50 Ways to Improve Your Life (con't)

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-9 15:27:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>Have a Daily Dose of Omega-3 </DIV>
<DIV class=articleDeck>From food to floss: how to stay in good shape in 2006 and beyond 
What do my dog, horse, and husband all have in common--besides me? All three will toast the New Year with a sprinkle of omega-3 in their breakfast bowls. Maybe you will, too. 
The animals are sublimely unaware that they consume it (in the form of flaxseed) or why (because of evidence it may ease arthritic aches and pains and put a shine on their coats). But my husband is on to the health benefits. He has a daily, 2-tablespoon, 3,500-mg dose of ground flaxseed on his granola. He says it has a "nutty" taste.
Cardiologists praise omega-3 fatty acids. Found in fatty fish like salmon and mackerel as well as in flaxseed, canola oil, and walnuts, they protect the heart against inflammation that can result in blocked arteries and can prevent irregular heartbeats that can lead to a sudden heart attack. And there's growing evidence that these polyunsaturated fats avert strokes, reduce inflammation and joint pain from arthritis, and promote brain and vision development in infants. Statistics even link omega-3s to broader health benefits--for example, they may ward off complications from diabetes. They're being used to treat depression and Alzheimer's disease. Better skin, stronger fingernails, and more energy are also possible perks.
Unfortunately, there are data to suggest that farmed salmon, the fish most of us trust as a great source of omega-3s, can pose a health risk. Farmed salmon are raised on fish oil pellets derived from local fish, which are often contaminated with cancer-causing PCB s. The most recent study, in the November issue of the Journal of Nutrition, reports that contaminant levels in farmed salmon from certain regions increase the risk of cancer enough to outweigh benefits.
The study concluded that as a whole, risks exceed benefits for farmed Atlantic salmon. Farmed salmon from South America, specifically Chile, had the lowest level of pollutants, followed by North America. Europe had the highest level, according to David Carpenter, coauthor of the study and director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany's School of Public Health. Pacific wild salmon also have contaminants, but at a low enough level that the benefits outweigh the risks.
If you're unsure where the salmon is farmed, or still wary, consider canned salmon, which usually uses wild fish. You can also find omega-3 fatty acids to a lesser degree in leafy green vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, and spinach, as well as in tofu. And new sources are popping up on grocery shelves. These include free-range, grass-fed beef, which has omega-3 levels higher than those in grain-fed animals, and enhanced eggs, baby food, and cereal.
There are also omega-3 supplements from fish oil or flax. But high intakes of supplements could cause bleeding in some people, according to the American Heart Association. And more studies are needed to confirm the benefits of supplements. "Increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake through foods is preferable," says Alice Lichtenstein, professor of nutrition at Tufts University.
Acid dose. How much omega-3 is enough? The ideal amount isn't clear. The American Heart Association recommends two servings of fish a week, about 8 ounces total, along with other omega-3-rich foods in your diet. A quarter cup of walnuts, for example, supplies about 2.3 grams of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, slightly more than found in 4 ounces of salmon. Even better, those two tablespoons of flaxseed supply 3.5 grams.
So when it comes to a healthy new year, you might just want to eat like my horse. -Kerry Hannon 
sprinkle: small amount of sublimely: used to describe feelings or behaviour that are very great or extreme, especially when someone seems not to notice what is happening around them) flaxseed 亚麻子 ground flaxseed 亚麻子 granola 格兰诺拉麦片(源出商标名). nutty Having a flavor like that of nuts mackerel 鲭 canola oil A rapeseed oil that is very low in erucic acid content.菜籽油：一种芥子酸含量很低的菜籽油 polyunsaturated fats 多不饱和脂肪 perk something that you get legally from your work in addition to your wages, such as goods, meals, or a car
fish oil pellets 鱼油丸 PCB s 聚氯联二苯 broccoli 花椰菜，球花甘蓝 brussels sprouts 芽甘蓝 spinach 菠菜 free-range 在农场自由放养的 enhanced eggs 某种营养含量比一般蛋高的蛋 baby food幼(婴)儿食品</DIV>

