Life

WASHINGTON — Reality TV is giving birth to some of the most popular baby names. No, not Snooki. But Mason, as in Kourtney Kardashian’s son, jumped 10 spots to become the second most popular name for newborn boys in 2011.

WATERLOO, Ont. — Nearly nine in 10 Canadian homeowners surveyed recently said that being debt-free was key to their idea of a successful retirement — even more than most lifestyle factors.
Only having good health was listed by more people, according to the survey of about 2,000 Canadian homeowners conducted for Manulife Bank.

OTTAWA — Men still make the most money in the average household, but it’s women who control the purse strings.
While that’s been acknowledged informally for some time in Canada, a new survey by the Bank of Montreal suggests there is no reason to doubt the truism.

VANCOUVER — Analytical thinkers are less religious than people who go with their gut instincts, a University of British Columbia study suggests.
Researcher Will Gervais, a psychology graduate student, said the goal of the study was to determine why people believe in God to varying degrees.

TOKYO — A teenager who lost his home in Japan’s devastating tsunami now knows that one prized possession survived: a football that drifted all the way to Alaska.

Yarn harlots, knit chicks and knit-nerds are taking over and they’re not knitting baby booties or crocheting doilies. More young people are taking up the “stitch and bitch” craft, making everything from conventional scarves and mittens to purses and wraps.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Meow can’t help but waddle. He’s one super-sized cat.
The 2-year-old orange and white tabby tips the scale at nearly 40 pounds, and the Santa Fe Animal Shelter is on a mission to get the feline back into shape.

MONTREAL — Grill some salami and baloney. Add Swiss or cheddar cheese. Slather on mustard. Put between yellow bread.
What do you get? According to Travel and Leisure magazine, one of the world’s best sandwiches.

NASHVILLE — The life of a mutt that’s been on doggy death row for more than a year has been spared by a judge following an outcry from animal lovers and the acceptance of a last-ditch proposal to keep the dog alive.

EDMONTON — It’s a rare rock the colour of bubble gum, and it costs a cool $2.5 million.
One of the world’s largest pink diamonds, owned by a unnamed private collector, is making its first appearance in Canada at the Birks jewelry store in downtown Edmonton.