September
Health
 We all want to save money on prescription drugs but ... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers not to purchase prescription drugs from web sites that have orders filled by Mediplan Prescription Plus Pharmacy or Mediplan Global Health in Manitoba, Canada following reports of counterfeit versions of prescription drug products being sold by these companies to U.S. consumers. The FDA is investigating these reports and is coordinating with international law enforcement authorities. FDA Article on Canadian Drugs.
A Balance of Bacteria. The term "probiotics" is showing up on our food labels.
Why this interest in probiotics? What do you need to know about this new label? Probiotics are also known as friendly bacteria and they are vital to proper development of the immune system, to protection against agents that could cause disease, and to the digestion and absorption of food and nutrients. Interactions between a person and the microorganisms in his body, and between the microorganisms themselves, can be crucial to the person's health and well-being. NIH tell you more about it in Getting to Know Probiotics.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, therapies, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. The U.S. public’s use of CAM increased substantially since the 1990s. This report presents selected estimates of CAM use among U.S. adults, using data from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Health insurance cost is a major consideration for most people in the United States. What are the common characteristics of the groups with and without coverage? This comprehensive report from the census bureau presents data on
health insurance coverage
in the United States based on
information collected in the 2006. The report presents characterizes the insured and uninsured along the dimensions of race,
origin, nativity, and region.
Other topics include earnings of
full-time workers; poverty
among families; and health insurance
coverage of children.
When given the names of screening tests to detect certain cancers (e.g., mammogram,
Fecal Occult Blood Test), the majority of Americans say they have heard of the tests,
and many Americans say they have been screened for cancer. However, most people
are not sure at what age they should begin screening, or how often they should be
tested. In this HINTS Brief, the National Cancer Institute explores people’s knowledge about screening tests
for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer and summarizes current testing recommendations.
Lifestyle
PEW Research has begun a project on the internet and American Life. The report includes information on online activities, technology and media, and the evolution of the internet. An interesting section is internet trends that tell you about the characteristics of who's on line.
Would you like to hear your favorite music or artists while working on your computer? Would you like to learn about news songs with characteristics you are likely to enjoy? For almost six years now, the Music Genome Project worked on a comprehensive analysis of music. The team of thirty musician-analysts listened to music, one song at a time, studying and collecting hundreds of musical details like melody, harmony, instrumentation, rhythm, vocals, lyrics ... and more - close to 400 attributes! Using their analysis, now you can create your own radio-on-the-web stations playing the music type or artist you like at Pandora.
The Price of Freedom: Americans at War surveys the history of America’s military from the French and Indian Wars to the present conflict in Iraq, exploring ways in which wars have been defining episodes in American history. You can visit the exhibition on line from the Smithsonian and the National Museum of American History.
Identity thieves trick the unwary into revealing their personal details by telling them they've failed to report for jury duty and warrants for their arrest are being issued. You can read more about this and other urban legends at Snope's.
Controlling your weight calls for more than just
choosing a healthy variety of foods. It also calls for
looking at how much and how often you eat. This brochure from the National Institute of Health shows you how to use serving sizes to help you eat
just enough for you.
Religion has always been a major force in U.S. politics, but the recent surge in the number and the power of evangelicals is recasting the country's political scene -- with dramatic implications for foreign policy. Foreign Affairs magazine looks at God's Country in its September/October 2006 issue and tells its readers about the similarities and differences among evangelicals, fundamentalists, liberal Christians.
Money
Are you saving enough to retire? Listen to this excellent program from Public Television streamed onto your computer. There are also many links to financial specialists and articles that provide valuable information on What You Need to Know about Retirement.
As the owner or potential owner of a small business, there may come a time when you need more capital. Entrepreneurs usually look for loans to capitalize the startup of a new business, increase the inventory of an existing business, expand their physical location or acquire other companies. A series of educational articles from US News and World Report covers not only Business Banking basics, but also provide instruction on taxes, cash flow, financial planning, leasing equipment, employee and legal issues for a new, small business.
Should you be worried if the CEO of your favorite investment buys a new yacht? This not so tongue-in-cheek article from Slate's Moneybox will definitely give you some food for thought.
What should you do to get your end-game finances in shape? Begin your estate planning -- even if you're still a spring chicken. Learn about passing assets on to your loved ones in a variety of ways, not all of which go through probate or are made public. This advice from the Motley Fool recommends that you Die Like Frank Sinantra - "And now, the end is near;
And so I face the final curtain.
I planned each charted course;
Each careful step along the byway,
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way." - -- "My Way," by Jacques Reveaux, Claude Francois, Paul Anka
Work
Rules for paying your employees. When does the minimum wage act apply to employees who earn tips? What are the rules for paying over time to managers? NOLO answers these and other questions related to employee compensation and the Fair Labor Standards Act. NOLO is the nation’s leading provider of do-it-yourself legal solutions.
How To Prep Laptops For Airport Security. The rules of air travel are changing and some companies are beginning to rethink laptop security policies in light of the United Kingdom's ban on electronic devices in airplane cabins.
Security providers are offering a few tips for travelers flying in and out of the United Kingdom. Guidelines for laptop security and a discussion of issues are presented from TechWeb.
Setting up an e-commerce site? Here are a few things you need to know to do it right. Included is information on organization, design, navigation and using images. Check it out at Essential of a Web Site
What can you learn about how your business is going to do in the future and what unmet niches you could tackle - Talk to Your Customers and learn. In an enlightening piece about the experiences of a CEO, David McQuillen of Fast Company magazine offers insights for all businesses in his article: Talk to Our Customers? Are You Crazy?.