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all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-9 15:34:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>2. Be Tenacious About Soaking Up Vitamin D </DIV>
<DIV class=articleHeadline></DIV>
<DIV class=articleHeadline>
Even in an age of fortified milk and cereal, some doctors worry that we're short on vitamin D--to our detriment.
Historically, most people have gotten their quota from the sun, which stimulates the cells in the skin to produce it. But now that we're either slathered in sunscreen or parked in front of the computer, vitamin D deficiency appears to be fairly common. One study in Boston found that of 307 adolescents tested, 75 were vitamin D deficient. African-American kids were more likely to be low, since the pigment in dark skin acts as a sunblock.
The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine currently recommends that adults get 200 international units, or IU s, a day of vitamin D, which the body needs to absorb calcium. But some scientists argue for even more, since studies now suggest that extra might help prevent fractures in elderly people and that a shortage could even play a role in cancer, type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis.
Most light-skinned people can get enough sun in just a few minutes a day outdoors without sunscreen. But that might not do it for people who live farther north or who have darker skin. And even short periods without protection make dermatologists nervous; such exposure may increase your risk of skin cancer. Endocrinologist Bess Dawson-Hughes, a professor at Tufts University, recommends supplements to her patients, for a total of 1,000 IU s a day. Don't go overboard--too much D can be toxic. 
Tenacious: Holding or tending to hold persistently to something, such as a point of view

multiple sclerosis.
(A chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system in which gradual destruction of myelin occurs in patches throughout the brain or spinal cord or both, interfering with the nerve pathways and causing muscular weakness, loss of coordination, and speech and visual disturbances. It occurs chiefly in young adults and is thought to be caused by a defect in the immune system that may be of genetic or viral origin. 多发性硬化：中枢神经系统一种慢性退化性疾病，发病时髓脂质慢性形成斑状损坏，遍及大脑和脊髓或两处同时出现，干扰神经通路并导致肌肉无力、协调性丧失以及语言和视力障碍。这种疾病主要出现在年轻的成年人中，并被认为是源于遗传或病毒所引起的免疫系统缺陷所导致的. 
Dermatology: The branch of medicine that is concerned with the physiology and pathology of the skin
endocrinology: The study of the glands and hormones of the body and their related disorders.</DIV>

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all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-9 15:36:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>3. A Little More Pedaling Pays Off </DIV>

It's easy to come up with an ambitious, eight-days-a-week exercise plan for the new year--and even easier to get discouraged by Groundhog Day.
Instead of going for more workouts each week, make smaller, incremental changes: Add a bit more time to your current workouts. "In 10 minutes you could burn another 75 to 100 calories," says Cathy Mullooly, an exercise physiologist at Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. If you worked out three times a week, you'd lose an extra 4-plus pounds over a year.
Totally short on time? Crank up the intensity, suggests Chris Imbo, managing director of health lifestyle company Welldome and a personal trainer for 17 years. "You have to put your body under stress, and when [your workout] becomes routine, it's no longer stress," he says. Treadmillers might up the intensity with stints on a steep incline to burn more calories and build strength. You can also get your body working harder by trying a new class or new machine at the gym. Finally, don't waste time by using machines incorrectly. Stand upright and don't lean on the equipment. "If you have to hold onto the treadmill for dear life," says Mullooly, "the treadmill is doing the work." -Katherine Hobson 
Groundhog Day: February 2, on which according to popular legend is predicted an early spring if the groundhog does not see its shadow upon emerging from its burrow or six more weeks of winter if the groundhog does see its shadow. The day is observed each year with a celebration in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Punxsutawney</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Pennsylvania</st1:State></st1:place>.
土拨鼠日：定于<st1:chsdate w:st="on" IsROCDate="False" IsLunarDate="False" Day="2" Month="2" Year="2006">2月2日</st1:chsdate>。根据传说，如果土拨鼠出洞后未看到自己的影子，那么该年春天就来得早；如果土拨鼠看到了自己的影子，那么冬季还要再持续六个星期。每年美国宾夕法尼亚州的蓬克斯苏托内部都要在该日进行观测并举行庆祝活动 
Treadmill: An exercise device consisting of an endless moving belt on which a person can walk or jog while remaining in one place.
Stint: A limitation or restriction

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all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-9 15:43:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>5. Pick the Right Pain Pill </DIV>

