By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

On Monday, Boston’s Logan Airport will be the first to use a new type of scanning machine.

With only three scanners, airport security staff will select passengers for random testing. For those who don’t want a scan, they can opt for a pat down.

The Department of Homeland Security plans to install 450 of the machines in airports across the nation during the next year.

Valued at $170,000, the scanners are X-rays machines that can see through what passengers are wearing to find illegal objects on or in their person, reports The Consumerist.

No information was included in the article on how much radiation these machines emit.

Until I find out more about emission levels, if I’m selected for a scan, I’ll choose a pat down instead.

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By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Buying drugs over the Internet is easy. You can conveniently fit it into your schedule easily, and comparing prices is

However, you could have big problems shopping for drug online.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers these tips to consider before you buy:

Benefits of buying drugs online

• It’s easier to get products. This is helpful for people who can’t leave their homes or live far from a drug store.

• You can go to many different sites to check out products and prices.

• You can ask a pharmacist questions in private.

Dangers of buying drugs online

Some Web sites:

• May not know the cause of your health problem. They could also give you the wrong medicine for your illness.

• Will sell you prescription drugs even if you don’t have a prescription. This is against the law.

• Don’t protect your private information, such as your credit card number.

Some medicines sold online:

• Are fake.

• Have things in them that are could hurt you.

• Are too strong or too weak.

• Are too old to work.

• Aren’t approved by the FDA.

• Aren’t made using safe standards.

• Aren’t safe to use with other medications or products you use.

• Aren’t labeled.

• Aren’t stored or shipped the right way.

FDA’s role

• The FDA approves all new drugs that are sold to people. The FDA and Federal Trade Commission make sure that what companies say about their products is true and legal. The FDA can take action against any sites that (1) make a false claim or (2) sell prescription drugs without a prescription.

• The FDA works with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and Federation of State Medical Boards to make sure companies follow U.S. and state laws.

How to buy drugs safely online

• Check for the VIPPS seal before using a Web site. It’s from the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site, a program that makes sure online drug stores are legal and honest.

• Don’t buy from sites that sell (1) prescription drugs to you even if you don’t have prescription or (2) products that aren’t approved by the FDA.

• Use sites that have a pharmacist to answer your questions online. Only buy from sites based in the U.S. It’s against the law to buy prescription drugs from other countries. It could also be unsafe.

• Go to your doctor or clinic before using any medicine for the first time.

• Don’t buy from sites that sell prescription drugs without a prescription.

• Don’t buy drugs that aren’t approved by the FDA.

• Check out Web sites with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy before buying.

• Report problems with online pharmacies to the FDA.

Following these recommendations from the FDA will help you avoid problems when buying drugs online.

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By Rita R. Robison, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Times are tough for many baby boomer consumers. Layoffs are high among older workers, and it takes them longer to find a job. In addition, due to revenue problems, many state governments are cutting programs that provide assistance to those in need.

On President’s Day, I had the opportunity to attend a rally at the State Capitol in Olympia, Wash., at which a coalition called Rebuilding Our Economic Future asked state lawmakers to increase state revenues. They want lawmakers to raise taxes and close loopholes, so that some of the $2.6 billion in cuts to essential services such as public education and health care can be restored. About 6,000 people attended.

Made up of education, health care, labor, environmental, and good government groups, coalition members carried signs that said “Kids not cuts,” “Protect our future,” “Fund core services,” “Love the earth,” “Health care for all,” “Save Our Safety Net,” “Yes on revenue,” “Stop health care cuts,” and “Fund financial aid.”

A dozen or so members of the Tea Party movement watched the rally from the steps of the Temple of Justice across from the Capitol Building. Their group, smaller in numbers, called for cuts in taxes at another rally earlier in the day.

What happening at the Legislature in your state?

The 10 states with the worst budget problems are Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Connecticut, Arizona, Nevada, Illinois, New York, Alaska, and New Jersey, according to ABC News/Money’s “Budget Nightmare: 10 Most Broke States.”

See “State Budget Shortfalls May Reach $180 Billion This Year” for details on what’s happening in states across the nation in these tough economic times.

Let your lawmakers know your needs during these challenging economic times.

To find out how to contact the Legislature in your state, use this list from the National Conference of State Legislatures.

To contact your governor, see this list of governors from the National Governors Association.

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By Rita R. Robison, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Controlling calories, especially after age 40, is the most important way to lose weight, according to recent research. About 1,600 calories is about right for optimal weight loss.

To rein in the extra calories and watch the weight drop off, Prevention offers these six tips based on recent research:

1. Trim down portion sizes at home.

2. Skip over-sweetened drinks.

3. Eat protein at every meal.

4. Start a meal with soup, but not the high-calorie, creamy-based types.

5. Drink vegetable juice.

6. Make your own snack packs.

See the article “Six Calorie Cutters to Fight Fat” for details on how to carry out these tips and what the research studies said about them.

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By Rita R. Robison, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Piles of snow. Torrents of rain. Freezing cold winter. Wind. Mudslides. Freezing rain. Sleet. Power outages.

When I wrote on Dec. 10 about preparing for winter , I thought it was a bit late in the season. But with severe winter storms unleashing their fury throughout the nation in January and February, my article was timely.

How are you doing in the winter weather? If you were caught in a snowstorm, did you have an emergency kit in your car? If the power went out, did you have enough supplies to keep you going for several days?

If you’re not prepared for an emergency, see the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s “Are You Ready? Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit” for information on organizing supplies for your home and car and at work.

Kiplinger’s “Your Essential Emergency Kit” offers these nine steps to protect you and your loved ones against natural and personal disaster:

1. Build your emergency fund.

2. Cover your assets.

3. Protect your livelihood.

4. Make your wishes known.

5. Safeguard important documents.

6. Have a grab-and-go survival kit.

7. Keep your car tuned – and gassed – up.

8. Stock up.

9. Get your family organized.

See the article for details.

Let me know how you’re doing in the winter storms. Leave a comment in the Comment section below.

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