Professional women are changing the rules on balancing work with life. Now more than ever women are finding great success at running thriving businesses and also enjoying healthy and happy personal lives with their famiiles. They're doing it by working from home.

Ann Levine is a good example. She had been going full tilt as an attorney whose specialty was business litigation at a law firm. Just four months after having a baby she lost her job.
"You can imagine I was devastated," said Ann. " My whole self worth was wrapped up in this great job. We had just bought a house. We had a new baby."

She was able to negotiate some severance then started thinking about her next step.
One day she was out walking her baby in a stroller when an idea came to her.

" All of a sudden I thought, I should help people who are applying to law school."

She had some experience as a law school admissions counselor, and of course her years as
an attorney behind her.

What part of 'please return my wheelchair' don't you understand?

Workers who want to update their Facebook friends and Twitter followers during business hours should think twice if they want to stay in good standing with their employers. More than half (54 percent) of the bosses interviewed recently by Robert Half Technology said their firms completely prohibit employees from visiting social networking sites while at work. A career expert from Robert Half Technology can discuss the following topics:

CIOs were asked, "Which of the following most closely describes your company's policy on
visiting social networking sites, such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, while at work?"

Their responses:
Prohibited completely....................................... 54%
Permitted for business purposes only............. 19%
Permitted for limited personal use.................... 16%
Permitted for any type of personal use………. 10%
Don't know/no answer........................................ 1%
100%

"Using social networking sites may divert employees' attention away from more pressing priorities, so it's understandable that some companies limit access," said Dave Willmer, executive director of Robert Half Technology.

"For some professions, however, these sites can be leveraged as effective business tools, which may be why about one in five companies allows their use for work-related purposes."
Willmer cautioned that employees should always exercise good judgment, no matter how lenient their company's policy. "Professionals should let common sense prevail when using Facebook and similar sites -- even outside of business hours," he said. "Regrettable posts can be a career liability."

Robert Half Technology offers the following tips for protecting your professional reputation when using social networking sites:

· Know what's allowed. Make sure you understand and adhere to your company's social networking policy.

· Use caution. Be familiar with each site's privacy settings to ensure personal details or photos you post can be viewed only by people you choose.

· Keep it professional. Use social networking sites while at work to make connections with others in your field or follow industry news -- not to catch up with family or friends.

· Stay positive. Avoid complaining about your manager and coworkers. Once you've hit submit or send, you can't always take back your words -- and there's a chance they could be read by the very people you're criticizing.

· Polish your image. Tweet or blog about a topic related to your profession. You'll build a reputation as a subject matter expert, which could help you advance in your career.
· Monitor yourself. Even if your employer has a liberal policy about social networking, limit the time you spend checking your Facebook page or reading other people's tweets to avoid a productivity drain.

The survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology (IT) professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. It was based on telephone interviews with more than 1,400 CIOs from companies across the United States with 100 or more employees.

Another expert with Robert Half discussed another part of the issue of use.

"We feel this can be a very valuable tool," said Paul Flaharty. "There's a number of different ways, and the social networking sites have expanded in scope from where they started; for people to connect with one another.

"These social networking sites now have a very real business purpose. People are establishing themselves as subject matter experts and industry leaders based on the publications and based on whether it's Twitter, or Facebook or Linked In.

"From a corporate perspective, there are a number of fields in which networking means a great deal as it relates to business: PR and marketing for instance, where you can go and connect with new clients.

"It's a great way for you to get more exposure to both your work and your portfolio as a creative professional.

"As a technician, very often there are either issues, or problems that you encounter throughout the course of the day at work that there are very specific local interest groups and networks on these social network sites that are at your disposal. These online contacts can help you work through problems you might be having, so that's a great way for people to utilize that.

"At this point right now, companies don't see the value in it but as they learn more about what you can do with Linked In, and how that could help you do your job more effectively, that could change.

www.rht.com/pressroom

Some Pervasive Online Ads Confuse and Anger Customers.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning consumers to be extremely wary of persistent online ads offering the promise of a whiter, brighter smile. The BBB has received an onslaught of complaints from consumers who thought they were signing up for a free trial of teeth whitening products but were repeatedly billed for products and services they didn't want.

