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They have one year to pretend … or risk losing everything
The best romance novels often work off the dichotomy between the story’s meant-to-be and can’t-possibly-work elements. Kay Cove’s latest novel, "Snapshot," delivers beautifully on both, with plot twists and outside characters that seriously threaten a happily-ever-after ending. For added depth, Cove intertwines two love stories, one from a...Read more
She solved her heart problem. Then she learned her unborn baby had one
Ashley Boyea had asthma, so she wasn't surprised when she got breathless at work. But when she began gasping for air just walking around, the then-25-year-old sales associate went to her pulmonologist for a checkup.
The doctor had her wear a heart monitor for a few days. It showed her heart was beating too fast. More testing revealed that, in ...Read more
Just minutes of exercise can help women’s hearts, study finds
With only four minutes of exercise a day, middle-age women might reduce their risk of cardiovascular problems by nearly half. It’s the latest discovery from University of Sydney researchers, whose study was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
“We found that a minimum of 1.5 minutes to an average of 4 minutes of daily ...Read more
It's Wise To Have Healthy Boundaries
Q: One of my not-so-distant relatives is an extremely difficult person to be around. "Chris" can spot a flaw from across the room -- and never wastes an opportunity to criticize. I know I shouldn't care what "Chris" thinks, but I do. Help?
Jim: This is something that many of us experience. The closer our relationship with a critical person, the...Read more
When Bad Things Happen to Good Laptops
There wasn't a full moon. I didn't walk under a ladder or break a mirror. No black cats crossed my path. Yet it was undeniably one of those days when I felt cursed. It started with the demise of my coffee maker, followed by the nervous breakdown of my washing machine, and an unfriendly letter calling me for jury duty. I blatantly ignored all ...Read more
My Things Are Making Resolutions Too
New Year's resolutions for my stuff:
-- I, your pillow, will do a better job helping you sleep: by being squishy enough to feel delicious, and hard enough to not feel too squishy. I shall not mention that this is an impossible task, for I am your pillow, and my job is to gently usher you into dreamland, YOU IMPOSSIBLE INSOMNIAC! JUST TAKE A ...Read more
'They just need a home:' Working to find foster care for the neediest children
BALTIMORE -- Laura Hutton has taken in everyone from a baby born weighing a pound and a half to a pregnant teenager, children whose needs ranged from feeding tubes to mental health therapy.
With a background as a special education teacher, Hutton, 55, has become something of a go-to foster parent for children whose medical, emotional or ...Read more
Lead with confidence in the AI era with this ethical toolkit
-- A company uses an AI system to streamline its hiring process, but the system favors certain demographic groups over others.
-- A hospital employs AI to diagnose patients but might miss rare conditions or produce false positives.
-- A bank uses AI to determine loan eligibility, but the system starts denying loans based on certain data ...Read more
Moving literary stories of grief, redemption and community
There’s nothing better than being lost in a book and letting a story overtake you. Some fiction is life-changing and permanently alters your worldview. Other books bring you to tears and consume your thoughts for the subsequent days or weeks. If you’re a reader who seeks out the kinds of books that will have a long-lasting impact on you, ...Read more
What to do when no one can pronounce your child’s name correctly
Navigating the world as the parent of a child with a unique or difficult-to-pronounce name can be a constant source of frustration.
When I named my daughter Chiara, I never considered that people would struggle with its pronunciation. Her name, which means “light” or “clear” in Italian and is deeply rooted in our family’s heritage, is...Read more
Lori Borgman: Red flag warning on kids and smart phones long overdue
We have smoke detectors that warn of fire, dashboard icons that warn of low fuel and dying batteries, and health hazard warnings are printed on every pack of cigarettes.
In 2024 we were given a clear and resounding warning for cell phones. It came in the form of a thick book titled “The Anxious Generation” (How the Great Rewiring of ...Read more
Ex-etiquette: How can you co-parent when you can't agree?
Q. My ex is impossible. Each time we go back to court, I hope for a different outcome, but nothing is ever changed. No one understands! How do you co-parent with someone you cannot agree with? What’s good ex-etiquette?
A. Disagreements don’t stop co-parents from co-parenting well. Conflict is normal, but you do have to create an environment...Read more
Where Do You Find Your Fulfillment?
Q: I'm not much for resolutions, but I do like to take stock occasionally. I've got a good life -- solid career, married well, good kids, nice home. Still, I don't want to miss anything. What's your best "man-to-man" advice for the next, say, 20 years?
Jim: I think the critical key is to ask yourself: Where do you really find your fulfillment? ...Read more
For Haiti's kids, servitude in gangs, death on the streets leave little room for a future
The nine-year-old boys wearing matching knapsacks walk down the street in the morning light, but they are not going to school. In their hands are loaded guns, and the boys know how to use them. One aims his pistol at the Haitian police officers engaging them in a firefight a few hundred yards away. The children are members of one of the gangs ...Read more
Wartime fiction blends history with adventure and mystery
Set against the backdrop of the early 20th century and World War I, "Crossroads of Empire" captures the essence of a world in turmoil. Author Michael Cooper’s diligence and attention to detail bring this period to life, from the smoky trenches of the Western Front to the political maneuvering in Europe.
The protagonist, Evan Sinclair, a 16-...Read more
CPR with rescue breaths vital to resuscitation after drowning, new guidelines say
All people who are pulled from the water after drowning should receive CPR with rescue breaths and chest compressions, according to updated guidance from the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The guidelines were published in the journals Circulation and Pediatrics. The article in Pediatrics focuses on literature...Read more
Judas Iscariot’s second chance: A hero’s redemption in a dark and dangerous London
You’ve no doubt heard of the infamous Judas Iscariot — and his well-known betrayal — but you’ve never seen him in this light before. In the first of Martin Davey’s exciting The Black Museum series, Judas is, well … miraculously, the hero.
"Judas the Hero" follows Detective Inspector Judas Iscariot through the dark underbelly of ...Read more
Family guide to new movie releases
'NOSFERATU'
Rated R for bloody violent content, graphic nudity and some sexual content.
What it’s about: This remake of the iconic 1922 vampire film sees a newlywed marriage torn apart by the obsessions of the vampire Count Orlok.
The kid attractor factor: Not much — this is a spooky, moody atmospheric horror film.
Good lessons/bad ...Read more
Lori Borgman: The little house that sat empty and alone
I haphazardly closed up the little house this year. I hurriedly swept the floors, took out the trash, checked the windows, pulled the Dutch door shut and whispered, “Thanks for the memories.”
Not long after, a fierce night wind pushed the door open. Blowing snow drifted in and nestled in the corners.
Tiny hand-shaped footprints ...Read more
Ex-etiquette: Badmouthing your ex
Q. My ex is not a good person. She sends me terrible text messages that the kids have read over my shoulder. They tell me she refers to me as “sperm donor” when she talks to her friends. (They aren't sure what that means, but they know it's bad.) Now the kids are telling me they don’t want to go back to her home. We alternate weeks, and ...Read more
Inside Parents
Popular Stories
- Family guide to new movie releases
- For Haiti's kids, servitude in gangs, death on the streets leave little room for a future
- 'They just need a home:' Working to find foster care for the neediest children
- She got seizures at 17 months old. So her dad wrote a musical about epilepsy and empathy
- Kids are spending big money on skin care. Some adults are concerned