Breaking News

Columns

An Erosion Of Privacy

Today’s Sound Off is about loss of privacy: Dear Heloise: Everywhere you look today there is a camera watching us. Stores have them to catch shoplifters, intersections with traffic lights have them perched high enough to see who isn’t obeying the law and every airport has them, just to name a few places. Even our computer cameras can be used to spy on us. I’m not paranoid, but I feel we have lost our privacy. Companies sell our name and addresses to other companies and gather information about our purchases, likes and habits and store this information. Our privacy is being ...

Girlfriend’s Online Spending Increased Despite Furlough

DEAR ABBY: For the past eight years, my son has been seeing “Tanya” and, according to him, she spends a lot. I’m concerned about it. Because of the pandemic, Tanya got furloughed from her employer. She lives in an apartment but has all deliveries sent to OUR home address. Since the pandemic, we are receiving many more packages for her every day from online stores. Our son has mentioned to us that she has huge credit card bills. I’m worried if these two get more serious (marriage), it will cause problems in the future. I’m tempted to say something to Tanya about the sudden ...

Life Is Better With A Pet

Aunt Mary had one. She was a small, black poodle named Mori. Not sure how she spelled the dog’s name but I recall her talking to him as if he were human and the dog likewise responding. Aunt Mary never married and lived with her widowed mother until her passing. Their McColloch Street home was a combination of old-time decor with crocheted lace doilies lining the open kitchen shelves and handmade afghans on the living room furniture. There was always a bowl of candy nearby and something good cooking on the stove. And there was Mori. Mary’s pet dog was the one thing that ...

Fabric or Detergent May Be Aggravating Mask Wearer

DEAR DR. ROACH: I wear a face mask whenever I go into a store. My problem is that even wearing a mask for a short time gives me a scratchy throat the next day, causing me great anxiety because I fear that I have contracted the coronavirus. That scratchiness does dissipate during the day, but it can take a while. I wear commercially made fabric masks, and I have a few homemade ones as well. Do medical people have this problem? How do you avoid it? — C.A.C. ANSWER: It is possible you are sensitive to the fabric in the mask, but natural fibers such as cotton, from which many masks are ...

News of Another Pregnancy Is Unwelcome Surprise to Stepdad

DEAR ABBY: My wife of 10 years keeps all kinds of secrets from me. We let her adult daughter, “Maude,” move in. Maude is 35 and has one daughter. I recently found out that Maude is pregnant again. I heard they had decided to “surprise me” with the news. (The father is the same guy as before.) I’m tired of being the third wheel, and I think it’s time for me to call it quits. What do you think? — STAY OR GO IN CONNECTICUT DEAR STAY OR GO: I’m glad you asked. What I think is that you are outnumbered. Maude should be living on her own or with the father of her children. If ...

Listening Supports Friend After Loss of Family Member

Q: How can I best reach out to someone who has lost a family member to suicide? My good friend's son recently took his own life, and I'm at a loss as to what I should do or say to her. Jim: First, recognize that in addition to her grief, your friend is probably working her way through a huge amount of guilt and self-incrimination. Parents of suicide victims tend to blame themselves (and sometimes each other). They run through the "what ifs" a thousand times in their minds. They tell themselves they ought to have seen what was coming and should have done something to prevent it. But ...