The ubiquitous ads for teeth whiteners can be found on popular sites such as FoxNews.com, CNN.com, ABCNews.com and many others. The ads typically link consumers to phony blogs and fake news sites that are designed to look like impartial 3rd party endorsements of the products. The phony endorsements then direct the consumer to a main Web site that claims the product sold is "As seen on" ABC, Forbes.com, CBS News, CNN, and USA Today-and includes the logos of these news outlets.

"So people are suckered into believing that because it's on a legitimate website that the ad is legitimate," said BBB spokesman Walter Brewster. "That's not necessarily true. The first thing to do when somebody sees an ad that they're interested in, they should check that business out. Try the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Reports.
Consumer Reports has written articles about which of these whitener's work, and which don't and how well they work and their costs, then after that you should be very careful."

Another word of caution, "Read all the fine print," said Brewster. "The fine print on these things often tell you what you're getting into and as soon as you read it you'll realize actually I don't want to get into this because it's actually not a very good deal."

The countless Web sites for various teeth whitening products claim to offer a no-risk, money back guarantee, free trial of the product. To sign up, customers must provide a credit or debit card number to cover shipping. Complainants to the BBB state that they are billed before their trial ends and continue to be billed after they have told the company they want to cancel. Complainants also may find mystery charges for other companies and services that they didn't realize they were signing up for with their "free" trial.

The Better Business Bureau has identified several companies that are behind the teeth whitening ads and Web sites online including:

Dazzle White, White Smile, Teeth Smile and Dazzle Smile, with an F rating. - The BBB has received 450 complaints in the last 12 months from consumers about Dazzle White, White Smile, Teeth Smile and Dazzle Smile. Complainants report being billed as much as $79 for the free trial and are charged for several other services-such as a weight loss program.

Ivory White, with an F rating. - The BBB has received 611 complaints from consumers about Ivory White. Complainants say they were charged as much as $78 a month for their free trial. Other related companies include Ortho White and Bella Brite which are mounting complaints as well. All three companies have been asked to add more disclosure to their Web sites regarding the free trial offer. The BBB has not yet received a response to these requests.

Advanced Wellness Research, with an F rating. - The BBB has received thousands of complaints from consumers regarding Advanced Wellness Research's acai berry supplements and has begun to receive complaints from consumers about their teeth whiteners sold under the names of Max White, My Whitening, Gleaming White Smile and many others.

BBB offers the following advice to consumers on purchasing teeth whitening products online:
--Beware of supposed third-party endorsements. Be extremely cautious of any ad that links to a blog or Web site news articles. The blogs and supposed news articles were likely created by the company and are not the unbiased endorsement of real consumers or reporters.
--Always read the fine print. Many Web sites offering a free trial of a teeth whitening product do not disclose the billing terms and conditions or do not have such details prominently displayed on their Web site. Review the site's privacy and refund policies and watch for red flags such as a lack of these important policies, or lack of information or a phone number to help consumers should there be issue. Before giving the company any credit or debit card information, review the Web site fully and be aware that free trials typically result in repeated billing.
--Check the company out with your BBB first. Before signing up for any free trial, review the business' Reliability Report™ online at bbb.org to see if the BBB has identified issues with the company.
--File a complaint with BBB if you feel you've been ripped off. Consumers who feel they are being deceived by a business selling teeth whitening products online can file a complaint with their BBB at bbb.org.
--Contact your credit card company if you feel your card has fallen into the wrong hands. Watch your statements closely every month. If you see mysterious charges, don't delay in bringing it to their attention for assistance.
If you are a reporter and would like to schedule an interview with a BBB spokesperson, please contact Peggy Penders at 800.303.4490.

About the BBB
BBB, the leader in advancing marketplace trust, is an unbiased not-for-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization's high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB provides objective advice, free business BBB Reliability ReportsTM and charity BBB Wise Giving ReportsTM, and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. To further promote trust, BBB also offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses when there is difference in viewpoints. The first BBB was founded in 1912. Today, 124 BBBs serve communities across the U.S. and Canada, evaluating and monitoring nearly 4 million local and national businesses and charities. Please visit bbb.org for more information about BBB.

As of November 1st, New Yorkers must turn their cellphones off when they get behind the wheel or face traffic violations and headaches.

