California Dolphin

TODAY’S WORD — REFUTED REFUTED: rih-FYOOT-ed: Proved wrong by argument or evidence. Average mark 16 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 22 or more words in REFUTED? The list will be published tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S WORD — QUERYING: query quire unrig urge urine enquiry eying reign rein ring ruin ruing rung inure grey grin gurney gyre To 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 kzsaxe@gmail.com.

Asking Eric: My mom keeps saying this like it’s cute rather than hurtful

Dear Eric: My brother and his wife just had their first child, the first grandchild on both sides of the family. I am so excited to be an aunt, and I love the baby. So does my mom. However, she keeps saying something to my brother and I that we both are getting tired of. She has said on multiple occasions: “I love the baby more than you two” [my brother and me]. I think the first time she was trying to be funny. It still did sting, though. She keeps saying it every time there is a get-together with the baby, and I even see my brother having an upset look on his face. I can’t say anything because when I’ve said anything I’ve been told by my dad that I am “self-centered and make everything about myself.” And my mom will just say, “Why is everyone on my butt tonight?” I don’t want to cause any problems, but my brother and I are tired of this backhanded compliment, and I honestly don’t know how to deal with it. – Second Place Dear Second

Harriette Cole: I told her to back off about my parenting, and it blew up into this big thing

DEAR HARRIETTE: My sister-in-law often makes passive-aggressive comments about my parenting style, which has been frustrating to deal with. Recently, I decided to address it directly, and I told her she has no right to meddle in how I raise my child. I spoke firmly but calmly, making it clear that I know what I’m doing and that she should respect my boundaries. However, at a family gathering soon after, she claimed I had angrily shouted at her during our conversation, which is completely untrue. Her version of events has made things awkward with other family members, and I feel unfairly judged. I want to set the record straight without escalating the situation further or creating more tension. How can I handle this gracefully while maintaining my boundaries and protecting my reputation? — Family Friction DEAR FAMILY FRICTION: It sounds like it is out of the ordinary for people in your family to call each other out on their behavior. Your sister-in-law experienced your pushback as shouting, even though you did not intend it that way. You can say to her — and your family

Miss Manners: I paid for my seat, and I’m not going to ask permission to recline

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When sitting in an airline seat, you need not ask permission of the person behind you to recline your seat. Once permission to move is granted by the captain, you can recline, if your chair has the ability to do so. On what planet would you ask someone else (as you have suggested) if you can adjust the seat that you paid to sit in? If engineers and airlines didn’t want the seats to recline, they would remove the option. Get a grip, or pass the torch and retire. GENTLE READER: By all means, blame the airlines. They should not have equipment that can be used to discomfort their passengers. And Miss Manners would be happy to retire just as soon as you and everyone else learn the basic premise without which civilization does not function: If you treat others callously, you needn’t feel clever for having gotten an advantage, because others will then treat you callously and life will be unpleasant for everyone. Why should you care about the comfort of the person sitting behind you? Because the person in front

Dear Abby: I just learned that my surly mother-in-law has a policy on my life

DEAR ABBY: I’ve recently discovered that my mother-in-law has two life insurance policies on me, neither of which I knew about, and one of which is close to 20 years old. I never asked nor authorized her to take out these policies, and I am very concerned. We do not have a good relationship. She isn’t welcome in my life or our home because she is disrespectful and meddlesome. My husband has very little to do with her but doesn’t seem to be bothered by the fact that she took it upon herself to get these policies. Because she sells insurance, she makes it seem like it’s no big deal, but it is to me. I have my own insurance and have for all of my adult life (I am nearing 50), and I’m appalled at the idea of her collecting a payout from my demise. She has never provided us a copy of the policies, nor do we know who the beneficiaries are. In fact, we know of their existence only because she let it slip in a conversation when we told her that

Opinion: Will Trump strike a deal letting Russia partition Ukraine?

