Your 5-minute guide to credit cards
Credit cards do have some benefits, but it's easy to get into financial trouble if you rely on them too much. Here are more than a dozen tips for using cards wisely.
Use a credit card wisely and you can reap benefits like cash back, bonus points and airline miles, not to mention a better credit score. Use it unwisely and you could end up under a mountain of debt.
The No. 1 rule is: Pay off your balance every month. Otherwise, you'll pay interest on your purchases. Paying the balance takes discipline. About 40% of households carry credit card debt, according to the Federal Reserve.
Protect your good name (and score)
Make your payments by the date -- and time -- they're due. Late fees are $29 or more. A couple of late payments will trigger an interest rate increase. Because late and missed payments lower your credit score, the interest rate can go up on your other credit cards and for future loans as well. (See "7 fast fixes for your credit score.")
Limit the number of cards you have. Experts recommend having two to six cards. Applying for lots of cards can hurt your credit score. Conversely, closing several credit cards at once will trigger a decrease in your score. (See "1 in 7 Americans carry 10 or more cards.")
Read the fine print. Know the interest rate you will be charged, the grace period for paying your debt before interest kicks in and your credit limit. Does your company use two-cycle billing? (Better look, because two-cycle billing means you could pay interest even when you carry no balance.) Also, almost half come with a "universal default" clause, allowing an increase in your interest rate if you are late paying any other bill. (See "Credit card companies' evil tricks.")
Negotiate. If your credit score is 700 or above, you may be able to get a lower interest rate or get the company to drop a late fee. (Estimate your credit score.)
Don't exceed 30% of your credit limit. Credit bureaus don't care if you pay off your balance each month. They're interested in how much of your available credit you use. If it's excessive, your credit score will drop.
The devil in the details
Credit card companies market different types of cards, featuring low interest, rewards or other benefits. Be careful about the terms, which are subject to change.
If you're transferring a balance to a new card with lower interest, find out how much will the company will charge for the transfer. Urge that it be done electronically so you don't accumulate interest on both the old and new accounts. Low-interest introductory offers may apply only to the balance transfer and not to new purchases.
Reward cards that provide dividends like rebates and airlines miles sound too good to be true, and can be. The higher interest rate charged by most reward cards can more than offset the reward if you carry a balance. Reward offers can change with little notice and may come with budget-busting conditions -- for instance, you have to spend a certain amount to earn the reward.
Convenience? Sometimes
If you buy a defective item or protest a charge, your credit card company is obligated to investigate. If your card is stolen, you're liable for no more than $50 for unauthorized charges.
Other "services" offered by credit card companies have potential drawbacks.
Contactless credit cards make it even easier to purchase items because you don't need to swipe your card or hand it to a cashier. But thieves can scan the info on your card. You can buy a signal-blocking sleeve or make one out of aluminum foil. (See "New credit cards allow hands-free theft.")
Don't use "convenience" checks your credit card company sends you unsolicited in the mail. They're costly -- with a fee of 3% or 4% of the amount you write, plus high interest rates with no grace period -- and don't provide the consumer protection you get when you make a purchase with your credit card. (See "Dangerous checks in the mail.")
Credit card protection insurance generally covers only the minimum payment if you become disabled or unemployed, and interest continues to build on your outstanding balance.
Using a credit card issued by a department store you frequent can entitle you to cardholder discounts, but limit yourself to one card. Each department store account you open reduces your credit score.
Getting back in the game
Getting and using a credit card could be the easiest way to re-establish credit if yours has gone sour. But getting back into the credit game comes with potential hazards.
Cards issued to those considered credit risks come with interest rates in the 18% to 22% range and low spending limits. Such cards sometimes have extra fees hidden in the fine print. (See "Credit cards for the desperate.")
Don't take the bait when companies want to issue you one low-limit card after another. You can find yourself back in debt, paying late fees, over-limit fees and high interest rates on multiple cards.
If you've fallen off the wise-spending wagon, seek counseling from a nonprofit credit-counseling agency certified by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.
Tired of unsolicited offers of pre-approved cards? Call 1-888-5 OPT-OUT.
Friday, July 27, 2007
FREE CALORIE COUNTER 7-27-07
Hey gang as you may or may not know our country is getting fatter and fatter by the day. I personally have taken many steps to make sure I stay in shape and eat healthy. I would like to pass along some information to those interested in losing weight, getting in shape, eating and living a healthier lifestyle.