This year's flurry of conflicting information about pain relievers has triggered plenty of headaches. Some relief: Over-the-counter medications, taken at the recommended dose, are safe for most people. But none are risk free. Consider these differences next time you're at the store:
Aspirin (Bayer, Bufferin): The century-old pain reliever is recommended by many doctors as a first-line therapy thanks to its low degree of risk and beneficial effects on the heart.
Benefits: Technically, aspirin is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (more on this later) and, like the others, can fight fever and inflammation as well as pain. But unlike other NSAID s, aspirin discourages blood clotting and has been shown to protect against a second heart attack or stroke.
Risks: Taking aspirin for a viral illness such as the flu can put anyone under 18 at increased risk for Reye's syndrome, a potentially fatal illness. Like all NSAID s, aspirin can cause stomach ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding. Also, its anticlotting properties could be dangerous to people with bleeding disorders.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol, aspirin-free Excedrin): Hundreds of over-the-counter medications contain this non-NSAID pain reliever, an alternative for people who are allergic to aspirin or who worry about the risks of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories.
Benefits: Acetaminophen "seems to me the most benign medication if taken at the right dose," says Joel Bennett, a professor of hematology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and coauthor of American Heart Association recommendations on pain relievers.
Risks: Taking too much can be toxic to the liver. One study, published this month, noted that about half of all cases of liver failure are caused by an overdose of acetaminophen--44 percent intentional but 48 percent unintentional. "People think, 'If I can buy 500 in a mayonnaise jar, how could it be poison?'" says William Lee, a liver specialist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Lee points out that drugs containing acetaminophen and other active ingredients aren't required to say so on the front of the package. So it's extremely important to read the list of active ingredients on any drug. Adults should not take more than 4,000 milligrams of acetaminophen per day--and less if they commonly have more than three alcoholic drinks daily.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (Advil, Motrin, Aleve): This class of drugs, which includes ibuprofen and naproxen, got a lot of bad press this year after Pfizer pulled Bextra, a prescription NSAID, from the market for fear of heart risks and skin reactions and Merck began fighting some 7,000 lawsuits claiming that another, Vioxx, raises the risk of heart attacks.
Benefits: Ibuprofen and naproxen often work when aspirin and acetaminophen don't. Many women swear by them for menstrual cramps.
Risks: Like aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen carry an increased risk of stomach ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding. Recent studies have also linked them to heart problems, though the evidence is still preliminary.
Whichever medication you choose, use it sensibly, advises headache specialist Fred Sheftell of the New England Center for Headache. If you're popping pills more than 10 times in a typical month, he says, it's time to get out of the drugstore and into a doctor's office. -Betsy Querna

myjobpeter · 发表于 2006-1-9 20:14:00

not finish?

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-10 07:55:00

一共50个呢,我准备每天贴几个,一下子贴不过来,而且贴上也看不完呀.

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-10 08:11:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>11. Learn to Think Like a Scientist </DIV>

