You—Yes, You!—Can Be a Runner!

According to Running USA, an organization that tracks national trends, the number of women who finished a running race soared from 791,000 in 1987 to 4.4 million in 2007. Why the attraction?

In a poll of 8,000 runners by the same organization, women said they run to sculpt a toned physique, stave off stress, and achieve personal goals. And those are just a few of running's many benefits.

But perhaps what draws people to the sport more than anything is that everyone can do it. You don't need special skills, pricey gear, athletic ability, or even good genes. All running requires is a pair of shoes and a little determination. Still, it can be intimidating, so we came up with this failproof plan to get you started and keep you on track.

The perks of pavement pounding

Anyone who has hung out in the treadmill area of the gym or watched a road race knows that runners have hot bodies. It takes a ton of effort to move your body weight without assistance, "which is why running burns more calories per minute than pretty much any other exercise," says Lesley Mettler, a running coach in Seattle. Case in point: The average 140-pound woman who runs at a 10-minute mile pace for an hour burns 512 calories. Compare that to an hour spent doing Pilates (384 calories), walking (225 calories), or swimming (448 calories). Torching all those calories sheds body fat to reveal the lean muscle below. So not only do runners have enviable legs, but their entire bodies look trim and toned.

Take up running and you'll get benefits beyond just looking amazing—you'll also live longer and stay healthier. Researchers at Stanford University discovered that regular runners have a 39 percent lower risk of dying an early death compared with healthy adults of the same age. "Virtually every system in your body benefits from running," says Christine Hinton, a running coach in Crofton, Md. Study after study shows that running can help prevent cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, osteoporosis, and even cancer. Most recently, a 2009 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that running is as good a bone-builder as strength training.

In addition to giving you a physical edge, running improves your mental health, too. A 2008 study found that areas in the brain associated with mood are flooded with endorphins—the feel-good hormones—after exercise. This is especially true with running. "When you run, it's just you, your body, and the environment," says Kristen Dieffenbach, Ph.D., a sports psychology consultant and assistant professor of athletic coaching at West Virginia University. Your arms, legs, and breathing fall into a rhythm that eventually lulls your brain into a meditative "no-stress zone" in which bills, boyfriends, and bosses fade away.

At last: The truth behind running's bad press

Despite its many advantages, running has its share of critics who say the relentless pounding ruins your knees, leads to chronic back pain, and causes wrinkles. But experts say the rewards of running far outweigh the risks. A recent review in the Journal of Anatomy found that running does not increase your risk of osteoarthritis, the cartilage decay that causes pain and inflammation in hip and knee joints. Nor does it wreck your back, according to a research review in the Southern Medical Journal. Researchers suggest that because running builds stronger muscles and ligaments, it actually has a protective effect on these areas.

As for whether all that pavement pounding causes gravity to take its toll, resulting in sagging, wrinkled skin, "it's a myth," says Tom Holland, an exercise physiologist in Darien, Conn. "The reason runners can sometimes appear weathered is that they're thinner—low body fat makes fine lines more visible—and they're out in the sun more." Slather on a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 half an hour before your run to avoid the leathery look.

Stuff You Need

Shoes: Expect to shell out at least $75 for a good running shoe. Sneakers that don't meet the needs of your foot type and running style can lead to Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis (heel pain), knee pain, and shin splints, says Stephen M. Pribut, D.P.M., clinical assistant professor of surgery at the George Washington University Medical Center.

Smart running shoes? We tested these sneakers to see if the advanced technology is worth all the hype. See our results here!

Sports Bra: According to one study, running can cause your boobs to fly up and down as much as eight inches. (Ouch!) A bra that holds each breast in a separate cup will reduce bounce and support better than a shelf bra. When trying one on, run in place, do jumping jacks, and swing your arms in circles to test how supportive it will be. Find the best sports bra for your body type — here!

Get Started:

Attention, beginner runner: It's safe—and smart—to start out slow. Really slow. "Easing into it helps your muscles get used to the impact of running and helps your mind get used to the effort," Hinton says. She recommends following a run/walk program like the one here three times a week (not on consecutive days). Begin and end each session with a five-minute warmup walk. Repeat a week if you don't feel ready to move up. When you're able to run consistently for at least 30 minutes, you can start adding more distance.

Week 1: Run 2 min., walk 3 min.; repeat 6 times.

Week 2: Run 3 min., walk 3 min.; repeat 5 times.

Week 3: Run 5 min., walk 2 min.; repeat 4 times.

Week 4: Run 7 min., walk 3 min.; repeat 3 times.

Week 5: Run 8 min., walk 2 min.; repeat 3 times.

Week 6: Run 9 min., walk 1 min.; repeat 3 times.

Week 7: Run 30 minutes

After you've been running for at least six weeks, add intervals to continue building fitness and shedding pounds. Intervals are short bursts of speed that engage the muscle fibers that make you go fast. (Bonus: Research has shown that sprints trigger a fat-frying response in your muscles.) To do them, warm up for six minutes with an easy jog. Then run faster for 15 to 20 seconds. Slow down to an easy pace for three minutes. Repeat the cycle three to five times, then cool down with a six-minute jog. Do intervals once a week and increase your sprint length by 10 seconds each week until you can go all-out for 80 seconds.

Keep It Up!

Nothing bursts your bubble faster than an injury. Take a few simple precautions and you'll rarely—if ever—be sidelined.

Increase your runs gradually: Up your running time by no more than 10 percent a week, Holland says. That means if you run a total of 10 miles one week, aim for 11 the next.

Shore up the rest of your body: Weak muscles are prime targets for injury. Strengthen them with a biweekly 20-minute strength-training session that targets all your major muscle groups, Holland says. Try the total-body plan at womenshealthmag.com/fitness/total-body-workout-8.

Stay flexible: "Running makes muscles short and tight, which can compromise your form and cause injury," Holland says. Stretch after a warmup, then repeat after your run (stretching when your muscles are cold can lead to injury). Find great stretches at womenshealthmag.com/fitness/stretches.

Stuck Inside On A Treadmill?: Set it to a 1 percent incline to get the same caliber workout as running outside.

Source: Journal of Sports Science

Five Everyday Items You Don't Need

People spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars each year on products they don't need. They might seem like small costs, but they can add up.

Simple changes and a little preparation can help people trim the amount they waste on basic necessities. Here are five examples:

Bottled beverages: You probably have a favorite drink and it's not tap water. If you drink too much of it, it will take a toll on your budget. You don't have to give up your favorite beverage completely. Just substitute half the amount you usually drink with tap water.

Food: The average person throws away $600 worth of food each year, according to study by the University of Arizona. To keep more money in your wallet instead of the trash can, evaluate the amount of food you eat and consider how much of it goes bad before you consume it. Create a shopping list with more realistic portions and look for deals at local grocery stores.

Diet products: Americans spend a lot of money buying meals, supplements and products that promise to help them lose weight, whether it's through a diet program or an impulse buy. These items are typically more expensive than the versions that don't make the same health claims. Read food labels and consider whether a food or product is worth the cost.

Vitamins: People spend a lot of money on vitamins that merely pass through their bodies every time they go to the bathroom. Instead of purchasing a wide array of supplements, figure out what your body needs and buy only those vitamins or, better yet, get those nutrients from food.

Cosmetics and toiletries: Cosmetic and hair care companies exaggerate the benefits of their products. Paula Begoun, author of The Beauty Bible, says that sunscreen is the only true anti-aging product. Creams that claim to get rid of cellulite or wrinkles usually don't.

Begoun says expensive hair products are no more effective than cheap ones. Usually they're made with the same main ingredients or produced by the same company. Try store-brand or less expensive products the next time you're stocking up.

Jeffrey Strain has been a freelance personal finance writer for the past 10 years helping people save money and get their finances in order. He currently owns and runs SavingAdvice.com.
Copyrighted, TheStreet.Com. All rights reserved.

The World's Richest Dropouts

Michael Dell enrolled as a biology major at University of Texas but spent more time fiddling with stacks of computer parts in his dorm room than hitting up the library. Instead of studying, he started selling new computers through advertisements in local papers.

It was a lucrative distraction. By the end of his freshman year, Dell was selling about $80,000 a month in computers. With the money rolling in, Dell decided not to return to school.

He dropped out of college at 19 to run the company that would become Dell Inc. Within the next few years, Dell's annual sales passed $100 million. This March, Forbes' pegged Michael Dell's net worth at $16.4 billion.

Our most recent list of the world's richest included 1,125 billionaires. At least 73 of them, like Dell, dropped out of some stage of schooling.

Those 73 are like Dell in another way too: They didn't drop out to watch daytime television on the couch. They left school to work hard.

