THE DOGS TAKE MAJOR MEDICAL, THE TREES WANT CASH UP FRONT

Feeling Ill ? Experts Say Pet a Dog or Hug a Tree

Researchers writing in November’s British Medical Journal looked at the relationship between bonding with nature and pet ownership and enjoying enhanced health. It’s not a surprise that they found a direct correlation.

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HERE'S A STORY WITH LEGS

Experts Say U.S. in Midst of Bedbug Invasion

Bedbugs are making a big comeback in parts of the U.S., including New York City, and Atlanta. And they're not only hiding out in fleabag hotels, either.

Exterminators say they're finding bedbugs in around four times the number of hotel rooms they did last year.

"People's homes, and in places you wouldn’t expect, like aircraft and cruise ships," said Frank Meek of Orkin Pest Control.

Pest control experts say the tiny bloodsucking bugs are on the increase, partly because people travel more. "This is an insect that's a great hitchhiker. So if you're there, and he's there, they can get up, walk around with you and come with you to your next destination," Meek said.

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The bad news is that the only way to rid a home of the insects is to call a professional exterminator.

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THANKS FOR NOTHING, KEVIN

The perfect wine is the one you enjoy, the experts say

The week before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times of the year for wine experts. Not only is a lot of wine consumed with that ultimate of holiday meals, people take extra care with what they choose.

"We always tell people the perfect wine is the wine they enjoy. There's no absolutely right answer," said Kevin Anderson, the cellar master at AJ's Fine Foods in La Encantada.

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MINCE PIES & HORRIBLE IN-LAWS STILL POSE THREATS, HOWEVER

Thanksgiving Dinner Safe From Bird Flu, Experts Say

Cooking Turkey Properly Kills Germs

CINCINNATI -- Americans concerned about contracting bird flu from their Thanksgiving dinner can gobble down their meals without too much worry, reported WLWT-TV in Cincinnati.
"There's no greater threat this Thanksgiving than any Thanksgiving," said Ron DeHaven, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Department.

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WHY, THOSE BITCHES!

Bullying incidents common at American schools, experts say

Bullying is a major problem in America's schools. Normally, girls tend to bully by social isolation, taunting and gossiping, those who have studied the issue said.

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NEVER MIND. I THOUGHT IT SAID ABANDONED BLOGS

Abandoned bogs: They're nothing but trouble, experts say

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I'M BOOKED NEXT MONTH ON THE S.S KLINGHOFFER. SHOULD I BE CONCERNED?

Experts say cruises vulnerable, but lines defend security plans

MIAMI (AP) — It sounds like a scene in a Hollywood blockbuster: Pirates hit a luxury cruise ship with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns off a lawless African country. The cruise crew tries to ram both pirate boats, uses an earsplitting high-tech weapon on the attackers and evades them.

That was the real-life situation the crew and passengers of the Seabourn Spirit found themselves in off Somalia last weekend. With piracy common in some areas and terrorism fears present after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, cruise lines say they train their crews and have security measures to respond effectively to these threats.

But security experts say that despite all the preparations, cruise liners are vulnerable to attacks like this one or the deadly bombing by al-Qaeda-linked militants of the USS Cole in Yemen five years ago.

the rest of the good news

FLASH: JENNA JAMESON SET TO STAR IN SNOW WHITE REMAKE; WELL ENDOWED DWARVES (AREN'T THEY ALL?) SOUGHT FOR SUPPORTING ROLES

Kids' films are getting raunchier, experts say

A shotgun-wielding hunter mercilessly pursues his target. Angry space aliens vaporize a defenseless town. A bloodthirsty shark preys on the weak and tiny.

These movie scenes aren't from the latest action thrillers -- they're from G-rated animated films like Disney's new "Chicken Little."

As pop culture mimics today's permissive social values, violence and veiled sexual references have crept into the seemingly innocent cartoon landscape, giving parents new reason to do research beyond the ratings.

It's not that the Motion Picture Association of America's ratings board has become more permissive, said MPAA president Dan Glickman: "It's bound to be a reflection of society."

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I'LL PROTECT YOU. JUST EMAIL ME YOUR NAME & SS# FOR INFO.

Forget Phish, Computer Experts Say to Watch Out For Rats

Thursday, November 3, 2005 — They're called remote access trojans, or "rats." Internet experts say it's the newest way for computer hackers to try and steal your identity. These trojans sneak onto your computer through music download sites, electronic greeting cards, even pornographic and gambling sites.

The worst part is you won't even know they're on your computer. They wait for you to log onto a bank website and type in your account number or user ID and password. Then the trojan takes that information and sends it to a hacker. Anti-virus and spyware software can help, but you are your best defense. Stay away from unfamiliar websites, and don't click on pop-ups on your computer.

"Your best defense is be careful how you use the computer, don't respond to every pop-up or unauthorized e-mail," Best Buy Geek Squad Agent Jesse Astorga said. Rats are gaining popularity over phishing -- some say it's because consumers have gotten good at spotting the fake e-mails.

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ON THE OTHER HAND, FINDING PECKERWOODS IN ARKANSAS IS VERY EASY

Cornell researchers say finding rare Arkansas woodpecker hard

Brinkley, Ark. -- As a team of searchers sets off into Arkansas' Big Woods with the hopes of recording another sighting of the rare ivory-billed woodpecker, experts say they have a daunting task ahead.

"The trail is fairly cold at this point," said Ken Rosenberg, an ornithologist from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., while speaking at a symposium of bird experts in Brinkley this week.

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SILLY ME. I THOUGHT THOSE GORKS IN MONTANA WERE ALREADY IN SURVIVAL MODE 24/7. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE WHOLE POINT OF LIVING THERE.

Be prepared to survive on your own, disaster experts say

One of the lessons of Hurricane Katrina is that people can't always expect government to come riding to the rescue, so the wise course is to be prepared to rescue yourself. In Montana, that means families should keep handy the kind of gear they'd need to go camping for a week, disaster experts said Tuesday at a panel discussion at Montana State University.

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BUT DID THE EXPERTS READ THE ARTICLE?

Pathological gambling among the young is exaggerated, experts say

A well-documented upsurge in online poker appears to be fueling a corresponding growth in problem-gambling statistics among young people. According to the Annenberg Public Policy Center, the 2003-04 period saw an 84 percent growth in weekly poker play among male high school and college students and half of all college students gamble at least once a month.

Arnie Wexler, who advises major casino companies on disordered gambling and runs 1-888-LAST-BET, tells the Business Press that one-third of the calls to his hotline either come from people under age 25 who are addicted to poker or Internet gambling -- or from their concerned parents. "It's unreal," Wexler says.

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