Does it always feel like you've got a million things to do at once? To succeed, it may be to your advantage to procrastinate. This simple act can help set priorities and give each task the attention it deserves. Putting tasks off can raise our energy and free our minds to help us see opportunities where others perceive obstacles. Follow these steps to make procrastination productive for you.
August
Health
How many calories do you burn in daily activities? Best Health provides you with several individual calculators to aid in achieving and maintaining good health including assessing nutritional needs, fiber requirements, stress assessment, and risk factors.
If you or someone you love is seriously ill - ask tough questions. What should you ask your doctor, lawyer, insurance agent, or your support team. This short article provides suggested questions for those professionals. When you are too worried to think straight - here is some useful guidance.
How angry are you? Do you slam down the phone when faced with endless computerized voice prompts? Have you gotten into a shouting match with a stranger over a parking space at the mall?
Although anger is a natural emotion, it may be getting the best of you. Instead of expressing your anger in a healthy and assertive way, you may be expressing it in a hostile, aggressive manner — a manner that could lead to violence. Use these questions in evaluating your anger management strategies.
Of the 176 medical centers that appearing in the US News's America's Hospitals find out which ones earned Best Hospital Rank And, while you are there, check out the most wired hospitals - that is, those that were found to best use information technology in patient care - being wired.
Lifestyle
The Web is an environment that builds communities. A community is more than shared a location. It can be any group that comes together through a common interest. The web has extended the possibilities of your community to include the world. You can join a community or start your own. This article describes the experiences and advice of a successful web community builder - Craig Newmark.
A fun new web site for those thinking about transitions and improving the quality of life is called Eons. Eons.com is a free web site celebrating the life that can begin at 50. You can explore travel, re-invent your career, nurture relationships, and give back to your community. For example you can find information on "quick tips to save money around the house" or how to "train your brain with mental exercises".
How has the web changed the style and usefulness of print media? This article on Dead-tree News provides a lively discussion by industry experts on media in the age of the internet. Are newspapers on the path to extinction? How are small town newspapers different from those in metropolitan areas? Thoughtful presentation about a major shift in our way of learning about the world.
If you are trying to watch your wasteline, you may be interested in this research on the impact of tableware size on eating. Experts have documented a number of environmental factors that influence consumption, including the variety of food, music, temperature, and whether people are dining with a faster or slower eater. The size of tableware also appears to be a factor that influences consumption.
Money
If you are moving out of an employer sponsored pension/retirement plan, you may want to check out a getting a Simplified Employee Pension (SEPs). Under a SEP, an employer (which could be you) contributes directly to traditional individual retirement accounts. A SEP does not have the start-up and operating costs of a conventional retirement plan and allows a contribution of up to 25 percent of each employee’s pay. The SEP Retirement Plans for Small Businesses information is provided by the US Department of Labor.
Is a recession on the horizon? Last week, the Commerce Department reported that the pace of economic growth had slowed dramatically, from a 5.6 percent annual rate in the first quarter to a 2.5 percent annual rate in the second quarter. What do the professionals say the report may mean to you?
Retirement Planning for the Soul - find helpful strategies for getting the most out of life after retirement through the My Next Phase Web site. Or read about the experiences of one skeptical reporter using the site's services.
When professionals forecast future economic events, they frequently cite key economic indicators. The National Bureau of Economic Research provides information on what forecast reports are available, when, and what they say. The site has an almost overwhelming list of reports, the schedule for release of new information, and historical data. If you are serious about managing your investments, you may want to access this site routinely.
Work
Strategies for Surviving
Your Flexible Schedule. So you finally decided to try a flexible work schedule to achieve more balance in your work-home life. Before making the decision final, you may want to check out some potential downside issues. This Wall Street Journal article helps you look at some of the realities of non-traditional work schedules.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Telecommuting . It’s important to note that telecommuting isn’t for everyone or every job. There are some positions that require an employee to be onsite 100% of the time. To make things more complex, different jobs have different challenges to overcome to make telecommuting work well. Recognizing the strengths, weaknesses, benefits, and pitfalls of telecommuting, can develop a productive solution to make it not only a win-win situation, but one of the most attractive and powerful programs offered by a company. So says Dan Higgins in his article "The Power of Partial Commuting" in the software game development business.
One money making strategy for those developing and maintaining web sites is to offer advertising space in exchange for money. What should you know about putting ads on your space? What are your options? What do you have to do to make this work for you? Here is an introductory article on the topic from Entrepreneur Magazine.
Whether you are starting your own business or just want to commensurate with others in the corporate workforce, here are Twenty Dumb Things Organizations Do to disrupt effective employee performance. Learn from the mistakes of others and create your own lean, mean, fighting machine.
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July
Health
Does your personal fitness plan meet your personal needs? The more closely your fitness and exercise plan suits your specific health needs and schedule, the more likely it is that you will follow it. This site provides several tools for a personalized fitness plan to help you develop a balanced workout that works best for you.
Herbal medicines have been used for centuries to treat what ails us and to improve the functioning of our body and mind. A highly recommended herbal reference is The Green Pharmacy published by Rodale Press. The online information is easily searchable over 125 health conditions including allergies, arthritis, colds, infections, and sciatica.
