Baltimore --  Rheumatoid arthritis is a severe, painful, and debilitating swelling and deterioration of the joints. There is not currently any cure for this illness, but there are a number of standard and emerging treatments that patients should be aware of. Here's how to find out the latest.

 

Step 1:  Check the Johns Hopkins Medical Center pages for rheumatoid arthritis (see Resources, below, for a direct link). They have an excellent site discussing the illness itself, and standard as well as emerging therapies and treatments....full article 

Washington, DC -- Both Houses of Congress have agreed on a draft bill, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, to orchestrate the $700 billion bailout of the troubled financial sector. A summary of the act is presented here.

 

 

The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA) provides up to $700 billion to the Secretary of the Treasury to buy mortgages and other assets that are clogging the balance sheets of financial institutions and making it difficult for working families, small businesses, and other companies to access credit, which is vital to a strong and stable economy. EESA also establishes a program that would allow companies to insure their troubled assets....full article

 

Washington, DC -- Government bailouts aren't just for Wall Street fat cats and subprime bankers. Some funds are beginning to flow to homeowners in trouble with their mortgages. Here's what you need to know about government grants and other foreclosure assistance.

 

***Take Stock of Your Situation***

If you're a homeowner having difficulty making your monthly mortgage paymentss, there may be help available. Government programs at the federal, state and local levels are beginning to make grant money available to local organizations to help homeowners avoid foreclosure.

Details vary from place to place, but in general, you'll need to be in serious financial trouble to qualify for assistance. This can include:

--being several months behind in mortgagee payments

--having received, or about to receive, a foreclosure notice

--owing more on your mortgage than the actual value of your house

--a recent financial shock, such as loss of a job, or large medical expense.

 

 

 

Houston -- Right now teenagers across the country have quit their summer jobs, come home from summer camp, and put down their video game controls to return to the halls and classrooms of America's high schools. The high school experience is such a significant moment in one's life that countless books, movies, and television shows are devoted to telling these stories, and tens of thousands of adults spend millions of dollars every year in therapy either working through the trauma of high school or trying to get past the glory of those years. Was it the algebra, history, and foreign language classes? I don't think so. How about band or football practice? Possibly. More likely, it was the feelings associated with budding sexualities, new romances, and experimentation, and memories of breaking free from the binds of childhood toys and playmates.

 

Much has changed in the world over the past couple of decades -- new technology, threats of terrorism, expanding media and globalization -- all of which have had major impacts on sexuality and the ways in which we experience our individual sexualities. At the same time, the interpersonal and intrapersonal experiences of my teen years two decades ago are still as common, thrilling, and obsession-creating as football continues to be in West Texas. As the saying goes, the more things change, the more things stay the same. Just as it was during my high school years, teens continue to develop and explore their sexual and gender identities and experiment in romantic and sexual relationships with very little or no guidance from the more experienced adults in their lives....full article

 

Washington, DC -- Two months salary for a diamond engagement ring?!?! No doubt, the diamond industry came up with that particular "tradition".  Still, it is for a special person at a very special moment in life, so perhaps a big splurge is called for. But whatever you're spending, there's no reason to spend more than necessary. Here's how to find the best price for the engagement ring you're looking for.

 

****Know Your Limit****

 

Figure out what you want to spend for a diamond engagement ring (or any other kind -- no law says it has to be a diamond), and stick with it. Oh sure, you might wind up go $100 over the limit, but don't get talked into spending thousands more than you can afford. You'll want those funds for starting off your life of wedded bliss....full article

New York -- Kim Norton dutifully contributed to 401(k)-type plans for almost 20 years, routinely hitting the maximum contribution ceiling as she built a six-figure nest egg. But the aftermath of the tech bubble convinced her she’d need a bigger security blanket. So the Denver real-estate agent tore up the savings playbook; she started buying property with her IRA funds and flipping it to earn big returns. It’s more risky than traditional retirement investing, but Norton’s willing to take bigger risks for higher rewards—especially now that she’s resolved to build her savings to $2.5 million.

 

The current economic climate offers many reasons to be legitimately worried about financing retirement. Soaring fuel, food and health-care costs have reminded everyone how badly inflation can hurt a fixed income, and the ongoing credit crisis and the falling stock market have made investors realize how fragile a nest egg can be. But many people are still finding ways to throw their future a life raft. SmartMoney talked to several retirees and soon-to-be retirees who managed to double their retirement savings within an eight-to-10-year period. We examine two approaches below...full article

Washington, DC -- Anti-virus programs, software firewalls, registry checkers, and the like can cost a pretty penny. Or...you can get really good protection software for your computer, absolutely free. Here's how.

 

AVG Free has a very good reputation as a powerful yet unobtrusive anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-adware program, and as the name tells you, it's available free. Download it from free.avg.com  During installation, you'll have the opportunity to include (or exclude) some features like a toolbar, and other non-essential items...your choice.

 

Online Armor Free is a personal firewall program that is highly regarded. It can prevent malware that does get on your system from sending hijacked information off your computer. This is commercial software, and the free version is somewhat hard to find, but you can download it at find.pcworld.com/61329 ...full article

Washington, DC -- To celebrate it's 10th birthday, Google launched Project 10^100 (ten to the hundredth), and is giving away $10 million in grants. Here's how it works. 

