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Until recently, very few people had ever heard of raspberry ketones, the aromatic compounds that give the berries their distinctive smell. Today, health food stores have trouble keeping the capsules or drops of the stuff on their shelves. Almost overnight, an obscure plant compound became the next big thing in weight loss - and all it took was a few words from Dr. Oz. In a February episode of "The Dr. Oz Show," Mehmet Oz told viewers that raspberry ketones were "the No. 1 miracle in a bottle to burn your fat. " Once Oz calls something a "miracle," it doesn't remain obscure for long.

Last month, four of the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena's bosses decided to catch the Boss, so they used their government position to claim a luxury suite for Bruce Springsteen's sold-out stand there. The taxpayer-owned venue is in financial ruins, but the officials took their customary perks, enjoying Springsteen's blue-collar brand of rock 'n' roll from digs that included a private entry, spacious bathroom, kitchenette, lounge area and television screen. The 19 elevated seats, boxed off from the crowd, offered dead-on views of the stage for the officeholders and their guests.

Manny Hamelburg, 68, a retired businessman, had fought prostate cancer for years. First, he tried radiation, then a drug with side effects that nearly killed him, and finally Lupron, a drug that blocks production of testosterone, the hormone that can fuel prostate cancer. The cancer disappeared. But life was miserable. Without normal levels of testosterone, Hamelburg says, he had no energy, and "zero libido for seven years. I was like a eunuch. I was chemically castrated. Sex was just hugs."

The Tokyo Skytree , the world's tallest communications tower, opened Tuesday. Twice the height of the Eiffel Tower, it stands 2,080 feet tall (only Dubai's Burj Khalifa is taller at 2,716 feet) with observation decks that offer amazing views of the densely packed Japanese capital. So how much does that view cost? Visitors going to the Tembo Deck at 1,148 feet above the city pay $31.25 for adults and $25 for children 12 to 17 from now until July 10 (and you have to buy tickets in advance and online with a credit card issued in Japan, according to Skytree website )

When Pink Floyd first took its concept album "The Wall" to the concert stage more than three decades ago, even lead singer and chief songwriter Roger Waters couldn't imagine a day when rock music might get any bigger. But 32 years later, his magnum opus about the battle between individual freedoms and authoritarian oppression has magnified beyond Waters' own expectations of yore. Now the man who once excoriated the voluminous expansion of the rock concert experience has helped institutionalize it. "I famously hated playing to large numbers of people and playing in stadiums," Waters, 68, said from a tour stop in Austin, Texas, earlier this month.

washington -- Mitt Romney twice emphasized his unique business background when he and eight other Republican presidential candidates faced off in a debate last week in Iowa. "I've spent the last, as I've told you, 25 years in the private sector," former Massachusetts Gov. Romney declared at one point. "I understand why jobs come and why jobs go. I've done business in 20 countries."

A new study showing an estimated 7% of American teens and adults carry the human papillomavirus in their mouths may help health experts finally understand why rates of mouth and throat cancer have been climbing for nearly 25 years. The evidence makes it clear that oral sex practices play a key role in transmission. The new data, published online Thursday by the Journal of the American Medical Assn., are the first to assess the prevalence of oral HPV infection in the U.S. population.

Ford Motor Co. will offer about 90,000 U.S. salaried retirees and former employees vested in its pension plan a lump-sum payment to buy them out of monthly benefits. Ford, which also reported lower first-quarter earnings Friday because of losses in Europe and Asia, said the plan was an innovative strategy to reduce its pension obligations. The automaker won't put up any operating cash but rather will make the one-time payments from existing pension plan assets. "We believe this is the first time a program of this type and magnitude has been done in an ongoing pension plan," said Bob Shanks, Ford's chief financial officer.

'Folly -- The View From Nowhere' Where: MOCA Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood. When: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Ends Feb. 28. Price: Free Contact: (213) 621-1745

're: View' Where: USC Fisher Museum When: Noon to 5 p.m Tuesdays through Fridays, noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Ends April 17. Price: Free Contact: (213) 740-4561, fisher.usc.edu/

BOSTON -- Looking to make consumers who subscribe to cable or satellite television aware that the bulk of the Summer Olympics can be watched online at no additional charge, NBC is going to embark on a large marketing campaign in advance of the London Games. "There will be a barrage of information sent out to the American public about how one can access this content," said Gary Zenkel, president of NBC Olympics.

