THEBESTADVICE
HOW DOES
PRICE ASSURANCE
WORK, EXACTLY?
1
Book your flight
Book your travel the
way you always do.
Orbitz will automatically
start tracking to see if
another customer books
the same flight for less.
2
Airfare drops
If a customer does book
a cheaper flight than
you, we’ll send you a
check for the difference.
Automatically.
3
Get your check
Ameritrade, for example. Here are four
more ways to avoid falling prey to a Ponzi.
Determine who does his audits. The SEC
requires investment advisors to undergo
a surprise audit each year, preferably by
one of the Big Three accounting firms.
Unscrupulous advisors like Madoff use their
own accountants.
Diversify. Never invest all of your money
with one manager or fund. Many of Madoff’s
investors didn’t heed this maxim, and they
paid with their investment portfolios.
Steer clear of “funds of funds.” Instead
of stocks, these funds invest in other
mutual funds. If one of those other funds
is run by a graduate of the Ponzi school of
management, you’re screwed.
Remember Wall Street’s golden rule. If
it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Madoff was supposedly reporting returns of
1 percent a month when the S&P 500 lost
38 percent over the course of a year. That
kind of good fortune should fail anyone’s
smell test. BILL STRAND
Strand is a wealth manager with Asset
Strategy Consultants, in Minnesota
FATHERHOOD
A boy called my 9-
year-old daughter
a whore. How can I
help her handle it?
First, make sure you have your own
instinctual, protective anger under control.
Most 9-year-old boys know that the word
whore is an insult, but few know what it
means. In their minds, it’s no different than
calling someone a “poop head.” Your sense
of calm and understanding will influence
your daughter’s peace of mind as you
address her concerns. Here’s how.
Define it for her. If your daughter asks what
a whore is, say, “It’s a girl or woman who
doesn’t act like a respectable lady.” (If she
asks what “respectable” is, explain that it
means acting in a modest way.) Tell her that
the boy was trying to make her feel bad, but
that he should feel bad because he was not
behaving nicely.
Ask how she feels. If she already knows
what a whore is, ask her how she feels
about the name-calling. The sticks-and-
stones-may-break-my-bones mantra
doesn’t apply here; you need to validate
her hurt feelings, which will evaporate
once she airs them. Next, find out how
she responded. If she called him a name
in return, say, “You got him back. You’re
even. But next time, just feel sorry for him,
because he doesn’t know what he’s saying.”
Offer to help. You’re your daughter’s knight
in shining armor, and she might ask you to
make it all better. If it’s a first-time offense,
suggest that you give the boy another
chance. If he’s a repeat offender, talk to the
boy’s teacher and ask him or her to keep
an eye out for further teasing. If that doesn’t
work, meet with the principal and ask about
contacting the boy’s parents.
SARAH CHANA RADCLIFFE
Radcliffe is a psychologist in Toronto and
the author of Raise Your Kids Without Raising
Your Voice.
Your check will arrive
about 30 days after
your trip. No need to
call, email or fill out any
forms. Saving money
doesn’t get any easier
than that.
NUTRITION
James O. Hill, PhD
Hill is the director
of the Center for
Human Nutrition
at the University
of Colorado and
cofounder of America
on the Move, a
national weight-gain-prevention initiative.
orbitz.com
THE BEST ADVISORS Write to bestadvice@rodale.com.
Want the best advice for your most pressing concerns?
DENTISTRY WELLNESS
Steven M. Steven Lamm, MD
Butensky, DDS Dr. Lamm is a
Dr. Butensky is
professor of medicine
the director of
at New York University
aesthetic dentistry at
Medical Center and
New York University
the author of The
Hardness Factor.
College of Dentistry.
MARRIAGE AND
FAMILY COUNSELING
Scott Haltzman, MD
Dr. Haltzman is a
clinical assistant
professor of psychiatry
and human behavior
at Brown University
and the author of The
Secrets of Happily
Married Men.
FITNESS
Mark Verstegen
Verstegen is
the founder and
chairman of Athletes’
Performance
elite performance
training centers
and the author of
Core Performance.
WEIGHT LOSS
Cynthia Sass
Sass is a registered
dietitian, board-
certified in sports
dietetics, and coauthor
of Flat Belly Diet!
SEX AND
RELATIONSHIPS
Lori Buckley, PsyD
Buckley is a clinical
psychologist who
specializes in
couples, relationship,
and sex therapy in
Pasadena, California.
BRAIN HEALTH
P. Murali
Doraiswamy, MD
Dr. Doraiswamy
is the chief of
biological psychiatry
at Duke University
and coauthor of
The Alzheimer’s
Action Plan.
