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...