CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge

CNBC Portfolio Challenge Bonus Bucks Answers for Friday, March 30, 2007 and CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge

How many new stores did Home Depot open in the U.S. in 2006?
The FDA-approved drug Provenge is used to fight what disease?

News Question $1000 Bonus Bucks
How many new stores did Home Depot open in the U.S. in 2006?
Answer: 86

Video Question $2000 Bonus Bucks
The FDA-approved drug Provenge is used to fight what disease?
Answer: Prostate Cancer

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How many new stores did Home Depot open in the U.S. in 2006?
The FDA-approved drug Provenge is used to fight what disease?

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Stagflation on the Horizon?

Real disposable incomes (inflation-adjusted and after taxes) increased 0.1%, matching December with the lowest in nine months. A puny gain for sure and a possible sign that it could be negative next month. A sign of Stagflation?

Real (inflation-adjusted) consumer spending growth slowed to 0.2%, the weakest gain since August. Spending had risen 0.3% in January. Another potential bad sign.

The Fed could soon be facing both accelerating inflation and a slowing economy. And, this is my expectation.

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CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge

CNBC Portfolio Challenge Bonus Bucks Answers for Thursday, March 29, 2007
Starbucks is teaming up with AmRest restaurant group to expand into what country?
Answer: Poland
Citrus farmers are having a comeback year. Which is the largest grapefruit shipper in Florida?
Answer: Riverfront Packing Company

Starbucks is teaming up with AmRest restaurant group to expand into what country?
Citrus farmers are having a comeback year. Which is the largest grapefruit shipper in Florida?

American Idol a Plea to Sanjaya and America

Sanjaya, the most credible man in America, Larry King, one of the brightest and most honest men on TV, Joe Scarborough, and a Monday Night Football analyst and co-anchor of the best sports show on TV are all talking about you. Can it get any better?


Hey man, I have been with ya all the way. Just look here or on Blogritics to see my weekly predictions.

While others have a problem accepting what is, I have successfully predicted each week that Ryan Seacrest would pronounce you safe. Who cares what Simon Cowell has to say about you (hey, you shut him up)? Or that Paula Abdul can’t seem to send out that love vibe for you? You are the man (da) dog, right Randy?

I will predict that once again this week Ryan Seacrest will pronounce, “Sanjaya, America has voted and you are safe”. Congratulations dog, you made the top nine. Maybe Randy will let you in the dog pound tonight.

You are a phenomenon, no doubt. The Fanjayanatics, the Teenyboppers, they can’t get enough of you and the love affair continues. When Larry King started talking about you on Larry King Live, I though it was really wild. In the last week, you have Joe Scarborough (Scarborough Country) talking about you. As smart as Joe is, you really have him confused, he just doesn’t get it. Not yet anyway. And now, I really have to congratulate you. None other than Tony Kornheiser of Pardon the Interruption (PTI) on ESPN is watching and digging your act. What say you Stat Boy (Tony Reali)?Sanjaya, the most credible man in America, Larry King, one of the brightest and most honest men on TV, Joe Scarborough, and a Monday Night Football analyst and co-anchor of the best sports show on TV are all talking about you. Can it get any better?

Okay, Sanjaya, here is my plea. Get back to the basics. Get the hair down and straightened or go with the curly look, but make it basic. Get dressed like the kid you are. Get into the middle of the stage. Let us hear your best effort. Get a Stevie Wonder or Lionel Ritchie song, something like that. Let the little girls have it. You gotta stay true to yourself, man, or you are “going home”. Forget the gimmicks.

It looks to me like Chris S. is going home this week. Dude, you gotta watch your weight, man. I thought you love your wife? Well, killing yourself is no way to show it.

In closing, here is my plea to America: send Hailey home next week. Sure she is really pleasing to look at and I admit I am enjoying it right along with you. But the sooner we send her home the sooner we get to see her in Playboy. Think about it.See ya all next week.

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge

CNBC Portfolio Challenge Bonus Bucks Answers for Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Which of the following is NOT a new feature of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Elite?

