Joan Nielsen McHale The Good News Writes Again

Our Human Body is A Treasure Trove of Mysteries, Every Part of Our Bodies is Miraculous

2023-01-31T18:08:00.022-05:00

It's possible to survive without a large fraction of the internal organs. Even if you lose your stomach, your spleen, 75% of your liver, 80% of your intestines, lung and virtually every organ from your pelvic and groin area, you wouldn't be healthy, but you would live.

During your lifetime, you will produce enough saliva to fill two swimming pools. If your saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it.

The largest cell in the human body is the female egg and the smallest is the male sperm. The egg is the only cell that is visible by the naked eye.

Feet have 500,000 sweat glands and can produce more than a pint of sweat a day.

Acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razor blades. The reason it doesn't eat away at your stomach is that the cells of your stomach wall renew themselves that you get a new stomach lining every three to four days.

Sneezes regularly exceed 100 mph; coughs clock in at about 60 mph.
Your body has enough iron in it to make a nail 3 inches long.

Your nose can remember 50,000 different scents. Women are better smellers than men all their lives.

The human body is estimated to have 60,000 miles of blood vessels.

The tooth is the only part of your body that cannot repair itself.

By 60 years of age, 60% of men and 40% of women will snore.

The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as an encyclopedia. Your brain cannot feel pain, is made up of 80% water.
People who dream more often and more vividly, on average have a higher IQ.

The fastest growing nail is on the middle finger.

Facial hair grows faster than any hair upon the body.

You have as many hairs per square inch on your body as a chimpanzee.

Human feet have 52 bones, accounting for a quarter of the body's bones.

A human fetus acquires fingerprints at the age of three months.

By the age of 60, most people will have lost about half of their taste buds.

About 32 million bacteria call every inch of your skin home. Most are harmless.

The strongest muscle in the human body is the tongue and the hardest bone is the jawbone.

The colder the room you sleep in, the higher the chances you'll have a bad dream.

Human lips have a reddish color because of the tiny capillaries just below the skin.

Three hundred million cells die in the human body every minute.

It takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown.

Right-handed people live (on average) nine years longer than left-handed people.

Your ears secrete more ear wax when you are afraid than when you aren't.

Koalas and primates are the only animals with unique fingerprints.

Humans are the only animals to produce emotional tears.

The human heart creates enough pressure to squirt blood 30 feet in the air.
Less than one-third of the human race has 20-20 vision. This means that two out of three people cannot see perfectly.

Could A Handful Of Berries Each Day Keep The Cardiologist At Bay?

2014-06-27T11:55:00.003-04:00

A study shows that women who eat blueberries and strawberries most days of the week can sharply reduce their risk of heart attack.

The researcher followed 93,000 young and middle-aged women or 18 years. Those who ate more than three half-cup servings of blueberries and strawberries for a week were 32% less likely to have heart attacks in later years.

The health benefits may come from anthocyanins, antioxidants that create the red, blue and purple color in strawberries, blueberries, and other fruits and vegetables.

But women who ate more berries also reported other healthy habits, such as exercising and refraining from smoking.

Berry good news, which hopefully offsets the figure of 14 million women who binge drink three times a month, consuming an average of six drinks per binge. You come unhinged, baby.

LADY BIRD JOHNSON'S BESS ABELL JOINS HER IN WHITE HOUSE AS SOCIAL SEC'RETARY

2014-05-26T13:19:00.000-04:00

BECAUSE JACKIE KENNEDY AVOIDED THE PRESS CORPS SO MUCH, I ENJOYED MAKING CHIN MUSIC WITH BESS ABELL, who ran Lady Bird's office when LBJ was Vice President. We became good friends and she even called me for lunch when they came to Miami. Bess is a crackerjack, doesn't meet a stranger.

Back in Miami when President Kennedy was shot in Dallas, I sent condolences and wrote to Bess asking to do an interview with her. I still have her letter on White House stationery:

Left to Right: Bess Abell, Lady Bird Johnson, Tyler Abell, Lyndon Abell, Dan Abell, and President Lyndon B. Johnson sitting in the Yellow Oval Room for the appointment of Tyler Abell becoming Chief of Protocol. September 25, 1968.

DOES DRINKING DIET SODA MAKE YOU FAT?

