By SUSAN SIMPSON, The Oklahoman

OKLAHOMA CITY - Federal regulators have changed course and approved a businessman's bid to include the Pledge of Allegiance on a beer can.

The controversial label initially was denied by the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, and was the subject of a story Tuesday in The Oklahoman.

OKLAHOMA CITY -

Federal regulators have changed course and approved a businessman's bid to include the Pledge of Allegiance on a beer can.

The controversial label initially was denied by the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, and was the subject of a story Tuesday in The Oklahoman.

Irish-pub owner Sean Cummings has heard some crazy ideas over the years about how to avoid a post-St. Patrick's Day hangover:

Coat your stomach with castor oil. Take aspirin before drinking to help flush toxins. Treat nausea with raw egg and beer.

Cummings doubts the remedies work.

His advice: Just expect to feel green after a night of overindulgence.

Holiday travel and crowds can increase risks for colds, influenza and lesser-known conditions like deep-vein thrombosis.

But health experts have tips for not catching illness while catching the next flight to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving.

Doctors at Oklahoma University's Medical Center have helped pioneer a less invasive surgery to correct a common heart condition.

The thoracoscopic ablation may cure a disorder of the heart's electrical system that causes abnormal heart rhythm. Atrial fibrillation affects more than 3 million Americans and can increase risk of stroke or heart failure.

For smokers trying to quit their habit, that "last" cigarette is usually the final one in the pack.

To an addict, cigarettes are so valued that not finishing the pack would be downright wasteful, said Oklahoma State University researcher Jared Dempsey.

Even those who have quit but relapse and buy a pack are likely to smoke the entire thing, further derailing their cessation.

The California ranch where cowboy humorist Will Rogers wrote, rode and roped is in danger of closing as a state park.
The 187-acre Pacific Palisades ranch is on a list of about 220 California state parks Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to shutter because of a state budget crisis.

Up to 7 percent of American students suffer from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About half are prescribed medications.

Genetic testing holds great promise in predicting whether a person may develop diseases and conditions that could be lessened or prevented by early intervention, said Stephen Prescott, president of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and an expert in human genetics.

A new children's learning center at Duncan Regional Hospital uses fun-house-style gadgetry to encourage students to learn more about their bodies and professions in health care.
Program coordinator Beth Curry said the center is the first of its kind in the United States.