topic that affects communities, policy decisions and environmental outcomes across the state.  Click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

How UF researchers are helping Floridians to build resilience

When Hurricane Idalia hit the Big Bend region of Florida in 2023, Jeff Carney and his team were watching. A coalition of architects, planners, and landscape architects led by Carney worked closely with the tiny Gulf island of Cedar Key, which is particularly vulnerable to hurricanes, to prepare for this moment. The researchers had modeled for city officials how a major storm would flood the city’s core services. “Idalia caused flooding exactly where the maps said it would, including city hall, the historic downtown, older homes, and many streets,” Carney said. After the storm, Cedar Key moved city hall to higher ground, as outlined in the plan. And just in time. Barely a year later, Cedar Key was hit even harder by Hurricane Helene. Between the storms, Carney’s group had worked with the city to refine their storm preparation. The new plan focused more on resilience-boosting projects, like improving drainage around the city. Cedar Key finalized their plans just weeks before Helene. “A lot of the projects we put forward in this plan are in the process of seeking additional funding after Helene,” Carney said. A professor of architecture at the University of Florida, Carney directs the Florida Institute for Built Environment Resilience, or FIBER. A research institute in UF’s College of Design, Construction and Planning, FIBER engages with communities to understand how the designs of buildings and cities expose Floridians to risks — not just storms, but also excessive heat, poor air quality, even a lack of health care. FIBER faculty then work with cities to mitigate these hazards. By preparing for emergencies, upgrading buildings, and providing targeted services, communities across Florida are bolstering the resilience of their residents, all with expert help from UF researchers. Preparing to weather big storms That kind of resilience is especially important for some of Florida’s most vulnerable residents. Older and poorer Floridians face higher-than-average risks from natural disasters and other environmental hazards. That vulnerability was apparent in Cedar Key as it weathered the last two hurricane seasons. Centered around aquaculture and tourism, Cedar Key seems in many ways to be thriving. Yet, with the feel of a small fishing village, roughly 13% of its nearly 1,000 full-time residents are considered to be financially disadvantaged, according to U.S. Census data. Poorer residents may also have a harder time walking away from coastal communities devastated by storms. With savings invested into damaged homes and jobs tied to the local area, less-wealthy residents often have no choice but to stay and rebuild. Carney’s team helps people see the opportunities for rebuilding with a clearer vision of a future where rising sea levels are a reality. “You capture people’s attention and excitement when you can offer them options that are not doomsday,” said Carney, who has been working in Pine Island and Matlacha in Southwest Florida’s Lee County to help residents affected by recent storms prepare for the future. “There’s a lot of opportunity for rebuilding as long as you don’t try to have it be business as usual. We help people see how redevelopment can provide a community asset for the future,” he added. “We try to paint the picture of all the possible scenarios so people can find their own comfort level. It puts them in the driver’s seat.” Aging with fewer choices While that kind of agency is empowering, it can be harder to come by as people retire and find themselves facing tough decisions on fixed incomes. That’s a common experience in Florida, which has a larger proportion of seniors than any other state, due in part to its popularity as a retirement destination. More than 10% of Americans over the age of 65 live below the federal poverty line. This population often finds themselves moving to less safe places as they age. “Older people with more social vulnerability — such as low income or poor health — have a tendency to move to worse places,” said Yan Wang, Ph.D., a professor of urban and regional planning in the UF College of Design, Construction and Planning. “They are more likely to move to places with less economic stability, with less access to health care, and with more exposure to extreme weather.” Wang and postdoctoral researcher Shangde Gao, Ph.D., recently published a study that uncovered the risks low-income seniors face when moving. Compared to their peers with higher incomes, poorer seniors were more likely to end up in neighborhoods lacking access to health care facilities. To address these kinds of disparities, UF Health has launched mobile health units that can reach people who have trouble traveling to health centers, including low-income seniors. The Mobile Outreach Clinic provides primary care and referrals for specialists. And the newly launched cancer screening vehicle, which serves all of North Central Florida, can help catch the disease in the early stages when it is easiest to treat. It’s not just finding health care that’s a struggle. Older adults from minority racial groups were also more likely to increase their exposure to poor air quality and to natural disasters like flooding and hurricanes when they moved, Wang and Gao discovered. “If we understand the trend and causes of these income disparities better, we could better prepare some places with more health care resources or better hurricane preparation for these older populations,” Wang said. Building safer, healthier homes That preparation is happening right now in Jacksonville, not just for big storms but for the everyday nuisances and hazards — even the ones people are exposed to in their own homes — that threaten people’s lives and health. The Jacksonville Restore and Repair for Resiliency research initiative was founded to address these kinds of risks while improving energy efficiency. The R3 initiative, as it’s known, is a home remodeling program organized by a slew of community partners and supported by FIBER research on the impact of housing quality on health. The project aims to keep longtime residents of the Historic Eastside in their homes while addressing the home hazards that put people at risk for medical complications like asthma attacks and emergency room visits. “The designs of buildings impact human health and well-being,” said Lisa Platt, Ph.D., the lead researcher with the Jacksonville program and an assistant professor of interior design with FIBER. “Our research is helping the team prioritize the home improvements that will benefit residents’ health the most.” Jacksonville’s Eastside faces a lot of challenges. The population is older than the city as a whole. Roughly three-quarters of residents are over the age of 60, and the poverty rate is over 40%. Yet more than a third of residents own their own homes. Often passed down from previous generations, some of the houses are now over a century old and struggle to keep the intense Florida heat and humidity out. Platt’s research has modeled how things like high heat days — only growing more common in a warming world —are associated with increased emergency room use and poor perceived physical and mental health. That science helps guide the community partners to prioritize providing air conditioning and better insulation to protect Historic Eastside residents. To date, the Jacksonville program is targeting up to 70 homes for renovation. Builders have fixed holes in roofs, replaced drafty windows, and hooked up air conditioning for the first time, keeping the heat and humidity at bay and protecting residents’ health. Now the R3 initiative is applying for federal grants to expand the program. “I think the best way to approach this kind of community action research is with humility and outreach. Community members have amazing expertise. I always say, ‘I can build models to analyze the problem, but you are the ones that are the experts,’” Platt said. “That’s where UF can be most useful, is coming in from a perspective of service.”