Dell explained his attitude to University of Texas grads at a 2003 commencement address: "Circle the pitfalls and highlight the opportunities. Then build a vision of how it could all be better and work like hell to make it happen."

Sheldon Adelson is another billionaire lacking a degree but possessing plenty of hustle. Adelson enrolled at City College of New York but didn't finish, probably because he was too busy with other ventures.

When he was 12, Adelson borrowed $200 from his uncle to start selling newspapers. He dropped out of college to become a court reporter. He also worked as an ad salesman, a consultant, and a tour-business operator.

That relentless drive led him to his first big windfall. He organized the computer industry trade show Comdex and made handsome profits leasing out exhibition space. He's since jumped into casinos, where he's been adding to his fortune ever since. In Forbes' most recent list of the world's billionaires, he ranked 12th with a net worth of $26 billion.

Some billionaires didn't even make it as far as Adelson in school. Richard Branson, who had dyslexia, was a lousy student. He dropped out at 16 to start a magazine.

To fund the publication, he also started a mail-order record business; the venture grew into Virgin Records. He took a risk by signing a raucous band called the Sex Pistols, which had already been cut from two other labels. Other hit acts followed, including Boy George and Peter Gabriel.

Plenty of other companies have followed as well. He's since expanded into airlines, health insurance and medical care. Next stop: space. His latest company is Virgin Galactic, which hopes to shoot tourists beyond the Earth's atmosphere.

But don't get the idea from these billionaire dropouts that school is worthless. Even the world's most famous dropout (and its third-richest man) acknowledges the importance of a good education.

Bill Gates left Harvard during his junior year to work on a little company he'd started called Microsoft. He recently testified before Congress on the importance of improving the U.S. education system.

"Too many of our students fail to graduate from high school with the basic skills they will need to succeed in the 21st-century economy, much less prepared for the rigors of college and career," said Gates.

School has other benefits too, like who you meet. In 2000, billionaire Steve Ballmer took over the role of chief executive of Microsoft from Gates. The two lived down the hall from each other while they were both students at Harvard.

Top Five Wealthiest Dropouts

1. Bill Gates
Founder of Microsoft
Net Worth: $58 billion
Dropped out of Harvard University

2. Li Ka-shing
Hong Kong businessman
Net Worth: $26.5 billion
Dropped out of school at 12

3. Sheldon Adelson
Casino owner
Net Worth: $26 billion
Dropped out of City College of New York

4. Larry Ellison
Founder of Oracle
Net Worth: $25 billion
Dropped out of University of Illinois

5. Roman Abramovich
Russian oil magnate
Net Worth: $23.5 billion
Dropped out of college

How to Flee an Ailing Industry

With the unemployment rate hitting a new 25-year high Friday, many workers and layoff victims in the worst-suffering industries are looking for safer sectors.

Industries including autos, financial services and retailing have been hit especially hard during the recession, shedding tens of thousands of jobs. Even as the overall job market shows signs of stabilization, companies in some of the worst-hit sectors may recover more slowly, and job-seekers may be better off looking at new industries.

But making that change can be tough. We asked career coaches and human resource experts how to navigate into a new sector.

Redeploy your current skills.

Look for growth industries – or less hard-hit ones – where you can put your current skills to use. If you're an accountant at General Motors, for instance, look for companies in other industries that need accountants. "People often don't want to leave their industries, because they're comfortable there, even when they're miserable," says Trudi Schutz, a Connecticut-based career coach. She suggests job-hunters look for "careers that use those same skills they love, but in a new way." She worked with a former car salesman, for instance, who found work within the last six months as a pharmaceutical salesman.

Which industries to target? Consider employers in healthcare or "green" technology, which are both experiencing growth, said David Lewin, a management professor at UCLA's Anderson School of Management. Education and government are also stronger than most.

But, be willing to learn new skills – in new locations.

Adaptable people who are willing to retrain themselves and relocate will be the most attractive to potential employers, says Max Shapiro, chief executive officer of PeopleConnect, a California-based staffing company.

"Companies want people who can multi-task," he says.

Ms. Schutz suggests going back to school or earning certifications to bolster a resume. "The more senior someone is, the more likely it is that he or she will have to repackage the skills that they already have," she says.

Build a network outside your industry.

Many job seekers have been recruited their entire professional lives, and don't know how to successfully nab a job on their own. Go beyond your usual professional network, says Paula Marks, a career coach and executive recruiter.

Ms. Schutz suggests making a list of your closest contacts, people who "you can trust to brainstorm your wildest ideas." Then, keep talking with people in your network, and asking for them to put you in touch with others. "Chances are, someone will lead you to someone else who will lead you to someone else," she says. "I have a very high success rate when people just talk to every single person they know about opportunities."

Utilize social networking sites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, and join professional organizations, particularly those that don't define focus on just one industry. Consider religious groups too, says Dee Soder, founder of CEO Perspective Group, an executive coaching firm.

Research other industries in newspapers and online to become familiar with the lingo as you network. "I tell my clients to spend some time reading articles and learning buzz words and slang for different companies," Ms. Soder says.

How To Get Kids To Eat Healthy

The 14,300 students served by the public school cafeterias in Lee's Summit, Mo., have delicious yet healthy options.

Among the menu items are fresh watermelon, fresh carrots with low-fat ranch dip, baked chicken nuggets, chilled (frozen) strawberries, low-fat mashed potatoes with non-fat gravy, and pizza with whole grain crust and low-fat cheese. They even enjoy roasted, shredded pork sandwiches with homemade whole grain rolls dressed in a low-sodium barbecue sauce--perhaps no surprise for a district that resides in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

"We're educating them through the meals we provide," says Jane Hentzler, a registered dietitian and director of nutrition services for the school district. The healthy fare, she says, is designed to teach the schoolchildren about the proper ratio of nutrients and how to create balanced meals with the best ingredients available.

Hentzler's approach, which also includes classroom lessons on nutrition, is part of a nationwide trend that aims to increase access to minimally processed fresh food at school. The alarming rate of childhood obesity has prompted the reformative strategy at school districts across the country; 12.4% of children ages 2 to 5 are overweight or obese, as are 17% of children and teens between 6 and 19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, kids who are obese in their preschool years are more likely to be obese adults and have higher chances of developing hypertension, asthma and diabetes.

Yet, healthier school fare is only one part of a successful equation. Arguably more important is the role parents play in teaching their children about nutrition and making healthier choices.

Educated Eating

In that respect, parents have more help from school cafeterias than ever before.

A recent report produced by the School Nutrition Association, a lobbying and membership organization of 55,000 food-service directors, caterers and manufacturers, found that more schools offer healthy options.

In a survey of 1,200 food-service directors, nearly 60% reported that they currently provide or are considering offering local fruits and vegetables. Since 2007, vegetarian options have increased by 12%, and low-fat prepared and packaged foods have increased by 11.5%. More than 90% of those surveyed said their schools provided whole grain items and salad bars or pre-packaged salads.

Top Tips

• Respect Likes and Dislikes
• Appeal to Their Interests
• Talk About Nutrition
• Be Mindful of Hidden Calories

The shift partly has to do with changing student demand and local and state wellness initiatives. This fall, Congress will also determine whether or not to increase funding and institute national guidelines for the Child Nutrition Act, which is renewed every five years and spends $12 billion annually to feed breakfast and lunch to 31 million schoolchildren.

Cathy Schuchart, staff vice president for the SNA's Child Nutrition and Policy Center, says that more uniform guidelines will help food manufacturers, who often try to accommodate different local and state regulations by making several versions of the same product, become more efficient. Extra cost-savings, says Schuchart, will allow providers to focus on incorporating higher quality but more expensive items like fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

Though major strides have been made in providing more nutritious food to schoolchildren, more work remains. The NPD Group, a market research company, has found differences between what children ages 6 through 12 eat when their lunch is packed at home versus when it is bought at the cafeteria.

Though kids who dine on cafeteria food are most likely to enjoy milk, a sandwich and fruit (in that order), they also frequently eat pizza and French fries. Children who bring their lunch from home are most likely to pack a sandwich, fruit and a salty snack. Cookies are popular in both groups, but kids with home-packed lunches are also likely to bring yogurt and crackers.

Model Behavior

The differences between the groups demonstrate what is obvious: Mom and dad have some sway when it comes to healthy eating. In fact, NPD's research has also shown that children are most likely to receive guidance on healthy eating from a female parent, followed by the school and then from a male parent.

"Modeling is so important," says Kerry Neville, a registered dietitian in Kirkland, Wash., and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "I see so many examples of parents saying one thing and doing another." A diet-soda drinking parent who asks a child to fill his or her glass with milk, for example, will meet resistance.

Neville also recommends that parents stock the house with healthy choices and make them visible, which may seem intuitive but is an often overlooked step. While making dinner for her 9-year-old son, Neville places carrots and dip and a fruit basket on the counter to steer him toward nutritious snacks.