MOSCOW — Unlike during his first term in the White House, President-elect Donald Trump now appears determined to keep many of his campaign promises. His Cabinet nominations — from the Kremlin-friendly Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence to the conspiracy-loving vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of Health and Human Services — confirm his commitment to a scorched-earth campaign against American institutions and perceived enemies “from within .” His victory speech suggests that he is serious about “stopping wars.” Trump has long asserted that he would end the Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office. There has been much speculation about a negotiated settlement , and the scenarios all have one thing in common: Ukraine’s dismemberment. If this has to be the cost of peace, it is worth considering the grim history of territorial partition. Few events create such long-lasting enmity; fewer still have caused more devastating violence. The three partitions of Poland that took place in the late 18th century are perhaps Europe’s closest parallel to what may befall Ukraine. Beginning in 1772, Austria’s Habsburg monarchy, the Kingdom of Prussia and

‘Scandal’s’ Bellamy Young: Domestic abuse can happen at any age. My mom was in her 80s

My mom died at the end of 2023, right after her 83rd birthday. Which doesn’t sound all that remarkable — until I mention that she had been a victim of domestic partner abuse up until the year before her death. Mom hadn’t exactly been lucky in love. She had already buried four husbands (cancer, heart attack, COPD, cancer) by the time she met This Guy, who doesn’t deserve to be named here. But Mom never wanted to be alone. It was her deepest fear. She would get the look I get when I talk about sharks. She powered through her lack of computer skills and met This Guy online about eight years ago. We would joke that she had to import him from Tennessee because there were no good men left in western North Carolina. It was a long-distance relationship at first: She would cook for him at the house I’d helped her buy outside of Asheville, and drive to Tennessee to go to church with him. Eventually, he brought his two cats and moved into Mom’s house. I’d watched her go through this phase

Opinion: Taking trans rights to the Supreme Court isn’t about politics

The outcome of the 2024 election has resulted in no shortage of Democratic finger-pointing. While the postmortem and soul-searching are necessary, the tone and tenor of the blame game have begun to morph into something more insidious. In the last weeks we have seen an increasing demand for the Democratic party to abandon its association with political issues reflecting the “identity” of marginalized or vulnerable communities. While few constituencies have been spared recrimination, some of the most cynical and pernicious scapegoating has been reserved for the transgender community. This is deeply troubling because trans people are particularly vulnerable; with an estimated population of 1.6 million people nationwide , they are barely half of 1% of the U.S. adult population. Transgender people face a disproportionate amount of discrimination. In the last year, more than 500 anti-trans laws were introduced in state legislatures. Over $215 million was spent on political ads demonizing trans people — despite polling showing trans-related issues were not a top priority for most voters. And even Congress is forming its own anti-trans brigade to ban the country’s first trans congresswoman from using the

Opinion: Biden should arm Ukraine to the teeth to prepare for the best negotiated peace

Before leaving office in January, President Biden can still do much to bolster Ukraine’s security, and our own. The need for greater U.S. aid is obvious from reports from the war zone. Last month, Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine crossed the 1,000-day mark. And just as it has since the first day of its invasion, the Russian military this past week relentlessly bombed not only Ukrainian army positions along the 600-mile front, but also houses, clinics, schools, power plants and factories all across Ukraine. You’ve seen footage of the utter destruction in Gaza from bombing campaigns: Imagine that on a scale of Texas, and you’ll have a sense of Ukrainians’ daily life. The attacks keep coming. In just one night last week, Russia launched a barrage of 188 missiles and drones aimed at 17 regions of Ukraine . The Kremlin also keeps waging disinformation. It has grossly misrepresented that overnight blitz as a “response” to new Western aid and made overblown claims about Russia’s experimental ballistic missile, the Oreshnik, that hit Ukraine’s major industrial city of Dnipro a few days earlier. And Ukraine is reporting

Search underway for person missing two days after car plunged off Ventura County cliff

Crews search Monday night for a person believed missing in a crash that went unreported for nearly two days. (OnScene.TV) Authorities launched a search for a missing person Monday afternoon after learning that a car had tumbled hundreds of feet down a steep cliff near Point Mugu two days earlier. It’s unclear why one of the occupants of the vehicle waited days to report the incident, which took place off of Deer Creek Road northwest of the Malibu border on Saturday, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. The individual who eventually reported the crash managed to self-extricate from the mangled car and leave the scene in another vehicle — but did not call 911 that night, the Fire Department said. Firefighters told OnScene.TV that a white Cadillac SUV rolled over multiple times before coming to rest on its roof 1,000 feet below the road. On Monday afternoon, the occupant reported that two people who were in the car during the incident were missing, and a search was launched. Shortly after the search began, one of the passengers was located at home, the Fire Department

