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Bridge: Sept. 4, 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:24 GMT

It was the first of the month — a time when no female is deadlier than the mail. I found Unlucky Louie in the club lounge, wrestling with a fresh stack of bills.“My sweet wife’s a human dynamo,” Louie groaned. “She charges everything she comes in contact with.”Louie might pay off his credit card bill if he did better in his penny game. He was declarer at today’s four spades, and West led the king and jack of diamonds. East overtook (too late) with the ace and led the jack of clubs: queen, king, ace. Louie drew trumps but lost a heart and a club.“Hearts broke 4-2,” Louie shrugged, “so I couldn’t get a discard for my club loser.”LAST DIAMONDEast would not have overtaken the second diamond to lead a club from his king, so Louie must play a low club from his hand. He draws trumps, ruffs his last diamond in dummy, takes the A-K of hearts and exits with a club.When West wins, he has no more hearts. He must lead a club...

Ask Amy: Why would they let a 6-year-old use a public bathroom alone?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:24 GMT

Dear Amy: My granddaughter is 6. Her parents want her to grow up to be independent. This manifests itself in many liberties and responsibilities, some of which I think she is too young for.I have never said anything to the parents about this aspect of their childrearing, but recently I witnessed two cases where I felt their approach is much too lax.In one case, they allowed her to come down a slippery marble spiral staircase with inadequate handrails – alone.She ended up falling but thankfully was not seriously hurt.The other incident was in a restaurant when she needed to use the bathroom. Instead of accompanying her, they told her, “You know where it is, go ahead.”The bathroom was a single room with a women’s stall right next to a men’s stall. An outer door enclosed the room with both stalls inside.I said nothing but went with my granddaughter and stood outside her stall.(When I was 6, I was molested at a park, so I know how quickly and easily molesters can...

Harriette Cole: My hobby scares my girlfriend, but she doesn’t like to be left out

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:24 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m a huge adrenaline junkie. I love outdoor adventures like base jumping, skydiving and really anything that the average person might shy away from.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: Why shouldn’t I live with my friend’s ex? Advice | Harriette Cole: Was I rude to this woman I passed in the restaurant? Advice | Harriette Cole: I hoped I was wrong about my son’s girlfriend. I wasn’t. Advice | Harriette Cole: My son needs discipline, and I’m thinking about the military Advice | Harriette Cole: Our marriage is just one long fight. How do I fix this? I’m dating a woman who is the exact opposite of me in that sense. She is not too fond of stepping out of her comfort zone.I’ve tried bringing her along with me before, but she tends to get really nervous and ends up cutting our trips short. Eventually, I decided it was better for both of us if...

I Worked in Federal Prison Sweatshops for 23 Cents an Hour

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:24 GMT

During a nationwide day of action against prison slavery, protesters march through the streets of Portland, Ore., on Sept. 9, 2016.Photo: Alex Milan Tracy/Sipa USAPrison labor is a staple of the American economy. Whether it’s fish farms or electronics recycling, woodworking or vehicle remanufacturing, our nation’s supply chain is bolstered by a hidden labor force of overworked and underpaid incarcerated people. I would know — I was one of them.Throughout my 13 years of incarceration, I held a prison job whenever possible. From the kitchen of the city jail in Bristol, Virginia, to the mess halls of federal prisons in West Virginia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, I worked. At first, I didn’t think of myself as exploited. As far as I was concerned, I was just doing my job and my time the best way I knew how.It wasn’t until I worked at the UNICOR factories in Butner, North Carolina, and Allenwood, Pennsylvania, where I was housed for a combined five years, that I mad...

Police investigation underway after shooting leaves 3 injured in Lauderhill

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:24 GMT

A shooting in Lauderhill left three individuals injured and prompted a police investigation into the matter. Around 12:23 a.m. Sunday, Lauderhill Police officers were at 1400 N. SR. 7 as they responded to an unrelated matter when they received a call reporting a male who had been shot outside the location. According to officials, authorities discovered a man in the parking lot with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. They also found a woman with a single gunshot wound to her shoulder at the front of the same location. A third victim, an unidentified individual, later arrived at Florida Medical Center with a single gunshot wound to the front of the head. All three victims were subsequently transported to Broward Health Fort Lauderdale for medical treatment. As of now, all victims are reported to be in stable condition.The Lauderhill Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID) and Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) unit have taken charge of the investiga...

