Catherine Saint Louis New York Times

Not long ago, estrangements between family members, for all the anguish they can cause, could mean a fairly clean break. Not anymore.

A daily shower is a deeply ingrained American habit. Most people would no sooner disclose they had not showered in days than admit infidelity. But Jenefer Palmer, 55, of Malibu, Calif., cheerfully acknowledged recently that she doesn't shower or shampoo daily and doesn't use deodorant. Ever.No, she does not work from home in pajamas. In fact, Ms. P...

Last month, Charice Pempengco, the petite Filipino teenager whose knockout voice has wowed Oprah and millions worldwide, caused a stir of another kind. To prepare for her appearance on the Fox show "Glee" this fall, Ms. Pempengco, who is 18, got Botox  injections and a skin-tightening treatment called Thermage. "I want to look fresh when I app...

The latest kind of recycling has nothing to do with soda bottles. It entails liposuctioning fat from, say, thighs or buttocks and injecting it into breasts to augment them.

Not long ago, estrangements between family members, for all the anguish they can cause, could mean a fairly clean break. Not anymore.

A daily shower is a deeply ingrained American habit. Most people would no sooner disclose they had not showered in days than admit infidelity. But Jenefer Palmer, 55, of Malibu, Calif., cheerfully acknowledged recently that she doesn't shower or shampoo daily and doesn't use deodorant. Ever.No, she does not work from home in pajamas. In fact, Ms. P...

Last month, Charice Pempengco, the petite Filipino teenager whose knockout voice has wowed Oprah and millions worldwide, caused a stir of another kind. To prepare for her appearance on the Fox show "Glee" this fall, Ms. Pempengco, who is 18, got Botox  injections and a skin-tightening treatment called Thermage. "I want to look fresh when I app...

The latest kind of recycling has nothing to do with soda bottles. It entails liposuctioning fat from, say, thighs or buttocks and injecting it into breasts to augment them.