Feature Articles of the Week

7 Ways to Cut Thousands from your College Costs

by Kim Clark

Many students are ratcheting their budgets downward because of reduced incomes and financial aid. Nevertheless, college aid officers still see plenty of students appealing for aid for what the colleges call “lifestyle” expenses.

Secrets to Finding a Student Loan

by Kim Clark

The credit crunch and debacle on Wall Street have wiped out those easy-peasy $40,000 college loans that used to be all over late-night TV. And the feds are considering a dramatic consolidation of the educational lending industry that could reduce options still further. But no matter …

Is Student Debt Really a Problem?

by Kim Clark

Most college students and recent graduates are not saddled with oppressive educational loans, according to a report issued by the College Board. But the report also documented a surprising and troubling increase in the debt loads shouldered by students attending the lowest-cost schools of all — local, public community colleges

10 Things You Did Not Know About the Swine Flu

By Queenie Wong

Clinical Trials Are Testing Stem Cells as Heart Failure Treatment

Sarah Baldauf

The ongoing study is one of many clinical trials now testing the ability of heart failure patients’ own stem cells–which renew themselves and can develop into a range of cell types–to regenerate heart muscle and restore blood flow inside the heart tissue.

8 Tips Can Help Fight Ragweed Pollen Allergy

January W. Payne

No matter how long ragweed season lasts this year, experts suggest getting a jump-start on symptoms before you start to feel lousy. This should come as no surprise to people accustomed to dealing with seasonal allergy symptoms, but we offer eight refreshers for making this ragweed season as painless as possible.

Drug-Free Approaches to Managing ADHD

Megan Johnson

For decades, Ritalin and similar stimulants have reigned over other treatments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD or ADD. The meds are seemingly tried and true, with numerous studies backing their effectiveness. However, the latest results from the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD found that stimulants’ effects wane over time. Here’s 9 Drug-Free Approaches to Managing ADHD …

Hamstrung! How to Prevent and Help Heal Hamstring Injuries

Katherine Hobson

This season, hamstring injuries have benched at least four members of the New York Mets. Then it got personal: my boyfriend started hobbling after one of our outdoor workouts, having suffered his own mild hamstring pull. What is this injury, anyway? And what makes everyone from pro athletes to weekend warriors susceptible to it?

Cap-and-Trade Will Reduce Global Warming and Create Jobs

John Podesta

New investments in the clean energy technologies of the future would slash global warming pollution and reduce the use of foreign oil while also creating jobs and increasing our economic competitiveness vis-à-vis China and other nations.

Cap-and-Trade Would Make the American Dream a Nightmare

William O’Keefe

In 1984, the late historian Barbara Tuchman wrote The March of Folly, in which she chronicled the phenomenon of governments pursuing policies directly at odds with their self-interest. Tuchman used the term “wooden-headedness” to describe the tendency of leaders to assess situations using preconceived notions while ignoring or rejecting any contrary signs. History may be repeating itself in Washington as they fight to pass a climate bill that most lawmakers have not read and even fewer understand. In spite of growing evidence …

Behind the Rage at Healthcare Town Hall Meetings

Kent Garber

This healthcare town hall was only nominally about healthcare. It was really about something else. It wasabout anger and fear. It was about a trenchant sense of disillusionment, resentment, and powerlessness.

Healthcare Is a Precious Commodity That Must Be Used Wisely

Michael D. Tanner

We tend to talk about healthcare in the philosophically abstract. ‘Is healthcare a right or a privilege?’ goes the refrain. In reality, it is neither. Healthcare is a commodity–and a finite one at that. There are only so many doctors, hospitals, and, most important, money to go around. After all, every dollar spent on healthcare is one not spent on education, infrastructure, or defense.

Healthcare Is In The Eye Of The Beholder,
And Should Be In The Hands Of The Patient

Laura Hershey

Expectations of medical treatment can run up against physicians’ opposing views and hospitals’ rules. In dozens of states, laws allow doctors to unilaterally deny lifesaving treatments that they deem ‘futile,’ even if the patient or a surrogate decision maker wants care continued. Some people actually advocate this, as a way to ration healthcare — limiting the resources available to sicker patients, to extend basic care to more healthy people

Healthcare Reform a Tough Sell in Town Halls Where Recession Has Hit Hardest

by Mary Kate Cary

Most adults alive today have seen an increase in healthcare costs over the last few decades, but they’ve also seen advances like MRIs, PET and CAT scans, cholesterol, cancer, diabetes, and heart medications for their loved ones; and a concurrent jump in our expected life spans. Unlike, say, monetary policy, healthcare is something about which most Americans have a very strong opinion.

Why Obama’s Failing Big on Healthcare Reform

Mortimer B. Zuckerman

Why does it cost the United States about $7,000 per person annually in our incomplete national healthcare system, while other major economic competitors provide universal coverage for about half that amount? The answer is quite simple: The federal government pays whatever the cost will be. Virtually every expert agrees that the root of our runaway health inflation is the fee-for-service approach.

