A home equity loan (sometimes abbreviated HEL) is a type of loan in which the borrower uses the equity in their home as collateral. These loans are sometimes useful to help finance major home repairs, medical bills or college education. A home equity loan creates a lien against the borrower's house, and reduces actual home equity.
Home equity loans are most commonly second position liens (second trust deed), although they can be held in first or, less commonly, third position. Most home equity loans require good to excellent credit history, and reasonable loan-to-value and combined loan-to-value ratios. Home equity loans come in two types, closed end and open end.
Both are usually referred to as second mortgages, because they are secured against the value of the property, just like a traditional mortgage. Home equity loans and lines of credit are usually, but not always, for a shorter term than first mortgages. In the United States, it is sometimes possible to deduct home equity loan interest on one's personal income taxes.
There is a specific difference between a home equity loan and a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC). A HELOC is a line of revolving credit with an adjustable interest rate whereas a home equity loan is a one time lump-sum loan, often with a fixed interest rate.
via [encyclopedia]
The term cloning is used by scientists to describe many different processes that involve making duplicates of biological material. In most cases, isolated genes or cells are duplicated for scientific study, and no new animal results. The experiment that led to the cloning of Dolly the sheep in 1997 was different: It used a cloning technique called somatic cell nuclear transfer and resulted in an animal that was a genetic twin -- although delayed in time -- of an adult sheep. This technique can also be used to produce an embryo from which cells called embryonic stem (ES) cells could be extracted to use in research into potential therapies for a wide variety of diseases.
Thus, in the past five years, much of the scientific and ethical debate about somatic cell nuclear transfer has focused on its two potential applications: 1) for reproductive purposes, i.e., to produce a child, or 2) for producing a source of ES cells for research.
Cloning for Reproductive Purposes
The technique of transferring a nucleus from a somatic cell into an egg that produced Dolly was an extension of experiments that had been ongoing for over 40 years. In the simplest terms, the technique used to produce Dolly the sheep - somatic cell nuclear transplantation cloning - involves removing the nucleus of an egg and replacing it with the diploid nucleus of a somatic cell. Unlike sexual reproduction, during which a new organism is formed when the genetic material of the egg and sperm fuse, in nuclear transplantation cloning there is a single genetic "parent." This technique also differs from previous cloning techniques because it does not involve an existing embryo. Dolly is different because she is not genetically unique; when born she was genetically identical to an existing six-year-old ewe. Although the birth of Dolly was lauded as a success, in fact, the procedure has not been perfected and it is not yet clear whether Dolly will remain healthy or whether she is already experiencing subtle problems that might lead to serious diseases. Thus, the prospect of applying this technique in humans is troubling for scientific and safety reasons in addition to a variety of ethical reasons related to our ideas about the natural ordering of family and successive generations.
Scientific Uncertainties
Several important concerns remain about the science and safety of nuclear transfer cloning using adult cells as the source of nuclei. To date, five mammalian species -- sheep, cattle, pigs, goats, and mice -- have been used extensively in reproductive cloning studies. Data from these experiments illustrate the problems involved. Typically, very few cloning attempts are successful. Many cloned animals die in utero, even at late stages or soon after birth, and those that survive frequently exhibit severe birth defects. In addition, female animals carrying cloned fetuses may face serious risks, including death from cloning-related complications.
An additional concern focuses on whether cellular aging will affect the ability of somatic cell nuclei to program normal development. As somatic cells divide they progressively age, and there is normally a defined number of cell divisions that can occur before senescence. Thus, the health effects for the resulting liveborn, having been created with an "aged" nucleus, are unknown. Recently it was reported that Dolly has arthritis, although it is not yet clear whether the five-and-a-half-year-old sheep is suffering from the condition as a result of the cloning process. And, scientists in Tokyo have shown that cloned mice die significantly earlier than those that are naturally conceived, raising an additional concern that the mutations that accumulate in somatic cells might affect nuclear transfer efficiency and lead to cancer and other diseases in offspring. Researchers working with clones of a Holstein cow say genetic programming errors may explain why so many cloned animals die, either as fetuses or newborns.