Setting guidelines and monitoring a child's diet can provide structure, but Neville says the line between being watchful and policing is thin. She allows her son to have just one treat a day, whether that's a soda or cupcake and gently reinforces the rule when she can. Neville also reviews the school lunch menu with him and asks about his favorite items so that she's aware of his choices and can help better inform them when necessary.

Instead of aiming for perfection, Neville tries for consistency so that her son is regularly exposed to healthy options.

"It really is tough," she says. "The best you can do is to make sure they eat healthy when they are under your control."

7 Ways to Faster Fitness Results

Just because summer is wrapping up doesn’t mean you have to stash your fitness routine with your bikini. In fact, if you’ve been exercising moderately for at least four weeks (meaning some yoga classes, walking on the beach, or sessions on the elliptical trainer at the gym), there’s no better time to start ramping up your workouts. According to ExerciseTV trainer Holly Perkins, increasing the intensity of your fitness regimen is surprisingly easy, not to mention the fastest way to bust a plateau and see serious results. Here, Perkins outlines some tricks to rev your routine so you can strengthen your muscles, lose more fat and improve your athleticism. And of course, still look hot in your teeny bikini, should you decide to break it out for a swim.

Add one intense workout to your weekly routine for three weeks. “It will build the base toward working harder," Perkins says.

After that, include two per week. What does intense mean? “It depends on the individual,” Perkins says. “Moderate exercise generally means a workout is tough, but you can get through it. Jogging might be considered moderate exercise for some, whereas for others, it’s intense.” Generally speaking, for a workout to be intense, you’ll need to feel like the last few minutes are extremely tough and you'll have to really push yourself to finish. Pain, of course, is not the goal. Intensity is the point you hit before pain.

To start, perform an intense workout video each week, like Perkins' Celebrity Shred (watch it free on ExerciseTV). It’s a 20-minute total-body circuit that will have your heart rate speeding the whole time. Free on MSN, you can also try Patrick Murphy's intense Zero Excuses, Whole Body, or Perkins’ Final Frontier workout.

Be sure to rest at least a few days in between intense workouts. For example, if you bust your butt on Monday, take it easy until Thursday. “Intense workouts with several days of rest in between are actually more effective than exercising hard every day,” Perkins says. “You actually get fit while you’re recovering. The point of working out is to exhaust your muscles, and then as they repair and ‘knit,’ that’s when they strengthen.” In other words, your body literally tones up while you sleep.

Re-fuel immediately following your workouts. “You should eat as soon as you finish—within 30 minutes of your workout,” Perkins says. “That’s when your muscles need the nutrients most, and your metabolism is still elevated from the recent exercise.” Perkins suggests combining protein and fruit. “Real food is best, meaning lean meat, dairy, eggs or soy. Protein shakes are OK, too,” Perkins says.

Stay active on your easy days. Increasing the intensity of your overall fitness plan doesn’t mean you give up your regular moderate gigs. Continue to do yoga, walk or jog in between the tough workouts. “Light movement helps muscles ‘repair’ by increasing the body’s temperature and circulation,” Perkins says. “It also helps flush negative byproducts (like lactic acid), which can cause soreness.”

Remember to challenge yourself. If your ‘intense’ workouts start feeling easy, go faster or add jumps. “Quite simply, sprinting and jumping boost intensity because you’re working harder against gravity,” Perkins says. Skipping rope is one way to boost your heart rate.

Take a break…sometimes. If you’ve been exercising intensely for several weeks and sense you’re hitting a plateau, it’s a good idea to take a week off. “Further increasing intensity is one way to keep progressing, but sometimes the body plateaus when it needs rest,” Perkins says. “A week off with ‘active rest’ like cycling or walking can recharge your muscles.” Try Stephanie Vitorino's free Flexibility workout for another muscular recharge.

Finally, check out www.exercisetv.tv for more free workouts and advice from celebrity trainers.

Swine flu: How serious is the global threat?

Q: What's the real story about swine flu? I've heard it's the next global pandemic, but I'm not sure what that means.

No name / No state given

You're not alone in your confusion about the current swine flu outbreak, which seems to have started in Mexico. Since then, the swine flu strain of influenza has also spread to the United States, Canada and many other countries. In June 2009, based on its wide spread to many nations, the World Health Organization declared the swine flu outbreak a global pandemic.

Swine flu is one of the many type A influenza viruses. It's unusual for humans to catch swine flu, but occasional cases occur, usually in people who have contact with infected pigs. Like other flu viruses, the swine flu virus changes its DNA as it spreads, giving rise to a number of subtypes.

Health officials around the world are concerned about the swine flu outbreak because:

• It's caused by a new strain of swine flu virus, which means humans haven't had a chance to develop antibodies that could be used to make a vaccine. The new strain is a variant of a recognized swine flu virus — swine influenza virus H1N1. The new form contains DNA sequences from human and avian influenza viruses, as well as from other strains of swine influenza.
• The infection progresses rapidly. In those most severely affected in the Mexican outbreak, potentially fatal respiratory problems developed after less than a week of coughing, aches and fever.
• In Mexico, the death rate was unusually high among those who developed respiratory distress.

In the United States, the swine flu infected some people who had recently visited Mexico and their household contacts. But, the infection resulted in relatively mild respiratory illnesses in this group.

Why such a big difference in severity? One possibility is that the virus mutated to a less dangerous form around the time it showed up in the United States. Another, more sobering possibility is that the severe illness linked to swine flu in Mexico was the result of viral mutations that haven't yet appeared in other countries — but possibly will in time.

Efforts to understand and contain swine flu are under way on a global scale. Until more definitive information is available, the best response for those outside the most affected areas is to:

• Keep tabs on respiratory symptoms. If you or someone in your family develops symptoms suggesting a cold or the flu, be alert for persistent or worsening symptoms, particularly a high fever.
• Stay home if you're sick. If you do have swine flu, you can give it to others starting about 24 hours before you develop symptoms and ending about seven days later.
• Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Flu viruses can survive for two hours or longer on surfaces, such as doorknobs and countertops.
• Take extra precautionary measures if you travel to or live in an affected area.
• If you have a chronic condition, such as asthma or heart disease, it's a good idea to wear a breathing mask when you're out in public in affected areas.
• Be prepared. Ask your health care provider or county health department about infection-control plans in case of a serious swine flu outbreak. The antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) reduce the severity of symptoms.

Swine Flu: The Basics

Definition

Swine flu refers to a respiratory infection caused by influenza A viruses that ordinarily cause illness in pigs. Humans can catch swine flu from infected pigs, but pig-to-human transmission is unusual. Human-to-human transmission of true swine flu is also possible but infrequent.

The recent outbreak of what is being called swine flu involves a new H1N1 type A influenza strain that's a genetic combination of swine, avian and human influenza viruses. It's capable of spreading from human to human.

In June 2009, based on its wide spread to many nations, the World Health Organization declared the swine flu outbreak a global pandemic.

This new swine flu strain is being called by a number of names, including: swine-origin influenza A, swine influenza A (H1N1), influenza A/California/H1N1, swine origin influenza virus, North American flu and influenza A (H1N1).

The best approach you can take is to try to avoid infection. If you do develop symptoms of swine flu, seek prompt medical attention so that you have the best chance of antiviral drugs providing you with successful treatment.

Symptoms

The symptoms of swine flu in humans are similar to those of infection with other flu strains.

• Fever
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Body aches
• Headache
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

Symptoms develop three to five days after you're exposed to the virus and continue for about another week. You can pass the virus to other people for about eight days, starting one day before you get sick and continuing until you've recovered.

When to see a doctor
See your doctor immediately if you develop flu symptoms, such as fever, cough and body aches, and you have recently traveled to an area where H1N1 swine flu has been reported. Be sure to let your doctor know when and where you traveled.

Also see your doctor if you develop respiratory symptoms after you've been in close contact with someone who may have been exposed to H1N1 swine flu.

Doctors have rapid tests to identify the flu virus, but there is no rapid test to differentiate swine influenza A H1N1 from other influenza A subtypes.

Causes

Influenza viruses infect the cells lining your nose, throat and lungs. You can be exposed to swine flu virus if you have contact with infected pigs. The virus enters your body when you inhale contaminated droplets or transfer live virus from a contaminated surface to your eyes, nose or mouth on your hand.

Risk factors

Swine farmers and veterinarians have the highest swine flu risk because of their exposure to pigs.

If you've traveled to an affected area, you may have been exposed to human swine influenza A H1N1, particularly if you spent time in large crowds.

Complications

Influenza complications include:

• Worsening of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and asthma
• Pneumonia
• Respiratory failure

Severe complications of human swine flu H1N1 seem to develop and progress rapidly.