I came accross a website I have found very helpful. Its a free diet and fitness website: www.MyFitnessPal.com. This free website has a cool CALORIE COUNTER to help you keep track of the calories you eat. There is also a free DIET JOURNAL that will help you lose weight, track meals and exercise quickly and easily. It also helps you create a FREE DIET PROFILE which is fast and easy to use and will teach you the nutritional contents of what you are eating, and consequently, how you can make better food choices. The site is 100% free - no credit card is ever required. This is the BEST calorie counter I've tried by far. It's fast and easy — and it's completely FREE! So, take a minute and check it out. Come on its FREE! :-)
Thursday, July 26, 2007
QUADRUPLE SUNSETS 7-26-07
Astronomers have spotted a dusty disk in a four-star solar system that could be home to a planet in the making.
Using the infrared eyes of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, astronomers spotted the swirling disk around a pair of stars in the quadruple-star system HD 98800, located 150 light-years away in the constellation TW Hydrae.
If a planet did form in the disk, its sky would be bathed in the light of four suns. One pair of suns would blaze brightly, while the other pair, gravitationally bound to the first pair, would appear as little more than faint pinpoints of light.
The finding will be detailed in an upcoming issue of The Astrophysical Journal.
So-called "circumstellar" disks like the one that rings HD 98800 can be the birthplace of planets. Most disks are smooth and continuous, but Spitzer detected a gap in the HD 98800 disk that could be evidence of one or more immature "protoplanets" carving out lanes in the dust.
"Planets are like cosmic vacuums,' said study team member Elise Furlan of the NASA Astrobiology Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles. "They clear up all the dirt that is in their path around the central stars."
Quadruple sunsets
The researchers spied two separate belts of material in the circumstellar disk. One belt sits at 1.5 to 2 astronomical units (AU) from the binary stars and likely consists of fine dust grains. The other is located about 5.9 AU away from and is probably made up of asteroids or comets. (One AU is equal to the distance between the Earth and the sun.) A swath of near-empty space separates the two belts, inside of which a budding planet might roam.
Alternatively, the researchers think the gap could be caused by a gravitational tug-of-war between the system's four stars. The other two stars are also doubled up, and the two binary pairs are separated by about 50 AU-slightly more than the distance between our sun and Pluto.
"Typically, when astronomers see gaps like this in a debris disk, they suspect that a planet has cleared a path," Furlan said. "However, given the presence of the diskless pair of stars sitting 50 AU away, the inward-migrating dust particles are likely subject to complex, time-varying forces, so at this point the existence of a planet is just speculation."
Not uncommon
The stars that make up each stellar doublet orbit around each other, and the two pairs circle one another as well.
Worlds with multiple sunsets are not uncommon. Astronomers used to think that strong gravitational forces from multiple stars might interfere with planet formation, but recent surveys have revealed that the dusty debris disks that function like nurseries for new planets are as common around double star systems as they are around single ones. A few triple-star systems are even known.
"Since many young stars form in multiple systems, we have to realize that the evolution of disks around them and the possible formation of planetary systems can be way more complicated and perturbed than in a simple case like our solar system," Furlan said.
Using the infrared eyes of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, astronomers spotted the swirling disk around a pair of stars in the quadruple-star system HD 98800, located 150 light-years away in the constellation TW Hydrae.
If a planet did form in the disk, its sky would be bathed in the light of four suns. One pair of suns would blaze brightly, while the other pair, gravitationally bound to the first pair, would appear as little more than faint pinpoints of light.
The finding will be detailed in an upcoming issue of The Astrophysical Journal.
So-called "circumstellar" disks like the one that rings HD 98800 can be the birthplace of planets. Most disks are smooth and continuous, but Spitzer detected a gap in the HD 98800 disk that could be evidence of one or more immature "protoplanets" carving out lanes in the dust.
"Planets are like cosmic vacuums,' said study team member Elise Furlan of the NASA Astrobiology Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles. "They clear up all the dirt that is in their path around the central stars."
Quadruple sunsets
The researchers spied two separate belts of material in the circumstellar disk. One belt sits at 1.5 to 2 astronomical units (AU) from the binary stars and likely consists of fine dust grains. The other is located about 5.9 AU away from and is probably made up of asteroids or comets. (One AU is equal to the distance between the Earth and the sun.) A swath of near-empty space separates the two belts, inside of which a budding planet might roam.
Alternatively, the researchers think the gap could be caused by a gravitational tug-of-war between the system's four stars. The other two stars are also doubled up, and the two binary pairs are separated by about 50 AU-slightly more than the distance between our sun and Pluto.