When Markets Wobble (Part 2): How Canadians Can Use Home Equity as Their Ultimate Cash Wedge:

In an earlier post I laid out one of the foundational blocks of your retirement defense system: the "Cash Wedge" - that boring-but-brilliant cushion of cash, GICs, and T-Bills that protects you from selling investments when markets wobble. The Cash Wedge is the mild-mannered superhero of your retirement plan. It buys you time, flexibility, and peace of mind, as it gives you permission to wait for markets to recover—  Now if you missed Part 1, go back and give it a quick read here. For Canadian homeowners — especially those whose wealth is mostly in their property — there are additional options that allow you to use your equity as a second buffer, dramatically strengthening your financial resilience.  How Home Equity Strategies Can Help You Create a Backup Wedge for Retirement Here's the risk that catches thousands off guard: sequence-of-returns risk combined with home equity concentration. Translation: While you own your home, you encounter problematic market conditions early in retirement while withdrawing, and your options narrow quickly. Author Wade Pfau's research demonstrates that home equity can serve as a "buffer asset," shielding investments during economic downturns. Instead of selling investments when markets are down, it might be smarter to temporarily access a pre-arranged HELOC or reverse mortgage. Once markets recover, you can repay the credit line. This isn't debt panic — it's strategic damage control. Warren Buffett's Wisdom Applied to Canadian Retirement As an investor, Warren Buffett is the epitome of control and discipline. His now famous quote rings true in these times. “The stock market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient.” Translation for retirees: Keep dry powder. Own quality investments. Don't chase fads. And stop looking for the bottom — nobody knows where it is until it's in the rear-view mirror. The Canadian "Brick-and-Mortar" Retirement Strategy Listen up, homeowners. Canadians whose retirement plan is pretty much: buy a home, pay it off, and repeat; "we're mortgage-free" with pride. This strategy is very common and effective. But let's be honest: if your home is part of your retirement plan, economic changes matter even more. If you’re in this camp, you need to accept the facts and plan how you'll use your equity to secure your retirement. It’s better to have a ready, aim, fire approach than the more typical fire, ready, aim! When markets decline, central banks often cut rates. Lower rates can support real estate — but they don't guarantee rising prices. Meanwhile, inflation drives up costs, buyers' budgets fluctuate, property values can soften, and retirees feel the impact most quickly. Even a modest dip in home values creates real erosion in net worth when your home carries the bulk of your financial future. The Case for Securing Home Equity Access Now It's much easier to qualify for credit when home values are higher, finances are stable, and you're not already in a pinch. Your options: Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) This includes products like Manulife One: Competitive rates and flexible options — but retirees often face income qualification barriers. Reverse Mortgage: No income needed, no payments required. Plus, the No Negative Equity Guarantee — you can never owe more than your home is worth — but retirees dislike debt! HESA (Home Equity Sharing Agreement): You get cash now in exchange for sharing a percentage of your home's future appreciation. No monthly payments, not technically debt, but you give up a share of future gains. This isn't about needing money today. It's about safeguarding your future from having to sell, downsize, or rely on credit card debt because the economy experienced a mood swing. It's insurance — with a door handle. Building Your Cash Wedge: Step-by-Step Calculate 12–24 months of living expenses. Select where to store each layer (high-interest Savings Account, cashable GICs, T-Bills). Refill the wedge with income from dividends, distributions, or planned draws Monitor your situation closely.  If your income is tight: consider arranging a home-equity line or reverse mortgage as a backup wedge - not an emergency scramble. Review annually — cost of living changes, inflation changes, and so should your wedge. The Bottom Line for Canadian Retirees The real question isn't "Do I need a Cash Wedge?" It's "Can I afford NOT to have one?" Retirees have limited capacity to earn income to cover shortfalls. Budgets can tighten unexpectedly. Inflation doesn't seek permission. And sometimes the thing we think we'll never need becomes the lifeline that secures our retirement. Your retirement security comes from: Owning quality investment Building reliable dividend income Preparing smart home-equity backstops Keeping emotions out of financial decisions Avoiding saving too much while living too little The Cash Wedge is the most boring tool in your retirement plan — and the most powerful. Yet most financial plans ignore it.  Don't. Sue Don’t Retire… ReWire!!! Want to become an expert on serving the senior demographic? Just message me to be notified about the next opportunity to become a "Certified Equity Advocate" — mastering solution-based advising that transforms how you work with Canada's fastest-growing client segment.