Ethical Concerns
The announcement of Dolly sparked widespread speculation about a human child being created using somatic cell nuclear transfer. Much of the perceived fear that greeted this announcement centered on the misperception that a child or many children could be produced who would be identical to an already existing person. This fear is based on the idea of "genetic determinism" -- that genes alone determine all aspects of an individual -- and reflects the belief that a person's genes bear a simple relationship to the physical and psychological traits that compose that individual. Although genes play an essential role in the formation of physical and behavioral characteristics, each individual is, in fact, the result of a complex interaction between his or her genes and the environment within which he or she develops. Nonetheless, many of the concerns about cloning have focused on issues related to "playing God," interfering with the natural order of life, and somehow robbing a future individual of the right to a unique identity.
Policy and Regulation
Several groups have concluded that reproductive cloning of human beings creates ethical and scientific risks that society should not tolerate. In 1997, the National Bioethics Advisory Commission recommended that it was morally unacceptable to attempt to create a child using somatic cell nuclear transfer cloning and suggested that a moratorium be imposed until safety of this technique could be assessed. The commission also cautioned against preempting the use of cloning technology for purposes unrelated to producing a liveborn child.
Similarly, in 2001 the National Academy of Sciences issued a report stating that the United States should ban human reproductive cloning aimed at creating a child because experience with reproductive cloning in animals suggests that the process would be dangerous for the woman, the fetus, and the newborn, and would likely fail. The report recommended that the proposed ban on human cloning should be reviewed within five years, but that it should be reconsidered "only if a new scientific review indicates that the procedures are likely to be safe and effective, and if a broad national dialogue on societal, religious and ethical issues suggests that reconsideration is warranted." The panel concluded that the scientific and medical considerations that justify a ban on human reproductive cloning at this time do not apply to nuclear transplantation to produce stem cells. Several other scientific and medical groups also have stated their opposition to the use of cloning for the purpose of producing a child.
via [genome]
The amount recovered in a mesothelioma settlement is dependant on a number of factors, including the state in which you are filing suit.
Presented below are jury verdicts and the mesothelioma settlement amounts the victims were awarded. These cases were handled by various law firms across the country. The settlement amounts below do not guarantee that you or your family will receive the same. You could receive more. You could receive less. Every case is different.
Mesothelioma Settlement Amounts
$20 Million Dollar Mesothelioma Settlement
A 42 year-old Southern California woman was exposed to asbestos-filled flooring for 18 years. The company was also found guilty of malice and fraud.The jury awarded the woman $20 Million plus punitive damages.
$2 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
A 69 year old gentleman was diagnosed with asbestosis as a result of his exposure to asbestos as a self-employed contractor. The jury found the defendant liable because of his exposure to its joint compound product.
$11.5 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
A Northern California man was awarded this settlement as a result of his mesothelioma that was caused by exposure to asbestos. The breakdown of the settlement reveals $500,000 in economic damages and $6,000,000 for pain, suffering and other non-economic damages. His wife and the second plaintiff in the case was awarded $5,000,000 for the loss of her husband's consortium and companionship caused by his mesothelioma.
$18 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
A gentleman developed asbestosis as a result of his 30-year career as a laborer at a copper smelter. The jury found the defendant responsible for his asbestos-related disease, and awarded him $3 million in compensatory damages and $15 million in punitive damages. On appeal, compensatory damages award was confirmed, but punitive damages award was reversed.
$9.25 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
Two men - one an iron worker and the other a pipefitter and insulator - who developed mesothelioma as a result of their exposure to asbestos at a refinery and other industrial sites. The jury found the defendant and others liable and awarded $9.25 million in combined damages to the victims' families. Appeal is pending.
$20.5 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
A jury awarded this amount to a Northern California man who contracted mesothelioma.
$1.5 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
An individual who developed mesothelioma as a result of his exposure to asbestos-containing products he bought at a department store in the 1950s, was awarded $1.5 million in damages by a New York jury. Judgment was affirmed on appeal.
$17.035 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
Less than a week after a Tyler, Texas jury awarded over $9 million to eight of their co-workers, a Dallas, Texas jury awarded $17.035 million to seven foundry workers who developed asbestosis as a result of their exposure to asbestos at the foundry where they worked. The jury found that the defendant failed to provide a safe work place to these gentlemen, and that their hazardous work conditions resulted in the development of their asbestos-related diseases. Final judgment is pending.
$6.5 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
In a rare case, a jury awarded a Northern California woman this amount because of the mesothelioma she contracted as a result of exposure to asbestos fibers as a child. The fibers came from her parents' clothing. Her parents worked at a shipyard in South San Francisco in the 1940's.
