HEARD IT AND READ IT

Prepared by Bassam Mechammil

January 2008

HEALTH:

The miracle power of nuts: Nuts are among the most healthful foods you can eat. Rich in nutrients, they can help prevent some of the most common and most serious diseases. For example, in a long-running health study conducted by researchers at Loma Linda University, participants were asked what foods they ate most often. Those who ate nuts five or more times a week were about 50% less likely to have a heart attack than those who ate them less than once a week. Many Americans avoid nuts because they want to cut back on fat and calories. It’s true that a single serving of nuts can have 20 grams of fat and 180 to 200 calories, but most of the fats are healthy fats. Americans need to get more, not less, of these healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fat. As long as you limit yourself to a small handful of nuts daily you don’t need to worry about the extra calories. Each type of nut contains a different mix of nutrients, fats, and protective antioxidants, which can neutralize cell-damaging free radicals. People who eat a variety of nuts will get the widest range of benefits. Raw, toasted, or roasted nuts are fine as long as they are unsalted.

All nuts are good for the heart but the following nuts are especially beneficial:

1. Macadamia nuts will lower your LDL cholesterol without lowering your HDL cholesterol.
2. Pistachio nuts will lower your blood pressure.
3. Almonds are rich in calcium that will strengthen your bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. They contain magnesium and potassium as well, which will both control the relaxation and contraction of blood vessels.
4. Brazil nuts are a great source of selenium and are also high in vitamin E, which will both reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
5. Pecans contain antioxidants that will fight free radicals to keep the eyes healthy.
6. Walnuts are one of the best sources of omega-3 which appear to help maintain a healthy brain.

Important findings:

1. Bad events are more memorable than good events. Recent studies found that negative emotions such as fear and sadness increase activity in the part of the brain linked to memories, so bad memories are recalled easily. Positive emotions do not have the same effect; that’s why it makes sense to focus on potentially threatening information to protect against future dangers.
2. Did you ever wonder what keeps the red meat that you use for Khobee-Neeye longer than average? The short answer is Myoglobin, a protein that looks red when it’s blended with oxygen. To keep meat looking rosy, manufactures may pump in some carbon monoxide which sticks to myoglobin like glue, keeping the meat red for weeks. Carbon monoxide is also used to keep tuna looking fresh for a long time.

TAX TIME:

Besides what you usually deduct from your taxes, you may deduct these as well:

1. Accounting fees for tax preparation services and audits for the IRS.
2. Treatment for alcoholism or drug abuse.
3. Appreciation on property donated to charity.
4. Cell-phone used for businesses or to manage your investment.
5. Home computer depreciation if used for businesses.
6. Fees for a safe-deposit box that holds your investments/for businesses.
7. Gambling losses, provided that you have gambling winnings.
8. Investment advisory fees.
9. Mortgage pre-payments, penalties, and fees.
10. The cost of worthless stock and securities.

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS TO BE KEPT:

1. Canceled checks generally for seven years to support your tax filing.
2. Personal and state tax return documents for seven years.
3. Loan documents until you repay the loan.
4. Product receipts until your warranty is expired.
5. The 401 K statements until you get a new one.
6. Bank statements up to seven years.

LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES:

