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US sending 2nd carrier strike group, fighter jets to region as Israel prepares to expand Gaza operations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

Washington/Seoul (CNN) — The Pentagon has ordered a second carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean Sea, according to two US officials, and is sending Air Force fighter jets to the region as Israel prepares to expand its Gaza operations.The US warships are not intended to join the fighting in Gaza or take part in Israel’s operations, but the presence of two of the Navy’s most powerful vessels is designed to send a message of deterrence to Iran and Iranian proxies in the region, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.The first carrier strike group, led by the USS Gerald R. Ford, arrived off the coast of Israel last week.Now the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower strike group, which deployed from Norfolk, Virginia, on Friday, is headed to the eastern Mediterranean. The aircraft carrier was initially set to sail for the waters of US European Command, but the officials said it will now head for the waters near Israel.It is unclear at this point how long the Ford will stay ...

How to get hired when you’re overqualified

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

Q. I have a doctorate in molecular biology. I was laid off this summer. I know I’m overqualified, but I’m applying to hourly retail jobs for the holidays. No one is contacting me — this is beyond frustrating. Again, I am overqualified. How can I get hired just to have this part-time gig as I look for my full-time one?A. I’m sorry to hear about getting laid off. I hear your frustration and am here to support you. First, you are doing all the right things.I would kick it old school and go into stores where you’re applying. Ask to speak to the manager and demonstrate passion for their store and products. Also, talk about your transferable skill sets that will translate well into these seasonal jobs. Soft skills are key such as communication skills, your work ethic, and punctuality and reliability.Companies are hiring and need workers like you who are ready to go, diligent and ready to be trained and available to start working ASAP.According to Reuters, Tar...

Silverglate: Ignorance fuels young supporters of terrorists

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

The page-one headline in The Boston Herald’s issue of Oct. 11 said it all: “Colleges shocked by embrace of Hamas terrorism.” Inside appeared a story by Rick Sobey, describing the public’s shock at the show of support by Tufts students for Hamas terrorists. A similar drama played out at Harvard, Boston University, and other schools across the Commonwealth.However, this is not the first time that a small but significant number of students, along with their elders, have jumped onto a bandwagon that the perceptive journalist and social critic Tom Wolfe acerbically described in his iconic 1970 book “Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers.”  Wolfe mockingly satirized the famous and accomplished orchestra leader Leonard Bernstein for hosting a fundraising party in support of the Black Panther Party in his tony Park Avenue duplex.Alas, the phenomenon of well-heeled, comfortable, privileged people — very often college students at elite institutions — seeking to shock their pee...

Ken Burns turns his camera on ‘The American Buffalo’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

Although its focus is, for the first time, on an animal and not a person, Ken Burns doesn’t see his new four-hour series “The American Buffalo” as a “departure.”Like the many acclaimed biographies he’s made over the past 30-plus years, “American Buffalo,” he said in a phone interview, “By focusing on an animal gave us an opportunity to really touch on all quarters of American history in the 19th century and engage in a new and, we think, different way.“You have Native American people who, as it is pointed out in the film, have a 600-year generational relationship with the buffalo. And the people who took over their land had decimated the buffalo almost to the brink of extinction.“That is a huge tragedy but also suggests down the line reasons for hope and inspiration. I mean, it’s no accident that the buffalo was recently named as the national mammal. It has captured people’s imagination from the first time they’ve seen one. I think it was a way to tell a complex st...

Kids’ social media access a divorce deal-breaker

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

Q. My husband fancies himself a social media influencer.  His obsession with his phone and documenting all aspects of his life is exhausting and, in part, the reason for the divorce.  I have insisted on restricting our kids’ access to phones/social media.  I want that to continue – they are 12 and 10.  He is trying to add social medial provisions into the agreement we are negotiating.  He proposes the kids be given phones and unrestricted access to social media upon their 13th birthdays.  This is becoming a deal breaker on both sides.I am thinking about seeking sole custody to deal with these issues.  If I refuse to include his phone and social media provisions, do you think a judge will side with him?A. I am not aware of any reported decisions involving social media restrictions in a divorce situation.  However, many of the judges are also parents and/or grandparents who have also had to learn to navigate protecting their own families and their use of social media.  This is a rapid...