Which luxury retailer plans to expand into the Middle East?
Answer: Saks Fifth Avenue

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CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge

CNBC Portfolio Challenge Bonus Bucks Answers for Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Which telecom company signed an agreement with Wachovia to offer "mobile banking" through cell phones?
Answer: AT T
Which Asian stock market had its 5th record-breaking day Tuesday?
Answer: Shanghai Composite

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CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge

CNBC Portfolio Challenge Bonus Bucks Answers for Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Answer: ATT
Answer: Shanghai Composite

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge
CNBC Portfolio Challenge Bonus Bucks Answers for Monday, March 26, 2007

Answer: Intel
Answer: Steven Jobs, Apple


CNBC Portfolio Challenge Bonus Bucks Answers

Video Question: Which company announced plans to move high-level operations to China for the first time?

Answer: Intel

News Question: Barron's announced its list of top CEOs for 2006. Who was #1?
Answer: Steven Jobs, Apple

Fruit Smoothie Could Improve Thinking, Memory In Alzheimer's Patients

This article on the smoothie really caught my attention. Why? I drink one of those almost every day. Oddly, when I try to get my mother, the Alzheimer's patient, to drink one along with me she refuses.

A simple fruit smoothie could soon help improve thinking and memory in Alzheimer's patients.



Fruit Smoothie Could Improve Thinking, Memory In Alzheimer's Patients

St. Louis University is the only U.S test center to study whether the drink actually works. The beverage isn't a new drug, but a nutritional drink with a combination of vitamins, antioxidants and lipids that are consumed once a day. The smoothie comes in peach or cappuccino flavors.

Dr. Theodore Malmstrom is one of three researchers looking into what could soon be a very important weapon in the fight against Alzheimer's.

"There is increasing evidence that concentrated components of natural foods can improve memory so those components have been put in a drink and we are hopeful it will help," said Malmstrom.

The goal now is to get actual patients to test it out.

SLU researchers need at least 10 Alzheimer's patients to take part in the study. They are looking for people recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's, but not currently taking medications.

Patients will be divided in two groups. One group will get a daily supply of drinks with nutritional supplements. The other group will get a similar drink but without the nutritional additions.

Results of the 24-week study will hopefully end with good news.

"There is always great hope whenever you can have new research emerging. One of the Alzheimer's Associations mission (is) to fund research programs so we are very excited," said Stephanie Rohlfs-Young, the outreach director for the St. Louis Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

The risk of side effects from the drink are very minor compared to side effects from the five FDA-approved medications that treat Alzheimer's.

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge
CNBC Bonus Bucks Trivia Questions for March 22, 2007
News Question: When did the Federal Open Market Committee last raise the Federal Funds rate?
Answer: June 29,2006

Video Question: The Bank of China reported a jump in 2006 earnings. How much did they earn?
Answer: $5.5 Billion

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge

CNBC Bonus Bucks Trivia Questions for March 22, 2007
News Question: When did the Federal Open Market Committee last raise the Federal Funds rate?
Answer: June 29,2006

Video Question: The Bank of China reported a jump in 2006 earnings. How much did they earn?
Answer: $5.5 Billion

Prediction: Teenyboppers send American Idol Sanjaya Soaring into the Top Ten

Call them what you want: Fanjayanatics, Fanjayanista’s, or Teenyboppers it should be clear by now that America’s teenagers love Sanjaya. Little Ashley left little doubt that Ryan Seacrest will say these beautiful words to Sanjaya tonight, “America voted your Safe”.

If you are still unable to figure out what is happening then maybe Peter Noone hipped you in last night when he simply explained: it’s not a “singing” contest, it’s a “voting” contest. If you can’t accept this then all I can say is, “God Bless You.” Right, Simon?

Frankly, I am really getting tired of people knocking this kid. He emanates a pureness that is rare in today’s age. For me and millions of voters across the country this “purity” is what makes him so appealing. Is he a great singer, NO! He gets our vote anyway—baa humbug.

I admit that Sanjaya’s machinations on the floor and stage left a lot to be desired for many of the shows “purists”. But, at the end of the day his million dollar smile and the tears of Ashley let you know that he was sure to live another day. Like it or not.