It was Sunday afternoon in fast-moving Manhattan, but the crowd entering the newly opened Darwin Exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History only had eyes for the slow-motion moves of two giant tortoises.
Gawkers of all ages seemed to be simulating Darwin's own sense of wonder upon discovering these curiously distinctive creatures during his visit to the Galapagos Islands in 1835. But Darwin's initial observations, the exhibit shows, didn't stop there. His encounter sparked years of investigation and analysis of thousands of insect, plant, animal, and fossil samples he collected during his five-year voyage on the Beagle. To this evidence, already substantial, he added more: countless experiments in his greenhouses in England, as well as further investigations into geology and animal breeding. Only in 1858 did he publicly present what eventually became known as his Theory of Evolution: All life evolved from a common ancestor through the process of natural selection.
Yes, a theory. But far more than "just a theory."
That's the dismissive tag "intelligent design" advocates often use to try to discredit evolution. It resonates in the public consciousness, says Case Western Reserve physics Prof. Lawrence Krauss, because most people aren't aware that the word theory has a different meaning in a scientific context.
A scientific theory, he explains, is a comprehensive, logical explanation of natural phenomena. And it's not based on a mere hunch. Rather, it rests upon verifiable evidence, observation, and experiments that can be replicated. That's what Darwin did. For example, he saw that tortoise shells and finch beaks in the Galapagos differed from island to island. Further study helped him formulate his theory: Through evolution, the animals adapted to their environment.
Scopes again. Recent attempts in Pennsylvania and Ohio to introduce intelligent design into the school science curriculum represent the latest "step in the continuing process which began with the Scopes trial in 1925," says Paul Gross, former head of the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, Mass. Intelligent design is based on faith, not science, he explains. You can believe it or not, but you can't establish scientific proof for it.
Confusion about the use of the word theory speaks to a general lack of scientific knowledge in the United States. In a review released this month of how well states meet academic standards for science in grades K-12, more than half received a C or lower, and 15 flunked.
Yet now more than ever, we face "hundreds of issues that affect our lives" that are basically about science, says Gross, who was the lead author of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute-sponsored study. Global warming is one: "To what extent is it a consequence of what human beings do, rather than natural and physical cycles? Obviously, this is a very important question, and as citizens we are constantly faced by a barrage of statements that are often political." For example, Henry Pollack, a professor of geophysics at the University of Michigan and author of Uncertain Science ... Uncertain World , points out, "describing atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane as 'so-called greenhouse gases' creates doubt that they affect the temperature of the atmosphere--an impression that no atmospheric scientist would affect." But to assess their validity, we need to understand enough science to ask relevant questions.
Learning to think scientifically is not a skill solely for the domain of science. Pollack explains, "In any field, it's important to learn to differentiate between what's real and what's phony. You ask: 'Can this be true? How can I test if it's true?' It's going a lot deeper than 'Hey, I have a good idea!' " When that process is followed thoroughly, through experiments and observations, yielding evidence to back up the idea, only then is it known as science.

SCIENCE 101 
Michael Shermer, editor of Skeptic , sums up scientific reasoning.
1. Ask a question: Is the Earth round or flat?
2. Experiment. Devise tests to answer the question.
3. Confirm. Find other data, observations, experiments, or research to back up your evidence.
4. Conclude. With a body of data (and no contrary evidence), you can say: Yes, the Earth is round! -Diane Cole

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-10 08:13:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>12. Go Out for Chinese </DIV>

Xin nian kuai le. You might not know what that means ("Happy New Year"), but 1.3 billion Chinese do. And with the country's double-digit economic growth and rising global stature, anyone considering a language (or looking for a career boost) might think about tackling Chinese.
To be sure, you shouldn't expect to pick it up overnight. Chinese is one of the hardest languages for English speakers to learn. Words are depicted with pictograms rather than spelled out with an alphabet. And saying a word using the wrong tone can change its meaning from "mother" to "scold" or "horse." "Without a doubt, it's the tonal system that's the hardest thing about learning Chinese," says Jack Fairweather, a British journalist who has been studying the language for three months. "Unless my teacher knows exactly what's about to come out of my mouth, I will say something and she looks alternately perplexed, alarmed, or amused."
So some are starting early. Increasingly, high schools are adding Mandarin Chinese to the standard offerings of Spanish, French, German, and Latin. When the College Board surveyed high schools last fall to see how many were interested in offering Advanced Placement courses in Chinese, it expected around 200 to say yes; instead, 2,400 wanted in.
But for those who didn't get that jump-start, where to begin? Local colleges often offer evening and weekend language classes for adults. If you're feeling more ambitious and can afford to take time off work, Vermont's Middlebury College offers an intensive nine-week course, featuring a pledge to speak only Chinese from the moment you arrive. Brace yourself for a long, mind-opening journey. Even if you never master the language, getting there could be half the fun. -Bay Fang

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-11 08:42:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>13. Never Say 'NaNaNa BooBoo' </DIV>

With the country split down the middle on everything from Social Security to the war in Iraq, it seems it's never been a better time to talk politics. If we only knew how. Be prepared with a few tricks of the trade. And who better to teach you than Rich Masters, a spinmeister at Qorvis Communications, a Washington-based PR firm, who makes his living teaching ordinary people to be better debaters on TV talk shows.
Zing it! Have one or two zinger lines handy to break the ice or clinch a conversation. Like, "Am I the only one who thinks it's ironic that there is a hurricane called Wilma, when the people running FEMA are named Fred and Barney?" Crib from Jon Stewart if you have to.
Don't squawk alone. A like-minded mate or a pal can jump in, giving you time to collect your thoughts.
Give in--a little. Don't be afraid to concede a smaller point to win the larger argument. Besides, it'll throw your opponent off guard.
Stay calm and polite. "If you're smiling," says Masters, "it will leave the person with a positive impression." No matter how much you disagree. -Ilana Ozernoy

