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DEAR ANNIE: Teen’s cold shoulder leaves mom feeling shut out

DEAR ANNIE: My 15-year-old daughter and I used to be extremely close. She was the kind of child who would climb into the car after school and tell me everything before I even pulled out of the parking lot: who sat with whom at lunch, what her teacher said, which friend was mad at which friend and what song everyone was listening to that week. Now, I feel like I am living with a very fashionable attorney who cross-examines everything I say. If I ask how school was, she says, “Fine,” in a tone that makes it clear the conversation is over. If I ask whether she has homework, she says ...

HINTS FROM HELOISE: How to deal with pesky fruit labels

DEAR HELOISE: How can I deal with plastic produce labels that won’t break down in compost? — Gordon C., in Corona, California Gordon, these stickers cause a lot of trouble for anyone who composts. Plastic fruit labels refuse to decompose, so you’ll find them scattered in your finished compost, even if one slips by. Your best bet is to handle them right at the kitchen counter. Peel the labels off as soon as you put away the groceries and toss them straight into the garbage. Set a dish or cup nearby so that you have somewhere to drop them; otherwise, they get buried under ...

FOR YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Alzheimer’s drug from Cuba looks promising

DEAR DR. ROACH: I read about a new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease called NeuralCIM from Cuba. Do you think this is real? — J.B. ANSWER: NeuralCIM, aka NeuroEPO, is derived from erythropoietin — the hormone that stimulates red blood cell precursors to make more blood cells. However, this intranasal form doesn’t stimulate blood cells; it does act like a similar hormone that is made by astrocytes, which are some of the “support cells” of brain tissue. Among the activities of NeuralEPO in the brain are decreasing amyloid deposits; reducing programmed cell death ...

Bridge by Steve Becker

There is obviously a big difference between a bidding sequence that goes 1 [S]-1 NT-3 [S], and one that goes 1 [S]-1 NT-4 [S]. The one-trump response indicates six to 10 points. Therefore, if opener rebids three spades, he is asking responder to continue bidding if he is in the upper half of the range for his notrump bid, and to pass if he is not. Expressed pointwise, responder is being urged to bid on with eight, nine or 10 points, and to pass with six or seven. The three-spade bid is thus an invitation — not a command —to responder to bid again. A four-spade bid is made by ...

Often overlooked gardening tool

How is your soil? Is your garden ready for the growing season? Does the soil contain the nutrients needed for healthy plant growth? Is it rich in organic matter? These are important questions that can only be answered by obtaining a soil test from a reliable laboratory. Soil testing ...