New England Sun-Times

Changes come as part of new company dress code Starbucks baristas and other employees have been asked not to wear their engagement rings and other precious gems while at work. The company says engagement rings and anything with a stone aren't allowed at work, even though tattoos and nose studs are now OK. The changes are part of a new dress code introduced earlier this month. A Starbucks spokesman said the changes are based on federal food safety guidelines and that the new policy isn't about engagement rings specifically, as plain bands can still be worn. Some workers have signed an online petition asking Starbucks to reverse its decision. A spokesman for the company told CNN News that the company hopes to more than double its

Is your relationship headed for disaster? John Gottman, PhD, is a leading psychologist in the area of marriage and relationships. Over the years, he has researched countless couples and has been able to predict with surprising accuracy which relationships survive and which fail. I know you are busy and may not have time to read his books, so I want to give you a little summary of the red flags that he’s found so that you can see if you are dealing with them in your relationship. By the way – if you do have time, I highly recommend his book “The 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work” – it’s a quick and easy read and offers some great information. First off, if you are experiencing any of these ‘symptoms’ of a relationship headed toward disaster, fear not. You have time to reverse your path. Awareness is key – so talk to your partner about your concerns and see if you can do something about it. The Warning Signs 1.) Negativity significantly outweighs positivity Let’s face

Taylor Swift is the kind of superstar who surprises fans at their bridal showers , writes encouraging messages on their Instagram photos, gives them money to purchase Chipotle on their birthdays and invites them into her home to eat homemade cookies and listen to her latest album (before everyone else). And in her latest attempt to become St. Taylor -- or at least the friendliest celebrity out there -- Swift crashed a young fan's photo shoot while she was jogging in a Nashville area park. Swift was just working on her fitness in the great outdoors when she jogged her way into a fan, who was in the middle of a photo shoot with photographer Sarah Bailey . The 24-year-old stopped and took the time not only to chat with the girl, but to pose for a couple of photos. And luckily, she was camera-ready: Swift sported a Notre Dame hoodie -- her younger brother Austin's school-- and a full face of makeup. (Of course Taylor Swift jogs wearing red lipstick and mascara -- after

There are several steps you can take to lower your cholesterol level, like losing weight if needed, being more active, and choosing healthy foods. Here are three simple steps toward a healthier, cholesterol-lowering diet: Choose healthy fats. Avoid saturated fats, which increase unhealthy LDL levels, and steer clear of trans fats, which both raise LDL and lower protective HDL. Instead, substitute healthier unsaturated fats, found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. Go with whole grains. Whole-grain breads, pastas, and cereals help prevent a blood sugar roller coaster and make you feel full longer. Many of these foods contain fiber, which can help lower LDL levels. Make other healthy choices. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Ideally, substitute these for processed foods and sweets. Choose fat-free milk instead of whole milk. Opt for low-fat yogurt and pick brands that are not loaded with sugar. If lifestyle changes don’t get your cholesterol to a healthy level, ask your doct

To delete your blog: Sign in to blogger.com. Next to the blog you want to delete, select Settings from the drop-down.. Select Settings. Under “Settings” on the left side of the page, click Other. Go to "Blog tools." Optional Click Export blog to save a copy on your hard drive. Click Delete this blog.

Microsoft’s announcement Thursday that a basic version of the Office franchise will be free to mobile customers is the company’s latest adjustment to the changing computing landscape. Beginning Thursday, users of iPhones and iPads can create and edit Office documents without a subscription to Microsoft’s paid Office 365 service, the company said. Similar service for use in Google’s Android tablets is available in a preview version now, and is expected to be formally rolled out early next year. The move is the latest sign of a shift in Microsoft strategy, as the Redmond company tries to keep customers hooked on its software even as they use tablets and smartphones with operating systems made by rivals. Microsoft broke with longstanding tradition in March, announcing it would make the Office suite of word processing and productivity software available for the first time on Apple’s iPad. That was followed in April by Microsoft’s move to stop charging hardware makers that wa

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Friday dismissed criminal indictments against 13 more defendants in major drug cases as authorities continued to investigate the growing scandal of an FBI agent accused of tampering with narcotics, firearms and other evidence seized in the cases. The action by U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton came one day after prosecutors dropped charges against 10 other defendants — some already serving lengthy prison sentences — in related cases. "This is pretty huge," said Carmen Hernandez, an attorney for one of the defendants. "There are people who have pled guilty being released from prison. The magnitude of the tampering or wrongdoing must be pretty large." The agent being investigated is Matthew Lowry, 33, according to his attorney, Robert Bonsib. "Agent Lowry is committed to assisting in the investigation of this matter and is making himself fully available to the authorities to answer any and all questions they have