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-11 08:47:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>15. Bone Up at Video Game U </DIV>

Tired of telling Junior to stop playing Madden '06 on that PlayStation? Perhaps you should join him. Despite the controversy about the violent content of games such as Grand Theft Auto, more and more studies are showing that games are good for you.
The benefits to the brain could reach well beyond the improved hand-eye coordination that video games have long been thought to encourage. According to Steven Johnson, author of Everything Bad Is Good for You , many games force players to learn complex rules, follow dozens of variables in real time, and prioritize among goals. Sounds like an intense day in the real world, right?
Multitasking. Even more so. "It's rare that you're ever going to need to track six objects at once or find a target that exists for a few seconds at a time," says C. Shawn Green, a University of Rochester graduate student who coauthored a 2003 study that found that video games do improve attention to visual detail. Still, the skills honed with virtual games could have literal uses. Green says that video games could help people recover from strokes or train police officers and soldiers. Indeed, some U.S. military units already customize video games for training.
Who knows? Those shoot-'em-up skills could even save lives. A 2004 study of doctors at New York's Beth Israel Medical Center, done with the National Institute on Media and Family at Iowa State University, found that gamers might have an advantage in the operating room. Thirty-three doctors were tested on three video game tasks that measured motor skills, reaction time, hand-eye coordination, and other skills essential to performing laparoscopic surgery (in which a small video camera is inserted into the patient and maneuvered by a joystick). Doctors who once played video games for more than three hours a week were 37 percent less likely to make mistakes and finished the procedure 27 percent quicker. Which leaves more time to play video games, of course. -Kenneth Terrell

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-11 08:49:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>16. Why You Shouldn't Forget to Meditate </DIV>

You've probably heard that regular meditation can help reduce stress and anxiety. In fact, we recommended practicing the skill exactly one year ago. Now there's even more reason to give it a try: It might also make you smarter. A fall 2005 study found that the brains of people who meditate were about 5 percent thicker in the areas that deal with focus and memory than the brains of nonmeditators. The more time someone had spent meditating in the past, the thicker their brains were in those spots.
Though the study doesn't prove it, "the implication is that meditation may actually improve attention and memory," says Sara Lazar, a research scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital and the study's lead author. Researchers recruited 20 experienced meditators, who practiced betweeen four and six hours a week on average, and 15 control subjects, who had never meditated. The brains of participants in both groups were scanned using magnetic resonance imaging and then compared. The MRI s showed that areas of the cerebral cortex and the insula were thicker in the regular meditators' brains. These are the areas that are particularly active during insight meditation--the method used by participants--which involves keeping a concentrated focus on internal stimuli such as breathing.
Yoga, too. In daily life, having meditation experience might help you focus better during a test, pick up more details watching a movie, or even detect something that jumps in front of your car a split-second sooner, says Lazar. Centers that teach meditation and yoga--which can yield similar benefits--are available even in smaller cities, and books and tapes can also guide newbies through the basics.
But don't throw out your schoolbooks yet. Noting that it's difficult to accurately measure the brain, Adrian Dobs, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, says, "I'm not sure I believe in the brain size increase." Even if there were a difference in meditators' brains, Dobs questioned whether it had any effect on their intelligence. Still, a thicker mind and less stress sounds like a smart combination. -Michelle Andrews

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-12 07:16:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>18. Splurge </DIV>

Doctors say that a robust regimen of mental calisthenics is good for the brain, so a classic three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle of America's most famous skyline--pre-9/11--should help keep you sharp well into your twilight years. Puzz 3D's New York City ($55) slices the Big Apple into 3,141 bits and pieces. The mammoth model will cover your coffee table and includes the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center, and the East River waterfront. -Alex Kingsbury

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-12 07:22:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>22. The Great Bank Giveaway </DIV>

