On March 1, an immigrant from Senegal, apparently angry over the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, donned a T-shirt that said “Property of Allah,” grabbed a Koran, a pistol and a semi-automatic rifle and headed toward a popular nightlife area in Austin, Texas. There, he shot and killed three people and wounded 14 others before police killed him.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My godson is 22 years old – soon to be a college graduate beginning his life as an adult. He confides in me about his life, including his dating life. He told me that he is being courted by a woman who is 20 years older than him. She is attractive and has a good job, but I think that’s too old. He’s just starting his life. This woman is settled, but I also learned that she wants to have a child. She’s on the edge of not being able to since she’s in her 40s, but she has asked him to try with her. I am appalled. Why should a young man who is just beginning his life want to make that decision? He should be free to explore. What can I say to him to wake him up? He is completely mesmerized by this woman.
Dear Doctors: How do I cleanse my pancreas of parasites?
The single biggest reason Donald Trump won the last election boils down to two words: gas and groceries. Joe Biden’s failure to control prices on those key commodities enabled Trump, who has never won a majority of the popular vote, to capture a second term.
DEAR HARRIETTE: Lately, my anxiety has been keeping me up at night, scaring me away from windows, crowded places, public transportation and tall buildings, and causing excessive overthinking. With recent developments between the United States and countries like Iran, I am afraid all the time. Social media doesn’t help by simply mocking all this serious political unrest with memes joking about World War III. It makes everything feel more chaotic and unpredictable.
Dear Doctors: In regards to the phenomenon of music and cognition, multiple studies show folks who dance are less likely to develop dementia. This presumably takes the music component and adds memory, movement and doing something to a beat. Every time I see an article on dementia, they neglect to mention dancing.
DEAR HARRIETTE: There’s a guy who’s constantly liking and responding to my posts on social media – I’m talking for two years and counting! A few years back, he was married to someone I’m only a few degrees separated from. I didn’t know the woman, but I’m friendly with her sister. So even when they divorced and he started complimenting me on social media, I remained cautious; I would like his messages but never respond with my own. Over the past year or so, work functions have had us cross paths in person more often, and he’s piqued my curiosity with his charisma and gentle aura. I decided to message him and ask if he’d like to have a drink with me. He said he’ll let me know if he’s available. I feel totally blown off and confused. Why was he constantly sending messages and flirtatious emojis just to reject me? Any ideas? – Not Interested DEAR NOT INTERESTED: I wonder if he is curious as to why you never responded to his overtures before. Could he think you have blown him off or at least that you aren’t interested in him? Don’t give up yet. See if he responds in the coming days. If you continue to think you could like him, write to him one more time. Be direct: Say you’ve noticed that he has been commenting on your page for a long time. Would he like to have a real conversation? See what happens.
I’ve always known I was lucky when it came to family.
With the first six weeks of the 2026 legislative session behind us, we have passed the first major deadline. Bills were required to be advanced from their assigned Senate Committee by March 5 to remain eligible for consideration and potentially become law this year.
Dear Doctors: I was surprised to learn that two of my friends (we are in our mid-40s) take their blood pressure every day. They both say their doctors think it’s a good way to get ahead of potential problems. Do you know if these kinds of at-home readings are reliable?