And some are actually dealing with feelings of loss, anxiety and detachment.
So what do you do about text withdrawal?
Predicto Mobile, the 2nd largest provider of text messaging in the United States, offers the following tips to cope with driving without texting:

1. Admittance- The first ticket may be your first indication, the second and third may just drive the point home. As with most addictions, the first step to recovery is admitting there is a problem.
2. Acceptance - Once you are able to accept that cell phone usage is keeping you from being a better driver, you will have the ability to change
3. Break the Routine - Sometimes bad habits become second nature and part of our daily routine. If you always respond to text messages at a certain intersection on the drive home from work, take a different route.
4. Limited Text Plans - By limiting the number of texts your cellular plan has, you reduce the number of texts you are able to send before hitting overage charges. If you text over your limit while driving and then get pulled over, you will really be kicking yourself.
5. Text-free zone - Designate your car as a text free zone so that you are not tempted by the texting of other passengers in the vehicle.
6. Patience is a Virtue - Living in a generation of instant gratification we tend to feel a sense of urgency when communicating with others. It's important for habitual texters to realize that whatever conversation they may be having via phone in their car can wait until they are out of the vehicle.
7. Try Going Wireless - If the thought of excommunication in the car is too much to handle, consider investing in wireless, voice operated devices that can free up your hands and bring your attention back to the road.
8. Seek Support - From friends, families and others who may feel powerless without a handheld in their car and form a support group
9. Designated Texter - When all else fails and you simply must respond, designate one passenger to serve as the official texter

About Predicto Mobile:
Predicto Mobile (http://www.predicto.com) has established itself as one of the most sought after text message services providing live feeds and information for people and the media to discover what the country really thinks about current issues. The company engages members on pop culture and current events, with possibility to win prizes along the way. The Predicto Mobile Community is made up of over one million users who stay in the know and vote on the go with Predicto. Over 1.8 Million members and growing.

What would you do if Channel 11 gave you $1,000 in cash?

We spoke to Leslie Scott, who invented the game " Jenga".

She got herself up to speed on how to go about protecting her invention when she first came up with the idea.

After many false starts she finally got a manufacturer on board.

The game has been a huge success.

She just wrote a book about how it all played out.

"The game has sold something in the region of 50 million copies," said Leslie Scott. " I'm absolutely delighted."

How do you protect yourself when you've got a great idea. You don't want anyone to steal it.

If you've developed something you think is very marketable there's a lot to keep in mind. You want to make money from the invention. Usually that means licensing the rights to it to another business, say a manufacturer or distributor. When you pitch these folks, you run the risk of giving them so much information your idea could get stolen.

So how do you shop your invention around without risking your rights?

First things first.

The first step in the patent process is Invention Protection.

Whenever you come up with a new idea or invention, you want to get a "date" attached to it immediately. So write out the general concept of your invention. Take the paper to a Notary Public. They will have you sign and date it, then they will sign it.

Once it's notarized keep the original document in a safe place will your notes and any drawings you may have. It's a good idea to start a diary on your venture.

Start by filing a PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION (if your invention is patentable). This costs only about $10. And gives your invention "patent-pending" status. This goes a long way in preventing rip-offs.

This gives you a one-year period to develop the invention, determine its marketability and seek licensing agreements.

Next most likely a patent searcher will do a search to figure out if anyone else has already claimed the same idea.

If your invention is not patentable you can use a nondisclosure agreement.

Before you sit down with a prospective licensee, you have them sign a non-disclosure agreement or a confidentiality agreement before you tell them anything. If they then turn around and use your secrets without your authorization, you can sue for damages.

Nondisclosure agreements contain important elements including a definition of what is and what isn't confidential information, obligations of the receiving party and time periods in place for nondisclosure.

For " Jenga"'s creator, Leslie Scott, " It remains thrilling. I put the game on the market 27 years ago and I still get the most amazing kick going into a toy store and seeing someone buy the game."

For more information, log onto:

www.InventHelp.com

www.Secure.Davison.com

www.thelivingweb.net/Invention

www.entrepreneur.com

www.inventions.org

www.forbes.com

www.inventprotect.com

www.frompatenttoprofit.com/getting

Take some advice from an expert on Allergies and Immunology. Dr. Marjorie Slankard of Columbia Doctors Eastside, with some straight-forward advice:

"Indoor allergens such as pet dander and dust mites often bother people more in the winter months when they are enclosed in their apartment or
house: Therefore, take extra precautions if you are allergic
by wiping down your cat or dog with a product such as Allerpet or a damp towel weekly.

