Time Management - Start Here!

Personal time management skills are essential skills for effective people. People who use these techniques routinely are the highest achievers in all walks of life, from business to sport to public service. If you use these skills well, then you will be able to function exceptionally well, even under intense pressure.

What's more, as you master these skills, you'll find that you take control of your workload, and say goodbye to the often intense stress of work overload.

At the heart of time management is an important shift in focus:

Concentrate on results, not on being busy

Many people spend their days in a frenzy of activity, but achieve very little, because they're not concentrating their effort on the things that matter the most.

The 80:20 Rule

This is neatly summed up in the Pareto Principle, or the '80:20 Rule'. This says that typically 80% of unfocussed effort generates only 20% of results. This means that the remaining 80% of results are achieved with only 20% of the effort. While the ratio is not always 80:20, this broad pattern of a small proportion of activity generating non-scalar returns recurs so frequently that it is the norm in many situations.

By applying the time management tips and skills in this section you can optimize your effort to ensure that you concentrate as much of your time and energy as possible on the high payoff tasks. This ensures that you achieve the greatest benefit possible with the limited amount of time available to you.

Time Management Tools

In this section, we start off with simple and practical techniques, so that you can get off to a quick start in taking control of your time. The articles on Beating Procrastination and Activity Logs help you quickly eliminate the most common time-wasters, while the articles on Action Plans and Prioritized To Do Lists teach simple techniques helping you focus on the most important short-term activities.

We then move onto the really powerful and life-changing technique of goal setting, and then look at the important, well-known, and usually-neglected technique of scheduling, which is fundamentally important if you're going to take control of your workload. (You can learn 14 more, equally powerful techniques in our members area, the Career Excellence Club.)

So follow the links below, and start learning!

• Discover the tools that can help you - How Good is Your Time Management?
• Manage time. Get things done - Beating Procrastination.
• Finding out how you really spend your time - Activity Logs.
• Tackling the right tasks first - Prioritized To Do Lists.
• Deciding your personal priorities - Personal Goal Setting.
• Planning to make the best use of your time - Effective Scheduling.

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How To Reduce Your Risks And Limit Your Personal Liability As A Landlord

By Thomas Lucier

Many residential landlords unknowingly strut around with the words sue me figuratively tattooed on their foreheads in bright fluorescent colors! They're considered in legal circles to be high profile targets because they run their rental housing business in a lax, haphazard manner with little or no regard to how they're perceived by their tenants and other potential adversaries. These are the flashy landlords who collect their rent from tenants while driving exotic automobiles and wearing expensive designer clothes.

These are also the same landlords who are woefully underinsured and totally clueless when it comes to knowing how to reduce their risks and limit their personal liability as landlords. If you don't want to end up as cannon fodder in court, you should take a low-key approach to running your residential rental housing business. By a low-key approach, I mean that you should operate your rental housing business in an honest, ethical, professional manner that keeps both you and your business under the radar screen of jealous tenants, overzealous code enforcement officials, snooping members of the media and sue-happy plaintiffs' attorneys looking for some quick cash.

Landlords Must Know How To Properly Protect Themselves

If you're a residential landlord whose goal is financial independence through the ownership of rental property, you most likely won't succeed until you first learn how to:

1. Maintain adequate property and casualty and general liability insurance on your rental property.

2. Reduce the risk of potential lawsuits as a landlord.

3. Limit your personal liability as a landlord.

Four Types Of Insurance Coverage Landlords Should Carry

At a minimum, residential rental property owners should carry the following four types of insurance coverage:

1. Property and Casualty Insurance. Property and casualty insurance covers residential rental property owners from fire, storm or other catastrophic losses that could render their rental property uninhabitable.

2. General Liability Insurance. General liability insurance is third-party coverage. It reimburses rental property owners if they're responsible for compensating another's losses. General liability insurance doesn't cover intentional wrongdoing such as arson or assault, but it usually covers negligence and general liability issues.

3. Flood Insurance. Flood Insurance is available for rental properties that are located in communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. The federal government administers the National Flood Insurance Program, and insurance companies issue the policies.

4. Umbrella Insurance. Personal or commercial umbrella insurance provides rental property owners with excess liability insurance coverage beyond the limits provided in a general liability insurance policy.

