Recently, I participated in an interim study, IS-24-061, examining public corruption laws. Overall, the study primarily focused on waste, fraud, and abuse, but it was more about identifying waste than uncovering actual criminal activity.
It is almost impossible to be against a rule announced by the Environmental Protection Agency last month requiring utilities to replace all lead pipes within a decade. After all, who opposes the swift removal of a deadly toxin from drinking water? But there’s a tricky road ahead, and it’s an expensive one to travel.
• Laundry detergent sheets are all the rage now, replacing heavy plastic jugs as an ecofriendly way to add detergent to your washing machine. Since the soap is activated in water, it’s imperative to make sure the stack of sheets does not get wet or even come in contact with trace amounts of water. Remove the sheets from the existing paperboard packaging and place them in an airtight container. This is a great way to upcycle an old food storage container.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I love my mom, but I just can’t trust her with any sensitive information. Every time I share something personal or private, she turns around and tells my family, her friends and even acquaintances, and it’s incredibly frustrating. For example, I’ll confide in her about something going on in my life, and the next time I see a relative or one of her friends, they’ll start asking me about it. It’s awkward and upsetting because it’s often information I never wanted these people to know.
The interchange of Interstate 40 and Airport Road in Weatherford soon will be designated as the “Lt. Gen. Thomas P.
Dear Doctors: I tripped on a tree root and almost did a face-plant. I landed on my hands with my arms stretched out, and now my right shoulder has started aching. My boyfriend thinks it’s a rotator cuff injury. I’ve only heard of that in baseball players. What is the rotator cuff? What is the treatment?
DEAR HARRIETTE: I am still friends with my high school besties, “Erica” and “Celine.” Erica became a registered nurse and moved abroad for work, while Celine is working in Dubai and enjoying a good life, even though she hasn’t finished college. I have a master’s degree in business administration, but I’m currently unemployed and waiting for responses from the jobs I applied for. I’m also overweight and feeling like there’s no progress in my life. What advice can you give me to avoid feeling jealous and instead be happy for what they have achieved in their lives? – Stagnant Frustration DEAR STAGNANT FRUSTRATION: Stop comparing yourself to your friends. Each of you has your own life filled with potential and frustration. Their lives look exciting to you from the outside – and they may be. But your life is your own, and it is your job to design it as best you can.
When the megarich owners of the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times spiked editorials endorsing Kamala Harris over Donald Trump, cold shivers and hot anger swept through the ranks of their editors and reporters. Staffers protested that their bosses were hedging their bets, anticipating a Trump victory and protecting their wider business interests against a man who punishes his enemies with vicious vindictiveness.
So I’m doing a show after all.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My 9-year-old daughter recently went over to her friend’s house for a playdate. She was so excited to spend time with her friend, and everything seemed fine when I dropped her off. However, when I went to pick her up, her friend’s mom pulled me aside and made a comment that really caught me off guard. She criticized my parenting style, specifically how my daughter behaved at dinner. Apparently, my daughter didn’t finish all of the food on her plate, and the mom felt that was incredibly rude and a sign of poor manners. She went on to say that in their household, children are expected to eat everything they’re served and suggested I should be more strict at home to instill better manners in my child.