One of my favorite "games" is finding ways to use up the bits and pieces of food that seem to fill up my refrigerator: that last spoonful of tarragon mustard + a piece of roast beef + that parsley hiding in the crisper + those crackers from the back of the pantry = halfway to dinner! Or I'll wake up in the middle of the night and realize the only thing my… Read More >>

As Barack Obama embarks on another four years in what is arguably the toughest job on the planet, the Washington Post offers a chilling look at how the stress of being President takes its toll and changes the appearance of the men who hold the office. Side-by-side photographs and a time-lapse video of President Obama document the accelerated aging he's undergone since… Read More >>

Need a quick ego boost? Spend five minutes on Facebook. But beware—it could also lower your self-control. Researchers from the University of  Pittsburgh and Columbia Business School found that just five minutes on Facebookincreased users’ self-esteem when they focused on what they shared with close friends (their own status updates or photos). But time spent on the social networking site… Read More >>

After hundreds (if not thousands) of rides on public transportation, I've realized that the only thing more annoying than delays and overcrowding is cell phone chatter. The smartphone era has turned buses and trains into living rooms. What did we all do before cell phones? Well, we waited at the pay phone (a public telephone that is operated by coins or by…) or waited until we reached our destination to use… Read More >>

President Obama is known to toss back the occasional beer, and who can blame him? Wars, see-sawing economy, political battles … If I were president, the Oval Office would be located in the first booth at the local Blarney Stone. Luckily, I’m just a regular, old citizen. And just as luckily, most presidents don’t appear to have been lushes. But most… Read More >>

Facing a staggering unemployment rate of over 20 percent, much higher than the national average, young veterans seeking work will soon have a new opportunity. Beginning this Memorial Day, Wal-Mart will be hiring every veteranwho wants a job, under the conditions that they have left the military within the past year and were not dishonorably discharged. Under the new program, which will run… Read More >>

It's the chilliest month of the year, but ice-cold smoothies are the popular kids on the block these days. Not just any smoothies, either—green ones! If you're like me, January is probably synonymous with "eat more greens." I've found that downing a big green smoothie, packed with spinach or kale, is my best bet if I want to actually hit that goal. And… Read More >>

Have you written a novel that's in search of a publisher? Whether your book has been sitting in a drawer for a decade or you just finished it last week, this might be your chance.  The 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awardis open for submissions, and it's going to be a dream come true for a handful of writers. One Grand Prize winner will receive a publishing contract with an advance of $50,000… Read More >>

Next time you need a brain boost, put down the self help book and pick up some Shakespeare. Researchers from the University of Liverpool found that reading classical literature by writers like the Bard, William Wordsworth or T.S. Eliot  has positive effects on the mind and triggers self-reflection. Volunteers were recruited to read "challenging" prose, like passages from Shakespeare's King Lear or Macbeth, while scanners… Read More >>

After we published a post on the $22 standing desk that can pretty much save your life, I was reminded of another nifty health development: The FitDesk. This "pedaler" for productivity is a compact stationary bike which allows you to exercise while working comfortably—it has a space for you to lock in your laptop. Dr. Patricia Valdes M.D., a physical therapist and associate… Read More >>