The Retiree's Guide to Market Volatility: Building Your Financial Safety Net with a Cash Wedge Strategy

Let's get one thing straight: the stock market doesn't care that you're retired. It doesn't care that you finally cleaned out that drawer full of ancient T4 slips, promised yourself you'd stop checking your RRIF balance daily, or told your spouse, "This year, we're sticking to the plan." The Market Doesn't Care About Your Retirement Date Markets wobble because they wobble. Headlines panic. Analysts disagree sharply — and confidently. And somewhere, a retiree stands in front of the fridge, wondering whether to sell everything or simply turn off the news. But retirement isn't a day-trading contest; it's a decades-long longevity project. The aim is to generate reliable income, maintain sleep-at-night discipline, and avoid the common mistake among retirees of saving too much while living too little. Your Retirement Income Defense: Sectors That Weather Any Storm Read the news, and you'll see a constant blizzard of rising prices created by our neighbours to the south. Not just little price increases, but if economists are right about what we can expect, it's best to “inflation-proof” yourself - before you need it.  But keep in mind, every downturn follows the same pattern: a few key sectors keep humming while everything else goes through a mild identity crisis. The Classic Defensive Trio for Canadian Retirees: Consumer Staples (groceries, household essentials) Utilities (keeping the lights on and heat up) Healthcare (aging doesn't pause for recessions) Research on past downturns shows these sectors experienced significantly smaller losses than the S&P 500 during selloffs. When markets tantrum, these industries act like the sensible cousin who says, "We'll get through this. Have a muffin." Canadian-Specific Additions: Telecoms (we'll cut many things, but not Wi-Fi) Pipelines (fee-for-service revenue, though rate-sensitive) Combine these with low-volatility or dividend ETFs, and your portfolio suddenly feels less like a roller coaster and more like a slow-moving Via Rail train: reasonably steady, unfussy, and you still get to where you're going. The Cash Wedge: And Why You Need One Think of your retirement plan as a three-layer cake: Long-term investments (stocks, dividend ETFs, balanced portfolios) Intermediate safety assets (short GICs, T-bills, high-interest savings) Cash you can actually live on (your wedge) Your Cash Wedge sits at the very front of the line — a 12–24-month cushion of living expenses held in stable, boring, absolutely-not-newsworthy places: High-interest savings accounts Short-term GICs Treasury bills Cashable deposits It's essentially the "dry powder" you need to ride through market volatility without panic-selling. Three Critical Risks Your Cash Wedge Protects Against 1. Sequence-of-Returns Risk in Early Retirement This is the risk that markets drop early in your retirement while you're withdrawing. It's the silent killer of portfolios. A cash wedge buys you: Time for dividends to arrive Time for markets to recover Time for calm to return 2. Emotional Decision-Making During Market Downturns When markets fall, too many retirees experience "sell-and-suffer syndrome": They sell low Lock in losses Delay recovery Reduce the lifespan of their savings 3. Portfolio Depletion at Critical Moments Without a cash wedge, every withdrawal during a downturn digs a deeper hole. With a cash wedge, withdrawals can pause while investments rebound. "Think of a cash wedge as retirement jiu-jitsu — using stability to neutralize volatility." How to Calculate Your Ideal Cash Wedge Size There's no magic number, but here's a practical framework: 12 months of essential expenses for retirees with pensions or steady income sources 18 months for those relying heavily on investments 24 months for anyone highly risk-averse or aging in place on a fixed budget This isn't a pile of cash sitting in a chequing account — it's a structured, laddered buffer. Why Canadian Retirees Often Resist Building a Cash Wedge I've heard all of these comments over the years from many retirees: "Cash earns nothing." Not true anymore — HISAs and T-bills offer competitive yields. "I don't want my money sitting around doing nothing." It isn't doing nothing — it's protecting your future income. "I've always been fully invested." Retirement changes the rules. What worked during the accumulation phases of retirement can be dangerous during deaccumulation. The Cash Wedge is not an investment strategy. It is an income preservation strategy — the most important one in retirement. Real-Life Example: The 2020 Market Crash Test Remember 2020?  Stock markets dropped nearly 35% in just weeks. Let's consider two couples with similar assets: Couple A : had a 2-year cash wedge Couple B : had none Couple A simply shifted withdrawals from their wedge, not their portfolio. Couple B sold their best assets at their worst prices — causing permanent damage. This is why I tell retirees: "The Cash Wedge protects your portfolio from you." It’s 12–24 months of living expenses kept in cash, high-interest savings accounts (HISA), short-term GICs, or T-Bills. It's not exciting. No one flaunts a 6-month GIC at brunch. But the emergency fund prevents disaster: selling investments at the worst possible time. It buys you time. It buys you calm. It buys you the uninterrupted ability to buy groceries. The Cash Wedge alone is powerful. But for Canadian homeowners — especially those whose wealth sits mostly in their property — there’s a second buffer that can dramatically strengthen your financial resilience: your home equity.  We'll explore that in Part 2 of this post tomorrow.  Sue Don’t Retire… ReWire!!! Want to become an expert on serving the senior demographic? Just message me to be notified about the next opportunity to become a "Certified Equity Advocate" — mastering solution-based advising that transforms how you work with Canada's fastest-growing client segment.

