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Ask Amy: Group shunning expands outward

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:09 GMT

Dear Amy: My husband has gone skiing with seven of his male peers for 17 years.One of these friends, “Patrick,” is an alcoholic whose out-of-control behavior during previous ski trips has been difficult for them to tolerate.Last year, Patrick was so offensive and unruly during a ski trip that it was the last straw, so the guys will not be inviting him to join them again.My husband has blocked him on his phone.Although all agreed that this shunning was justified, the loss of this friend caused my husband great emotional pain.I am from a family who has suffered from generations of alcoholism. I have a low tolerance for the pain caused by that sad addiction.As a result, the shunning is not a problem for me.However, I am friends with Patrick’s wife, who knows he has been banned from the ski group for his frightening behaviors.She is choosing to continue to support him and his painful, risky lifestyle, trusting that he will recover.Although none of us share her trust in him, she is askin...

European Statistical Recovery Dashboard: August edition

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:09 GMT

Eurostat has released the August edition of the interactive European Statistical Recovery Dashboard.The dashboard contains monthly and quarterly indicators from a number of statistical areas relevant to tracking the economic and social recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, across countries and time.August highlights: EU GDP holds steady, while economic sentiment continues to weaken The EU economy held steady, with GDP unchanged quarter-on-quarter in Q2 2023, following a moderate rise in Q1 2023. Economic output, however, remained above its pre-pandemic level from Q4 2019. Among the four major EU economies, France and Spain posted quarter-on-quarter gains and Germany's economy remained stable, while Italy saw a modest contraction in Q2 2023.EU industrial production increased in June 2023, while retail trade decreased in the same month, both remaining above their pre-pandemic levels. Industrial production has, however, exhibited a fluctuating pattern in its recovery, while re...

Word Game: Aug. 21, 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:09 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — PENSIVE (PENSIVE: PEN-siv: Musingly or dreamily thoughtful.)Average mark 14 wordsTime limit 25 minutesCan you find 17 or more words in PENSIVE? The list will be published tomorrow.SATURDAY’S WORD — CARELESS care caress carless case cease cereal class clear crass crease creel cress acre alee race rale rase rassle real recess reel resale reseal earl ease easel else erase lace lase laser lass lease leer less lesser sale scale scaler scar scare sclera scree seal sealer sear seer sereTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulg...

Bridge: Aug. 21, 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:09 GMT

Making today’s contract looks as impossible as kissing your elbow. South is off the A-K of trumps and a spade, and when West leads the queen of clubs, the defense is on the way to winning a club trick before South can draw trumps and pitch a club from dummy on a high spade.Would you then back the defense? (By now, you may have tried unsuccessfully to kiss your elbow.)The actual South battled on. He took the king of clubs and led a spade to his queen. West won and led another club to dummy. South then came to his ace of spades and led the jack. If West ruffed with the ace of trumps, dummy would pitch a club. So West ruffed low, and dummy overruffed.FIFTH SPADESouth next led a diamond to his ace, ruffed a spade, ruffed a diamond and led the good fifth spade. Again, West couldn’t gain by ruffing. He discarded, dummy threw the last club and East ruffed.South ruffed the diamond return and led a trump. When the A-K clashed, South was home. Easier than kissing your elbow.DAILY ...

Horoscopes Aug. 21, 2023: Kim Cattrall, don’t be fooled by appearances

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:09 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Hayden Panettiere, 34; Usain Bolt, 37; Carrie-Anne Moss, 56; Kim Cattrall, 67.Happy Birthday: Remain true to yourself. Don’t venture down a path for the wrong reason. Concentrate on being your best self and taking responsibility for your life and happiness. Stay centered, regardless of the changes others make, and make your health and well-being your priorities. Don’t be fooled by appearances or bad information; get the facts, follow your heart and avoid overindulgence. Your numbers are 5, 17, 21, 26, 34, 39, 45.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Be secretive regarding the changes you want to enforce. Take care of essential details yourself, and you’ll maintain control over your costs and results. Personal gain is apparent if you follow the rules and take the path that suits your needs. 3 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Outside interference will offer temptation that’s difficult to resist. Remove yourself from unstable situations. Think y...