What Your Insurance Coverage Should Protect You Against

Depending upon whether or not you have employees, your property and casualty and general liability insurance coverage should protect you against:

1. Fire, storm and other catastrophic losses.

2. Liability for tenant and employee injuries.

3. Tenant or employee theft.

4. Malicious damage and vandalism by tenants.

5. Loss of rental income.

6. Libel, and slander by employees against tenants

7. Discrimination lawsuits filed by disgruntled tenants and employees.

8. Allegations of fraud, misrepresentation and other intentional acts by employees.

9. Claims made that exceed insurance policy limits.

Require Everyone Working On Your Property Be Insured

To reduce general liability insurance premiums, require that all repairmen and contractors working on your rental property provide certificates of insurance proving that they carry adequate liability coverage and workers' compensation insurance. Require that each repairman or contractor have a minimum of one million dollars in liability insurance coverage.

Don't Allow Tenants To Keep Any Pets On The Premises

I'm not some sort of animal-hater, but for insurance and liability purposes, it makes sense not to allow tenants to keep any type of pets on the premises. For example, many insurers are leery of potential wrongful-death lawsuits that could result from tenants' pet dogs attacking and possibly killing people on the premises. This is what has happened to the owners of the San Francisco apartment building where a woman was mauled to death by two dogs in a hall last year. The landlord's liability insurer ended up paying the victim's estate millions of dollars.

Require All Tenants To Have Renters' Insurance Coverage

As part of your risk management program, include a clause in your rental agreement that requires all tenants to provide proof of renters” insurance coverage prior to taking possession and occupying the premises. Most renters' insurance policies provide coverage against fire and theft to personal property, and personal liability coverage for injuries and damages caused by tenant neglect.

Use An Independent Insurance Agent

Unlike captive insurance agents, who work for one insurance company, independent insurance agents represent many insurance carriers. An independent insurance agent works a lot like a mortgage broker who shops a loan application to mortgage lenders for the best interest rate and loan terms. An independent insurance agent shops an insurance application to property and casualty and liability insurance carriers to get the most coverage at the lowest annual premium.

Four Ways To Reduce Risks And Limit Personal Liability

Here are four ways to reduce your risks and limit your personal liability as a landlord:

1. Maintain adequate property and casualty and general liability insurance coverage on your rental property.

2. Form a separate business entity to hold the title to your rental property in.

3. Practice risk management techniques that reduce your risks and personal liability as landlord.

4. Thoroughly screen the backgrounds of all tenant and employee applicants for criminal convictions.

Maintain Adequate General Liability Insurance Coverage

Regardless of how safe and secure your rental property may be, and how much you plan and prepare for emergencies, you still must maintain adequate general liability insurance coverage on your rental property in order to help reduce your risk and limit your personal liability as a landlord. In addition to general liability insurance, you may want to purchase a personal or commercial umbrella insurance policy to give you added liability coverage.

Best For Residential Landlords To Adopt A Low-Key Persona

The best way to stay off the radar screens of potential adversaries is to adopt a low-key persona as a landlord that doesn't draw the attention to yourself and your rental housing business. For example, I've adopted the persona of the busy landlord who's making a living. Tenants assume that I'm always busy because I walk, talk and work at a rather fast pace. I'm always polite and courteous with tenants, but I never engage in small talk, or discuss my rental housing business with them. When I'm asked about the business, I simply state that, it's a living, and promptly go about my business.

Best To Use A Separate Entity To Hold Title To Your Rental Property

Lastly, given the overly litigious nature of most Americans today, I very strongly suggest, that you form a separate business entity such as a Subchapter S corporation or LLC, limited liability company, to hold the title to your rental property. It's one of the best and least expensive methods available to help to reduce your risk and limit your personal liability as a landlord. This way, there's a clear distinction between your personal and family assets, and the assets held by your corporation or your limited liability company. And, in most cases, any liability incurred by the business entity would be limited to the business entity's assets. However, please be advised that there isn't a business entity known to man that will protect its owners and officers from being held liable when it's used to engage in fraudulent or criminal behavior.

Where Are We In This Financial Crisis & Recovery?

Where are we in the global crisis? Are we recovering yet? Why are stock prices rushing upwards when the real economy still looked unsettled? I have tried to convey some answers in my posts before. Let's look at some more related factors:

a) economic statistics - no doubt the stats that have been coming out are still bad, but we have to remember that economic stats are dated, things that are dated means we all should know already, they do not tell us something we don't already know, we went through it, we read about how many companies have been downsizing, we read about plunging commodity price and the Baltic Dry Index, we hear about the number of foreclosed homes ... hence the main aim when looking at economic stats now is to look for signs of recovery, then we have to distinguish between year on year, quarter on quarter and month on month data, year on year is the hardest to calibrate - we already know that things will be very bad on a basis, thus we look at comparative figure for the past few months, figures are important in that it takes out seasonal effects - its the same month as last year, month on month is deceptive because of seasonal effects e.g. figures for February (Chinese New Year effect / holidays / front loading) when compared to March will have the seasonal effect, which is why it is safer to look at quarter on quarter as it would indicate a more genuine trend change ... considering where we are in the recession cycle, everyone should be looking at the rate of decline, or rather the changes to the rate of decline to get at hints of recovery