"Typically, when astronomers see gaps like this in a debris disk, they suspect that a planet has cleared a path," Furlan said. "However, given the presence of the diskless pair of stars sitting 50 AU away, the inward-migrating dust particles are likely subject to complex, time-varying forces, so at this point the existence of a planet is just speculation."
Not uncommon
The stars that make up each stellar doublet orbit around each other, and the two pairs circle one another as well.
Worlds with multiple sunsets are not uncommon. Astronomers used to think that strong gravitational forces from multiple stars might interfere with planet formation, but recent surveys have revealed that the dusty debris disks that function like nurseries for new planets are as common around double star systems as they are around single ones. A few triple-star systems are even known.
"Since many young stars form in multiple systems, we have to realize that the evolution of disks around them and the possible formation of planetary systems can be way more complicated and perturbed than in a simple case like our solar system," Furlan said.
CAT CAN PREDICT DEATH 7-26-07
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up next to them during their final hours. His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means they have less than four hours to live.
"He doesn't make too many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die," said Dr. David Dosa in an interview. He describes the phenomenon in a poignant essay in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Many family members take some solace from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one," said Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.
The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses.
After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd sniff and observe patients, then sit beside people who would wind up dying in a few hours.
Dosa said Oscar seems to take his work seriously and is generally aloof. "This is not a cat that's friendly to people," he said.
Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work there, said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill
She was convinced of Oscar's talent when he made his 13th correct call. While observing one patient, Teno said she noticed the woman wasn't eating, was breathing with difficulty and that her legs had a bluish tinge, signs that often mean death is near.
Oscar wouldn't stay inside the room though, so Teno thought his streak was broken. Instead, it turned out the doctor's prediction was roughly 10 hours too early. Sure enough, during the patient's final two hours, nurses told Teno that Oscar joined the woman at her bedside.
Doctors say most of the people who get a visit from the sweet-faced, gray-and-white cat are so ill they probably don't know he's there, so patients aren't aware he's a harbinger of death. Most families are grateful for the advanced warning, although one wanted Oscar out of the room while a family member died. When Oscar is put outside, he paces and meows his displeasure.
No one's certain if Oscar's behavior is scientifically significant or points to a cause. Teno wonders if the cat notices telltale scents or reads something into the behavior of the nurses who raised him.
Nicholas Dodman, who directs an animal behavioral clinic at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and has read Dosa's article, said the only way to know is to carefully document how Oscar divides his time between the living and dying.
If Oscar really is a furry grim reaper, it's also possible his behavior could be driven by self-centered pleasures like a heated blanket placed on a dying person, Dodman said.
Nursing home staffers aren't concerned with explaining Oscar, so long as he gives families a better chance at saying goodbye to the dying.
Oscar recently received a wall plaque publicly commending his "compassionate hospice care."
"He doesn't make too many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die," said Dr. David Dosa in an interview. He describes the phenomenon in a poignant essay in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Many family members take some solace from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one," said Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.
The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses.
After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd sniff and observe patients, then sit beside people who would wind up dying in a few hours.
Dosa said Oscar seems to take his work seriously and is generally aloof. "This is not a cat that's friendly to people," he said.
Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work there, said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill
She was convinced of Oscar's talent when he made his 13th correct call. While observing one patient, Teno said she noticed the woman wasn't eating, was breathing with difficulty and that her legs had a bluish tinge, signs that often mean death is near.
Oscar wouldn't stay inside the room though, so Teno thought his streak was broken. Instead, it turned out the doctor's prediction was roughly 10 hours too early. Sure enough, during the patient's final two hours, nurses told Teno that Oscar joined the woman at her bedside.
Doctors say most of the people who get a visit from the sweet-faced, gray-and-white cat are so ill they probably don't know he's there, so patients aren't aware he's a harbinger of death. Most families are grateful for the advanced warning, although one wanted Oscar out of the room while a family member died. When Oscar is put outside, he paces and meows his displeasure.
No one's certain if Oscar's behavior is scientifically significant or points to a cause. Teno wonders if the cat notices telltale scents or reads something into the behavior of the nurses who raised him.
Nicholas Dodman, who directs an animal behavioral clinic at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and has read Dosa's article, said the only way to know is to carefully document how Oscar divides his time between the living and dying.
If Oscar really is a furry grim reaper, it's also possible his behavior could be driven by self-centered pleasures like a heated blanket placed on a dying person, Dodman said.
Nursing home staffers aren't concerned with explaining Oscar, so long as he gives families a better chance at saying goodbye to the dying.
Oscar recently received a wall plaque publicly commending his "compassionate hospice care."