"NCIS" star Michael Weatherly has sold his house in the Hollywood Hills for $1.845 million. The redone one-story house sits behind gates and has ocean and mountain views. Features include French doors opening to the swimming pool, beamed ceilings, a fireplace, an updated kitchen with stainless-steel appliances, three en-suite bedrooms and a finished two-car garage used as a music room. There are four bedrooms, 31/2 bathrooms and 2,600 square feet of living space. A covered area outdoors is set up as a gym. Weatherly, 43, has starred as special agent Anthony DiNozzo on the highly rated crime drama, originally titled "NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service," since 2003 and appeared as the same character on "JAG.

Taking its cues from Teatro La Fenice, an opera house in Venice, this Italian Renaissance-style estate was recently doubled in size. Five courtyards bring the living space outdoors to take advantage of the ocean and coastline views. Location: 6019 Avenida Cresta, La Jolla 92037 Asking price: $14.95 million House size: Six bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, 10,000 square feet Lot size: 0.41 of an acre Features: Ornate wrought-ironwork, Venetian chandeliers and sconces, murals, lead- and stained-glass windows, home theater, wine cellar, two master bedrooms, butler's pantry.

Mitt Romney has joined previous presumptive presidential nominees in receiving a post-nomination bump in favorable views, reaching a new personal high of 50% in a Gallup poll released Thursday . Romney's favorability rating is just 2 points lower than President Obama's, but any celebrations over this new water mark are tempered by its low standing in comparison to recent presidential contenders. Romney's 50% favorability rating stands as the second-lowest since Bill Clinton's in 1992, when the former president was still relatively unknown, and 23% of the nation hadn't yet to form its opinion on the Democratic nominee.

The Grove shopping center became the unlikely battleground in the debate over gay marriage after it banned boxer Manny Pacquiao from the mall in response to an interview he gave in Los Angeles. The ban led to a day of dueling statements, denunciations and backtracking. Some news organizations erroneously quoted the boxing champion as saying gay men should "be put to death. " That prompted the management of the Grove to issue a terse statement Tuesday evening that Pacquiao was persona non grata at the L.A. shopping center despite a scheduled television interview with Extra, which regularly films at the popular outdoor mall next to the Original Farmer's Market at Third Street and Fairfax Avenue.

The deepest partial solar eclipse in a generation is headed to Southern California this weekend. What's the best way to view it? Where are the best places to go? Check out this Q&A below. Q: What's the best place to view the eclipse in Southern California?  A: The partial solar eclipse will occur late in the day in Southern California on Sunday, beginning at 5:24 p.m., reaching its maximum coverage at 6:38 p.m., and exiting the sun's path at 7:42 p.m., just 10 minutes before sunset.

WASHINGTON -- President Obama is sitting down Wednesday afternoon for an interview with "Good Morning America" anchor Robin Roberts as the White House tries to contain fallout from Vice President Joe Biden's gay marriage comments. The interview was added quickly to the president's schedule after Biden appeared to come out in favor of same-sex marriages Sunday. Excerpts from the interview, which will air on ABC news Wednesday evening, are expected to be distributed in the afternoon.

This contemporary in Mount Olympus, designed for work and play, makes the most of its panoramic views from downtown Los Angeles to the ocean. The 1976 home, redone from the studs and updated with new appliances and amenities, is landscaped with succulents, pear trees, Mexican feather grass and other greenery to create a contemplative setting behind its gates. "My girlfriend and I were looking for something that had privacy, yet had a view," says Haralabos Voulgaris, a professional poker player and sports bettor who owns the home.

On Monday, shortly after delivering a speech to the graduating class of Barnard College extolling the role of women in public life, President Obama continued his theme with a visit to ABC's “The View.” His appearance will be broadcasted Tuesday. It was his fourth time on the show, his second as president. The ladies of “The View” like the president, and as it turns out, he's pretty good for them; in July 2010, the president helped the distaff gabfest earn its best ratings ever (6.59 million people watched the show, according to the network)

Re "Overvaluing the free market," Opinion, May 8 Michael Kinsley has a wrong premise about capitalism. Its justification is not that it makes a contribution to society (though it does that) but that it respects each individual's right to his own life and the fruits of his efforts. Anyone, rich or poor, who earns his money honestly has the right to use it as he wishes. No on else has a moral claim on it. No one has a right to say how much another person should earn if the money is earned through voluntary trade.