2014-05-24T08:22:00.000-04:00

The skinny on diet soda and fat was reported in Tribune newspapers. Researchers found that people who drank diet soda for nearly a decade gained more stomach pudge than diet-drink abstainers.

Those who drank two or more diet soft drinks a day had the largest waistline increases -- about five times more than that of nondrinkers. A Purdue scientist pointed out that he thinks it's a behavioral phenomenon...that people think they can eat more calories because they've swapped their regular soda for a Coke Zero.

Bet You Didn't Know Any Of These Icebreakers!

2014-04-23T08:38:00.000-04:00

A great white shark can detect a single drop of blood in an Olympic-size pool.

A walla-walla scene is one where extras pretend to be talking in the background - when they say "walla-walla" it looks like they are actually talking. (Try it. I just did.)

A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for a 1/100th of a second.

Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

Women's hearts beat faster than men's.

There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.

The word "Checkmate" in chess comes from the Persian phrase "Shah Mat," which means "the king is dead."

All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.

Almonds are a member of the peach family.

All porcupines float in water.

Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under his cap to keep him cool. He changed it every two innings.

Blueberry Jelly Bellies were created especially for Ronald Reagan.

Ben and Jerry's send the waste from making ice cream to local pig farmers to use as feed. Pigs love the stuff, except for one flavor: Mint Oreo.

Bank robber John Dillinger played professional baseball.

Honeybees have hair on their eyes.

Amazing Benefits Of Bananas And Anti-Cancer Super Fruits Take Your Eyes

2014-02-16T16:07:00.000-05:00

Bananas are a bunch of yellow booty beauties...giving us nourishment and health. Contains enough carbohydrates to replace energy already used.

Bananas help stop constipation and restores and maintains regular bowel function.

Do you know they can make you happier? Bananas release a mood regulating substance which is converted to serotonin in the brain and thus pumps up happiness.

Miami Herald Building Is Historic. Miaimi News' History Kaput...Freedom Tower

2014-02-09T21:37:00.000-05:00

I WONDER WHO'S PAYING FREIGHT TO GET MIAMI HERALD BUILDING HISTORIC STATUS?

I labored long in the vineyards of the Miami News which was spawned by the first newspaper EVER in Miami -- the Miami Metropolis.

The Miami News Tower was a landmark and still stands but no one dare speak its real name. Some blackguard nabbed the stately imitation of Spain's architectural fame -- and who among us got to vote to keep the Miami News Tower from becoming the "Freedom" tower? ...a misnomer because the building was hi-jacked to use as a welcome station for Cuban expatriates.

Cuban migration changed a lot about Miami. The Miami Herald housed the Miami News on its 6th floor but the combination was more hysterical than historical.

Better Butter Swaps To Flutter Your Appetite And Make Your Tummy Yummy

2014-01-18T13:27:00.000-05:00

Cut saturated fat and cholesterol from butter in your recipes, according to Danny Boome, host of the cooking competition show, "Recipe Rehab."

Spread avocado on toast; it's yummy with fiber, Vitamin C and potassium as boosters. Don't let the green color alarm you; shut your eyes if you want.

Substitute Greek yogurt for butter in baking to add protein and moisture and cut out calories. Use 1/2 cup Greek yogurt for every 1 cup of butter in a recipe.

Nearly One Out Of 7 Americans Are On Food Stamps! What About Feeding Pets

2013-11-17T20:15:00.000-05:00

There Are People Who Cannot Afford To Buy Cat Food.

Do we need a program to feed animals? What Marc Okon calls cooky-cutter sadness is feeding your human food to a pet and going hungry.

More than 47 million people get food stamps. Al Lewis, Dow Jones' columnist reports that Coca-Cola lobbies heavily to keep soda on the list of wholesome things to buy with food stamps. Taxpayers subsidize about $4 billion worth of soda sales each year. Look at the obesity rate pulling down the nation's health.

"Millions of pets are surrendered to shelters each year and euthanized because their owners cannot afford to feed them." Adds Okon, "The people in power were put there by fat cats, who have money and control. I see it getting worse, decade after decade. I don't know what's going to change."

Have Some Perky Jerky -- Mod Word For Caffeinated Snacks...Scouts Seeking New Routes

2013-11-15T22:37:00.000-05:00

It's not enough to slug back giant cups of coffee. People with an urge to push energy drinks into a national obsession are obsessing about almost everything short of a suckling pig.