Being a Smart Patient. Most patients don’t do a great job of communicating with their doctors because patients do not know how to tell the doctor what is wrong and what is needed. The first sign of a Smart Patient is a document they prepare for their first
visit - their health profile. The Smart Patient provides advice on preparing for your doctor visit, creating your health profile, and checking out medical care in your area.
Medical research news you can use. Research into what works best among optional treatments is called “comparative effectiveness” research. Through such work, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides doctors, patients, and policy makers with information they need to choose among treatment options. This article on What Works Best looks at several conditions including prevention of heart disease and diabetes.
A whole lot of information about whole grains. Do you know why you should eat more whole grains? Do you know where to find whole grains and how to use them? Do you know what body functions are improved by eating whole grains? Check it out at The Whole Story.
Lifestyle
Tune in to your spiritual life. Everyday concerns become portals where peace can take us by surprise, and each new day deepens our sense of wonder and growth. Regardless of the tradition you grew up with or the one you practice now, these activities offer a way to reconnect to what’s meaningful in your life. Guide for Protecting Your Spiritual Life.
July is the month that the United States celebrates its independence. This is a great reason to visit the Smithsonian's Price of Freedom exhibit. The presentations survey the history of America’s military experience from the French and Indian Wars to the present conflict in Iraq, exploring ways in which wars have been defining episodes in American history. You can view the exhibit by selecting items along a timeline or browse the many resources at the National Museum of American History.
Another fun and uplifting celebration of America's symbol of independence is the eagle cam sponsored by the National Wildlife Fund. You can watch streaming video from a webcam mounted about 30 feet off the ground pointed toward the nest or see snapshots updated every 30 seconds.
Find hundreds of healthy recipes from the Mayo Clinic's Healthy Eating. In this well organized site, you can search by special diets like "healthy carbs" or "low fat", or select recipes based on ingredients, course, or preparation method.
"Some of the smartest people I've ever met, I've never met" says Hillary Johnson in this article on blogs for Inc magazine. People may think of blogs as public diaries kept by the kinds of egotists who make loud, inappropriate political comments at family barbecues or hog the discussion at book clubs, or wannabe journalists who post inflammatory stories with no fact-checking. There certainly are plenty of those. But reading blogs created by business and technology leaders can provide information and insight to aid your life transitions. Johnson's article is a good place to start. Also recommended, from my own experience, are: Boing Boing, Gladwell's updated at least monthly by Malcomb Gladwell, author of Blink and The Tipping Point, The Daily Kos, and Paul English's blog. If you spend a bit of time in the blogsphere, you will find your own favorites. You can search for blogs by topic at Google's Blog Search.
Money
Smart Spending - In becoming a smart shopper you must first distinguish between your needs and wants. With each purchase ask yourself why a want has suddenly become a need and why it is so necessary to have the item now. This article provides guidance on Planning, Delaying Gratification, Cutting expenses by becoming a wiser consumer, and how to live by the principle that "a dollar saved is a worth more than a dollar earned". Key Principles of Smart Spending. There are also additional web and text resources at the end of the article to continue your education.
Financial Education. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) recognizes the importance of financial education, particularly for people with little or no banking experience. That's why they created Money Smart, a training program to help adults outside the financial mainstream enhance their money skills and create positive banking relationships. The site covers saving, credit, checking, and your rights as a consumer.
Should you invest in an annuity? An annuity is a contract between the buyer and an insurance company. In general, the insurance company promises to do something with the buyer’s money -- like grow it or pay it out over a number of years. Common characteristics of annuities are:
- Tax-deferred growth and compounding within the annuity contract
- Guaranteed rates of return on your dollars
- Guaranteed lifetime payments if you annuitize (in some cases you don’t even have to annuitize in order to receive this benefit)
A word of caution: the guarantees are only as strong as the insurance company that issued the annuity. In other words, if the insurance company fails, the promise is no good. Annuities A-Z from Yahoo Finance provides an overview of annuity types. About.com offers general information about Annuity Premiums, Equity Indexed Annuities, and Is an Annuity Right for You. Most insurance company web sites also offer detailed education about their offerings.
How long should you keep those financial records? Probably the next most important thing to organizing retirement records and documents is deciding what to keep and what to discard. Although you may want to "keep everything just in case", that's not always practical. Here are some thoughts on what to throw out and what to store.
Can you afford to retire? A Public Broadcasting special run recently is supported by a web site with topic information, discussions, streaming video, and a plethora of other information. See Frontline page at: PBS Frontline Retirement Story.
Work
Your business card is a powerful business tool. It's compact, energy-efficient, low-cost, low-tech, and keeps working for you hours, weeks and even years after it leaves your hands! What are the do's and don'ts of making your card work for you?
It's time to tune up your career. Whether you love your job or hate it, summer is the best time all year to make career lemonade. The long, lazy days of summer are perfect for assessing what is really important to you as you start to make plans and lay a foundation for the changes you seek in the Fall. Here are 10 tips to get your career plan together.Ace Your Job Interview. Your resume did its job and you’ve landed an interview for a position you really want. Now what? Here is some advice from recruiters and human resource managers around the country for succeeding in that interview.
How to make a success on your new job from day one. It can be tough starting a new job. Look at the numbers: about one-quarter of all new hires won't make it through their first year, according to research from the Employment Policy Foundation; almost half - 46% - of rookies wash out in the first 18 months. So what should you do to improve your chances of staying? Here are a list of Fatal Mistakes that can sabotage your chances.