b) bad news discounted - just how much of the bad news has been discounted, we can only guess, but when you take into consideration the spike in risk aversion over the last 7 months (which can be measured), it is reasonable to assume that prices have more than discounted the bad news because a depletion of confidence and a spike in risk aversion will lead to oversold markets, and that where we are coming back from, an oversold position

c) bear market rally - in the beginning I would call it a bear market rally, but since February I think its a cyclical market rally, many who call this a bear market rally are those who totally missed out profiting from the rally, the more it rallies, the louder will those who did not buy will shout that it is a bear market rally ... you will also notice that those fundamentals driven experts have gone a lot quieter in recent weeks as the markets continued to climb because they have been wrong and wrong week in week out, hence the only people still shouting are technical analysts, or rather those chartists who also failed to spot the rising trend are now calling for a massive correction ... nobody wants to be wrong and at the same time not being able to make some money when others have traded profitably, beware of the underlying reasons why some people are saying certain things

d) what could go wrong - markets will seize up again if there are major unknowns appearing again, such as if a few big banks were to collapse, or that some of them would require another bailout in the hundreds of billions again, that is not likely after the "stress test" that did not please many people, to me its a very good move by Geithner because it opens up the books and sores for all to see, only with another round of panic will the bond markets seize up, and when they do, the risk aversion will return, looking at what has transpired, that risk has be lowered significantly

So, yes, foreclosures will be bad, unemployment may still rise ( I expect them to peak by end of June/July 2009), pockets of Europe will still be very bad, but the focus has shifted to investors looking for signs of recovery, and every time economic stats DOES NOT say that, markets will just drift lower, but not correct massively, as the amount of liquidity and the need to have an exposure in order not to miss out, will counterbalance the markets in the weeks and months ahead.

Robots In The Army

As a part of the Inspectorbots series of Wireless Video Inspection Robots, the Delta Unit prides itself at being an affordable surveillance and reconnaissance bot. Its been specifically designed for situations where you would want to call the SWAT or the Hazmat team. Quite like the RC car that you like to play with, the Delta moves ahead and beams back live footage of the hostile scenario to the control center, without putting lives at risk.

The unit comes equipped with a pan/tilting camera and can be additionally fitted with sensors to detect various poisonous gasses or radiation levels of the concerned environment. Featuring an aircraft grade, anodized aluminum chassis, this bot can withstand quite a bit of kaboom action.

Designer : Chris Rogers
Source : yankodesign.com

Toyota Avalon 2009

The 2009 Toyota Avalon ranks 1 out of 9 Affordable Large Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 55 published reviews and test drives of the Toyota Avalon, and our analysis of reliability and safety data. The 2009 Toyota Avalon is the largest car from the world's largest automaker. While it isn't an exciting ride, it does offer the best fuel-economy in its class, excellent power for everyday driving and an interior that compares well with many cars costing thousands of dollars more. These factors, plus its value over time, helped the Avalon win the U.S. News Best Car for the Money Award in the large car class

The Toyota Avalon combines class-leading interior space, a high-quality interior that's long on comfort, and Toyota's bulletproof reputation for reliability. Its chief drawback is its cost -- at this price, many buyers would rather simply opt for a luxury car. On the other hand, with Toyota's rock-solid reputation for quality, and the best fuel-economy in its class, the Avalon's cost-to-own works in the car's favor.

While many reviewrs note that the Avalon is priced above some competitors, they also say that steep price buys a lot of car. Edmunds says, "Its price of entry may be higher than its rivals', but if you're looking for the most refined, best-built full-size sedan in the $30,000 price bracket, you need look no further than the 2009 Toyota Avalon." Still, the Avalon isn't for everyone. While most reviewers say it is a competent and comfortable performer, it is by no means sporty.

If it's the Avalon's near-luxury interior that you're interested in, we'd suggest that you also test drive to Hyundai Genesis. That car similarly offers an interior that wouldn't be out of place in a Lexus, and a price under $40,000. But, with rear wheel drive and an available V8, it outperforms the Avalon. If a safe, comfortable ride and a lot of space are your requirements, you might want to look at the Mercury Sable. Built on a Volvo-derived platform, it is as safe as you can get in this class, and spacious as well. But the Avalon sits atop our large car list -- there may not be a better fit for your needs.

