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Last 20 Alzheimer's Reading Room Articles

2012-01-10T08:30:00.000-05:00

The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one source of information for the entire Alzheimer's community.

The page updates dynamically, so you can bookmark the page to see the current list in real time.

Last 20 Articles Articles

Our goal is to Educate, offer real solutions to problems, and Empower Alzheimers caregivers and their families.

The site focuses on Alzheimer's disease, dementia, Alzheimer's caregivers, and the art of Alzheimer's caregiving. Each day, on average, 1,232 people are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's Reading List

Creating Moments of Joy: A Journal for Caregivers, Fourth Edition

A Caregiver's Guide to Alzheimer's Disease: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier

About the Alzheimer's Reading Room

2011-12-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

The goal of the Alzheimer's Reading Room is to Educate, sometimes Entertain, and Empower Alzheimer's caregivers, their families, and the entire Alzheimer's community.

At the Alzheimer's Reading Room, we offer "real life" solutions to problems that Alzheimer's caregivers face each day.

The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one source of life news for the entire Alzheimer's community.

The site focuses on Alzheimer's disease and the art of Alzheimer's caregiving.

On the Alzheimer's Reading Room, we tackle real world problems and offer advice and solutions on issues like: repetitive questioning, challenging behavior, how tounderstand Alzheimer's disease, how to cope with the disease, and how tocommunicate effectively with a person living with dementia.

Read more about the Alzheimer's Reading Room here.

How to Explain to Children That Their Grandmother Won't Remember Them

2011-12-21T21:00:00.000-05:00

I hope you will take the time to participate by adding your comment below the question. Please feel free to share your own insight, advice, or experience.

Alzheimer's Reading Room

Lauren Turner asked,

I had a heartbreaking discussion with one of my caregivers who is concerned with how to explain to her 10 year old daughter and 12 year old son that their Grandmother would not remember them.

I was not sure what to recommend to her.

Does anyone have suggestions on how a parent explains the affects of Alzheimer's disease to a child?

To add your insight, advice and suggestion, please use the Add New Comment box below the article.

These articles that appeared previously on the Alzheimer's Reading Room also address issues about Alzheimer's and children.

Alzheimer's and Children
What is it like for a child to be an Alzheimer’s caregiver?
Answers to Questions On Being a Young Alzheimer's Caregiver
GrandPa Do You Know Who I AM -- Maria Shriver HBO Streaming Video

The question above originally appeared in the Alzheimer's Care at Home groupdiscussion on LinkedIn.

Go to the Alzheimer's Reading Room to read the current comments on this topic

Learning How to Communicate with Someone Suffering From Alzheimer's Disease

2011-04-16T09:14:00.000-04:00

As I thought about this I came to a simple conclusion. Instead of trying to change Alzheimer's World, instead of trying to fight Alzheimer's World, not only would I accept Alzheimer's World as a reality, I would go into Alzheimer's World and learn how to communicate effectively...

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

Earlier today, Carole Larkin published an interesting article -- How the Loss of Memory Works in Alzheimer’s Disease, and How Understanding This Could Help You.

The article described in layman's terms how problems with short term memory are directly related to the region of the brain known as the hippocampus; and, how when this brain region stops functioning properly a person losses their ability to store information.

A person suffering from Alzheimer's disease can hear you and even respond to you. What they can't do is remember what the hell you just said. Well, in layman's terms anyway.

I grappled with this problem several years ago as I was constructing my own understanding of how Dotty was thinking (or not thinking) and feeling. I named the parallel universe that Dotty lives in -- Alzheimer's World.

To continue reading go here -- Learning How to Communicate with Someone Suffering From Alzheimer's Disease

Generic Aricept and Namenda Update

2010-08-02T12:51:00.001-04:00

Good news on Aricept, major price relief coming soon.

Plus, new formulations of Aricept and Namenda offer great promise.

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

I am getting a lot of search hits from Google on the articles I wrote about generic Aricept and Namenda previously.
I decided to put up an update that includes the currrent state of affairs on the patent expiration for both Aricept and Namenda and when the generic formulation will be available to consumers in the United States.

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Namenda Goes Generic in 2015, Forest Laboratories (FRX) Settles Law Suits

2010-07-22T19:31:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Under the settlement agreements, the first generic versions of memantine would be able to enter the market on January 11, 2015.

Also see:
The Combination of Aricept and Namenda Helps Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Patients

Can the Combination of Aricept and Namenda Keep You Out of a Nursing Home?

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Bratz Dolls Breathe Again After Stunning Ninth Circuit Reversal

2010-07-22T18:55:00.001-04:00

clipped from blogs.wsj.com

It’s been a while since we heard anything on the Mattel/MGA front. But the Ninth Circuit on Thursday handed down a stunning ruling, essentially reversing much of the December 2008 ruling that gave Mattel the rights to much of MGA’s Bratz products. Click here for the AP story; here for the Bloomberg story; here for the opinion, written by Judge Alex Kozinski and joined by Judges Stephen Trott and Kim Wardlaw.

The ruling may force a retrial.

What’s the Difference Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia?

2010-07-18T18:59:00.001-04:00

Often misunderstood. Great explanation.

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

In a nutshell, dementia is a symptom, and AD is the cause of the symptom. When someone is told they have dementia, it means that they have significant memory problems as well as other cognitive difficulties, and that these problems are severe enough to get in the way of daily living.....

Working Toward a Cure for Alzheimer's: Clues from our Genes -- Live Online

2010-07-16T10:33:00.001-04:00

Dr. Tanzi is at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and will be discussing his recent work on how genes and how this research could lead to the cure for Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Tanzi has identified several Alzheimer's disease genes, including the first Alzheimer's gene, the beta-amyloid protein precursor. His work in the Alzheimer's Genome Project, a Cure Alzheimer's Fund supported project, was recognized by TIME magazine as one of the top 10 medical breakthroughs of 2008.

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

This live presentation by Dr. Rudy Tanzi will be conducted over the Internet. You can participant through your own computer and headset or phone. This webinar is open to readers of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. Your participation is wanted and welcomed. You can ask a question or simply listen....

This is a reminder about the live webinar that is being held on Thursday, July 22, 2010, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT. In order to participate you must register in advance to your receive your entry code.

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Firefox 4 Beta 1: A Visual Tour

2010-07-07T10:59:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.pcworld.com

"Climategate" Leak Report Vindicates Scientists

2010-07-07T09:27:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.cbsnews.com

An independent British report into the leak of hundreds of e-mails from one of the world's leading climate research centers has largely vindicated the scientists involved, a finding many in the field hope will calm the global uproar dubbed "Climategate."

While Russell's report said there was no evidence to show Jones or any other scientist had subverted the peer-review process, it did revisit the now infamous e-mail exchange between Jones and a colleague in which the climatologist refers to a "trick" used to "hide the decline" in a variable used to track global temperatures.

AVERAGE FEDERAL TAX RATES

2010-06-29T09:11:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.cbo.gov

Average Federal Tax Rates

The federal tax system is progressive--that is, average tax rates generally rise with income. Households in the bottom fifth of the income distribution (with average income of $18,400, under a broad definition of income) paid 4.0 percent of their income in federal taxes. The middle quintile, with average income of $64,500, paid 14.3 percent of that income in taxes, and the highest quintile, with average income of $264,700, paid 25.1 percent.

Google victorious in Viacom's YouTube lawsuit

2010-06-23T20:17:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.marketwatch.com

A federal judge has ruled in favor of Google Inc. in the company's courtroom battle with Viacom Inc. over alleged copyright violations on Google's YouTube video service.