Health Reform Fattens Big Insurance and Taxes the Young

by Bernadine Healy, M.D

Insurers agreed months ago to clean up at least some of their hated practices, such as denying insurance for prior illnesses and canceling coverage when someone gets sick. In return, they stand to get some colossal plums: a mandate not only that every American buy health insurance but that the mandated insurance be “comprehensive,” another word for expensive.

Obama Not Overexposed, but Flaws in His Healthcare Reform Have Been

by Clark S. Judge

From network reporters to online commentators, the story of the day about White House communications is that President Obama getting overexposed. That’s why, media critics say, the President’s approval numbers have dropped so low and his healthcare package isn’t selling. But they are wrong. Something very different is happening, and it has to do not with style but with substance.

Obama Shines in Character Department: Despite falling job approval numbers

by Kenneth T. Walsh

Despite setbacks on the political front, President Obama is succeeding where many other politicians have failed — in the character department. He has become a role model for the kind of traditional values that Americans have long celebrated. For years, the Democrats have been criticized by conservatives for lacking “family values.” But today, it is Obama, a Democrat, who has emerged as the paragon of personal virtue, and even Republicans see it as a source of political strength.

Obama Not Overexposed, but Flaws in His Healthcare Reform Have Been

by Clark S. Judge

From network reporters to online commentators, the story of the day about White House communications is that President Obama getting overexposed. That’s why, media critics say, the President’s approval numbers have dropped so low and his healthcare package isn’t selling. But they are wrong. Something very different is happening, and it has to do not with style but with substance.

10 Best Places to Live for Pet Lovers

Kimberly Palmer

For the 4 in 10 American families that own at least one dog, choosing a place to live isn’t just about the humans in the family: They want their pets to be happy, too. Green spaces and good weather make pets — and their owners — happy.

General Motors: ‘Cash for Clunkers’ a Huge Success

Amanda Ruggeri

Not everyone supported the Senate’s passage of a bill that boosted “cash for clunkers” by $2 billion, effectively extending it through Labor Day. But it’s hard to argue that the program, which gives rebates to people who trade in old cars for more fuel-efficient vehicles, hasn’t made the auto industry happy. That’s true for General Motors …

General Motors: ‘Cash for Clunkers’ a Huge Success

Amanda Ruggeri

Not everyone supported the Senate’s passage of a bill that boosted “cash for clunkers” by $2 billion, effectively extending it through Labor Day. But it’s hard to argue that the program, which gives rebates to people who trade in old cars for more fuel-efficient vehicles, hasn’t made the auto industry happy. That’s true for General Motors …

Michael Leiter Works to Keep Tabs on Terrorists

Alex Kingsbury

In his current job as head of the National Counterterrorism Center, Michael Leiter is again in the business of interfering with the enemy. But instead of radar units in the former Yugoslavia or air defenses in Iraq, the adversary is global terrorist networks. And rather than scramble enemy communications, he is coming up with new strategies to match the new attitudes in the intelligence community.

Biofuel Technology and Performance Issues Could Slow Acceptance

Ari Axelrod

Biofuels are a conundrum. Their potential advantages are undeniable: reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, lessening of our dependency on imported oil, support of domestic agriculture. And they certainly have their supporters. The Obama administration repeatedly affirmed its backing of rapid development of alternative energy sources, including biofuels. Still, the hurdles are high.

Biofuel Technology and Performance Issues Could Slow Acceptance

Ari Axelrod

Biofuels are a conundrum. Their potential advantages are undeniable: reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, lessening of our dependency on imported oil, support of domestic agriculture. And they certainly have their supporters. The Obama administration repeatedly affirmed its backing of rapid development of alternative energy sources, including biofuels. Still, the hurdles are high.

The Diplomatic Myths and Illusions of the Middle East

by Robert Schlesinger

Incorrect preconceptions and misguided conventional wisdom hamper American policy in the Middle East, Dennis Ross and David Makovsky write in Myths, Illusions, and Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the Middle East.

What Parents Do not Know About How Their Kids Use Facebook & MySpace

Nancy Shute

Parents of teenagers know how important texting and social networking sites like MySpace, Bebo, and Facebook are to the over-13 set. But if we think we know what our kids say and do on the sites, we’re kidding ourselves. My 13- and 14-year-old nephews kindly remind me more often than I’d like of my cluelessness, and a new survey confirms that I’m not the only parent who has no idea.

Should You Invest in Socially Responsible Funds

Kimberly Palmer

Socially responsible investing, often referred to as SRI, has grown so much over the past decade that the industry group Social Investment Forum estimates it accounts for 1 out of every 9 dollars that is professionally managed in the United States today. But some consumers hesitate to put their money into socially responsible funds. Here are questions and answers to help you decide if socially responsible investing is right for you.

How to Choose and Book Your Ideal Cruise Vacation

Kim Michele

Choosing and booking a cruise can be overwhelming if you’re not familiar with the industry and the destinations served. However, it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few tips to help you decide what you want from a cruise vacation, how to pick the best cruise line for you, and how to go about making your booking.