It was odd that Simon somehow concluded exactly the opposite of what everyone was seeing. Did he really believe that little Ashley hated the performance? Is that possible? You tell me. One thing for sure, Sanjaya confuses Simon and did something no one else has been able to do—he left him silent.

The fans of Sanjaya proved the power of the vote by sending him on to the Tour where they will be able to express their adulation in person. Can they continue this trend as the season progresses? Only time will tell.

Our young people are learning one very good lesson in my opinion—the power of the ballot box. If nothing else they are learning that if you get up off your butt and vote for what you believe in, you can change the world. In the big scheme of things it won’t change much if Sanjaya continues on each week. Or will it?

It is a tough call tonight between Gina, Stephanie, or Phil as to who goes home. I’ll go with a lukewarm prediction of Stephanie.

Alzheimer's Factsheets: 2007 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures

The links provided below will take you to the factsheets and full report published by the Alzheimer's Association.

Quote Sheet (2 pages)

FactSheet (2 pages)

2007 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures (28 pages)

Alzheimer's Disease Rate Rises to More Than Five Million in the United States

Someone Develops Alzheimer's Every 72 Seconds, According To New Alzheimer's Association Report.

The Alzheimer’s Association today reports that in 2007 there are now more than 5 million people in the United States living with Alzheimer’s disease.

Read more about this topic at The Alzheimer's Reading Room

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge

CNBC Bonus Bucks Trivia Questions for March 20, 2007

News Question: The Bank of Japan kept interest rates unchanged this morning. What is the current rate?

Answer: .50%

Video Question: Which company has the largest number of employees serving in the military?


Answer: Wal-mart

CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge

CNBC Bonus Bucks Trivia Questions for March 19, 2007

News Question: China's central bank raised interest rates this weekend. How much was the hike?

Answer: .27%

Video Question: Abbot Group reported this morning that it will raise its dividend. By how much?

Answer: 10%

Don’t Disrespect American Idol Underdog Sanjaya

For several weeks now I correctly predicted that Sanjaya would continue on in his quest to become the next American Idol. It is amazing that a shy 17 year old could elicit such strong emotions from so many across the U. S. Love em or hate em, everyone has an opinion.


So let me ask you these simple questions. Have you ever been in the top eleven in anything important? Are you the kind of person that has the courage to go in and ask the boss for a well deserved raise? When you see that someone special that you want to talk to across the room or across the bar do you go over and talk to them or “clam” up? If you answered yes, congratulations you are Sanjaya-like. If you answered no, stop dissing my guy.

This young man, Sanjaya, by his own admission is shy. Gee, I guess most of us figured that out by now. It seemed from the way they cut the show at the beginning that he only went into the room to audition because he happened to be there with his sister. Next things he knows it’s off to Hollywood and now the elite eleven. We should be rejoicing in his success and seeing him as a young role model.

In the comments section of my previous article on BlogCritics, Long Live Sanjaya, American Idol Underdog, a young twelve year old named Terrie wrote that she is voting for Sanjaya because she read on his bio that he is shy. Being shy, herself, she is attracted to the young man and sees him the way he should be as a role model.

Now some people are trying to explain his success by pointing to Vote for the Worst.com. While I have no doubt that this helps, I am certain this accounts for only a tiny fraction of the votes he is receiving. The teenagers of America are keeping this young man alive.

We should cherish Sanjaya and accept that he is well liked around American. Maybe all those teenagers see something in this young man that we as adults cannot. Maybe they see a role model. Maybe they see someone aspiring to a dream. Or maybe they just don’t like the fact that so many are “dissing” him.

I’ll have my prediction out this week on Wednesday afternoon. I am happy to say I correctly predicted that Sanjaya was safe last week, and I also correctly predicted that Brandon would be the first of the top twelve to hit the dirt.



Is a major surprise in store in the next two weeks? The answer is yes, stay tuned.

