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By Glamour Magazine, on Fri Sep 19, 2008 8:23am PDT Forget the latest economic news from the Federal Reserve--these real women's tips are far more useful. Here's how to save where you can, to splurge where you must. For more ways to save on fall fashion, check out Glamour's "So Chic, So Cheap" fashion picks for fall--everything's under $50! 1. "I froze my credit--literally. I filled an ice bucket halfway with water and stuck it in the freezer. Then I taped my credit card to the block of ice, poured in more water and froze that, too, so my credit card was stuck in the center. No more thoughtless purchases!" --Shannon Morrison, 22, Charlotte, N.C. 2. "I go to department stores and try on all the designer jeans to see what size I am. Then I find those same jeans on eBay and buy them for less. I save hundreds of dollars." --Amy Leibowitz, 23, Fair Lawn, N.J. 3. "My fiance has a large planter that he puts his change in every day. I teased h...

By Yahoo! HotJobs 9/28/08, 4:55 PM Tips for Handling One of the Worst Interview Questions Being asked about one's own "biggest weaknesses" in a job interview is considered (by many job-seekers, at least) one of the worst interview questions. Do you ask candidates this, and how would you recommend candidates answer this question in a job interview without being phony? Be Upfront There are times when I ask job candidates this question. It's not that I want to nitpick or make people feel uncomfortable, but rather I want to see in which areas they feel they need to improve and what they are doing about it. In order to advance professionally, we all need to be able to honestly identify not just our strengths but also our weaknesses and how we can upgrade in these areas. I recommend that job candidates be upfront during interviews. Don't say you have "no weaknesses" or "work too hard." Instead, tell hiring managers what you are working on improving a...

WebMD Feature from "Men's Health" By Denny Watkins Full-fat cheese is not only loaded with protein, calcium, and flavor, but the fat it contains just might help you lose your gut for good. It's unavoidable advice: If you're going to eat cheese, it should be the fat-free or low-fat kind. Trouble is, that usually limits your choices to mass-produced, vacuum-sealed cheeses that have had much of their flavor sucked out along with the fat. So it's hardly an appetizing proposition. And for what real benefit? Fewer calories and a lower risk of heart disease? Not so fast. "The combination of protein and fat in regular, full-fat cheese is very satiating," says Alan Aragon, a nutritionist in Westlake Village, California, and the Men's Health Weight-Loss Coach. "As a result, eating full-fat cheese holds your appetite at bay for hours, and I've found that it cuts down my clients' food intake at subsequent meals." Aragon's advice: Enjoy ...

By Peter Jaret WebMD Feature Reviewed by Jonathan L Gelfand, MD, MD What to look for in male grooming products, from skin and hair care to shaving and razor burn. Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the vainest one of all? If you think women win the prize for vanity, think again. In a recent market research poll of Americans and Europeans, 73% of the men described spending time in front of the mirror as “important” or “very important.” Only 72% of women set the same value on mirror time. Marketers have taken note. Male grooming and beauty products now represent a $30 billion industry. Cosmetic companies that once marketed exclusively to women now have extensive and growing men’s grooming lines. Cruise the men’s section at the cosmetics aisle and you may be flummoxed by the array of choices — from skin moisturizers to shampoos and styling gels designed “just for men.” Have men finally embraced their feminine sides? Is the age of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” and the metrosexual — the ...

By Rob Baedeker WebMD Feature Reviewed by Amal Chakraburtty, MD, MD What’s the average penis size? How fast is premature ejaculation? Exactly where is the G-spot? Grab a ruler and a stopwatch as the experts sort sex myths from the facts. If there were a roll call for the founding fathers of sex myths for men, a couple of no-brainers would surely make the list: porn legend John Holmes, whose yule-log-size penis still casts a shadow over anxiety-prone males. Ditto NBA-great Wilt Chamberlain, whose claim of having slept with 20,000 women makes Don Juan look monastic. And then there's purveyor-of-sex-myths Walt Disney. "I think Walt Disney creates a lot of mythology," says Seth Prosterman, PhD, a clinical sexologist and licensed marriage and family therapist practicing in San Francisco. "In Disney movies, people fall in love and walk into the sunset, and you get this myth that intimacy is a given once you fall in love, and sexuality is natural and follows that." In ...

By Elinor Comlay and Jonathan Stempel Thu Sep 25, 11:25 PM ET NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Washington Mutual Inc was closed by the U.S. government in by far the largest failure of a U.S. bank, and its banking assets were sold to JPMorgan Chase & Co for $1.9 billion. Thursday's seizure and sale is the latest historic step in U.S. government attempts to clean up a banking industry littered with toxic mortgage debt. Negotiations over a $700 billion bailout of the entire financial system stalled in Washington on Thursday. Washington Mutual, the largest U.S. savings and loan, has been one of the lenders hardest hit by the nation's housing bust and credit crisis, and had already suffered from soaring mortgage losses. Washington Mutual was shut by the federal Office of Thrift Supervision, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp was named receiver. This followed $16.7 billion of deposit outflows at the Seattle-based thrift since Sept 15, the OTS said. "With insufficient liq...