What and more importantly who you know can be the key to successfully starting your own business. For the past 10 years, adults ages 55 to 64 have been the group most likely to start a new business, according to a study released in May by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. And now that baby boomers are reaching retirement age, the trend is only going to grow. People are living longer and are more likely to pursue dream businesses rather than tend to their gardens when their workaday lives are done.Here are some inspirations for those thinking of going-it-alone.
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JUNE
Health
How capable are you of changing your behavior to improve your health? Eat better. Exercise. Save more. Spend less. We may have well-meaning intentions to improve but, new research by Donnel Briley of the University of Sydney and Jennifer Aaker of the Stanford Graduate School of Business indicates that the our cultural background dramatically impacts our ability to set goals or make choices that are best for the long term, particularly in the areas of health and finances. (posted June 2006)
Which vitamin supplements do you really need? There have been countless studies in the last decade that provide convincing evidence of the overall merit of quality vitamin/multi-nutrient supplementation. But which supplements have been scientifically evaluated with published results in peer-reviewed medical journals. This article provides an overview of current research on supplements. Although the newsletter writer, Dr. Allen Josephs, has a horse in this race as they say, being the president of Vitacost, the cited research may also be checked out in the referenced journals. In Defense of Vitamin Supplements (posted June 2006).
Staying healthy after 50. If you are 50 or older, this guide from the Department of Health and Human Services may help you stay
healthy. Here is what is in each of the five sections.
- Your Doctors and Nurses—What To Ask
Them and What To Tell Them.
- Staying Healthy—How To Take Charge of
Your Health.
- Checkups,Tests, and Shots—Which Ones
You Need and When To Get Them.
- More Resources for Good Health—Where
To Get More Information.
- Checkup checklist
posted June 2006
Why eat more whole grains? The strongest evidence for eating whole grains is for improved cardiovascular
functioning says Eric Rimm, an
associate professor of epidemiology
and nutrition at the Harvard University
School of Public Health. Get the whole story of whole grains. (posted June 2006)
Reading glasses - no more! Presbyopia---the inability to focus on close objects resulting in blurred vision---affects 100 percent of people by age 50. Historically, laser correction of the intraocular lens for presbyopia has been proposed, but it is risky because there is no way to monitor the procedure---no way for ophthalmologists to see what they are doing to the lens being cut. But a tool developed at the University of Michigan allows for a potentially noninvasive, painless fix to presbyopia using tiny bubbles that help ophthalmologists reshape the eye’s lens and restore its flexibility and focusing ability. (posted June 2006).
Lifestyle
Spend some quality time with your favorite authors. During your transitioning, you may find you can spend some time reading those books that have been waiting on your shelf. Your understanding and appreciation of the books may be enhanced by increasing your knowledge of the author's background and world views. This great site can help. Eye on Books has over 1700 author interviews with more added each week. In addition to recent interviews, the site has a well organized listing by book and by author for you to enjoy. Posted June 2006.
Getting the Data Right. We all know the web has a tremendous amount of information available. So, you have to be grateful when an organization makes your search for data easier. Here is a site that gives you a quick reference for catalogues of data. You can access census data, religion data, archives of natural science data, economic data and much, much more. Made available through the efforts of the University of California at San Diego, the Searchable Catalogues of Data is a wonderful resource of general and specific information gathering. (posted June 2006)
Learning to cope with difficulties. Transitions can be difficult and stressful. Author Peter Albert suggests you practice coping strategies when things are going well, so you will be prepared to handle and solve problems when they arise.
Posted June 2006.
New survey reveals baby boomers are planning to live, not retire. Baby Boomers are set to change the face of retirement as they plan to travel, take up new hobbies, spend time with family and work at least part time, according to a survey released by the Commonwealth Bank. Posted June 2006.
Yoga has been shown to help alleviate or reduce many health challenges making it an increasingly popular exercise choice for the folks in transition. On the whole, we live longer than we used to, and we all want high-quality living and good health to be a part of our older years. As we grow older, however, we typically become more susceptible to ailments that are linked to aging, and, as a result, we tend to move less. Although many of us feel that we should follow the advice of “taking it easy” as we grow older, that is actually what we shouldn't do.
You can learn more about Yoga techniques and suggested activities for seniors in Yoga 50+. Posted June 2006
Money
How effectively are your tax dollars being spent. If you ever wondered about the success or failure of federal programs that use your tax dollars, the Office of Management and Budget has a web site that gives you a score card. You can search the site by successes, failures, and keywords. The site, Expect More, is backed with lots of good information and links to please you or make you angry. Posted June 2006.
Getting a grant for a small business. The small business grant you need to start or expand your business may be available right in your own home state.
While there are no direct small business grants available from the federal government, many state development agencies offer direct small business grants and other types of financial assistance designed to encourage and assist entrepreneurs in starting or expanding a small business. You can check out potential grants and grant sources at state development agencies list from About.com. Posted June 2006.
How to Save Money Shopping On-line. The amount of money being spent online increases every year as more people come to accept the convenience of online shopping and gain more confidence in its safety. Vendors who sell online often deliver attractive rates, simply because the competition is stiff. You can learn more about successful on line shopping from the money instructor. Posted May 2006.
What about Rebates? Many products today are sold with rebates to entice your purchase including items such as digital cameras, flat-screen TVs, computers, and other electronics. But, only an estimated 50% to 70% of buyers redeem their rebates because these discounts are not always easy to claim. Many manufacturers and retailers have come under scrutiny for delaying payment, imposing hard-to-fulfill restrictions or making forms too complex -- and therefore, too easy to reject. Check out what's being done to protect you. Posted June 2006.
