The Health Benefits of Purple Grape Juice

Medical studies show that purple (Concord) grape juice slows LDL cholesterol oxidation, improves arterial elasticitiy, helps reduce blood pressure and fights atherosclerosis. Read more.

3 Stress-Reduction Techniques You Can Practice Every Morning

The morning is an ideal time to incorporate stress reduction strategies that will set the tone for the rest of the day. Read more.

5 Good Mood Foods to Have Around

Rather than turning to the pharmacy for relief from a bout of the blues, you can turn to the supermarket instead. Here are five foods that are loaded with mood-elevating vitamins and minerals. Read more.

Holiday Culture Wars

Activists on all sides of the political spectrum are taking shots at various aspects of the Holiday season. For example, environmentalists are pushing Buy Nothing Day, an international moratorium on shopping that urges people to curtail their consumption in the interest of the environment. On the other side of the isle we have the American Family Association's Project Merry Christmas, who have targeted stores like Lowe's for advertising "family trees" instead of Christmas trees in its catalog. Lowe's capitulated and offered that it was a "breakdown" in their proofreading that led to the use of "family trees" in place of Christmas trees.

In Australia, a department-store Santa Claus was told not to say "Ho, ho, ho" because it might be offensive to women. Swerving to the right again we have Pat Robertson, who feels that wreaths and Christmas trees are pagan relics and not an important part of the Christian tradition.

All of this bickering over which Christmas symbols and traditions are worthy has put retailers in a precarious situation. And making matters worse are factors such as rising gas prices, a sinking dollar and the credit crises. As a result, 27% of shoppers say they will be spending less this year.

National Handwashing Awareness Week (Dec. 2-8)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 22 million elementary, middle and high school days are lost each year due to the common cold. Since the germs that cause the illness usually enter the body via dirty hands, the Clean Hands Coalition is promoting National Handwashing Awareness Week. Dr. Will Sawyer, a founding member of the CHC, has created "Henry the Hand, Champion Handwasher." The online program (www.henrythehand.com) includes free downloadable songs, a video and posters that teach the four principles of hand awareness:

1. Wash your hands when they are dirty and before eating.
2. Do not cough into your hands.
3. Do not sneeze into your hands.
4. Above all, do not put your fingers in your eyes, nose or mouth.

Check out the website for information on additional Henry the Hand products and details regarding a handwashing competition for families and schools during National Handwashing Awareness Week.

The Issue of Immigration: What is a Sanctuary City?

It seems as though the term, "sanctuary city" has acquired a number of different meanings. Initially, the term was coined by American churches in the 1980s, and referred to humanitarian efforts to create havens in U.S. communities for the victims of civil wars in South and Central America. These cities put forward policies under which police officers and other city employees were not obligated to report illegal immigrants to immigration authorities.

What was the rationale for these policies? Well, this is where the definition of "sanctuary city" gets a little murky. Some contend that the protection was needed to prevent illegal immigrants from being targeted by criminals. (absent the policies, these criminals would not have to fear that their victims would report them to the police.) Others emphasize the notion that if illegals were not allowed to report crimes without the fear of deportation, a lot of criminals would go free.

Many cities extended protections and decided to not deny services on the basis of immigration status. Thus, illegal immigrants could have access to public libraries or send their children to public schools. Some cities, such as New York and Cambridge, Mass., allow illegals to use the public health system and, as noted above, allow them to report crimes without fear of deportation. So there is no real working definition of the term, "sanctuary city." Rather, there are gradations of different policies.

Berkeley Cracks Down on the Homeless

The City of Berkeley, California, a town known for its very liberal-leaning policies, has done something of an about face: It has just adopting a get-tough policy with respect to its homeless population. The Berkeley City Council passed a law that will hire dozens of "monitors" to patrol city streets and parks to root out and report any suspicious or untoward behavior (think aggressive panhandling, public defecation, etc.) by the homeless. The new policy will make it easier for police to enforce various laws, including those banning camping in public places and lying down on commercial streets during the day.

It should come as no surprise that many members of the council had a hard time with the decision. After all, Berkeley is the home to the Free Speech Movement and all manner of anti-establishment causes. Indeed, it was Berkeley's reputation for tolerance and abundant social services that drew a lot of the homeless to the city in the first place.