Jelly Belly Candy Co. says its Extreme Sports Beans are targeted at adult athletes. DoubleKick Hot Sauce contains 12 milligrams of caffeine per teaspoon-size serving.

Caflex makes caffeinated marshmallows in chocolate, coffee and mint flavors, among others.

How much is plenty no good? Mayo Clinic says 200 to 300 milligrams of caffeine per day (two to four cups of brewed coffee) isn't harmful. "But more than 500 milligrams can cause insomnia, nervousness and rapid heartbeat." The Food and Drug Administration advises pregnant women to limit their caffeine intake more strictly.

The success of caffeine-laced energy drinks like Monster and Amp has demonstrated the appetite for products that deliver a boost. Food products packed with caffeine, though still small compared with energy drinks, are growing quickly, with U.S. retail sales up 49% to $1.6 billion since 2008.

The Shorter Your First Name, The More You Will Earn, Says Study

2013-11-12T21:29:00.000-05:00

Want to know the highest-paid male and female names?

Here goes: Tom, Bob, Dale, Doug, and Wayne for guys. Lynn, Melissa, Cathy, Dana and Christine for gals.

The shorter your first name, the more you will earn on average, the online career site TheLadders made news.

TheLadders found in a study, that every additional letter in a name correlates to a $3,600 drop in annual salary. Those who go by a shorter nicknme also outearn counterparts who go by the corresponding full name, the study found.

Bill usually scores a bigger paycheck than William. Debbies earn more than Deborah. Sounds like it's better to be Curt than Courtney.

"JACKIE LOOK" HELD IN DANGER OF BECOMING FASHION CLICHE - SAYS VINCENT MONTE-SANO

2013-10-18T13:13:00.000-04:00

WASHINGTON -- The "Jackie Look" may end up on the work-room floor soon, if fashion authority Vincent Monte-Sano's predictions come true.

"They copying it so rapidly and pushing it so hard," the prize-winning couture firm partner said, "that the First Lady will be forced to start another trend," he predicted.

Her for fashion commentary on his own collection and customer consultations at Julius Garfinckel & Co., Monte-Sano was delayed arriving at his one-day stand because of inclement weather.

Because of her flair for wearing clothes, Monte-Sano believes the First Lady will continue to set the fashion pace but that the current picture will have to change because of the gross imitation.

Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?

2013-10-11T12:54:00.000-04:00

In 1933, a beautiful , young Austrian woman took off her clothes for a movie director. She ran through the woods, naked. She swam in a lake, naked. Pushing well beyond the social norms of that period, there were more alleged "sightings" from self-anointed saviors.

The most popular movie in 1933 was King Kong. But everyone in Hollywood was talking about that scandalous movie with the gorgeous young Austrian woman. The press called her Hedy Lamarr.

Louis B. Mayer of the giant studio MGM, said she was the most beautiful woman in the world. The film was banned practically everywhere, which, of course, made it more popular and valuable. Mussolini reportedly refused to sell his copy at any price.The star of the film, called Ecstasy, was Hedwig Kiesler. She said the secret of her beauty was "to stand there and look stupid." In reality, Kiesler was anything but stupid. She was a genius. She'd grown up as the only child of a prominent Jewish banker. She was a math prodigy.

As she grew older, she became ruthless, using all the power her body and mind gave her. Between the sexual roles she played, her tremendous beauty, and between roles she played, Kiesler would confound the men in her life, including her six husbands, two of the most ruthless dictators of the 20th century, and one of the greatest movies.

Her beauty made her rich for a time. She is said to have made--and spent $30 million in her life. She not only made it, she spent it. But her greatest accomplishment resulted from her intellect, and her invention continues to heap huzzahs from all corners.

Her invention continues to shape the world we live in todayl

AT MISS PORTER'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, JACKIE BOUVIER WAS 'EXTRAORDINARY' TEEN

2013-09-23T12:40:00.000-04:00

At Miss Porter's School for Girls,
Jackie Bouvier Was "Extraordinary Teen"

AS HER FATHER HAD INSTRUCTED HER, SHE WAS SELECTIVE ABOUT INVITATIONS FROM CHOATE, ST. PAUL'S, EXETER, GROTON. Last minute blind dates were ruled out. As a result, the prep school youth who could truthfully say he had take out Jackie Bouvier had something to boast about. And that is how her legend grew.