3 Ways to Avoid the Newest Travel ‘Gotcha’

Christopher Elliott

Kenneth Miller thought he had squirreled away more than 100,000 Delta Air Lines frequent flier miles, which he planned to use for a special 20th anniversary trip. He thought wrong. When he checked with the airline, it claimed he had no miles.

5 Secrets for Avoiding Sky-High Phone Bills on the Road

Christopher Elliott – The Travel Troubleshooter

When it comes to “gotcha” fees, the cellular phone industry makes travel companies look like rank amateurs. Take what happened to P. Morgan Brown when his wife decided to take a spur-of-the-moment vacation to Indonesia.

Charge This: 7 Tips for a Successful Credit Card Dispute

Christopher Elliott – The Travel Troubleshooter

Credit cards are not exactly what you’d call reliable. That’s because disputing a card charge is more of an art than a science. Here’s what you need to know in order to file a successful dispute.

‘No Waivers, No Favors’ Reaches New Highs

Christopher Elliott – The Travel Troubleshooter

The travel industry, hammered by the worst economic downturn in more than a generation, is taking a hard line in an effort to contain costs and preserve profits.

Branson Landing Trolley

Not Your Grandfather’s Branson

Suzi Parker

I have found the most unlikely of vacation spots: Branson, Missouri A town of 6,000 inhabitants nestled in the rolling Ozark Mountains, Branson has grown into one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Hard to believe, though, for people who like myself journeyed to this hamlet back in the 1970s to visit Silver Dollar City, then an old-time amusement park that peddled corn husk dolls and homemade candles made while you watched

Rome’s Spanish Steps

5 Family Hotels in Rome

Amie O’Shaughnessy

The biggest challenge in finding a family-friendly hotel in Rome (or any major European city) is figuring out which properties have separate areas for sleeping and/or rooms that can accommodate four or more people.

Basha Kill Vineyards

Basha Kill Vineyards, Sullivan County New York

Leo Jakobson

Wine aficionados planning a vineyard tour in New York will generally turn to the Hudson River Valley, Long Island or the Finger Lakes regions, where most of the state’s grapes are grown — excluding, of course, the huge Concord …

Chewton Glen Hotel

Top 10 English Country Manor Hotels

Jonathan Lerner

The English landscape is dotted with grand old houses in picturesque settings. Staying in one of these country house hotels on your England vacation puts you right in the glorious green countryside.

Matheran, India

Unwind, Vehicle Free in Matheran, India

Jonathan Lerner

Mumbai’s heat and blaring traffic can be wearing. When I went to Matheran, instead of horns and motors I heard drums and chants from distant villages, and the howls of monkeys

Grand Canyon

5 National Park Treasures to Visit Before You Die

Debbie K. Hardin

National parks exert a primeval pull on visitors from around the world, who come by the millions to drink in their natural wonders. There are 391 national parks in the United States. 5 National Parks to See Before You Die.

Alaskan Bear Watching

Taking the Kids to Alaska and Meeting Some Bears

Eileen Ogintz – Taking the Kids

Welcome to ‘bear camp,’ an outpost of the Kenai Peninsula fishing lodge Great Alaska International Adventure Vacations, where families come to hike, fish, raft and, of course, check out the bears.

Hawks Cay Spa

Taking the Kids and Myself to a Spa

Eileen Ogintz – Taking the Kids

Of course, my mom never took me to a spa — I don’t think she’s ever been to one herself — but I’ve taken my daughters to spas from the Caribbean to Colorado, from Arizona to Austria from the time they were young teens, and like others their age, they are perfectly at home getting facials and massages. It turns out they’ve got plenty of company

Ceiba Del Mar

Taking the Kids To Mexico Where You’ll Find Adventure, Culture, Beaches and Great Deals

Eileen Ogintz – Taking the Kids

We’re just an hour or so from Cancun, a few miles from Playa del Carmen, five miles off the highway along a bumpy road in Rio Secreto, a unique cave just opened to the public last year, after the owner of the land, Don Cleo, inadvertently discovered it while chasing one of his animals

Santiago Spain

Binging on Barnacles in Spain

Rick Steves

I’m tucked away in Santiago de Compostela, in the northwest corner of Spain. I have a three-part agenda: see pilgrims reach their goal in front of the cathedral, explore the market, and buy some barnacles in the seafood section — then have them cooked for me, on the spot, in a cafe.

Tasty Tuscan Cuisine

Tuning in to Tasty Italy

Rick Steves

Recently when I was in Tuscany, a region fiercely proud of its beef, I sunk my teeth into a carnivore’s dream come true. In a stony cellar, under one long, tough vault, I joined a local crowd for dinner.

