Tuesday, February 10, 2009 Good News Posts from Margaret

10 tips for surviving a layoff

"I was laid off last year. I honestly had it a lot better than some people I know. I got about 9 months advance notice and ended up getting about 5 months of severance. I am well aware that cases like mine are few and far between. That said, there are things you can do to help you survive a layoff, should it happen to you.

If you are fortunate enough to get advance notice, I suggest taking these steps as soon as you find out about the layoff. The sooner you get started, the better positioned you are going to be financially to handle it."

Click here to read the tips.


The best Valentine's Day presents are heartfelt, not necessarily expensive

"If there is one gift-giving holiday that doesn't have to break the bank, it would be Valentine's Day."

Click here to read the suggestions.


Watch for symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite

"In last week's column, I wrote about the importance of layering clothing if you intend to be active outdoors when it is cold.

Keeping the hands and feet warm is just as important, because blood flows away from these areas to the center of the body in order to keep internal organs warm and protected when temperatures are low. Unless torso temperature is normal or slightly higher, blood flow does not return adequately to other areas of the body. However, it is vital to keep your entire body warm at all times."

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Grandma's moistening kettle may have held off flu

"Grandma may have been right about keeping a teakettle warming on the stove in winter to moisten the air. Studies of seasonal influenza have long found indications that flu spreads better in dry air. Now, new research being published Tuesday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, indicates that the key is the absolute humidity — which measures the amount of water present in the air, regardless of temperature — not the more commonly reported relative humidity."

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Romance for Dummies

"Suppose I’ve just taken my wife out on a date, and the next morning a friend asks me what I did last night. Guess my likely response:"

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