Bridge: Dec. 28, 2023

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:15:30 GMT

Bridge: Dec. 28, 2023 “I hear you’re starting a new diet and exercise plan in 2024,” I said to Cy the Cynic. He constantly battles his weight.“I’m trying a gym called ‘Resolutions,'” Cy replied. “You go for two weeks, and then the place turns into a bar.”Cy should resolve not to play the card nearest his thumb. He often plunges ahead without thinking. When Cy played at today’s 3NT, West led the five of spades: eight, ace, three. East returned a spade, the Cynic played low, and West won and led a third spade.THIRD DIAMONDCy next led a heart to dummy and returned a diamond to his queen. The finesse won, but when he led the ace and a third diamond, East took the ten and king. Cy ended with three hearts, two diamonds, two clubs and a spade.Cy succumbed to impulsivity, as usual. Since West is a favorite to hold the queen of spades, Cy must ditch his king under East’s ace at Trick One. Cy gets a second dummy entry and can finesse twice in diamon...

Word Game: Dec. 28, 2023

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:15:30 GMT

Word Game: Dec. 28, 2023 TODAY’S WORD — CONSENT (CONSENT: kun-SENT: To give assent or approval.)Average mark 19 wordsTime limit 30 minutesCan you find 24 or more words in CONSENT? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — CANDIES cane case casein aced acid acne aide anise ascend aside nice dais dance dean dice dine disc iced idea ides said sand sane scad scan sedan send side since sine snideTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at [email protected].

Ask Amy: Her indiscretion ended our friendship. What do I say when people ask?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:15:30 GMT

Ask Amy: Her indiscretion ended our friendship. What do I say when people ask? Dear Amy: I had a long-term close friendship that I have finally completely severed.Related ArticlesAdvice | Ask Amy: My teen’s diary is pretty uneventful. Should I stop reading it? Advice | Ask Amy: 14 picks for end-of-year charitable giving Advice | Ask Amy: Who knew toy kitchens would prompt so many stories? Advice | Ask Amy: My husband won’t tell me where my money went Advice | Ask Amy: Would it be odd for her to give the bride a present? This friend is married to a prominent doctor. She started telling me private information about his patients and coworkers that he is obviously sharing with her. She has even discussed patient matters in front of him, and he has not stopped or corrected her.I’ve also heard him discussing things that I would not want shared.My family changed doctors years ago when I started feeling wildly uncomfortable with how unprofessional he is.Here is where I struggle...

Harriette Cole: How do I get my wife’s friend to stop with the divorce talk?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:15:30 GMT

Harriette Cole: How do I get my wife’s friend to stop with the divorce talk? DEAR HARRIETTE: A couple in my close friend group is getting a divorce, and it is very sad.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: I feel like I ruin the vibe at parties Advice | Harriette Cole: My husband comes home late, and I think I know why Advice | Harriette Cole: A guide to making the most of the season, Christian or not Advice | Harriette Cole: My girlfriend cries easily, and I’m wondering if it’s a tactic to shut me down Advice | Harriette Cole: The problem started when my daughter switched to public school I have noticed that my wife, “Betty,” is becoming increasingly more negative toward our marriage, and I think it’s because she is trying to be there for the wife who has been dumped, “Rebecca.”I’m friends with both Rebecca and her husband, and I have tried to stay out of it.I don’t want to walk away from Rebecca, but I need her to stop fe...

Man dies, “woman expected to survive” after helicopter crashes into a canal near Miami

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:15:30 GMT

Man dies, “woman expected to survive” after helicopter crashes into a canal near Miami MIAMI (AP) — Emergency workers in South Florida on Wednesday rescued two people, one who later died, from a canal after their helicopter crashed.The helicopter, a Hughes 369 aircraft, was carrying two people from Fort Myers when it crashed into a canal about three miles west of Miami Executive Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.Aerial video footage showed divers from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue searching the canal. The two people were sent to local hospitals in Miami, where one was in serious condition and the other had non-life-threatening injuries, CBS News Miami reported.“Unfortunately, the male succumbed to his injuries. The female is expected to survive,” Miami-Dade Police Department Detective Alvaro Zabaleta told WSVN-TV. Officials did not identify the victims or say how they knew each other. The NTSB will identify the pilot of the aircraft.According to investigators, witnesses said they saw what appeared to be a helicopter that was spinning and fallin...