Provence Markets

To Market, to Market in Provence

Rick Steves

Market days are an especially big deal throughout France especially in Provence. You can find an endless array of products at Provencal markets, from clothing to crafts, art to antiques, pates to picnic fare. Arles stands out among Provencal market towns

Seniors on the Go: Factory Tours — Still the Best Free Shows

Ed Perkins On Travel

If you’re a senior on a budget, you can’t beat free for admission to a visitor attraction. Despite the lousy economy you can still find factories that allow you to see how the stuff you buy is actually made. Admission to most is free and the fees are nominal at the few that do charge.

A Tale of Two Cards and Their Reward Programs

Ed Perkins On Travel

American Express and Diners Club have changed their “rewards” programs. By adding British Airways to its list of partner airlines, AmEx has clearly improved its already strong position. On the other hand, by devaluing its points, Diners seems to be headed in some other direction.

Fall & Winter Travel – What’s It Going to Be

Ed Perkins On Travel

A reporter recently asked me about the fall and winter travel outlook, and I suspect that question is on your mind, too. I see two main forces driving the current and future travel marketplace: The economy.

Websites for Traveling Women

Ed Perkins On Travel

Although most of the travel industry still thinks of travelers as traditional couples, an increasing number of women are traveling alone or with other women. Here’s a brief overview of web sites tailored toward women travellers …

Finding Those Great Fall Hotel Deals

Ed Perkins On Travel

Fall is traditionally the slowest travel season of the year. Despite good weather and lots of interesting activities in many popular destinations, people seem to have other things on their minds. Low occupancies are the norm for vacation centers. And, of course, this year’s dismal economic picture makes things worse than usual. Clearly, these factors mean lots of opportunities for travelers able to take advantage.

AARP Travel Program Not Much New for 2009

Ed Perkins On Travel

Some suppliers still offer discounts to AARP members – mainly for hotels and rental cars. The details have changed a bit since my last summer update, but the basic conclusions remains: Many of AARP’s discounts are also available to travelers of any age through AAA, credit cards, or other organizations. Still, if you’re 50 or over, AARP is useful as a fallback position to be used when you can’t find a better deal.

Personal Finance

A Tale of Two Cards and Their Reward Programs

Ed Perkins On Travel

American Express and Diners Club have changed their “rewards” programs. By adding British Airways to its list of partner airlines, AmEx has clearly improved its already strong position. On the other hand, by devaluing its points, Diners seems to be headed in some other direction.

Lifestyle-Women

Websites for Traveling Women

Ed Perkins On Travel

Although most of the travel industry still thinks of travelers as traditional couples, an increasing number of women are traveling alone or with other women. Here’s a brief overview of web sites tailored toward women travellers …

Internet

Websites for Traveling Women

Ed Perkins On Travel

Although most of the travel industry still thinks of travelers as traditional couples, an increasing number of women are traveling alone or with other women. Here’s a brief overview of web sites tailored toward women travellers …

Real Estate

Ask the Real Estate Lawyer – September 6, 2009

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

Ask the Real Estate Lawyer – August 30, 2009

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

Ask the Real Estate Lawyer – August 23, 2009

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

Ask the Real Estate Lawyer – August 16, 2009

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

Ask the Real Estate Lawyer – August 9, 2009

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

Real Estate Matters: Financial Questions and Answers – September 5, 2009

By Ilyce Glink

Real Estate Matters: Financial Questions and Answers – August 29, 2009

By Ilyce Glink

Real Estate Matters: Financial Questions and Answers – August 22, 2009

By Ilyce Glink

Real Estate Matters: Financial Questions and Answers – August 15, 2009

By Ilyce Glink

Real Estate Matters: Financial Questions and Answers – August 8, 2009

By Ilyce Glink

Loan Modification Mess: Are Lenders Dragging Their Feet

By Ilyce Glink

Once a mortgage is more than 90 days delinquent, few homeowners are able to catch up on their payments. That’s why loan modifications originally targeted those homeowners who had fallen so far behind.

Vacation Homes: Rent or Buy

By Ilyce Glink

There’s an American mythology about vacation homeownership. There are images of idyllic afternoons by the lake or swimming pool, small towns with farmers’ markets on Saturdays, and lazy summer evenings roasting marshmallows and watching fireflies.

Real Estate Deals Must Be in Writing to Be Enforceable

By Ilyce Glink

Real estate deals must be in writing to be enforceable. Usually, when a real estate broker takes an earnest money check, the buyer has signed a purchase and sale agreement (or purchase contract).

Craigslist Apartment Rental Scam

By Ilyce Glink

The FBI released a scam alert recently announcing that Nigerian scam artists had been placing phony ads for rental property online, most notably in Craigslist.

Home Decor

Banquette Seating

Banquette Seating Maximizes Efficiency and Comfort

By Rita St. Clair

Don’t assume that an attractive design featured in a magazine can be applied only in a space of similar dimensions. Good ideas can often be adapted to rooms much larger or smaller than the original. Functional issues may have to be addressed of course, trickier — and crucial — is the question of scale

Opaque Glass Panels

Sliding Opaque-Glass Panels Are Attractive and Functional for Modern Interior

By Rita St. Clair

The designs associated with the Arts and Crafts movement and with architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright have powerfully influenced the look of the modern American interior. So it’s important to realize that Wright’s work and the Arts and Crafts style in California were themselves shaped by Japanese design.