Judge Louis Stanton wrote in a 30-page ruling filed in New York on Wednesday that Google
/quotes/comstock/15*!goog/quotes/nls/goog
(GOOG
481.50,
-0.55,
-0.11%)
qualifies for so-called "safe harbor," and is therefore granted summary judgment that it's protected against Viacom's "claims for direct and secondary copyright infringement."

Google said in a statement posted online that the ruling is "an important victory not just for us, but also for the billions of people around the world who use the web to communicate and share experiences with each other."

U.S. Scores Dead Last Again in Healthcare Study

2010-06-23T13:56:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Americans spend twice as much as residents of other developed countries on healthcare, but get lower quality, less efficiency and have the least equitable system, according to a report released on Wednesday.....

Resveratrol a Compound Found In Red Wine Neutralizes Toxicity Of Proteins Related To Alzheimer's

2010-06-23T12:25:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

An organic compound found in red wine — resveratrol — has the ability to neutralize the toxic effects of proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease, according to research led by Rensselaer Professor Peter M. Tessier. The findings, published in the May 28 edition of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, are a step toward understanding the large-scale death of brain cells seen in certain neurodegenerative diseases.....

McDonald's faces lawsuit over Happy Meals

2010-06-22T23:46:00.001-04:00

Kids seem to do a good job of over ordering without the toys.

clipped from www.latimes.com

Weeks after a Silicon Valley county became the first in the nation to ban toys from McDonald's Happy Meals and other food promotions aimed at children, a public health watchdog group called on the fast food giant to remove the playthings from all its meal packages.

Citing toys aimed at promoting the latest "Shrek" movie, the Center for Science in the Public Interest said that the plastic promotions lure children into McDonald's restaurants where they are then likely to order food that is too high in calories, fat and salt.

Nashville police drop thousands of domestic violence cases

2010-06-21T23:40:00.001-04:00

Should get interesting.

clipped from content.usatoday.com

Nashville police drop thousands of domestic violence cases

During the past four years, Nashville police have dropped thousands of investigations into domestic violence, according to an investigation by The Tennessean.

In one such instance last year, an officer closed the case by saying the victim "doesn't wish to prosecute at this time." Accompanying the report were pictures of the woman's black-and-blue arms.

At least two victims told The Tennessean that they wanted to press charges but that detectives said their cases "had already been closed — because the victim refused to cooperate."

Playing an IPhone Game With a Quadricopter

2010-06-21T09:19:00.001-04:00

clipped from blogs.wsj.com

French wireless device maker Parrot S.A. created a stir at the Consumer Electronics Show in January when the company showed a quadricopter prototype that can be controlled with an iPhone and used with videogames. In a concept known as augmented reality, it allows users to pilot the quadricopter while playing a game on an iPod touch or iPhone, featuring the drone. The front-camera of the iPhone captures the drone’s movements and incorporates them into a game.

Facebook Posts to Appear in Real-Time Search Results

2010-06-19T10:38:00.001-04:00

As of today, real-time results from millions of users’ Facebook posts will now appear in search results on OneRiot, one of the world’s leading real-time search engines.

clipped from mashable.com

As of today, real-time results from millions of users' Facebook posts will now appear in search results on OneRiot, one of the world's leading real-time search

When Did You Really Become an ‘Adult’?

2010-06-18T09:52:00.001-04:00

clipped from blogs.wsj.com

When Did You Really Become an ‘Adult’?

A recent story in the NY Times looked at the ever lengthening road to adulthood:

National surveys reveal that an overwhelming majority of Americans, including younger adults, agree that between 20 and 22, people should be finished with school, working and living on their own. But in practice many people in their 20s and early 30s have not yet reached these traditional milestones.

Hone Ownership Rethinking Part of the American Dream

2010-06-18T09:43:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.wallstreetjournal.com

Rethinking Part of the American Dream

To examine the eye-popping dimensions of the housing bust, New York Federal Reserve Bank economists calculate the fraction of families who actually have equity in the house they own. In San Diego, for instance, the home ownership rate had fallen to 55% last year from a peak of 63%. But by late last year, the fraction of households with equity in their homes was between 35% and 39%. In hard-hit Las Vegas, nearly 59% of households own their homes, but only 15% to 19% of households own a home in which they have any equity left.

For many, the American dream of home ownership turned into a nightmare of debt and foreclosure. Some people should rent.

Fred Wilson -- People I Follow and Recommend

2010-06-17T12:10:00.001-04:00

Fred is worth following. On top of everything going.

clipped from bobdemarco.blogspot.com

Fred Wilson -- People I Follow and Recommend

Fred Wilson has a terrific Blog -- AVC musing of a VC in NYC. The website is full of excellent information slanted to private investing and "tech". Fred also likes to branch into finance and investing topics. Like this one on Gold. This article received 211 thought provoking comments.

Fred has a great portal on Eqentia. This contains all the information that is interesting to Fred in a given day. If this fits your appetite I suggest you take Fred's daily digest email from Eqentia.

I am hoping that Fred notices my blog -- Alzheimer's Reading Room someday and adds it to his news feed.

There can be little doubt that a high percentage of his readers have been touched by or are worried about Alzheimer's disease -- 100 Million Adults Touched by Alzheimer's

Medicare Doc Fix Update: 19-Month Relief Flops in Senate

2010-06-17T09:26:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.wallstreetjournal.com

Medicare Doc Fix Update: 19-Month Relief Flops in Senate

When we last checked in on the looming 21% Medicare payment cuts for doctors, the AMA had unveiled a multi-million dollar ad campaign chiding senators for heading out of town over Memorial Day rather than staying behind to fix the payment formula for good. And not even a Band Aid has been applied to the problem since — yesterday the Senate effectively rejected a spending bill that included a 19-month fix for Medicare payments.

The WSJ reports that a vote on a scaled-back bill with shorter-term relief for doctors might be up for a final vote by the end of the week. The Associated Press says that the latest version of the bill would include only a six-month fix. Politico reports the fix could be six or …

FDA: 'Female Viagra' falls short

2010-06-16T15:03:00.001-04:00

Keep your fingers crossed

clipped from www.google.com

WASHINGTON — A pink pill designed to boost sex drive in women — the latest attempt by the drug industry to find a female equivalent to Viagra — fell short in two studies, federal health regulators said Wednesday.

The Food and Drug Administration is considering Boehringer Ingelheim's drug flibanserin for premenopausal women who report a lack of sexual desire, a market that drugmakers have been targeting for more than a decade since the blockbuster success of Viagra in men.

The search for so-called "female Viagra," has proved elusive though, with many drugs abandoned after showing lackluster results.

On Friday the FDA will ask a panel of experts to weigh in on the safety and effectiveness of Boehringer's drug. The agency is not required to follow the group's advice, though it often does.

Global Heat warmest since thorough record keeping began in 1880

2010-06-16T00:00:00.001-04:00

clipped from dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com

The National Climatic Data Center has released its summary of global climate conditions so far this year and finds that the month of May, as well as the period from January through May, were the warmest since thorough record keeping began in 1880.

Here’s the way he summarizes the warming-downpour connection:

We cannot say that any of this year’s flooding disasters were definitely due to global warming, and part of the reason for this year’s numerous U.S. flooding disasters is simply bad luck. However, higher temperatures do cause an increased chance of heavy precipitation events, and it is likely that the flooding in some of this year’s U.S. flooding disasters were significantly enhanced by the presence of more water vapor in the air due to global warming. We can expect a large increase in flooding disasters in the U.S. and worldwide if the climate continues to warm as expected.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ramping Up Efforts to Ensure Safety of Gulf of Mexico Seafood

2010-06-15T11:30:00.000-04:00

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are taking additional steps to enhance inspection measures designed to ensure that seafood from the Gulf of Mexico reaching America’s tables is safe to eat.