In 1947, society columnist Igor Cassini, who billed himself as "Cholly Knickerbocker," voted Jackie Bouvier the debutante of the year, noting her enormous popularity with Eastern prep-school and college men. Her reputation was that she always held herself at a white-gloved arm's length from them; she was also very popular with the girls.

That summer, the Auchinclosses tossed a huge dinner-dance for her at the Clambake Club in Newport, R.I. as a coming-out party. She looked radiant. The stag line perspired and panted for her. Her relatives shared their stares -- "Jackie had come out of her shell"-- but had they known she was a secret person on speaking terms only with herself, there may have been vocal misgivings.

Her father, nicknamed "Black Jack", blamed his ex-wife Janet and "those so-called blue-blood Newport snobs," and for her personally asided to pals, "My whole life has been ruined by that bitch." There were no reassuring him that she loved him any less but Jackie was becoming more of her own woman and needed both parents less.

She used her father's apartment to stay over when she had dates and he got to see more of her...after a fashion. Jackie entered Vassar in the fall of 1947. Her grandfather was dying of cancer at 82 that winter. And her father remained confident he would be well taken care of in the will. When the vault was opened, all the lawyers could uncover of the Major's assets amounted to only $824,000.

Jack got $100,000 tax free and was forgiven $50,000 he had borrowed. Each grandchild got $3,000. It was Jackie's first inheritance.In the summer of 1948, Jackie announced that she wanted to spend July and August touring Europe with three other girls. She had her grandfather's $3,000 to pay for the trip. What's more, she devised a way for her father to pay the money for that excursion.She had begun to lose her taste for Vassar so she applied for the Smith College Junior Year in France program for the following year.
For Jackie, the year in France meant freedom: freedom from the endless bickering between her mother and father over her affection and her whereabouts. She had grown more than a little weary of it, and confided to friends that she would like to live in Paris permanently and never come home to either parent.

When she came home from Europe in the summer of 1950, she made arrangements to attend George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Her father was delighted when she began dating John Husted, a young stockbroker just out of Yale. During the year, she made a number of trips to New York for dates with Husted, always staying with her father.

After they got engaged in 1951, Bouvier was ecstatic. The two men had Yale, the brokerage business and New York in common. But Jackie was more sophisticated; she broke the engagement calling Husted "immature," a word young people used a lot in the 1950s. Jackie's friends got the idea she seemed to have a preference for men who were older than she.

Beauty Booty: Egyptian 5,000 Years Old Had Painted Red Finger And Toenails

2013-09-20T21:43:00.000-04:00

Cosmetics were applied in ancient times in ancient Babylonia, Egypt and China.

Not only did women of antiquity shave off unwanted hair, use rouge, beautify their eyes and color their lips, but they also stained the soles of their feet with henna and touched up their breast nipples with purple dye, according to a book called "How Did It Begin?"

Did you know that Jezebel touched up her face before throwing herself out of the window so that she could make a great-looking corpse? Throughout history, men have tried, with little success, to prevent women from using cosmetics.

They didn't do it for morality or religion. They did it in self-defense. In the second century A.D., Clement of Alexandria encouraged a proclamation of law to prevent women from tricking men into marriage by means of cosmetics.

In 1770 a bill was introduced into the British Parliament which demanded:

"That all women of whatever age, rank, degree or profession, whether virgins or maids or widows, who shall from and after such an act impose upon, seduce or betray into matrimony any of His Majesty's subjects by the scents, paints, cosmetic washes, artificial teeth, false hair, Spanish wool, iron stays, hoops, high-heeled shoes, bolstered hips, shall incur the penalty of the law in force against witchcraft and like misdemeanors, and that the marriage, upon conviction, shall stand null and void."

A century later, a disappointed husband sued his father-in-law on the grounds that the woman he married looked nothing like the women he found in his bed the next morning. He wanted "compensation suitable to her real, and not her assumed, countenance."

Taken by themselves, cosmetics do much for a woman psychologically. To remedy feelings of inferiority caused by dry skin, dull eyes, pale lips or the effects of aging, she applies such emollients and make-up to give herself a pick-me-up.