OBESITY IS CONTAGIOUS 7-26-07
The list of reasons a person might pack on too many pounds is already plenty long: genes, hormone disorders, a couch-potato lifestyle, love of cheeseburgers. Thanks to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine, you can add another culprit to the list: friends.
Obesity spreads through social networks, according to the study, so if your friends put on weight, you’re more likely to put on the pounds, too. Your family members or spouse can also influence you; as they get heavier, you’re more likely to gain along with them. But, your friends—even if they don’t live anywhere near you—have the most sway. A close friend’s weight gain can even be downright dangerous.
“If your close friend becomes obese in a given time interval, there’s triple the risk that you will follow suit,” says Nicholas Christakis, a coauthor of the study, which was published Wednesday and a professor of medical sociology at Harvard Medical School. “Before you know it you have an obesity epidemic, where we're all kind of gaining weight together, like a fashion spreading through society, rising in lockstep.”
The research—which Richard Suzman, director of the National Institute on Aging’s Behavioral and Social Research Program, calls “one of the most exciting studies in medical sociology that I have seen in decades”—focuses on 12,067 participants in the Framingham Heart Study, a multidecade government health-research project. Each participant was asked to name a list of friends and family members when he or she joined the program in 1971. Then the participants and their friends and family were tracked over the years.
When one person in the study became obese, his siblings’ risk of also becoming obese jumped by 40 percent, while his spouse’s risk jumped by 37 percent. More strikingly, if that person had been named as a “friend” by another participant, the second participant’s risk of becoming obese shot up by 57 percent. If the friends were of the same gender, the risk was even higher, at 71 percent. (The study found a man’s weight gain would have no significant effect on his female friend’s weight, and vice versa, but the study did not have many male-female friendships to examine.) If the friends were particularly close—judged in the study by the fact that they both named each other on their lists of loved ones—the risk that one’s weight would follow the others’ increased by a whopping 171 percent.
Even people who’d never met each other were affecting each other in a six-degrees-of-separation way. If your friend’s friend’s friend, or your friend’s sibling’s friend, gains weight, “that will have a subtle effect on you over the course of two to four years,” says James Fowler, an associate professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego, and the other coauthor of the study. “When we change our own lifestyle and become heavier or thinner, that has a ripple effect through the whole population.”
The study’s effects don’t just come down to the idea that thin people seek out other thin people as friends, while heavy people seek out other heavy people. In fact, what’s going on is much more interesting, according to the researchers: heavy and thin people are causing their friends to become more like them. The reason people have such a powerful effect on each other’s weight is hinted at by one of the study’s most intriguing findings, says Fowler: “Friends who are hundreds of miles away from you have as much of an effect as friends who are [geographically] close.”
Obesity, then, doesn’t spread among friends simply because they're hanging out together, “going out to eat at the same places or going to the bar or going to the park and running together,” he says. “It’s spreading through ideas about what appropriate behaviors are, or what an appropriate body image might be.” In other words, if you admire your friend and she happens to get heavier, you’ll be comfortable with the idea of getting heavier yourself. “If I see you gaining weight, and I respect you, and want to emulate you in other ways, that changes my ideas about what is an acceptable body size. I think, 'All my buddies are getting obese, so it's OK for me to be obese too',” says Christakis. “And even if you’re 1,000 miles away, or I only see you once a year, that’s enough to transmit the norm.”
The study suggests a new explanation for the obesity epidemic, says Matthew Gillman, director of the Obesity Prevention Program at Harvard Medical School. “Genes can certainly affect whether one individual is obese rather than the other, but they can’t really explain the obesity epidemic, because they haven’t really changed in the last 30 years,” he says. True, plenty of changes in American society have contributed to the epidemic: most obviously, an increase in fatty, carb-heavy processed foods and a decrease in built-in daily exercise. But social networks have changed, too. Compared to the years before the epidemic started, Americans also now have more ways to keep in contact with their loved ones, such as e-mail, instant-messaging and videoconferencing. The study suggests that the obesity norms could indeed be transmitted via those technologies; a friend 1,000 miles away can still send an e-mail bemoaning his recent weight gain.
There’s still a lot left to figure out about these new dynamics of obesity. One question the research brings up, but fails to completely answer, is where neighbors fit into the picture. They appear to have no influence: if your neighbor becomes obese, your risk of doing likewise doesn’t change. It’s unclear why neighbors aren’t playing a larger role, although Christakis notes that if you don’t particularly admire or even know your neighbors, you're not likely to base your ideas about body size on theirs.
