Possibly you recall the “Information Superhighway,” a phrase popularized by then-Vice President Al Gore to describe the internet. The expectation was that universal connectivity would lead to widespread enlightenment and social progress. Instead, we got QAnon, TikTok, metastasizing superstition and the cult of Donald J. Trump – a speedway to delusion and disorder. We got social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.
It may sound crazy, but covering your shrubs with more snow actually can help protect them during harsh winter months. Simply shovel freshly fallen, salt-free snow to surround bushes and the bases of trees. These 'snow fences' will create a barrier to protect plants from harsh, chilly winter winds. While covering every bush with burlap screens can also do the job, making DIY snow fences with a few throws of the shovel can have pretty close to the same protective effect.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I just found out that my mother made a pass at my ex-boyfriend. I always suspected this because I noticed the subtle flirting when he would come around. It has always frustrated me how flirty she is with younger guys in general, but I am furious that she actually made a move on my ex. Now that he has confirmed that she did make a pass at him, should I confront her? If so, how? This is my mother we are talking about! — Mad at Mom DEAR MAD AT MOM: Yes, you should confront your mother. She absolutely crossed the line when she flirted with and made a pass at your ex-boyfriend. That is not OK. Because you know that she has this propensity to flirt with younger men, you also need to understand that whatever you say may fall on deaf ears. She will likely brush it off and say he blew the whole scene out of proportion. She might even claim that he came onto her. Tell her that it saddens and angers you that your relationships are unsafe around her. Express your horror that you cannot trust your mother to be around your beau.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My friend is on some sort of weight-loss kick and is now trying to convince me that I need to follow her new routine as well. The diet that she is on is too restrictive for me. I have had a long, complicated relationship with yo-yo dieting since my teens, and I am just now starting to fix these issues — well into my adulthood. My friend is naturally pushy, but I don't think she understands how triggering it is to be around someone who is so persistent about getting on a diet. The only thing that I feel like doing is avoiding her. How do I handle this? — Pushy Friend DEAR PUSHY FRIEND: Have a serious conversation with your friend, and be plainly honest. Admit that it is hard for you to have this talk with her because dieting in and of itself has been challenging to you. As your friend, tell her that you need her to give you space to do what's right for you, just as you are giving her space for herself. Ask her to stop pressuring you. Make it clear that if she cannot stop her pushiness, you will have no choice but to distance yourself from her.
In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt declared the Grand Canyon a national monument.
For days, the House dithered, debated, deferred, demurred and demonstrated what dysfunction means in a mature democracy that has been a model of stability and an inspiration to the world for centuries. Two years after hoodlums brought the Capitol to a standstill, the country’s elected officials did much the same thing – without injuring anybody or anything but their own public image and, ultimately, the country they were elected to serve.
Dear Doctors: I'm having my first colonoscopy in a few months. My friends say it's unpleasant, and I'm already dreading it. I think it would help if I knew what's going to happen. How often do you need to get a colonoscopy?
“
“
DEAR HARRIETTE: I accidentally put my foot in my mouth when talking to a woman I really hoped to become friends with. I was trying to be funny and make a joke, but it came out wrong, and she got offended. I felt terrible afterward, and I'm not sure how to fix the situation. I tried to backpedal and explain that I didn't actually mean anything by it, but it was too late; the damage was done, and our conversation fizzled out after that. I'm really kicking myself for saying the wrong thing, because I really liked her and we were having such a great time chatting. I know there are no second chances for first impressions, but is there anything I could do to fix what I've done? — Foot in Mouth DEAR FOOT IN MOUTH: Request an opportunity to see this woman again. If granted, go to her openly and tell her the truth. Perhaps because you hoped to become her friend, you were trying too hard to get her to like you, and you stumbled as you talked to her. Apologize again for offending her. Admit that you were trying to be funny, and obviously that didn't work. You might explain to her that you feel a bit like a teenage boy who punches his love interest in the arm as a sign of endearment, and it makes the girl mad rather than starry-eyed. You messed up. You wanted to tell her because you really want a second chance to get to know her. You hope she will grant it.