Cosmetics even cut through class distinction. They foster democracy and give every girl and woman a chance to shine and be equal.

2013-09-20T20:51:00.000-04:00

Makes you wonder if they had prepared for women to have special uniforms for flight. Prior to her embarkation date, flight attendants wore pants with a button-down fly and generally were the sons of the men who financed the airlines.

Think of it, the days before safety was sanctioned and policies were written "in case of accidents." Who knew? The people that flew?

Miss Church flew on United Airlines from Oakland, Calif. to Chicago. Flying time? The flight went on and on for 20 hours. It made 13 stops. Did it have two engines?

Here's the credo women lived by: Stewardesses had to fly before their 26th birthday, were to be no taller than five feet, four inches, and had to be registered nurses!

Can you see it now? A passenger frightened by flying, jumps into the nurse's eager embrace so she can calm him like a Mommy. Just think -- the nurse could not show fright no matter how bumpy the flight. So obviously, the young gals had to be braver than neophyte passengers.

No wonder this phrase came to be in use: "Happy Landings!" (Consider the alternative.)

Nielsen's Makings: Wrinkles Won't Take Up Residence On Your Puss After This

2013-08-06T09:18:00.000-04:00

Get yourself a jar of money and some heavy whipping cream. Mix them together vigorously, then with your fingertips do a little massaging of your face and neck with one teaspoon of honey and 2 Tablespoons of heavy cream.

Whenever wrinkles show up on your countenance, do the natural circling of your frown lines.

Wrinkles will disappear beneath your fingertips wherever lines have taken up residence and didn't get your permission first.

++++++++++++++

Keep waking up with headaches? If the first thing you feel is a pain behind your eyes or pain in your neck and shoulders, call your dentist for an appointment.

What you're experiencing could be the result of problems in your mouth. These are common symptoms of a condition known as temporomandibular (TMJ) joint disorder. These big words came out of Dr. Stephen A. Samson's mouth -- our favorite dentist -- who says it means that your jaws don't align properly.

This misalignment stresses the jaw joints, putting pressure on nerves and muscles.Dr. Samson stresses that patients with diabetes have to keep their blood glucose levels as normal as possible since you can develop gum disease. Blood sugar is the culprit if you don't watch out.

The Duchess Of Cambridge -- Queen-To-Be --Christened A Gigantic New Cruise Ship Named The Royal Princess

2013-06-15T13:56:00.000-04:00

A glowing Kate Midddleton on Thursday christened a gigantic new cruise ship -- The Royal Princess demonstrating that two movable objects can come together with a royal wash of a $1500, 4 gallon of Moet and Chandon champagne.

One departure from the usual fling-swing gave court notice that it was so heavy Kate couldn't swing it, but that he cut a ribbon that launched the bottle tor the hull, where it smashed as crowds cheered.

The Duchess Of Cambridge -- Queen-To-Be --Christened A Gigantic New Cruise Ship Named The Royal Princess

One Dish Meals Offer A World Of Tastezs, American, Greek, Swiss, Italian And French

2013-05-31T00:34:00.000-04:00

Kick off your summer with a stuffed burger that packs a delicious surprise...

Make four loose balls out of a pound and a half of ground chuck. Press an ounce of cheese into the center of each of these balls. Make a shallow indentation in center of each patty by flattening the cheese into the center. Make sure the cheese is not exposed.

Heat grill to medium-high. Grill patties over direct heat 10 to 12 minutes; flipping once.

Lightly toast 4 buns. Serve burgers on buns with crisp bacon, lettuce and red onion.

To salute the Swiss, use their cheese, serve on rye bread toped with dill pickle chips.

Going Greek? Use feta cheese, serve in a split pita pockets topped with spinach.

Italian? Use mozzarella; serve on Italian bread topped with warm tomato sauce.

French use blue cheese for burgers; serve on baguette slices topped with caramelized onions.

Titanic Violin Comes To USA For Display, After Going Down With The Ship

2013-05-27T14:22:00.000-04:00

The Titanic rosewood violin played by the bandmaster is bound to bring in money, considered how involved they have all become. A stringed instrument considered the ultra one plus, will go on display at the Titanic Museum this week in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Played by the Bandmaster as RMS Titanic sank in the Atlantic after it struck an iceberg, it will be on exhibit until July 27, heading on to the Museum at Bransom, Missouri, after which it heads to its sister Museum in Bransom for display Aug.1 to 15.