Treatments and drugs

Most cases of flu, including human swine flu, need no treatment other than symptom relief. If you have a chronic respiratory disease, your doctor may prescribe additional medication to decrease inflammation, open your airways and help clear lung secretions.

Antiviral drugs can reduce the severity of symptoms. There are two classes of antiviral medication used to reduce symptoms and duration of the flu — adamantane antivirals and neuraminidase inhibitors — but flu viruses can develop resistance to them.

Human swine flu H1N1 is sensitive to oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza), both of which are neuraminidase inhibitors. It's important to start treatment as soon as possible after you become ill. These antiviral medications are most effective if treatment begins within 48 hours of developing symptoms.

Lifestyle and home remedies

If you come down with any type of flu, these measures may help ease your symptoms:

• Drink plenty of liquids. Choose water, juice and warm soups to prevent dehydration. Drink enough so that your urine is clear or pale yellow.
• Rest. Get more sleep to help your immune system fight infection.
• Consider pain relievers. Use an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) cautiously, as needed. Remember, pain relievers may make you more comfortable, but they won't make your symptoms go away any faster and may have side effects. Ibuprofen may cause stomach pain, bleeding and ulcers. If taken for a long period or in higher than recommended doses, acetaminophen can be toxic to your liver. Talk to your doctor before giving acetaminophen to children. And don't give aspirin to children or teens because of the risk of Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease.

Prevention

These measures may help prevent flu:

• Stay home if you're sick. If you do have swine flu, you can give it to others starting about 24 hours before you develop symptoms and ending about seven days later.
• Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Use soap and water, or if they're unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Flu viruses can survive for two hours or longer on surfaces, such as doorknobs and countertops.
• Avoid contact. Stay away from crowds if possible.
• Reduce exposure within your household. If a member of your household has swine flu, designate one other household member to be responsible for the ill person's close personal care.

No-Knead Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

Sometimes, because we have so many options to choose from in terms of our everyday bread, we often go for the artificially-enriched one, believing we’re making a healthy choice. Making our own bread is hardly an option too, because it is a time-consuming process, and time is probably the last thing we have to dispose of. Thanks to the New York Times and FitSugar, we can now do precisely that, with the recipe for the no-knead whole wheat bread.

For the sake of the argument, if it’s homemade bread that we really want, we could always choose any of the myriad of recipes available, and simply purchase a dough machine that would make our job easier. But if we’re not inclined to spend more money, then this no-knead recipe should be just the thing for us, since the only waiting we have to do is to let the dough rise for 14 to 20 hours.

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour;
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting;
- 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast;
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt;
- 1 5/8 cups water;
- cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

Preparation:

Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 5/8 cups water and stir until the dough becomes sticky, then cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and let it rest for up to 20 hours (but no less than 12), at warm temperature. One solution for this would be to make the dough at night, after work – this way, you’ll know that tomorrow evening you’ll have fresh homemade bread for dinner.

After letting the dough rise, you should notice that its surface is dotted with bubbles – that’s how you know it’s ready. Take the dough and place it on a working surface that has been dusted with flour beforehand. Sprinkle more flour over the dough and then fold it over itself once or twice, wrap it in plastic and let it rest for another 15 minutes. Then, coat a cotton towel with more flour, wheat bran and cornmeal, and place the dough, now shaped as a ball, inside it. Add more of the three ingredients and then place another towel on top of it. Let the dough rise for another two hours, after which it will be almost double in size and of a more solid consistency.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and put a heavy-covered pot inside to heat as well. When the dough is ready, take the pot out, move the dough from the towel inside the pot, shake for it to distribute evenly, cover with the lid and put it in the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes as such, and then for another 30 until the bread is browned. Cool on rack and serve with whatever it is you’re having for dinner. Enjoy!

Confessions of a TARP Wife

Forget the opera. Cancel dinner at Bouley. How life has changed since my CEO husband went on the government dole.

I am a TARP wife.

In keeping with the unwritten code of this new sisterhood, I have taken a vow of financial abstinence. I returned the presents my husband gave me for Christmas (but didn't tell him, since he's already awash in gloom) and am using my credit balances at all the major department stores for important gifts and other necessities.

I haven't even looked at spring clothes; God forbid someone catches me out in something new. Keeping up with fashion seems somehow decadent in this new era, like getting Botox injections or catered dinners. Like so many others, I'm shopping in my closet. I've bought exactly two things this year -- makeup and panty hose. If I buy a present for someone, I have the package sent to their home. I don't want to be spotted climbing into a taxi, laden with Bergdorf Goodman shopping bags.

As you can see, being a TARP wife means, in short, making decisions according to a complex algorithm: balancing the need to look like your world hasn't crumbled beneath you -- let's not alarm the investors! -- with the need to appear duly repentant for your subprime sins. It also means we're part of the community of more than 400 companies that have received government bailout funds, whose fall from grace has been swifter and harsher than any since Mao frog-marched intellectuals into China's countryside.

Hitting the perfect note isn't always easy. For instance, for the past 15 years or so, I have thrown my husband a birthday party. We traditionally celebrate with about 30 friends, mostly New York pals we've known for decades. We're not talking an end-of-an-era Stephen Schwarzman-type $10 million blowout. Ours is a pretty sedate affair.

This year, of course, entertaining our crowd at our usual multi-star Michelin hotspots would simply not do. Extravagant is out; conservative is in. But not hosting a birthday dinner would have spurred rumors that we were broke, not a welcome thought either. Juggling these conflicting impulses, I decided on a slimmed-down party. Choosing Versailles to host World War I peace negotiations could not have been more complicated than my attempt to select the perfect spot for our annual dinner. Naturally, every restaurant I contacted was willing to meet my reduced budget; now that Wall Street firms are no longer entertaining clients or hosting events, New York eateries are struggling.

At the end of the day, it came down to a choice between an especially accommodating (and well-known) high-end restaurant and a less expensive, clubbier spot. We ultimately picked the cozier restaurant -- even though it ended up costing us more, so eager was the more chic outfit to host the party. Why spend the extra bucks? Because our chosen place is distinctly low-profile and rarely mentioned in the press. We did not need a snarky story about a "Wall Street bigwig living it up while taxpayers wonder where their money went." Really, not even President Obama spends this much time looking after his image.

It wasn't long ago that America celebrated successful companies and the people who run them. My husband, CEO of one of the biggest TARP recipients, has received more than his share of accolades (in my opinion, well deserved). But because of a few tin-eared nitwits who failed to notice that their industry was under siege, the entire country now thinks that TARP bankers are greedy incompetents dedicated to ripping off taxpayers. Fancy wastebaskets, under-the-rug bonuses, lavish junkets -- these are Exhibits A, B, and C in the people's case against Wall Street. Even the Octomom gets better press.

Here is the reality: TARP managers are scared to death. The executives of these companies are desperately trying to hold their businesses together while complying with a slew of damaging bills flooding out of Congress. My husband has battled the shutdown of the credit markets and a deteriorating business environment for two endless years without respite. He's exhausted, terrified of losing the company, and beaten down by the constant criticism hurled at him.

I'm trying to buck him up and not complicate his life. The last thing he needs is unpleasant publicity, so I'm learning to fly so far below the radar that I have perpetually skinned knees. We've picked up new habits, like making donations anonymously and sneaking in late to black-tie galas after society photographer Patrick McMullan has packed up his camera and gone home. We now regularly turn down the invitations we receive from museums and arts organizations that will inevitably be followed by a request for funds. No point in getting their hopes up.

I get it that I may not win much sympathy. Why should I? I'm not pleading poverty. We still live in relative luxury, we can afford almost everything we need, and we aren't facing the prospect of losing our home or having to turn to our families to support us. But we are getting squeezed.

Like most Americans, we are worried about money. Our net worth is tied up in stock that is down 95 percent. Last year, before it became fashionable to do so, my husband refused a bonus. Because of the new restrictions, his pay this year will be a fraction of what it was. The combined swoon in our income has caused us to cut spending drastically, in hopes that we can hang on to some remnant of our former lifestyle.

In an effort to conserve cash, we are eating out less frequently, meaning that I've been turning out some pretty dreadful lasagna. Actually, staying home and watching Law & Order reruns has become our new guilty pleasure. It's a far cry from opening night at the Metropolitan Opera, but it's not bad. I drive the family crazy by switching off the lights every time we leave a room. Needless to say, we fly commercial. Using the company plane is now out of bounds; we've heard there are reporters staking out the private airports.

I have become oddly superstitious. On some level, I feel I'm being punished for too many thoughtless years of assuming that the trappings of success were earned and not given. I'm constantly knocking on wood or offering little good-citizen sacrifices, like manically recycling or chatting with telemarketers.