This film publicity image released by Disney Pixar shows characters Woody, left, and Buzz Lightyear, from the animated film "Toy Story." Disney Pixar announced Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014, it plans to produce “Toy Story 4.” Pixar chief John Lasseter will direct the film, which is set for release in June of 2017. (AP Photo/Disney Pixar) LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Buzz Lightyear and Sheriff Woody are coming back to the big screen. Disney Pixar announced Thursday it plans to produce "Toy Story 4," with a release date in June 2017. Pixar chief John Lasseter will direct the film. Lasseter directed the first two "Toy Story" films and says his team has come up with a new idea for the franchise that he can't stop thinking about. He says the fourth "Toy Story" installment will "open a new chapter" in the lives of Woody, Buzz and their playful pals.

Amazon unveiled a new voice-controlled speaker called Echo that customers can ask to set alarms, play music and find information. Amazon, which said it would be “selective” about jumping into new markets after losing millions on its smartphone, added a new device to its lineup, a voice-controlled speaker called Echo. Amazon may have taken a financial bath on its Fire Phone. But that hasn’t slowed the company’s hardware ambitions. On Thursday, Amazon revealed on its website a new voice-controlled speaker called Echo. The company said the tubelike gadget responds in a woman’s voice to requests such as “What time is it?” or “How high is Mount Everest?” Users can also use Echo to set an alarm or play music from their collection uploaded to Amazon Music. While rumors flew for months before the launch of the Fire Phone and Amazon’s streaming-video device Fire TV, Echo came by surprise. Amazon announced it by placing details at the top of Amazon.com, unaccompanied by a

Marine reservist Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, who spent 214 days behind bars in Mexico on weapons charges, says he often carried guns because he felt vulnerable and threatened since leaving active duty. Tahmooressi, in an interview Thursday night with Fox News host Greta Van Susteren, said that it has been difficult transitioning to the civilian community from the Marine Corps. "And it's easy to go from there to the civilian world carrying a gun around because, you know, you feel like ... people are after you," Tahmooressi said. "And it's just a different world from there to here. It's a totally different world." Tahmooressi, 25, did two combat tours in Afghanistan. He has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and had moved to San Diego to get treatment for PTSD at the Veterans Affairs hospital in La Jolla. Marines "have guns on them all the time," he said. "Our gun is our safety. So when you get here and yo

BOSTON (CBS/AP) — Republican Charlie Baker has been elected governor of Massachusetts, defeating Democrat Martha Coakley and three independent candidates to reclaim the state’s top political office for the GOP. With 99-percent of the precincts reporting at 6 a.m. Wednesday, Baker led Coakley by 37,881 votes. Watch: Charlie Baker Addresses Supporters Coakley did not concede or speak on election night.  She returned home with her husband to wait until the results were officially final. Her running mate, Steve Kerrigan, addressed supporters late Tuesday night saying they believe every vote deserved to be counted. Baker, 57, is the former CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. He worked hard to reach out to independent and Democratic voters and women as he tried to project a more moderate image than four years ago, when he lost to incumbent Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick. Patrick opted not to seek election to a third term. Baker also had to overcome a few self-i

A Florida woman tried to pack six ounces of cocaine in her vagina, but was caught during an airport security search. KathyAnn Ferguson flew into Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on a JetBlue flight from Jamaica when she went through a routine security search and admitted to hiding the drugs in her vagina. Once in custody, the 26-year-old removed the package herself. The cocaine totaled 175 grams — about six ounces. Ferguson was then taken to a hospital for further medical attention before being booked on charges of drug trafficking at Broward Main Jail. She was later released on $15,000 bond.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr. sentenced a Charlotte man today on charges stemming from two 2012 carjackings committed in Charlotte, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Antonio Cordiara McClary, 25, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 148 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Wayne L. Dixie, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Rodney D. Monroe of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney Tompkins in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing: McClary carjacked a woman on January 5, 2012, and forced her to drive to her bank and withdraw $500 from an ATM. During the carjacking, McClary pointed what appeared to be a firearm at the victim’s head. Following the forced withdrawal of money from the ATM,