The federal government, in conjunction with Gulf States’ regulatory agencies, is playing an active role in ensuring the safety of seafood harvested from federal and state waters. The federal government, led by FDA and NOAA, is taking a multi-pronged approach to ensure that seafood from Gulf waters is not contaminated by oil. The strategy includes precautionary closures, increased seafood testing inspections and a re-opening protocol.

“Closing harvest waters that could be exposed to oil protects the public from potentially contaminated seafood because it keeps the product from entering the food supply,” said Dr. Jane Lubchenco, undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “Combining the expertise of NOAA and FDA is the best way to use our scientific abilities to help the American people in this emergency.”

The first line of defense is NOAA’s fishery area closures, which began May 2 and are adjusted as the spill trajectory changes. FDA has concurred with this approach. The current federal closure of 32 percent of federal waters encompasses areas known to be affected by oil, either on the surface or below the surface, as well as areas projected to be affected by oil in the next 48 - 72 hours. The closed area also includes a five-nautical-mile buffer as a precaution around the known location of oil.

“FDA and NOAA are working together to ensure that seafood from the Gulf is not contaminated with oil,” said Margaret Hamburg, M.D., Commissioner of Food and Drugs. “It is important to coordinate seafood surveillance efforts on the water, at the docks and at seafood processors to ensure seafood in the market is safe to eat.”

To help prevent tainted seafood from reaching the market, NOAA created a seafood sampling and inspection plan. Just after the beginning of the spill, it collected and tested seafood of commercial and recreational fish and shellfish species from areas where oil from the spill had not yet reached. NOAA is using ongoing surveillance to evaluate new seafood samples to determine whether contamination is present outside the closed area. If fish samples have elevated levels of oil compounds, NOAA will consider whether to expand closed areas.

The federal effort to ensure seafood is not contaminated with oil will also include NOAA’s dockside sampling of fish products in the Gulf. NOAA will verify that catch was caught outside the closed area using information from vessel monitoring systems that track the location of a vessel or information from on-board observers. If tainted fish are found in dockside sampling, NOAA will notify FDA and state health officials for further action.

FDA operates a mandatory safety program for all fish and fishery products under the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the Public Health Service Act and related federal regulations.

FDA will first target oysters, crab, and shrimp, which due to their biology retain contaminants longer than finfish, for additional sampling. Finfish rapidly metabolize the oil so the risk of exposure is far less than the other seafood species previously mentioned. The sample collection will target primarily seafood processors who buy seafood directly from the harvester. Monitoring this first step in the distribution chain will help to keep any potentially contaminated seafood from consumers.

FDA has also created a focused inspection assignment designed to help seafood processors review their individual source controls to ensure proper documentation and exclusion of any seafood obtained from unknown sources from entering commerce.

The two agencies are also establishing a re-opening protocol. NOAA will reopen closed areas only if it is assured, based on consultation with FDA, that fish products within the closed area meet FDA standards for public health and wholesomeness.

“We recognize that the effects of the oil spill continue to grow as oil continues to flow,” said Dr. Lubchenco. “As remediation efforts continue, it may be possible to alleviate some of the economic harm caused by the oil spill by reopening previously closed areas. NOAA will reopen areas only if assured that fish products taken from these areas meet FDA standards for public health.”

Before the BP oil spill, NOAA operated seafood inspection services in the Gulf – consisting of a handful of personnel – on a fee-for-service basis for the seafood industry.

Today, samples collected as part of NOAA’s efforts are sent to the National Seafood Inspection Laboratory in Pascagoula, Miss., where federal and state sensory testing analysts trained to detect certain thresholds of chemicals, which are not normal background odors in seafood, evaluate the catch. Samples are also sent to NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle for chemical testing.

According to the most recent data available, seafood samples had been collected during 18 sampling missions by NOAA and contracted fishing vessels in areas inside and outside the closed fishery area.

From those 18 sampling missions, 640 fish and shrimp samples were processed for either sensory or chemical testing. Of the 640 samples, 118 fish samples were presented to the team of 10 expert assessors for sensory testing in the Pascagoula Laboratory. Four hundred sixteen fish and shrimp samples were sent to NOAA’s Seattle testing laboratory for chemical analysis.

“FDA has set up a hotline for reporting seafood safety issues,” said Commissioner Hamburg. “We encourage fisherman and consumers to report potential contamination to 1-888-INFO-FDA.”

FDA is responsible for ensuring the safety and quality of more than a trillion dollars worth of products that are critical for the survival and well-being of all Americans.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit NOAA at http://www.noaa.gov or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/usnoaagov

For more information:

FDA's Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Update

Discovery of a Roman Gladiator Graveyard in England

2010-06-07T10:39:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.lep.co.uk

Experts to preserve gladiator graveyard

A team of experts from Preston’s university is helping to shed light on what is thought to be the world’s only well-preserved Roman gladiator cemetery.

Oil Could Reach Atlantic Coasts

2010-06-03T18:51:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.youtube.com

clipped from dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com

For weeks there have been discussions about the potential for the spreading Gulf of Mexico oil slick to slip around Florida and flow up the East Coast. Now a suite of simulations, run by an international team of ocean and climate scientists, shows this is a likely outcome should the flow remain unabated this summer. The researchers stress there are caveats and uncertainties, most notably related to the state of the gulf’s highly variable loop current in coming weeks. (The Department of Energy put out its own fact sheet stressing that the simulations are highly uncertain.)

After ‘Top Kill,’ Few Options to Cap Well

2010-05-30T21:37:00.001-04:00

clipped from dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com

The “top kill” procedure for choking off the gushing seabed well in the Gulf of Mexico was not quite the last best chance, but close. Now that it has failed, BP, with authorization from the Obama administration, is moving to cut away the tangle of pipe from the well and install a small containment cap, called the “lower marine riser package.”

Statement by the President on the Latest Efforts to Contain the BP Oil Spill | The White House
whitehouse.gov
Today, I’ve spoken with National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen, as well as Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, and senior White House advisors John Brennan and Carol Browner regarding the ongoing efforts to stop the BP oil spill...

About the Alzheimer's Reading Room

2010-03-18T16:28:00.000-04:00

At the Alzheimer's Reading Room (ARR), we discuss solutions to common problems that Alzheimer's caregivers face each day.

On ARR, we discuss : caregiving, dementia, communication, wandering, incontinence, cleanliness, patient symptoms, anxiety, loneliness, nursing homes, behavior, and what to expect as the disease progresses.

We discuss issues that are important to Alzheimer's caregivers.

We provide specific insight, advice, and solutions based on real life experience.

Go to the Alzheimer's Reading Room

More About the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Alzheimer's Reading Room (In Case You Missed It Edition)

2009-12-10T11:59:00.000-05:00

“You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.” --Aristotle.....

Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room
Editor

The Metamorphosis of This Alzheimer's Caregiver (Part One)
The more I learned the more I wanted to know. I learned a great deal about Alzheimer's disease--including the science. It helped me understand a very mystifying disease. It helped me to put a frame around something that is difficult if not impossible to describe.

The Metamorphosis of This Alzheimer's Caregiver (Part Two)
It is difficult to describe the range of emotions a caregiver might feel or experience in a single day. Imagine being happy and then sad, caring then angry, focused then frustrated -- an almost endless stream of feelings and emotions that conflict.....