For 2009, the mid-level Touring trim has been dropped. Several formerly optional pieces of safety tech are now standard on all Avalons - including active front headrest, brake assist, traction control and stability control. The Avalon comes in three trim levels -- including the XL, XLS and Limited.

Come check out this month's Best Toyota Deals where we have done the research to get you the best offer.

From : http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/

Whooping Cough, Why Worry?

Whooping cough is a highly infectious respiratory illness caused by Bordetella pertussis, a known player in the infectious disease world since the 16th century. In its heyday it was responsible for at least 200,000 cases a year just in the United States. These cases were reduced significantly with the development of the vaccine in the 1940's. However, since the 1980's there has been a steady increase again with 9000 cases in 2002 , and 25,000 cases in 2004. The reason for this is unknown, but here's what you need to know.

--The diagnosis is very difficult to make, and it is mostly based on clinical exam and history (not labs) so pay attention to your symptoms which usually occur in 3 stages:

1. Catarrhal stage: 1-2 weeks of cold like symptoms with runny nose, congestion.

2. Paroxysmal stage: 1-6 weeks of severe, rapid coughing spells ending in a long
inspiratory effort with a high pitched whoop. Characteristically this cough ends with vomiting and exhaustion and it is usually worse at night as the lungs try to expel the thick mucus. The patient may appear normal between these attacks.
Hear how it sounds.

3. Convalescent stage: you finally get better in another 2-3 weeks.

--All adults 19 - 64 years old and especially those with infants should receive the new pertussis vaccine which is given as one shot in combination with the diphtheria/tetanus vaccine. It is not a live vaccine so there is no risk of getting the disease from the vaccine. It is considered safe and effective, however, its safety in pregnant women and in those over 65 has not yet been established. Teens 11 - 18 are also recommended to get the vaccine. The immunity from this vaccine is expected to last 6-10 years.

--All close contacts of a patient with whooping cough are recommended to be treated with Erythromycin or sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim for 14 days.

--The patient should be isolated for 5 days after antibiotic therapy has started, and contact with infants should be completely avoided.

Please contact your doctor if you have any concerns.


References:
http://www.medem.com/
http://www.whoopingcough.net/
www.chestnet.org
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vaccine/tdap/tdap_adult_recs.pdf
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics, Volume 48 (Issue 1226), Jan 16, 2006.
Photo courtesy of duke.usask.ca

Low Cost Life Insurance? It's Online

Unless you're a carefree, 20-something single with no debt and no property, chances are you've at least thought about buying life insurance. Faced with the hassle of finding an agent, a carrier and a good deal (not to mention the health exam), you may even have considered making your purchase online.

It's a good idea for a number of reasons. First, by using online research tools - Web sites that allow you to compare rates from competing major companies - you improve your chance of getting a good deal. Second, online buying greatly reduces the time you will spend on the process.

"The traditional way of purchasing life insurance can take weeks from start to finish," notes MichaelRowell, CEO of Efinancial.com, a top shop-and-compare site for life insurance. "Online buying is typically much faster. For example, many of our clients can qualify for $300,000 in coverage almost instantly." Visit www.efinancial.com to compare policy quotes from major carriers such as AIG, Prudential and Transamerica.

The key to the quick turnaround and ease of purchase is that most Web sites are dealing with term life insurance policies. Term life insurance tends to be easier to qualify for and offers lower monthly premiums than other life insurance products. Many carriers offer term life products that don't even require a medical exam, although you will still have to complete (truthfully) a survey on your health status.

"Term life can be a great investment for a very wide range of consumer types," says Rowell. "Lower monthly premiums, ease of approval and the variety of products from top companies make term life appealing to many people. Plus, some companies now even offer a term life product that at the end of the term returns every penny of the premium you paid in over the life of the policy."

Applying online for life insurance also gives consumers greater flexibility in determining when they commit to a particular company or policy. While entering your information on some Web sites may result in endless phone calls or e-mails from marketers, Efinancial does not share applicant information. "You will only ever get a call from an Efinancial representative, and only after you've initiated the process by entering your information on our site," says Rowell. "We then act as facilitators to connect the consumer with an agent at the company of his or her choice."

The company uses a proprietary, patent-pending automation engine that speeds along the application process even faster than other online life insurance sites. By pairing applicants with an Efinancial representative who facilitates their application, the company combines the speed, convenience and flexibility of the Web with the personalized service traditionally provided by insurance agents.