The study also brings up several other questions: Why are same-sex friendships and relationships so much more influential over weight than male-female friendships are? Where does the ripple effect stop? Does the same dynamic apply to other behavior-related health problems, such as drinking, smoking and risky sexual behavior? It may be some time before researchers fully know the answers.
It’s not too early, however, for public-health officials to start thinking about the study’s implications. Over the last 25 years, obesity in the United States has doubled; 66 percent of Americans are overweight and 32 percent are on the next level, classified as obese, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. And measures to combat the problem aren’t bringing those numbers down. “We see no evidence that the obesity epidemic has peaked,” says Christakis. And it’s possible the epidemic won’t peak until weight-loss groups and health advocates start taking social ties into account. But in a way, that's good news, says Fowler: “The flip side of this is that thinness is contagious, too." If you really want to lose weight, he adds, maybe you should encourage some of your buddies to trim down as well.
Obesity spreads through social networks, according to the study, so if your friends put on weight, you’re more likely to put on the pounds, too. Your family members or spouse can also influence you; as they get heavier, you’re more likely to gain along with them. But, your friends—even if they don’t live anywhere near you—have the most sway. A close friend’s weight gain can even be downright dangerous.
“If your close friend becomes obese in a given time interval, there’s triple the risk that you will follow suit,” says Nicholas Christakis, a coauthor of the study, which was published Wednesday and a professor of medical sociology at Harvard Medical School. “Before you know it you have an obesity epidemic, where we're all kind of gaining weight together, like a fashion spreading through society, rising in lockstep.”
The research—which Richard Suzman, director of the National Institute on Aging’s Behavioral and Social Research Program, calls “one of the most exciting studies in medical sociology that I have seen in decades”—focuses on 12,067 participants in the Framingham Heart Study, a multidecade government health-research project. Each participant was asked to name a list of friends and family members when he or she joined the program in 1971. Then the participants and their friends and family were tracked over the years.
When one person in the study became obese, his siblings’ risk of also becoming obese jumped by 40 percent, while his spouse’s risk jumped by 37 percent. More strikingly, if that person had been named as a “friend” by another participant, the second participant’s risk of becoming obese shot up by 57 percent. If the friends were of the same gender, the risk was even higher, at 71 percent. (The study found a man’s weight gain would have no significant effect on his female friend’s weight, and vice versa, but the study did not have many male-female friendships to examine.) If the friends were particularly close—judged in the study by the fact that they both named each other on their lists of loved ones—the risk that one’s weight would follow the others’ increased by a whopping 171 percent.
Even people who’d never met each other were affecting each other in a six-degrees-of-separation way. If your friend’s friend’s friend, or your friend’s sibling’s friend, gains weight, “that will have a subtle effect on you over the course of two to four years,” says James Fowler, an associate professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego, and the other coauthor of the study. “When we change our own lifestyle and become heavier or thinner, that has a ripple effect through the whole population.”
The study’s effects don’t just come down to the idea that thin people seek out other thin people as friends, while heavy people seek out other heavy people. In fact, what’s going on is much more interesting, according to the researchers: heavy and thin people are causing their friends to become more like them. The reason people have such a powerful effect on each other’s weight is hinted at by one of the study’s most intriguing findings, says Fowler: “Friends who are hundreds of miles away from you have as much of an effect as friends who are [geographically] close.”
Obesity, then, doesn’t spread among friends simply because they're hanging out together, “going out to eat at the same places or going to the bar or going to the park and running together,” he says. “It’s spreading through ideas about what appropriate behaviors are, or what an appropriate body image might be.” In other words, if you admire your friend and she happens to get heavier, you’ll be comfortable with the idea of getting heavier yourself. “If I see you gaining weight, and I respect you, and want to emulate you in other ways, that changes my ideas about what is an acceptable body size. I think, 'All my buddies are getting obese, so it's OK for me to be obese too',” says Christakis. “And even if you’re 1,000 miles away, or I only see you once a year, that’s enough to transmit the norm.”
The study suggests a new explanation for the obesity epidemic, says Matthew Gillman, director of the Obesity Prevention Program at Harvard Medical School. “Genes can certainly affect whether one individual is obese rather than the other, but they can’t really explain the obesity epidemic, because they haven’t really changed in the last 30 years,” he says. True, plenty of changes in American society have contributed to the epidemic: most obviously, an increase in fatty, carb-heavy processed foods and a decrease in built-in daily exercise. But social networks have changed, too. Compared to the years before the epidemic started, Americans also now have more ways to keep in contact with their loved ones, such as e-mail, instant-messaging and videoconferencing. The study suggests that the obesity norms could indeed be transmitted via those technologies; a friend 1,000 miles away can still send an e-mail bemoaning his recent weight gain.
