Judge grants Miley Cyrus civil restraining order

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge has granted Miley Cyrus a three-year civil restraining order against a man convicted of trespassing at her home in Los Angeles.The stay-away order was granted Friday against Jason Luis Rivera by Superior Court Judge William D. Stewart.The 40-year-old Rivera was convicted in October of trespassing at the singer's home and sentenced to 18 months in jail.He is scheduled to...

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Personal Health: Quitting Smoking for Good

Few smokers would claim that it’s easy to quit. The addiction to nicotine is strong and repeatedly reinforced by circumstances that prompt smokers to light up.Yet the millions who have successfully quit are proof that a smoke-free life is achievable, even by those who have been regular, even heavy, smokers for decades.Today, 19 percent of American adults smoke, down from more than 42 percent half...

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Stocks turn higher as budget talks move forward

Stocks are closing higher on Wall Street, erasing an early loss, after Congressional leaders reported progress in talks with President Barack Obama about cutting the...

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BP fined, charged in oil spill that showed 'profit over prudence'

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DA: Heroin charge dropped vs. Bon Jovi's daughter

CLINTON, N.Y. (AP) — A central New York prosecutor says drug charges against Jon Bon Jovi's 19-year-old daughter have been dropped.Stephanie Bongiovi was found unresponsive by medics after she apparently overdosed on heroin in a Hamilton College dorm early Wednesday.Town of Kirkland police charged Bongiovi, of Red Bank, N.J., and another student with possession of a small amount of heroin and marijuana.Oneida...

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I Was Misinformed: The Time She Tried Viagra

I have noticed, in the bragging-rights department, that “he doesn’t need Viagra” has become the female equivalent of the male “and, I swear, she’s a real blonde.” Personally, I do not care a bit. To me, anything that keeps you happy and in the game is a good thing. But then, I am proud to say, I was among the early, and from what I gather, rare female users. It happened when the drug...

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BP's Deepwater settlement considered chump change by critics

British oil giant BP is more than prepared for the $4.5 billion in settlement charges it agreed to Thursday, analysts said.BP...

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Obama pressures House Republicans to pass tax breaks

WASHINGTON -- President Obama used his post-election news conference to pressure House Republicans to extend expiring tax rates...

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Judge tosses anti-paparazzi counts in Bieber case

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A law aimed at combating reckless driving by paparazzi is overly broad and should not be used against the first photographer charged under its provisions, a judge ruled Wednesday.Superior Court Judge Thomas Rubinson dismissed counts filed under the law against Paul Raef, who was charged in July with being involved in a high-speed pursuit of Justin Bieber.The judge cited numerous...

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Well: How Many Calories Do We Really Eat at Thanksgiving?

A reader writing in to The Times’s Thanksgiving Help Line asked this question: “What is the average number of calories a person consumes at Thanksgiving dinner?”The commonly cited statistic is that the average American will consume more than 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day alone. That’s according to the Calorie Control Council, which represents the people who bring you diet foods. After thinking...

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