This is a fun one, as discussed on radio with the very gracious Wags & Elliot on Ohio's WLVQ FM last week & in on KVIL-FM in Dallas today with Gene & Julie ... Picture this: You're at one of 1700 restaurants nationwide, one of the 36,000 item menus listed has a "healthy heart" next to it. To be clear, it often has NOTHING to do with calories. If you're an old-fashion believer in calories in & calories out (simple math), this new online mobile tool may be for you.

Have tested it all week & the instant results are truly instant. They call it, "Nutrition on the GO." I call it avoid crazy mistakes ... You send text message to Diet1 (34381) -- same drill as voting on American Idol. You type in the menu item (e.g, Subway 6 inch tuna sub ...) They text you right back with key -- & frankly staggering stats -- 530 calories (imagine when you have 12 inch!); carbs 45g: protein 22g; fat 31g. Then, you can make an educated call. I'm swearing of them. Am a 6-12" veggie girl ... Not that it's anything to brag about!

Was away with my extended family this weekend. Am embarrassed to say, they've all done a better job of "going green" vs our home. This Neutron Battery-Powered "smart" mower might help get us over the hump, especially -- as they wisely point out -- 17 million gallons of gas are SPILLED every year by people filling or TRYING to fill their mowers. A "smart" tractor & we're in ...

Other items in this DESIGN WITHIN REACH catalog also amazing. Related Blog: Green Daily

WATCH THIS. Some of the numbers will floor you .... Did you know ...

As discussed with Gordon Deal on WSJ Radio, this video is -- well -- familiar;) Major notes to self ....

FULL BLOG POSTING HERE

Am all about more buttoned up personal finance these days. You too? It's the #1 story request am getting, so will be covering a lot upcoming, including on TODAY SHOW. Have noticed there's tons of related advertising & PSAs from the impressive Ad Council. This particular site/campaign caught my eye ... How could it not with a name like Feed the Pig?


There's some clever & revealing calculators re: how much you'll save if you bring your lunch to work. If you spend $6.50 a day (my daily soup & salad rings in even higher) vs bringing your lunch (estimated at approx $3.00), you'd save a whopping $3,793 over 4 years assuming a 6% expected rate of return.

At least I make my own coffee:) Apparently, many folks drink the equivalent of a wide screen TV every year. WOW.

RELATED SITE: 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy, Wallet Pop

GroundHog.org is the official site of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, where it's seemingly Groundhog Day 365 days a year. But each February 2, Punxsutawney Phil comes out of his burrow on Gobbler's Knob - in front of thousands of followers from all over the world - to predict the weather for the rest of winter. According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.


According to the groundhog.org, Punxsutawney Phil makes his annual prediction in "Groundhogese," a language only understood by members of the Ground Hog's Inner Circle ... They're the guys in the tuxes and top hats.

Watch Phil's Prediction on Live Webcast
You can watch Punxsutawney Phil make his prediction live on the Web, beginning at 7am (EST) by clicking here.

Log on to groundhog.org for more about the evolution of Groundhog Day and the legend of Punxsutawney Phil ... You can even become an official card carrying member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

A new social-networking site is stirring up a bit of nostalgia in cyberspace. WereYouThere gives you a place to share memories of common experiences – from major events in history like Man Landing on the Moon, 9/11 or the assignation of JFK ... to lighter times like "Beatlemania," or Fashion Fads of the 70's. You can liven up your memories with photos and video and share them with friends and generations to come. This weekend my youngest son asked: "Mom, did you know any pilgrims when you were little?" He probably thinks I could really contribute to this site ... :) ENJOY.

Many of you may have heard me talk about www.blackvoices.com on the radio. Well-organized, thoughtful & timely, the editorial content provides a refreshing forum. Sometimes I visit the site, just to get a broader take on issues in the news. There's also some pretty eye-opening polls & no shortage of comments on hot-button issues. Today there's a social feature on Martin Luther King Jr. It's beautifully done & a few minutes on this impressive site, really helps serve as a reminder of his impact. You can read & listen to his speech. Now, in the era of online video, you can even watch it on-demand. Pull a chair over & let the kids see ...

If quitting smoking is tops on your - or that of someone you know & love -- list of New Year's resolutions, QuitNet.com, home of the world's largest smoking cessation support community, is worth a click. The free site operates in association with the Boston University School of Public Health and offers expert advice from counselor, as well as tools for developing a "personalized quit plan." So, if the patch and the pill aren't cutting it, consider giving the mouse a try & hats off to all the people already participating who have collectively saved millions of dollars & increased their projected lifespan by thousands of years.

For those looking for an edge in playing the stock market, tracking investments or planning for retirement, AOL's new Money & Finance site (online at money.aol.com), is worth checking out. Visitors to the site gain access to real-time headlines from more than 3,000 hand-picked sources ... information that until now was only available to professionals on Wall Street. The site also features analysts recommendations, stock prices that update automatically and "heat indicators" that alert users when a stock is driving news coverage.

The recently launched www.disaboom.com is the brainchild of a Dr J. Glen House who graduated from medial school after a skiing accident left him quadriplegic. The concept is getting rave reviews.

Yes, you read it right. This week on the radio, we're talking about one of the most intriguing videos you'll find at Truveo.com. The Household Hacker actually demonstrates how you can charge an iPod with an onion & electrolytes from Gatorade. A lot of people COMMENTING.

Wondering what you can do in your everyday life to help the planet? Check out Green Daily. It's an earth-friendly blog with an adorable logo covering all aspects of green living from tips to product reviews, news & more. What's more green friendly -- hand-washing or dishwasher? Find out here ...

A dear friend brought this site www.me4kidz.com to our attention & am so glad. If ever there was a night to have a ready-to-go, fully-loaded safety kit at home & in your car, it was probably last night. Then again, if you have my son, it's everyday & night.

Developed by a female-owned & family-operated business & made in the USA, they're widely available nationwide. Just type in your zip code to find out where. In our area, they're available at Target, Toys R Us, etc.

"Clean it, Fix it, Back to Play" is their motto. I hear ya, sister;) Useful FAQ here, including how to order in bulk.

This is clever & getting a lot of buzz ... They've even got one for pets. Now, you're ALL covered.