There’s still a lot left to figure out about these new dynamics of obesity. One question the research brings up, but fails to completely answer, is where neighbors fit into the picture. They appear to have no influence: if your neighbor becomes obese, your risk of doing likewise doesn’t change. It’s unclear why neighbors aren’t playing a larger role, although Christakis notes that if you don’t particularly admire or even know your neighbors, you're not likely to base your ideas about body size on theirs.
The study also brings up several other questions: Why are same-sex friendships and relationships so much more influential over weight than male-female friendships are? Where does the ripple effect stop? Does the same dynamic apply to other behavior-related health problems, such as drinking, smoking and risky sexual behavior? It may be some time before researchers fully know the answers.
It’s not too early, however, for public-health officials to start thinking about the study’s implications. Over the last 25 years, obesity in the United States has doubled; 66 percent of Americans are overweight and 32 percent are on the next level, classified as obese, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. And measures to combat the problem aren’t bringing those numbers down. “We see no evidence that the obesity epidemic has peaked,” says Christakis. And it’s possible the epidemic won’t peak until weight-loss groups and health advocates start taking social ties into account. But in a way, that's good news, says Fowler: “The flip side of this is that thinness is contagious, too." If you really want to lose weight, he adds, maybe you should encourage some of your buddies to trim down as well.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
MOVING SOON? 7-25-07
Are you planning on moving anytime soon? If so, here is a great website to check out. Go to Relocation.com where they can provide you with all the necessary resources to assist you with that big move. They offer detailed guides uniquely designed to make sure you don’t leave anything behind.
Still looking for a house? Relocation.com will help you find your NEW HOUSE, REAL ESTATE AGENTS, and houses listed FOR SALE BY OWNER.
Need help with Mortgage information? Relocation.com provides information on Mortgage loans, Refinancing your Mortgage, Home Equity Loans and Mortgage Calculators.
Don't have enough hands or equipment for that big move? That's ok, Relocation.com is here to help. Relocation.com offers a list of Moving Companies, International Movers, Auto Shipping and Storage.
Relocation.com offers many other services including searches for Apartments for Rent and Roommates if your lonely or need some extra income to help pay for rent or mortgage.
Relocation.com also has some very useful information on Home Owners Insurance, Auto Insurance and Term Life Insurance. All of wich are very important to have.
So, before you get to carried away, make sure you check out the Relocation.com website for professional guidance on how to make that big move a easy transition.
Good luck to all!
Still looking for a house? Relocation.com will help you find your NEW HOUSE, REAL ESTATE AGENTS, and houses listed FOR SALE BY OWNER.
Need help with Mortgage information? Relocation.com provides information on Mortgage loans, Refinancing your Mortgage, Home Equity Loans and Mortgage Calculators.
Don't have enough hands or equipment for that big move? That's ok, Relocation.com is here to help. Relocation.com offers a list of Moving Companies, International Movers, Auto Shipping and Storage.
Relocation.com offers many other services including searches for Apartments for Rent and Roommates if your lonely or need some extra income to help pay for rent or mortgage.
Relocation.com also has some very useful information on Home Owners Insurance, Auto Insurance and Term Life Insurance. All of wich are very important to have.
So, before you get to carried away, make sure you check out the Relocation.com website for professional guidance on how to make that big move a easy transition.
Good luck to all!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
FREE ONLINE DATING 7-24-07
Hey gang, how many of you have ever done online dating ? Or are interested in checking it out? Well here is a cool new website worth checking out and best of all it is 100% FREE. You can meet thousands of fun, attractive, men and women in your area. This is the one of the best free dating sites. No gimmicks, no tricks. Stop paying for online dating now. It only takes 60 seconds to join and browse online personals from thousands of sexy singles who've discovered the benefits of free online dating and matchmaking. Why wait? Seriously, stop wasting your money for those dating sites where you have to pay a monthly fee. I have done the online dating thing and can happily say I have been with my girlfriend for over 2 years now and I met her online. So check out justsayhi.com today and find true love for free.
Good luck to all.
Good luck to all.
DIET SODA / HEART RISKS 7-24-07
Study: Diet Soda Linked to Heart Risks
BOSTON (AP) -- People who drank one or more diet sodas each day developed the same risks for heart disease as those who downed sugary regular soda, a large but inconclusive study found. The results surprised the researchers who expected to see a difference between regular and diet soda drinkers.