I'm struggling with how to communicate all this to our children. We're thankful that they're intent on making their own way in the world, but at the same time, they confidently rely on us for help. One daughter recently mused about going back to business school. I hope she didn't notice my instantly negative reaction, stemming completely from concern about the cost. I cannot bring myself to shake her foundation. The collapse of the world economy has already crushed the confidence of young people just starting out. Meanwhile, retirement is like a rainbow, a beautiful mirage that we'll probably never reach. To some people, these may seem like luxury problems, but to us they are painful.

I've watched the skin under my husband's eyes take on a yellowish hue, and his hair turn from gray to grayer, as he tries to lead his company through this mess. He's up every night for hours at a stretch, and for the first time, he has health issues. For a person whose life has been punctuated mainly by success -- from perennial class president and high-school sports star to Ivy League MBA -- failure is the worst of all nightmares. He seems off balance, as though self-confidence were a physical ballast that he is slowly losing. It's heartbreaking how often he apologizes to me for losing so much of our money, for making so many mistakes.

I know people are angry -- angry at those they view as responsible for the subprime crisis and the subsequent economic meltdown. I don't blame them. I'm angry too. But my fury extends to any number of culprits: to Alan Greenspan, who encouraged the loose-money policies that undermined the pricing of risk; to Barney Frank, who cudgeled Fannie Mae into supporting loans to unfit homebuyers; to the rating agencies that were ethically compromised; to the subprime-mortgage brokers who chased fees and ignored any accountability; to the investors who didn't do their homework and absurdly leveraged up their balance sheets. I'm an equal-opportunity blamer.

And yes, I blame those who were in charge of the big banks -- including my husband -- for not seeing the default tsunami coming. But almost no one did. Everyone knows this, yet financial CEOs have replaced the Mob as the most despised group in the country.

The good news is that Americans have short attention spans. Before long, some other group will come along to absorb all the frustration and anger.

Meanwhile, I'm off to the tailors to get some clothes altered. Shopping your closet is great unless you've put on a few pounds over the years. I've been holding out hope that fewer nights out could shrink me to fit back into some of the past warhorses of my wardrobe. Unfortunately, our appetite for comfort food has risen in proportion to the Dow's decline; the selloff this past month has upped our mac-and-cheese intake and created a sinecure for my seamstress.

B-Schools Wary on Lehman, Merrill Impact

As the financial landscape shifts, B-schools are busy reaching out to nervous students whose job prospects are suddenly far from certain

These are usually the days when business school students are settling into their class routine and awaiting the arrival of recruiters on campus. But with the downfall of two of Wall Street's investment houses and fears that other major companies are on the brink, it's a nervous time at B-schools.

How bad will it be? Most business schools contacted this week say it's too early to tell, but Alan Johnson, CEO of Johnson Associates, a compensation consultancy. predicts hiring will be down by as much as 50% this fall, with students entering what will be one of the most fiercely competitive job markets in recent years.

"While most banks will not admit it, we expect to see few people hired in the fall and banks waiting to see how the environment evolves," Johnson said on Sept. 16.

About That Job Offer…

Since the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the rushed sale of Merrill Lynch over the weekend, school career services officers have been busy reassuring students, reaching out to those who had job offers lined up with the firms and organizing campus-wide events to discuss the overall impact of the events on job prospects.

One thing is certain: Career services officers at business schools are bracing for rough waters ahead, said Kip Harrell, board president of the MBA Career Services Council, the umbrella group of school career placement officers in a Sept. 15 interview.

Students who interned at Merrill Lynch over the summer and received a job offer are among the more fortunate ones -- so far. Their jobs appear to be surviving Merrill's sale to Bank of America. "We are standing by all of our offers," said a spokesperson at Merrill Lynch on Sept. 16.

The outlook at other firms is not so clear. A spokesperson at Lehman Brothers declined to comment. A call to insurance giant American International Group, which faced failure until a government rescue plan was reached Tuesday night, was not returned.

Recruiting Nosedive

Deans of business schools are also preparing for tough times ahead. The new dean of the University of San Diego's School of Business Administration, David Pyke, is expecting recruiting by investment banks to take a nosedive this fall. "I think it's going to be bloody." But he said it will probably not hurt his school too much since few students go to Wall Street; most end up in corporate finance positions.

The schools likely to be hardest hit are those known for their strong finance offerings, where large investment firms like Lehman and Merrill have tended to recruit heavily. Mark Zupan, dean of University of Rochester's Simon Graduate School of Business, said he believes that the top five business schools, which are key feeders for top financial firms, will be the most impacted by the turmoil. "It's going to be a tough market for Wall Street-related jobs," Zupan said.

Second-Year Jitters

Indeed career services officers at those top-ranked schools said they are anxiously awaiting word from Lehman, Merrill, and AIG on whether or not they plan to honor the job offers they extended to second-year students, as well as their plans for fall campus recruiting.

"We don't know the impact yet on recruiting for second-year students," Julie Morton, associate dean for career services at the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business said in an e-mail. "We do know that as of Friday afternoon the outlook was solid." Most of the Wall Street firms hire mainly from their internship classes, she added.

In response to student concern over the events, the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton's MBA Finance Club held an impromptu meeting on Sept. 16 led by some of the school's senior finance faculty, said Michelle Antonio, director of Wharton's MBA Career Management. Plans are also under way to hire more career services advisers to help students with their job hunt this year, Antonio said.

"In light of this weekend's events we are working in close collaboration with our partners in the industry to assess the current situation," Antonio said via e-mail. "Our office was already focused on current economic challenges and is in the process of adding three new positions to our staff to provide direct support to students and alumni."

Reaching Out to Students

At the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, career services officers have spent Monday and Tuesday reaching out to students who worked at the beleaguered firms this summer, said Jack Oakes, director of Darden's career development center. The school has strong relationships with Lehman and Merrill, both of which have been "long-time recruiters" at the school, he said. He has not heard yet from recruiters at either firm, he said.

"There certainly will be a direct impact on students," Oakes said. "In fact, we're meeting with some of our affected students…to see what they've heard directly from the company, to hear their thoughts and concerns and advise them accordingly."

In the meantime, career services officers are advising students to cast a wide net as they conduct their job and internship hunts this fall, especially those who intended to go into investment banking. They should consider jobs in other areas of the financial services sector, such as corporate finance or internal auditing, and consider jobs at small boutique investment firms, said the MBA Career Services Council's Harrell.

"We're being very honest and upfront with our students," said Harrell, also the associate vice-president of Thunderbird School of Global Management's career management center. "They're asking lots of questions, but we're telling them that New York may not be the best place to look right now. For those counting on investment banking, they are going to need to beef up their plan B."

How Not to Get Laid Off - Part 2

5. "Unwritten Rules" Are Now Engraved in Stone

Show up early, stay late. Everyone notices people who leave on the dot of 5 (or before) or take very long lunches or excessive coffee/smoking breaks. Don't get a reputation for being one of those people who takes forever to respond to an e-mail, voicemail, or a simple question. Vigilantly follow up on all assigned action items. Management is increasingly scrutinizing your every move.

6. Step Up—and Wear Very Big Shoes

Don't wait for someone else to solve your problems. Your manager needs to hear how the organization can trim costs, manage the supply chain better, find a new client, improve processes, motivate the workforce, and deliver the next big thing.

Observe what your competitors are trying and testing, read everything relentlessly, and ask people how you can improve what you do.

Your goal here is to make sure there'd be a gaping hole if you were no longer around. Make the choice every day to do work that really matters to the success of the team and the company. Put yourself in a position that is crucial to the success of a new initiative, or dig in to solve a vexing, long-neglected problem. Maintain a bias for action in every meeting.

7. Transparency Is Your New Trump Card

You must be totally transparent as to what you're working on and how it fits with management objectives. There can be no hiding, and no withholding information. If you don't have enough on your plate, say it. Ask to take on more—or better yet, suggest projects you can spearhead that have killer ROI.

The more honest your superiors believe you are, the more likely they are to trust you and keep you close. Being authentic builds relationships, even more than just hard work. Stop hoping no one finds out who you are or what you really do all day. Let people in…or they'll be showing you the door. Employers are likely to keep you around if they see you as a vital associate.

8. Make Friends in New Places

Human resources and finance are two departments that can have a significant impact on your career whether you realize it or not. They know a lot about you that can influence how you're perceived. Respect those folks, socialize with them, ask for their advice, and make sure you carefully do a little self-promotion. When cuts need to be made, you won't be an unknown quantity to them.

9. Start Tweeting or Start Packing

Look at the Millennials and see how they work, how they make decisions, and what technology and tools they use. No time for "I don't do Twitter or Facebook." Acquaint yourself with social networks, mobile applications, and commerce platforms to remain relevant. Let them intimidate you and you give your boss reasons to replace you with someone younger and more in the game. Ask a family member to help, take a course, read a book…and dive in.