Theater Chain Embraces No-Children-Allowed Policy

Though ticket sales to the nation's movie theaters have declined, some in the industry believe that adults can be lured back with upscale amenities and adults-only sections. Muvico, a Florida-based chain of movie theaters, is a pioneer in this movement, and their Rosemont 18, a luxury multiplex theater in the Chicago suburb of Rosement, is putting the philosophy into practice -- that is, it caters to adults who want to watch a movie without the distractions and annoyances of antsy toddlers and raucous teens.

Five of the screens in the complex have separate, adults-only balconies which can be reached through the bar inside the theater. Customers can enjoy an array of upscale amenities, including filet-mignon mini-burgers, cocktails, and comfy love seats. In addition, one screen is strictly adults only. Muvico first test-marketed this all-adults strategy in their home state of Florida. Today, four of the chain's 14 theaters have adults-only sections. The company has plans to expand into Charlotte, NC, Los Angeles, New York and Washington.

Web Series Heading to Prime Time

The web-only dramatic series, "Quarterlife" will begin airing hour-long episodes on NBC in early 2008. The series was created by the production team of Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick (whose credits include such television shows as "thirysomething," and "My So-Called Life"), and centers on the character of Dylan Krieger (played by Bitsie Tulloch), a young woman in her 20s who blogs about her circle of friends.

Interestingly enough, the show began as a pilot for ABC, but the network rejected it. As a result, Herskovitz and Zwick retooled the show for the web, and it will retain a web presence on Quarterlife.com even after it begins airing on NBC. The producers also have plans to develop Quarterlife.com into a social networking site.

STDs on the Rise

For the second year in a row, the number of newly diagnosed cases of the three most common sexually transmitted diseases has risen. The diseases in question are chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that the rise is due in part to risky sexual behavior.

Particularly troubling is the rise in the cases of syphilis because, in previous years, great advances had been made in preventing the disease. In fact, officials note that it was on the verge of being eliminated. Why are STD rates going up? Officials believe that it can be attributed to insufficient pubic health funds, and an increase in risky sexual behavior among some groups.

Writers of the World Plan Protests in Support of the WGA

Writers from multiple countries -- including Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Mexico, and Britain -- will be showing their support for the ongoing Writers Guild Strike by staging what is being billed as an "international day of solidarity." About 21,000 writers will be taking part in various protests in the aforementioned cities on November 28.

The plan was hatched at a meeting of the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds, which took place in Montreal last Thursday. Members realized that a contract that undermines and shortchanges their American counterparts will have a ripple effect in their own countries.

New Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas Obliterated

The New Frontier Hotel/Casino was imploded on Tuesday, November 13, 2007. The hotel was the second property to ever open on the Las Vegas Strip, and, in what is perhaps its greatest claim to fame, was the scene of Elvis Presley's Las Vegas debut back in 1956.

With its cowboy/Wild West motif, it also had the distinction of being Las Vegas' first-ever themed casino. It will be replaced by an $8-billion dollar luxury hotel/casino/resort that is slated to open in 2011. The new project is being developed by IDB Group and Elad Group, owners of the Plaza hotel in New York City.

Cheaperthanhotels.com

Are you planning a trip to France? If you are, than you ought to check out Cheaperthanhotels, an online hotel reservation service that provides a spectrum of useful services to those travelling to France and other top world destinations. Accommodations run the gamut from 5 star hotels to dormitory-style accommodations for backpackers. The site has its own travel expert who reviews and rates a wide variety of accommodations. You can book anything from weekend getaways to special events to conferences. And to further ensure that you travel experience runs smoothly, you have a multi-lingual staff of concierges available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Cheaperthanhotels is able to offer the lowest available rates because they are affiliated with one of the world's top negotiators of special deals on accommodations to the world's most popular destinations. What's more, if you find a lower rate for the same location, Cheaperthatnhotels will honor the rate and refund the difference (provided you notify them within 24 hours). What could be better than that?

Mystery Shopping

Mystery shopping (also known as secret shopping, performance evaluations, front line evaluations, etc. ) is a way for companies to quickly and effectively evaluate business practices and the performance of employees. Mystery shopping companies hire folks to evaluate the quality of a wide variety of businesses -- restaurants, retail stores, gas stations, financial institutions, etc.

As a mystery shopper, you will, for example, dine at an assigned restaurant and file a detailed report noting such things as the quality of service, the ambiance, cleanliness, and food quality. The mystery shopping company will then reimburse you for the cost of your meal. Some assignments will pay you in addition to reimbursing you for the cost of your meal.