The Metamorphosis of This Alzheimer's Caregiver -- I Wish
Once I entered Alzheimer's world I did learn something fascinating -- my mother is full of feelings and emotion. I learned that I could connect with her....

Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room--via Email

Communication in Alzheimer's World
Let's face it, dealing with Alzheimer's is not easy. Understanding Alzheimer's disease is not easy. Some people can't do it...not ever...

Alzheimer's Caregiver Lament -- I can't take her out because she eats with her hands
The positive effects of socialization, initiative, and motivation on the part of Alzheimer's sufferers and their caregiver should not be overlooked. I believe these are as important as the medication......

How We Beat Alzheimer's Incontinence -- A Solution
We are on a three day roll. No pee pee. No pee pee pajamas. No pee pee underwear. No pee pee pants...

Alzheimer's Caregiver Lament -- This is Not the Person I Knew
In order to communicate effectively with a person suffering from Alzheimer's disease you need to come to an understanding that they are now living in a new world -- I often refer to this as Alzheimer's world...

Which Drugs Increase the Risk of Falling for the Elderly
Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries for adults sixty-five and older...

I promised not to put my parents in a nursing home
The decision to keep a parent home or place them in a facility is never an easy choice, and is usually contemplated for a long time. The horror stories we’ve all heard about nursing homes can make anyone cringe.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Sometimes while looking at all those stars I begin to look at the space between the stars -- I call this the Blue Nowhere...When I look at the Blue Nowhere, I begin to imagine all the persons suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The Blue Nowhere is very vast.

Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

Worried About Alzheimer's? You Should Be

2009-11-22T12:56:00.000-05:00

Regardless of age, you should be worried about Alzheimer's disease.....

Worried About Alzheimer's? You Should Be
Regardless of age, you should be worried about Alzheimer's disease. A Harris Interactive poll showed that 100 million Americans are touched by Alzheimer's. The same poll showed that more than 33 million Americans are worried about getting Alzheimer's.
To continue reading -- go here.

Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room--via Email

Worried About Alzheimer's? Tip #1 Exercise
If exercise can have this kind of dramatic effect on my mother who already suffers from Alzheimer's, you really need to start wondering to yourself -- is this the way to beat or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease?
To continue reading -- go here.

Worried About Alzheimer's? The Holy Grail of Exercise
In graduate school I studied risky decision making and statistics. I can say with confidence, if you are not exercising you are making a risky decision, and you are increasing the odds that you might suffer from Alzheimer's, heart disease, or any number of diseases that are catastrophic in the long run.
To continue reading -- go here.

Worried about Alzheimer's? Five Ways to Protect Yourself
Protect yourself against Alzheimer's or roll the dice? Here are five good ways to protect your brain and put the odds in your favor.
To continue reading -- go here.

Worried About Alzheimer's? Using Google Search Promotes Memory and a Healthy Brain
A brain study conducted by Dr. Gary Small, a UCLA expert on aging, found that people who search the Internet using Google use more of their brain while engaging in this activity. This suggests searching on the Internet may train the brain -- that it may keep it active and healthy.
To continue reading -- go here.

Worried about Alzheimer's? If You are a Baby Boomer You Should Be
I'm standing outside FAO Schwarz on Fifth Avenue in New York City. In fifteen minutes I see about 100 people coming and going. I ask myself? Did I just see 8 people that are going to suffer from Alzheimer's during their lifetime?
To continue reading -- go here.

Worried About Alzheimer's? Yoga for Your Face
There are a long list of scientific articles that indicate exercise reduces the risk of Alzheimer's, dementia, heart disease, diabetes, and lowers LDL cholesterol. You might chuckle when you see the yoga exercises for you face. They work.
To continue reading -- go here.

Worried About Alzheimer's? Nintendo Wii Hula Hoop
You'll notice you don't actually need a hula hoop. You just mimic the movement. In the case of my mother, I would have her hold on to a high backed chair. The combination of the music and video turns this into a game -- and lots of fun.
To continue reading -- go here.

Kindle Amazon's Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation)

Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

Is it really Alzheimers or something else?

2009-09-27T12:15:00.002-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Many people assume that if an older person becomes forgetful and can no longer deal with some of the basic activities of daily living, he or she must have Alzheimer’s disease. This is not always the case.

I cannot tell you how many times I have recommended to someone to go beyond their personal physician and get a neurological consult. They rarely follow through which never stops amazing me.

Dementia (Alzheimer's disease) like symptoms can be caused by numerous factors. The following can present as a false positive for Alzheimer's. They can only be ruled out by appropriate testing.
These include:

Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

The Metamorphosis of This Alzheimer's Caregiver (Part One)

2009-09-27T12:02:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

My name is Bob DeMarco, I am an Alzheimer's caregiver. My mother Dorothy, now 93 years old, suffers from Alzheimer's disease. We live our lives one day at a time.

I'm fortunate in two ways. I picked great parents, and God and my parents blessed me with an ability to read fast, and absorb information.

My brain is wired to view everything as a system. This allows me to see all the parts when I encounter something new, or when I am trying to figure things out.

When I first learned my mother was suffering from dementia, I quickly learned you could put everything I knew about dementia and Alzheimer's in a thimble.

So, I started reading. The more I learned the more I wanted to know. I learned a great deal about Alzheimer's disease--including the science. It helped me understand a very mystifying disease. It helped me to put a frame around something that is difficult if not impossible to describe.

Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

(R)evolution in Alzheimer's Related Caregiving

2009-08-06T10:28:00.001-04:00

Follow the Alzheimer's Reading Room link to continue reading

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

One of my greatest fears is the day I might have to place my mother in an Alzheimer's care facility. I say might because I pray that I'll never have to do it.

I receive emails all the time from people that experience the guilt, angst, and remorse of having place their loved one in a Alzheimer's care facility that provides little care, and is a horrid environment for their loved one.

It doesn't have to be that way...........

Perhaps what’s going on here is actually miraculous: nearly every one of them has been liberated from the nightmare of antipsychotic drugs. And virtually all of them will never be readmitted to a hospital behavior unit, a nursing home--or shackled to a restraint and left alone to die.--Laurence Harmon, et al

National Alliance for Caregiving and MetLife Foundation Honor Innovators Making a Difference in the Lives of Caregivers

2009-07-22T10:23:00.000-04:00

This year's award winners are:

Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) of New York, NY for the SAGE Caregiver Program, the only program in the country specifically designed to meet the complete care and support needs of LGBT caregivers, who are often marginalized from mainstream service and support.
The Pro Bono Counseling Project of Baltimore, MD for its Caring for Caregivers program, which links low-income, uninsured caregivers with licensed mental health professionals, who donate their time and skills to families of persons with cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis, among others.

James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA for its Caregivers Community Network, which recruits and trains community volunteers and students to provide respite and companion care services to families caring for frail or disabled older adults in rural VA.
The Copper Ridge Institute in Sykesville, MD for its Dementia Skills Training for the Home Caregiver, an innovative educational program available in English or Spanish, designed to be sensitive to the dignity and quality of life necessary for both patient and caregiver. This program was also honored with an Alzheimer's Recognition Award.
DARTS in Minneapolis, MN for its Workplace Eldercare Seminars, which support caregivers in the workplace with education and resources bringing confidence to the caregiver, payback to the employer, and a needed spotlight on aging and caregiving.
The Community Action Program East Central Oregon in Pendleton, OR for Native Caring, a Native American Caregiver training conference that provides workshops and activities integrally tied to the spiritual, physical, mental and social -- all key elements of the Native American value system of care. This conference was also honored with a Cultural Diversity Recognition Award.
Lifespan, Al Sigl Center, and The Arc of Monroe County, all based in Rochester, NY, collaborated to create Future Care Planning Services, which provides comprehensive life care planning services to assure peace of mind and a legacy of love for caregivers while providing autonomy for people with disabilities. The program also received an Award for Older Caregivers Caring for Adult Children with Disabilities.

