Eli Broad:Focused Philanthropist

Eli Broad,founder of SunAmerica and co-founder,with Kaufman,of KB Home,has found in University of California Los Angeles an institution that unites his interests in the visual arts,medical science and public education.To Mr.Broad's mind,UCLA is inextricably linked with Los Angeles.Which came first,UCLA or Los Angeles? Actually,Mr. Broad says,he has no idea.They're stuck together,co-dependent,inseparable.Why don't we just count our blessings,the businessman asks?
Everywhere you look at UCLA,Mr.Broad observes-engineering,architecture,law,performing arts,the B-school,the college-you're watching public education at its finest.You can witness the multiplication of knowledge.You can feel the engine operating at full throttle.You know you're at the center of gravity of this city,Mr.Broad stated.

Health Uncle:Maintaining Your Brain

There are three main types of exercise that are important to brain health.According to the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health,physical activity is one type of exercise that preserves brain function.It can be any kind of exercise,from gardening and janitorial work,to running or walking.As long as you aren't lounging in a bed or chair,you are helping your brain.
The second main category of useful brain exercise is intellectual.Puzzles of any sort are beneficial.If you are solving problems,evaluating,critically thinking in any way,you are maximizing cerebral longevity.
The third sort of good brain workout is social interaction.Whether in person,on the phone or online,dealing with others is an effective cognitive stimulant.Thought and memory begin to suffer if the brain is neglected for very long.The effects of age on the brain will be more acute without brain workouts,the University of Wisconsin researchers believe.

PE Firms Shopping Around

A consortium of private equity firms,including W.L. Ross and Company and The Blackstone Group,L.P. has taken over Bank United FSB,which was closed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.The FDIC will share the risk of the bank's troubled assets with the consortium.It is the first of several such deals the consortium is interested in.Bank United has 86 branches,served by 1,000 employees.The deal will cost the FDIC 4.9 billion dollars.Bank United will now be led by former North Fork Bank CEO John Kanas.

The End or Beginning

The cost of credit has started to ease,Mr.Geithner informed the U.S. Senate.Businesses are finding it easier to raise money in the capital markets.This is all welcome news,but I want to emphasize this is just the beginning.We still face a prolonged repair and adjustment.The combined effect of the programs will help.We're working very closely with the Small Business Administration.Refinancing of commercial real estate is a major challenge.The best thing we can do is 1.provide capital where it is necessary;and 2.have the Federal Reserve extend lending to Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities,or CMBS.These are two very important steps to take.
About half the AIG risk has been taken down.To be fair,the management of this firm is finding it incredibly difficult to disentangle the businesses.Our options were substantially constrained by the complexities of this firm,Tim Geithner pointed out.Wearing a charcoal suit,white shirt and blue striped tie,the Treasury Secretary maintained his composure and seriousness through the intense exchanges with the demanding senators.

How Things Have Changed

Concern about systemic risk has started to diminish,Mr.Geithner told the Senate Banking Committee,and there are signs that credit conditions have improved,but we still have a long way to go.The economy is still shrinking;the system is still damaged.We're gonna do no more than what it takes to fix the system.Leverage has declined;banks are funding themselves more conservatively.The vast majority of banks have more than enough to be well-capitalized.Restoring lending in the commercial real estate market is critical.Treasury will pick fund managers for the Public-Private Investment Partnership,or PPIP,in the next several weeks.Treasury still has 123.7 billion in Troubled Asset Recovery Program,or TARP, funds available.

Geithner Briefs Senate Panel

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has been briefing the Senate Banking Committee on the current situation.We are looking at ways to get more capital into community banks,he said.Unless we are prepared to contemplate the risk to the system of default by AIG,we have no choice but to fund it.I believe what Congress did at that point was absolutely essential.The bleeding has slowed substantially from the height of the financial crisis.It will take longer than a year for the government to exit AIG.
Demand for credit is falling as businesses repair their balance sheets,Mr.Geithner observed.The expansion of the Targeted Asset-backed securities Loan Facility,or TALF,to a wider range of securities will help repair capital markets.The government has unwound about half its risk from AIG financial products.The demand for credit is greater than what looks like the available supply.We have somewhat north of 100 billion of capital to get credit flowing again.We've got a pretty effective series of programs in place,but they're just getting started,and we have to keep at it,Mr.Geithner admitted.

Health Uncle:Pistachios Beneficial

Pistachio nuts may be helpful in lowering LDL cholesterol by up to 12%.The Penn State study shows that one or two handfuls a day may be effective.Besides being linked to lower cholesterol,the nuts are high in fiber and cell-protecting anti-oxidants.A 100 calorie serving of pistachios amounts to about 30 nuts.
When you've eaten your nuts,consider flossing or rinsing to prevent gum disease.Gum disease is associated with a number of other chronic diseases,from heart conditions to oral and lung cancers.Particles of food stuck on or between the teeth attract the bacteria that eventually infect your gums.More than 75% of Americans suffer from some stage of gum disease.