CNBC Portfolio Challenge Bonus Bucks

CNBC's Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge
The Video Question: China's parliament passed a corporate income tax law in which all companies will pay a unified tax rate. What is the new tax rate?
Answer: 25%

Ameriprise Financial said it plans to buy back stock & increase it's dividend. Up to how much in stock does it plan to buy back?
Answer: $1 billion

Many Alzheimer's caregivers seek help in God

About a third of those who take care of loved ones with the disease feel 'more religious' because of their experiences, a new national study says.

'There is no minute in which the caregiver can afford not to be vigilant over the patient, and that makes for a very trying kind of challenge.'
— Dr. Jeffrey L. Cummings, founder and director of the UCLA Alzheimer's Disease Center


Source LA Times

By Tami Abdollah, Times Staff Writer
March 14, 2007

Each morning Frances Chavis sneaks out of her house for 6 a.m. prayer, hoping to get back before her husband wakes up.

Chavis, whose husband Lemuel, 72, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2003, spends her days as a "shadow" — watching over her husband and the house, making sure everything is done correctly — and, when she can, she naps.

And every morning, after about two hours in church in the Crenshaw area, she returns to her home with the motivation and strength to go on.

"I have to realize that when it's too hard for me," Chavis says, "it's just right for God."

A survey to be released today indicates that Chavis' experience is not unique. The study found that about one-third of people caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease felt "more religious" because of the experience. The study, which surveyed 650 adults nationwide, was conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.

The survey found that 36% of respondents, who identified themselves as religious or nonreligious, said they felt "more religious." This feeling was more pronounced among African American respondents, with 48% saying that's how they felt.

"When you're dealing with disease, sickness and tragedy, people get shaken out of their lethargy and begin to ask the ultimate questions," said Father Paul Kowalewski, rector of St. James' Episcopal Church in Los Angeles. "And when they do, they find God, or God's presence."

More than 4.5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative illness characterized by memory loss and disorientation, among other symptoms. Alzheimer's disease, more common in the elderly, worsens over roughly a 10-year period and is fatal.

There is no cure, and only "modestly successful" treatments exist, said Dr. Jeffrey L. Cummings, founder and director of the UCLA Alzheimer's Disease Center.

About 20 million Americans are caring for someone with Alzheimer's, according to the foundation. Most of the caregivers are family members, spouses or adult children.

Because caregivers bear heavy burdens — for example, the frustration of patients who frequently do not remember that they don't remember — they may die younger and can lapse into substance abuse and depression, Cummings said.

"It's been called, the '36-hour day,' " Cummings said. "Because there is no minute in which the caregiver can afford not to be vigilant over the patient, and that makes for a very trying kind of challenge."

Although Chavis was previously religious — she was raised a Baptist and attended church on Sundays — she said that after her husband's diagnosis, the church anchored her even more.

"I couldn't do it alone, and even though I was centered around God, I had to seek him even more, because it started to get more hectic, and there were no answers," she said.

For Chavis, 51, the anxiety and stress ultimately led to an ulcer that put her in the hospital for five days last November. She said that since then, she started attending the morning prayer at West Angeles Church of God in Christ.

Lemuel Chavis, a former Los Angeles elementary school principal, used to be upbeat, his intelligence obvious, his wife said. Married nearly 12 years ago — it's his third marriage and her first — they enjoyed taking short trips to San Diego or Palm Springs. Sometimes they went to the beach.

Many evenings, she said, he would read poetry to her, including "If" by Rudyard Kipling and "Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes. But still, a "tough guy," he rarely cried.

Now, Chavis said, she sees her husband reduced to tears a couple times a week, complaining of the "splitting" in his head or his inability to do something. Like caregivers for Alzheimer's patients all over, she watches helplessly. And so she pushed herself closer to God.

"Who would I turn to?" she said. "I've tried talking to my friends, I've tried having a cocktail or two, I've tried … thinking about other things…. And I know it's going to get worse."

The experience, Chavis said, has taught her to trust in God's ways. She recalled moments of prayer: "I would say, 'You made him, you made the universe, you have to help me. You know the answers, I don't.' "

Peter Hill, a psychology professor at the Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola University in La Mirada, said that for some people, facing a loved one with a terminal illness is what makes them aware of their own mortality. The experience causes them to search for meaning beyond themselves, for "a sense of transcendence," he said.