EU research chief nominee wants ‘stronger ties with like-minded countries’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:24 GMT

BRUSSELS — The EU should work with its friends on research and innovation to win the geopolitical race to control new technologies, the European Union’s aspiring innovation chief Iliana Ivanova has said.Ivanova is scheduled to address a select group of European Parliament members on Tuesday. The grilling will determine if lawmakers accept her nomination by the Bulgarian government and see her take over from compatriot Mariya Gabriel, who left the EU’s executive branch in May to become national foreign minister. “I will focus my efforts to put the EU at the forefront of the new technological race and increase its competitiveness in the face of increased economic competition,” Ivanova said in written replies to lawmakers’ questions ahead of the hearing. “Creating stronger ties with like-minded countries is essential in this challenging geopolitical context” and will “reinforce” the bloc’s economic and technological security, ...

Summer Rolls On

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:24 GMT

After back to back beautiful summer days to kick off this Labor Day Weekend, we’ll do it again today with another dry and warm afternoon under a mostly sunny sky. Temps rebound into the mid to upper 80s again, albeit, a bit cooler at the coast. At the coast, including around Boston, temps reach in the low 80s midday, then fade back into the 70s with a freshen sea breeze developing this afternoon. Overall, a great pool/beach day across the region to close the books on the holiday weekend. Full on summer mode continues much of this week with temps in the mid 80s to near 90. We’ll likely peak the heat and humidity Thursday, before fading back a bit to end the week and head into the weekend. By Thursday, an isolated late-day storm is possible, with a few scattered showers and storms returning to the forecast by Friday afternoon, into the weekend.

Turkish president to meet Putin with aim of reviving the Ukraine grain export deal

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:24 GMT

The presidents of Russia and Turkey meet on Monday, with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeking to persuade Russia to revive an agreement that allowed Ukraine to export grain and other commodities from three Black Sea ports despite the war.Russian President Vladimir Putin in July refused to extend the agreement, which was brokered by Turkey and the United Nations a year earlier.Russia complained that a parallel deal promising to remove obstacles to Russian exports of food and fertilizer hadn’t been honored. It said restrictions on shipping and insurance hampered its agricultural trade, even though it has shipped record amounts of wheat since last year.The leaders are to meet in the Black Sea city of Sochi, where the Russian president has a residence, and a lot is riding on the talks for the world food supply.The meeting takes place against a backdrop of more than 18 months of war and Ukraine’s recent counteroffensive.In the lat...

Labor Day 2023: The unions strike back

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:24 GMT

More than 500 labor actions, including strikes and protests, have occurred in the United States since Jan. 1, including 22 in Massachusetts, according to Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.From the Teamsters’ settlement with UPS to the ongoing screen actors and writers strikes, more than 320,000 workers have participated in in the actions this year, Cornell research showed.David Jacobs, a management professor at American University, said the current negotiating battles will set a precedent for others.“We have kind of an ‘Empire Strikes Back’ situation, in which we’ve seen enormous organizing and hope on the worker side and a battle in the courts that will determine whether a more progressive labor policy is effectuated,” Jacobs told the Herald.An author and expert in the field of labor, Jacobs noted the rising support unions have from Americans since 2010. Gallup research showed 48% of Americans backed labor unions 13 years ago, a number ...

2023 NFL season preview: Super Bowl predictions, division picks and award winners

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:24 GMT

The Patriots are still the last team to win back-to-back Super Bowls. The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to change that this season.The Chiefs are favored to win Super Bowl LVIII after head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes helped to topple the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII last season. They’re expected to face heavy competition from the Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers this season, according to oddsmakers.It’s not easy to repeat, and no one has done it in nearly 20 years. The Patriots accomplished the feat in 2003 and 2004. Even Bill Belichick and Tom Brady had to take a year off between wins in their second championship run from 2014 to 2018, however.So, who will win it all this season? Can the Patriots sneak into the wild card? Who’s taking home MVP?The Herald’s Patriots beat writers make their NFL predictions.AFC EastCallahan: Buffalo BillsFor all the Jets’ and Dolphins’ offseason splashe...