DEAR DR. ROACH: What can you tell me about the cause and treatment of immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP)? I am a 71-year-old male, and after lab results showed a low blood platelet count, I underwent a spleen and liver scan as well as a bone marrow biopsy. They all showed normal function, ...

1. Two diamonds. It is true that this is a slight underbid, which could cost you a game (in notrump) that partner might bid if you elected to bid three diamonds instead. Despite this, the winning bid in the long run is two diamonds. You need a fairly decent hand from partner to make a game, ...

As we sail into the holiday season, scammers are hatching new schemes to roast the Yule log and your money along with it. Exploiting advances in information technology or adding a holiday twist to older schemes, you should move carefully before ordering, paying or donating to anything that ...

It might surprise people that my husband and I pay a financial planner, given that I spend a lot of time on financial, tax and investment planning at work. However, hiring a planner has delivered a return that can’t be quantified: peace of mind. Here are some key reasons we pay for financial ...

The holidays are supposed to be a festive, joyful time. Paradoxically, that can put some of us under stress as we try to shop for gifts, put up decorations and organize parties. With too many lists and too little sleep, it’s no wonder that even sensible people might reach for something to ...

In Tuscany, schiacciata — which is pronounced skee-ah-CHA-tah and roughly means “crushed,” “flattened” or “squashed” — is a versatile word applied to a variety of breads and bread-like things, from a piece of sweet focaccia studded with roasted grapes around the autumn harvest ...