Sometimes spirituality can help caregivers deal with the dissonance between the person the caregiver once knew and the person who is before them, said Glen Milstein, an assistant professor of psychology at City College of New York.

"The real bottom line to all of this is that care-giving for persons with chronic illnesses is hard," Milstein said. "So you're going to use everything that will help you cope. What is it to mourn a living person? What is the ritual of mourning a living person? Where else but religion would the human go?"

In the United States, there are more than 260,000 religious communities — synagogues, parishes, mosques and other centers of worship — and about 80% of Americans affiliate themselves with a religious institution, Milstein said.

Chavis said she has found comfort and strength in her religious community, its prayers and hymns, particularly the song "The Battle Is Not Mine, It's the Lord's."

According to the Alzheimer's Foundation, the disease affects nearly 50% of those over age 85. By 2050, almost 16 million Americans are expected to have it.

"When it gets down to illness and you are facing the ultimate realities, you could have all the science in the world," said Kowalewski, the St. James rector. "But you're really facing humanity. There's an old saying, 'there's no atheists in the foxholes,' and it's sort of like that."


tami.abdollah@latimes.com

Lehman Brothers said robust trading and overseas expansion drove up first-quarter profit. How much did Q1 profit rise?

CNBC Portfolio Challenge Bonus Bucks

Answer: 5.6%

Representative Ed Markey introduced legislation this week that would increase fuel standards by how much each year?

CNBC Portfolio Challenge Bonus Bucks Answer

Answer: 4%

Fearless American Idol Prediction, Sanjay safe.....

The Sanjaya haters will need to wait at least one more week before rejoicing. Big props to Sanjaya for the permanent, great hair dude. And the dancing, uh, kewl.

It looks to me like Brandon is the one going home; that, is my prediction. However, I believe Haley should be going home for her butcher job on the lyrics last night. On the other hand, I admit as a red blooded American male you won't her any complaints from me. I won't mind looking at her for another week or two. If she can act she has a real future.

I'll predict right now that if he doesn't mess up next week he will stay with us once again. This means a real shocker when one of the more favored singers gets sent packing. The anals should be out in force after tonight's show.

Trouble identifying odors points to Alzheimer’s

One thing I noticed a long time ago was that my mother's sense of smell was gone. I am always looking for ways to take better care of myself and of course to detect any symptoms of Alzheimer's in myself and other members of my family. By now you might guess that I will be paying close attention to my ability to detect odors.

Dr. Robert S. Wilson told Reuters Health that difficulty identifying odors seems to be related the buildup of 'tangles' in the brain that appear early in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. “We found the correlation of difficulty identifying familiar odors with Alzheimer’s disease pathology even in people without dementia,” he added.


Go read the entire article at The Alzheimer's Reading Room Weblog: Trouble identifying odors points to Alzheimer’s

PiperJaffray says New Century (NEW) 'likely to liquidate'

You can read this comment at MarketWatch.

What Happened to the Italian Bread?

My mother can no longer cook an egg, but one thing she can still do is cook delicious spaghetti sauce. Go figure huh?


So today was the day to go to Mario’s in Delray Beach and pick up all the material for spaghetti sauce and meatballs. I may as well digress right here and mention the key to really delicious meatballs is a combination of hamburger, veal and pork all in the just right amounts. The good news, you can buy it already mixed at Mario’s.

They make fresh baked bread at Mario’s, so I went over to the bakery section to get an Italian Bread. The women told me they would be out in about five minutes. This caused an immediate Pavlovian response in my mouth. We waited and ended up with a nice hot, fresh, Italian bread in a paper bag. Yummy.

When we arrived home I divided up the giant Italian bread into three parts. One part was for tonight when we eat the ravioli with the sauce and meatballs.

As I was cooking the ravioli I looked for the Italian bread so that I could warm it up. I looked here and looked there and I finally even looked in the refrigerator. No Italian bread. Hmm. At this point my brain goes “boing” and I wonder to myself, did mom eat the Italian bread? So, I look in the garbage can and sure enough there is the empty wrapper I had placed it in.

