A Harvard University study found people who drink six or more cups of coffee a day are between 17% and 20% less likely to die prematurely than those who don’t drink java at all. The positive effect is slightly more pronounced in women than in men. Other research shows that coffee fights liver cancer, gout, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. It also combats hardening of the arteries in women. Coffee does cause a rise in blood pressure and heart rate, but don’t worry the boost is temporary and doesn’t increase the risk of heart disease.

See ya in the morning,

Lou-Anne

“Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows – Part 1” ( PG-13 Fantasy Adventure ): Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson return in the first of a 2-part adaptation of the 7th and final book in the series, which finds ‘Harry’ and ‘Lord Voldemort’ on a collision course. ‘Potter’ films consistently gross $800 million-$1 billion worldwide and there’s no reason to believe this one won’t as well. ‘Part 2’ is coming next July 15th.
NET: http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/harrypotterandthedeathlyhallows/

Have a great weekend and see ya Monday morning,

Lou-Anne

Think sports drinks are healthier than soda pop? You’re not alone. A new study shows that sports drinks are commonly associated with healthy diet & lifestyle behaviors among teens, but that does not mean these beverages are healthy. As the research team points out, marketers may advertise sports drinks as part of a healthy lifestyle, but they’re sugar-sweetened just like other soft drinks and can just as easily contribute to the rising obesity epidemic in adolescents as pop.

See ya in the morning,

Lou-Anne

Walt Disney is going old school for its new Winnie the Pooh movie due out next summer, forgoing computer-generated animation and 3-D for a classic, hand-drawn film. However, Disney is making some concessions to more modern tastes, with a faster pace and humor that is more appropriate for today’s audiences. The new movie, which is the first big-screen Pooh story in more than 30 years, is being made to resemble the classic short films from the 1960s and ’70s. Producer Peter Del Vecho told AP, “We wanted to create a movie for the big screen that had the charm and wit of those original shorts. What originally endeared all of us — adults and children — to these characters was that they were stuffed animals that came to life in the imagination of a child. We wanted to rekindle that imagination in a big way.”

See ya in the morning,

Lou-Anne

Many newspapers have wedding sections, but the Huffington Post website is taking a more pessimistic view of matrimony, introducing a new divorce section that will offer advice for people going through divorce and news about celebrity splits. Directing the effort are Huffington Post creator Ariana Huffington and author and screenwriter Nora Ephron, both of whom went through public divorces from well-known men. Included in the section, which will be directed at both men and women, will be things like: advice columns from lawyers, financial experts and psychologists; information and discussion about parenting after divorce; and a forum for readers to discuss their own divorces.
Indeed, a sad sign of the times.

See ya in the morning,

Lou-Anne

FutureBrand, a NYC-based global consulting firm, has released its 6th annual ranking of countries as ‘brand names’. The value of each nation’s ‘brand’ is determined by its quality of life, tourism appeal and value systems, among other factors. This year’s top 5 …
5. Switzerland
4. United States
3. New Zealand
2. Australia
1. Canada

See ya in the morning,

Lou-Anne

Look out, Malibu Barbie!

The Twilight Saga’s Jane is joining the family of Twilight Saga dolls.

The doll version of Jane, whose character is part of the Volturi coven of vampires, will be available in February 2011, and she’ll retail for $24.95.

Are U excited for another addition to your Twilight Saga doll collection? What character do U think they should release as a doll next?

See ya in the morning,

Lou-Anne

Graham Barker of England has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for collecting 22.1 grams of belly button lint over the past 26 years. Graham said, “The whole process only takes about ten seconds and has become automatic – I don’t need to devote much time or attention to it.” Graham has sold three large jars of the lint to museums, and is a quarter of the way to filling the fourth. He also collects stamps, bakery bags and McDonald’s tray liners. I’m sure Ronald McDonald would be so proud to know that!

See ya in the morning,

Lou-Anne