Big Idea, Small Detail: Health, Money and Work

A few quick ways to deal with health, money and work changes.

From Reader's Digest

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	Big Idea	Small Detail
Health	Doctors may soon be able to predict and diagnose Alzheimer's disease with laser devices that scan optic nerves. Already used to monitor glaucoma, the instruments can detect the distinctive optic-nerve-disc shapes shared by Alzheimer's patients, reports New Scientist.	Multiyear studies at Harvard University and the University of Pittsburgh show that the drug memantine may have a valuable role in treating the disease. According to the Wall Street Journal, a drug cocktail of memantine plus older drugs may be key in slowing the effects of Alzheimer's.
Money	The transparency of federal spending is catching on at the state level. A site established to let Americans see where their federal money is going (usaspending.gov) is beginning to spawn state sites where tax-payers can monitor the money spent closer to home.	While politicians shore up the banking system, you can shore up your family finances. Start small: Buy up "forever" stamps at 42 cents before they rise to 44 cents on May 11. Maximize cell phone minutes and credit card rewards at billshrink.com. And see if your insurance company offers discounts for taking an online defensive-driving course. Our over-50 tester spent $19.95 and four hours to discount her bill $480.60 over the next three years.
Work	Bosses are getting battered. A Randstad study found that half of U.S. workers don't have confidence in the boss. No wonder: A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology reveals that people who speak up and have lots of ideas—good or bad—win followers, even though they're not more competent, Time reports.	Ready for a change? Consider brushing up on tech skills by visiting Microsoft's new Elevate America program, with online training that's free or low-cost. Academicearth.org has free online video courses in 17 subjects (including entrepreneurship) taught by top professors from Berkeley, Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Stanford, and MIT.