It you are allergic to your pet, it would be best if the pet were out of the bedroom, even when you are not at home, or at least was never on the bed.

Special dust proof covers can be purchased for your pillow, mattress, and even the down comforter. Or, consider replacing that comfy down comforter with a washable synthetic one; dust mites thrive in down or any bedding that is not washed often. Wash sheets at least once a week with hot water.

Consider placing filters over the vent of your heating ducts.

Indoor humidity should be 35-50%. Higher humidity will favor dust mite and mold growth. Lower humidity can be overdrying to the mucous membranes of your nose and throat. Consider a warm mist humidifier, if the dryness is bothering you, but keep it very clean to avoid mold and bacteria growth.

Cold outdoor air may trigger asthma symptoms, such as shortness of breath or cough. Keep a warm scarf over your mouth when walking or running out in the cold.

Fall leaves harbor mold. If you are raking leaves wear a mask. If you are playing sports out in the leaves, take a shower and change clothes as soon as you come indoors.

Holiday decorations can be a source of dust and mold. Wear a mask when you are unpacking them if you are sensitive. Use a dust resistant clothe to clean them. If the pine or balsam holiday tree bothers you, opt for artificial.

For holiday travel, stay well hydrated and if you are on an airplane, use a saline nose spray regularly throughout the flight.

www.livingallergicasthma.com
www.info-on-allergies.com
www.allergyguardirect.com

How to Get Your Money Back From The Party That Wasn't

As the holidays approach and you begin shopping for your loved ones, it's important to stay on track with your budget.

Hopefully you've planned in advance for this expense.

One tool will help you only spend what you have. Try using eBillme.

EBillme is a way for consumers and small businesses to pay cash for their shopping online.
You're actually paying cash at the checkout.

Marwan Forzley, CEO of eBillme/ShopDebtFree gave us a briefing.

" You go to any of our customers that accept eBillme," said Forzley, "there's 850 sites like Sears, kmart, buy.com, etc.

" When you go to the checkout you'll see us next to credit cards. You select "eBillme". You will now get an electronic bill. You pay it from money that you have using online banking, the same way that you pay a credit card bill.

" It's the same as paying any other bill that you have. You're paying from money that you have using online banking. If you don't have online banking you can go to a nearby 7-11, or Walmart, or a CVS and pay cash in person. You walk in and say I need to pay my eBillme bill and they'll take your cash right then and there and notify the merchant it's been paid.

" Either way you're paying from money that you have so you're getting protected from getting into debt.

" We're helping people getting out of debt, we're helping them to shop online. Another advantage is there is absolutely no exchange of any financial information with the merchants so you're not giving out credit card numbers or your bank account information, your social security number; none of that. You pay by only giving your name and e-mail address. And, you pay from funds that you have.

" To be clear on the process: you only give your name and email then you log into your bank on your own and you pay eBillme exactly the same way you pay any other bill. It's the same way you pay your phone bill, your electric bill, your mortgage bill. It's the same concept, you log in, you pay eBillme. Money comes from your bank account to the merchant.

Security-wise the key is your not putting your bank account information online at the check out when your buying stuff on the internet.

You're getting your bill, you log into your bank then you're paying this bill.

" Again if you don't have online banking, you can still pay cash in person at locations that support eBillme. There are 75,000 locations that do. You present the bill, say "here's the cash for the purchase..the merchant is informed immediately and the goods are shipped to you.

" It's cash, just like going to the store when you give the person at the store cash and they give you the product. You pay cash to the merchant and the merchant ships the goods to you.

" That's the beauty of it you don't have to have a credit card if you have a credit card that's limited you can still shop from money you have.

" It's a way to get out of trouble if you have high debt or if you don't want to be exposed to debt. This is a way to control your finances, to shop online and pay from money that you have.

" If you don't have it you don't spend it.

ShopDebtFree is a site where you can look for all the merchants that have eBillme.

" Think of it as a place where you can start shopping," said Marwan.

" You'll go to ShopDebtFree.com. You'll see all our merchants that accept eBillme.

" The nice thing about starting with ShopDebtFree.com is they all carry some type of discount.

Marwan mentioned another advantage to using these two sites.

" Because you're getting a bill and there's nothing sensitive about the bill, for kids shopping online your parents can pay for it from online banking.

