Breaking News

Uncategorized

Birthday wish is for RSVPs

Dear Annie: Please remind your readers how important it is to RSVP. My 6-year-old granddaughter was so excited about her birthday party and having her friends come over. My daughter sent invitations with instructions to RSVP. My granddaughter’s best friend’s mom said she would come but would need to leave early. Fine. Then, 30 minutes before the party, she texted my daughter saying they wouldn’t be coming. My granddaughter cried and cried. Four other friends’ parents didn’t even bother to RSVP and didn’t come either. Don’t these people know how hurtful this is to the ...

For this president, alliances are strictly business

“Integrity lowers the price of capital.” An extremely successful investor once told me that. The context at the time was Donald Trump’s impending takeover of the GOP. This person meant it as an investment rule, an insight into Trump and a life lesson. The investment part is easy. Say you run a bank. Two people each want a loan. The first person is a pillar of the community. You’ve worked with him a dozen times before and he’s always been a straight shooter, even when he legally didn’t have to be. The times he had trouble making a payment, he called you well in advance, ...

Preventing influenza

Dear Annie: I would like to use your column as a platform to urge everyone reading to get a flu shot. I was one of those individuals who always thought that I did not need to get a shot for a variety of reasons: “I am healthy. I wash my hands often and avoid touching my face and never rub my eyes or nose. My good hygiene habits mean I am protected. I haven’t gotten the flu in the past 20 years. And doesn’t the flu shot give you the flu?” Well, despite all my good habits, in January of this year I was taken down by the flu. And I mean those words literally. I was bedridden and ...

Elizabeth Warren is not honest

If you want to run for office, political consultants will hammer away at one point: Tell stories. People respond to stories. We’ve been a storytelling species since our fur-clad ancestors gathered around campfires. Don’t cite statistics. No one can remember statistics. Make it human. Make it relatable. Lincoln told stories. FDR told stories. Reagan told stories. Watching the Democrats’ fourth debate Tuesday night, you could see the candidates implementing this advice. They’d mention Joe Blow in their state who said X, or Jane Blow who called their office with Y problem. They ...

Adding an appetizer, subtracting a slight

Dear Annie: I live in the Midwest. My husband and I have a good friend who dines with us quite often, usually once or twice a week, as well as on holidays. She is a longtime friend. The problem is this: She never brings anything with her when asked to dinner. She never asks us to her place for a meal. She never offers to buy dinner when we go out, maybe once a year. She never offers to bring carryout. She is fairly close and watches our house when we are out of town, which we appreciate. How do we proceed with solving this problem without alienating her? — Hungry Dear Hungry: The ...

Is the impeachment process fair?

Last week, the White House legal counsel wrote to congressional leaders stating President Donald Trump’s legal views of the impeachment investigation now being conducted by the House of Representatives. The essence of Pat Cipollone’s letter argued that the impeachment investigation is illegitimate, unconstitutional and unfair. The illegitimacy argument contended that since the House has yet to vote to authorize an investigation of the president, its committees lack subpoena power. The unconstitutional argument offered that since impeachment seeks to overturn a valid election, it is ...