Winebar

Turn Antique Furniture into Unique Fixtures

By Rita St. Clair

Design schools never include “investment” in the lexicon they teach their students, but they should. Good interior design not only produces visual pleasure, it also enhances the value of a home by adding structural improvements and high-quality fixtures. And for homeowners seeking a return on the money they put into their homes, the art and antiques they buy will do better these days than the equity of the real estate itself.

Leafy Plants & poolside landscaping

Poolside Landscaping Should Emphasize Ease and Beauty

By Sean Conway

A backyard pool is a great place to relax in the summer heat, but it can present landscaping challenges.
Planting trees and shrubs too close to the pool should be avoided since they will block sunlight, not to mention deposit leaves and other debris in the pool. A similar caveat applies to planting grass close to the edge of a pool. It may look pleasing, but every time the grass is mowed the clippings invariably end up in the water.

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Healthcare

What is the Actual Number of Americans Without Health Insurance

Bonnie Erbe

The number of Americans without health insurance the Obama administration and Democrats have used for more than a
year now ranges between 40 million and 46 million — at the upper end, that would be somewhere between 1 in 6 and 1 in 7 Americans.
So, how many Americans are truly uninsured?

Domestic
+ Family

America’s 10 Best Places to Grow Up

Luke Mullins

Low crime, strong schools, green spaces, and fun activities are key ingredients for a happy childhood.
So we dug into our database of 2,000 different places all across the country and pinpointed the locales that met these criteria.
We then examined these communities more closely to determine which places offered the best combination …

Politics

Frustrated Baby Boomers Alienated from the Political Debate

by Mary Kate Cary

There’s a big disconnect in politics right now. The older baby boomers, the ones in their 50s and 60s, are increasingly
left out of the political discourse. That crowd is part of the biggest demographic segment of our population — more than a quarter of our
citizens. They’re dismayed that their local newspaper — if it still exists — places more emphasis on obituaries and local real estate news.
Any national news is buried somewhere far from the front page. They feel like they can’t get issue-oriented policy news anymore and are …

Economy
+Auto I

Maybe Cash For Clunkers Helped The Economy After All

Matthew Bandyk

Daniel Gross at Slate makes the case that the evidence is in, and cash-for-clunkers gets a pretty good return as
stimulus: If we use Taylor’s estimate, about 250,000 extra cars were purchased (40 percent of 625,000). And if each cost $29,000, those
sales generated about $7.3 billion in revenue in the space of a few weeks. That’s a pretty good return on $2.6 billion in government
spending.
+ Auto I
BX

Auto Dealers: Cash for Clunkers a Needed Boost

Amanda Ruggeri

John McEleney is the chair of the Virginia-based National Automobile Dealers Association, which represents more than 90
percent of new-car dealers nationwide and lobbied hard for the program. He recently spoke about how dealers have been reacting to the program
and what the problem was with reimbursements.

Beware of False Hopes on the Economy

Mortimer B. Zuckerman

Is there light at the end of this very long tunnel of a recession? Government spokespeople, keen to encourage
confidence, say there is (their metaphor is “green shoots”). Many private business people concur. Let’s do a reality check …

Swine Flu ??
Home

Obama Advisers: Swine Flu Could Infect Nearly Half of U.S. Population

By Queenie Wong

President Obama’s science advisers warned recently that swine flu could infect nearly half the U.S. population this fall and winter and
cause up to 90,000 deaths, mostly in kids and young adults. The estimate is double the deaths normally associated with the seasonal flu.

+ Kids Health
+Parenting
+ Family
BX

What Parents Should Know About Swine Flu Shots

Nancy Shute

The questions I asked at my daughter’s well-child doctor visit this week were not happy ones: They were all about what to do if the swine flu pandemic gets much worse this fall and she becomes sick. I left the pediatrician’s office just as worried.

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Health
+Ailments

9 Safe Ways to Help Cure Insomnia

January W. Payne

Insomnia — difficulty falling or staying asleep — can wreak havoc on people’s lives. And with the coroner’s finding that Michael Jackson died from a lethal dose of the anesthesia medication propofol (Diprivan), which the pop star reportedly received routinely because of his chronic inability to sleep, it’s a good time to revisit safe ways to help cure insomnia.
+Ailments

7 Things That Make Sleep Apnea Worse

Lindsay Lyon

More than 12 million Americans have obstructive sleep apnea, the most common form of sleep-disordered breathing and many are unaware, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
Untreated, sleep apnea has been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, memory loss, obesity, parasomnias, and insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes

+ Drugs
+ Merck
+ Pharma
BX

Gardasil Side Effects Tough to Monitor

Deborah Kotz

Gardasil, the vaccine that protects against the cervical-cancer-causing human papillomavirus, got a bit of a smack-down from two studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Associationdetailing safety risks associated with …

Foods Surprisingly High in Added Sugar

Sarah Baldauf

Added sugars, which are sprinkled on and processed into packaged foods and beverages, have become all too common in the American diet, says the American Heart Association. The group argues that sugar bingeing is helping drive the uptick in metabolic changes in the American population, including the exploding obesity rate, and has now recommended an upper limit on daily consumption …

Why You Should Think Twice Before Using Alli or Other Weight Loss Aids

Deborah Kotz

When it comes to losing weight, we’d all love that quick fix: a pill, shake, heck, even surgery to ease our efforts. Unfortunately, weight-loss aids — even when approved by the Food and Drug Administration — come with risks as well as benefits.