It could be, they suggest, that even no-calorie sweet drinks increase the craving for more sweets, and that people who indulge in sodas probably have less healthy diets overall.
The study's senior author, Dr. Vasan Ramachandran, emphasized the findings don't show diet sodas are a cause of increased heart disease risks. But he said they show a surprising link that must be studied.
"It's intriguing and it begs an explanation by people who are qualified to do studies to understand this better," said Vasan, of Boston University School of Medicine.
However, a nutrition expert dismissed the study's findings on diet soda drinkers.
"There's too much contradictory evidence that shows that diet beverages are healthier for you in terms of losing weight that I would not put any credence to the result on the diet (drinks)," said Barry Popkin, of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, who has called for cigarette-style surgeon general warnings about the negative health effects of soda.
Susan Neely, president of the American Beverage Association, said the notion that diet drinks are associated with bulging waistlines defies common sense.
"How can something with zero calories that's 99 percent water with a little flavoring in it ... cause weight gain?" she said.
The research comes from a massive, multi-generational heart study following residents of Framingham, Mass., a town about 25 miles west of Boston. The new study of 9,000 observations of middle-aged men and women was published Monday online in the journal Circulation.
The researchers found those who drank one or more sodas a day - diet or regular - had an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, compared to those who drank sodas infrequently. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of symptoms that increase the risk for heart disease including large waistlines and higher levels of blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and blood fats called triglycerides.
At the start of the study, those who reported drinking one or more soft drinks a day had a 48 percent increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome compared to those who drank less soda.
Of participants who initially showed no signs of metabolic syndrome, those who drank one or more sodas a day were at 44 percent higher risk of developing it four years later, they reported.
Researchers expected the results to differ when regular soda and diet soda drinkers were compared, and were surprised when they did not, Vasan said.
But Popkin said that result isn't that surprising. He said much of the market for diet sodas are people who have unhealthy lifestyles and know they need to lose weight - with the other portion being thin people who want to stay that way. That means many people drinking diet sodas have unhealthy habits that could lead to increased heart disease risks, whether they drink diet soda or not.
In studies in which some users were randomly given diet sodas and others were given regular soda, diet soda drinkers lost weight and regular soda drinkers gained weight, Popkin said.
In a statement, the American Heart Association said it supports dietary patterns that include low-calorie beverages.
"Diet soda can be a good option to replace caloric beverages that do not contain important vitamins and minerals," the association said, adding further study is needed before any association between diet soda and heart risk factors would lead to public recommendations.
Vasan also said poor overall health habits may be one reason diet soda drinkers did not show lower heart disease risks in the Framingham study, but there hasn't been enough research to say for sure.
Another possible reason is a controversial theory called "dietary compensation," which holds that if someone drinks a large amount of liquids at a meal, they aren't satisfied and will tend to eat more at the next meal, Vasan said.
Other theories, Vasan said, are that people who drink a large amount of sweetened drinks are prone to develop a taste for sweeter foods, or that the substance that gives soda its caramel color promotes resistance to insulin, which is needed to process calories.
Without a more definitive explanation, Vasan offers only this advice to diet soda drinkers: "Consume in moderation and stayed tuned for more research."
BOSTON (AP) -- People who drank one or more diet sodas each day developed the same risks for heart disease as those who downed sugary regular soda, a large but inconclusive study found. The results surprised the researchers who expected to see a difference between regular and diet soda drinkers.
It could be, they suggest, that even no-calorie sweet drinks increase the craving for more sweets, and that people who indulge in sodas probably have less healthy diets overall.
The study's senior author, Dr. Vasan Ramachandran, emphasized the findings don't show diet sodas are a cause of increased heart disease risks. But he said they show a surprising link that must be studied.
"It's intriguing and it begs an explanation by people who are qualified to do studies to understand this better," said Vasan, of Boston University School of Medicine.
However, a nutrition expert dismissed the study's findings on diet soda drinkers.
"There's too much contradictory evidence that shows that diet beverages are healthier for you in terms of losing weight that I would not put any credence to the result on the diet (drinks)," said Barry Popkin, of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, who has called for cigarette-style surgeon general warnings about the negative health effects of soda.
Susan Neely, president of the American Beverage Association, said the notion that diet drinks are associated with bulging waistlines defies common sense.
"How can something with zero calories that's 99 percent water with a little flavoring in it ... cause weight gain?" she said.
The research comes from a massive, multi-generational heart study following residents of Framingham, Mass., a town about 25 miles west of Boston. The new study of 9,000 observations of middle-aged men and women was published Monday online in the journal Circulation.
