It's a tradition for many men at this time of year - buying lingerie for their valentines - and it's such a pleasure, isn't it guys? Well, some well-intentioned men out there may need a little help when it comes to shopping for all that intimate apparel. "I get such a kick out of watching men steal furtive glances through the windows of my store as they walk back and forth, finally working up the ... [full story]

For years, retired English teacher Merle Kimmel has been in the back of my mind as I put pen to paper. She called the first time to inform me gently that I had used a non-word, "heighth." I never made that mistake again. "The correct word is 'height,'" she explained, "and I'm not surprised you used the wrong one. So many people do." Fortunately, Kimmel, who was chafed by chalk dust in Louisville, Ohio, schools ... [full story]

From pre-game warm-up to post- game wrap-up and every play in between, a Super Bowl party just wouldn't be the same without the original Buffalo flavor created by Frank's RedHot Cayenne Pepper Sauce. As a matter of fact Chicken wings are the #1 appetizer on restaurant menus*. By following a few simple tips from Kevin Roberts, author of the cookbook Munchies you can get authentic restaurant-quality Buffalo flavor at home and be the MVP at ... [full story]

Paul Wilkinson, president of his neighborhood association, took the crime-fighting ideas behind Neighborhood Watch programs to high-tech levels when he installed a video surveillance camera on his home a few years ago. Footage he captured helped Peoria police shut down a drug house or two in his neighborhood. Wilkinson's personal video surveillance, part of a larger clean-up-the-neighborhood crusade, also may have prompted other "problem" neighbors to flee his block. But his video camera never caught ... [full story]

Thanks to modern science and an abundance of research, staying healthy has never been easier. Or more confusing. Medical studies, most often presented to the public in 30-second sound bites, frequently seem to contradict each other, adding frustration to an already perplexed consumer. TAKES DISCIPLINE - There is a long list of health advice out there for the average consumer. What is a health-conscious person to believe? CNS Illustration by Cristina Martinez Byvik.First we heard: ... [full story]

As dentist Alexander Sabet poked around Lynn Tobias' mouth during a recent examination, his patient took extra care to note his every word and action. "He looked me in the eyes and listened to what I had to say, and he spoke in clear, easy-to-understand terms," Tobias later recalled. That was good news for Sabet, who's spent the last few months working to soften his "strictly business" bedside manner. GOOD MEDICINE - Mystery shopper Lynn Tobias fills out ... [full story]

Tatoosh, Meriwether, Ursa and Wiley prepare to fly free Four condors from the Oregon Zoo were recently sent to The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho, for preparation leading to release in the wild in Arizona. Among these birds is Tatoosh (No. 367), born in April 2005, the second condor to be hatched in Oregon in more than a century. The others are Meriwether (No. 379), also hatched in 2005, ... [full story]

A crown is labeled as 'Hillary I.' It has a replica of the Capitol with former President Bill Clinton on top. The word 'Dems.' is on the rim. A voice says: 'I'm in!' [full story]

Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft says in a new book that America's lone remaining enemy combatant, arrested in Peoria, Ill., in 2001, was not simply a credit-card scammer raising funds for al-Qaida but a disciple of Osama bin Laden pegged to head the "next wave" of suicide attacks in Los Angeles. If that's the case, and the U.S. Justice Department has the goods on Qatari national and former Bradley University graduate student Ali Saleh ... [full story]

Mortgage rates increased again this week with the average 30-year fixed rate rising to 6.32 percent. According to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large lenders, the 30- year fixed rate mortgages had an average of 0.34 discount and origination points. The average 15-year fixed rate mortgage popular for refinancing inched to 6.07 percent. On larger loans, the average jumbo 30-year fixed rate increased to 6.56 percent. Adjustable mortgage rates moved higher as well, with the ... [full story]