A reputable company will never charge you to sign-up as a mystery shopper. Check out http://www.nationalshoppingservice.com/ if you are interested in becoming a mystery shopper. You can dine-in at restaurants, have pizza delivered, shop at retail stores, and get other assignments. After writing a report and furnishing them with proof of purchase, they will reimburse you for your effort. Pretty cool, eh?

Freecycle.org

I've just discovered a wonderful website/organization! Check it out: www.freecycle.org. It's a global network of individual groups who are giving and getting things for free. It is a grassroots, nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping things out of landfills that could be useful to its members. Check it out and see if there is a local group in your town. What a brilliant, eco-friendly idea!

Crossword Puzzles Boost Mental Fitness

Research has shown that doing crossword puzzles, sudoku and other logic games helps keep the mind sharp. Indeed, the phrase, "use it or lose it" applies to the mind as well as the body. This is particularly good news for the elderly, as mental capacity declines with advancing age. Urge the senior citizens in your life to take up crossword puzzles and/or other logic games.

Conversation 101

The ability to converse well will benefit you both personally and professionally. The following principles will dramatically improve your ability to start, sustain and politely end a conversation.

Starting a conversation - You can begin a conversation by either paying the person a compliment or asking a question. For example, if you admire their shirt or blouse or hairstyle, tell them so! Alternatively, you could ask a question. Suppose, for example, that they are carrying a book. Ask them about the book. Are they enjoying it? Do they recommend it? There are no limits to the use of this technique. Get creative and use your imagination. Have fun with it!

Sustaining a conversation - You sustain a conversation by asking open-ended questions. An open-ended question is one that cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." Open-ended questions typically start with how, what, where, when, and why. For example, How did you get into that line of work? Why did you move to Boston? Questions like these draw out the person with whom you are conversing, and provide opportunities to ask additional open-ended questions. Using this technique, you can sustain a conversation indefinitely.

Ending a conversation - You can always end a conversation with a good exit strategy. Wait for a natural pause or lull and politely excuse yourself. For example, if you are at a party and you have been nursing a drink, you could say, "I think it's time to freshen up my drink, will you excuse me?" Or you could simply say, "It's been nice talking with you."

So there you have it. Three principles that will help you to become a brilliant conversationalist. Good luck!

Humor in the Workplace

The other day I was working on location in a newsroom at the Los Angeles Times. One of the reporters had a hologram of a beautiful Hawaiian woman posted on the partition of his cubicle. As you pass the picture, the woman winks and smiles.

Above the hologram was a sign that read, "Smiling Miracle Lady. If the lady smiles when you pass, you will receive a miracle. To claim your miracle please enter and remit a small processing fee. Your miracle will arrive shortly thereafter. "

His work area was cluttered with humorous figurines and funny slogans. Clearly, this is a fellow who likes to laugh and enjoys sharing his sense of humor with his co-workers. And I commend him for it. Injecting a little levity into the workplace reduces stress and, ultimately, helps people to be more productive.

The Elderly Lady with the Sweet Smile

There is an elderly woman with whom I often cross paths while she is out on her daily walk with her caretaker. The woman moves very slowly with the aid of a walker. Despite her fragile health and advanced age, however, she always offers a friendly hello accompanied with the sweetest smile you could imagine (a beatific smile, in fact).

I'm always struck by the aura of kindness that she carries. I guess I need to be reminded that, though are bodies deteriorate with the passage of time, our spirit need not follow suit. Her smile feels so sincere that there is no doubt in my mind that it genuinely reflects the joy and peace she feels inside.

I can recall past encounters with elderly people who were similar to this woman in their attitude and presence. But, sadly, they are few and far between. If she doesn't do so already, the woman with the beatific smile ought to visit convalescent hospitals and rest homes. There she will find many peers who are in desperate need of that smile.

Mad Magazine

I thumbed through a copy of a recent issue of Mad Magazine the other day. It is the first time I have done so in many, many years. It's still the irreverent, edgy and hysterically funny magazine I remember.

Back in the day, I had a complete collection. I distinctly remember that my copy of the first issue was in near mint condition. Regrettably, I sold the entire collection. I've got to believe that it would be worth quite a bit of money today. I'm having one of those "I could kick myself moments." Anyway, if you're a fan of the magazine, or know somebody who is, you may be interested to know that the entire collection (600+ issues) is now available on DVD.