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Dear Annie: Leaving the nest

Dear Annie: I need your advice. My very musically gifted high school senior appears to want to go to college and major in music performance. But he is refusing to visit colleges. He won’t discuss why; he just gets very belligerent when the subject comes up and won’t expand on any reasons. Should I let it be or make the contacts for him and force him to go? — Music Man’s Mom Dear Music Man’s Mom: It’s possible that your son is afraid to leave home — which would show his intelligence; it’s a big scary world out there. Courage arises not when we suppress our fears but when ...

Shedding light on the condition of MOGAD and its symptoms

DEAR DR. ROACH: Over the past 20 years, my now 65-year-old son-in-law has been tentatively diagnosed with Lyme disease, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis (MS) without a definitive diagnosis. He has cognitive impairment and some physical limitations. Now, after a spinal tap, they’ve made the diagnosis of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD). What can you tell me about this condition and how it can be treated? — S.R. ANSWER: MOGAD is an autoimmune disease of the brain and spinal cord that’s similar in some ways to MS, so the two are ...

$2 trillion — and no excuse

The federal government just closed fiscal year 2026 with a deficit of nearly $2 trillion, according to figures the Congressional Budget Office released last Thursday. Only the two pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 were worse. Today, though, there is no recession and no emergency. These enormous budget deficits are the new normal. The usual response to a deficit warning is that the government just needs more money. It doesn’t. Thanks to the remarkable strength of the private sector, federal revenue rose by 3%, to more than $5.4 trillion, over the fiscal year. But spending rose by 6%, ...

I’ve been studying election integrity for 26 years, and here’s why I expect a normal election this November instead of chaos

Fear of federal interference in the 2026 midterms, from intimidation stoked by armed officials at the polls to seizure of ballots, has been growing in the United States. That’s led state and local voting officials across the country to draw up plans for scenarios requiring them to summon law enforcement or prepare legal filings so they can keep the polls open. In an interview with The Conversation’s politics and legal affairs editor Naomi Schalit, election law scholar Justin Levitt takes the temperature down a bit. Levitt says that while voting officials’ preparations mean they ...

Dear Annie: Affectionate brothers

Dear Annie: My daughter is single and raising two sons. Her husband died in an automobile accident four years ago. I am worried about the relationship between her sons, “Steven,” 16, and “Frederick,” 10. I think they are too close and too affectionate with each other. Steven is very protective of Frederick, and Frederick worships his big brother. When I visit them or they come to my house, they cling to each other. They are constantly hugging and even kissing, which I honestly find a bit disgusting. Sometimes they watch TV together cuddled up on the sofa. I have even seen ...

Bladder prolapse causes discomfort in 68-year-old woman

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 68-year-old female who’s in great health, except for cholesterol levels that are a tad high. In January, I was diagnosed with a prolapsed bladder. My gynecologist said it was stage 1, and therapy will be able to help. I’ve been through physical therapy and done pelvic floor exercises, but they don’t seem to be helping. Is a bladder prolapse uncommon? I don’t have any other female friends who’ve experienced this. I’m more often than not very uncomfortable with the discomfort and “bulge.” I’m a very active person with gardening and house chores, ...