 

Google will provide seed money for projects that can benefit the world...the more people helped, the better.   Projects can be in pretty much any category imaginable, including Community, Opportunities, Energy, Environmental, Health, Education, Shelter and so on....full article

San Francisco -- Products may come and go, but company names can last forever. When starting a new company, take the time to choose a name that distinguishes your business from the competition. Otherwise, even with the best idea or invention, your customers may have a difficult time finding you and your product in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

 

All entrepreneurs face a classic marketing dilemma: They want a company name that tells consumers exactly what they sell, but descriptively naming a new venue the Country Music Hall, Blues Center or Music Palace creates confusion with other similarly named businesses. Ironically, even companies that specialize in branding -- The Brand Consultancy, Brand Design, and Name Development -- fall victim to this misguided approach. Such descriptive names make it hard to stand out from the competition.

 

Indeed, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office won't even register a name that is merely descriptive unless it has acquired a reputation. The standard used by the USPTO in determining whether a name is descriptive is whether it describes an ingredient, quality, characteristic, function, feature, purpose or use of the product. Keep this simple test in mind when choosing a new company name....full article

New York --  The Internet has proved a powerful equalizer for small businesses. But entrepreneurs can't just build Web sites these days--they have to build great ones that truly snag viewers and turn them into paying customers.

"For many businesses, a Web site is the first way that your clientele will look at you--even if it's just to find your address and phone number," says Rand Fishkin, founder of Seattle-based search engine optimization consulting firm SEOmoz, which aims to increase the odds that search engines will happen upon a given site. "The quality of your site is often a measure of the quality of your business."

While most entrepreneurs probably should farm out the programming of their sites, they shouldn’t turn over the design process altogether. Getting the biggest return on your online investment hinges on understanding what works and what doesn’t, so you can give the coders as much smart direction as possible....full article

Washington, DC -- Cool weather is acomin' in...can winter be far behind? Scientists say snows will get heavier as the planet's climate changes, so a good snow blower might be just the thing. But which one is best for your wintry conditions? Here's how to find the best snow blower, pretty cheap. 

 

Head to a site called ConsumerSearch.com and visit their page for Snow Blower Reviews. ConsumerSearch is an excellent resource that basically 'reviews the reviews'. I think it is, hands down, the best what-and-where-to-buy site out there. They cull through articles from Consumer Reports, industry magazines, professional journals, news media, and a host of other sources. Then they summarize the reviews in an easy to understand way, and identify the options that are the most highly recommended by the most reviewers....full article

Washington DC -- You've probably seen a lot of articles already (including here at eHow) on making money on the internet. This one pulls it all together, and separates the good, the bad, and the ugly. You CAN make money online, and NO, not everything out there is a scam. I'll be updating this regularly, so you might want to bookmark it, and check in once a week or so.

 

Read this, just for a bit of inspiration. I make about $2000 a month on the internet. Not enough for me and my family to live on, but a nice addition to my income just the same. It's pretty easy, and pretty quick, to get a SMALL income stream started. It takes time and effort to build it up. Might as well get started today.  full article

Dallas -- With one in 25 Americans – or 12 million people – making special menu requests because of food allergies, there's an increased need for updated and practical guidelines for restaurants.

In response, the National Restaurant Association has revised its food-service training guide, "Welcoming Guests With Food Allergies."

Sheila Weiss, director of nutrition policy for the association, says restaurant employees aren't the only people who can use the revised guide. Customers coping with food allergies can learn a lot about restaurant operations.

"Often, looking at the menu descriptions is not enough," Ms. Weiss says. "We strongly encourage communicating a food allergy to the restaurant staff so it can be addressed right up front. All ingredients should be disclosed. There are no secret sauces or secret thickeners."...full article

Atlanta -- I've made my share of safety mistakes -- like leaving change on a hotel nightstand where my 3-year-old son Nate could reach it. He swallowed a penny and we spent five hours in the local ER. (He passed it without harm the next day.) That was the last time I've let loose coinage linger, but I'm bound for other blunders down the road -- all moms are.

Make sure your child doesn't get into an accident when you're not looking.

 

"Nobody can watch a child at every moment," says Robert Sege, M.D., a professor of pediatrics at the Boston University School of Medicine. But that doesn't mean it hurts to step up your game. Check out these seven situations that can turn frightening in a flash -- and learn how to keep them as uneventful as possible...full article

Washington DC -- One of the pinch points in your home wireless network can be your wireless router. Newer operating systems like Windows Vista are not always fully compatible with routers from even a few years back. The wrong router can slow down your internet experience. Here's how to check.  Check your systems. If you're running a Windows computer with XP or Vista, you should check to see if your wireless router is fully compatible. Head to the website for the Internet Connectivity Evaluation Tool... full article

Washington, DC -- Stocks are always risky, even in the best of times. But these days, that risk is spreading to money markets, bonds, retirement funds, pensions, and even bank accounts. Here's how to protect yourself.

 

Many money market accounts are already insured against loss of funds. In addition, the federal government has recently decided to extend protections for money market funds. But not all funds are protected yet. The only way to know for sure is to check your individual fund, either by reading the prospectus or contacting the fund directly. Ask if the account is insured against loss, and get details of who insures it, and how much individual accounts are insured for (for instance, there may be insurance only for up to $100,000)...

 

During an evening out at a San Francisco bar some years ago, Matt Colling and a friend ended up buying drinks all around. But when it came time to pay the $100 tab, Colling was on his own.

"I pulled out money and I was the only one that had any," the 28-year-old bartender remembers. His friend had conveniently "forgotten his wallet."

Whether it's stiffing drinking buddies with the check, bumming rides, "borrowing" cigarettes or sponging off meals, moochers can push the limits of friendship by making a habit of manipulating others to avoid paying their fair share...

source

How to Pick a Healthy Place to Retire

Scientist Mary Altpeter discusses how to choose a retirement haven and live a longer life

More testing, because I forgot what I was testing earlier.

Well, this is just a test for starters, to see if I can get this page showing on my website.

 

wish me luck.