Ranking of "1" is Most Dangerous; "50" is Safest

STATE	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002	2001	2000	1999	1998	1997	1996	1995	1994
Alabama	17	18	19	18	20	17	19	21	19	20	21	23	20	16
Alaska	7	9	8	12	8	11	5	13	11	13	10	12	14	24
Arizona	3	4	3	3	3	5	7	7	8	9	6	5	7	9
Arkansas	13	15	22	25	23	22	25	22	20	23	25	25	26	30
California	9	10	10	10	12	13	17	12	10	7	5	6	8	6
Colorado	22	22	24	24	25	30	26	26	31	29	31	21	18	20
Connecticut	40	39	39	39	36	37	37	34	35	32	32	30	36	31
Delaware	18	24	15	20	19	12	10	11	17	18	16	33	12	21
Florida	8	7	6	7	4	2	2	2	2	2	2	3	4	5
Georgia	20	13	13	17	15	16	13	14	14	12	17	15	21	11
Hawaii	28	26	25	23	26	28	33	35	29	31	29	27	30	28
Idaho	39	40	41	40	42	46	42	40	41	41	40	38	35	39
Illinois	21	19	16	13	13	10	11	9	9	10	8	8	5	4
Indiana	25	28	27	26	24	26	24	25	24	26	27	29	31	25
Iowa	43	43	43	42	43	44	43	42	42	44	42	45	45	48
Kansas	27	25	26	31	28	23	23	27	28	30	31	26	23	15
Kentucky	34	33	37	36	35	35	38	39	37	38	37	34	44	42
Louisiana	10	2	2	2	1	1	4	4	3	1	3	2	1	1
Maine	48	49	48	48	48	49	48	48	48	48	48	49	50	49
Maryland	4	5	4	4	5	4	6	5	7	4	4	4	2	2
Massachusetts	30	30	29	27	31	32	30	29	30	28	26	31	28	29
Michigan	11	12	12	11	9	9	12	10	12	11	12	13	13	12
Minnesota	32	35	36	35	34	34	36	33	32	33	33	36	42	34
Mississippi	24	21	17	14	14	20	16	16	13	19	19	20	25	32
Missouri	19	20	21	19	17	21	21	20	22	21	20	9	17	14
Montana	44	42	40	44	41	42	45	45	46	43	43	41	38	41
Nebraska	37	34	35	34	39	36	34	37	39	39	41	42	43	44
Nevada	1	1	1	1	2	7	3	3	1	3	1	1	3	7
New Hampshire	47	47	47	47	46	43	49	49	49	49	49	47	47	45
New Jersey	33	32	32	33	32	33	31	30	27	24	24	22	22	17
New Mexico	2	3	9	6	7	3	1	1	4	5	7	7	9	13
New York	31	31	31	28	29	24	22	23	23	16	14	14	11	8
North Carolina	16	17	18	15	16	15	14	15	16	17	18	17	19	22
North Dakota	50	50	50	50	49	50	50	50	50	50	50	48	46	47
Ohio	23	23	23	22	22	25	28	28	26	27	28	29	29	23
Oklahoma	15	14	14	16	18	19	18	18	18	15	13	16	15	18
Oregon	29	27	28	32	33	30	27	24	25	25	23	19	24	27
Pennsylvania	26	29	30	30	30	31	29	31	33	34	34	39	38	37
Rhode Island	35	38	33	29	27	27	32	38	38	36	36	44	41	36
South Carolina	6	6	5	5	11	8	8	6	6	6	11	10	10	10
South Dakota	45	45	46	46	47	47	44	47	44	46	46	43	37	43
Tennessee	5	8	7	8	6	6	9	8	5	8	9	18	16	19
Texas	12	11	11	9	10	14	15	17	15	14	15	11	6	3
Utah	38	36	34	38	37	39	39	32	34	35	35	35	33	35
Vermont	49	48	49	49	50	48	47	46	47	47	47	50	49	50
Virginia	36	37	38	37	38	38	35	36	36	37	38	32	32	38
Washington	14	16	20	21	21	18	20	19	21	22	22	24	27	26
West Virginia	41	41	44	45	45	41	40	44	45	45	45	46	48	46
Wisconsin	42	44	42	41	40	40	41	41	40	40	39	37	34	33
Wyoming	46	46	45	43	44	45	46	43	43	42	44	40	40	40

MOST DANGEROUS CITIES:

1. Detroit, Michigan
2. St. Louis, Missouri
3. Flint, Michigan
4. Oakland, California
5. Camden, New Jersey
6. Birmingham, Alabama
7. Charleston, South Carolina
8. Memphis, Tennessee
9. Richmond, California
10. Cleveland, Ohio
11. Orlando, Florida
12. Baltimore, Maryland