I have long become accustomed to what I call the “BTMF” reflex whenever a great, newsmaking calamity or outrage happens. That’s short for “Blame the media first.” As a long-tenured journalist, I try not to take it personally. Yet sometimes the complainers have a point, and we in ...

Dear Annie: My husband and I recently went on an eight-day cruise to Iceland with two close friends. We have been friends for more than 40 years and have traveled together many times. Two days before we were to leave, I tested positive for Covid. I went to urgent care, and the doctor told me I ...

DEAR DR. ROACH: I had a pituitary tumor that was discovered over 25 years ago. For years, I had an MRI with and without dye every six months. Then it changed to once a year. Can you get damage from too many brain MRIs? — D.J. ANSWER: An MRI uses powerful magnetic fields to take pictures of ...

There are few things the old me liked more than a meaty discussion about the American Founding. The history was interesting for its own sake but also essential guidance for the present and future. Or so I believed for decades. The other day, a podcast in my feed addressed these matters and I ...

“It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are 20 gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.” — Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) “Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press ...” — First Amendment to the U.S. ...

Dear Annie: My spouse and I have longtime friends who visit from out of town several times a year. We’ve kept up this tradition for many years, and in return we also visit them. At first, these visits were enjoyable, but lately they’ve become a source of stress. It began with small ...