Hacked Records Corroborate Claims in Hydroxychloroquine Wrongful Death Suit

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:09 GMT

In August 2021, Jeremy Parker had a telehealth appointment through the anti-vaccine group America’s Frontline Doctors. Parker wanted hydroxychloroquine, a drug that he falsely believed could prevent or treat Covid-19, though he didn’t have any symptoms at the time. According to a lawsuit filed by Parker’s family, he spoke with Dr. Medina Culver, who wrote him a prescription. In early February 2022, Parker began having cold-like symptoms and took the drug, and the next morning, he was found dead. The cause, according to his death certificate, was “sudden death in the setting of therapeutic use of hydroxychloroquine.”Parker’s wife, Jelena Hatfield, and their three children sued AFLDS and Culver a year after his death, claiming that it “was caused by the negligence of Dr. Culver and by falsehoods spread by America’s Frontline Doctors.” The wrongful death lawsuit claims that Culver never performed a physical examination of Parker, then 52 years old, nor did she run any diagnostic tests ...

16 displaced by Northwest DC apartment fire

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:09 GMT

When first responders arrived, the three-story apartment building appeared to have flames showing through the third floor. (Courtesy, DC Fire and EMS) When first responders arrived, the three-story apartment building appeared to have flames showing through the third floor. (Courtesy, DC Fire and EMS) Officials in the District said 16 people are out of their homes after a fire at a three-story apartment building.The fire began just after 12 p.m. at an apartment building in the 5000 block of First Street in Northwest near New Hampshire Avenue. There are no reported injuries.When first responders arrived, the three-story apartment building appeared to have flames showing through the third floor.D.C. Fire and EMS offi...

Pick Six: Marquee games abound from coast to coast, with must-win showdowns late in the season

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:09 GMT

The college football schedule offers a weekly selection of marquee games between top teams and some would-be contenders will get an early chance to shine.Two games that will impact the AP Top 25 quickly: No. 5 LSU playing No. 8 Florida State in Orlando, Florida, on Sept. 3 and No. 4 Alabama hosting No. 11 Texas on Sept. 9 in a preview of SEC games to come.An early loss in an ambitious nonconference opener isn’t an automatic death knell for a program’s championship hopes. The virtual playoff elimination games come later when conference rivals in position for one of four playoff spots go head to head. As Bobby Bowden quipped after No. 2 Florida State lost a November game at Virginia in 1995, “The national championship thing sorts itself out. Tonight, it sorted us out.”Some don’t-miss games on the schedule this year (using AP Top 25 preseason rankings):8 FLORIDA STATE at 9 CLEMSON, Sept. 23The resurgent Seminoles have lost seven in a row against the Tigers, who ...

Rodriguez’s 17-hit deluge helps put the plucky Mariners back in the AL playoff race

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:09 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — The Seattle Mariners were mostly sellers at the trade deadline three weeks ago, dealing closer Paul Sewald to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a move signaling that this year probably wouldn’t end in the postseason.Julio Rodríguez had other ideas.The young All-Star recently finished a four-day stretch for the ages, setting an MLB record with 17 hits in those four games and helping to push the Mariners back into the American League playoff race.Rodriguez went 17 for 22 in the four games from Wednesday to Saturday — all Mariners wins — raising his batting average from .256 to .278 in the process. Seattle finished a sweep over the defending World Series champion Houston Astros on Sunday, holding on for the 7-6 win.The Mariners have won 14 of their past 17 games and currently have a spot in the playoffs. They’re a half-game ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays for the final wild-card position in the AL.There’s still six weeks left in the regular season, but the Mar...

Thousands of Northern Va. students are headed back to school

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:09 GMT

Thousands of students across Northern Virginia are gearing up for their first day of school.City of Alexandria Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools and Prince William County Public Schools head back to class Monday. Here’s what you need to know.City of Alexandria Public SchoolsAlexandria’s public schools are welcoming a new superintendent this year. Melanie Kay-Wyatt is officially the city’s first female Black superintendent, after serving as interim superintendent during the last school year.Kay-Wyatt told WTOP that the theme for the upcoming school year is “future focus.” Targeting absenteeism remains a top priority.“Chronic absenteeism has been a concern for many schools post pandemic,” Kay-Wyatt said. “And what I really want our community to focus on is that we are no longer in this pandemic era; we are really focused on where we are with learning.”According to Kay-Wyatt, this effort includes a media campaign.“There&...