+Aging

8 Facts to Know About Palliative Care: Misconceptions abound

Sarah Baldauf

The term “palliative care” often conjures tones of a death knell, but the reality of what such services provide — and when they can and should be recruited — might be surprising. While death might ultimately become a part of the conversation, recruiting such care is not just about dying.

+ Education

School Lunches Go Vegetarian

Zach Miners

A new nationwide survey by the School Nutrition Association says almost 2 out of 3 U.S. schools now offer vegetarian fare for lunch on a regular basis. That’s a 40 percent increase since 2003, the first year veggie meals were tallied by the nonprofit group.
However, rising prices are hitting districts hard …

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Technology
+Education
BX

An Amazon Kindle for Every Student

Zach Miners

Forget better standards, merit pay for teachers, or rebuilding the crumbling infrastructure of America’s aging schools. No, if we really want to fix the U.S. education system, we must start with Kindles. Thomas Z. Freedman, the primary author of the paper, writes that having a “Kindle in every backpack” (the title of the proposal) is not just an educational gimmick but could improve education quality and save money

+Education
BX

Technology as Our Teacher

Mortimer B. Zuckerman

How can average teachers become better teachers? The secretary’s special funding could make a crucial difference by financing a national program exploiting the electronic miracles of the Internet and video. We could escape geography by using the technology to have the best teachers appear in hundreds of thousands of disparate classrooms. This is a force multiplier.

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Personal Finance
BX

5 First Steps to Deal With Debt

Kirk Shinkle

If your credit card’s monthly minimum payment is starting to look more like your old balance or you’re not answering the phone for fear of another call from a creditor, it’s time to take drastic action. As thousands of Americans are finding out during this recession, personal debt can become a nightmare

Travel
+ Wireless
+Airline
BX

Allowing Cellphones In-Flight Would Make Air Travel Even Worse

Peter DeFazio

With airline customer satisfaction at an all-time low, this is not the moment to consider making airplane travel even more torturous by allowing in-flight cellphone conversations. After arriving hours early at the airport and often after waiting for a delayed, or even canceled, flight, what could make air travel worse?

+ Wireless
+Airline
BX

If Europe Can Handle In-Flight Cellphone Use, So Can America

Carl Biersack

Despite predictions that in-flight cellphone usage would lead to Armageddon, the global rollout has been just the opposite. In 20 months of global usage, there has not been one reported incident or problem. In fact, 93 percent of passengers who flew on an in-flight communication-equipped aircraft want all jets so equipped. So why not U.S. carriers?

Careers
+ HR

Tips for Dealing With Age Discrimination

Emily Brandon

Under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, it’s illegal to discriminate against anyone age 40 or older in the workplace with regard to hiring, layoffs, promotions, pay, and benefits. Here’s what you should do if you think age is playing a role in your workplace woes

+ Education
BX

New Path to a Career in Education

Jessica Calefati

Since it began in 2002, the little-known Broad Residency has placed more than 130 participants in 32 of the nation’s largest urban school districts. There, they have led efforts to overhaul budgeting processes, revamp human resources departments, and make the purchase of textbooks and supplies more efficient. Interest in the program is starting to skyrocket, perhaps because of President Barack Obama’s advocacy of public service and school reform.

Education

College Education Concerns in the 21st Century
(c) M. Ryder

BX

Turning Two Years Into Four

Carol Frey

Can’t come up with the money for four years at a traditional college? What if you could take the same courses far more cheaply, experience life on a residential campus, and transfer smoothly after two years to complete your bachelor’s degree at the university you thought you couldn’t afford? That’s the attraction of many community colleges.

BX

The Challenge for Black Colleges

Kim Clark

The downturn that has forced cutbacks at some of the nation’s richest colleges is endangering survival of some of the poorest, including some historically black colleges and universities. But alumni, professors, and outside analysts say that the better-funded HBCUs’ experience weathering hard times and helping students whom other schools have shut out may boost their appeal

BX

First-rate Colleges Not as Selective as the Top Universities

Diane Cole

A truth that college applicants all too often forget: Beyond the small roster of nationally renowned schools lie many that aren’t household names but have first-rate programs and strong reputations.

