Author: TECH

The average Social Security check hit $2,071 monthly in January 2026 with a 2.8% COLA. Medicare Part B premiums rose to $202.90 per month from $185. This consumes nearly one-third of the average COLA increase. Claiming Social Security at 62 permanently reduces benefits by approximately 30% compared to full retirement age. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans’ retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to reality. Read more here. Social Security benefits crossed a symbolic milestone in January 2026, with the average monthly check reaching $2,071. The 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment represents the mechanism designed to protect…

Gander residents and volunteer drivers Dean Small, Samantha Barnes, Barbara Tibbo and Eddie Freake – credit, submitted by Eddie Freake. When an Air Canada flight from Montreal to St. Johns was forced down on the tarmac in a small city during bad weather last week, the passengers were probably cursing their luck. But that’s only because they didn’t know at the time where they had landed. Gander, Newfoundland, has a history of showing up to stranded passengers in need, although it’s been 25 years since it was last called into action. Following the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World…

Editor Tom Pattinson introduces the new issue of Positive News magazine, which is out now What makes a city linger in the mind? Perhaps the glimmering skyline that comes into view through a train window. Maybe the smells and sounds of an unfamiliar street at dusk, or the reassuring walk home through a familiar neighbourhood. Cities are shaped as much by culture and community as by bricks and buildings. They are places where ideas collide, traditions take root and millions of lives overlap, day after day. In the Jan-Mar issue of Positive News magazine, we take a close look at…

image: Nicolas Sommet, a social psychologist and research manager at the LIVES Centre at the University of Lausanne Nicolas Sommet, Research Manager – LIVES Centre – University of Lausanne | nicolas.sommet@unil.ch  view more  Credit: KA / Centre LIVES A scientific certainty put to the test For decades, a consensus seemed established in the scientific literature: economic inequality harms the well-being and mental health of populations. Nicolas Sommet and his international team sought to rigorously verify this certainty — with results that challenge conventional wisdom. Research of unprecedented scale The team reviewed over 10,000 abstracts from ten international databases covering psychology, sociology, economics,…

The average retired worker received $2,012 in monthly Social Security benefits in 2025. Retirees in Connecticut have the highest monthly Social Security checks, averaging $2,196, while those in Mississippi have the lowest at $1,814. About 74 million Americans collect Social Security, averaging just over $2,000 each in benefits. The bulk of these Americans are retirees. The amount you get is largely based on your work history and age when you first claimed benefits. This year, recipients received a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment, which should bump up these average figures. Your location doesn’t directly affect your benefit amount, but average payments vary…

Estonia’s child helpline has seen a steady rise in calls, with one in ten now involving a child’s mental health. The Social Insurance Board (SKA) hopes a new tool will help. Last month, SKA’s Children’s Welfare Department put together 60 safe boxes to raise awareness and provide practical mental health support for kids.Safe boxes are personal kits children, teens and even adults can use when facing especially difficult thoughts or feelings. While they do not replace professional care, they can help ground someone and guide them step by step through their safety plan.  Also known variously as self-soothing, grounding, emergency…

57 years ago today, Led Zeppelin‘s debut album was released. It was recorded over just 36 hours at Olympic Studios in Barnes, London, costing the band just £1,782. Most of the tracks were performed ‘live’ in the studio, with very few overdubs added. The groundbreaking heavy rock LP spent more than a year—71 weeks—on the UK album chart, and the blues-based quartet became one the most influential bands in rock history. WATCH the video of Babe I’m Gonna Leave You, a TV segment that was recorded before a small audience on Danmark Radio / Danish TV in Copenhagen. (1969)    …

As we settle into 2026, health and wellness experts are spotlighting several transformative trends that could influence how people manage their bodies, minds and medical care. From artificial intelligence (AI)-driven diagnostics to shifting consumer habits around nutrition and preventative care, the year ahead promises to deepen long-term changes building through the mid-2020s.Personalised healthOne of the most significant themes for 2026 is a shift from reactive care—treating illness after symptoms arise—to prevention and personalisation. Health systems and consumers are increasingly focused on early detection, wellness memberships and advanced biomarker tracking, turning annual check-ups and bloodwork into tools for tailored health action…

Jan N. DeFehr is an associate professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Winnipeg and an associate of The Taos Institute and a member of the Faculty for Palestine, Manitoba. She is also a member of the York University Mad Studies Hub. She earned her PhD in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Tilburg University, the Netherlands. Before entering academia, she spent many years as a clinical social worker, working alongside people who were trying to make sense of their distress within, and often in spite of, the mental health system. Her teaching, research, and course development focus on…

These changes could determine your future benefit.When you’re in the thick of your career, it’s easy to think that annual Social Security changes aren’t relevant to you. You’re not claiming checks, or at least you’re not wholly dependent on them. So what difference does a few dull updates for inflation make for you? Many people won’t notice any major changes compared to last year. But there are three groups of workers who will feel the effects of the 2026 Social Security updates. If you belong to one of these groups, the size of your future benefit — and possibly your…