With the holdiay season fully upon us, the ‘traditional icons of Christmas -—. angels, harps, and _ the heavens — abound. Not all, ‘however, have subscribed to the sugary sweetness of the seasonal spirit. “Ambrose Bierce, for in- stance,: offered the following as a definition for Heaven: “A place where the wicked cease from troubling you with talk: of their personal affairs, and the good listen- with attention while you ex- ‘pound your own.’" ‘A new study of six U.S. cities has found that air pollution — even in areas that meet federal air-quality standards — can shorten people’s lives, The study, published in the _New England Journal of Medi- | cine, concluded that air pollution can shorten lives by up to two years. oe "-. “The. Financial "Post -reports: the :: New. Jersey’. Devils’. ‘former. team