ON THIS DAY

On this date in 1565, Spanish explorers created the town that eventually became St. Augustine, Florida.

In 1664, the English took over the area named "New Amsterdam" from the Dutch and renamed it "New York."

On this date in 1858, Abraham Lincoln made his famous "you can fool some of the people some of the time" speech.

In 1917, a federal decree was issued making it illegal to manufacture whiskey in the United States.

On this date in 1966, the TV series "Star Trek" made it's debut. That seems like light years ago.

Pink turns 30 today. Henry Thomas, that cute little boy from the movie, "E.T." turs 37 today. David Arquette, Mr. Courtney Cox, is 38 today.

THIS MONTH IS

National Grandparents Month -- Here's some stats from Family Circle:

• There are about 56 million grandparents in the U.S.
• 1.9 million grandparents are responsible for being the sole caretakers for their grandchildren.
• 8% of all U.S. children live with at least one grandparent.
• 38% of grandparents say they'd happily look after their grandkids for more than two weeks.

National Potato Month -- Here, from health experts, are tips on how to be the best couch potato you can be:

• Invest in premium channels -- Shelling out a few extra bucks a month for TV channels such as HBO and Showtime is well worth the investment. Experts say the more entertainment choices you have, the better.
• Avoid "challenging" shows -- Programs like "Meet the Press" are less effective in beating stress because you're bombarded with bad news and exposed to politicians whose lies make your blood boil. Tuning into wrestling, NASCAR races or reruns of "Charlie's Angels" will do a far better job of shutting down your brain.
• Use the "50/50" rule -- Make sure you devote sufficient time to tube watching every day. "Waste half of your free time, just enjoy lazing around."
• Watch what you like -- A man who forces himself to watch a silly sitcom instead of the fishing channel because that's what his wife prefers could end up with as many stress-induced health woes as one who visits the gym daily.
• The best solution is an extra TV -- So both of you can watch what you want, one expert noted. "That's better than fighting over the remote, which is also stressful."
• Learn how to program your recorder -- Sure, reading all those instructions may briefly boost your blood pressure. But being able to record one show while you watch another will double your entertainment options, which is better for you in the long run.
• Keep snacks on hand -- The fewer times you have to climb out of your easy chair, the more relaxed you'll become.
• Let the machine get it -- "For the same reason never interrupt your TV watching to get the phone -- let your answering machine pick up," the expert advised.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Lindsay Lohan's dad has apologized to Samantha Ronson for all those nasty things he's been saying about his daughter's on and off girlfriend.
• Taye Diggs and Idina Menzel welcomed a baby boy into the world last Wednesday.
• Meanwhile, singer Lisa Loeb is expecting her first child.
• Last week in Japan, Sony's Digital music player outsold the Apple iPod for the first time in four years!
• A woman who says she was held as Obama bin Laden's sex slave back in 1999 says the terrorist leader had a huge crush on Whitney Houston and loved the American TV shows, "The Wonder Years," "Miami Vice" and "MacGyver."
• When an Australian newspaper columnist criticized Russell Crowe for smoking and eating fast food, Crowe challenged the writer to a bike race. We'll see what happens.
• Who are Jenny Slate and Nasim Pedrad? The two newest cast members of "Saturday Night Live."
• A Disney cruise ship off the coast of Florida rescued a passenger who had fallen off their Carnival cruise ship.
• A new University of Miami study claims that drinkers exercise more than teetotalers.
• Susan Boyle's first album has jumped to the top of Amazon.com's sales charts... and it doesn't even go on sale until November 24.

It's time to buy stock to hankies because a new study reports that women spend a whopping one year and four months of their lives crying. From birth to age 78, women turn on the water works for an average total of 12,012 hours, 55 minutes and 12 seconds, says a survey by The Baby Web Site (www.thebabywebsite.com). Females cry on average from:

• 3 hours a day for babies
• 2 hours and 5 minutes a day for 1 year olds through 3 year olds
• 18 minutes and 42 seconds a day for 4 year olds through 12 year olds
• 19 minutes a day for teens through 18 years old
• 20 minutes a day for 19 years old to 78 year olds

Babies tend to cry because they're hungry, bored or need a new diaper. Older tots tend to cry because they've had an accident, like falling. Hormone charged teens tend to gusher over arguments with other girls, being dumped by boyfriends or getting grounded. Adult women go all leaky over everything from chick flicks to the death of a loved one and from breakups to arguments with their guys. Even other people's tragedies bring tears to their eyes. Says site spokesman Kathryn Crawford: "Adult women become more likely to cry about things that affect other people, not just themselves, including troubling news reports."

In the first ever such survey, Life's DHA conducted a brain health index based on 21 indicators and found that people who live in Washington, DC, have the most brain smarts in the United States, followed by Maryland, Washington state, Vermont, Connecticut, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maine and New Hampshire. The two states to receive the lowest brain health ranking are Alabama and Louisiana. Look at that top 10 list again. There may be a connection. The majority of the top 10 ranked states border or are near the Atlantic or Pacific oceans and appear to have an advantage when it comes to brain health: One hypothesis is the accessibility of fish with its healthy fats and protein. Top 5 ways you can improve your brain health:

1. Eat a diet rich in the brain-enhancing nutrients DHA omega-3, which is found in salmon and trout. Colorful fruits and vegetables, such as red grapes, cranberries and tomatoes, also boost brain health.
2. Stay physically active for at least 30 minutes a day.
3. Make wise lifestyle decisions, such as getting enough sleep and not smoking.
4. Continue to use your brain by learning new things. There are fun ways to do this, including playing games or learning a new language.
5. Engage in social activities. Socializing with friends keeps you connected, relieves stress and boosts brain health. Volunteering, participating in clubs and attending religious services fit the bill as well.

The longer couples are married, the crankier they get with each other, says a University of Michigan study. Familiarity apparently breeds irritation, says lead researcher Kira Birditt. Longtime spouses are more likely to both criticize their mates for getting on their nerves and to accuse them of being overly demanding. "As we age and become closer and more comfortable with one another, it could be we're more able to express ourselves to each other," says Birditt. "Older adults are more likely than younger people to deal with conflict by avoiding confrontations," explains Birditt. "But when you're living together, it's a lot harder to avoid each other. "It's possible that negativity is a normal aspect of close relationships that include lots of daily contact." Furthermore, longtime married couples consistently rated their relationship with their mate as more contentious than with either their children or their friends. (National Examiner)