New sunscreen labels to stop beach lovers from getting burned by lies

Remember that bottle of waterproof sunblock you bought last year? It lied — lotion can’t be waterproof or totally block out harmful rays. Thanks to new sunscreen-labeling rules from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that recently came into effect, misleading terminology has been wiped away to help consumers understand ...

Jun 5, 2013

One-third of U.S. marriages found to start online

by Kerry Sheridan

More than one-third of all marriages in the United States begin with online dating, and those couples may be slightly happier than couples who meet through other means, a U.S. study out Monday found. Online dating has ballooned into a billion-dollar industry and the ...

Party hale and hearty and don't feel guilty

Jun 4, 2013

Party hale and hearty and don't feel guilty

by Maggie Fazeli

What’s the secret to hosting a memorable dinner party? For 29-year-old Sarah Waybright, it’s a trifecta of good company, good food and good wine — plus a menu that won’t leave guests feeling sick, stuffed or guilt-ridden. “When you think about ‘treating’ yourself, it’s ...

May 28, 2013

It's time to adopt a new attitude toward adoption

by Nina Easton

In today’s America, a single woman facing a surprise pregnancy is likely to consider just two options: abortion or single motherhood. The third choice, adoption, carries such a social stigma that placement of infants in the United States has plummeted — even as the ...

Kids love park life in the summer

| May 15, 2013

Kids love park life in the summer

by Jason Jenkins

At long last, warm weather has arrived, which means more playtime in Tokyo’s parks — from your scrappy, local patch of dirt to the manicured opulence of Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. My family’s favorite is Yoyogi Park. While not the most pristine public space ...

Tips on how to survive the wedding season

May 14, 2013

Tips on how to survive the wedding season

by Ellen Mccarthy

It’s upon us, once again. You can hear it in the sound of the harp strings, the camera clicks, the echo of Corinthians — “Love is patient, love is kind.” You can hear it in the muffled screams of frenzied bridesmaids who are this ...

Blossom Queen ritual becomes an education

Apr 16, 2013

Blossom Queen ritual becomes an education

by Emily Wax

Adjusting her cupcake-size replica of a Mikimoto gold-and-pearl crown and gliding through a downtown Washington hotel lobby in her white sash, Taylor Barfield offers her business card with a knowing grin: “First African-American United States Cherry Blossom Queen,” it reads. “Sorry if I’m groggy ...