To quickly compare quotes from top companies and secure speedy approval for your term life insurance application, visit www.efinancial.com.

Swine flu facts and fallacies

• What is swine flu?

Swine flu is a respiratory illness caused by a type A influenza virus, usually of the subtype H1N1, that triggers outbreaks in pigs fairly regularly. It can also be transferred from pigs to humans, from humans to pigs, and from humans to other humans.

Four main virus subtypes – H1N1, H1N2, H3N2 and H3N1 – have been isolated in pigs, though the virus, like all influenza viruses, constantly mutates. When influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses can trade genes to create new versions that mix swine, human and/or avian influenza.

The swine H1N1 virus is not the same as the human H1N1 virus, so vaccines for the latter won't protect from the former.

• Can humans catch swine flu?

Yes, but it is not common. Usually, this happens to people who are in contact with pigs, though there are some documented cases of human-to-human transfer. Human-to-human transmission is believed to occur much like the regular flu, through coughing, sneezing and other contact. Eating pork does not transmit the virus. The symptoms resemble those of the regular flu virus.

• How can swine flu be diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosing requires a respiratory specimen taken during the first four or five days of infection, to be analyzed in a lab. The virus seems to respond to antiviral drugs, including those Canadian health authorities have been stockpiling in case of a flu pandemic.

• When has it happened before?

The best-known case of swine flu is a 1976 outbreak at an army barracks in Fort Dix, N.J., which sickened four soldiers and killed one. There have been no major outbreaks of swine flu recorded in Canada.

• How is swine flu H1N1 virus different from SARS and avian flu H5N1 virus?

All three come from animals, but SARS, a corona virus, and the avian flu are poorly adapted to infecting humans. As a result, it is fairly difficult for humans to catch either virus or pass them on to others, though the effects can prove deadly when infection occurs.

SOURCES: Centers for Disease Control; World Health Organization; Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion

Influenza A virus subtype H1N1

H1N1 is a subtype of the species Influenza A virus. The "H" refers to the Hemagglutinin protein, and the "N" refers to the Neuraminidase protein. H1N1 has mutated into various strains including the Spanish Flu strain (now extinct in the wild), mild human flu strains, endemic pig strains, and various strains found in birds. A variant of H1N1 was responsible for the Spanish flu pandemic that killed some 50 million to 100 million people worldwide from 1918 to 1919. A different variant exists in pig populations.

Low pathogenic H1N1 strains still exist in the wild today, causing roughly half of all flu infections in 2006.^[2] When the 1918 virus was compared with human flu viruses in 2005, it was noticed that it had alterations in just 25 to 30 of the virus's 4,400 amino acids. These changes were enough to turn a bird virus into a version that was human-transmissible.

In April of 2009, an H1N1 outbreak killed over eighty in Mexico, and was believed to have infected more than 1500 individuals worldwide as of April 26, 2009. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control warned that it was possible the outbreak could develop into a pandemic.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

5 Link Building Tips for New Websites

[Editor's Note: Please welcome this guest post from TopRank Online Marketing Content Promotions Supervisor, Dana Larson on basic link building tactics for new web sites.]

Despite the constantly evolving nature of search engines and ranking methods, inbound links continue be a significant influence on website rankings. The higher quality the link, the more authority that link passes on.

Sites that have been live and active on the web for many years attract a substantial number of links when well promoted. But, what about those sites that are brand new? How should they go about getting quality links right off the bat?

Here is a list of 5 link building tactics for new websites to get them off on the right foot:

1. Links from Local Organizations - If your company is registered with the Better Business Bureau or the Chamber of Commerce, the links from these sites can be very relevant for geographically specific terms and topics. Also, locate other local businesses and organizations that maintain lists of businesses to request a link from.
2. Optimized Press Releases - Your business just launched or you have compelling news to announce - why not tell the world about it? There are many great press release distribution services available that will not only increase your brand visibility, but also earn you inbound links. Press releases that get picked up will often mention and link to the company being mentioned. Press releases that are copied whole, as content to blogs and information web sites will frequently retain any embedded links within the press release. However, the links in press releases hosted with wire services are commonly short term or devalued. See this past post for tips on press release optimization and distribution.
   
3. Reputable Directory Submissions - While some online directories have gotten a bad rap or have become irrelevant, certain directories can still pack a punch when done right. A few of these directories include Yahoo! Directory and Best of the Web. Also, if your business services a specific geographic area, find some good local directories to submit to, such as Google Local or use a service like GetListed. Optimizing and including your site in local data sources, search engines and directories can help boost your local search visibility.
   