You don’t have to be a Swiftie to love Taylor Swift

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Swarms of Swifties descended on the AMC Grove 14 for the premiere of “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” concert film last week, an event so insanely anticipated that those of us lucky enough to be on the invite list were informed of its location mere hours before showtime.Security was tight, with the swanky outdoor mall transformed into a maze of portable hedges over which helicopters hovered — loud enough to drown out the Swift songs playing on the sound system.But not the screams of the Swifties as they encountered each other, learned of their idol’s arrival via TikTok or saw her posing on the red carpet that snaked past Coach and Barnes and Noble.Seeing the girls with hand-to-elbow wristbands, sparkly cowboy boots and matching gold fringe dresses as I entered the theater, I confess I felt something of a fraud.I am not a Swiftie.It could be age or excessive exposure to elementary-school talent-show renditions of “Love Story” and “You Be...

Gertler: Universities must stand against extremism

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

Leadership matters. Especially in academia. Our education leaders do not simply educate the next generation of Americans but they also inculcate the values for our future leaders in this country. Now is a moment when their voice is essential – and their silence is destructive.In recent days, the world has witnessed horrific and unimaginable acts of brutality and violence committed by Hamas, a terrorist organization. The killing of countless innocent civilians, including children and the elderly, the beheadings of soldiers and the abduction of many others as hostages can only be condemned.What we have seen extends beyond an issue in Israel to one that the region also faces. We need to recognize that millions of innocent Palestinians have also suffered under brutal Hamas leaders who have had a vested interest in maintaining the squalid conditions of those in Gaza. Instead of investing in the quality of life for those in Gaza, Hamas leaders have instead focused on building rockets and ...

5 fabulous Halloween costumes for your dog

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

The countdown to Halloween has begun. And with it comes a very important question: What should my dog’s costume be? Soon enough, stores will start running out of the best Halloween costumes, leaving many to take to online shopping or even a DIY approach.So if you plan on dressing your fur baby up for Halloween, you’d better get started now.Here are five great Halloween dog costumes, ranging from the heroic to the adorable:GhostbustersIf you’re worried about ghosts nabbing you on Halloween, let your four legged pal be your hero, After all, if you have a ghost encounter, who you gonna call? Available for $24.99 at PetSmart.Sully from ‘Monsters Inc.’Sure, Sully took his job way too seriously and tormented children, but by the end of the movie he turned into a big softie. The Sully fleece is perfect for your little monster. Available for $24.99 at PetSmart.Minnie MouseThis Minnie Mouse costume is also available for cats (good luck with that). If your dog doesn’t like the full dress, you...

Some drugs shouldn’t be used long-term

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

Dear Dr. John,My old German Shepherd is getting close to the end of his life. Our veterinarian has done a great job of keeping him going as his hind legs have continued to weaken over the last two years. We have put him on Rimadyl twice a day and we have used slings to get him up and laid down mats to help him get a grip on various floor surfaces.He has also had occasional loose bowels for which we have given him metronidazole from time to time. It works very well. Is there any reason why we can’t keep him on it to prevent the loose bowels? Lately, he has had a few bouts of a little blood on his stool. Our vet he suggested the same medication which I had leftover and it worked. What could now be causing the bleeding, and should we have it checked out? W.W.Dear W.W.,It’s reassuring to know that your dog has continued to do reasonably well. The NSAID that you have been giving him, Rimadyl, is relatively safe to use long term with regular assessments of liver function by way of blood t...

Outgoing Izabella is a nature lover

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:47 GMT

Izzy is an inquisitive, outgoing, and outspoken girl in search of her forever family. She loves to explore the outdoors and nature, which include various community activities, gardening, and collecting small insects for her “bug sanctuary.” She always willing to try new things and new foods. Izzy also enjoys arts and crafts and going to the library. Her biggest strength is her ability to advocate and speak up for herself.Izzy attends a local public school and receives support through an IEP. She participates in many extracurricular activities which include gymnastics, cheerleading, and the Girl Scouts. Izzy is currently placed in a residential program and has made positive connections with peers in and outside of school.Izzy would thrive with a caring and committed family of any constellation with a female parental figure with or without other children in the home. Interested families need to have experience in trauma informed care and therapeutic parenting. Interested f...