Yes, she ate the whole thing. Fortunately, we also purchased a nice new rye bread and in this instance I can assure you something is better than nothing.

Also on, Caregiver the Book.

The CareGiver Blog

Robert T DeMarco

The Alzheimer's Reading Room

AllAmerican Senior Care Weblog

Senior CareElder CareCareGiver Alzheimer’sDementia CareGiver

Health and wellnessWeblog

Long Live Sanjaya, the American Idol Underdog

Hey, I don't mind admitting it, I watch American Idol. Frankly, I find the show uplifting. What could be better than watching young people reach for their dream--the American Dream. If nothing else you need to admire them for have the courage to go for it. It beats sitting on your butt dreaming about what you want.

And I'll tell ya what. I am a big fan of Sanjaya. That's right. The kid has a voice like Stevie Wonder.



The thing that interests me the most is the fact that every single person I know hates the kid and does not believe he deserves to be in the top twelve. Well guess what? Most of them have been paying off their weekly bets to me as the kid moves on.

They continually ask me what I see in Sanjaya? I honestly believe he has a "fantastic" voice. No he isn't a showman, nor does he have a big act. He looks like a deer in the headlights. But let's face it I am not the only one that sees something in the kid, America, or a slice of America believes in him.

Do I think he will make it much further? No, I don't. On the other hand, it won't surprise me if he goes another couple of weeks. One thing for sure, he is going to need to knock the cover off the ball if he intends to move on this week. Can he deliver the big big performance when he needs it? I for one am rooting for him.

I was sorry to see Sundance go. He is really terrific. But, sometimes they just don't seem to learn you gotta sing something popular. A tremendous rendition of a song none of us every heard of insures one thing--back you go to your day job. Right Constantino?

Exercise slows decline in Alzheimer's patients

I can attest, exercise makes a difference. My mother now has the tendency to sit around all day. On those days when I can get her to go to Gold's Gym with me she is a completely different person. The look on her face, from dull to smiling, is more than enough to tell me that exercise works to her benefit.

The article on the next page talks about the effects of exercising on Alzheimer's patients.

"Nursing home residents with Alzheimer's disease who participate in a moderate exercise program have a significantly slower deterioration than those who receive routine medical care, researchers have shown."



Exercise slows decline in Alzheimer's patients

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Nursing home residents with Alzheimer's disease who participate in a moderate exercise program have a significantly slower deterioration than those who receive routine medical care, researchers have shown.

Dr. Yves Rolland, of Hospital La Grave-Casselardit in Toulouse, France, and colleagues examined the effects of a program of exercise for one hour twice weekly on activities of daily living, physical performance, nutritional status, behavioral disturbance and depression among 134 Alzheimer's disease patients in nursing homes.

The patients were 83 years old on average. They were assigned to the exercise program, which focused on walking, strength, balance and flexibility training, or to routine medical care for 12 months.

As reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 110 participants completed the study. Among the 56 subjects in the exercise group who completed the study, the rate of adherence to the program was about 33 percent on average.

At the end of the 12 months, the average activities-of-daily-living score was significantly more improved in the exercise group than in the routine medical care group, Rolland's team reports.

In addition, average walking speed improved significantly more in the exercise group than in the routine medical care group at 6 months and 12 months.

However, the exercise program had no apparent effect on behavioral disturbance, depression or nutritional assessment scores.

ORIGINAL SOURCE: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, February 2007.

Selma Voting Rights March Commemoration

I'm here because somebody marched. I'm here because you all sacrificed for me. I stand on the shoulders of giants. I thank the Moses generation; but we've got to remember, now, that Joshua still had a job to do. As great as Moses was, despite all that he did, leading a people out of bondage, he didn't cross over the river to see the Promised Land. God told him your job is done. You'll see it. You'll be at the mountain top and you can see what I've promised. What I've promised to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. You will see that I've fulfilled that promise but you won't go there.


Read this speech in its entirety at the Clinton/Obama Weblog.

Hillary in Selma

Yes, that long march to freedom that began here has carried us a mighty long way. But we all know we have to finish the march. That is the call to our generation, to our young people. As a young girl, I had the great privilege of hearing Dr. King speak in Chicago. The year was 1963. My youth minister from our church took a few of us down on a cold January night to hear someone that we had read about, we had watched on television, we had seen with our own eyes from a distance, this phenomenon known as Dr. King.