10. Fit Club

Healthy people tend to have better outlooks and are easier to be around. They take good care of themselves, which in turn earns them the respect of others. Fit people often set high standards for themselves both at work and at play. And they just have more stamina, so they tend not to get tired when on deadline, and they don't call in sick as much. They have incredible endurance when others are reaching for that 10th Coke or itching to make that next trip to Starbucks. They are also calmer and more productive. So get your sleep, eat well, exercise, stay hydrated, and avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol. This is an investment that will pay dividends for you and your employer. And yes, your employer does notice.

Rate yourself. Which of these 10 areas are you excelling in, which are you doing O.K. in, and where do you need to change your behavior? The truth hurts, doesn't it? But take the steps to make sure that it's your career that gets rolling, rather than your head.

How Not to Get Laid Off - Part 1

Managing your career: Ariane de Bonvoisin and John Kilcullen identify 10 skills you need to survive the next round of layoffs at your job

What's triggering fears and sleepless nights for many of us about the unemployment abyss is not the job-loss stats themselves, but the depth of the cuts—and the qualifications of some of the people getting jettisoned. The questions we keep hearing are: Why do highly skilled, seemingly essential people get cut while others don't? Are there patterns? How can I make myself indispensable?

In talking with employers about what they most value in employees right now, it became clear that the key to surviving isn't so much about the skills you have, the awards you've won, or the tasks you perform day in and day out. It's as much about qualities, habits, and capacities.

This is no time to keep plugging along head down, half expecting every meeting invitation you open to be your exit interview. You must take action to embody the qualities of those employees who always get promoted and always avoid the next round of layoffs.

And don't think that just because your company isn't downsizing or has said it has no plans to that you're safe. Things can and do change fast in this environment, so take preventive measures. Plus, the kinds of qualities we're talking about will serve you well when things turn around.

1. Remember: It's Not About You Right Now

Force yourself to focus with laser accuracy on your company's success, not your own. In challenging times, the last thing your employer wants is to cater to you and your fears. They want you to be a selfless, highly collaborative team player who meets and exceeds your commitments. Your presence can't be an energy drain or create work.

2. Become a Black Belt at Change

The most important skill to develop right now is finesse at navigating change. That means flexibility and open-mindedness. Accept whatever management throws your way. If they change direction (again), shuffle the product mix, add new goals, or refine strategy on the fly, say yes to all of it. Resisting change only makes life more difficult for management and for everyone.

This also applies to those things you took for granted. Accept that your expense budget and staff have been cut. Accept that you now have more work on your plate with the same (or fewer) resources than you had a year ago.

3. Everything Is Your Job

Demonstrate your commitment to the overall success of your team and your company by taking on tasks that fall outside your job responsibilities. Pitch in on packing up the trade-show booth. Manage your own schedule/address book/travel plans. Offer to take notes and follow up after every meeting.

Nothing is beneath you. The little things you do above and beyond your job description will serve you well when it's performance appraisal and/or downsizing time. Forget your fancy title, your impressive résumé—and your ego.

4. Walk Away from the Water Cooler

When straits are dire and headlines scary, the last thing your company needs is negative, gossipy employees who polarize colleagues into an us-vs.-them dynamic. Employers value passionate overachievers whose uplifting attitude contributes to a more energizing team culture. Whatever it takes, keep the negative mindset out of the office. This is your mantra: No complaining, no blaming! Dwell on what can be rather than what can't.

The Great (Used) Gold Rush of 2009 - Part 2

The Great (Used) Gold Rush of 2009 - Part 2:

Beware the Buyer's Market

In jewelry, it's all about the rocks. "The bigger the glitter, the better the value," says Harry Rinker, a nationally syndicated antiques columnist and author of Sell, Keep, or Toss?

At a time when many former jewelry buyers suddenly hope to sell off heirlooms to pay the mortgage, it's important to remember that the bling that best retains value comes from such well-known jewelers as Cartier, Verdura, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Boucheron. "Although these pieces are manufactured with gold, diamonds, and other precious gems, it's really the design that moves them beyond what the product is made of," says Karen Keane, of Boston-based auction house Skinner.

While gold pieces are more valuable than they were a year ago, the weak economy has cut the price of precious gems, making this a buyer's market. The price of diamonds, for example, has fallen slightly for the first time in many years, says Paul Pastor, president of Washington-area jeweler Chas Schwartz & Son. He says a high-quality 3-carat diamond that could sell for $210,000 in October 2008 now fetches $185,000. "It's a buyer's market," he says, noting his estate-purchasing business is up 25% in the last year.

Because the market has been flooded with watch collections, those prices have dropped, too. At two major recent watch auctions in New York, at least 500 items went unsold. A late-model Patek Philippe World Time that sold for $38,000 last fall is now available for $29,500, Pastor says. And there is little demand for old standard wristwatches such as models from Hamilton and Bulova -- or old pocket watches, which are considered fuddy-duddy, experts say.

Antiques expert Rinker says jewelry from the Victorian and Art Deco eras draw the most attention, while interest has waned for pieces from the 1950s and '60s. "That bubble has burst a bit," he says.

If you're looking to sell Grandma's ruby ring or just want to know what your stuff is worth, read on.

1. Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald Baubles

Depending on how attractive the piece is, it may really be worth its weight in gold. While rubies, sapphires, and emeralds have value, there are also many industrial-quality gems that do not hold any extra value above the metal. If the piece is attractive and resalable -- or made by a well-known designer such as Van Cleef & Arpels -- it will bring more than just its scrap weight.

2. 1-Carat Diamond Ring Tiffany Setting

Of course, what you can expect to be paid will always depend on the diamond, but for an average near-colorless and slightly imperfect stone, expect close to $1,000 or more.

3. Gold Bangle Bracelet

This will depend on the weight, but the yellow gold bangle you wore in the 1970s that really isn't in fashion should yield at least $250.

4. Diamond Studs

The value depends on the size and quality of the diamonds. While the seller should never expect what the studs cost at retail, a 2-carat pair of diamond studs should resell for around $3,000.

5. Rolex Submariner

These popular Rolexes typically fetch $2,500 to $3,000.

6. Grandma's Pearls

Pearls are abundant on the secondhand market and are always difficult to resell. Mikimoto pearls will typically bring $1,000 and up for a nice strand.

7. Art Deco Gem-Set Devant de Corsage, Boucheron, Paris

Designed by Lucien Hirtz, this rare Art Deco gem set was sold at auction for $189,600 on Mar. 17 by Skinner Auctioneers & Appraisers in Boston. The original estimate was $50,000 to $75,000. "Jewelry really seems to have held its value at all different levels," says Skinner CEO Karen Keane. "We have not seen a fire-sale mentality yet."

8. Patek Philippe Perpetual Chronograph, Ref. 3970

The discontinued, but well-collected, model is often found at auctions and high-end secondary dealers. This watch in white gold sold for $108,000 at the last Antiquorum auction in New York City. "Prices have deflated in the watch world but less than you may think," says William Rohr, Antiquorum's managing director and chief operating officer. "We are 20% to 30% from the heights of last summer, and that is pretty good if you compare it to the S&P or most financial benchmarks."

The Great (Used) Gold Rush of 2009 - Part 1

Economically battered Americans at all income levels are rooting through their drawers to sell off their gold and jewelry for extra cash

Wendy Kushner, a middle school teacher in Edison, N.J., had never thought about selling the gold turtle and other charms she received when she was a teenager. But then she was invited to a cash-for-gold party in December, so Kushner did some digging and unearthed her old ornaments.

"I thought I'd clear $40," Kushner says. She was "shocked" when she found out two nearly forgotten trinkets were worth $180. Ka-ching. "When gold is $1,000 per ounce, it goes a lot further," she says.

Kushner had so much fun selling her old charms that she hosted her own cash-for-gold brunch in March, inviting 10 friends and family members to dine on bagels and salads. A local gold broker came to the event with a scale to weigh everyone's items, as well as a chemical kit to evaluate the gold. "It looked like years' worth of jewelry," Kushner says.

With gold prices soaring, even the savviest collectors can't resist the urge to make a quick buck. Reyne Haines, owner of The Finer Things, a Web site geared to high-end merchandise on the secondary market, and a host on the PBS hit Antiques Roadshow, recently sold a gold box with sapphires and two diamonds that she had purchased many years ago for $800 or $900 but never used. She got $7,500. "When I saw what gold was going for...it's hard not to justify selling it," Haines says.

