Of two appalling sex crimes currently in the news, one strikes me as entirely predictable, the other so bizarre as to make one question how it could possibly have happened in a civilized country. In this I differ from Elizabeth Spiers, an opinion writer in The New York Times, who asserts that both demonstrate that “viewing women as subhuman and inferior is not just tolerated in much of American culture; it’s an integral part of it.”
• It may still be warm outside, but here’s a plan-ahead tip for the cold winter months: Invest in an electric snowblower. New electric snowblowers utilize rechargeable batteries, so there’s no gas tank to fill, and there are no greenhouse emissions released when it’s in use. This is also the perfect solution for smallscale snow removal. Of course, the greenest snow-removal system is a shovel and broom – but if you need a snowblower, go electric.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m having a hard time controlling my shopping habits. I often find myself buying things on impulse, which leads to regret afterwards. I want to take better care of my money, but breaking the habit of spontaneous spending seems really challenging.
DEAR HARRIETTE: For the past few years, I have been getting together for dinner with a few other women with whom I used to work. When the first woman left for a new job, another woman started a text group so we can all stay in touch. That same woman would organize a dinner a few times per year. That was basically the only communication among the group. None of us work together anymore, and I have been away from that company for a couple of years.
America, tell me a story. An American political campaign is a mashup of slogans, advertisements, speeches, exaggerations, outright lies, balloons, bunting, brass bands and the occasional discussion about an important issue.
Dear Doctors: I was sick for months with debilitating pain, extreme weight loss, fatigue and loss of appetite. I was diagnosed with C. diff related to an abdominal surgery. I’m being treated with antibiotics, but I worry about the effects on my gut microbiome. Is a fecal transplant an option?
Donald Trump wrote on his platform, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” after she endorsed Kamala Harris.
I’m usually pretty good about doing things I don’t want to do. I’ve been alive long enough to know that getting started is always the hardest part. But nothing is harder for me to start than doing weights.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My 17-year-old daughter recently posted a picture of herself on Instagram. She was so excited because the photos were from a concert where her favorite band performed. Someone she thought was her friend took a screenshot of that photo and used it in an incredibly hurtful way: She posted the picture on a private Snapchat story and cruelly made fun of my daughter, calling her ugly and encouraging others to laugh at her.
(AP) — Pope Francis called for Europe to be a beacon of peace amid war and a welcome home for migrants as he arrived Thursday in the heart of the continent to encourage the dwindling Catholic flock in onetime bastions of Christianity.