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Bridge: Sept. 18, 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:28:42 GMT

Cy the Cynic allows that it’s better to give than to receive. Then you don’t have to bother with exchanging the gifts you got.In today’s deal, South’s leap to four spades bought the contract, and West led his singleton ace of clubs. East diagnosed the lead and followed with the deuce, his lowest club as a suit-preference signal to show a possible entry in diamonds, the low-ranking side suit.West duly shifted to a diamond. South took dummy’s ace and led a trump to his ace, declining a finesse since West had opened the bidding. But West won the next trump, led a diamond to East and ruffed the club return. Down one.CLUB RUFFThe danger of a club ruff was clear, so South couldn’t let East win a trick before all the trumps were drawn. South should have exchanged one loser for another.At Trick Three South must lead dummy’s king of hearts and discard his last diamond — a loser on a loser. East can never get in, and South loses only one more tr...

Ask Amy: I really do want to go outside, but I need air conditioning

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:28:42 GMT

Dear Amy: My husband and I have been talking about spending more time outside, whether it be working, camping or just sitting outside.I love working outside and I love working with my husband. We work so well together that when we get on the same page, we can get a lot accomplished.My problem is that I’ve been so busy raising the kids (I’m a SAHM) that my work ethic isn’t there and I can’t work outside for more than five minutes without sweating my head off!I feel like I’ve been so spoiled by turning the air conditioner on as much as I have been, but when there’s no breeze and it’s 80°F, I have to turn it on, otherwise it gets so hot in our kids’ room that they struggle to sleep.I do open windows and we leave ceiling fans on all the time (hot or cold). Is there anything else I can do to keep it comfortable without turning on the air?I feel so lazy (or too spoiled) because I can’t stand working outside anymore.My past jobs were housekee...

9 adolescentes escapan de un centro de menores de Pensilvania tras un motín, según la Policía

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:28:42 GMT

(CNN) — Nueve adolescentes escaparon de un centro de detención de menores en Pensilvania tras un motín en las instalaciones este domingo por la noche, según la Policía.Las fuerzas del orden estatales y locales respondieron a la Academia Abraxas en Morgantown y tomaron “de nuevo el control del centro de detención de menores”, dijo el Departamento de Policía del municipio de Caernarvon en un comunicado.Múltiples fuerzas del orden están buscando a los delincuentes fugados y han establecido un perímetro alrededor de las instalaciones, según David Beohm, portavoz de la tropa de la Policía Estatal de Pensilvania en Reading.La Policía aconseja a cualquier persona que se encuentre con uno de los delincuentes fugados que llame inmediatamente al 911. Es posible que los adolescentes lleven camisas grises o blancas, según el comunicado de la policía de Caernarvon. Beohm señaló los adolescentes pueden estar usando pantalones grises o pantalones cortos.De la fuga a la captura: l...

Los republicanos publican proyecto de ley para evitar el cierre del gobierno hasta el 31 de octubre

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:28:42 GMT

WASHINGTON – Facciones clave de la Conferencia Republicana de la Cámara de Representantes llegaron a un acuerdo tentativo el domingo para mantener el gobierno financiado temporalmente y evitar un cierre programado para fin de mes, combinándolo con una medida conservadora de seguridad fronteriza, dijeron múltiples fuentes republicanas con conocimiento del acuerdo. .Los republicanos de la Cámara de Representantes publicaron un proyecto de ley después de que el Freedom Caucus de extrema derecha y el Main Street Caucus de centroderecha alcanzaran un acuerdo tentativo, dijeron las fuentes. Se espera que el acuerdo, que mantendría al gobierno financiado hasta el 31 de octubre pero incluye recortes al gasto interno, allane el camino para aprobar un proyecto de ley de gasto de defensa esta semana que ha estado involucrado en el enfrentamiento entre el liderazgo republicano y la extrema derecha.Si la legislación es aprobada por la Cámara, resolvería un problema interno del presidente Kevin M...