The violin is set to be sold by the auction house in London, name of Henry Aldridge , and experts anticipate it will fetch somewhere in the six figures. It's a wise buy for those in the know. Its display is now in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

"The violin without a doubt is the most iconic piece that has been recovered from the Titanic, including the crow's nest bell,"said collector and Titanic expert Craig Sopin. Wallace Hartley and his fellow musicians depicted onscreen and in written accounst as bravely continuing to perform even as the ship was sinking.

Famous Last Words Enumerated To Give You A Drop-Dead Disaster

2013-05-25T14:22:00.001-04:00

Famous Last Words By Socrates

"A Good Hemlock But Not A Great Hemlock."

Famous First Words -- "I Am Not A Baby" -- Richard Nixon.

"What This Country Needs Is More Short-Haired Music." -- Walter Vaughn.

"An Unsung Hero Is One Who Knows He Can't Sing -- And Doesn't." -- Elliot Roosevelt.

"Is There Any Music As Sweet As That Of A Car Starting On A Cold Morning?" -- Henry Ford.

"The Trouble With Country Music Is That It Doesn't Stay There." Arturo Toscanini."

"Nature Gave Men Two Ends -- One To Sit On And One To Think With. Man's Success Or Failure Is Dependent On The One He Uses Most." --- Spoken Behind The Hand. By The Late Speechifier Walter Wilson.

My Critters Had The Jitters When I Took Scissors In Hand To Cut Their Hair

2013-05-16T08:46:00.000-04:00

If you're picturing grade school girls with curly locks -- they don't run in my Danish side of the family. (Did you ever see a Viking hairdo? They hid the hair beneath.) Vikings were said to cut off the heads of vanquished enemies. Today people toast "Skoal" but Vikings meant skulls.

My girls' growth on their domes was straight as a stick, not reliable or pliable. All three would face me with grrrrrs coming out of their mouths.

Here's how the conversation went: "Don't move!" "Stop fidgeting!" "What do you mean, I scraped your forehead?" "SIT STILL!" I yelled.

They would end up crying. "I can't go to school this week looking like this! The other kids will point their fingers at me and laugh!"

Mom bought barber's shears so she and dad could do each others haircuts. When she was older, Mom went to J. Baldi, my hairdresser - -he was the second store to open on , after Carroll's Jewelers was first. Daddy said, "Before you went there, you looked like an old woman." He had to go and add, "Now you look like an old man."
Miracle Mile

J. Baldi was so generous, he wouldn't charge people in the media. Both Ann Bishop and Molly Turner of Channel 10 would show up when first he opened to get their hair done everyday. (I was glad Channel 4 turned me down as an "Andy Rooney" type because I coughed a lot. Cigs, you know. Fortunately, I never had to worry how I looked sitting at my trusty IBM. I had a sign on the front that said, "I'm not hard of hearing, I'm ignoring you."

Thanks to my parents' wonderful sense of humor, which they also imbued into my four kids' craniums, we all can laugh at messy hairstyles. I remember one of my school chums used to shout at others, "Messy hair!" The good thing about concentrating beyond learning, is that you're so wrapped up in automatic typing, what others say is a blur.

Writing has always blockaded any thrown stones. Being hard of hearing is a blessing, for when you need to concentrate, nothing interrupts.

HOW TO GOOSE YOUR MEMORY INTO DISCOVERY -- STRESS DRAINS YOUR BRAIN

2013-05-10T13:02:00.000-04:00

WHAT YOU NEED ARE UNFORGETTABLE TIPS TO AROUSE YOUR GRAY MATTER. The man to ask was neurologist and memory expert, Majid Fotuhi. (Your first assignment is to figure out how to pronounce his name...)

"People claim they don't have a good memory," says Fotuhi, who acknowledges that forgetting where you put your car keys starts about age 27. So you are normal but your brain needs strength-building just like your body. After you read something in a book or news magazine, try to say aloud what you remember.

"The mind, like the body, needs exercise to stay in shape," so here's how. Practice remembering names at first. Say the name you want to remember, again, out loud. Do that three times.

Movie Wizard Who Inspired Steven Spielberg & George Lucas, Dies At 92

2013-05-08T16:59:00.001-04:00

RAY HARRYHAUSEN'S name was never up in lights but he created "magic moments" in science fiction movies like "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" which inspired Hollywood filmmakers.