Read this speech in its entirety at the Clinton/Obama Weblog.

Myriad Genetics Presents Additional Flurizan Phase 2 Study Data

Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN) (www.myriad.com) announced today that it presented additional results of its completed Phase 2 follow-on study of Flurizan™ in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease at the annual meeting of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP), held March 1-4, 2007 in New Orleans.

Read the release in its entirety at The Alzheimer's Reading Room Weblog

Siemens, Wyeth join on Alzheimer's deal

Molecular imaging is rapidly becoming an important element in the drug research and development process,' said Michael Reitermann, president of molecular imaging at Siemens Medical Solutions.

You can find the entire article at The Alzheimer's Reading Room Weblog

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF)

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), a biomedical venture philanthropy founded by the Estée Lauder family, and Elan Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a neuroscience-based biotechnology company, are pleased to announce the winners of their second annual research award program, Novel Approaches to Drug Discovery for Alzheimer's Disease. Six recipients were selected from a highly competitive pool of 32 scientists from 6 countries.




The award winners are: Yousef Al-Abed, PhD, Associate Investigator and Director at the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Research Institute; John Cashman, PhD, Executive Director and Founder of the Human Biomolecular Research Institute; Donald Porter, PhD, Senior Scientist at Senex Biotechnology, Inc.; Juan Sanchez-Ramos MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology at the University of South Florida; D. Martin Watterson, PhD, Professor at Northwestern University Medical School; and Michael S. Wolfe, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Center for Neurologic Diseases. The recipients were chosen by an independent scientific review panel of 10 experts chaired by ADDF Executive Director Howard Fillit, MD, a leading geriatrician and neuroscientist.

According to Dr. Fillit, "These awardees are conducting innovative research in Alzheimer's drug discovery. Their programs were recognized as most promising to advance the discovery of effective disease-modifying drugs for Alzheimer's. Thanks to our collaboration with Elan, we are delighted to present grant awards totaling $520,000 for this year's program."

The scientists received their awards at a recent luncheon held at the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco, CA. Ms. Nancy Cozine, ADDF President; and Dr. Lars Ekman, Elan Executive Vice President and President, Global R&D, welcomed an audience of over 35 distinguished guests to celebrate the second annual ADDF/Elan Alzheimer's Disease Drug Discovery Awards and to recognize the recipients. During the luncheon, Ms. Cozine and Dr. Ekman both commented on the importance of this program and the ongoing need to accelerate the discovery of effective drugs to conquer this devastating disease, which impacts one in ten individuals over age 65.

Dr. Ekman stated, "Elan's collaboration with the ADDF underscores our commitment to bringing new therapeutic options to Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers. We are dedicated to working together to make tangible progress in the fight against Alzheimer's. For that reason, we are proud to support the work of this year's award recipients."

For more information regarding this unique public charity-corporate alliance research program, contact Howard Fillit, MD, at 212-935-2402 or hfillit@alzdiscovery.org.

About the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF)

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) is the only public charity solely dedicated to rapidly accelerating the discovery and development of drugs to prevent, treat and cure Alzheimer's disease and cognitive aging. To date, we have awarded $27.3 million for 183 global research programs and conferences. For more information, visit www.AlzDiscovery.org.

About Elan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Elan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN). Elan is a neuroscience-based biotechnology company committed to making a difference in the lives of patients and their families by dedicating itself to bringing innovations in science to fill significant unmet medical needs that continue to exist around the world. Our effort to develop treatment alternatives for patients and caregivers suffering from Alzheimer's disease includes research programs focused on modifying or halting the progression of the disease. Two programs that are currently in clinical development are immunotherapeutic approaches, in partnership with Wyeth, and a small molecule program, in collaboration with Transition Therapeutics. For additional information about the company, please visit http://www.elan.com.

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AADDF Contact:
Suzanne Grossberg
Director of External Affairs
(212)901-8008
sgrossberg@alzdiscovery.org