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Kids’ social media access a divorce deal-breaker

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:42:55 GMT

Q. My husband fancies himself a social media influencer.  His obsession with his phone and documenting all aspects of his life is exhausting and, in part, the reason for the divorce.  I have insisted on restricting our kids’ access to phones/social media.  I want that to continue – they are 12 and 10.  He is trying to add social medial provisions into the agreement we are negotiating.  He proposes the kids be given phones and unrestricted access to social media upon their 13th birthdays.  This is becoming a deal breaker on both sides.I am thinking about seeking sole custody to deal with these issues.  If I refuse to include his phone and social media provisions, do you think a judge will side with him?A. I am not aware of any reported decisions involving social media restrictions in a divorce situation.  However, many of the judges are also parents and/or grandparents who have also had to learn to navigate protecting their own families and their use of social media.  This is a rapid...

You don’t have to be a Swiftie to love Taylor Swift

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:42:55 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Swarms of Swifties descended on the AMC Grove 14 for the premiere of “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” concert film last week, an event so insanely anticipated that those of us lucky enough to be on the invite list were informed of its location mere hours before showtime.Security was tight, with the swanky outdoor mall transformed into a maze of portable hedges over which helicopters hovered — loud enough to drown out the Swift songs playing on the sound system.But not the screams of the Swifties as they encountered each other, learned of their idol’s arrival via TikTok or saw her posing on the red carpet that snaked past Coach and Barnes and Noble.Seeing the girls with hand-to-elbow wristbands, sparkly cowboy boots and matching gold fringe dresses as I entered the theater, I confess I felt something of a fraud.I am not a Swiftie.It could be age or excessive exposure to elementary-school talent-show renditions of “Love Story” and “You Be...

Gertler: Universities must stand against extremism

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:42:55 GMT

Leadership matters. Especially in academia. Our education leaders do not simply educate the next generation of Americans but they also inculcate the values for our future leaders in this country. Now is a moment when their voice is essential – and their silence is destructive.In recent days, the world has witnessed horrific and unimaginable acts of brutality and violence committed by Hamas, a terrorist organization. The killing of countless innocent civilians, including children and the elderly, the beheadings of soldiers and the abduction of many others as hostages can only be condemned.What we have seen extends beyond an issue in Israel to one that the region also faces. We need to recognize that millions of innocent Palestinians have also suffered under brutal Hamas leaders who have had a vested interest in maintaining the squalid conditions of those in Gaza. Instead of investing in the quality of life for those in Gaza, Hamas leaders have instead focused on building rockets and ...

5 fabulous Halloween costumes for your dog

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:42:55 GMT

The countdown to Halloween has begun. And with it comes a very important question: What should my dog’s costume be? Soon enough, stores will start running out of the best Halloween costumes, leaving many to take to online shopping or even a DIY approach.So if you plan on dressing your fur baby up for Halloween, you’d better get started now.Here are five great Halloween dog costumes, ranging from the heroic to the adorable:GhostbustersIf you’re worried about ghosts nabbing you on Halloween, let your four legged pal be your hero, After all, if you have a ghost encounter, who you gonna call? Available for $24.99 at PetSmart.Sully from ‘Monsters Inc.’Sure, Sully took his job way too seriously and tormented children, but by the end of the movie he turned into a big softie. The Sully fleece is perfect for your little monster. Available for $24.99 at PetSmart.Minnie MouseThis Minnie Mouse costume is also available for cats (good luck with that). If your dog doesn’t like the full dress, you...

Some drugs shouldn’t be used long-term

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:42:55 GMT

Dear Dr. John,My old German Shepherd is getting close to the end of his life. Our veterinarian has done a great job of keeping him going as his hind legs have continued to weaken over the last two years. We have put him on Rimadyl twice a day and we have used slings to get him up and laid down mats to help him get a grip on various floor surfaces.He has also had occasional loose bowels for which we have given him metronidazole from time to time. It works very well. Is there any reason why we can’t keep him on it to prevent the loose bowels? Lately, he has had a few bouts of a little blood on his stool. Our vet he suggested the same medication which I had leftover and it worked. What could now be causing the bleeding, and should we have it checked out? W.W.Dear W.W.,It’s reassuring to know that your dog has continued to do reasonably well. The NSAID that you have been giving him, Rimadyl, is relatively safe to use long term with regular assessments of liver function by way of blood t...