4. Charity and Non-Profit Links - Does your company’s business model include philanthropy? When you make charitable contributions to organizations and non-profits, find out if it has a “Donors” list on its website and suggest a link.
   
5. Blog Based Link Building - If you’re thinking of starting a blog for your company, be sure to network online with complimentary blogs. Share industry news, original ideas and useful tips and you’ll attract links, often times, without asking. Link to other blogs in your industry, and reference fellow industry bloggers. They’ll notice and may link back. Links that come as a result of sharing useful blog content with others can attract traffic in the short term and boost search engine rankings overall. Just look at our own TopRank Online Marketing Blog with over 700,000 inbound links as an example.

When starting a link building campaign for new website, keep in mind relevancy and authority, because nothing beats a first impression. Whether the first external sites that link to your site make a difference in how search engines undstand and rank your web site may be up for debate, but the value of association on consumers that click, visit and share is unmistakable. Focus on attracting links that add value to web site visitors and best represent your most important keywords at the same time.

New version of female condom touted

Advocates hope to see greater use in global fight against AIDS

updated 3:59 p.m. ET April 16, 2009

NEW YORK - Advocates of the female condom are promoting a less costly, more user-friendly version that they hope will vastly expand its role in the global fight against AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

An early version of the female condom was introduced in 1993, and it remains the only available woman-initiated form of protection against both STDs and unintended pregnancy. Yet despite global promotion by the United Nations and other organizations, its usage is still minuscule, even as women bear an ever-growing share of the AIDS epidemic.

Advocates hope the dynamics will change following last month's approval by the Food and Drug Administration of the FC2, a new version of the female condom produced by the Chicago-based Female Health Co.

About 35 million female condoms were distributed worldwide last year, but that compares to more than 10 billion male condoms, which are far cheaper and, at least initially, easier to use. However, in some nations with high HIV rates, many men refuse to wear condoms, putting women at risk.

Though it looks similar to its predecessor — a soft, transparent sheath with flexible inner and outer rings — the FC2 is made from synthetic rubber rather than polyurethane, making it cheaper to produce.

Mary Ann Leeper, former president of Female Health Co. and now its strategic adviser, said the FC2 also is less noisy during use. Complaints about squeaky noises were among the factors that slowed acceptance of the original version.

Less costly than previous version
The cost of the FC2 is one-third less than its predecessor, and may go lower, enabling health organizations to distribute many millions more than at present. For now, the price is about 60 cents compared to less than 4 cents for mass-distributed male condoms — a difference that's an issue in the developing world.

The FC2 had been accepted previously by some international organizations, and the Female Health Co. distributed 14 million of them abroad last year along with 21 million of the older version. Advocates of the female condom praised the FDA announcement because it opens the door for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), one of the largest global providers of condoms, to distribute the FC2 overseas.

"This is a tremendous victory," said Susie Hoffman, an assistant professor of clinical epidemiology at Columbia University who contends the female condom has suffered from misconceptions.

"In the United States, there has been strong bias against it," Hoffman said. "Some people involved in AIDS and family planning would say, 'Why do we need these? ... It's so weird that women are not going to pick it up.'"

"But if presented in the right way, many women do like it," Hoffman said. "To find these people and help them and train them, you need systematic programming, which costs money."

Resistance is less of a problem in some developing nations. The U.N. Population Fund, government agencies and nonprofits are aggressively promoting female condoms in places such as Brazil, Ghana, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Women's groups in Zimbabwe collected more than 30,000 signatures demanding access to the female condom. In Ghana, nonprofits say more than 10,000 people have attended training programs that teach women how to insert female condoms — they require careful instruction to be used properly — and how to negotiate with their male partners.

Challenges of price, stigma
"The mindset is changing, but there are still a lot of challenges," said Bidia Deperthes, the Population Fund's HIV technical adviser for condoms. "Accessibility is still minimal. There's a huge demand, and we're not meeting it."

Deperthes hopes that with FDA approval of the FC2, the number of female condoms distributed globally could climb to 50 million this year. If the numbers keep rising, she said, the cost to public-sector distributors for each FC2 could drop as low as 25 cents.

Jeff Spieler, a science adviser with USAID's Office of Population and Reproductive Health, said the female condom's future may depend on whether its promoters can develop a private-sector market. Its commercial price in the United States generally has been more than $2.