$6.3 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
During his working career, a custodian was exposed to asbestos-containing products during the construction and remodeling of three school buildings. He developed malignant mesothelioma as a result of his exposure to asbestos and died at the age of 60. Following a two-week trial, a verdict of $6.3 million against the defendants was reached.
$4.2 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
This man was exposed to the defendant's asbestos products while serving in the US Navy. The jury in Northern California found that the products were a cause of his mesothelioma, and they returned a verdict in the amount of $4,245,763.
$1 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
An auto mechanic, developed asbestosis as a result of his exposure to asbestos, including asbestos-containing clutch facings manufactured by the defendant. The jury found the defendant liable for his disease, and awarded $800,000 in compensatory damages and $200,000 in punitive damages. The case was affirmed on appeal.
$9.35 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
A longshoreman and an employee of the defendant company, were exposed to asbestos-containing products while on the job. One died of mesothelioma at the age of 63; the other, age 69 at time of trial, suffers from asbestosis. The jury found that a fireproofing product was a cause of these gentlemen's diseases and awarded a total of $6 million and $3,350,000 respectively. Both cases settled shortly after the verdict.
$1.704 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
A laborer, age 61 at the time of trial, developed mesothelioma as a result of his exposure to asbestos while working as a laborer and fork lift driver for a corrugated box manufacturer in the Dallas, Texas area. As part of his treatment for the disease, he had a lung and half of his diaphragm removed. The jury awarded this gentleman and his wife a total of $1,704,000 in damages. Trial defendant settled the case shortly after trial.
$3.5 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
A mechanic for the defendant in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was exposed to fireproofing spray on the job between 1970 and 1972. He developed mesothelioma as a result of his exposure to asbestos. The jury found the manufacturer liable to this gentleman and his wife and awarded $1.75 million to him and $1.75 million to his wife for her loss of consortium. The case settled shortly after verdict.
$1.8 Million Mesothelioma Settlement
Two shipyard workers in this trial against the defendant company. One developed mesothelioma as a result of his exposure to asbestos at the shipyards; the other developed asbestosis. The jury awarded a total verdict to these gentlemen and their wives in the amount of $1.8 million, which was affirmed on appeal. The defendant eventually paid the amount on the bond pending writ.
The content of this post has not been prepared or endorsed by any physicians or other licensed medical or legal professionals. Nothing on this post should be taken as medical or legal advice. The purpose of this post is to provide victims and their loved ones with useful information and access to other resources.
Mesothelioma victims are encouraged to consult with their physician for medical advice and with a mesothelioma attorney for legal advice.
The Brandi Law Firm has extensive experience in drug litigation. Thomas Brandi has over 30 years of trial experience 
successfully taking on defective drug companies on behalf of injured people. He has successfully represented clients injured from numerous drugs and devices including Rezulin, Phen-fen, L Tryptophan, Felbatol, breast implants, and the Dalkon Shield IUD. The Brandi Law Firm has a team of attorneys, investigators, doctors and nurses investigating Vioxx cases.
Currently Mr. Brandi serves on the Plaintiff's Management Committee in the California Vioxx Litigation, and he serves on the MDL Science and Discovery Committee in the national Vioxx litigation.
If we represent you, Mr. Brandi will be your trial attorney. On November 13, 2004 Mr. Brandi was named Trial Lawyer of the Year for the State of California by the Consumers Attorneys of California. He has been a finalist for Trial Lawyer of the Year for the Trial Lawyers of Public Justice (2004), Consumer Attorneys of California (2002) and San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (1999, 2001). If you consult with any counsel, you should ask who will be working on your case, and if the case goes to trial, the identity of the trial attorneys and their courtroom trial experience.
WHAT IS VIOXX?
The prescription drug Vioxx, manufactured by Merck & Co., is a prescription COX-2 selective, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that was approved by the FDA in May 1999 for the relief of the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis, for the management of acute pain in adults, and for the treatment of menstrual symptoms. Vioxx was later approved for the relief of the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in adults and children. It became a widely prescribed medication for the relief of pain caused by arthritis.
WHY WAS VIOXX WITHDRAWN FROM THE MARKETPLACE?
The FDA was informed by Merck & Co., on September 27, 2004, that the Data Safety Monitoring Board for an ongoing long-term study of Vioxx (APPROVe) had recommended that the study be stopped early for safety reasons. The study was being conducted in patients at risk for developing recurrent colon polyps. The study showed an increased risk of cardiovascular events (including heart attack and stroke) in patients on Vioxx compared to placebo, particularly those who had been taking the drug for longer than 18 months. Based on this new safety information, Merck and FDA officials met the next day, September 28, 2004, and during that meeting the FDA was informed that Merck was voluntarily withdrawing Vioxx from the market place.