" Think of it as parental consent. if you're a mom you're busy. You don't have to sit next to your kid and worry about what they're doing with your credit card.

" This way your kids can shop online and get what they want and at the end of the day if you like it you can pay for it, if you don't like it, your child will have to try again.

" This is a way to put discipline into the purchase process.

" Your kids can buy online but you're the one in control, you're authorizing the transaction.

" It's parental consent, it's discipline, it's helping your kids to buy online, giving them freedom to buy what they want, at the end of the day you control the show. If you like
what they buy you pay for it, otherwise you have a talk with them.

You're getting a number of things accomplished with this. You're not giving out your identity on the internet which helps you protect ag. identity theft. You're not getting into debt which helps you stay out of debt. And it also it helps you with the product you're trying to buy.

" If you buy a laptop, or jeans, and you find it somewhere else for cheaper you're going to be covered. You can return the product and get your money back. it's a 90-day buyer protection program.

" These are typically services you get with a credit card Here you're getting them on top of a cash product.

" As long as you use eBillme you're going to be protected against any price changes, you're going to be protected if there are any issues with returns.

"These are services you typically get if you have platinum or gold card but you'll pay for it, usually with an annual fee. With eBillme you get it free."

www.eBillme.com

" Cybermonday's going to be one of the biggest shopping holidays of the year", said Todd Feinman, CEO of Identity Finder software, "and the problem is the hackers are going after as many people's identities as they can at the same time. So people need to be extra careful putting their credit card information online AND saving things to their computer like an email receipt after they purchase something."

It's very hard to make sure no personal information is left around on your computer.
One thing you might want to do before and after shopping is use the software of IdentityFinder.com. Identify Finder helps people search everywhere on a computer to see if any personal information exists in an unprotected manner. It searches for social security numbers and credit card numbers. Software like Identity Finder makes sure there is no unprotected instances of personal information left anywhere.

Identity Finder has a free edition, available on the website, that allows people to search their entire computer, email messages and attachments for any personal information. This way if they ever got a virus or spyware, the information isn't there to be stolen.

Secure information can be stored inside of files. It could be on an application they might have filled out or email messages where they might have received an email with their receipt. So Identity Finder looks for it and if it finds it then helps people shred it, secure it or scrub that information out of the documents.

Fashion Phony Scams Unsuspecting Victims

We spoke with Leonard Gordon, the director of the Northeast Regional Office of the United States Federal Trade Commission who expressed concern that with Veteran's Day and the upcoming holidays, "lots of appeals to support the veterans; to help them readjust when they come home, are out there. The Defense Department has a great website that tells you what charities to contribute to. So go online. Do your research. Make sure you know who it is that's getting your money." That Defense Department website is included in the following information put out by the FTC:

The Federal Trade Commission has put out an advisory regarding charity organizations and veterans.

Many legitimate charities are soliciting donations to support the nation's military veterans as well as the families of active-duty personnel. And despite tough economic times, people reportedly are responding generously to these requests. But not all "charities" are legitimate: Some are sham operators whose only purpose is to make money for themselves. Others use paid fundraisers whose fees eat up most of a donation, so very little of it is shared with those in need.

What would you do if Channel 11 gave you $1,000 in cash?

So while you're waiting for your next big job you could be making money doing small ones. One company out there is putting well-educated, talented, highly-skilled workers together with companies that have lots of work but no full-time job to offer. It can be a win win.

We spoke to Angie Hicks, the creator of Angie's List. She has some important tips for avoiding a disaster in the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day.

According to Angie, "It's really important to prepare ahead of time if you're going to be cooking for Thanksgiving. The last thing you want is the turkey not getting properly cooked or not coming out cooked on time.

" One thing you can do ahead of time is to check your oven. Don't wait until the day or two before Thanksgiving to worry about whether it's operating properly.

" There is a great way to check whether the temperature is set accurately, so if you think your temperature is at 350 degrees it could be only heating to 325 degrees. That's going to add to the time it takes to cook your turkey.

" So an easy way to test that is to bake a cake. Bake a cake in your oven. Follow the directions perfectly so you can see how long it's going to take for that cake to come out right. Then you can adjust your time accordingly or get the oven fixed.