Adolescente de Florida acusado de asesinar a su hermana durante una pelea familiar por regalos de Navidad, dicen las autoridades

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:15:30 GMT

Adolescente de Florida acusado de asesinar a su hermana durante una pelea familiar por regalos de Navidad, dicen las autoridades (CNN) —  Un joven de 14 años fue acusado de asesinato tras disparar fatalmente a su hermana mayor en Nochebuena durante una disputa familiar por regalos, dicen las autoridades del área de Tampa Bay.Su hermano de 15 años también fue acusado de intento de asesinato después de que supuestamente le disparó al hermano menor en represalia por dispararle a su hermana, Abrielle Baldwin, de 23 años, anunció la oficina del sheriff del condado de Pinellas, Florida .La pelea comenzó cuando los hermanos, junto con su madre y los dos hijos de Baldwin, estaban comprando regalos en Nochebuena y comenzaron a discutir porque el joven de 15 años sentía que su hermano menor estaba recibiendo más regalos, dijo el sheriff Bob Gualtieri durante una conferencia de prensa este martes.“Tuvieron una disputa familiar sobre quién obtenía qué y qué dinero se gastaba en quién, y estaban causando un gran alboroto en la tienda y todos estaban discutiendo entre ellos”, dijo Gualtieri.La familia salió de la tie...

Miami Seaquarium mourns the loss of beloved dolphin, Sundance

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:15:30 GMT

Miami Seaquarium mourns the loss of beloved dolphin, Sundance The Miami Seaquarium announced the passing of Sundance, one of its beloved dolphins, expressing deep sadness over the loss. Sundance had been a resident of the aquarium for over 30 years.In a statement released on X, the Seaquarium shared, “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Sundance [Wednesday] after precursors of illness yesterday. Our hearts are with the trainers and medical staff who unconditionally cared for him for more than 30 years.”Sundance gained public attention in April 2022 when an incident during the Flipper Dolphin Show involved the dolphin attacked a trainer. Following an investigation, the Seaquarium attributed the incident to the trainer accidentally scratching Sundance with her hand, causing him to break away from the routine.The aquarium has faced challenges in recent times, losing Lolita, an orca whale, to illness earlier in 2023 after 53 years in captivity. Furthermore, the US Department of Agriculture issued a notice, citing concerns about th...

Romania, Bulgaria set to partially enter Schengen zone in March

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:15:30 GMT

Romania, Bulgaria set to partially enter Schengen zone in March Romania and Bulgaria will join the EU’s passport-free Schengen zone for air and sea travel in March 2024, while an opening of land borders will be discussed in the coming year, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced Wednesday. “We have a political agreement on this!” Ciolacu said in a social media post. “From March next year, Romanians will enjoy the benefits of the Schengen area by air and sea.”Ciolacu also expressed optimism regarding a future agreement on land borders, saying he was “convinced” those negotiations would come to fruition in 2024.Austria had previously opposed the Romania and Bulgaria’s inclusion in the Schengen zone due to concerns over illegal immigration. In mid December, however, Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner announced a softening of Vienna’s stance, offering passport-free travel by plane from those countries in exchange for tighter border security measures.Romanian, Austrian and Bulgarian authoritie...

70-year-old dies near Wellesley College walking path

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:15:30 GMT

70-year-old dies near Wellesley College walking path Police are investigating the death of a person found unresponsive near a Wellesley College walking path Wednesday morning. Wellesley Police say the 70-year-old was in a slightly wooded area off of Central Street. A good samaritan and officers performed CPR, but the individual died at the scene. Police said they do not currently believe the deceased was connected to Wellesley College.

RI man pleads not guilty of charges in August crash on I-95 that killed 2

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:15:30 GMT

RI man pleads not guilty of charges in August crash on I-95 that killed 2 A man charged in connection with a fatal August hit-and-run crash in North Attleboro was in court Wednesday. Joseph Pompei Jr., 50, of Cranston, RI, pleaded not guilty to a number of charges including motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in personal injury or death.Authorities said Pompei allegedly fled the scene of a fatal crash on I-95 on August 29 after he struck an SUV while heading southbound, causing it to veer off the road.The SUV then went through the highway’s median and struck a sedan belonging to Randall Ricketts, 58, of Foxborough, who was on I-95 North. Rickets died later at Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro. The driver of the SUV that collided with Ricketts’ sedan, retired Rhode Island State Police trooper James Griffin, died from his injuries in early October. Pompei was first arraigned in August, when he plead not guilty to charges related to the crash. Additional charges were added following the death...