Read the Press Release for more information.

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Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for advice and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 700 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

More from the Alzheimer's Reading Room

The Alzheimer's Reading Room--Press Release
Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes
Questions About Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimers and Dementia
Dimebon Clinical Trial?
The Thyroid and Alzheimer's
Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
Flavanol-rich Cocoa Consumption Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
Eli Lilly Launches Two Late Stage Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's (LY2062430)
Is it Really Alzheimer's or Something Else?
Wii a Useful Tool for Alzheimer's Caregivers
Five Ways to Keep Alzheimer's Away
2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
The Mini-Cog Test for Alzheimer's and Dementia
What is Dementia?
A Real Solution to the Health Care Crisis
80 Percent of Medical Bills Contain Errors -- Fighting Mistakes

The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

The Alzheimer's Action Plan

2009-06-28T14:42:00.000-04:00

“Most of us will either get Alzheimer’s or care for a loved one who has"

The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

"This book is the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide for the diagnosis and management of Alzheimer's disease. Whether you are a health care professional or have Alzheimer's in your family or are simply interested to living to an old age, this book is a must read."
--Deepak Chopra, M.D., New York Times bestselling author of Perfect Health: The Complete Mind/Body Guide

Insight and Advice about Alzheimer's Disease
Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room

"Memory does matter. Adults across the life cycle are asking questions, many questions! The authors answer these questions for the educated public, family members who encounter memory loss in a loved one, and even adults who believe they are experiencing early memory loss. The answers are comprehensive and understandable, no small accomplishment given the plethora of new information available—information that at times is not only confusing but also conflicting."
--Dan G. Blazer, M.D., Ph.D., former Dean of Medical Education, Duke University School of Medicine; past President of the American Geriatrics Society

"Dr. Doraiswamy has done a masterful job of communicating what the layman should know on the treatment, the care giving and, most important, the prevention of Alzheimer's. It was gratifying to learn about the mountain of evidence that what is good for your heart is also good for your brain."
--Arthur Agatston, M.D., cardiologist and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The South Beach Diet

"I love this book! A powerful and vital resource for people who need it the most. Dr. Doraiswamy is that unique blend of medical expertise mixed in with warmth and compassion topped off with humility that makes him rare and wonderful."
--Leeza Gibbons, Emmy award-winning TV host and founder of Leeza's Place and the Memory Foundation

"Lisa Gwyther is a national treasure. She has been a pioneer in providing innovative care and education for Alzheimer’s patients and their families for many years. Lisa’s long experience helping families cope with the challenges of memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease makes her uniquely qualified to co-author this book. Families experiencing the new world of memory loss and Alzheimer’s couldn’t ask for a better companion for the journey. Her warmth, compassion, and wisdom shine through, and will help light the way."
--Pat Lynch, Director of Communications, Alzheimer’s Center Program, National Institute on Aging

"Most of us will either get Alzheimer's or care for a loved one who has. This action plan can empower you to make a difference."
--Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, You: The Owner’s Manual

"Five million Americans have Alzheimer disease, and an even larger number with mild to moderate memory loss are at high risk of developing this illness. Murali Doraiswamy, a leading clinical researcher in Alzheimer disease, and Lisa Gwyther, a founder of the Alzheimer Association, have co-authored this timely, state-of-the-art book directed at patients with Alzheimer disease, their informants, and their primary care physicians....I fully predict that this exceptionally well-written, reader-friendly book will become the standard resource for patients with Alzheimer disease and their loved ones. Its up-to-date information, patient-centered approach, and focus on prevention and treatment directed at patients with incipient Alzheimer disease distinguish it from The 36 Hour Day by Nancy Mace and Peter Rabins, which is directed at caregivers of patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer disease."
--JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association)

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for advice and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 700 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

More from the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes
The Thyroid and Alzheimer's
Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
Flavanol-rich Cocoa Consumption Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
Eli Lilly Launches Two Late Stage Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's (LY2062430)
Dimebon Clinical Trial?
Wii a Useful Tool for Alzheimer's Caregivers
Five Ways to Keep Alzheimer's Away
2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
The Mini-Cog Test for Alzheimer's and Dementia
What is Dementia?
A Real Solution to the Health Care Crisis
80 Percent of Medical Bills Contain Errors -- Fighting Mistakes

The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

Original content the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Follow the Alzheimer's Reading Room on Twitter

Treasury Announces Additional Tax Deductions for New Auto Purchases

2009-06-11T13:43:00.000-04:00

The Department of Treasury today announced that a tax deduction for the purchase of new motor vehicles is available in states that do not have a state sales tax.

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, taxpayers who buy a new motor vehicle this year are entitled to deduct state or local sales or excise taxes paid on the purchase.

The Treasury Department has determined that purchases made in states without a sales tax–such as Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon–can also qualify for the deduction.

"Building on the Recovery Act, the Treasury Department is taking steps to make sure every American, in every state qualifies for a tax deduction when purchasing a new car," said Deputy Secretary Neal Wolin. "This tax deduction not only increases support for the auto industry as it seeks to rebuild, but also puts money back into the pockets of hardworking Americans."

Taxpayers who purchase a new motor vehicle in states that do not impose state sales or excise taxes are entitled to deduct other fees or taxes imposed by the state or local government that are based on the vehicle's sales price or as a per unit fee. According to the IRS and Treasury, the intent of the provision is that these other fees or taxes could qualify for purposes of the special tax deduction.

To qualify for the deduction, the vehicle must be purchased after Feb. 16, 2009, and before Jan. 1, 2010. The special deduction is available regardless of whether taxpayers itemize deductions on their returns. Taxpayers can claim this special deduction only on their 2009 tax returns next year.

The deduction is limited to the fees or taxes paid on up to $49,500 of the purchase price of a qualified new car, light truck, motor home, or motorcycle.

The amount of the deduction is phased out for taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income is between $125,000 and $135,000 for individual filers and between $250,000 and $260,000 for joint filers.

The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease and Memory Loss in Later Life

The Housing and Credit Crisis Explained

2009-06-09T17:31:00.000-04:00

This presentation on the Housing and Credit crisis is the best I have seen. It explains everything from soup to nuts.

Each slide contains a graph that is well explained.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

Once you get through this, you will understanding the current credit crisis in housing, and what to expect in the years ahead.

If you take the time to view and read this you will be fully informed.

Hit the full screen button in the upper right hand corner of the panel below.

T2 Partners Presentation on the Mortgage Crisis

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Research Business & Economics Finance Non-fiction world culture

Subscribe to All American Investor via Email

Bob DeMarco is a citizen journalist and twenty year Wall Street veteran. Bob has written more than 500 articles with more than 11,000 links to his work on the Internet. Content from All American Investor has been syndicated on Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, Fox News, Pluck, Blog Critics, and a growing list of newspaper websites. Bob is actively seeking syndication and writing assignments.

