Lack of sleep has been linked to overeating, and researchers say your bedroom may be to blame for your sleep issues. Psychologist and sleep specialist Dr. Michael Breus says you should assess your bedroom by looking around it and seeing how it makes you feel. He says things like too much light, to little or too much noise, and your choice of mattress and sheets all affect how you sleep. Breus suggests putting a 40-watt bulb in your bedside lamp, listening to ambient noise or turning on a fan, and investing in a quality pillow that fits you and your sleep needs to make your bedroom more sleep-friendly. (Fox News)

 Could drinking spuds help protect you from catching a cold this winter? A new study cited by Sapporo Breweries, which operates out of Tokyo, Japan, says the compound humulone, found in beer, is effective in fighting against respiratory syncytial virus or RSV. RSV can cause pneumonia and bronchitis in infants and children, and cold-like symptoms in adults. There is a catch though - the amount of humulone found in beer is so small that a person would have to drink about 30-cans of beer to get its protective effect. (Fox News)

30 cans of beer??? Is that a day a week or a month? I know some folks who got their virus protection last weekend.

Until 1931, the jolly man in the red suit was an “elf”. Coca Cola changed that when they put a new body and some reconstructive surgery to produce whom we now greet as Santa Claus.

 At a recent press conference, NASA scientists addressed rumors surrounding the Mayan calendar. Scientists say people misinterpret the end of a certain cycle on the calendar to mean the world will end on December 21st, 2012, and that Mayan scholars say the Mayans would not have interpreted the date to signal the apocalypse. Scientists addressed popular rumors such as: a rogue planet will collide with earth and kill everyone, and the danger of killer solar flares. Scientists say neither of those issues are a concern, and that the greatest threat to Earth in the foreseeable future is from the human race itself. (Huffington Post)

The cost of buying all 364 gifts repeated throughout the Christmas carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas" has risen to $107,300, up 6.1 percent from last year. Financial services company PNC Wealth Management compiled the figure in its annual Christmas Price Index, which found the partridge to be the cheapest item, at $15, while the swans are the most expensive, at $1,000 each. Big price increases were seen for the geese, which were up 29.6 percent, and the swans, up 11 percent, because the 2011 drought led to an increase in feed costs. Also rising were the pear tree, up 11.8 percent, the five gold rings, up 16.3 percent, and the three French hens, whose price increased by 10 percent. The prices of six items stayed the same: the maids a-milking; ladies dancing; lords a-leaping; calling birds; turtle doves; and the partridge.

• Shop on trustworthy websites - Shoppers should start with the Better Business Bureau to check on the seller's Business Review for customer satisfaction at www.bbb.org. Always look for the B-B-B seal and other widely-recognized "trustmarks" on retailer websites and click on the seals to confirm that they are valid.
• Protect your personal information- Take time to read the site's privacy policy and understand what personal information is being requested and how it will be used. If there isn't one posted, it should be taken as a red flag that personal information may be sold to others without permission.
• Beware of deals that sound too good to be true- Offers on websites and in unsolicited e-mails can often sound too good to be true, especially extreme low prices on hard-to-get items. Consumers should always go with their instincts and not be afraid to pass up a "deal" that might cost them dearly in the end. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Confirm that your online purchase is secure- Shoppers should always look in the address box for the "s" in https:// and in the lower-right corner for the "lock" symbol before paying. If there are any doubts about a site, the B-B-B recommends right-clicking anywhere on the page and select "Properties." This will let you see the real URL (website address) and the dialog box will reveal whether the site is not encrypted.
• Pay with a credit card- It's best to use a credit card, because under Federal law, the shopper can dispute the charges if he or she doesn't receive the item. Shoppers also have dispute rights if there are unauthorized charges on their credit card, and many card issuers have "zero liability" policies under which the card holder pays nothing if someone steals the credit card number and uses it.
• Keep documentation of your order - After completing the online order process, there may be a final confirmation page or the shopper might receive confirmation by e-mail. The B-B-B recommends saving a copy of the Web page and any e-mails for future reference and as a record of the purchase.