Belated gratitude, still relevant | The Way I See It

You’ll read this 5 days after the culinary indulgence, the (hopefully) warm, rewarding hospitality and camaraderie of family and friends, the “thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” for NFL and college football teams (go Ducks), and the onset of Hallmark Christmas movies. However, I’m writing on Thanksgiving Day. The coming days must be devoted to early rising and driving to get “first chairs” for skiing. The most immediate source of thanks is nature’s gift of abundant snow on Mt. Bachelor, allowing for the best early (pre-Thanksgiving) skiing in the nearly quarter-century we’ve been trekking the 300-odd miles north from Red Bluff. That leads to being grateful for 74-year old bodies that can still navigate the groomed runs we’ve come to love so much that we ski them in our minds after the season is over. I told you that to tell you this: What brought us to our Bend, Oregon, home in November was not, ironically, favorable skiing weather. It was medical appointments, tests, lab analysis and review, which leads to thanks for biopsy results labeled “benign,” and a Cologuard “sample” found to

After 20 years, I’m done writing about politics | Polson

I’ve been writing political opinion nonstop for 20 years. As of today, I’m done. Life was different when the Philadelphia Inquirer gifted me a column in January 2004. Both major parties believed in the rule of law, the peaceful transfer of power, and traditional democratic values. It was beyond unthinkable that either side would condone a plotted coup and morph into a criminal cult. We opinion journalists are not so naive as to believe what we write can change the world. But we generally do hope what we write can perhaps make the world just a wee bit better on any given day by offering some grist for those who have the capacity to think. This was true of the America I loved in my younger life, but I no longer recognize the America we’re stuck with. Or perhaps it’s more accurate to say that I recognize it all too well – and that, having reached that conclusion, I’ve hit the wall on how to write about it. In the quality time I have left, I won’t expend precious brain cells inveighing in vain about

Parade of epic proportions

RED BLUFF – This is the stuff Hallmark movies are made of – the Christmas Parade hosted thousands of attendees for the spectacular kick-off to the holiday season Saturday. Gene and Coral Larrea of Red Bluff brought their two sons Max, 4 and Noah, 3. The family wore matching Christmas attire and enjoyed every bit of the festivities, from catching up with friends to riding on the Prime Lending float. “Santa’s truck was my favorite,” Max said. Aja Mulford came from Paradise to attend with her son, Hudson. She said the parade was a quintessential hometown holiday parade of epic proportions. Steve Alt, who typically performs as Santa, was on hand, riding an antique fire truck with some elves. This year, he donned a cowboy hat and patriotic garb. “Santa is over at the State Theatre,” he said. “This year, I am Santa’s helper. I’m just a proud American who believes in the miracle of Christmas.” Alt passed out million-dollar bills to those who have been good all year. “They are only redeemable in the North Pole,” he added. The parade route was lined at

Epsom Salt: The Frugal Fix-All You Didn’t Know You Needed | Everyday Cheapskate

Let’s talk about one of the most underrated items in your bathroom cabinet — Epsom salt. It’s cheap, it’s unassuming and it has more uses than a Swiss Army knife at a Boy Scout jamboree. But what is Epsom salt anyway? Is it salt? Is it magic? Nope. It’s a naturally occurring mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate — nothing close to (actually quite the opposite) edible table salt, which is sodium chloride. Discovered in the town of Epsom, Surrey, England (hence the name), it’s been used for centuries to soothe aches, fertilize gardens and serve as the MVP of budget-friendly household hacks. SOOTHE ACHING MUSCLES Add a cup or two of Epsom salt to a warm bath and soak for 15-20 minutes. Why It Works: The magnesium in Epsom salt helps relax muscles and reduce inflammation. Skip the overpriced bath bombs and let Epsom salt be your go-to for post-workout soreness or long days spent wrestling your kids into their winter coats. MAKE A DIY BODY SCRUB Mix Epsom salt with a bit of olive oil or coconut oil for an exfoliating scrub that

Driver finds highly venomous snake “slithering up her leg”

Updated on: December 3, 2024 / 6:13 AM EST / CBS/AFP Snake catcher removes snake from child’s bed Snake catcher removes venomous snake from child’s bed 00:34 A driver cruising down a highway in eastern Australia felt something on her foot and discovered a deadly tiger snake “slithering up her leg,” police said Sunday. Officers found her on the side of the Monash Freeway near Melbourne, barefoot and in a state of shock after her Friday morning encounter with the reptile, Victoria state police said in a news release titled: “Fangs on the freeway.” “The woman explained that she had been travelling at 80kph (50 mph) on the freeway when she felt something on foot and looked down to find a deadly tiger snake slithering up her leg,” police said in a statement. “Remarkably, she was able to fend the snake off her and weave through traffic before pulling over and leaping out of her car to safety.” A driver cruising down a highway in eastern Australia discovered a deadly tiger snake “slithering up her leg,” police said. Victoria State Police Tiger snakes, named after