Work
Things to do when starting a business - Every year, thousands of Americans launch small businesses to sell their products or services. Some businesses thrive; many fail. There is no one magic secret to creating a successful business--if there were, all businesses would be successful--partly because there will always be factors beyond an owner’s control, such as the state of the market and the economy.
Still, the more you know about starting a business, the more power you have to form an organization that develops into a lasting source of income and satisfaction. For help with the beginning stages of operating a business, the following checklist from NOLO is a great place to start. Nolo is the nation’s leading provider of do-it-yourself legal solutions for consumers and small businesses. Their goal is to help people handle everyday legal matters -- or learn enough about them to make working with a lawyer a more satisfying experience. Posted June 2006
Deductions Your Small Business Shouldn't Miss. You may also want to check out this NOLO publication on small business deductions. NOLO provides guidance on automobile expenses, travel, entertainment, and professional expenses that can be deducted from your profits. The complete article on deductions is available here. Posted June 2006
There is power in your closet and it is in the color of your clothes. How you dress when meeting customers, lenders, or potential employers can impact the success of your interaction. Author and motivational speaker, Linda Thomas, tells all about it in The Pigment Principle on her web site - Powerful Appearance. Linda tell us that all people have a physiological response to color. You must dress appropriately for what you want to achieve. Posted June 2006.
Stress at work can make you sick. Some employers assume that stressful working conditions are a necessary evil-that companies must turn up the pressure on workers and set aside health concerns to remain productive and profitable in today's economy. But research findings challenge this belief. Studies show that stressful working conditions are actually associated with increased absenteeism, tardiness, and intentions by workers to quit their jobs-all of which have a negative effect on the bottom line. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related illness and injury including this report on Stress at Work. Posted June 2006.
Everything you wanted to know about finding a career counselor. This article is subtitled, "How do you Know When it is Time to Go?" This article provides information on when to see a career counselor, what to expect, and what to ask. If you are planning a career move, see this enlightening article from Fast Company Career Counseling. Posted May 2006
Fatal Mistakes in your new job. Whether you are changing careers in mid-life or just beginning your career, you should know that about one-quarter of all new hires won't make it through their first year, according to research from the Employment Policy Foundation. These numbers don't just apply to the entry level employees, either. In fact, other studies suggest that the higher up in an organization you climb, the more likely you are to fail. Indeed, 53% of managers and executives brought on board from outside are gone within a year. Here is some guidance on what to watch out for in your new job. Posted June 2006.
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MAY
Health
According to a report from the Center for Disease Control 2004, 62% of Americans routinely use alternative medicines including people in the age group for life transitions. Herbal supplements are one of their frequent choices of alternative medicines. The medical research community has begun evaluating the usefulness of some herbal medicines through rigorous clinical studies. Although the research results are mixed, there are many positive findings about the efficacy of herbs for treating common ailments and building the immune system. Two sites that provide information on herbal medicines are Top Ten Researched Herbs and The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicines (NCCAM). The Top Ten Herbs article includes a brief overview of general research findings on herbs such as garlic, bilberry, and ginkgo biloba. NCCAM evaluated herbs for treating specific conditions normally treated by traditional medicine including echinacea for colds, glucosomine for joints, and St. John’s Wort for depression. (posted May 2006)
Meditation for health purposes is a mind-body and spiritual practice using certain techniques, such as focusing attention; a specific posture; and an open attitude toward distracting thoughts and emotions. Meditation can be practiced to increase relaxation, mental calmness, to cope with diseases and conditions, and for overall wellness. The National Center for Alternative and Complementary Medicine provides an excellent overview of meditation, its practice, and the way that it works in Meditation for Health Purposes (Posted May 2006).
Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women as they get older. In the past, many research studies on cardiovascular health did not fully include women. But recent research has begun changing that omission. Longitudinal studies such as the Framingham study underscore
the importance of evidence-based practice for chronic disease prevention. The American Heart Association recently published a detailed review of risk identification and preventative recommendations based on hundreds of clinical studies. Their recommendations are presented in Evidence-Based Guidelines for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Women. Posted May 2006
Getting Better! The goal of transitioning from a hectic, stressful lifestyle, to a life that is more relaxed and put together is to live a longer and healthier life. Research summarized by Public Agenda on aging discusses the status of current research and future research directions that promote Aging Gracefully (Posted May 2006).
Lifestyle
What are your children saying? If you receive an email or text message that seemed to be in its own foreign language with lots of capital letters, don't panic. This is just another sign that the world of communication is speeding up. What you see is a whole new shorthand. To help you come up to speed, this shorthand has been somewhat standardized including common abbreviations like: LOL (laugh out load), B4N (bye for now), FWIW (for what its worth). You can get a quick course on this net shorthand at Netlingo and Webopedia. Posted May 2006.
Our children's future. The idea that each generation of children will grow up to be better off than the one that preceded it is part of the American dream. But barely a third of adults expect things to work out that way for today’s
children, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
You can read the entire report at: The Future Ain't What is Used to Be (posted May 2006)
Where to live in your retirement years? Many folks still move to Florida for retirement, but now there is competition. Today's retirement magnets are also university towns, resort destinations, and suburban oases of major cities. They are small cities like Oxford, Miss. Madison, Wis. and Medford, Ore. They are regions like the Pacific Northwest, the Texas Hill Country, and the Ozarks.Read about this population shift at: Go West not so young man. Posted May 2006.