To nab a free rice cooker, 4,000 customers signed up for accounts at Commerce Bank's new Chinatown branch in New York City. In Oklahoma's barbecue country, First Fidelity Bank entices depositors with George Foreman Grills. And Chase pulls in yuppies by handing out iPods. Hot competition for profitable customers (those willing to keep lots of money in low-interest savings and checking accounts) has set off a bank bidding war. Mark Hebeka, a banking industry analyst for Standard & Poor's, says that while the best deals often require minimum deposits of $2,500 for at least a year, they can still be pretty sweet. At today's low CD rates, you'll lose only about $100 a year, the price of a low-end iPod. This is quite a change from the bad old days, when banks dangled boring appliances like toasters. An especially popular lure, says Hebeka: cold cash. Bank of America has offered to match as much as $250 in deposits to new savings accounts. Today's customers, it seems, don't want toast. They want dough. -Kim Clark

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-12 07:28:00

25. Splurge! 

Stuff can become more valuable. Or not. So collectors should focus on a field that brings pleasure and has potential to appreciate. David Eldridge of Eldridge Appraisals in Naples, Fla., recommends porcelain Rookwood vases from southern Ohio, especially those decorated by Japanese artist Kataro Shirayamadani. Made from the late 1800s to the 1940s, the vases now sell for thousands through art dealers and at auction. As they grow older (and time takes its inevitable toll), their value should continue to rise. -Joshua Davidovich

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all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-12 11:29:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>26. Nothing Sorry About This Safe </DIV>

Katrina. Rita. A burst water heater. Not to mention fire, brimstone, and mice. There are so many ways that your important papers and photos could be damaged. Yet there is a simple remedy: the waterproof, fire-resistant lockbox. This year, safemakers like Sentry and Sisco are enjoying booming sales for their allegedly impenetrable "security chests," priced at $30 to $100 at retailers like Target and Office Depot.
Can such a bargain-priced safe really work? Consider: They are constructed of fire-resistant concrete wrapped in waterproof polymer. Inside the lid, a gasket keeps water out. Look for the seal of an independent testing lab like ETL SEMKO. For Sentry, ETL submerged the products for an hour. Not a drop seeped in.
The one possible downside to the small lockboxes is their very smallness. They usually weigh less than 90 pounds, so a thief could walk off with one. (Although so could you, if forced to flee.) But if you'd like a heftier home lockbox, January will answer your prayers. A typical cabinet-style safe by Sisco (under the Honeywell name) promises to be the first of its kind offering full waterproof protection--and it weighs 140 pounds soaking wet. -Bret Schulte

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-12 11:30:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>27. It's Time to Take a Look at HDTV </DIV>

