BRAD GARRETT'S COMEDY CLUB

Category: Comedy

Best known for his role on the Emmy award-winning sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, Brad Garrett returns to his Vegas roots with his comedy club at the MGM Grand. It is a good place to check out when you need a break from work.

Prices from: $56.40 and up

Age restriction: Must be 21 years of age or older

Show Length: 115 minutes

MAC KING COMEDY MAGIC SHOW

Category: Comedy, Magic

Mac King Comedy Magic Show is different every afternoon, with lots of audience participation. He is willing to make fun of himself instead of his guests in order to make everyone feel welcome and entertained. The afternoon is kid-friendly from start to finish. Still, whether you're eight or 80, you won't be able to figure out King's secrets.

Prices from: $40.90 and up

Age restriction: No age restriction

Show Length: 90 minutes

THE MENTALIST, GERRY MCCAMBRIDGE

Category: Comedy, Magic

Using his skills as a “mentalist”, Gerry McCambridge shocks the crowds as he uses his abilities to predict just what audience members will do next. Anyone who has seen the show has walked away in disbelief, amazed by his unusual power.

Prices from: $34.99  and up

Age restriction: Under 13 will not be admitted into the theater

Show Length: 75 minutes

ROCK OF AGES

Category: Plays & Musicals

The cheerful Rock of Ages brings audiences back to the times of big hair and even bigger bands with 28 popular rock songs from the 80s including “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” “I Wanna Know What Love Is,” “Here I Go Again,” and more.

Rock of Ages has been nominated for five Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical. It also received a Drama League nomination for Distinguished Production for a Musical.

Prices from: $74.00 and up

Age restriction: Must be 15 years of age or older

Show Length: 125 minutes

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    English has now achieved global status (position). Whenever we turn on the news to find out what's happening in East Asia, or Africa, or South America, or anywhere, local people are being interviewed and telling us about it in English.

    Indeed, if one looks at the facts about the amazing reach of the English language, he or she would be surprised. English is used in over 90 countries as an official or semi-official language. English is the working language of many international colleges as well as of most international research scientists. It is believed that over one billion people worldwide are learning English now.

    One of the most remarkable sides of the spread of English around the world has been the extent (程度) to which Europeans are accepting it as their language. English is spreading from northern Europe to the south and is now firmly set up as a second language in countries such as Sweden, Norway, Netherlands and Denmark. If one visits any of them, it would seem that almost everyone there can communicate with ease in English.

    Recently, a special survey of Europeans' use of languages has just been published. The report said that English is the most widely known foreign language now, with 43% of Europeans saying they speak it and that Sweden now holds the most of English speakers, with over 89% of the population. What's more, English is the language rated as the most useful language to know, with over 77% of Europeans who do not speak English as their first language considering it useful.

    English has without doubt become the global language.

    Conventional wisdom says that hardship can make us old before our time. In fact, a new study suggests that violence not only leaves long-term scars on children's bodies, but also changes their DNA, causing changes that are equal to seven to ten years of premature aging.

    Scientists measured this by studying the ends of children's chromosomes (染色体), called telomeres (端粒), says Idan Shalev, lead author of a study published in Molecular Psychiatry.

    Telomeres are special DNA sequences (序列) which prevent the DNA in chromosomes from separating. They get shorter each time a cell divides, until a cell cannot divide any more and dies.

    Several factors have been found to shorten telomeres, including smoking, radiation and psychological stresses such as being treated badly when young and taking care of a chronically ill person.

    In this study, researchers examined whether exposure to violence could make children's telomeres shorten faster than normal. They interviewed the mothers of 236 children at ages 5, 7 and 10, asking whether the youngsters had been exposed to domestic violence between the mother and her partner; physical maltreatment by an adult; or bullying. Researchers measured the children's telomeres-in cells obtained by wiping the insides of their cheeks-at ages 5 and 10.

    Telomeres shortened faster in kids exposed to two or more types of violence, says Shalev. Unless that pattern changes, the study suggests, these kids could be expected to develop diseases of aging, such as heart attacks or memory loss, seven to 10 years earlier than their peers.

    Shalev says there is hope for these kids. His study found that, in rare cases, telomeres can lengthen. Better nutrition, exercise and stress reduction three things that may be able to lengthen telomeres, he says.

    The study confirms a small but growing number of studies suggesting that early childhood a adversity imprints itself in our chromosomes, says Charles Nelson, a professor of pediatrics and neuroscience at Harvard Medical School.

    The "Boomerang Kids" — young adults who leave to go to college, get married or just show off their independence — are moving back in with mom and dad. Boomerang Kids can be a mixed blessing for parents, both emotionally and financially.

    Especially during hard economic times, adult children head for home. According to a survey, about 40 percent of 2017 graduates still live with their parents. Moreover, 42 percent of the 2015 graduates surveyed said they are still living at home.

    The reasons are many, the first being economics. While the recession(衰退) has touched Americans of all ages, it has been very hard for young adults. This has sent many kids back home. Plus, there is the matter of debt, especially college loans. For many recent graduates, it makes smart economic sense to move back in with their parents where life is comfortable and rent is either low or nonexistent. Then, of course, some return for personal reasons, such as recovering from a divorce or an illness.

    Parents are often glad to help out, both emotionally and financially. As a result, the arrangement often works to everyone's satisfaction. However, there are risks, especially for the parents. These include not only family tension and misunderstandings, but also money. The return to the family can become a financial burden that can affect the parents' plans and their financial future, especially their retirement, as they try to do too much for their children.

    Running seems easy enough: Just grab a pair of sneakers and put one foot in front of the other, right? Well, anyone who struggled to get through a mile knows it's not quite that simple. We've asked experienced runners to tell us something wrong they did when they started running. The following are some of their answers.

    I got excited and signed up for a half-marathon with a few more experienced runner friends, but I wasn't adequately prepared and didn't train efficiently. I ended up with blisters(水泡) on my feet. I couldn't wear shoes for two days!

—Cali Lavey

    I have always been athletic and I have never been badly injured, but one day I felt a slight pain in my knee. I ignored it for a month until I realized I was having a hard time putting weight on my right leg. I finally went to a doctor. It took four months of weekly physical therapy(治疗) to heal. I shouldn't have done that.

— Arnold

    My biggest mistake was treating running like soccer practice: If I wasn't exhausted by the end of practice, I felt as though I didn't work hard enough. I run all of my runs at 80 percent effort, or the equivalent of what I now call tempo runs (节奏跑). I wasn't warming up to the pace or cooling down effectively.

— Kate

    I decided to go out for a run during the hottest part of the day. At the time, I told myself that it would be refreshing to sweat a little, but I didn't bring adequate water. I returned feeling completely rundown, dehydrated (脱水的), and exhausted. If you must go out on a run during unfavorable weather, wear proper suits and bring enough water to keep you feeling strong.

— Sarah

Since 1993, Chicken Soup for the Soul has been a socially conscious company that combines storytelling with making the world a better place. We tell the stories of all people through our efforts, always with an eye to furthering unity and understanding, and an appreciation for our differences.

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