• COSMETIC SURGERY COMES OUT OF THE CLOSET Once reserved for the rich and famous, cosmetic surgery has become increasingly common among mainstream Americans, and more widely accepted, too.
• GO AHEAD, TALK TO YOUR DOGS As many a dog owner will attest, our furry friends are listening. Now, for the doubters, there is scientific proof they understand much of what they hear.
• PUSHING KIDS TOO HARD TOO YOUNG Experts in sports medicine and youth athletics say they are increasingly concerned about the pressures put on young children to excel at sports.
• FLORIDA WOMAN DIES FROM MAD COW DISEASE A Florida woman believed to have contracted mad cow disease several years ago in England has died — the first such death in the United States, health officials said.