" It's always a good suggestion to keep your oven clean. A lot of us tend to forget about that. Really the only recourse we think about is the smell that might create. But another thing to think about is it's not going to work as well. The heating element won't work as well if it's dirty so it's important to clean it.

" It's so close to Thanksgiving that I would advise you not run the self-cleaning option on your oven. What happens a lot of times is people run it and running it at that high a heat, causes the oven to fail. You don't want to be calling a service repairman out and if you're doing it the night before, that's a bad idea.

"When you're cooking for Thanksgiving you need to have a plan in place, you need to know what you're going to do and you need to know exactly the timing of items going into the oven.

"Also think about alternative ways to cook items, for example if you can cook some things in your microwave that certainly is going to free up space in the oven. Some people find they run out of space in their oven to cook all the dishes they might want to make.

"On Thanksgiving Day make sure you keep people from peeking inside that oven to see how things are cooking. What happens is every time that oven door opens you're letting heat out and the oven's not keeping it's set temperature."

Just following a few simple suggestions could make a big difference in your Thanksgiving Day festivities.

For more information: www.angieslist.com or read Angie's blog at www.angiehicksblog.com.

We recently sat down with the regional director of the Federal Trade Commission to get his tips for holiday shopping.

"The most important thing," said Leonard Gordon, "is for consumers to have a plan before they do their shopping. They need to make a list and think ahead about where they can get the best deal.

"The reason we're concerned about consumers staying on track and following their plan is we've seen frequently the consequences of consumers who don't stay on track. We see a lot of debt elimination scams, we see a lot of phony credit card scams, preying on people who got into too much debt. One of the reasons people get into too much debt is a little too much holiday shopping and not enough planning before they do it."

The following is an alert issued by the FTC that warns shoppers.

FTC Alert:

Who doesn't want to get the best deal for their dollar - especially during these tough economic times? There's no shortage of sale ads from merchants who want your business: they're using preferred customer specials, early bird sales, midnight madness events, coupon savings days, and pre- AND post-holiday sales. Just how do you decide if their deals are real?

The Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency, has some tips to help you get the most for your money.

* Shop around. A "sale" price isn't always the "best" price. Some merchants may offer a sale price on an item for a limited time; others may discount the price on the same item everyday. Having an item's manufacturer, model number, and other identifying information can help you get the best price for the item you want.

* Read sale ads carefully. Some may say "quantities limited," "no rain checks," or "not available at all stores." Before you step out the door, call ahead to make sure the merchant has the item in stock. If you're shopping for a popular or hard-to-find item, ask the merchant if he'd be willing to hold the item until you can get to the store.

* Take time and travel costs into consideration. If an item is on sale, but it's way across town, how much are you really saving once you factor in your time, your transportation, and parking?

* Look for price-matching policies. Some merchants will match, or even beat, a competitor's prices - at least for a limited time. Read the merchant's pricing policy. It may not apply to all items.

* Go online. Check out websites that compare prices for items offered online. Some sites also may compare prices offered at stores in your area. If you decide to buy online, keep shipping costs and delivery time in mind.

* Calculate bargain offers that are based on purchases of additional merchandise. For example, "buy one, get one free," "free gift with purchase," or "free shipping with minimum purchase" may sound enticing. If you don't really want or need the item, it's not a deal.

* Ask about sale adjustments. If you buy an item at regular price and it goes on sale the next week, can you get a credit or refund for the discounted amount? What documentation will you need?

* Ask about refund and return policies for sale items. Merchants often have different refund and return policies for sale items, especially clearance merchandise.

For More Information

To get more money saving tips, visit ftc.gov/MoneyMatters.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

He told his assistant he was worth millions, so how come she paid for everything?

November is Diabetes Awareness Month.

In the United States 24 million people have diabetes. One out of four don't even know it. As the rates of obesity go up, the number of people with prediabetes is increasing.

The figures for adolescents are the most alarming, coinciding with the higher rates of obesity. 16% of adolescents have prediabetes, almost double since the year 2000.

"Prediabetes represents abnormal blood sugar, but not yet to the degree of having formal diabetes," said Dr. Michael Bergman, of the NYU Langone Medical Center. Dr. Bergman offers hope for people who find themselves with this condition. " This offers the possibility of reversing the onset of disease," he said.

"An early diagnosis comes from getting blood tests done during a routine physical exam. Levels of 100 or higher are of particular concern," Dr. Bergman continued.