More from All American Investor

Bond Vigilantes Take over in the Long End (Graph)
Ten Year Treasury Yield in Orbit (Graph)
Ten Year Interest Rates Rising (Chart)
Option ARM--The Toxic Mortgage
Systemic Risk Defined--Too Big to Fail
Ray Dalio on the current state of affairs in the market
Roubini Predicts U.S. Losses May Reach $3.6 Trillion
60 Minutes -- Cold Fusion

Kindle: Amazon's 6" Wireless Reading Device

Follow All American Investor on Twitter

Original content All American Investor

Watch the Memory Loss Tapes Now on the Internet (HBO Streaming Video)

2009-05-09T11:14:00.000-04:00

You can watch the Memory Loss Tapes on the Internet Right now.

For all the information and links go to

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Watch the Memory Loss Tapes Now on the Internet (HBO Streaming Video)

Real Unemployment Now 15.8 Percent

2009-05-08T09:26:00.001-04:00

clipped from allamericaninvestor.blogspot.com

Not many people are aware of the U-6 report that is issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Marginally attached workers are persons who currently are neither working nor looking for work but indicate that they want and are available for a job and have looked for work sometime in the recent past. Discouraged workers, a subset of the marginally attached,have given a job-market related reason for not looking currently for a job.

The number reported today for this series is 15.8% .

100 Million Adults Touched by Alzheimer's

2009-05-06T20:14:00.000-04:00

HBO Alzheimer's Project / Harris Interactive Census

Read more on this topic.

Alzheimer's Reading Room: 100 Million Adults Touched by Alzheimer's

Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?

2009-04-24T16:25:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Forty percent of Alzheimer's caregivers end up suffering from depression. Do you want to see this happen to a loved one or friend?

Like it or not, if you are a family member or friend of an Alzheimer's caregiver and you are not helping them--you have abandoned them. I am sure this sounds harsh. But, it's not even close to the harshness of your own behavior.

Alzheimer's is a sinister disease--it kills the brain of the person suffering from Alzheimer's.

And, it will try to kill the brain of the Alzheimer's caregiver.

The Alzheimer's Project DVD -- Free Copy

2009-04-21T14:00:00.001-04:00

Follow the link to the Alzheimer's Reading Room to obtain your free copy of the DVD.

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Subscribers to the Alzheimer's Reading Room can now obtain a free copy of The Alzheimer's Project.

I don't know about you, but I am really looking forward to viewing this documentary. I am an HBO subscriber and they really do a great job with all their entertainment. I am very confident we will be smiling, and crying, as we watch this documentary.

Google Downside Reversal? (Chart)

2009-04-20T13:47:00.001-04:00

clipped from allamericaninvestor.blogspot.com

Action today could be signaling a downside reversal in Google. So far the low is in the critical 380 area. If 380 is breached it would signal additional downside in Google.

The Alzheimer's Project How to Get it on DVD -- HBO

2009-04-20T13:19:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

I am getting bombarded with emails asking me how to get HBO's The Alzheimer's Project if you don't have HBO.

There is good news. HBO is offering the Alzheimer's Project on DVD and in book form. You can order it now, but it won't ship until June 2.

To order a copy of the DVD -- The Alzheimer's Project -- go here.

Cold Fusion and Palladium (Chart)

2009-04-19T22:46:00.001-04:00

clipped from allamericaninvestor.blogspot.com

Every decade or so the topic of cold fusion comes up. When it does you sometimes see Palladium, the commodity, soar. Will 60 Minutes trigger a new bull market in Palladium?

Researchers link cocoa flavanols to improved brain blood flow

2009-04-19T21:41:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

In a scientific study of healthy, older adults ages 59 to 83, Harvard medical scientists found that study participants who regularly drank a cocoa flavanol-rich beverage made using the Mars, Incorporated Cocoapro® process had an eight percent increase in brain blood flow after one week, and 10 percent increase after two weeks.

60 Minutes Cold Fusion (Video and Text)

2009-04-19T20:34:00.002-04:00

clipped from allamericaninvestor.blogspot.com

Twenty years ago it appeared, for a moment, that all our energy problems could be solved. It was the announcement of cold fusion - nuclear energy like that which powers the sun - but at room temperature on a table top. It promised to be cheap, limitless and clean. Cold fusion would end our dependence on the Middle East and stop those greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. It would change everything.

"We can yield the power of nuclear physics on a tabletop. The potential is unlimited. That is the most powerful energy source known to man," researcher Michael McKubre told 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley.

The Alzheimer's Project -- HBO

2009-04-19T09:43:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

The Memory Loss Tapes -- Sunday, May 10 at 9 PM
Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am? -- Monday, May 11 at 7:30 PM
Momentum in Science -- Monday, May 11 at 8 PM
Caregivers -- Tuesday, May 12 at 7 PM
Momentum in Science, Part 2 --Tuesday, May 12 at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. EST –

How We Saved $624.72 on Prescription Drugs

2009-04-16T16:50:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

The FDA has granted special permission for two, five year old twins girls, to receive intravenous infusions of 2-Hydroxypropyl-beta-Cyclodextrin (also known as HPBCD). The girls received the go ahead for the treatment after a "compassionate use" exception was granted. The girls are suffering from Niemann Pick Type C disease, a fatal cholesterol metabolism disorder that is often referred to as the "Childhood Alzheimer’s".

Housing Starts Like a Bullet Hitting Water (Chart)

2009-04-16T16:41:00.001-04:00

clipped from allamericaninvestor.blogspot.com

Penn State Solar Decathlon team ready to make Natural Fusion a reality

2009-04-15T18:13:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.pennstateclips.com

"Natural Fusion was born out of the idea of building an integrated house and using things that have been used for years but in a new way," said ThomasRauch, team member and media liaison. "Its redefining the engineering processand what is considered the cross-disciplinary educational process."

Industrial Production--A Picture Worth a Thousand Words

2009-04-15T18:06:00.001-04:00

clipped from allamericaninvestor.blogspot.com

Doctors not Good at Detecting Alzheimer's and Dementia

2009-04-13T13:29:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Diagnosing mild-to-moderate dementia cases can be difficult. Indeed, more than half of such cases are not recognized by physicians, according to a recent review of the literature at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

30 Year Treasury in Perspective (Graph)

2009-04-08T12:34:00.001-04:00

clipped from allamericaninvestor.blogspot.com

80 Percent of Medical Bills Contain Errors -- Fighting Mistakes

2009-04-07T12:45:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Problems with medical billing errors drive me crazy. Not our bills, but the medical bills of relatives and friends. They complain to me all the time. I start by telling them--you are complaining to the wrong person. Then I explain to them what to do about it--pick up the phone and call whoever is billing you.

I learned a long time ago, you can negotiate down the price of any medical bill.

Don't be afraid to pick up the phone and say--I refuse to pay that amount. Experience tells me that you can get a 20 percent reduction just by opening your mouth--by being proactive. By the way, being proactive does not mean being mean. Start by remembering this, the person on the other end of the phone is just like you or me--they are doing a job. So treat them with respect. You can get more with sugar then you can with vinegar.

If you run into a brick wall, try the above then use my favorite word--Supervisor.

Can you drive with Alzheimer's

2009-04-06T15:09:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

My mother drove her car over one of those white, concrete abutments in the parking lot. She scrapped against a tree-- the tree tore off the entire passenger side of her car, front to back. She stopped when she bounced off the wall of her building.

It turned out this was more than a "senior moment". Eighteen months later my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Women collect dolls to benefit Alzheimer's patients

2009-04-06T10:53:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Wonderful people.

...the daughter felt sad and "shook up" when leaving St. Elizabeth's after a visit. "After we gave her the baby doll, I never felt sad again when I left," she said. "So it was very liberating for me."