Jim Zirkel had heard the hype about high-definition television. So when the old TV in his Antioch, Calif., living room began emitting a high-pitched whine, he took the plunge and bought one of the fancy, next-generation sets. A few weeks later, he's happy to say it has lived up to the hype. "The image really pops," he says. "It almost adds an extra dimension--it's got a 3-D look to it."
The prize possession of rich, home theater enthusiasts for years now, HDTV appears to be at the crossover point, where it's worthwhile for ordinary households. The sale of HDTV sets is gaining momentum, and more programming, like sports and prime-time shows, is available in the impressive format. New video-game machines, including Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's upcoming PlayStation 3, are designed to be played on HDTV s. And next year also promises new DVD players--the Blu-Ray and HD-DVD formats--that will deliver high-resolution movies.
The sets, meanwhile, are free-falling in price. Zirkel plunked down $3,000 for a 40-inch LCD panel from Sony that might have cost nearly twice that just a year ago. In fact, most stores carry several HDTV models for less than $2,000, and sale prices dip even below $1,000 (though that's for a rear-projection set that's bulkier than Zirkel's flat panel).
While still a princely sum, the cost to join this television revolution is about the same as it was for the last major shift: A color tube ran about $2,000 (after adjusting for inflation) in the late 1960s, when color went mainstream.
Alphabet soup. But even amid the plummeting prices, it can still be intimidating to shop for an HDTV. Sorting out the options is like looking at some bizarre periodic table of the elements with entries including LCD, DLP LC oS, CRT, and plasma. But you don't need to decipher those options. Just decide what your budget is and head to the store, says Michael Miller, author of the new book How Home Theater and HDTV Work. "Within that price range, pick the set that looks best to you." As long as it's HDTV, it will still blow away the standard broadcasts you've been watching.
Likewise, don't get stumped by the debate over different HDTV technical standards: There are 18, if you need to know. The two most common are called "720p" and "1080i," and religiouslike wars rage over their importance. From my experience, it doesn't matter much. I've been watching a 50-inch Samsung HL-R5067W ($1,900) that displays the 720p standard and a $20,000 Sim2 Grand Cinema C3X projector that handles 1080i. Both look great--though only the projector can fill an entire wall with jaw-dropping images
Tuning in. One thing still worth considering is how you'll get your HD shows, whether by cable, satellite, or--in a retro touch--by antenna. Free HD broadcasts are available in almost every city, often at a higher picture quality than either cable or satellite offers. If you choose that option, make sure you get a set with a built-in tuner.
If you decide on the satellite or cable route, check in advance for which high-definition channels the carrier provides. Neither cable nor satellite companies carry them all, and the offerings can vary from city to city. The good news: "Competition between cable and satellite is forcing each to carry more HD channels," says Myra Moore, a market analyst at Digital Tech Consulting in Dallas.
Not all of us have a dying TV to justify the leap to HDTV, and it's hard to chuck a working set. But don't worry--that old tube still has a place in your home, if for nothing else than watching those old family videos. If those gatherings (and your hairstyles) were embarrassing enough to watch on the old set, you certainly don't want to see them on a big HDTV. -David LaGesse

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-12 11:32:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>28. The fuzz-free TV antenna </DIV>

Few people know they can get extra-sharp digital broadcast television signals with an old-fashioned antenna, on which millions of American homes still depend for free TV. All that's required is an external box called a digital tuner (starting at about $150) that decodes the new signals simulcast now by most stations, and it's easy to connect. The digital signals arrive crystal clear, with no fuzzy or ghosted images. Beginning next spring, the digital tuners will be built into most new sets as Congress pushes us toward all-digital TV. Already, RCA sells a 27-inch standard model TV with a built-in digital tuner for about $300.
The digital broadcasts aren't as sharp as luxurious HDTV, but they do offer a DVD-caliber picture. And there's another bonus: Local stations can broadcast several digital channels. My local PBS station has three, including one with all-day kids programming that, by the way, isn't available on cable or satellite. -David LaGesse

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-12 11:41:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>30. Just Remember Where You Put It</DIV>

Are you fed up juggling half a dozen remote controls just so you can watch a DVD? Try Logitech's Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote ($250).
Some universal remote controls require hours of tedious programming in order to work. But for the Harmony 880, Logitech keeps a continually updated database online of remote control codes for over 100,000 devices, including items like air conditioners, old VCRs, and even laserdisk players. So all you have to do is plug the Harmony remote into a PC or Mac with a USB cable, enter the model numbers for the equipment, and the remote downloads all the commands for the device within minutes. -John R. Quain 
31. Seeing the Light on Fluorescents Compact fluorescent bulbs, which use one third the energy of an incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer, are an environmentalist's dream. Your pocketbook also likes them. One bulb can save you $50 over its lifetime. Now your home can bask in a better glow, too. A new generation of bulbs is cheaper ($4 to $15), can be flicker free, and casts a warmer light--if you know how to shop.
To avoid that cold green glow, check the box for color temperature. For a warm yellow light, try a 2700K; a soft white light, around 3000K; while a crisp neutral white--for home office or kitchens, is about 3500K.
Also look for bulbs that carry the Energy Star logo--they're efficient and won't flicker or hum. High color temperature bulbs over 6500K can even slightly aid with seasonal affective disorder. -Caroline Hsu 
32. I'm Sorry, VCR. I'm Not That Into You Nothing vanquishes the tyranny of network TV programming executives like a digital video recorder (DVR). With a DVR, viewers can easily record every episode of their favorite show no matter what station it's on, skip through commercials, and rearrange TV schedules to suit their needs. And because DVR s continually record video to a hard-disk drive, couch potatoes can pause a live program while they answer the phone or rewind a broadcast to replay an inaudible piece of dialogue.
DVR s are now built into several different types of devices, ranging from standalone boxes like TiVo to DVD recorders. However, the simplest models to operate are those built into the latest generation of cable and satellite TV boxes. Cable companies such as Time Warner typically add a fee of less than $10 a month to your regular bill for a DVR. The fee is well worth it.
Most of the cable boxes include two tuners, so that you can record two shows at once or let the kids watch Little Bear while you record the Chicago Bears. Moreover, the picture on the cable box DVR s is far superior to that offered by standalone recorders. There are even high-definition versions now available. -John R. Quain