"If there is the presence of one or more additional risk factors that is of particular concern.

"Those factors include being overweight and a family history of diabetes for one. Also do you have high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol?

"The recommendation for screening is also somewhat arbitrary but in general, individuals who are under 45 are advised to have a screening for diabetes, or prediabetes.

And, according to Dr. Bergman, every individual over the age of 45 should be screened regardless, of whether or not they're overweight or have any other risk factor.

Dr. Bergman cites the body mass index as a good measure. " The body mass index, which is a relationship between height and weight, so if the body mass index is in the overweight category, or higher than 25, those individuals should be screened. If they are overweight and if they have one other risk factor which is high blood pressure or high cholesterol, it's a concern.

So, Dr. Bergman urges people to keep their weight down.

"The way to prevent the disease or even reverse it in individuals who have prediabetes is clearly to watch your weight," he said. "Weight reduction is probably thee most important thing anyone can do in terms of not only preventing the disease but also reversing the disease.

"What we've learned from recently completed clinical studies, is that somebody who loses about 2.2 pounds can reduce the risk of developing diabetes by about 15-16%.

"Weight reduction, even very modest weight reduction is important. If that's accompanied by exercise, which facilitates weight reduction, which facilitates the body's ability to respond to insulin, that also will help in preventing diabetes or reversing pre-diabetes. It's phenomenal. And it only needs to be about 150 minutes of exercise a week. Modest exercise; walking is good. Even if it's done over 10-15 minutes a day, as long as it averages about 150 minutes a week.

"Nutrition is important, certainly avoiding simple sugars, concentrating on legumes, fiber, berries, fruit, minimizing amnd of fat, especially saturated fat. One of the ways to lose weight and also to improve your lipid profile is by decreasing the amount of saturated fat, the recommendation is to have less than 10% total calories in fat.

"Children are not immune from diabetes. The incidence of diabetes is really much higher today than it was even a decade ago. In younger children, the prevalence, the number of individuals who have prediabetes is much higher than it was. Over the age of 13, it's about 13% in school age children who already have prediabetes. I think to be successful in avoiding diabetes later on in life is by focusing really on the school age children.

"Children need to exercise more. The school diet needs improvement. A lot of the nutritional information has to be done at home. We really need to focus on younger children before they become adults and it becomes a much more serious problem.

So again, Dr. Bergman urges everyone to know what their fasting blood sugar is. "If your fasting blood sugar tends to be borderline, if it's 100 or over, it's clearly abnormal but even individuals that have in the mid or upper 90 range, it's higher than it should be.

"As we get older there's a tendency to become more resistant to the insulin we make and the blood sugars run a little higher.

"The ranges vary a little bit but in general between 65 or 70 is more of the normal range.

"The lower the blood sugar the better. Once you start exceeding levels that are around 90, or into the 90 range, although that's still is a normal blood sugar, that still is in the higher end of the spectrum, **

"It's the weight that drives it. Family history is important but it's really the weight that drives it. And again, it's largely reversible.

"Unfortunately, we spend a tremendous amount of time, money and energy treating the disease and not enough on prevention.

"Prevention is essential in terms of minimizing risk. It's not only just the prevention of diabetes, it's even prevention of cardiovascular disease which is a hallmark of diabetes.

Know the symptoms of diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes develops slowly. The first signs are usually excessive thirst and frequent urination. Some people also experience a flu-like illness, weight gain or loss, blurred vision, fatigue, frequent infections or slow-healing sores, nerve damage and/or swollen gums. In many individuals, however, diabetes may be present without any signs or symptoms.

For more information:

www.diabetes.org

www.diabetes.com

www.GoInsulin.com

What would you do if Channel 11 gave you $1,000 in cash?

"Work/Life balance can be challenging for any workaholic," said Colleen DeBaise, a Wall St Journal reporter who wrote a book on small businesses, "but it can be very difficult for business owners who often worry that the business they've built, will collapse in their absence. So they're very reluctant to take any time off.

"The problem," DeBlaise continued, "is if you never step away; if you never take a breather, or time off, your creativity becomes drained. Your enthusiasm is zapped. And your relationships with your family and friends can break down.

"It's not good for you. It's not good for the business. Ultimately it can really hurt your businesses bottom line if you don't take any time off, or take a break.