ABOUT ELIZABETH TAYLOR'S KIDS

What has become of Elizabeth Taylor's children?

Taylor has four children, three she gave birth to and one she adopted.

- She and second husband Michael Wilding had two children: Michael Jr. and Christopher. Michael, now 57, acted for many years (probably best known as Jackson Freemont on Guiding Light). Christopher, now 54, is a photographer and film editor.

- She and third husband Michael Todd had a daughter. Liza Todd was later adopted by Taylor's fourth husband, Richard Burton. Liza Todd-Tivey, now 52, did some acting and is a horse sculptor living in upstate New York.

- Taylor and fourth husband Eddie Fisher started to adopt a German orphan, Maria, then 3, before divorcing in 1964, and fifth husband Richard Burton eventually adopted her. Maria Burton Carson, now 48, designed clothes and is a philanthropist living in Idaho.

Taylor, who will be 78 on Feb. 27, also has nine grandchildren. She has been married eight times to seven men.

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Radiation isn't a worry with TVs

Having been told to always sit at least 6 feet from a TV to avoid radiation exposure, does this rule still hold true for the new type of sets (LCD, LED, DLP)?

There is no evidence that radiation from televisions has resulted in human injury, according to the Federal Drug Administration. When used under normal conditions, TVs do not pose a radiation hazard, it says.

In 1969, the FDA set a standard to limit X-ray emissions from TV receivers, which still applies. To avoid eyestrain, studies recommend sitting 18 to more than 30 inches from monitors and TV sets, depending on the viewer's existing visual issues, and other factors such as lighting.

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Energy tax credits

The federal government allows up to a $1,500 energy tax credit for homeowners for certain investments such as additional insulation or upgrading from single-pane to double- or triple-pane windows. Can a homeowner take a tax credit of $1,500 for tax year 2009 and an additional credit of $1,500 for tax year 2010?

The $1,500 federal tax credit is the maximum amount offered over a two-year period, for 2009 and 2010, according to the Energy Star program, a joint effort of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy.

Homeowners can spend up to $5,000 during the two-year period on one or more products for a principal residence they own and live in and receive 30 percent, or $1,500, as a tax credit. But if you take the $1,500 tax credit in 2009, you can't get it again in 2010. See www.energystar.gov for details on qualified products and how to apply.