Two Catonsville mothers, Wendy Geist and Amy Nelson, have initiated a volunteer project of collecting used dolls to ease the suffering and bring joy to seniors experiencing Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. The women say, " beneficial effects can be amazing."

S & P 500 Up 24.53 Percent in 20 Days (Chart)

2009-04-05T12:03:00.001-04:00

clipped from allamericaninvestor.blogspot.com

Real Unemployment 15.6 Percent

2009-04-04T15:19:00.001-04:00

clipped from efhutton.blogspot.com

U-6

Total unemployed
plus all marginally attached workers
plus total employed part time for economic reasons
as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all marginally attached workers

The number reported today for this series is 15.6 % (the non-seasonally adjusted number is worse at 16.2 %). This compares to 9.1 percent reported March, 2008.

30 Year Conventional Mortgage Rate (Chart)

2009-04-04T15:16:00.001-04:00

clipped from allamericaninvestor.blogspot.com

Google Ventures Fund set to Invest $100 Million

2009-03-31T14:03:00.000-04:00

The newly formed Google Venture Capital Fund is set to invest $100 million this year. The fund is seeking investment opportunities to maximize returns rather than looking for investments that strictly fit with Google's strategic vision. This should be music to the ears of entrepreneurs.

Rich Miner said,

that Google Ventures will look at a wide variety of companies to invest in, including consumer Internet products, information technology, health care and biotech, among other areas.

The fund will focus primarily on companies seeking seed funding and early stage funding, and Google Ventures will have the ability to make investments ranging from tens of thousands to "several tens of millions" of dollars.

Early stage, across the board, this is really good news.

Here is the link to the Google Ventures page.

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Animal Spirits: How Human Psychology Drives the Economy, and Why It Matters for Global Capitalism

GoldCorp (GG) Twelve Times Your Money in Ten Years (Chart)

2009-03-30T10:49:00.000-04:00

Gold Corp (GG), Ten Year Chart, Monthly (not dividend adjusted).

You don't hear much about Gold Corp (GG). The gold stock has risen from the $2.50 area in 1999 to a high of $52.65 during July, 2008 (prices are adjusted for stock splits).

The stock closed Friday at $33.76. GoldCorp dropped to a low in the $14.00 area in October, 2008 and is now moving up again.

If you had invested $10,000 in GoldCorp in 1999, it would now be worth more than $125,000. This does not include adjustments for dividends. 12.5 times your money in ten years, not bad.

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More from All American Investor

Systemic Risk Defined--Too Big to Fail

Ray Dalio on the current state of affairs in the market

Roubini Predicts U.S. Losses May Reach $3.6 Trillion

Six Errors on the Path to the Financial Crisis

Who Caused the Financial Crisis?

Option ARM--The Toxic Mortgage

Debt Binge--The Perfect Financial Storm

Warren Buffett's Annual Letter to Investors (Cliff Notes Version)

Bold Endeavors: How Our Government Built America, and Why It Must Rebuild Now

Condition of Banks Continues to Deteriorate (Chart)

2009-03-22T16:04:00.001-04:00

The Report of Condition and Income for All Insured U.S. Commercial Banks continues to deteriorate and is worrisome.

This really calls into question if the new bank bailout plan is going to work. The newest proposal is similar, if not the same, as the plan that was put into effect in September. However, if conditions continue to deteriorate it is likely that banks will need to be seized by the Federal government much like what happened during the Savings and Loan crisis.

Right now the hope remains that banks can earn their way out of the problem. This explains, in part, why the Federal Reserve is keeping interest rates artificially low and is buying Treasury securities. This strategy worked for the banks in the 1992-1993 period. It is not well known but many banks were "technically" insolvent at the time.

It appears that bank failures, a bank panic, and bank nationalizations are all still real possibilities.

We will continue to watch this situation at All American Investor.

Sidenote: Federal regulators Friday seized control of the two largest wholesale credit unions — U.S. Central Federal Credit Union and Western Corporate Federal Credit Union — which together had $57 billion in assets. This went virtually unnoticed.

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S an P 500 Chart Market Consolidation March 17

2009-03-17T07:49:00.001-04:00

The blue and red lines are starting to come together indicating a consolidation of the recent down trend. The thing to watch here is the green line. It is currently sloped down. As long as it remains sloped down the market is still vulnerable to the downside on a short term basis.

It should be obvious that hard resistance is up near 800, and hard support is down near 666.

We used the June S and P 500 futures chart this time around.

clipped from charts.barchart.com

S and P 500 Trend...Two Days Up...Then...

2009-03-11T15:50:00.001-04:00

It is not unusual for the a severely down sloped market to see a sharp two day rally contra trend rally. We are seeing that now.

Savvy short term traders should look to sell any rally into the 740-750 range on Wednesday night or Thursday.

The inside day after the bottom, followed by a hook up does warrant some caution. It is possible that we could see an extension of the rally after a short pop down. The more significant resistance in this down trend is up near 800.

The down trend remains intact.

clipped from charts.barchart.com

S anp P support 652 and dropping March 9

2009-03-09T07:20:00.001-04:00

We are using the S and P 500 March futures contract this morning.

Support continues to decline and is now around the 652 area. Price drops more than one percent below this level should find good support today.

There is good news as the momentum behind the downside thrust is slowing. However, the market is still subject to a potential downside market capitulation at any time. A hard downside thrust, or continued slow deterioration is likely to trigger mutual fund redemption's.

Many forecasters are calling for a low around the S and P 500, 600 level. This almost seems like a self fulfilling prophesy coming to fruition. Maybe, maybe not.

clipped from charts.barchart.com

S and P 500 nearing support Technician says

2009-03-02T16:21:00.001-05:00

clipped from charts.barchart.com

Gold Chart

2009-03-01T13:13:00.001-05:00

London PM Fix, Quoted in Dollars

clipped from www.research.gold.org

10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate

2009-02-28T21:22:00.001-05:00

clipped from research.stlouisfed.org

Stock Market still under extreme pressure

2009-02-27T12:01:00.001-05:00

The chart below spans twenty five years for the s and P 500. Each bar is one month.

clipped from charts.barchart.com

Down side range expansion continues--good trade opportunity

2009-02-23T14:00:00.002-05:00

The downside range expansion continues and all systems indicate that market is going lower. You will notice the spike down to the 741 area in November. Will history repeat itself? i think to some extent it will. Traders should be on their toes for any spike below 741 overnight or early Tuesday morning.

I doubt we will see the monster rally we saw in November. But, looks good for a nice fat trade.

Complacent longs are still in the market and so far they have not capitulated. Sometime soon, very soon they are going to cry "Uncle".

clipped from charts.barchart.com

Stimulus Tax Break Savings

2009-02-22T15:35:00.001-05:00

clipped from money.cnn.com

TAX SAVINGS
How households may fare under the economic recovery plan.
Income Avg. tax savings Drop in tax bite
Under $19K $476 -95%
$19K-$38K $652 -22%
$38K-$66K $781 -9%
$66K-$112K $1,301 -7.5%
$112K-$161K $2,549 -8.3%
$161K-$227K $3,883 -8.3%
$227K-$603K $5,133 -5.7%
$2.8M plus $39,350 -1.4%
Source:The Tax Policy C

Obama's foreclosure fix on the way

2009-02-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

clipped from money.cnn.com

The multipart plan will for the first time commit government money to spur loan modifications. One likely component will be interest-rate subsidies for at-risk borrowers, with the government matching the servicer's rate reduction. Borrowers would have to take an affordability test to see whether they could handle the monthly payment on the reworked loan.