Sun Sep 21, 10:52 AM ET LONDON (AFP) - Gem Diamonds, a London-listed mining firm, said on Sunday it had recovered a 478 carat diamond from its mine in Lesotho: the 20th-largest rough diamond ever found. The discovery of the gem, which the company said had the potential to become one of the largest round-cut diamonds in the world, was made on September 8 at the Letseng mine in Lesotho. "Preliminary examination of this remarkable diamond indicates that it will yield a record-breaking polished stone of the very best colour and clarity," the company's Chief Executive Clifford Elphick said in a statement. The diamond, which has not yet been named, has the potential to yield a 150 carat polished stone, a company spokesman said. That would be far bigger than the 105 carat round-cut Koh-i-Noor diamond seized by Britain from India in the 19th century and now part of the Crown Jewels. It would still only be a fraction of the size, however, of the Cullinan diamond discovered in 190...

By: Zap, Mon Sep 22, 10:49 AM PDT Sunday's Emmy Awards had one of its smallest audiences ever. It seemed somehow appropriate for an awards show that showered honors upon "Mad Men" and "30 Rock," series with critical acclaim and lousy ratings. Nielsen Media Research's preliminary estimate was that 12.24 million people watched Sunday's show. If that number holds up when more complete national ratings come in, it will be less than the 2007 and 1990 shows, which were both slightly under 13 million. The Emmys had some tough competition with a Dallas-Green Bay football game and "60 Minutes" interviews with John McCain and Barack Obama. Still, it's an ominous sign for TV's new season, which opens Monday.

By Elizabeth Woyke, Forbes.com Nationwide, more and more businesses are luring customers with free internet access In his quest to locate cheap wi-fi, Trent Hamm has loitered in the aisles of Office Depot, lingered outside Apple stores and traveled to McDonald's with no intention of eating a burger. For Hamm, an Iowan who runs a personal finance blog for debt-ridden "ordinary people" called The Simple Dollar, free wi-fi is a lifeline to his work and a mainstay of his penny-pinching lifestyle. He stumbled upon Office Depot's wi-fi network while trying to compare prices on office supplies online. He has even traveled with a list of wi-fi providers in his wallet. Fortunately for Hamm, that list is getting longer. Across the country, consumers can find hot spots at an ever-growing array of coffee shops, fast food restaurants, bookstores and even gas stations. "It's become a very popular amenity," says Daryl Schoolar, a senior analyst at In-Stat. "My mec...

Posted Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:24pm PDT by Billy Altman in Stop The Presses! I'm sure that Britney Spears would agree that, philosophically speaking, when one door closes, another opens--and I don't just mean driver-side car doors, either. There is a certain symmetry to finding out that, on the high heels of her successful (as in no one got hurt) appearance on MTV's Video Music Awards show a little over a week ago, the release of Spears' new CD has just been bumped up to an "Xmas stocking stuffer purchase opp" date of December 2--which just happens to be Brit's birthday. Now it probably should be noted that the new CD, entitled Circus, reportedly is not completely finished yet. And with the kind of track record Britney's had over the last few years, her label Jive Records must be pretty darned sure it'll be ready; either that or they've got a great insurance policy. In any event, Spears does seem to be in good, capable creative hands--or at the ver...

By Self Magazine, on Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:12am PDT It's time for a new slim-down mantra: Eat more to weigh less. No joke! The right foods help you drop pounds by revving your calorie burn and curbing cravings. We consulted top experts for the best picks and asked leading chefs for easy, tasty ways to prepare them. Add these eats to your plate today and you'll be slimmer and healthier in no time! By Camille Noe Pagán Quinoa Curbing hunger is as easy as piling your plate with this whole grain. It packs both fiber (2.6 grams per 1/2 cup) and protein, a stellar nutrient combo that can keep you satisfied for hours, says chef Sarah Krieger, R.D., spokeswoman in St. Petersburg, Florida, for the American Dietetic Association. Eat more Serve quinoa instead of rice with stir-fries, or try Krieger's take on a scrumptious hot breakfast: Cook 1/2 cup quinoa in 2/3 cup water and 1/3 cup orange juice for 15 minutes. Top with 1 tbsp each of raisins and chopped walnut Steak Beef has a rep as ...

by: Eric Dash Thursday, September 11, 2008 provided by: The New York Times Cash used to be the most boring of assets. But not this year. Nervous depositors rushed to withdraw money from IndyMac Bank, the California thrift that collapsed in July. Investors holding supposedly liquid auction-rate securities were stunned to discover they could not sell them after the markets seized up in the spring. Others watched as a string of money market mutual funds had to be bailed out. And still others suffered losses in ultrashort bond funds, once considered pillars of stability. “Normally, bad news for the economy is good news for cash investors,” said Peter Crane, the head of Crane Data, a money market research firm. “But because of the flight from the subprime mortgage contagion, this time is different.” So what is a high-net-worth investor to do? Getting the most bang for your bucks is not as simple as it used to be. Inflation is a growing concern, chipping away at the benefits from low-yieldin...