San Diego

New rules being implemented at Starlight Circle

SANTEE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Starlight Circle, the famed Christmas neighborhood, is lit once again and the crowds have gathered to visit the millions of lights adorning the homes of a normally quiet bedroom community. The City of Santee has started cracking down on third party vendors after some scammers were trying to charge cars a fee to the neighborhood free event. Now, mobile vendors without permits are being booted from the area, while some homeowners have turned their front yards into pop-up shops, selling kettle corn, cotton candy tacos and hot chocolate. Thousands of visitors have already passed through the neighborhood. “Magical memories they get to have,” said Kelly Laughton, a mother of two visiting from out of town. With third-party vendors gone, homeowners have been seeing a brisk business with the profits helping to pay for their exorbitant SDGE electricity bills. “Gourmet sweet rolls. This one is a cranberry orange, stuffed with a cranberry jam,” said Sandra Gonzales while selling sweet rolls to the crowds. With the crowds just starting, the month of December promises to get very busy once again. “Everybody is

San Diego

San Diego District attorney provides tips for combatting online, text scams during holiday season

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Holiday shopping is in full swing and along with the increase in consumers, comes the scammers ready to take advantage. Through texts or email, the predatory messages seem to be ramping up. “I got one from like Home Depot or something today. I don’t even shop at Home Depot,” said Danielle Wallin. One message circulating for a lot of people in San Diego claims to be from USPS, saying the recipient’s information is invalid and the package has been “detained” unless they click the link and submit more information. “Slow down because when people are in a rush, they are not checking, they’re just clicking,” said San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan. Stephan says these kinds of scams have soared since the pandemic when even more people turned to shopping online. “The truth is once that money is lost, it’s a long road to get it back. It often goes overseas and to international scammers. They really focus especially on the elderly, but on everyone,” Stephan said. Some people we spoke with said they’ve gone straight to the source to

Daly City man charged with attempted murder of pregnant woman

SAN FRANCISCO – A 30-year-old Daly City man is facing an attempted murder charge in connection with the shooting of a pregnant woman last month in San Francisco, according to prosecutors. Khiri Roberson is also charged with four counts of discharge of a firearm at an inhabited dwelling, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and one count of resisting arrest, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office said in a statement Monday. Roberson is being held without bail, according to prosecutors. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 18. The shooting happened around 2:15 p.m. on Nov. 19 in the 1100 block of Hollister Avenue, prosecutors said. Officers arrived to find the victim suffering from gunshot wounds. She was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. In the statement, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins thanked police for identifying and arresting a suspect in the case. “Although I am grateful there was no loss of life in this shooting, these are serious crimes,” Jenkins said, “and my office will do everything in our power to fight for justice in the courtroom.”

Police say a Hawaii woman disappeared voluntarily and traveled to Mexico

By HALLIE GOLDEN and JAIMIE DING LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Hawaii woman who vanished after landing in Los Angeles three weeks ago disappeared voluntarily as she sought to “step away from modern connectivity” and was last seen crossing into Mexico with her luggage, police said at a news conference where they urged her to contact her distraught family. Hannah Kobayashi, 30, appeared unharmed as she walked alone into a tunnel at the San Ysidro crossing about 125 miles (201 kilometers) southwest of Los Angeles around noon on Nov. 12, the day after her family reported her missing, LA police said Monday. Authorities made the discovery after reviewing surveillance video from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection late Sunday. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said there is no evidence Kobayashi was being trafficked or was otherwise a victim of a crime. Her disappearance is now classified as a “voluntary missing person.” “We’ve basically done everything we can do at this point. She’s left the country and in another nation now,” he said, adding that if she returns to the U.S., law enforcement will be

Suspect Killed By Police Officers in Torrance

A suspect was shot and killed by Torrance Police Department officers in an industrial area of the city Monday. Officers responded to the 2900 block of Oregon Court, near Maple Avenue and Del Amo Boulevard, Monday to investigate an unknown situation, where a suspect was contacted, then a shooting occurred, according to the police department. “We recognize the seriousness of this incident and understand the concerns it raises within our community. There is no danger to the community members,” a statement from the department said. The investigation into the shooting continued Monday evening. Anyone with information regarding the shooting was urged to call the Torrance Police Department at 310-328-3456 with case number 240045785.

Juvenile Stabbed in Northridge