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Bridge: Dec. 2, 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

“Simple Saturday” columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking.The defenders’ approach may vary. They may get busy and try for fast tricks (if declarer has a way of pitching losers), lead trumps to stop him from scoring extra ruffing tricks, or defend passively if it seems he is short of winners. The defense needs a plan of some kind, but some defenders goof by going to Plan B before they try Plan A.Against today’s four spades, West led the king of clubs: four, ten, five. East won the next club with the ace and led a third club, forcing South to ruff. But South drew trumps, lost a diamond to the ace and took the rest, making game.FORCING GAMEA “forcing game” (making declarer ruff so many times that he loses control of the trump suit) is often a viable defense, but it was Plan B in this deal. East missed Plan A.East should overtake the king of clubs, cash his ace of diamonds and lead a second club. When West wins, he can give East a diamon...

Word Game: Dec. 2, 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — TEMPLATE (TEMPLATE: TEM-plit: A pattern or mold used to form a piece being made.)Average mark 36 wordsTime limit 60 minutesCan you find 47 or more words in TEMPLATE? The list will be published Monday.YESTERDAY’S WORD — ABATEMENT abate abeam abet abetment ameba amen ante bane bantam bate batten beam bean beat beaten been beet bent beta betta tame team teat teem teen tenet tent eaten emanate enema mana manatee mane manta mate matte mean meant meat meet meta mete name neatTo 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 vulgar or sexu...

Horoscopes Dec. 2, 2023: Aaron Rodgers, don’t stand still when movement is necessary

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Aaron Rodgers, 40; Britney Spears, 42; Monica Seles, 50; Rena Sofer, 55.Happy Birthday: Take a leap forward and follow your dreams. Use your imagination and drive to get you where you want to go. Refuse to let others interfere with your plans. Be true to yourself and make this year one to remember. Altering your lifestyle or living arrangements will allow you to focus on what’s important. Don’t stand still when movement is necessary. Your numbers are 6, 11, 23, 26, 32, 38, 46.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Put more time and effort into money management. Look for a learning opportunity that will increase your awareness about something that concerns you. Participation will give you an inside view of what’s happening and what you can do to make a difference. Romance is favored. 5 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Stick to basics and don’t let emotional matters spin out of control. Consider what you want and how you can make your dreams com...

Ask Amy: How can I avoid the vortex of the other grandmother?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

Dear Amy: My wonderful daughter is soon to have her first child.Related ArticlesAdvice | Ask Amy: He has resurrected this wedding drama and is using it against me Advice | Ask Amy: Should I tell my neighbor about her child’s bullying behavior? Advice | Ask Amy: My wife has big-league dreams for our son, but I think he should give up the sport Advice | Ask Amy: We’re not inviting her, but it will be hard to tell her why Advice | Ask Amy: This teen mom is trying to manipulate my son She and her husband, “Jackson,” moved to a community not far from his mother. My husband and I live much farther away.The mother-in-law is a very big personality and often demands attention (especially after a cocktail or three).Our relationship is not exactly warm, but definitely cordial.My worry is that when I visit my daughter and the new baby, the mother-in-law will come over and “suck all the oxygen...

Harriette Cole: We split up a year ago, and I can’t stop thinking about him

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have not dated in a year, and due to lack of closure, I cannot stop thinking about my ex.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: I want to shut down my friend’s snooping without a lot of drama Advice | Harriette Cole: My birthday wish list could get me in trouble with my family Advice | Harriette Cole: My two roommates are moving out, and I don’t believe their excuse Advice | Harriette Cole: My old friend is back in my life, and she has brought a lot of drama Advice | Harriette Cole: I’m on the brink of unloading on my husband about the car crash I have not thought about him as frequently as I did when we first ended things, but now that I have become sort of a recluse and do not go out very much, I have been daydreaming about it more.I know I need to get out of the house. Last year, I would go out every weekend and meet new people, which may be because I was a colleg...