Posted Wed, Sep 03, 2008, 12:55 pm PDT Losing weight and changing one’s eating and fitness lifestyle is hard work -- that’s a given -- but maintaining a weight loss is even harder. There's no longer the challenge of juggling numbers or the reward of seeing them drop, and keeping up the enthusiasm and dedication necessary to stay at the weight that you worked hard to get to doesn't come easy. The National Weight Registry surveys and collects data from “regular people” who have managed to maintain a weight loss of 30 pounds or more for at least one year. Based on the data that they have received from more than 7,000 people, there are certain things that almost all successful “losers” seem to do to maintain their newer and slimmer figures: * Participate in aerobic exercise for least one hour or more each day * Focus on watching calories * Keep food logs * Choose healthier and lower fat foods I never thought I would be (nor did I want to be) one of the many people w...

The real reason you can't get out of bed may be that you don't know the facts about sleep. Stay up and read this tonight (you'll thank us in the morning!) By Karen Springen 1. To function best, you need to get eight hours. There’s nothing magic about that number. Everyone has different sleep needs, and you’ll know you’re getting enough when you don’t feel like nodding off in a boring situation in the afternoon, says New York University psychologist Joyce Walsleben, Ph.D., co-author of A Woman’s Guide to Sleep. 2. If you can get it, more sleep is always healthier. You wish. Some studies have found that people who slept more than eight hours a night died younger than people who got between six and eight hours. What scientists don’t know yet: Whether sleeping longer causes poor health or is a symptom of it, says Najib Ayas, M.D., MPH, assistant professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia. Long sleepers may suffer from problems such as sleep apnea, depression, o...

By ALEXANDER G. HIGGINS, Associated Press Writer 9/10/08, 11:44 AM GENEVA - The world's largest particle collider passed its first major tests by firing two beams of protons in opposite directions around a 17-mile (27-kilometer) underground ring Wednesday in what scientists hope is the next great step to understanding the makeup of the universe. After a series of trial runs, two white dots flashed on a computer screen at 10:26 a.m. (0826 GMT) indicating that the protons had traveled clockwise along the full length of the 4 billion Swiss franc (US$3.8 billion) Large Hadron Collider — described as the biggest physics experiment in history. "There it is," project leader Lyn Evans said when the beam completed its lap. Champagne corks popped in labs as far away as Chicago, where contributing and competing scientists watched the proceedings by satellite. Five hours later, scientists successfully fired a beam counterclockwise. Physicists around the world now have much greater po...

by Robert DiGiacomo, for Yahoo! HotJobs, 9/8/08 4:00 PM Keeping your job in good economic times -- and bad -- depends on one variable: Whether your boss likes you. "Merit has very little to do with why people are kept," says Stephen Viscusi, author, radio host, and professional recruiter. "It has to do with who the boss likes and who gets along with the other employees. "I'm not talking about a brown-noser, but someone the boss likes and who's doing a good job. Bosses find legal excuses to let go someone they really don't like, nine times out of 10." In his latest book -- "Bulletproof Your Job: 4 Simple Strategies to Ride Out the Rough Times and Come Out on Top at Work" (Collins Publishing Group) -- Viscusi offers job-preservation tips to help keep you on your manager's good side and advance your career. Some key bits of advice from the book are highlighted in the tips below. What's Your Reputation? If you want the higher-ups to re...

By ALEXANDER G. HIGGINS, Associated Press Writer Sun Sep 7, 2:52 PM ET GENEVA - It has been called an Alice in Wonderland investigation into the makeup of the universe — or dangerous tampering with nature that could spell doomsday. Whatever the case, the most powerful atom-smasher ever built comes online Wednesday, eagerly anticipated by scientists worldwide who have awaited this moment for two decades. The multibillion-dollar Large Hadron Collider will explore the tiniest particles and come ever closer to re-enacting the big bang, the theory that a colossal explosion created the universe. The machine at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, promises scientists a closer look at the makeup of matter, filling in gaps in knowledge or possibly reshaping theories. The first beams of protons will be fired around the 17-mile tunnel to test the controlling strength of the world's largest superconducting magnets. It will still be about a month before beams traveling in oppo...