[此贴子已经被作者于2006-1-14 10:26:22编辑过]

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-14 10:27:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>33. Splurge! </DIV>

Watching the $400 Scooba robotic floor washer is like tracking a hurricane on the weather radar. It spirals methodically then seems to veer off course. But the Scooba's wanderings are carefully preprogrammed so it covers floors efficiently. Just fill the tank with a liter of water, press a button, and watch it clean with a special low-suds solution. Unlike regular mops, the Scooba doesn't push dirty water around the floor--and it sucks up the water after it cleans. -Susan Headden

all_is_vanity · 发表于 2006-1-14 10:31:00

<DIV class=articleHeadline>34. Dive Into a Life-Changing Book </DIV>
<DIV class=articleHeadline> </DIV>
<DIV class=articleDeck>In need of a tuneup? Try our steps for attitude adjustment </DIV>

ow many a man has dated a new era in his life from the reading of a book!" Thoreau wrote in 1854. Include women, too, and it's as true now as then. We asked independent bookstores to name the books of 2005 that moved readers most.
The Year of Magical Thinking. In this National Book Award-winning memoir of grief, essayist Joan Didion confronts the loss of her husband of almost 40 years, the writer John Gregory Dunne, as well as the life-threatening illness of their daughter, Quintana, who died shortly before the book was published. "Life changes in the instant," Didion writes. At times, grief robs her of her very reason, leading her to think "as small children think, as if my thoughts or wishes had the power to reverse the narrative, change the outcome." Didion's searing depiction of the way we mourn has made this "the book people have really been moved by," says Tad Smith of Cincinnati's Joseph-Beth Booksellers.
The March. War is the great leveler in E. L. Doctorow's panoramic Civil War novel. As we follow General Sherman on his ruthless march, we meet a ragtag horde of the displaced: characters of every race, social class, and political persuasion, uprooted from a way of life that no longer exists and scrambling to live from one day to the next. The book brings home the horror of our Civil War and compels us to examine our own souls: What choices would we have made? It's a provocative page-turner, a "well-written, well-researched history in the guise of fiction," says Leslie Graham of San Francisco's A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books.
Night Draws Near: Iraq's People in the Shadow of America's War. A fluent Arabic speaker, Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post correspondent Anthony Shadid not only presents gripping firsthand reportage from Iraq; he also explains the war through the eyes of ordinary Iraqis. "They came to overthrow Saddam," one says. "Why are they fighting his victims?" Shadid's portrait of a population under siege "will have long-term impact on people's view of the world," says Cathy Langer, book buyer at Denver's Tattered Cover Book Store.
Hungry Planet: What the World Eats. Photographer Peter Menzel and writer Faith D'Aluisio traveled the world, inviting themselves to dine with 30 families in 24 countries, from Darfur to Cuba to Poland. But before dinner, they shop together. In so doing, they discover how what we eat both reflects and affects who we are. Photo portraits of each family show them surrounded by a week's worth of groceries. And there are recipes, too! Barbara Meade, an owner of Politics and Prose in Washington, D.C., likens it to the classic The Family of Man by photographer Edward Steichen and poet Carl Sandburg.
You Can Do It! The Merit Badge Handbook for Grownup Girls. The brainstorm of Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas, who died on Sept. 11, 2001, on United Airlines Flight 93, this is inspirational how-to at its best. Experts provide advice in 60 areas, from public speaking to training for a triathlon. You can even make your own merit badge on a printed tag, complete with star. "This is a book that empowers," says Steve Bercu, co-owner of BookPeople in Austin. And by the way, men can do it (and do read it), too. -Diane Cole

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