Who can forget a dinosaur thawed out by A-bomb testing in the Arctic who goes on a Big Apple rampage in which it devours a NYC cop before meeting its demise at Coney Island?

In "Jason and the Argonauts" (1963), the mythic hero Jason, played by Todd Armstrong, slays a seven-headed hyrdra guarding the Golden Fleece, then Jason and two of his men battle seven sword-wielding warrior skeletons which spring from the hydra's scattered teeth.

George Lucas "Star Wars II --Attack of the Clones" featured a gladiator scene exactly like the ones created for Harryhausen's 1958 classic, "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad."

He was survived by his wife, Diana of 50 years and a daughter Vanessa.

Carl Reiner, 91, And Mel Brooks, 87, Didn't Fritter Away Their Twitter Comedyfest

2013-05-04T16:23:00.001-04:00

People in the background are hiding behind book covers with Reiner front and center; no doubt they wanted to corner the 2,000 year old man at today's ComedyFest. But as TECH goes, these two go YECH!

Reiner asks Brooks, "Do you know what internet is?" His answer: "A guy who pushed his net between two guys fishing. It would be the inter-net." Reiner says, "No, the internet is two guys talking to each other. Two wires. Brooks says, "We used to call that the living room."

Laughing yet? Neither am I. All I can figure out is that they kicked off the Twitter #comedyfest at the Paley center (no doubt renamed Palsy for that occasion) and it's supposed to be where comedians tweet jokes and post videos. Reiner says Brooks "Twitters in his head."

For what it's worth, Reiner has an iPad, Windows PC and a cellphone. Brooks doesn't.

Brooks says, "I stopped at a watch. I thought it was a little magical. I used to wear a sundial, but my wrist got so heavy at the end of the day, I didn't know where my shadow was going to fall."

Too bad the 2,000 year old Man had zero to say. Makes your day??

Joan Nielsen McHale The Good News Writes Again

Our Human Body is A Treasure Trove of Mysteries, Every Part of Our Bodies is Miraculous

Could A Handful Of Berries Each Day Keep The Cardiologist At Bay?

LADY BIRD JOHNSON'S BESS ABELL JOINS HER IN WHITE HOUSE AS SOCIAL SEC'RETARY

DOES DRINKING DIET SODA MAKE YOU FAT?

Bet You Didn't Know Any Of These Icebreakers!

Amazing Benefits Of Bananas And Anti-Cancer Super Fruits Take Your Eyes

Miami Herald Building Is Historic. Miaimi News' History Kaput...Freedom Tower

Better Butter Swaps To Flutter Your Appetite And Make Your Tummy Yummy

Nearly One Out Of 7 Americans Are On Food Stamps! What About Feeding Pets

Have Some Perky Jerky -- Mod Word For Caffeinated Snacks...Scouts Seeking New Routes

The Shorter Your First Name, The More You Will Earn, Says Study

"JACKIE LOOK" HELD IN DANGER OF BECOMING FASHION CLICHE - SAYS VINCENT MONTE-SANO

Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?

AT MISS PORTER'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, JACKIE BOUVIER WAS 'EXTRAORDINARY' TEEN

At Miss Porter's School for Girls, Jackie Bouvier Was "Extraordinary Teen"

Beauty Booty: Egyptian 5,000 Years Old Had Painted Red Finger And Toenails

Nielsen's Makings: Wrinkles Won't Take Up Residence On Your Puss After This

The Duchess Of Cambridge -- Queen-To-Be --Christened A Gigantic New Cruise Ship Named The Royal Princess

One Dish Meals Offer A World Of Tastezs, American, Greek, Swiss, Italian And French

Titanic Violin Comes To USA For Display, After Going Down With The Ship

Famous Last Words Enumerated To Give You A Drop-Dead Disaster

My Critters Had The Jitters When I Took Scissors In Hand To Cut Their Hair

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Movie Wizard Who Inspired Steven Spielberg & George Lucas, Dies At 92

Carl Reiner, 91, And Mel Brooks, 87, Didn't Fritter Away Their Twitter Comedyfest

At Miss Porter's School for Girls,
Jackie Bouvier Was "Extraordinary Teen"