Outgoing Izabella is a nature lover

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:42:55 GMT

Izzy is an inquisitive, outgoing, and outspoken girl in search of her forever family. She loves to explore the outdoors and nature, which include various community activities, gardening, and collecting small insects for her “bug sanctuary.” She always willing to try new things and new foods. Izzy also enjoys arts and crafts and going to the library. Her biggest strength is her ability to advocate and speak up for herself.Izzy attends a local public school and receives support through an IEP. She participates in many extracurricular activities which include gymnastics, cheerleading, and the Girl Scouts. Izzy is currently placed in a residential program and has made positive connections with peers in and outside of school.Izzy would thrive with a caring and committed family of any constellation with a female parental figure with or without other children in the home. Interested families need to have experience in trauma informed care and therapeutic parenting. Interested f...

TV Q&A: Will ‘Will Trent’ return for another season?

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:42:55 GMT

You have questions. I have some answers.Q: I really liked “Will Trent.” Will they be making more?A: Yes. A second season has been ordered of the fine drama starring Ramon Rodriguez and inspired by the books by Karin Slaughter. With the actors’ strike ongoing at this point, a return date for the series is not set. And even if the strike is settled soon, this and other shows may not be ready for telecast until 2024.Q: We enjoyed watching the movie “Salt” again recently and have always wondered what happened after she escaped. Was a “Salt 2” ever proposed?A: The 2010 spy thriller with Angelina Jolie was a box-office hit which many saw as the setup for a whole series of “Salt” movies.Deadline.com reported in 2011 that Sony Pictures “is moving forward” with a sequel, and that Jolie wanted to do one “if it comes together right.” There were reports about the hiring of a director and a screenwriter, but — according to many reports — Jolie was not happy with the script and decided to p...

Is pregnancy cause of problem with his ex?

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:42:55 GMT

Q. My husband’s two kids go back and forth between their mother and our homes. At first she was very cooperative. We were even sort of friends, but for some reason she has recently become short tempered, horrible actually, and I hesitate to compare notes like I should. I’m eight months pregnant and I don’t need the stress. What’s good ex-etiquette?A. Hmmm … hopefully you will once again trust me to read between the lines, but this is what I suspect is happening — and one of those psychological sticky points that few want to openly admit. That fact that you are having a child soon has changed the pecking order. You are now officially peers.Many former partners have confided that no matter what went on between the exes, the one thing they had that set them apart from their ex’s current partner was that she was the mother of his children. You being pregnant, she no longer holds that exclusive title and within that context she may be having trouble adjusting. You have to look at the his...

Editorial: Caring for mental health essential in challenging times

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:42:55 GMT

These are difficult, often frightening, times.Nobody knows better than we who cover the news that it’s difficult to be confronted with the worst of humanity day in and day out. There are awful people doing awful things on a daily basis, and it can take a tremendous toll to absorb that ugliness and violence and harm.That’s why we’d urge everyone to take a break, even if only for 15 minutes. Turn off your phone. Sit in the sunshine. Be quiet and calm. Recharge. Try to find a moment of peace.The events in Israel are the latest reminder that the forces of evil are determined and unrelenting, but also that the scenes of horror are never far from reach in our interconnected world.Reports of indiscriminate rocket attacks and the deliberate targeting of civilians by Hamas forces, followed by the swift and violent Israeli response, were available instantaneously via social media platforms — terror beamed directly into the palm of your hand.There’s a term for endlessly reading bad news on soc...

A visit to Burlington, VT’s Blind Tiger steeped in style and ambiance

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:42:55 GMT

It’s so easy to love Burlington, Vermont.There’s the downtown with its cobblestoned Church Street area dotted with cool shops, great eats and most days, free live entertainment.There’s the college scene: UVM is perched above downtown, with lovely buildings, grounds and people that add to the cool vibe of the city.There’s Lake Champlain in its glory, reflecting the sepia-toned mountains behind it.And there are great, great places to stay right in that downtown area (Hotel Vermont is a personal favorite; the Hilton on the waterfront is a nice spot with a lovely view).I visit whenever I can. But there’s one part of Burlington I’ve long been drawn to: Burlington Heights, as locals call it, a tree-lined neighborhood that sits way uphill looking down on the lakeside city.Lined with breathtakingly beautiful Victorian homes (and right up against the edge of the UVM campus), I’ve long wished for a friend to invite me to pop in for a stay.My wish was answered.The “friend” who invited me was t...