The great gold rush of 2009 is on. In February, the spot price of gold peaked above $1,005 per ounce for the first time in a year. While gold prices have fallen off a bit and are now hovering at $870, gold still shines in comparison with other investments. "There's something primal about jewelry," says Karen Keane, chief executive of Skinner, the Boston auction house. "We know there is a relative rareness for gold and diamonds. People have been collecting them as an investment and hedge for centuries."

Gold Up Almost 50% Since 2006

Rahul Kadakia, head of jewelry at auction house Christie's, notes that gold and precious gems have a "long-term dependability" and serve as "a store of portable value." He adds: "This has been the case with gemstones and even precious metals for a very long time, especially in times of economic uncertainty where investment shifts towards a more concrete commodity that holds value."

Gold is up nearly 50% in the past three years, while the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index, despite the recent rebound, is down 37% for the same period. The typical retirement account is in the toilet, while the average home price has plummeted and unemployment continues to rise. No wonder Americans at all income levels are cashing in their gold as well as jewelry, watches, precious stones, coins, art, and other valuables and collectibles.

There are venues for monetizing your gems at every income level. Take pawnshops. Business is brisk at Fort Worth-based CashAmerica, the nation's largest pawnshop operator with more than 600 stores. It topped $1 billion in revenue for the first time in its 25-year history last year.

The most popular items in hock include wedding rings and "anything gold," says Anthony Twist, regional vice-president at CashAmerica. Twist says he has also seen a recent influx of higher-end merchandise, such as larger 3- and 4-carat diamonds worth upwards of $10,000. A standout is the platinum Rolex valued at $80,000 brought in recently by a customer needing some quick cash. "Many of my customers are typically small business owners who have hit a rough patch and are looking to make payroll" or pay off a creditor, Twist says. Up to 85% of his customers pay off their loans and get their items back, he says.

The Middle Class' Mail-In Jewelry Buyer

While pawn operators such as CashAmerica have revamped stores to make them feel more like jewelry shops than thrift stores, pawnshops don't necessarily cater to more affluent customers, especially women. In January, Lippincott, parent company of mail-in gold buyer GoldKit, launched a new brand called Red Swan, targeting middle-class women. "It's a big deal for women to walk into a pawnshop and sell their jewelry -- you feel evaluated," says Amy Steel, president of RedSwan.com, which buys jewelry by mail.

Business is already running ahead of projections, and Steel is noticing "a surprising influx" of large precious stones from customers. "A year ago we saw 1-carat diamonds" at GoldKit, Steel says. "Now we are seeing 3- to 4-carats" at Red Swan.

Red Swan's customers send their treasures in an insured, prepaid mailing envelope and typically are paid within 48 hours. So far, Red Swan is drawing the most business from customers in California, Pennsylvania, Florida, New York, Texas, New Jersey, and North Carolina, which are major population centers as well as areas of the country that have been hit hard by the crash in the financial markets. "The economic crisis has hit everyone across the country, and people are looking for ways to find value from things they didn't think have value," Steel says.

The typical GoldKit customer gets less than $100 for the items they sell, and most of that gold is simply melted down. Some recent Red Swan treasures include a 16-karat emerald set in platinum with diamonds, which fetched $17,000; a men's platinum Rolex President watch with diamond bezel, valued at $75,000; and a fancy yellow 5-carat pear-shaped diamond ring, worth $20,000. "That's a lot of money to have wasting away in the back of an underwear drawer in a baggie," Steel says.

Increase in Requests to Sell Valuables

Dealers who cater to the ultra-wealthy, meanwhile, see an increase in clients trading in items they no longer want. "My customers are eating their jewelry habit by selling off lesser things," says Cheryl Rhodes Coleman, a private jewelry dealer in Palm Springs, Calif. She's also been asked to sell paintings, antiques, and other valuables, which she doesn't do. "These (requests) have come out of the blue at me," she says. Other dealers report that cash-strapped customers have started purchasing items on layaway.

But Coleman says it is hard to know if her clients, who have second homes in Palm Springs but mainly reside in the Midwest, are short on cash. One longtime client recently told Coleman she was paring down her jewelry inventory in an attempt to return to "a simpler lifestyle." "She brought me everything I know of that she had" with a current resale value of about $100,000, Coleman says.

In New York City, the epicenter of the financial crisis, an estate dealer tells potential customers in New York Times advertisements: "I need your diamonds." But so far, "people are under an erroneous assumption that the rich are rushing to sell their jewelry" to raise cash, says Andrew Fabrikant, the firm's president.

Fabrikant, of Fabrikant Fine Diamonds in Manhattan, says his clients include several victims of Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme. "I make a concerted effort to help if somebody was hurt by Madoff because I'm also one of his victims," Fabrikant says. A few other customers hit by the economic downturn have told Fabrikant they are selling jewelry to pay their mortgages, expenses, or bills, "but it's not lines and lines of people," he says.

Back in the late 1970s, when gold was selling at the inflation-adjusted equivalent of $2,500 per ounce, there were long lines in New York City's diamond district on West 47th Street. "It was like a deli counter," Fabrikant says.

Auction Houses Become More Selective

For people who do not need fast money, selling major gems at auction can yield the best results. However, it takes up to six months to monetize those assets. And the auction houses have become more discriminating when it comes to the items they will consign.

"The auction houses are not panicking, but they are being very selective with items they are taking," says antiques expert Haines.

But that doesn't mean the auction market is dead: On Dec. 10, the 17th century historic Wittelsbach diamond, a 35.56-carat blue gem, sold at Christie's London for £16.4 million ($24.3 million), a record price for a blue diamond.

College Applicants, Beware: Your Facebook Page Is Showing

High-school seniors already fretting about grades and test scores now have another worry: Will their Facebook or MySpace pages count against them in college admissions?

A new survey of 500 top colleges found that 10% of admissions officers acknowledged looking at social-networking sites to evaluate applicants. Of those colleges making use of the online information, 38% said that what they saw "negatively affected" their views of the applicant. Only a quarter of the schools checking the sites said their views were improved, according to the survey by education company Kaplan, a unit of Washington Post Co.

Some admissions officers said they had rejected students because of material on the sites. Jeff Olson, who heads research for Kaplan's test-preparation division, says one university did so after the student gushed about the school while visiting the campus, then trashed it online. Kaplan promised anonymity to the colleges, of which 320 responded. The company surveyed schools with the most selective admissions.

The vast majority of the colleges surveyed had no policy about when it was appropriate for school officials to look at prospective students' social-networking sites. "We're in the early stage of a new technology," Mr. Olson says. "It's the Wild, Wild West. There are no clear boundaries or limits."

The lack of rules is already provoking debate among admissions officers. Some maintain that applicants' online data are public information that schools should vet to help protect the integrity of the institutions. Others say they are uncomfortable flipping through teenage Facebook pages.

Colleges' recent interest in social-networking sites is leading many aspiring students to take a hard look at their online habits and in some cases to remove or change postings. With a high-school graduating class nationwide of 3.3 million students, colleges are expected to be sifting through a record number of applications this year.

Nicholas Santangelo, a senior at Seton Hall Prep, a private school in West Orange, N.J., says he expects colleges might look at his Facebook site but hopes admissions officers realize the postings reflect only a partial view of any student. "There are some things I might think about getting rid of," says Nicholas, 17, who is considering such competitive schools as Amherst College and Wesleyan University.

Sites like Facebook and MySpace let users set up online profiles -- including pictures, videos and other personal information -- then solicit others to join their network of online "friends." Users can exchange messages, often publicly, and sometimes offer detailed descriptions of their activities, dreams and fears.

The sites have inspired many a national conversation over privacy and exhibitionism. Some job applicants have already discovered the hard way that employers often examine the sites to weed out candidates. Representatives of the sites say users can establish online privacy settings that let their pages be viewed only by invited "friends." MySpace is part of News Corp., which owns The Wall Street Journal. Facebook is closely held.

But Kaplan and many high-school guidance counselors say students often don't restrict public access on social-networking sites and, in any case, damaging information can find a way to leak out. David Hawkins, director of public policy and research for the National Association for College Admission Counseling, a professional organization, says schools don't have time to scour the Internet systematically to check out thousands of applicants. But he says admissions officers at times receive anonymous tips, which may be from rival applicants, about embarrassing Facebook or MySpace material, such as a picture of a student drunk at an underage party.

In another recent study, Nora Ganim Barnes, director of the Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, found that 21% of colleges used social-networking sites for recruiting prospects and gathering information about applicants. It's especially common when universities are awarding scholarships because it isn't hard to go online for a handful of finalists. "No one wants to be on the front page of the newspaper for giving a scholarship to a murderer," she says. "Everybody is trying to protect their brands."