WHY WOULD I NEED AN ATTORNEY?
If you or your loved one suffered a "cardiovascular event" (including heart attack and stroke) while taking Vioxx, there may be a causal link between the two. If Vioxx caused the event, you are entitled to seek financial relief under personal injury and defective product liability laws.
At The Brandi Law Firm, their defective drug litigation attorney has extensive experience representing victims of injuries and people who have lost loved ones as a result of defective medication. If you think you may have suffered an injury or lost a loved one as a result of taking Vioxx, contact them immediately. They will schedule a FREE CONSULTATION where you will meet with a knowledgeable defective drug lawyer.
from [brandlaw]
Selecting a drug rehab center is one of the most important 
and difficult decisions you will make in your lifetime. Few of us know what to look for in a quality rehab program and not all drug rehabilitation centers are alike. Each drug rehab has its own program options, staff qualifications, credentials, cost, and effectiveness.
Asking appropriate questions when you call a drug rehab for information is important and you should expect to receive clear answers.
Before you make any decisions-ask questions and get the facts!
Does the drug rehab offer a variety of programs?
Alcohol and drug addiction are diseases that progress through predictable stages. It takes a trained health professional, often a doctor specializing in addiction medicine, to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the most appropriate treatment, whether it be outpatient counseling or an inpatient alchol and drug rehab.
A drug rehabilitation treatment center should offer a variety of treatment programs that meet individual needs. Programs may include inpatient, residential, outpatient, and/or short-stay options.
The difference between inpatient and a residential treatment center is that inpatient services are provided by a licensed hospital, while residential programs usually do not meet the same rigorous standards of medical care.
The length of stay depends on the severity and stage of the disease.
How much does a drug rehab center cost?
"How much does it cost?" is often one of the first questions asked when someone calls a drug rehab program.
The price tag for drug rehab treatment depends on the type of rehab you choose. You need to know what is included, what will be added to your bill as a fee-for-service program, and what services your health insurance will cover. This makes it extremely difficult to compare prices by simply asking the question - "What does rehab cost?" The best way to find out the range of costs for rehab is to talk to an intake advisor. You can discuss your insurance coverage or your financial concerns and they will help you narrow down your choices to what best meets your needs in the most affordable way.
If you are seeking the best value for your treatment dollar, remember: Price can be meaningful only in the context of quality and performance.
Also remember that the cost of drug addiction and alcoholism, if not treated, can far exceed the cost of treatment.
Is the drug rehab treatment program medically based?
There is an advantage to including on-site medical care in a Drug Rehab. Physicians and nurses provide 24-hour hospital services to monitor and ensure a safe withdrawal from alcohol and other drugs. In addition, a medical staff specializing in addiction medicine can oversee the progress of each individual and make necessary adjustments to the treatment plan.
Medical credentials and accreditation can also be important. For example, a chemical dependency Drug Rehab that earns JCAHO accreditation (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) meets national standards for providing quality medical care. Appropriate state licensing is also an important consideration.
Be sure to ask which medical costs are included in the price of treatment at the drug rehab.
What is the degree of family involvement in a drug rehab program?
Drug abuse and alcoholism affects the entire family, not just the alcoholic/addict. Quite often family members do not realize how deeply they have been affected by chemical dependency. Family involvement is an important component of recovery.
Drug Rehabs vary in the degree and quality of family involvement opportunities. Some offer just a few lectures and others offer family therapy. Ask if there is any time devoted to family programs and if group therapy is included.
Does drug rehabilitation include a quality continuing care program?
There are no quick fixes for the diseases of drug abuse and alcoholism. Recovery is an ongoing process. The skills one learns during intensive rehabilitation treatment must be integrated into everyday life and this takes time.
Some drug addiction treatment programs will offer a follow-up program but only in one location which may make it difficult to use.
Drug rehabilitation treatment programs should include a quality, continuing care program that supports and monitors recovery.
The decision to enter a drug rehab program can be a very difficult and painstaking process. If you are confused by the many choices offered on this drug rehab site, please call one of our our treament center specialist at (877) 707-8498.
Our treatment center helpline is answered by a professional staff who understands what you are going through. They will listen to your questions and concerns, and provide you with free drug rehab referrals.
see drug-rehabs website