Breaking News

Who is monitoring the debt?

People of a certain age will recall a lyric from the Tennessee Ernie Ford song “Sixteen Tons”: “Another day older and deeper in debt.” I thought of that song as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth asked Congress to approve a $1.5 trillion budget for fiscal year 2027 to put the military on what he called a “wartime footing.” Hegseth says the Pentagon needs the money for more drones, munitions and modernized systems. Though President Trump has denied it, bragging that we have the strongest military in the world, it would appear that the Iran conflict has significantly depleted U.S ...

Dear Annie: Respect starts small

Dear Annie: I am the grandmother of two. My almost-3-year-old granddaughter told me she does not love her “Uncle Dave.” I asked her why and she said because he tickles her. Her parents, my son and his wife, push their kids to “give hugs” upon visiting and leaving friends and relatives. I mentioned this to my daughter-in-law, and she seemed to brush it off. I also texted my son and he replied, “k.” My granddaughter’s birthday party is coming up soon, and Uncle Dave will be there. I plan on being vigilant so that she won’t be subjected to being touched in a way she is ...

Lending advice on endometrial cancer and its treatments

DEAR DR. ROACH: Can you comment on endometrial cancer? I have stage IV, and I’m in my 50s. I remain concerned about inflammatory foods. I’ve now embraced a macrobiotic diet, and I feel great. — T.P. ANSWER: In North America, endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer. Most women with endometrial cancer will see their doctor because of abnormal bleeding, usually years after menstruation has stopped. I still occasionally have patients who tell me that they are so glad their periods started again, but this is a serious concern that calls for an immediate ...

We lost one of the great grumps this week

In every school, work or personal gathering, you need at least one grump for the group to thrive. Grumps do the work that no one else will. When everyone else is being mercilessly upbeat, they swim against the tide and complain. The grump may follow your inane rules — but grudgingly, oh, boy, will it be grudgingly — but they never let them pass unremarked upon. Where other folks try to fit in, the grumps stand out, not because they want to, but because they must. Even in a children’s show like “Sesame Street,” you need an Oscar the Grouch to balance out what otherwise could ...

The young, violent political left

You have to be awfully smart to believe something this stupid. In a Manhattan Institute survey of Democratic voters, 46% said they believed it was definitely or probably true that “the assassination attempt against Donald Trump in July 2024 was orchestrated by his supporters to increase sympathy for him.” That’s a startlingly high number for a party whose members are increasingly drawn from the ranks of college graduates and those with graduate school degrees. And for a party whose articulate leaders are prone to dismissing Republican talking points as “conspiracy ...

Dear Annie: Later-in-life baby only needs love

Dear Annie: My husband and I are raising a surprise baby at a stage in life when we thought our child-rearing years were mostly behind us. Our older children are already teenagers and young adults, and while we adore this little one, I would be lying if I said the large age gap has not brought some unexpected emotions with it. On one hand, this baby is deeply loved and has brought joy to our whole family. On the other, I sometimes worry that he will grow up feeling more like an only child than part of a sibling group. By the time he is old enough to really know his brothers and ...