What happened on December 20, 2010

HEALTH

The Healthy Skeptic: telomerase activators By Chris Woolston, Special to the Los Angeles Times
Vaginal steam bath finds a place among Southern California spa options By Sari Heifetz, Special to the Los Angeles Times
A reversal on carbs By Marni Jameson, Special to the Los Angeles Times
Cleaning up your carb act: Where to begin By Marni Jameson, Special to the Los Angeles Times
Holistic nutrition is weak on science, strong on selling supplements By James S. Fell, Special to the Los Angeles Times
Lower-cost substitute for Zegerid Joe Graedon, Teresa Graedon, The People's Pharmacy
Whooping cough risks, symptoms and vaccine By Jessie Schiewe, Los Angeles Times
Good Form: Get down to build up Karen Voight, Good Form

OPINION

NEWS

NATIONAL

BUSINESS

CALIFORNIA | LOCAL

ENTERTAINMENT

WORLD

SPORTS

What happened on December 20, 2010

HEALTH

The Healthy Skeptic: telomerase activators By Chris Woolston, Special to the Los Angeles Times

Vaginal steam bath finds a place among Southern California spa options By Sari Heifetz, Special to the Los Angeles Times

A reversal on carbs By Marni Jameson, Special to the Los Angeles Times

Cleaning up your carb act: Where to begin By Marni Jameson, Special to the Los Angeles Times

Holistic nutrition is weak on science, strong on selling supplements By James S. Fell, Special to the Los Angeles Times

Lower-cost substitute for Zegerid Joe Graedon, Teresa Graedon, The People's Pharmacy

Whooping cough risks, symptoms and vaccine By Jessie Schiewe, Los Angeles Times

Good Form: Get down to build up Karen Voight, Good Form

OPINION

What the stats on teens and marijuana don't show By Bill Piper

California isn't broken By Bill Lockyer and Stephen Levy

The seasons of selling By Veronique de Turenne

Love and politics in a cynical age Gregory Rodriguez

NEWS

Knott's Berry Farm offers line-cutting pass for popular rides By Brady MacDonald, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

Lunar eclipse: Free talks and telescope viewing at Griffith Observatory By Mary Forgione, Los Angeles Times Daily Travel & Deal blogger

Echinacea for a cold? Eh, don't bother, study concludes By Mary Forgione, For the Los Angeles Times

Breast-feeding benefits academic performance 10 years later By Shari Roan, Los Angeles Times

Group lists its five worst cookbooks for 2010 -- unless you like heavy cream, butter and bacon By Mary Forgione, Los Angeles Times

Any hidden hazards for kids in your holiday decor? Let's start with mistletoe... By Mary Forgione, For the Los Angeles Times

Meal replacements might not help obese teens lose weight and keep it off By Mary Forgione, Los Angeles Times

Democrats cautiously optimistic they have votes to ratify New START By Michael Muskal

Holiday drinking and winter cold could be a dangerous duo for your heart By Mary Forgione, Los Angeles Times

Dairy component shows promise in cutting diabetes risk By Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times

NATIONAL

From Vegas to the White House, on a trail of ivories By Ashley Powers, Los Angeles Times

Mercury in dental fillings By Andrew Zajac, Washington Bureau

Republicans stiffen opposition to nuclear treaty with Russia By James Oliphant, Washington Bureau

Senate judicial confirmations skip 2 California nominees By David G. Savage, Washington Bureau

Obama has strong first-half finish By Paul West, Christi Parsons and Lisa Mascaro, Washington Bureau

Congressional Republicans just can't win with the right By James Oliphant, Washington Bureau

Incoming House intelligence chairman pushed for drone strikes By Ken Dilanian, Washington Bureau

Next steps for 'don't ask, don't tell' By Alexandra Zavis, Los Angeles Times

BUSINESS

Tax deduction for mortgage interest could be on the chopping block By Don Lee, Los Angeles Times

Toyota to pay record fines for disclosure delay By Ken Bensinger and Ralph Vartabedian, Los Angeles Times

Cotton's sudden boom raises specter of a bust By P.J. Huffstutter, Los Angeles Times

Small-business advice: Contract negotiation tips By Karen E. Klein

Firm needs to help voodoo-style dolls boost sales By Cyndia Zwahlen

Even after 10 years, In-N-Out Burger still resonates By Kevin Pang, Tribune Newspapers

FCC set to adopt net neutrality rules By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times

Gas prices flat, but probably not for long By Ronald D. White, Los Angeles Times

Investors will be eyeing data, placing bets for 2011 Reuters

Improved economy has U.S. driving more Reuters

Toyota slapped with record penalty From Times staff and wires

U.S. says Starr emails should bar release Bloomberg

Airport security 'checkpoints of the future' are proposed By Hugo Martín, Los Angeles Times

Toyota can't hide settlement terms, judge rules By Ken Bensinger and Ralph Vartabedian, Los Angeles Times

Scam Watch: Online shopping, stealing from children, kids' vitamins and sweepstakes fees By Stuart Pfeifer, Los Angeles Times

AT&T to buy Qualcomm's mobile spectrum for $1.93 billion Reuters

CALIFORNIA | LOCAL

Suit seeks to open Compton to Latino voters By Ann M. Simmons and Abby Sewell, Los Angeles Times

15th Marine Expeditionary Unit comes home By Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times

Bringing Leimert Park back By Louis Sahagun, Los Angeles Times

Audit calling for deep cuts puts Bell police, residents on edge By Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times

County planners OK development along Marina del Rey waterfront By Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times

Phil Cavarretta dies at 94; National League MVP led Chicago Cubs to last World Series appearance in 1945 Times staff and wire reports

Whitman paid a high price for Latino distrust of GOP George Skelton, Capitol Journal

The iceman goeth By Britney Barnes, Los Angeles Times

Southland slogs through storm system of a decade By Rong-Gong Lin II and Jason Felch, Los Angeles Times

ENTERTAINMENT

Company Town: 'Tron' lives up to its legacy By Ben Fritz, Los Angeles Times

Horoscope: Dec. 20 Holiday Mathis

Offbeat Christmas flicks By Susan King, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

Blake Edwards: an appreciation By Shawn Levy, Special to the Los Angeles Times

Classic Hollywood: For holiday cheer, check out these '30s and '40s comedies By Susan King, Los Angeles Times

Book review: 'The Memory Chalet' By Susan Salter Reynolds, Special to the Los Angeles Times

Sofia Coppola's showbiz story that's intimate, not personal By Chris Lee, Los Angeles Times

WORLD

Kidnapped Mexican politician released after seven months By Ken Ellingwood, Los Angeles Times

27 die in oil pipeline explosion in Mexico By Ken Ellingwood, Los Angeles Times

Iranians brace for fuel subsidy cuts By Ramin Mostaghim and Meris Lutz, Los Angeles Times

Insurgent attacks kill 14 Afghan soldiers, police Aimal Yaqubi and Laura King, Yaqubi is a special correspondent

New rain, flood advisories as storms pound region, prompting evacuation in Kern County By Catherine Saillant, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers

S. Korea holds live-fire drills John M. Glionna

South Korea conducts artillery drills; North Korea says it won't retaliate By John M. Glionna, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

Violence follows Belarus election By Sergei L. Loiko, Los Angeles Times

Travel chaos in Europe; more blizzards forecast By Kim Willsher, Los Angeles Times