Socially conscious shopping
In Northern California where I live, a socially conscious life is encouraged. Park a Prius downtown, and you are likely to find upon return a note on the windshield that says, ''Thank you for saving the planet.'' A sign at my local market informs me the strawberries were grown in the same county. And recently when I stuck my hand into the grab bag at a neighborhood party, I pulled out a bottle of certified organic, cruelty-free hand soap infused with grapefruit seed extract.
New tech products
Designed by the robotic whizzes at WowWee, the fully articulated Roboraptor mimics the movements and sounds of a prehistoric beast as it walks, runs and hunts for designated laser targets. Equipped with artificial intelligence and multiple sensors, it can feel, see, hear and respond to people and things in its environment. With the included remote control, you can make the 32-inch-long robot whip its tail, turn its head and perform dozens of other tricks. Or you can let it loose to roam the earth, or at the very least, your living room. The battery-operated dinosaur costs about $120.
Have gown, will travel (and travel, and travel...)
WASHINGTON -- In the world of frequent fliers, there are the road warriors, crisscrossing the country with briefcases tucked under the seat, light overnight bags in the overhead bin and a magazine in their laps. And then, these days, there's me, arriving early at the airport to beg for carry-on space for my plastic-wrapped pale blue strapless, skintight black or floor-length burgundy dress. And once my seat belt's on, I'm like a leashed pit bull, ready to attack those who dare put their bag on top of my salmon silk shantung.
New batch of books caps off summer school
WASHINGTON -- If you want to take a break from weeding while the weather is overheating, here are some new gardening and landscape design books to consider: -- ''Deerproofing Your Yard & Garden,'' by Rhonda Massingham Hart (Storey Publishing, 2005) is a revised and updated version of the 1997 book.
Mountain biking at Utah ski resorts: lift-served, scenic paths await bikers
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Someone, somewhere in the not too distant past, had an idea: Why not offer mountain bikers the same advantages as skiers? Those being, of course, lots of open country, a nice blend of terrain and trails, all in a scenic mountain setting, and, best of all, a ride uphill.
Exotic pets are popular, but there's a problem
NEW YORK -- Felicia Holden knew something was not right. Her pet lorikeet, a brightly colored parrot named Otto, used to call for her to come by his cage for a kiss. ''He's funny,'' she says. ''He would say things like, 'Come here, I'm a good bird.' ''
Geriatric pets
With the ''dog days'' of summer upon us, many of our senior citizens have a difficult time dealing with the heat. In this case, I'm not talking about Grandma or Great Uncle Phil; I'm referring to our pets. While age itself is not a disease, aging pets tend to be at increased risk for many ailments. Heart disease, such as congestive heart failure, is much more common in older pets than in young ones. Kidney dysfunction and liver disease are among the types of problems that elderly pets face. Vision and hearing problems may also arise as animals age. This list is very brief and does not come close to including all of the possibilities; I just wanted to give you an idea of the kinds of problems aging can bring for pets.
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