Illustration: Mark Matcho for Newsweek

 By Karen Springen

Like many couples, Brian Delaney, 35, and his wife, Daniela, 34, turned to in vitro fertilization after failing to conceive on their own. But after five attempts and an investment of $150,000, IVF failed them as well. Then Brian saw a male-infertility specialist, Columbia University’s Dr. Harry Fisch, who discovered that Brian’s low sperm production could be corrected through microsurgery. Three months later, Daniela was pregnant. Last November she delivered a baby boy, Harrison.

Long overlooked, male infertility has become a fruitful field of research. Doctors now know that, when a couple fails to conceive, the problem lies with the man as often as with the woman. And as the Delaneys learned, recent advances have dramatically improved experts’ understanding of how to diagnose, treat and prevent the condition. “Anything that makes the body unhealthy—a disease, toxins, excessive alcohol—will hurt fertility,” says UCSF urologist Paul Turek. “But most of these things that hurt fertility are reversible.” Some tips for men:

Surf shoetube.tv. This first Web channel for shoe addicts combines “news” reports on the latest shoe styles, sneak previews of spring lines and clever woman-in-the-street interviews. You don’t have to have Imelda Marcos’s shoe closet to love it.

Visit San Francisco for the Chinese New Year parade, the largest celebration outside Asia. Help usher in the Year of the Rat while enjoying acrobats, lion dancing and, of course, the food (Feb. 23; chineseparade.com).

Meet your music match on rocknrolldating.com. Looking for someone who shares your love of Goth—or any other genre of rock and roll? This new Web site recognizes the “relevance of music compatibility in relationships.” Best of all, it’s free.

Go to the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in Seattle. Featuring six acres of gardens, seminars and exhibits, as well as demonstrations, food and kids’ activities, this five-day-long event is a must for gardening enthusiasts (Feb. 20–24; gardenshow.com).

The Nissan Altima Hybrid proves you don’t have to sacrifice sporty driving dynamics and midsize roominess for improved enviro-friendliness. It has sure-footed handling, sharp steering response and standard ABS brakes.

Power: Nissan licensed Toyota’s excellent electric motor for use in the Altima. Paired with Nissan’s own engine, that’s a combined 198hp.

Interior: The brightly lit animated gauge cluster is fun, and the base model has many perks. But the push-button ignition is not for everyone.

Side mirrors: Altima’s side-mirror-mounted direction indicators are a surprising added safety feature in a car of this price.

Baby, it’s cold outside. But don’t let that stop you from exercising outdoors. TIP SHEET spoke to Dr. Robert Marx of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York for ideas on how to stay warm.

Bundle up. Dress in layers and choose your materials carefully. Make sure your outer layer is made from materials that repel wind and precipitation, like microfiber or Gore-Tex. Don’t wear cotton next to your skin, as it traps moisture and causes your body to lose heat faster. Opt instead for moisturewicking fabrics, like Patagonia’s Capilene (patagonia.com) or Eastern Mountain Sports’ Techwick (ems.com), which keep you drier.

Customer call centers tend to do one thing efficiently: frustrate complaining customers. Beat them at their own game with these tips from “Gotcha Capitalism” by Bob Sullivan (Ballantine Books. $14.95):

Start by checking the Web site gethuman.com for the secret code that will get you to a live rep more quickly. Call during regular business hours, when the best employees are manning the phones. And consider pressing the number for Spanish, as you’re likely to get a bilingual operator faster than you would by waiting for an English-only agent. Or call the sales office instead. Once you get through, jot down the rep’s name or operator number, and then state your case simply. Ask if he or she has the authority to solve the problem for you. If not, ask to be switched to a supervisor who does. Take that, “hold” music!