BX

Different Paths to a College Degree

Carol Frey

Unemployment has changed many a kitchen-table conversation about college. One of the best ways to ensure a job is to have a bachelor’s degree. But a college education is now more difficult for many families to afford. That means many students are on the prowl for bargain bachelor’s degrees–and some are finding them in nontraditional programs such as three-year bachelor’s degree programs, online education, and work colleges.

BX

Unified Admissions, Affordable Loans and ‘Gap Years’ — Might Help American Colleges

Thomas K. Grose

While many foreign models won’t work in the States there are some practices, mainly cherry-picked from Britain, that would be welcome additions: a less punishing student loan program; more encouragement for students to follow the British tradition of taking a ‘gap year’ break before starting college; and, of course, a central admissions process

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SAT Offers Level Playing Field in College Admissions process

Gaston Caperton

The SAT is the most widely used and most heavily researched college admissions test in the country.
In combination with other data, such as a student’s grade-point average, college application essays, and letters of recommendation,
the SAT has proven to be a valid, fair, and reliable data tool for college admissions. All of the available research supports this point.

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Students are More than SAT Scores and Numbers in College Admissions Process

Jill Tiefenthaler

The accepted framework for college admissions is showing rust at the joints and no longer supports the right parts of the educational enterprise. It is time to rethink college admissions, and particularly the role of standardized testing. With only marginal predictive value for performance in college, standardized scores do nothing to suggest what a student might contribute to the character and vitality of an intellectual community.

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Dreaded Financial Aid Form will be Easier to Fill Out Next Year

Kim Clark

Applying for financial aid is about to get a little less annoying, and loan repayment will get more affordable for some students, thanks to recent initiatives from the U.S. Department of Education.

+ Personal Finance
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Casting the Widest Possible Net: College Tuition Assistance & Financial Aid

Kim Clark

Back when jobs were plentiful, investments were growing nicely, and borrowing was easy students and parents could generally cobble together
the $18,000 or so cost of a year at a public university using some variation of the oft-recommended “thirds” strategy: one third from
savings, one third from debt, and one third out of the family paychecks. But how can they scrape together tuition money now that the
bear market has wiped out savings, banks are scared to make loans, and layoffs have eliminated millions of high-paying jobs? Simple …

+ Personal Finance
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Serious Tracking to Hunt Down Cheapest Student Loans

Kim Clark

One of the most surprising results of the turmoil in the lending markets is how students’ loan options have diverged from parents’. Here are the keys both should bear in mind

+ Personal Finance
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Calculating the Hidden Costs of College

Kimberly Palmer

Forget the meal plan and new computer — those college costs pale in comparison with the unexpected school expenses that add up each
month, from vitamins to stave off exam-season colds to formal wear for the next big Saturday night soiree. Here are 13 often-overlooked
items that you might want to budget for, along with their estimated costs …

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Regional Agreements allow Hefty Discount for Students from Nearby States

Nikki Schwab

Out of State at In-State Tuition Rates. In many areas, regional tuitiion rate agreements for public state colleges and universities
allow a hefty discount for students from nearby states. But you have to know where to look …

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The Real Secret of College Admissions

David L. Marcus

I’m a volunteer interviewer for my alma mater, Brown University. I know the hard statistics: Only 1 out of 10 of those I meet will be admitted. I’ve come to see the admissions process as a game whose stakes really are not that high. While screening these applicants for the past couple of years, I was writing a book about the college quest. I became convinced that rejection is frequently a blessing.

+ Careers
+Healthcare

Healthcare Giving Students Opportunity to Pay their Way through College

by Steven Yaccino

Many students are expected to lean on the healthcare industry for employment this year as the part-time job market
sinks even further south. Lucky for them, a deluge of aging baby boomers drives one of the healthiest industries today. Seven of the 20
fastest-growing occupations are related to healthcare, according to government data.

+ Internet Features
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Students & Professors use Twitter to Communicate Inside & Outside the Classroom

by Zach Miners

Though Twitter might not be quite as popular among students as Facebook or MySpace, a growing cadre of professors and administrators are embracing it and using it to introduce their classes to a different kind of communication and networking — one that doesn’t involve “poking” friends or posting your results from quizzes and polls.

+ Economy
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Budget Cuts Hit Nation’s Public Colleges Hard, Even as Demand for Well-educated Workforce Soars

Kim Clark

The recession, state budget cuts, and hidebound bureaucracies are endangering some of the most important foundations of the American dream — the low-cost, high-quality public colleges created to provide anyone with smarts and diligence the training needed to succeed.

Women’s Colleges have had to Broaden their Appeal and Support

Jessica Calefati

According to one study, just 3 percent of collegebound women will even consider attending a women’s college. Yet on many traditional coeducational
campuses across the country, female students now outnumber their male peers. Some argue that this combination of factors demonstrates that women’s
colleges are obsolete, some think otherwise …

Best Tech for the Collegebound

David LaGesse

At the top of every college student’s list are the modern tools of campus life, the technology that gets students through their academics and
socializing. We’ve scanned five key categories of tech for collegiates. While these can be used for entertainment, the emphasis is on work and
communications.

