Standing up to bullies is right thing

Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican, told CNN, 'The way you take care of a bully is you bloody their nose.' A 20-year Navy veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Gonzales knows something about bullies, and he was referring to several different thugs.

A good cat arrives in a new country

O ur cat, Felix, has a new home. We adopted Felix in Mexico while we were staying there. The woman who fostered him, Marcela, thought he was a kitten because he was so small — except for his tail, which appears to be intended for a much larger cat.

Woman seeks clarity about group travel expenses

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have an upcoming birthday trip planned in Hawaii, and I'm unsure about the etiquette of asking the people I've invited to contribute toward the cost of the trip. These are mostly close friends and acquaintances from college. Is it considered acceptable to request that guests pay a share for the trip, or is this not a common practice? I want to ensure that everyone is comfortable with the arrangements. Any insights or advice would be nice. — Birthday Girl DEAR BIRTHDAY GIRL: Your friends should not assume that you are paying for their trip, even though it is your birthday. It is important to be clear with them what the anticipated activities and expenses will be.

Rapid weight loss can lead to loss of muscle mass

Dear Doctors: I am 74 years old and have Type 2 diabetes. I was prescribed Ozempic, and it helped lower my A1C. I also lost 22 pounds, which I'm happy about. I have heard you can also lose muscle on Ozempic, so I'm concerned.

Daughter upset when parents cut her off

DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband and I have recently made a decision that's caused tension in our family, particularly with our 22-year-old daughter. She now has a stable full-time job, so we've decided to cut off her financial support completely. Understandably, she's extremely upset about this. We've always striven to provide for her and support her in every way possible. However, we've reached a point where we feel it's time for her to become fully independent and take control of her finances. We believe that by cutting off her financial support, she'll learn valuable lessons about responsibility and self-reliance. While we stand by our decision, we're struggling with how to handle our daughter's emotional reaction. She feels betrayed and abandoned, which breaks our hearts. Is there a way to ease her distress while still standing firm in our decision? — Independence DEAR INDEPENDENCE: My question is whether this move was sudden. Did you discuss your plan with her so that she could prepare? Did you help her to think about the time when she would become independent so that she could evaluate her life and decide how to move forward as an independent adult? If not, you failed to do an important part of your job. You say that in the past you have provided for her in 'every way possible.' That suggests that she has not had to be uncomfortable about money, experience the need to budget or make choices based on how much money she has, etc.

In 1521, explorer Ferdinand Magellan was killed in the Philippines.

Grocery tax cut factor in budget

With less than six weeks remaining in this year’s legislative session, we’re heavily focused on crafting the state budget for Fiscal Year 2025. The House of Representatives recently released their budget proposal, and the Senate Appropriations Committee met to compare state agency budgets within each chamber’s figures. Those numbers that match will be set aside so we can focus on reviewing and negotiating the funding that we are not currently in agreement on. The final budget numbers will also take into account the grocery tax cut that was passed earlier this year. While providing Oklahomans with much-needed relief, this cut does result in a loss of revenues in some areas, so we must account for that as we consider what other appropriations we will make this year.

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