The administration is also expected to ramp up loan modifications of borrowers in default. These modifications would lower monthly payments to more affordable terms - often 31% to 38% of gross monthly income - through reducing interest rates or lengthening the loan's term.

On deck is controversial legislation to allow bankruptcy judges to modify loans on primary residences. The financial industry is staunchly opposed to this measure, but administration officials told them last week to expect it to happen this year.

Author Terry Pratchett blames his Alzheimer's on mercury fillings

2009-02-15T11:09:00.001-05:00

clipped from www.guardian.co.uk

Terry Pratchett has reopened the controversy about the safety of mercury-based tooth fillings by blaming them for his Alzheimer's disease.

The author of the Discworld series describes the fillings - which millions of Britons have - as "toxic waste".

"Having something like mercury in your mouth seemed to me to be a really bad idea and I got rid of the stuff," said Pratchett.

Winners and losers in the final stimulus bill

2009-02-15T09:50:00.001-05:00

Follow the link for a more complete breakdown.

clipped from www.cnn.com

Foreclosures: $2 billion is set for a neighborhood stabilization program that helps areas plagued with foreclosures by buying back properties and preventing blight.

Social Security: $500 million goes to replace its 30-year-old computer system.

Car buyers: Anyone who buys a new car in 2009 gets to deduct the sales tax. To qualify, buyer must make less than $125,000 individually or $250,000 jointly. Cost is $1.7 billion.

Homebuyers: First-time homebuyers who purchase this calendar year get an $8,000 tax credit which does not have to be repaid like a similar measure last year. This phases out for people making more than $75,000 individually or $150,000 jointly. "First-time homebuyer" is defined as someone who has not owned a home for the past three years. Cost: $6.63 billion.

Tax credits: Anyone making $75,000 individually or $150,000 as a family will get refundable tax credit up to $400 per person or $800 per family.

GM to say, 'more aid or bankruptcy'

2009-02-15T09:41:00.001-05:00

Sooner or later it will become obvious to the politicians in Washington that this situation requires more than a bandage--more like a heart transplant.

As a taxpayer, I would prefer to see a "cram down" of the existing stock and bond holders. Then a complete restructuring of the company by a board of directors put in place by we the people.

I cannot understand why taxpayer money would be invested any differently than real money. I guess I just explained why--the people in congress have been throwing money around for so long they forget where it came from and are no longer treating our tax monies as they would treat their own monies. Sad.

clipped from www.marketwatch.com

General Motors Corp. will offer the government the choice of giving it billions more in bailout money or seeing it file for bankruptcy when it presents a restructuring plan next week, according to a report published Saturday.

The government has already committed $13.4 billion to GM as part of a federally-funded bailout. The automaker is expected to include its call for more funds in a restructuring plan it's required to submit to the Treasury Department by Tuesday, though the company isn't expected to include a dollar amount, according to the Wall Street Journal report.

Chrysler is also expected to submit a restructuring plan on Tuesday.

Household Wealth Plunged In ‘08, Reversing Rise

2009-02-13T08:21:00.001-05:00

Borrowing for second homes accounts for part of the large increase in debt over the last five years. This is something that is not being discussed or factored into the current housing situation. An enormous amount of second homes are going into foreclosure and even more are on the market for sale. This overhang in the housing market is likely to continue for a long time. Is anyone in the government discussing supply and demand as they look for a quick fix for the housing crisis?

The drop in the stock market is hurting the newly retired and really weighing on Baby Boomers.

clipped from blogs.wsj.com

U.S. household wealth appeared to have plummeted in 2008 in the face of falling values for stocks and homes, a Federal Reserve report showed, more than reversing gains achieved over the previous three years.

According to the Fed’s survey of consumer finances, released Thursday, average net worth is estimated to have fallen 22.7% from 2007 until October 2008. The median, or midpoint, fell a more modest 17.8%, suggesting declines were centered among wealthier families.

The share of households with loan payments exceeding 40% of their income rose 2.5 percentage points between the 2004 and 2007 surveys, to 14.7%.

Borrowing for second homes was a big factor pushing up debt between 2004 and 2007, the Fed said. –Brian Blackstone

Wells Fargo May Cut Loans for Some Wachovia Customers

2009-02-07T22:50:00.001-05:00

clipped from allamericaninvestor.blogspot.com

Ok. Let me get this straight.

Wells Fargo & Co., the second-biggest U.S. home lender is offering to cut mortgage balances for some of Wachovia Corporation customers by 20 percent.

So if I have a $500,000 mortgage I can get my mortgage balance reduced to $300,000. I'm in. Well, probably not.

While the terms are still a bit sketchy this is coming in response to the pressure to modify loans due to rising default levels. You have to be in default to get the 20 percent free lunch.

Wells Fargo’s pilot program aimed at Wachovia borrowers is part of a plan announced on Jan. 26 to help avoid “preventable foreclosures.” As many as 478,000 Wachovia customers have access to the wider program and those who are in or at risk of foreclosure have until Feb. 28 to contact the bank. Customers may also win reduced interest rates and extensions of up to 40 years.

Well what about people that have been making their payments for say the last ten years? No free lunch?

Octuplets' mom to give first interview

2009-02-06T08:21:00.001-05:00

Nadya Suleman has 14 kids all together. This interview should be of great interest to many.

I'm sure the negativo's will be out in force on this one.

clipped from blogs.usatoday.com

Nadya Suleman, the California mother of the newborn octuplets, left a Los Angeles-area hospital early today.

The New York Daily News writes, The 33-year-old snuck out of the hospital under cover of darkness Thursday and a spokeswoman pleaded for her privacy.

But Suleman is wasting no time going public. She's doing her first media interview today with NBC News correspondent Ann Curry. Excerpts will be shown tonight. Air-date to follow.

Meanwhile, The Associated Press reports that Suleman received more than $165,000 in state disability payments for an on-the-job back injury.

Brother, Can You Spare 99 Cents?

2009-02-06T08:15:00.001-05:00

Contrarians night want to give this some thought.

clipped from blogs.wsj.com

Call it the Depression trade. The pockets of strength in retail stocks steadily empty, until even Family Dollar Stores and Dollar Tree Inc. are considered overvalued.

Retailers “continue to underperform, and if the market’s vulnerable (they) will possibly still lead on the down side,” said Steven Goldman, market strategist at Weeden & Co. “It may continue to lag (even) on rebounds until there’s an anticipation of a bottom in housing prices. With the dire straits of unemployment (and) savings increasing, spending is still not there.”

Now, traders are exhibiting fears that shoppers will balk at prices in Family Dollar, which cut its gains to 2% for the year-to-date after rival Dollar Tree reported fourth-quarter sales below analysts’ estimates.

The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR is down 12% at $19.09 for 2009 and is likely to wallow around these levels for some time, said Mr. Wilson.

Find the Wind

2009-02-06T07:51:00.001-05:00

Ever think about starting your own wind farm? Well, first you have to find the wind. Here you go.

Maybe you just want to know how windy it is? Or maybe you just have an interest in wind.

clipped from firstlook.3tier.com

Can sex cause a heart attack?

2009-01-28T08:44:00.001-05:00

clipped from www.cnn.com

Although heart attacks during sex are rare, no one wants to be among the unlucky few who die while getting lucky. So if you have cardiovascular disease (CVD), or even if it runs in your family, it's important to ask your doctor what type of sexual activity is safe. If you've just had a heart attack, for instance, you should wait three to four weeks before having intercourse, according to current guidelines.