Counting those Carbs? But feel like your missing out on some good stuff. Well there is a store for your treats without the bad stuff like refined sugar and flour. You can find cookies, brownies, candy, baking mixes, and much more at Sugarless Delite. They will ship anywhere and even have an EBAY store. Posted May 2006.
Finding Answers - Beyond Search. When you want basic information about someone or something, try plugging your query into Answers.com's general search field, or browse their ever-expanding directory of reference material. The information you pull up will include dictionary definitions and encyclopedia articles culled from resources licensed from a variety of publishers. Posted May 2006
Fun things to do on the web. If you have not yet looked at Google Earth, the site is definitely worth a visit. You can zoom in on an image of your house or see a picture to aid in understanding driving directions. Another interesting site gives you the names, addresses, and phone numbers of many of your neighbors. You begin at White Pages.com and enter your name and address as they appear in your local white pages directory. After you confirm that they found you, select FIND NEIGHBORS. You should get a list of folks on your street. Beware there are many ads and offers on this site that you may not be interested in - just skip those. Posted May 2006.
Money
Smart Money Investing - Whether your transition involves starting your own business or clipping coupons, having money to back you is essential. Investing in stocks and bonds may seem like gambling, but, the odds are stacked in your favor. This set of three interactive lectures explain why. The brief tutorial provides an introduction to stock market terms and market behavior. Investing 101. Warning - you may need to disable your popup blocker to view this page. Posted May 2006.
Learn from other's mistakes when starting your own business. For many people, starting their own business is a dream come true. But too many entrepreneurs see their dreams fall apart - their firms fail because of common pitfalls that could have been avoided.
One-third of small businesses fail in the first two years, according to the Small Business Administration, and a little more than half fail within the first five years.
But that doesn't mean you have to give up your dream. Here are five Common Mistakes to avoid when building a successful business. Posted May 2006.
The Motley Fool web site has advice about money matters from Tom and David Gardner. The name was inspired by Shakespeare's "As You Like It" where court jesters recognized that to understand certain things, you had to strip off their outer layer of pomposity. The Motley Fool Web site is filled with interesting tips and advice on investing and enjoying your money. Begun in 1994, the Motley Fools have seven newsletters, have published eight books, are syndicated in over 200 newspapers, and appear regularly on National Public Radio. One useful set of Motley Tools are the Fool Calculators. Here you can find out: "how much it will cost to raise and educate a child", "how to finance your next major purchase" , and "should you consolidate your credit cards". Posted May 2006.
Law and Your Business. Whether starting your own business or just making it through life's activities, you need to know how financial and contract law impacts your decisions. The Find Law Web site in their Public Section contains a truckload of information and resources on everything from living wills to bankruptcy to divorce. Posted May 2006.
Work
Using Job Boards - An effective way to learn more about job opportunities and the experience of others who are transitioning from one work environment to a less stressful one is job boards. On a job board you can read or contribute to discussions on specific jobs, professions, and home businesses. Typically the main site has hundreds of discussion groups on a huge variety of topics. You enter keywords for your topic of interest and are presented with a hyperlinked list of groups that match your interests. Two useful job boards are Monster Discussion Boards and Yahoo Discussion Groups. Posted May 2006
A Work from Home project everyone can do is to clean out the mess in your garage, kitchen, or bedroom and sell your unwanted items on EBay. If you have not used EBay to buy and sell items - it may be time to check it out. EBay Main Page - select Registration. EBay is simple to use, has millions of items at any time, and makes selling simple through the use of templates and pre-filled out data for common items like books and DVDs. You may also want to sign up for PayPal. PayPal is an EBay company that supports the exchange of money between buyers and sellers. It is also linked into the US Post Office to print mailing labels to your buyers. EBay requires only basic information about you. However, PayPal will want some information about either your bank account or a credit card.
Try out a new job by volunteering. If you have a cause or community project you believe in, but, you don't know if the organization's working environment is something you would like - try being a volunteer there. You will build up your skills, enhance your resume, and perhaps find pay-for-work later doing something you know you enjoy because you have tried it. Why Volunteer talks about options and benefits of volunteering. Another good introduction is from Volunteers of America. Or, check out your community yellow pages or your current favorite organizations - almost every non-profit organization welcomes volunteers. Posted May 2006.
Want to telecommute - but are meeting resistance from your supervisor? Although many companies support the concept of telecommuting, the majority of organizations do not provide managers with training to help them manage telecommuting personnel and projects. This article provides guidance on Training supervisors to overcome their hesitance to manage teleworkers. Posted May 2006.
Looking for work opportunities. When looking for a job, it's best to cast a wide net. The web is an extraordinarily rich place to trawl for job opportunities. Here are three job search engines that cull leads from a variety of sources. INDEED, SIMPLYHIRED and WORKZOO. Each of these search engines will target your job search by location, skills, and interests. These sites can be used in addition to the largest job sites MONSTER and HOTJOBS. Posted May 2006.
Environmentally Friendly Businesses are important to many of us - either for employment or investing. Business Ethics magazines recognizes each year the employers who are role models for
creating healthy returns for shareholders and emphasizing good jobs for employees, a clean environment, responsible relations with the community, and reliable products for consumers. Here is Business Ethics' nominations for 100 Best Corporate Citizens. Posted May 2006
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Health
Check on products that have been recalled for safety concerns. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products. You can find information on over 4,000 product recalls and recall alerts from the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (Posted April 2006).