Another challenge is a stigma associated with the female condom in some places because prostitutes are among those deemed to benefit most from using it. On the other hand, advocates of the female condom say it has invaluable safe-sex potential for married women whose husbands are unfaithful and shun male condoms.

Serra Sippel, executive director of the Center for Health and Gender Equity in Washington, said FDA approval of the FC2 is a key step toward "putting the power of prevention in women's hands." But she bemoaned the product's limited over-the-counter availability.

"We'd love to see the profile raised, to have commercials about it and normalize it so people aren't embarrassed," she said.

Mary Ann Leeper said the Female Health Co. is seeking a corporate partner to help market the FC2. She suggested that concern about HIV/AIDS may generate interest among women in communities with high infection rates.

The female condom's advocates stress that it will never be the "magic bullet" that by itself turns the tide in fighting AIDS. But, they say, it should be a bigger part of the arsenal.

"It's not going to be the one answer," Hoffman said. "But it's got a lot more to contribute than it has to date."

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

10 ways to save money in 2009

By Sharon Epperson

You bought a home to build wealth. It's your greatest asset. But now even if you can afford to pay the mortgage, your home is worth less than you paid for it. You've dutifully socked money away in your 401(k), IRA or another retirement account and the value of those investments has dwindled. Those credit cards? You know you should pay them off, but the interest rates are rising at the same time you're trying to whittle down the balance.

The financial pain for many Americans is intense, but would likely feel less acute if you had enough savings on hand. If you had money you could get to at any moment, it could cushion the difference between your income and your expenses, especially if you've been laid off.

Unfortunately, the 2008 National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) Financial Literacy Survey co-sponsored by MSN Money revealed that the majority of people don't have a sufficient emergency fund, defined as three to six months' income saved. More than one-third, or roughly 76 million adults, say they do not have any nonretirement savings. Although the majority of people are currently saving for retirement, more than one-quarter aren't saving.

Here are 10 ways to save in 2009. First step, start small.

• Save for one month's expenses. Put 10% of your take-home pay into an interest-bearing savings account. Plan to have saved at least one month's worth of expenses — or better yet, one month's salary — by the end of the year.
• Shop around for the best rate. The bank where you have your checking account may not offer good interest rates on a savings account. Compare rates at sites like Bankrate.com and SavingsAccounts.com. Make sure the institution is FDIC-insured. You can open an HSBC Direct online savings account with just one dollar and earn a 3% rate. No minimum balance required.
• Make direct deposits from paycheck to savings. Some employers will allow you to designate several accounts for your paycheck. Have at least 10% of your paycheck directly deposited to savings, the rest to checking to cover monthly bills. If you can't do direct deposit, have the money automatically taken out of your checking account every month on payday.

Still not finding enough dollars to put into savings? Look harder. Here's how:

Cut back $10/month on 15 expenses. Examine your monthly expenses and see what you can cut out or cut back. If you could carve out $10 a month out of 15 different spending categories, you'd have $150 a month to go into your savings account. That means that in 12 months, you'd have built up a cushion of $1,800, which should see you through most short-term emergencies. (According to Consumer Reports, just brewing your own 16-oz. cup of coffee can save $350 a year.)

Put your raise, refund, monetary gifts right in the pot. Pretend you never received that windfall, however large or small. Since you weren't living on that money before, don't depend on it now. Use an income tax refund, if you're fortunate enough to get one, as the seed money for your savings. Perhaps it'll give you the funds you need for the first month of expenses, but remember your ultimate goal is to save for at least six months' worth.

Start saving for the holidays now. You probably did all of your holiday spending in the last six weeks — or less. Tally up your expenses for this holiday season, including gifts, travel, entertaining. Divide the total by 10 and contribute that amount to your savings each month from January to October. Next November you can start spending that amount, paying cash for your holiday purchases.

Reduce 401(k) contributions and put that money in savings. Continue to contribute enough money to your company's 401(k) to receive the matching contribution, if offered. But if you don't have sufficient cash savings, don't put in any more than that amount. Direct the excess percentage to your savings account. Don't suspend 401(k) contributions altogether, because it's still tax-deferred savings — a big plus. Just make sure you're able to put at least 10 percent of your take-home pay into cash savings. If you put in that amount, you may want to reduce your 401(k) contributions.

You'll also need to set goals for saving this one-month sum and then getting at least three to six times that amount into your cash savings account.

Here’s how to do it

Designate savings for "emergency" only. Many people regularly deposit money into savings only to pull it right back out. Define what constitutes an emergency, and don't touch the money unless it meets the definition. Also, don't keep your money in a checking account, as that makes it too easy to access.

