Following an extensive five-year restoration, Boston's Charles Street Jail is now the Liberty Hotel, a $150 million property that sits at the foot of Boston's posh Beacon Hill neighborhood overlooking the Charles River.   BEHIND BARS - Touches of the former Charles Street Jail in Boston remain in what is now the Liberty Hotel and its lobby-level restaurant, Clink. CNS Photo.    LOFTY LOBBY - Exposed brick walls and four striking, wrought-iron chandeliers add visual interest to the ... [full story]

The moves: Performing pronation and supination of the forearm with resistance.   BE FLEXIBLE - To strengthen and increase flexibility of the forearm muscles, firefighter Jay Albrandt moves a hammer (or any weighted object) from side to side while keeping his elbow stationary. CNS Photo by Nadia Borowski Scott. Works on: Strength and flexibility of the intrinsic muscles of the forearm. Set up: Sit with your right side toward a table or bench. Rest the entire forearm ... [full story]

Darren Berkovitz works in Beverly Hills, Calif., for an Internet incubator - a company that creates Web sites. One day the subject of his girlfriend came up. He doesn't have one.   A HIRER POWER - Heather Blaise has used DoMyStuff to find 'virtual assistants' for various tasks, including development of a business plan. 'I think it's a great tool,' she said. CNS Photo by Earnie Grafton. He told co-worker Stacy Stubblefield he's too busy to look ... [full story]

The video game controller is dead. Long live the video game controller. Sherrie Baker blasted enemy soldiers recently in the Los Angles Convention Center using a white plastic gizmo that was shaped like a rifle and looked nothing like the stalwart gamepad that's been around since the early Atari systems. "It's great," Baker said of the $19 controller that converted the two-piece Nintendo Wii Remote joystick into a single, gunlike device, allowing her to more ... [full story]

Ben Affleck still gets teased by the media about his acting skills. But the smart and gritty film noir "Gone Baby Gone" proves that as a director, Affleck is the real deal.   BEN AFFLECK - Director Ben Affleck looks over a shot on the scene of his new thriller 'Gone Baby Gone.' CNS Photo courtesy of Claire Folger. After 15 years working in front of the camera, Ben stays behind it for the first time with ... [full story]

WHAT IS IT? ANSWER   WHAT IS IT? - If you're afraid of spiders, be grateful you don't live in Australia. This is a red-headed mouse spider (Missulena occatoria), which actually reaches only about an inch in length. CNS Photo.    PRIME NUMBERS - The number of people, on average, who are airborne over the United States in any given hour is 61,000. CNS Photo.    VERBATIM - The creator of the universe works in mysterious ways. But he uses ... [full story]

  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a lung disease in which obstruction to airflow interferes with normal breathing. The major cause of COPD is cigarette smoking.  [full story]

Q: I really like the looks of hardwood in a kitchen, but my husband thinks it's too "fragile." We do have two large dogs. Besides, I love really dark floors - we used onyx stain on the hardwood in our living room and it's smashing! Would you suggest a laminate or a tile (both dark) for our kitchen? A: Get ready to be surprised: I'm going to suggest - ta-dum! - hardwood for your kitchen. ... [full story]

Q: I can't believe it, at our ages - mine 55, and my husband at 62 - he is asking for a divorce. His question was like a shot out of cannon. We have been married over 23 years. When I ask his reasons why, he won't answer. We are still together and, as yet, he has not moved out. I love him, and I am hopeful we can stay married. What can I do? ... [full story]

Hidebound. That's what we are. When it comes to the Thanksgiving feast, most of us will automatically tick off the sacrosanct menu: turkey, mashed potatoes, pie, stuffing and maybe green bean casserole.   MENU OF MEMORIES - Tamara Santiago's Butternut Squash Gratin, a recipe she got from a friend, is always a hit at Thanksgiving. CNS Photo by Earnie Grafton.    GRATEFUL FOR GRAIN - Paul Schnaubelt shared his Rye Bread Stuffing. CNS Photo by Earnie Grafton. But what ... [full story]