Pelvic organ prolapse is a very common condition – approximately 50% of women who have had even one childbirth will lose pelvic floor strength and about approximately 10 to 38% of these women, between 15 to 60 years of age will experience symptomatic prolapse. The incidence increases with advancing age. Every year close to 350,000 women undergo surgical interventions for the disorder. This places a severe social and economic burden on the society. The lifetime risk for a woman to undergo surgery for a pelvic disorder is approximately 11%. Frequency of surgery will increase as women are living longer and the lifetime risk is projected to double for women between the ages of 30 and 89. Read more
A Brief Primer on Kidney Stones
Kidney stones, or calculi, can form at any age but are more common in adults. Stones represent an imbalance of certain byproducts in the urine that when high enough can form little crystals, or early stones. Once a crystal forms, stones then develop over months to years. Stone disease tends to run in families, and up to 10 percent of the adult population will develop kidney stones at some point in their life.
It’s important to remember that kidney stones are not related to gallstones. They can form on the inside of either kidney, usually at night while we sleep, and are silent when growing. There are multiple urine and digestive byproducts that can bind together to form stones if high enough in concentration. Other urinary byproducts can actually prevent stones, but if these are abnormally low in concentration, they can also lead to stone formation. Read more
Keep Your Financial Investments Focused During Difficult Economic Times
Nobody knows for sure when it will all end. The one thing we do know for sure is that these are very stressful times for all of us. It is hard to take a long term view and stay positive in this environment of raw fear and uncertainty.
The selling of the last two months has been surprising in its intensity, and may have challenged your assumptions about market risk in your portfolio. We have had conversations with lots of folks over the last months, and each has been different yet the same. How low will the market go? Will I have enough money for my retirement? Should I do something now? Read more
The Market’s Wild Ride
These last weeks have been brutal for investors. The wild market swings from day to day, from hour to hour, have been extremely difficult for all of us. Invested alongside of you in the very same investments I certainly feel your pain. Even more so, I feel the pain in my professional life as I watch these markets test the resolve and financial plans of my clients.
As I write this article the decline in the stock market has been significant. As measured by the S&P 500 (a widely followed index for the US stock market) stocks were down just under 41% from their high on October 9, 2007. Amazingly, the bulk of this decline (22%) happened in the first two weeks of October, since September 30th, 2008, in the panic selling before the passage of the “rescue” package. Read more
Online Identity Theft – Don’t Get Scammed
Social engineering is the tactic used to take the con game to the masses. Today, con artists operate on a large scale using email and other mass communication tactics to dupe unsuspecting people into their traps and out of their money. Mass communications make it easy to play the numbers.
I am a former computer security officer my training helps keep me out of some trouble. However, you don’t need to be a professional background to protect your identity. You just need some common sense to avoid a lot of trouble.
If you have email, sooner or later you will receive correspondence from someone who wants to do you harm. They may offer you an opportunity to make money or may trick you into believing they have a business relationship with you. Because this tactic is effective, the con artist continues to use it.
Here is how it works: Read more
Rocky Point (Mexico)
With gas costing as much as it does an inexpensive three day tour to Rocky Point, Mexico for charity should help everyone. The next two tours are scheduled for Jan 12-14 and Feb 23-25. The tours are limited to 55 persons. Each tour includes luxury bus, three days and two nights in the only American owned hotel in Rocky Point, two full breakfasts, one cocktail party with entertainment, a seafood Mexican dinner and three tours. The first stop is at Organ Pipe National Monument in Arizona. The second is to the CEDO Institute, the only Oceanographic Institute between Texas and California. The third includes shopping in an area in Rocky Point that is very unusual. A optional excursion is clamming with lunch in Cholla Bay. The bay has the second lowest tide in North America. An evening cruise on the Sea of Cortez with drinks and nachos. Fishing trips and golfing may be arranged. All tours are conducted by Art Sloane, an Arizona tour guide who relates the history and geography of the area passed through. Deposits are now being taken for future trips which will benefit three veterans charities, the Carl T. Hayden VA Hospital, Arizona Veterans Home and two homeless veterans facilities The order reservations are received is the order persons board the bus. Cost of the tour is $265 based on double occupancy. Information Art or Viv Sloane (480) 802-6810
Arthur G. Sloane (480) 802-6810 artgbeard@aol.com