Foundation encourages wealth building for disadvantaged communities

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:28:42 GMT

Karla Green is the Executive Director of the Delta Research and Educational Foundation. (Courtesy, Karla Green)Financial health and wellness webinars, facilitated by financial expert Lynn Richardson, are trying to change grim statistics around African-American financial literacy, wellness and resilience.According to Karla Green, executive director of the Delta Research and Educational Foundation (DREF), the ten-week series through Nov. 16 is focusing on issues like “buying homes, buying cars, paying for education, preparing as we get older to pay for medical expenses” that impact people from high school students to retirees.The series is designed to help people look at financial issues and others in a healthy way so that they can be proactive when it comes to saving and investing, not just today but in the future.“We’re especially trying to reach those single parents and folks who are really struggling to get to the next level in wealth so that you’re m...

1 dead following shooting in North Lauderdale

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:28:42 GMT

The Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) is investigating a shooting that left one person dead in North Lauderdale on Sunday morning. Officials said Broward County Regional Communications received reports of a shooting at approximately 4:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of Sussex Drive. When BSO deputies arrived at the scene, they found a woman with multiple gunshot wounds. Authorities said she was pronounced dead at the scene.One person has been detained in connection with the incident, but the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain a mystery. The BSO Homicide and Crime Scene units are investigating the incident.

Cancer experts demand action to end ongoing drug shortage: ‘People’s lives are really at stake’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:28:42 GMT

(CNN) — Cancer experts have made two calls for action from US lawmakers this year: fix the ongoing cancer drug shortage, and increase funding for cancer research.The American Association for Cancer Research, in its annual cancer progress report released Wednesday, highlighted the recent improvements that the United States has made in reducing cancer deaths and advancing treatment, as well as the challenges of an ongoing shortage of chemotherapy medications and growing concern about the future funding of cancer research.“The drug shortages are an enormous, complex problem and in part reflect an economic challenge, where essentially the low profit margin for some of these generic drugs disincentivizes companies from committing to producing them,” said Dr. Philip Greenberg, president of the association and an author of the new report.He said the shortage means some cancer patients are not able to access medications that have been maintaining their fight against the disease, and others ...

1 in 4 people who eat healthy meals blow it on snacks, study says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:28:42 GMT

(CNN) — If you’re eating healthier meals these days, congratulations — but what do you snack on? By choosing ultraprocessed and sugary snacks, 1 in 4 of us may be undoing all the benefits of healthy eating, according to a new study.“Considering 95% of us snack, and that nearly a quarter of our calories come from snacks, swapping unhealthy snacks such as cookies, crisps and cakes to healthy snacks like fruit and nuts is a really simple way to improve your health,” said senior author Sarah Berry, a researcher at King’s College London, in a statement. (For you Americans, crisps are chips.)More than 90% of adults in the United States report eating one or more snacks on any given day. In the United Kingdom, where the study was done, some 47% of participants ate two snacks a day and 29% of people snacked even more often.Over 25% of the study participants reported eating healthy main meals and snacking on highly processed food and sugary treats that can increase hu...

City officials asking for tips after 2 juveniles injured in Boston shooting that wounded 5

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:28:42 GMT

City officials are urging community members to come forward with any information that can help police after a shooting in Dorchester late Sunday night left five people wounded, including two juveniles.Officers responding to a ShotSpotter activation at the intersection of Ames and Stratton streets around 8:35 p.m. found five people injured in a courtyard off of Ames Street, police said.Three of the injured were adults and two were juveniles, police said.One of the juvenile victims was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and the rest were suffering from what were considered non-life-threatening injuries.At the scene Mayor Michele Wu voiced her frustration with the street violence.“I’m angry, I am upset, as a mom, as someone who has been working with all of our teams to make sure we can do everything possible to create opportunities in our city,” Wu said.No additional information was immediately available.Anyone with information is urged to call Bosto...

Wet Monday, Beautiful Rest of Week

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:28:42 GMT

It’s a new work week and make sure you have the rain gear as you head to work and school. It’s a wet start and it will be a wet finish today. In fact rain will continue to get heavier as we head through the day. Scattered showers this morning will become steadier and heavier this afternoon and evening. It will be breezy on the coast line and that onshore wind, with the clouds, will prevent temperatures from moving much today and keep us in the 60s this afternoon.We do have a flood watch in effect for eastern Massachusetts where we could see 2-3″ of rain today. Unfortunately that includes the Attleboro-Providence areas that were slammed with rain just a week ago today. Outside of the flood watch will still see an inch or so of rain. In towns like Leominster and Fitchburg that’s still too much rain but the flood risk there, while not zero, is lower than in the green shaded areas.Most towns are line for at least an inch of water today with the 95 Corridor likely...