How mitochondria shape brain health from childhood to old age

From the first spark of neural development to the challenges of ageing, Dr Lissette Sánchez Aranguren is uncovering how the cell’s powerhouses — mitochondria — hold the key to a healthy brain across the human lifespan. Her pioneering research at Aston University explores how these microscopic energy generators safeguard the brain’s communication network and how their dysfunction may underlie conditions such as dementia, stroke, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Mapping the brain’s energy defence system Dr Sánchez Aranguren’s work focuses on the partnership between brain cells and the blood vessels that nourish them — a relationship maintained by the blood–brain barrier. When mitochondria fail, that protective interface can weaken, allowing harmful molecules to penetrate and trigger inflammation or cell loss. Her team’s studies show that mitochondrial malfunction disrupts the dialogue between neurons and vascular cells, an imbalance seen both in the developing and ageing brain. To counter this, she and her collaborators have engineered a mitochondria-targeted liposome, a nanoscale “bubble” that delivers restorative molecules directly where they are needed most. By re-balancing cellular energy and communication, this innovation could one day reduce brain injury or slow neurodegenerative decline. From heart cells to the human mind Originally trained in cardiovascular science, Dr Sánchez Aranguren became fascinated by how mitochondria regulate energy and stress in blood-vessel cells — insights that ultimately led her toward neuroscience. View her profile here “Mitochondria do much more than produce energy. They send signals that determine how cells communicate and survive.” That realisation inspired her to trace mitochondrial signalling across the continuum of life — linking early brain development to later-life vulnerability. Her research now bridges traditionally separate fields of developmental biology, vascular physiology, and ageing neuroscience, helping identify shared molecular pathways that influence lifelong brain resilience. Global collaboration for a healthier brain Her work thrives on multidisciplinary and international partnerships. At  Aston, she collaborates with scientists from Coventry University, Queen’s University Belfast, and the University of Lincoln, alongside research partners in the Netherlands, Italy, Malaysia, and China. Together they integrate chemistry, biology, and computational modelling to understand mitochondrial function from molecule to organism — and translate discoveries into practical therapies. Towards mitochondria-targeted brain therapies The next frontier is refining these mitochondria-targeted nanocarriers to enhance precision and efficacy in preclinical models, while exploring how mitochondrial signals shape the brain’s vascular and neural architecture from infancy through adulthood. Dr Sánchez Aranguren envisions a future where protecting mitochondrial health becomes central to preventing brain disease, shifting medicine from managing symptoms to preserving the brain’s natural defence and repair systems. “If we can protect the cell’s own energy engines,” she says, “we can give the brain its best chance to stay healthy for life.”