China, not Russia, the greater threat

August 14, 2019

Ten weeks of protests, some huge, a few violent, culminated Monday with a shutdown of the Hong Kong airport. Ominously, Beijing described the violent weekend demonstrations as “deranged” acts that are “the first signs of terrorism,” and vowed a merciless crackdown on the perpetrators. China is being pushed toward a decision it does not want to make: to use military force, as in Tiananmen Square 30 years ago, to crush the uprising. For that would reveal the character of President Xi Jinping’s Communist dictatorship, as well as Beijing’s long-term plans for this ...

Torn between marriage vows

August 14, 2019

Dear Annie: I have a problem I’ve been struggling with for quite some time. I am in my late 40s and have been married for over half my life. For the past five years or so, I have been dealing with the idea that I may be gay. I have always kind of felt that I could be, but I went the traditional route and married a man. Thinking back to my younger days, I was never interested much in the boys or men around me. I dated many, but I never felt anything for them. My husband was different; I actually did have feelings for him, and I still love him very much. I have told him that I have ...

The shaming of America

August 13, 2019

WASHINGTON — One of the everlasting social forces in directing human behavior — shame — has become part of the 2020 presidential race. And one of the most shameful things in these times is to be thought or labeled a racist. As it should be, if true. Thus, some Democrats and others hoping to defeat President Trump have begun a campaign of shaming anyone who supports or contributes to his reelection. Appallingly, this new tactic is attached to the nation’s recent mass murders and is organized around a damning narrative: that Trump’s incendiary, hate-fueled rhetoric made him ...

Molar mayhem

August 13, 2019

Dear Annie: Recently, I stayed with my niece and nephew while my brother and his wife took a trip. This seems like a trivial problem, but I know it can lead to serious health issues in the long run. Neither of my brother’s teenaged kids brushed their teeth regularly. I reminded them often, but they found ways to wiggle out of it. One was even running the electric toothbrush outside of his mouth — so I would think he was brushing his teeth. When I went into the bathroom afterward, the electric toothbrush was bone dry. His sister later told me about that trick. I asked my brother ...

Where did I go wrong?

August 12, 2019

Dear Annie: I have a problem that many other mothers-in-law may have, but mine has a twist. My daughter-in-law has been angry at me for nearly 20 years because I discussed her fertility problems with another family member, and word got back to her that I had done so. Occasionally, she will put her anger aside and give me a hug and tell me that she loves me when I visit her, my son and my two delightful grandchildren, which I do about six times a year for single overnight visits. While she won’t confront me when we are together, if I have offended her, she later blasts me with ...

DNA results bombshell

August 11, 2019

Dear Annie: Recently, I was contacted by a person who had just received results from a popular online DNA test, which I had also taken some time ago. She asked who I was. We share a great deal of DNA, so, naturally, she assumed that she would know me. Well, after looking through our shared DNA matches and carrying out some additional research, I realized that I do know her. We lived next door to each other when we were very young, and played together nearly every day. Our DNA clearly demonstrates that we are half-siblings sharing the same father — my dad, who was married to my ...