What's not to love about pets? They're cute, cuddly, loyal friends, and they have an amazing ability to cheer you up when you're down. I'm a huge animal lover and now research shows that owning a pet can be beneficial to your mental and physical well-being (as long as you're not deathly allergic!).

Not only do pets offer you unconditional love, but they may also help to reduce stress levels, lower blood pressure, and improve the appetites of Alzheimer's patients.

Having a pet such as a dog also gets people out of the house and promotes exercise, which can help with depression and social anxiety. Pet owners also benefit from the feeling of being needed and loved, so a pet can help improve poor self-esteem and loneliness.

Dear's Advice: You don't have to own a pet to reap the benefits of animals. Take a friend's dog for a walk or cat sit for a neighbor who's going on vacation. You can also visit a shelter or volunteer as a dog walker. Whatever your choice, you'll both benefit from the time spent together.

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• The Iraqi defense minister, Abdul Qadir, said yesterday that Iraq will need US assistance until 2018. While a withdrawal date has never been given, President Bush has indicated that as Iraqi forces are able to stand up, US forces will stand down. Qadir's prediction as to when that will be possible is more cautious than last year, so this proposed end date will likely draw attention. Qadir elaborated on this date saying, "in regard to the borders, regarding protection from any external threats, our calculation appears that we are not going to be able to answer to any external threats until 2018 to 2020.”
• Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is ordering government troops to shoot anyone who might try to disrupt parliamentary election proceedings. Delayed from Jan. 8, after the Dec. 27 assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Musharraf is strongly defending the upcoming February elections. Violence surrounding the assassination cost Pakistan $200 million and left 58 dead. The Associated Press of Pakistan reports that Musharraf said, "let me assure you we are going to instruct the Rangers and Army to shoot miscreants during elections...we will not allow this to happen again."
• The polls are open in today's Michigan Republican primary. The outcome in the tight race between John McCain, who's facing little fire from competing candidates, and Mitt Romney, who lost in both Iowa and New Hampshire, will shape the field of candidates dramatically.

Distressed Dolly needed some advice on how to get her cheating boyfriend back and you all had quite a lot to say about her situation. AceMonkey left a comment saying "once a cheater, always a cheater" and while I used to agree with her 100 percent, I'm not so sure I believe that statement anymore. Of course there's never an excuse for being unfaithful, but people do make mistakes and even though that kind of mistake can be detrimental to a relationship, it doesn't necessarily mean you'll do it again. I know this is a loaded question, but ladies do tell, do you agree that once a cheater, always a cheater?

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There are signs that well-known Republicans are less than enthused about Mike Huckabee's recent surge in popularity. Rich Lowry, editor of the National Review, went so far as to issue an anti-endorsement:

"Huckabee is an under-vetted former governor who is manifestly unprepared to be president of the United States. [...] His vulnerabilities in a general election are so screamingly obvious [...].

"The GOP’s social conservatism inarguably has been an enormous benefit to the party throughout the past 30 years, winning over conservative Democrats and lower-income voters who otherwise might not find the Republican limited-government message appealing. That said, nominating a Southern Baptist pastor running on his religiosity would be rather overdoing it. "

For some of Huckabee's comments regarding his party, read more

Dear Sugar,

I'm in a long-term relationship with my boyfriend of three years and I'm not happy. He's older than I am, has a low-paying job at a grocery store, lives at home with his parents, and plays video games all night long. I'm still with him because I know how much he loves me and I'm all he has. I feel like if I were to break up with him, he'd harm himself or even end his own life. I know this because he's had suicidal problems before he met me. I feel trapped and he's got marriage on his mind for the future. What should I do?
—Cornered Casey

To see DearSugar's answer read more