Here Comes the NFL

NFL 2009 Week 1

Every last player, coach and fan is ready! The NFL returns this week and it’s time to “Own the Moment.” That means
the next four months will be packed with the sizzle and suspense that comes only with the National Football League. And then come the
playoffs! Everybody is ready for the unique unpredictability of the NFL. And every team enters the new season with hope.

Team-by-Team Review of the NFL’s Starting Quarterbacks

NFL 2009 Week 1

Quarterbacks throughout the league find themselves in the spotlight as the NFL begins the new season, all hoping to
lead their teams to a berth in Super Bowl XLIV on February 7 at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida. Following is a team-by-team look at the
NFL’s starting quarterbacks heading into NFL 2009 Week 1.

Picks, Selections and Latest Line

Picks, Selections & Latest Line

NFL 2009 Week 1 Kickoff Weekend

Team-by-Team Review of the NFL’s Starting Quarterbacks

NFL 2009 Week 1

Quarterbacks throughout the league find themselves in the spotlight as the NFL begins the new season, all hoping to
lead their teams to a berth in Super Bowl XLIV on February 7 at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida. Following is a team-by-team look at the
NFL’s starting quarterbacks heading into NFL 2009 Week 1.

 

• 
  Best NFL Records, Past 10 Years
• 
  New Rules for NFL 2009 Season
• 
  Notable NFL Players who Switched Teams this Offseason
• 
  NFL 2009: Teams Strength of Schedule
• 
  NFL 2009: Travel Miles – Preseason and Regular Season
• 
  NFL 2009: Best Quarterback Performances Past & Present
• 
  NFL 2009: Cowboys Open New Stadium
• 
  Pro Football America’s Favorite Sport by Far
• 
  NFL TV has New Look this Season
• 
  NFL International Series United Kingdom – Buccaneers vs. Patriots
• 
  NFL Football Milestones
• 
  NFL Celebrates 50th Anniversary of AFL
• 
  140 Years Ago: First Football Game – Rutgers vs. Princeton
• 
  Green Bay Packers Celebrate 90th Season
• 
  Ernie Nevers Oldest Standing NFL Records
• 
  Pittsburgh Steelers Aim to Repeat
• 
  Arizona Cardinals Look to Build on Last Year’s Success
• 
  Wild, Wild, Wildcat Offense
• 
  Flexibility on Defense: The 3-4 Formation
• 
  Turnover Differential – Key to Victory in the NFL
• 
  On Offense – Running the Ball Ensures Victory in NFL
• 
  Tandem Backfields – Good Things Come in Pairs
• 
  Sack Attack
• 
  Fourth-and-One Offense
• 
  Peyton Manning Continues to Place Himself among NFL All-Time Greats
• 
  Player Milestones on the Horizon
• 
  La Dainian Tomlinson – L.T. Closes in on More TD Records
• 
  Successful Rookie QBs – Matt Ryan & Joe Flacco
• 
  Three Stellar Rookie Runningbacks
• 
  Quarterbacks with Most Wins in Their First Five Seasons
• 
  Three of Kind in Arizona – Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston
• 
  Double-Trouble Running Backs Can Hurt You Two Ways
• 
  Big Play Excitement
• 
  Protecting the Quarterback
• 
  NFL’s Best All Purpose Players
• 
  Small Wide Receivers Make Big Contributions
• 
  Quarterbacks of the Future
• 
  Active Statistical Leaders Heading into 2009 Season
• 
  70th Anniversary of First Televised NFL Game
• 
  Monday Night Football Celebrates 40th Season
• 
  25 Years Since Dan Marino’s 5,084 Passing Yards Single Season Record
• 
  10th Anniversary of Instant Replay

 

Steelers & Titans Kickoff NFL 2009

NFL 2009 Kickoff Weekend

The NFL kicks off its 2009 season when the Super Bowl XLIII champion PITTSBURGH STEELERS host the TENNESSEE TITANS on
NBC at 8:30 PM ET. Continuing a tradition that started in 2004, the previous year’s Super Bowl winner hosts the NFL Thursday night season
Kickoff the following September. This year’s Kickoff Weekend features …

Jail Behind Him, Will a New Michael Vick Finally Emerge

Steve Dale

The majority of fans contended their disgust with Michael Vick. Yet, I wonder how many season ticket holders would actually cancel, and how many would turn off their TVs on Sunday afternoons. I argue, it’s a sad reality that there may be an increase in seats filled and TV ratings might shoot up, especially if the team signing Vick has little else to offer.

NFL 2009 Week 1 – Here Comes the NFL

Here Comes the NFL

Every last player, coach and fan is ready! The NFL returns this week and it’s time to “Own the Moment.” That means the next four months will be packed with the sizzle and suspense that comes only with the National Football League. And then come the playoffs! Everybody is ready for the unique unpredictability of the NFL. And every team enters the new season with hope.

MORE >>

Here Comes the NFL