The researchers found those who drank one or more sodas a day - diet or regular - had an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, compared to those who drank sodas infrequently. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of symptoms that increase the risk for heart disease including large waistlines and higher levels of blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and blood fats called triglycerides.
At the start of the study, those who reported drinking one or more soft drinks a day had a 48 percent increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome compared to those who drank less soda.
Of participants who initially showed no signs of metabolic syndrome, those who drank one or more sodas a day were at 44 percent higher risk of developing it four years later, they reported.
Researchers expected the results to differ when regular soda and diet soda drinkers were compared, and were surprised when they did not, Vasan said.
But Popkin said that result isn't that surprising. He said much of the market for diet sodas are people who have unhealthy lifestyles and know they need to lose weight - with the other portion being thin people who want to stay that way. That means many people drinking diet sodas have unhealthy habits that could lead to increased heart disease risks, whether they drink diet soda or not.
In studies in which some users were randomly given diet sodas and others were given regular soda, diet soda drinkers lost weight and regular soda drinkers gained weight, Popkin said.
In a statement, the American Heart Association said it supports dietary patterns that include low-calorie beverages.
"Diet soda can be a good option to replace caloric beverages that do not contain important vitamins and minerals," the association said, adding further study is needed before any association between diet soda and heart risk factors would lead to public recommendations.
Vasan also said poor overall health habits may be one reason diet soda drinkers did not show lower heart disease risks in the Framingham study, but there hasn't been enough research to say for sure.
Another possible reason is a controversial theory called "dietary compensation," which holds that if someone drinks a large amount of liquids at a meal, they aren't satisfied and will tend to eat more at the next meal, Vasan said.
Other theories, Vasan said, are that people who drink a large amount of sweetened drinks are prone to develop a taste for sweeter foods, or that the substance that gives soda its caramel color promotes resistance to insulin, which is needed to process calories.
Without a more definitive explanation, Vasan offers only this advice to diet soda drinkers: "Consume in moderation and stayed tuned for more research."
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
ONLINE DATING? 7-11-07
How many of you have ever done the whole online dating thing or have thought about doing the online dating? Any success stories? Well, I have one. I have been dating my current girlfriend for almost 3 years now and we met through a online dating service. There are several online dating services available today. I came across one the other day that I think may be worth checking out. Its called Chance for Love. Chance for Love is a global community of quality Russian singles who want to find great dates. It offers a private search, love tours, e-mail forwarding and gift delivery. All profiles contain direct contact information and is available free for registered members. Please be aware that there are several Russian dating scams, but Chance for Love is 100% legit. Chance for Love also offers the latest Dating industry news. You can also find Russian brides on Chance for Love in just 3 easy steps. Chance for Love offers a lot of cool features that some online dating services don't. One of the neatest features is the SMS flirting which allows members to communicate through text messaging via their cell phones. How cool is that? I thought it was pretty cool. So, go to Chanceforlove.com today and start dating.
Good luck to all!
Good luck to all!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
HOTEL RESERVATIONS
Well its that time of the year when everybody is taking time off from work and going on vacation during the summer season. Traveling to their favorite hot southern destinations close to the beach, playing some golf, working on that tan, and just sitting by the beach or pool relaxing in the beautiful son with temps in the high 80's and mid 90's. And if you haven't already planned your vacation, you better hurry. Summer has just begun but is flying by fast and christmas will be here before you know it. So, becareful or you will miss your chance to take that relaxing vacation away from home and work. Whats holding you back? Is it money? Don't know where to go? Don't have alot of time? Can't find a place to go?
What if you could save up to 70% off on Hotels, Motels and Resorts ? Well believe it or not you can. So, dont let money hold you back. Get your family together now and plan a trip away from home and work and spend the weekend or even a week at your favorite destination by the pool, golf course, amusement park, casino, etc...... Get online to find some great Hotel Discounts and at the same time make your Hotel Reservations. Check out HotelReservations.com today to find the best deals on hotels, motels, resorts, and even car rentals. If your thinking about traveling abroad, then HotelReservations.com is the best place for you. They have some of the lowest if not the lowest prices on your favorite world wide destinations. Now is the perfect time to plan your trip and make your reservations. If you wait, prices will just go up and if you wait to long it will be too cold to go anywhere. So, stop wasting your time and just do it. Go on vacation before you regret not taking one. Go to http://www.hotelreservations.com and take care of all your vacation needs today.
Hope everyone has a fun and safe summer season.
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