New England Sun-Times

 USA TODAY -- Paula Deen is continuing to try to launch her comeback. The celeb chef, whose world crumbled nine months ago after she admitted using the n-word, told a crowd at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami Beach last weekend that she is "back in the saddle," and now she's telling People magazine in the issue hitting stands on Friday, "If it wasn't for my fans' love, I'd be home breathing into a paper bag." Deen says, "I'm fighting to get my name back," adding,  "I feel like 'embattled' or 'disgraced' will always follow my name. It's like that black football player who recently came out," says Deen, referring to NFL prospect Michael Sam. "He said, 'I just want to be known as a football player. I don't want to be known as a gay football player.' I know exactly what he's saying." At her lowest, Deen says, she took c...

  The weed debate continues to rage on and is taking a dangerous turn. People are finding new ways to get an even more powerful high. Dave Kinchen shows us a new pot craze hitting our streets that could have dangerous, even deadly, results. It's a pipe dream come true for pot smokers, and the craze is invading our area. It's called Butane Hash Oil and it's extracted from traditional Cannabis. Users say that the stuff is so powerful that a "dab" will do ya and then some. "If you go to any college area around here, Temple, Penn, wherever, you'll be able to find yourself some BHO." Nick Vadala works for Philadelphia Magazine. He has written about hash oil and says that the trend is wildly popular out West in states where Marijuana is legal. However, Philadelphia is catching on, even though the laws are strict. Thousands in Philly now crave hash oil's powerful punch. "It's a very strong, concentrated form...

A premature birth is defined as occurring before the 37th week of pregnancy. They usually occur in one of three stages: late pre-term (between 34 and 37 weeks), very pre-term (less than 32 weeks), and extremely preterm (less than 25 weeks). Most preterm births happen in the late pre-term stage of 34 to 37 weeks. Common risk factors for premature births Smoking or drug use High blood pressure Diabetes Carrying twins or multiples Uterine infection A shortened cervix If you’re 35 or older Overweight or underweight A previous pre-term birth. Tips for carrying full-term Plan ahead If you’re planning to conceive, begin supplementing with a multivitamin that contains vitamin B and folic acid. Folic acid may reduce the risk of the placenta separating from the uterine wall. It also assists in reducing high blood pressure. Both conditions are evident in around 20% of pre-term deliveries. See the dentist. Gum disease has been shown to increase the risk of pre-term b...

Mike Bevel You may not have heard of this on the news, because the #BostonGlobe, the #BostonHerald, the #NewYorkPost and the #NewYorkTimes will not report these stories. Back in April, 2011, an Indonesian man who was beaten to death — in Indonesia, mind you — over $12,000 in credit card debt with #Citibank. What gave the story its lurid turn was the fact that the man was beaten  in Citi’s Jakarta offices, and, allegedly, by the branch’s own debt collection department. He died on the way to the hospital. The attorney for the debt collector tells a different story, of course. Yes, intimidation was used, the attorney says. But it was not physical intimidation. The debtor, the attorney alleges, died of a stroke. Like, the brain kind, not several strokes with a fist or whip or axe or something. Unlike the United States, which has laws in place that protect both the debtor and the collector (we can argue about your disagreement with the latter later), Indonesia is a li...

Clear TV is an antenna that promises to provide you with local crystal clear HD broadcast channels that will let you watch your favorite shows, movies, sporting events, and more. About Clear TV Clear TV is an “As Seen on TV” digital antenna that claims to provide you with HD broadcast channels at no charge, other than the cost of the antenna itself. However, “broadcast” means that Clear TV only works with local network channels such as ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and other local stations, but not with cable channels (see more about this in the following section). Clear TV has been heavily advertised lately, and appears to be quickly gaining popularity. As a result, you probably just watched a commercial for Clear TV, visited the product’s website, and are excited about all the possibilities this antenna may offer. Before placing your order though, you want to know more, and to read some legitimate online customer reviews. Luckily,...

By Shimon Prokupecz. Faith Karimi, Nischelle Turner and Ray Sanchez, CNN Robert Vineberg, 57, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of drug paraphernalia Max Rosenblum, 22, is charged with criminal use of drug paraphernalia, criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana Juliana Luchkiw, 22, charged with criminal use of drug paraphernalia, criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana New York (CNN) -- Four people believed to be connected to the drugs found in Philip Seymour Hoffman's apartment were arrested late Tuesday night, law enforcement officials told CNN. During the raid that led to the arrest of the three men and one woman, police recovered 350 small plastic bags of what is believed to be heroin, the officials said. The bags of alleged heroin were branded "black list" and "red bull" -- not the same brand...

Pharmacy chain CVS said Wednesday it will stop selling tobacco products at its 7,600 locations across the United States, a move that public-health advocates hope will become a watershed and pressure other large drug store franchises to follow suit. CVS executives said the decision could cost billions of dollars in revenue because cigarettes draw so many customers to their stores. But by jettisoning tobacco products, CVS can further define its pharmacies as full-fledged health-care providers and strike more profitable deals with hospitals and health insurers.  CVS stores already are home to more than 750 MinuteClinics, the country's largest chain of pharmacy-based health clinics, offering flu shots and diagnosis of common ailments like ear infections and strep throat. "An important and growing part of our business is the work we do with clients and health insurance plans," CVS Pharmacy President Helena Foulkes said in an interview Tuesday. "As we thought about ...