Stratford Star

Defying human nature in the quiet car

I stumbled into the "quiet car" of the train the first day of the "Quiet CALMmute" program, and it was like stumbling into a crypt, one of those dark and creepy tombs, or a Trappist monastery without the jams and jellies.

Advice for atheists and believers alike

It must have been Providence or stupidity that brought me to Washington the same weekend 20,000 atheists descended on the National Mall to condemn religion. “The Reason Rally” was an atheist’s Mardi Gras.

Pass the bacon, hold the Petri dish

A British study recently concluded that two slices of bacon can increase your risk of pancreatic cancer by 20%.

Roach reproach on the subway train

YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE! A ROACH is running across the floor of the train! DO NOT PANIC! The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!

No need to look old no matter what age

For the first time in my life, I went to a dermatologist. Next week, I’ll be bungee jumping.

We can all be doctors now

The Koreans, who gave us Hyundai, Samsung and the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, are on the verge of a major technological breakthrough that will let your smartphone diagnose your illnesses. It will save you a fortune in doctor bills but probably run up your cell-phone bill worse than your teenage daughter.

A quest to find a spark of the divine

During rush hour I stopped at the newsstand in Grand Central and picked up a book by the Dalai Lama about how to be compassionate. Then, I promptly sidestepped a poor man in a wheelchair who had his hand out for cash.

Dreaming of a good night’s sleep

All my adult life, one pleasure has eluded me — it’s not what you think, this is a PG column — and that pleasure is a good night’s sleep.

I’m part of what the government calls a “public health epidemic,” along with 70 million Americans suffering from “insufficient sleep,” a condition that can lead to depression, hypertension, diabetes, obesity and other ailments.

The benefits of arguing with your teenager

University of Virginia researchers recently made a breakthrough that could change the world of parent-child negotiations. They concluded that arguing with teenagers is good for their health.

But what does it do to your health? As the father of four daughters, who thought they were adults at 13, I’ve often believed raising teenagers is one of the hardest undertakings known to civilized man, second only to watching Jersey Shore without a bottle of Pepto Bismol handy. Looking at how that cast of nitwits turned out, I have to conclude their parents didn’t argue enough with them.

Celebrities advance the gray fox look

I recently stumbled upon a photo collection of aging celebrities that was titled, “Gray is the new black,” and I got really excited because I realized that all these years I’ve actually been a trendsetter, ever since my black hair started to turn gray around age 18 ... and never stopped.