Sleep is more than down time Many people view sleep as merely a “down time” when their brain
shuts off and their body rests. But research reveals that a number of
vital tasks carried out during sleep help maintain good health and
enable people to function at their best. You can review their findings at HSS Report on Healthy Sleep (Posted April 2006).
The cost of drugs is a concern for almost everyone and a major problem for some. According to the British Medical Journal, Americans spend more than $200 billion on prescription medicines each
year and about $16 billion or more on over-the-counter (OTC) remedies. There are strategies that can help reduce your cost of prescription medication at Shopping for Drugs (Posted April 2006).
The Bird Flu may be coming to a home near you. What actions can you take to help lessen the impact
of an influenza pandemic on you and your family. This checklist will help you gather the
information and resources you may need in case a flu pandemic becomes a reality. Bird flu preparation checklist (Posted April 2006).
Lifestyle
Long distance caregiving. Even as you are trying to transition your life to a gentler pace, you may find that you have the added responsibility of providing care to a loved one living far away from you. This pamphlet from the National Institute on Aging provides guidance on what you can do, should do, and links to many helpful resources. So Far Away (Posted April 2006).
Lifestyle transitions are about achieving balance in your life. But is balance a reasonable goal? Not according to Keith Hammons in the October 2004 issue of Fast Company. He claims Balance is Bunk (Posted April 2006).
Travel is one of the transition activities that many people anticipate. But traveling can also be stressful. Drury Bagwell from the University of Maryland provides some suggestions to make your travel experience more positive. Travel Tips(Posted April 2006).
Retreat to refresh We should feed our spirit as well as our bodies. But where can you find quiet, beautiful places that facilitate getting in tune with your spirituality. Many people recommend a retreat as a starting point for pursuing spiritual peace and contentment. Two organizations that organize information on spiritual retreats are Find the Divine and Retreats International (Posted April 2006).
Just for Fun Have you ever wondered where some of the expressions and sayings used in everyday language come from? You probably know what these phrases mean, you may use them yourself. But where did they come from? A fun site, with tons of trivia about the origin of common words and phrases is Word Origins . (Posted April 2006)
Money
Choose to Save is an excellent site that provides savings tips and information brochures. But the most useful part of the site may be the almost 100 different calculators to help you make saving decisions on myriad subjects including purchasing a car, starting a business, debt consolidation, purchasing mutual funds and so much more. Check it out at Choose to Save. Posted April 2006
Why you should save for future Health Care Costs. We have become increasingly aware that our federal entitlement programs are about to be swamped. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid have made trillions of dollars of unfunded promises. Federal, state and local governments have made $5 trillion in promises (many of which are unfunded) to civil service workers. Corporate America owes about $450 billion in pension promises and $350 billion in post-retirement health care promises that are also unfunded. As you transition out of the fast lane and perhaps away from company sponsored health insurance, you need to consider your future health care needs. This article by the National Center for Policy Analysis provides an overview of 10 Steps to Reforming Babyboomer Healthcare. Posted April 2006.
Identify Theft - Protect Yourself. As if we did not have enough to worry about, Americans are facing an attack on their personal and financial privacy unlike that seen by any prior generation. If your transitions will include an increase in your personal interaction with buyers, creditors, or the internet, that increased number of outside contacts may increase your risk of identify theft. Therefore, it’s important to understand how your privacy can be compromised and to Identity Theft - Protect Yourself. Posted April 2006
If one of your transition goals is to start a small business or expand your existing small business, you should consider Writing a Business Plan. Formalizing your marketing and operations plans will help you make better choices as your ideas move into products. Business Week is offering a class On Writing a Business Plan in April. This is a free class with on line lessons from Sean Dineen, a writer and designer who has helped a number of small businesses get off to a great start with business plans, marketing plans, and distinctive logos. Posted April 2006
Work
Starting Your Own Business. This small business guide is intended to serve as a roadmap for starting a business. It is both comprehensive and easy to use. It also includes links to many other sites with useful information. The guide helps you understand different types of business organization, how-to develop business plans, find start-up money, and much more. This guide is sponsored by the Starting Your Own Business. Posted April 2006
Changing Companies. If part of your work transition includes changing companies either to work closer to home, improve your working conditions, or because you have been encouraged to seek out alternatives, this article from Fast Company provides practical advice on checking out potential new employers by understanding the company's culture. Changing Companies Posted April 2006
Becoming an entrepreneur. Many work transition seekers are using some of their nest egg to begin their own businesses. This US News article talks about motivations and methods in starting your own business using some of your savings to succeed. US News article. Posted April 2006
Career Skills from MindTools helps you discover skills and techniques to improve your performance at work. There are individual articles focusing on leadership, personal effectiveness, time management, goal setting, and stress management. Although the site has some pay for view elements, there are also many articles of interest available without fee. You can check out the site at Mind Tools. Posted April 2006
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Work
A JUMP in the quality of life. That’s the real story here. Men and women who have good fortune and courage are recommitting themselves at the midpoint of their careers to those ideals and dreams they had at the beginning of their adult lives. What is starting to occur is not a phenomenon of failure, but of success. People whose self-image is strong enough to maintain an identity without the prop of a career are looking at options. Deciding What to do with the Rest of Your Life (Posted March 2006).