Two Months That Shook the World: The First Phase of the Gaza War

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

On Friday morning, Israel resumed its bombing campaign against Gaza, and the civilian death toll is once again rising. Both Hamas and Israel accused the other of violating the temporary truce. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has promised, “We will fight in the entire [Gaza] Strip.” Despite meekly worded suggestions from Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel make an effort to reduce civilian deaths, the U.S. position remains one of full-throttled support for a military campaign that has killed more than 15,000 Palestinians, the vast majority of them children and other civilians.In this special episode of Intercepted, political analyst Mouin Rabbani, co-editor of the Arab Studies Institute’s ezine Jadaliyya, offers a provocative analysis of the current situation. In a discussion with Jeremy Scahill and Murtaza Hussain, Rabbani suggests that behind the belligerent rhetoric and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proclamations he will eradicate Hamas, Israel may already ...

Pac-12 ends on a high note, but the future is much more daunting for 2 remaining schools

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — George Kliavkoff, as is the custom for a conference commissioner, handed the Pac-12 Championship trophy to Washington coach Kalen DeBoer on Friday night and quickly got out of the way.Having been at the center of the Pac-12 meltdown and with this almost certainly the conference’s last championship game, Kliavkoff could hardly be blamed for wanting the spotlight shone elsewhere.As joyous as the third-ranked Huskies felt about defeating No. 5 Oregon 34-31 for a spot in the College Football Playoff, those emotions also were tempered about what’s being left behind. Both teams will be Big Ten Conference rivals beginning next season.“It is sad to see it happen, for that to be the last football game,” DeBoer said. “I think the other part was understanding how strong the conference was this year. There were eight teams, I believe, that at one point were ranked in the Top 25 and we played the best ones and one of them twice. I don’t think there’s anyo...

A few tips on navigating grief during the holidays

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

The holidays are filled with activities, excitement, and very high expectations for a joyful season.But for families experiencing the loss of a loved one, the holidays can be especially tough.Children and GriefWhen it comes to children, Andy McNeil, senior advisor for Youth Programs at the nonprofit Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors or TAPS, told WTOP in an interview that it’s common to hear that “kids are resilient, they bounce right back.” But, McNeil said, “kids are not resilient in a vacuum,” they need guidance and support from the adults around them.Everyone, child or adult, grieves differently. Adults, McNeil advised, shouldn’t assume that children are doing just fine if they don’t bring up the loss of the loved one or if they seem to be carrying on as normal.“Silent grief is not absent grief,” McNeil said.He said adults who are having a difficult time with their own grief, or simply want to express it, shouldn’...

Bayern Munich’s game with Union Berlin called off due to snow chaos in southern Germany

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich’s home game against Union Berlin was called off because of heavy snowfall on Saturday.Cold weather, snowfall and ice have caused transport chaos in Munich and southern Germany.“It was decided not to play the game because of the security risks for all involved,” Union said in a statement 5½ hours before the Bundesliga game was due to start.The league added that the Allianz Arena management “has kept the stadium from hosting today’s game due to persistent heavy snowfall.”News agency DPA reported that flight operations at Munich airport were suspended, and numerous railway lines around Munich had to be closed on Saturday night. Passengers had to spend the night on trains in Ulm and Munich.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/SoccerSource

Record Heat Possible this Saturday as Heat and Humidity Returns

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

This time of the year, South Florida can experience a flip flop in weather conditions, with a cool down occurring earlier this week but temperatures have now returned above average this weekend ahead of our next cold front.In Miami, the record high of 86F today can even be tied!Expect partly sunny to partly cloudy skies this Saturday across South Florida paired with a light, southeasterly breeze and only the chance for seeing a stray shower. Highs will reach the mid 80s.Sunday will be fairly similar with times of sunshine and clouds although rain chances will be higher at a 30% chance courtesy of more moisture in place being drawn in by a southerly wind. Lots of dry time is still ahead so this rain chance shouldn’t disrupt your outdoor plans too much. Otherwise it will remain relatively hot with highs in the mid to upper 80s. There will also be the chance for areas of morning fog.One more day of heat is on the docket for our Monday before a weak front crosses through late in t...