Ryckman: Steady as you go 
It’s easy to put together a home gym for under $100 that covers all the bases. But for as little as a few dollars - or as much as you’re willing to spend - it’s possible to jump-start your home workouts and make them far more effective.

The truth about infomercial claims 
class=”linkbluesmall”>www.acefitness.org. Click on ACE Fit Facts, then click on research studies. Ab-Flex System The claim: The most effective stomach firming exercise product on the market today.

Dow index breaks 11,000 barrier 
Posting a fifth straight day of gains, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 52.59 points Monday to at 11,011.90 — its first close above 11,000 since June 7, 2001. While that was an important psychological barrier to cross, the Dow average remains 711…

Polar bears: Walking on thin ice 
It’s the old, old story. Back in the Sixties, agricultural pesticides such as DDT were used on an enormous scale without much regard to the environmental consequences. The result, in Britain, was a crash in the numbers of most of our top predators, such as otters, eagles and peregrines, after dangerous levels of pesticides accumulated in their body fat. DDT and other persistent chemicals have

‘Life has opened up again’ 
dailytribune.com

Health-driven mayor cracks down on city’s bad habits 
When Mayor Michael Bloomberg sat down to eat lunch with children during a school visit several years ago, he was disgusted by the soggy, greasy fries and other junk on their plates.

Chicago is ‘fattest city’ in America 
CRYSTAL LAKE The chair at Slim’s Barber Shop on Woodstock Street is accustomed to men who have seen far more turkey and bacon clubs than health clubs, owner Kevin Slimko said.