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On Oct. 5, 1992, at 5:30 p.m., Louise Ashby was driving in Los Angeles. Newly arrived in Hollywood from Great Britain, the young actress was ready to seek her chance at stardom.

On April 5, 2003, at about 1 p.m., JR Martinez had been in Iraq for just a month when he was asked to drive the next stretch of road in his Army unit's Humvee.

Addiction to nicotine is hardly a one-size-fits-all problem.

Scientists have a growing portfolio of evidence that tobacco smoke impacts the DNA of different people in different ways, that individual smokers inhale differently and, conversely, that tools used to try and break addiction don't work the same in everyone.

Nutritional supplements are a $26 billion-a-year industry, but there is no Food and Drug Administration oversight. It's up to watchdogs like Consumer Reports to keep the public informed.

Recently, the magazine consulted clinical research and case reports to come up with its list of "12 supplements you should avoid." Take our quiz based on the list.

I recently flew to San Diego to give a gadget presentation at the National Association of Black Journalists convention and seized the opportunity to test some gadgets in flight and while traveling. Here are some random notes from my experiences.

-- Using an iPad on the plane is so much easier than using a laptop.

Q: Could you please let women know that short dresses plus reaching into the overhead compartment do not mix? A girl in front of me flashed half the plane retrieving her bags because she was wearing a flouncy little slip dress.

A: Consider it done. (And while you're at it, wear pants you can bend over in without exposing yourself. You too, guys.)

Football season has arrived, and that means it's time to think about wins, losses and what to eat during the game. We have no control over draft choices or who's calling the plays, but we can put our stamp on the tailgate party.

By tailgate, of course, we mean the food that you eat before, during and even after the game, at the stadium or in your living room.

What you call a sandwich on a long roll might have everything to do with where you come from. Most agree this type of sandwich has Italian origins, but that's where agreement stops. Here are some other names for the meat-laden meal.

Amy Cacchillo of Dunedin, Fla., writes:

"I am looking for an oatmeal-raisin cookie recipe I had in the late 1960s or early 1970s. It started with a Duncan Hines spice-cake mix. Does anyone have this recipe?"

Dear Lynne: There are 27 basil plants in my yard. Please, can you take me beyond pesto? -- Angel in Indiana

Dear Angel: Why does this sound familiar? OK, you know you can freeze basil by just washing a stem, letting it drip dry, stripping off the leaves, packing them in heavy-duty plastic bags and freezing. Break off what you need as you cook; don't defrost the basil ahead.

If you'd like to perk up your home with a few gorgeous autumn displays, here is a quick four-step approach we follow when fashioning table displays.

Step One: Think Big