Thomas Griffin, director of undergraduate admissions at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, says the school will do an Internet search, including Facebook and other sites, if an application raises "red flags," such as a suspension from school. Mr. Griffin says several applicants a year have been rejected in part because of information on social-networking sites. In a recent case, the university researched a student who disclosed on his application that he had been disciplined for fighting. The school found a Facebook page with a picture of the applicant holding a gun. "We have to use this information to make the best decision for the university," Mr. Griffin says.

Janet Lavin Rapelye, dean of admission at Princeton University, says the school hasn't rejected any applicant because of information posted on the Internet. Princeton doesn't have time to look at all applicants' online information, but if an offensive Facebook post came to the college's attention, the school would examine it, Ms. Rapelye says. "All of us would consider anything that would cause us to doubt a student's character," she says.

Greg Roberts, senior associate dean of admission at the University of Virginia, says his staff is free to check out anonymous tips about social-networking sites or make use of the information if the admissions committee is evaluating a "tight" decision.

Sandra Starke, vice provost for enrollment management at the State University of New York at Binghamton, says she instructs her staff to ignore Facebook and other sites because she considers postings to be casual conversations, the online equivalent of street-corner banter. "At this age, the students are still experimenting," she says. "It's a time for them to learn. It's important for them to grow. We need to be careful how we might use Facebook."

Marc Prablek, a senior at Ladue Horton Watkins High School in suburban St. Louis, considers Facebook information "out in the public" and fair game for colleges. The 17-year-old, with some 550 "friends," says, "I don't have anything bad on Facebook," but he may tweak his profile to be "more sophisticated."

Marc, who plans to apply early to Stanford University, says he won't mention that he loves to read X-Men comic books. His Facebook literary picks currently include "Crime and Punishment" and "Pride and Prejudice."

High-school guidance counselors advise applicants, even if they restrict public access on their sites, to refrain from including anything that could hurt them in college admissions. They especially caution against foul or offensive language, nudity, or photos of drinking and drug use.

"Students need to be accountable for their actions," says Scott Anderson, director of college guidance at St. George's Independent School, a private school near Memphis, Tenn. When writing on Facebook or MySpace, he says, they should be thinking, "Is this something you want your grandmother to see?"

College Savers Stuck in Stocks as Market Falls

IRS Rule on 529 Plans Allows Just One Portfolio Shift a Year; Weighing a Cheaper School

A rule designed to protect investors in 529 college-savings plans is having the unintended side effect of preventing them from shifting to more-conservative investments as the stock market swoons.

When Charles Strawbridge of Ashtabula, Ohio, got nervous about the markets this past spring, he wanted to boost the bond allocations in the 529 plans he had set up for his 16- and 19-year-old sons. But because he and his adviser, Matt Olver of Cleveland, had already changed his investment mix in January, he had to keep his current allocation of 20% and 25% in equities for his older and younger sons, respectively.

Now, after watching the accounts drop in recent weeks, he's telling his older son -- who is in the process of transferring colleges -- to consider less-expensive schools. "We do have to keep in mind the downturn that the market has had on his available funds," says Mr. Strawbridge, a 55-year-old accountant. "It was unfortunate that we couldn't have made the move. It takes a little bit off the table."

With 529 plans, investors put after-tax dollars into an account that typically offers a range of mutual funds and other investments. Distributions and earnings are tax-free, as long as they're used for higher education. The plans have grown in popularity in recent years -- they held about $110 billion in assets at the end of the second quarter -- although the pace of net new investments into the plans has started to slow, according to Citigroup Inc.'s Financial Research Corp..

Amid the current market turmoil, more investors like Mr. Strawbridge are running into one of the quirkier restrictions of these state-sponsored plans: an Internal Revenue Service rule that limits investors to one investment change per calendar year. The rule is intended to keep people from making knee-jerk reactions to market moves, but some investors and financial advisers say it makes the plans overly restrictive. Indeed, the College Savings Plan Network, a membership organization of state 529 officials, investment firms, program managers and others, is considering asking the Treasury Department to raise that limit to four times a year.

But that's not the only feature of 529 plans that's causing investors grief right now. Many investors use age-based portfolios that automatically shift to more conservative investments as the child nears college. Yet some of these conservative portfolios may actually hold a high percentage in stocks. North Carolina's National College Savings Program has an age-based portfolio that can hold just over 50% in stocks, including real-estate securities, just one year before the child starts college. That portfolio, which is part of the state's CollegeHorizonFunds managed by J.&W. Seligman & Co., was down 15.7% for the 12 months ended Sept. 30. Given the big market drops this month, the plan has likely posted additional losses.

Seligman's age-based portfolios were designed to create "the opportunity for capital appreciation" while becoming "extremely conservative" in college, says Charles Kadlec, the firm's managing director. The CollegeHorizonFunds move to 100% cash in the last two years of college, he says.

Other plans with more-aggressive portfolios include Nebraska's broker-sold AIM College Savings Plan, which can have as much as 40% in equities when the child is one to three years away from college, and South Carolina's Future Scholars direct-sold plan, which can have up to 33% in equities with college enrollment one to two years away.

Keeping Pace With Tuition

Such equity exposure may help investors keep pace with tuition increases, some investment managers say. "If you're a senior in high school, you still have five years before you hit your senior year of college," says Tom Kazmierczak, senior product manager for T. Rowe Price Group Inc.'s 529 unit, whose portfolios for students starting college in 2009 can hold up to 28% in stocks and up to 20% while the child is in college.

But the market is proving to be too nerve-wracking for some investors. After watching her 529 college savings plans fall by about 20% in recent weeks, Jeanine Clark of Poway, Calif., is considering pulling money out of the plans altogether -- even though she would get hit with taxes and penalties. "I can't afford to lose it all," says the 43-year-old physical therapist, who has close to $200,000 invested in two Nevada 529 plans for her 6- and 14-year-old sons.

Ms. Clark's financial planner, Mary Van Nostrand of San Diego, says she moved many of her clients with other types of accounts into conservative investments in recent weeks. However, she decided not to do so with Ms. Clark because the restrictions in the 529 plan meant Ms. Clark wouldn't be able to switch back into equities until next year, and thus would miss out on gains if the market bounced back in that time.

"If you're trying to avoid some of the craziness that's going on in the markets right now, you're kind of stuck," says Ms. Van Nostrand.

Executive directors for the Virginia, Ohio and Utah 529 plans say they're seeing a jump in the number of account holders who are switching their investments to safer investments such as certificates of deposit, stable-value funds or money-market funds. The Utah Educational Savings Plan received more changes last week than it typically processes in a given month, says Lynne Ward, the plan's director. TIAA-CREF, which manages eight state 529 savings plans, says it is seeing similar trends, especially with account owners who have kids close to college age.

Paring Back Equities

Families who are planning to tap their funds in the next year or two should be looking at paring their equity exposure and transferring their money to more conservative assets, say financial planners. Some plans, such as Ohio, Montana and Arizona, offer CDs as investment options. Others may want to move their savings to a "prepaid" 529 plan, in which families can lock in current tuition rates, says Fred Amrein, a financial planner in Wynnewood, Pa. He has been transferring some of his clients' investments to Pennsylvania's guaranteed savings plan, which resembles a prepaid plan.

The market turmoil is hitting families with children who are juniors and seniors in high school the hardest, since there is less time to make up the losses. In those cases, investors may have to delay, if possible, tapping their plans until the child is in their third or fourth year of college, says Jason Cole, a financial planner at Abacus Wealth Partners LLC in Philadelphia. Parents can also use the funds for graduate school or change the beneficiary to a younger sibling, he says.

On the other hand, investors with younger children may want to boost their equity allocation to take advantage of lower prices. T.J. Kohler of West Bloomfield, Ind., says that while his plans are down about 30%, he has boosted his contributions for his 4-, 3- and 1-year-olds, since they are years away from needing the money. "Ten years from now, this will be a blip in the marketplace," says the 35-year-old software engineer.

Investors can also get around the once-a-year investment restriction by changing plans or switching beneficiaries. And since the limits apply only to money that has already been invested, savers can always redirect how their future contributions are invested to gradually change their allocation.

Those investors whose 529 plans are "under water" -- that is, whose value is less than what they've put in -- could completely cash out of the 529 plan without paying federal taxes and penalties no matter what they use the money for, since federal taxes and penalties are assessed only on earnings, says Mr. Olver, the financial planner. Investors can also claim the loss as a miscellaneous itemized deduction, though they may be hit with state taxes, says Joe Hurley of Savingforcollege.com.

Paul Saam of Austin, Texas, says that while his two 529 savings accounts are down by about 20%, he's not overly worried. "With two kids under two, I'm not too concerned about how the market affects their college savings," says the 33-year-old, who works at a medical-devices company.

Still, he says the lack of flexibility with the plans is a "little bit frustrating. When you're tied down to one change a year, it's a little scary. The market downturn made me think about asset allocation a little bit more than I had before."