Living is about making choices. Deciding what kind of work will make you happy is one these choices. There are so many options that it may seem easier to not make any changes. But one choice is clear -- you can decide to begin the process of change or keep doing something that isn't making you happy. This Wall Street Journal article by Julie Jansen describes choices some folks have made and offers a quiz to help you decide if change is something you want. The site itself has many good articles on changing careers. What's Keeping You From Changing Careers? (Posted March 2006).
Retirement used to signal the end of a productive life for workers, but more and more, retirement is seen as a transition point for beginning a new phase of your life. Now is a good time to develop a strategy. This article contains several excellent links to career planning for those thinking about a transition. Working Beyond Retirement: For Money, Identity, and Purpose (Posted March 2006).
Telecommuting is a trend whose time has come according to John Edwards, President of the International Telework Association and Council(ITAC) because people don't want to have to put up with commuting. According to ITAC's, "Telefacts":
- Employers can save 63% of absenteeism costs per teleworker
- Teleworkers can save 52.9 minutes of commute time each workday
- Telework can cut corporate real estate costs by 25 to 90%
- A 40 minute commute equals eight working weeks every year
You can read more about the benefits of telecommuting at Working from Home is Becoming a Trend (Posted March 2006).
Money
A new booklet from the Department of Labor can help you solve the mystery of determining how much money you'll need to retire comfortably. "Taking the Mystery Out of Retirement Planning," released last month by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), helps individuals within 10 years of retirement calculate their income, savings, and likely expenses in retirement. How Much You Need to Retire.(Posted March 2006).
Thinking about going back to work? - you are not alone, 25% of current retirees have gone back to work. Why? Sometimes for money but often for the intellectual challenge or companionship. 7 Steps to a Successful Un-retiremen (Posted March 2006).
Is Isn't All About Money Most people focus on saving as much money as possible before they retire, assuming that more money leads to increased happiness. And while studies show it is true that income and wealth do increase retirement satisfaction, they do so less than you might think - check it out at Happiness Isn't for Sale, but Some Planning Helps (Posted March 2006).
The rules on your 401K investing advice may be changing. two starkly different solutions as they appear in recently passed House and Senate bills that address the 401(k) financial-advice problem. The massive 800-page pension reform legislation contains several provisions relating to 401(k) plans, but those on advice promise to be most contentious. Potential Advice on your 401K Investments - Legislative Update (Posted March 2006).
Health
Another Reason to Exercise Regularly Exercise and control of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes appear to be effective means for preventing cognitive decline and emotional problems associated with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Cognitive Health(Posted March 2006).
Concierge care is an approach to medical practice in which physicians charge their patients a membership fee in return for enhanced services or amenities. The recent emergence of concierge care has prompted federal concern about how the approach might affect beneficiaries of Medicare. You may view or download the report here. GAO Report on Concierge Care(Posted March 2006).
Chiropractic Care for treatment of low back pain is now covered by many insurance plans. There are over 100 million chiropractic visits each year. So, what is it and does it help? The following is a research summary from the National Institute of Health. About Chiropractic and Its Use in Treating Low-Back Pain
The key study conclusion were:
- Chiropractic is most often used to treat musculoskeletal conditions—problems with the muscles, joints, bones, and connective tissue such as cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.
- Research studies of chiropractic treatment for low-back pain have been of uneven quality and insufficient to allow firm conclusions. Nonetheless, the overall sense of the data is that for low-back pain, chiropractic treatment and conventional medical treatments are about equally helpful. It is harder to draw conclusions about the relative value of chiropractic for other clinical conditions.
- The risk of experiencing complications from chiropractic adjustment of the low back appears to be very low. However, the risk appears to be higher for adjustment of the neck.
(Posted March 2006).
Natural Treatments for Depression Needing to and making life transitions can sometimes lead to temporary or situational depression. There are several natural or alternative medicines that may help. Alternative Treatments for Depression (Posted March 2006).
Life Style
Healthy Eating. Sometimes it is a challenge to use what you have to get what you need to eat. The Healthy Eating web site offers a clever data base that allows you to input foods you want included in your meal, foods you want excluded, and specific nutrients you need. After selecting "submit" you receive a list of tailored recipes. You get recipes for breakfast, soup, salads, vegetarian/meatless, even desserts sometimes. The Recipe Assistant (Posted March 2006).
Do you wonder how your thoughts about retirement compare to others? This survey of boomer's looks at money, working, health and other issues in your future. Using its original survey in 1998 for comparison, AARP highlights differences and similarities five years later; after 9/11, after the corporate scandals, and after the re-evaluation of pension-based financial security. Baby Boomers Envision Retirement (Posted March 2006).
Study recommends Chocolate! Just published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine is a new study that suggests athletes should consider drinking chocolate milk after vigorous exercise. "Our study indicates that chocolate milk is a strong alternative to other commercial sports drinks in helping athletes recover from strenuous, energy-depleting exercise," according to co-author Joel M. Stager, PhD, professor of kinesiology at Indiana University. "Chocolate milk contains an optimal carbohydrate to protein ratio, which is critical for helping refuel tired muscles." Chocolate Milk Aids in Post-Exercise Recovery (Posted March 2006).
Thinking about where you want to live after your retire? Small towns think they have a lot more to offer than retirement communities. Some 77 million strong, boomers—born between 1946 and 1964—have been trendsetters throughout their lives, and their retirement choices are expected to be no different. Instead of beating paths to Florida and Arizona, aging boomers already are opting for unconventional, far-flung U.S. locations, primarily in the South and West. Retirees boosting states' rural economies (Posted March 2006).
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