chatelaine-daily, flannery-dean

Today in the news: New evidence that up to half of men may have HPV; optimism speeds surgery recovery; Galliano fired by Dior for anti-Semitism; Charlie Sheen’s continued implosion; and the ‘five second’ rule, debunked.

Social networking sites may be a little more like real-life encounters than they’re often given credit. Like a real conversation or exchange between friends, strangers, and acquaintances there is as much chance for a positive experience on a site such as Facebook as there is a negative one.

Here’s hoping Santa picked up a copy of Maclean’s last week, and that he’s reading it twice. The news weekly has broken down the nation’s biggest cities into naughty and nice with its annual roundup of Canada’s Dangerous Cities.

What’s in a baby name? Aside from it being a reflection of parents’ hopes, aspirations, family loyalties, and kooky teenage dreams, a baby’s name also acts as a kind of time capsule, revealing the tastes and preoccupations of a culture at any given point.

If you’re an adult feeling a little blue about getting one year older in 2012, there is good news. Those broody feelings that keep you up at night worrying about the state of your career, love life and abdominal muscles may slowly fade into distant memories.