DIY hot sauce

Red Jalapeno chiles are just one of the many possibilies for home cooks looking to unleash the fire with their own hot sauces. (Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times/MCT)

ILLUSTRATION: Flu feel bad

High top sneakers: Attitude plus altitude

Koolaburra Kenny sneaker wedge in red ($239) available on their site www.koolaburra.com beginning in September. (Courtesy of Koolaburra/MCT)

Beauty balms: Which ones supply glowing complexion?

Beauty balms promise to supply that elusive glowing complexion, including Maybelline. Maybelline’s BB cream promises to blur facial imperfections while brightening and evening skin tone. (Ross Hailey/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)

Beauty balms: Which ones supply glowing complexion?

Beauty balms promise to supply that elusive glowing complexion, including Smashbox. Boasting a high SPF, Smashbox’s BB cream does everything from prime your skin to control oil. (Ross Hailey/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)

12 ideas for the Class of ’12: Throw a graduation party that’s creative and carefree

A few ideas for a carefree Class of '12 celebration menu include diploma sandwiches. (Kathleen Galligan/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

Don’t let wall hang-ups hang you up

A stairway with artwork hanging art Paris-salon style (top-to-bottom of wall, disparate frames and types of art) at a home.

Knotty, nice: Pretzel-making takes some twists

Lye is the key to a top-notch homemade pretzel; pinch to connect the ends to form the pretzel. (Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times/MCT)

Some exercises yield more damage than progress

Fitness trainer John Benz, right, demonstrates how to do an assisted pull-up with Brett Pruitt. (Jim Barcus/Kansas City Star/MCT)

Deadly danger: Women who sit at work all day risk health

DTE Energy analyst Laurie Payne of Rochester Hills, Michigan, sits on a balance ball chair. (Patricia Beck/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

Save money by learning to cut up a whole chicken

After folding the wing tips back, make the first cut to remove the leg and breast. (Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/MCT)

Bionic eye maker has vision of the future

Prototypes of the Arguss II Retinal Prosthesis manufacture at Second Sight Medical Products in Sylmar, California. The device is made up of a chip in the eye and special set of glasses that translate visual information to the brain.

Psoriasis research, treatment is doctor’s life’s work

Dr. Alan Menter, a world-renowned expert on psoriasis, examines Mary Lou Jeffs in his Dallas, Texas, office. "From a personal standpoint, this is more satisfying than anything else. I love what I do. I adore what I do," Menter said. (David Woo/Dallas Morning News/MCT)

Vintage pharmacy’s shelves groan with patent medicines

Sid Simmons, 90, with his remarkable collection of early 1900's medicine bottles in the "pharmacy" of the new Colonial Drug museum in Los Angeles, California. (Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times/MCT)

Students furnish their dorm rooms

Late summer brings a scramble for college-bound parents and their soon-to-be-freshmen as they rush to put together essentials for a first dorm room or other first home away from home. A collapsable chair would be useful in a girls dorm room. (Randy Pench/Sacramento Bee/MCT)

Beauty balms: Which ones supply glowing complexion?

Beauty balms promise to supply that elusive glowing complexion, including Cover Girl. A lightweight formula that blends effortlessly, Cover Girl’s BB cream was designed to instantly enhance the look of skin with the help of 10 skin-friendly benefits. (Ross Hailey/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)

Students furnish their dorm rooms

Late summer brings a scramble for college-bound parents and their soon-to-be-freshmen as they rush to put together essentials for a first dorm room or other first home away from home. A handy bulletin board for guys may be handy. (Randy Pench/Sacramento Bee/MCT)

young athlete injuries

Morgan Stippel, 19, a multi-sport athlete has had fire knee surgeries over the past five years. Here, she poses for a portrait at her home, July 3, 2012 in Woodbury, Minnesota. (Jerry Holt/Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT)

Focaccia: Straight up, no twists

Gorgonzola Focaccia . Although its cousin, pizza, can stand in for a meal, focaccia is more of a snack, or at most an appetizer. In Italy, it's a popular walking-around food. Also, though cold pizza may have a certain raffish charm, focaccia really needs to be eaten when it's hot to be at its best. (Glenn Koenig/Los Angeles Times/MCT)

From the farm to the gym: Trainer uses old-school techniques to build real-world strength

Brian Barss heaves a 475-pound tractor tire under the watchful eye of trainer Brad Davidson of Synergy Training Centers in Costa Mesa, California. "Our method converts weight room strength into athletic strength," said Davidson. (Ana Venegas/Orange County Register/MCT)