Define your ultimate savings goal or goals. You need to start small, but don't forget the bigger picture. Ideally, to have a really comfortable cushion, you'll need to save at least three to six months' worth of income. In this economic environment, it's wise to set your savings goal at the high end of that range. Once you have your emergency fund in place, you may want to start a "car fund" or "house fund" or "debt reduction fund." Keeping different funds for each purpose can help you see how close you are getting to obtaining those specific goals.

Make saving a family affair. Set a family goal as well. Have your older children set a target of how much they plan to save (from baby-sitting, working at the supermarket or ice-cream store). Younger children can help you gather and count loose change and go with you to the bank to make the deposit. Let everyone know there will be a reward when the goal is met — a pizza party or night at the movies.

Finally, don't be afraid to ask for professional help. If you can't work out a budget on your own, go to a workshop or seminar at a certified credit counseling agency or hire a certified credit counselor. Find one that is certified by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling at www.debtadvice.org.

Women warned of ovarian cancer risk

Experts have urged women to be on their guard for ovarian cancer, which is more common than cervical cancer and claims more lives.

There has been an increase in the number of women going for cervical smears since the tragic death of Jade Goody from cervical cancer.

However, the charity Target Ovarian Cancer is concerned that women are less aware of ovarian cancer, a disease that affects around 6,800 women every year in the UK, making the nation's incidence of the disease one of the highest in Europe.

According to research, many women wrongly believe that a negative smear test also means they are clear of ovarian cancer.

Annwen Jones, chief executive of Target Ovarian Cancer, said that women should be given the correct facts.

'Sadly, cervical smears do not rule out ovarian cancer, which is more common and kills more women than cervical cancer. So women need to be on their guard,' he said.

'There is, as yet, no proven screening test for ovarian cancer and this makes it all the more vital for women to be aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer especially if they have had a family history of breast or ovarian cancer or have already had breast cancer themselves.'

All health news
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	Two new breast cancer genes discovered - 30 Mar 09 Scientists have found two new regions of the genome which alter a woman's risk of breast cancer.
	Broken heart 'can be mended by doctors' - 27 Mar 09 A broken heart can be mended, a study which appears in the American Journal of Cardiology suggests.
	Nine in ten Scottish schoolgirls receive first cancer vaccine dose - 27 Mar 09 Early indications suggest nine in ten schoolgirls in Scotland eligible for a cervical cancer vaccine have received the first dose.
	Pregnant women urged to give up smoking before too late - 27 Mar 09 Health experts have found women who give up smoking before the 15th week of their pregnancy can significantly reduce the health risks for their children.

Detroit Electric to build electric vehicles based on the Proton Persona and GEN 2

Posted by Harvinder at March 31, 2009

Dutch-based Detroit Electric has officially selected Malaysian-based auto maker Proton as a platform supplier for Detroit Electric’s emissions free, fully electric vehicles as both companies signed an agreement yesterday. Detroit Electric, which has Albert Lam as its front man will build electric cars based on the Proton Persona and the Proton GEN 2, dubbed as the Detroit Electric e63 and Detroit e46 respectively. Basically, Detroit Electric will buy the Proton Persona and Proton GEN 2 from Proton and fit an electric motor instead of the CamPro engine. Both models will be built in Proton’s Tanjung Malim plant.

Detroit Electric has released preliminary specifications of both these models. Both models are powered by an Axial Magnetic Flux electric motor that features 75 kW as its continuous power output, while being able to output 150 kW, or 200HP as its peak output. Torque figure is rated between 350Nm and 380Nm. We are not really sure what is meant by “continuous” power output, but we can speculate that it is the output which is available most of the time, meaning the peak power of 200HP is not available all the time. Another thing to note is that spirited driving may reduce driving range.

The GEN 2-based e46 (unfortunately not the BMW e46) features a 25 kWh Lithium Ion Polymer battery pack while the Persona-based e63 features a 40 kWh version. Both cars offer 180 kilometers and 320 kilometers in terms of driving range, respectively. The e46 needs 8 hours for a full re-charge while the latter requires 12.5 hours. Both cars can accelerate to 100 km/h in less than 8 seconds, and feature a governed top speed of 180 km/h. Both cars also feature other fitments such as ABS and EBD, auto cruising, GPS, 430 liters of trunk space, 16 inch alloy wheels and more. May I remind you again, these are preliminary specifications, but so far, it looks pretty good.

Continue reading for the rest of the report and to view more images of the Detroit Electric e46 and Detroit Electric e63, as well as to view three videos.