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Editorial: Will we ever know the depth of pandemic fraud?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:12 GMT

The late American satirist P.J. O’Rourke once cracked that “Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.” The $32 trillion national debt is one testament to the accuracy of his observation. The billions and billions of dollars that Washington squandered during the pandemic is yet another.The Associated Press unveiled the results of an investigation headlined “The Great Grift,” cataloging how the federal government got ripped off in its effort to mitigate the economic carnage of COVID. The fraud was so widespread that it might be another two years before federal accountants can tally an accurate total. For now, however, the wire service report pegs the figure at about $420 billion — or 10% of the $4.2 trillion the government spent on pandemic relief.“Investigators and outside experts say the government, in seeking to quickly spend trillions in relief aid, conducted too little oversight during the pandemic’s early stages and instituted too ...

Come for the Travelers Championship, stay for the Hartford fun

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:12 GMT

They’re names that even the most casual of golf fans know immediately: Finau, Scheffler, Rahm, Thomas, Fleetwood (who treated the world to an exciting sudden death shoot off in Canada last week, McIlroy and more.The top golfers in the world will be competing from June 22-25 in the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, a less than two-hour drive from Boston proper.There are still tickets to get a look at those greats in action (https://travelerschampionship.com/tickets/). But there’s another superlative attraction to take in as well: Hartford.The city of Hartford, just a 14 mile zip north of Cromwell, may just be the perfect addition to a day – or days – spent with the champions.Those who settled Hartford (https://hartford.com) embraced the arts, nature, and all those things that make life good. In the Victorian era, it was a haven for artists, writers and thinkers, and they left their mark.Be it pre or post tourney day, you can add all kinds of extr...

What to watch: ‘Secret Invasion,’ Juneteenth celebrations & more

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:12 GMT

It’s a great week for crime dramas, comedy, music, documentaries and much more.Sunday“Rob Schneider: Woke Up in America” (Fox Nation): The former “SNL” star puts his two cents in in this new stand-up special.“Ridley” (PBS, 8 p.m.): A retired detective (Adrian Dunbar, “Line of Duty”) is called back in to consult on a tough case in this new mystery drama.“The Walking Dead: Dead City” (AMC, 9 p.m.; also BBC America): Franchise odd couple Maggie and Negan (Lauren Cohan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan) spin off into their own show.Monday“Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom” (CNN, OWN, 5 p.m.): Gospel great Kirk Franklin, 1990s girl group SWV and Questlove from the Roots are among the stars taking part.“Do the Right Thing” (TCM, 5 p.m.): A Juneteenth marathon kicks off with Spike Lee’s powerful 1989 drama about racial tensions in Brooklyn.“Xernona Clayton: A Life in Black & White” (Bounce TV, 6 p.m.): An unsung hero of the civil rights movement has her stor...

N.E. dogs need heartworm prevention, too

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:12 GMT

Dear Dr. John,I have read your column with interest for a long time! It has always been a great source of information. Today I write to you regarding heartworm and how often preventatives should be given. Some of my friends have been told that since we are in the Northeast that there is much less risk for heartworm disease to occur and, as such, the preventative monthly pills need only be given during the warmer summer months. Is that correct or appropriate? I have always given my dogs the heartworm preventative medications throughout the year as my vet has always suggested. D.C.Dear D.C.,Thank you for your kind words. I have been writing my column going back to 1987 and it has been gratifying to think that I have been able to answer questions and give advice about pets and matters relating to veterinary medicine for so long.Your question is timely as we step into the warmer summer months and, interestingly enough, my first column was about heartworm! To my chagrin, there are a few ...

Get ready for a revolutionary musical lineup as WasFest hits Boston

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:12 GMT

On April 12, 1968, jazz giant Charles Lloyd, electric blues innovators Paul Butterfield, and folk king Tom Rush played on the same bill at the Fillmore East in New York. It was a night like no other, and nights just like this happened across the ’60s at dozens of clubs. Revolutionary bills as rule not exception guided Don Was as he booked the first-ever WasFest at Boston’s Wang and Shubert Theatres“(Boch Center president) Joe (Spaulding) and I were reminiscing about how the old Bill Graham shows at the Fillmore were this wild mixture of artists that would only happen once,” Was told the Herald. “We asked, how can we do some unique events that aren’t going on tour, that aren’t being filmed for a TV show, that are never going to be seen again.”Presented by the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame and the Boch Center from June 23 to 25, WasFest will deliver on Spaulding and Was’ dream.Was got free reign to book the artist and art-forward event. And he’s the perfect guy for such a job.Curr...

What vaccines do tweens, teens and young adults need?  

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:12 GMT

Starting at about age 7 through age 18, children and teens need a number of important vaccines to protect them.The vaccines that are recommended for them help prevent major health problems, including infertility, muscle paralysis, brain damage, blindness, deafness and cancer.The American Academy of Pediatrics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other medical groups all agree on the schedule of recommended immunizations. They recommend these vaccines at specific ages. Why? It is the age when the vaccine works the best with your child or teen’s immune system. It is also the time when your child or teen needs the protection the most.Is your preteen or teen behind on some of their immunizations? It is important for them to see their pediatrician and make sure they are fully protected. Vaccines keep others safe, too. That’s why all 50 states have laws requiring children and teens to get vaccines before they can attend school or child care.Here’s ​​​what to k...

NHL notes: Off-season business is about to pick up

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:12 GMT

In case you missed, the Bruins opened as the co-favorites with the Colorado Avalanche to win the Stanley Cup in the 2023-24 NHL season, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.That’s peachy. Now if DraftKings Sportsbook could just tell fans who is actually going to be, you know, playing for the Bruins.The B’s currently have a grand total of seven NHL forwards and one big league goalie under contract, and less than $5 million in cap space to fill out the roster.Changes are coming, and some of them could be franchise-altering, for better or worse. But after B’s fans endured a brutally long playoff run with their main rooting interest watching from the sidelines, we are nearing the point in the hockey calendar when something of team-building substance has to happen.The buyout window began on Friday and runs through June 30. Mike Reilly, who has one more year left on a deal worth a $3 million AAV (the real salary is $4 million), remains a candidate for a buyout after spendi...

The best ways to improve your job interview skills

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:12 GMT

Q. I thought my interview went well but didn’t get the job. I’m dying to know why. Can I email them to ask so I can improve my interviewing game?A. Sorry to hear you didn’t get the job, but it’s great you’re looking to improve. You can email them asking for feedback, but I’d set expectations low. They may be super busy, but more importantly, if they give you feedback, they should give every candidate they turn down equivalent feedback to truly be equal opportunity.To improve, you may want to reach out to your alma mater’s career office — some offer to counsel to alums and ask them to conduct mock orientations. Someone in your family or a friend may also be available to conduct interviews by asking you most commonly asked questions. Take a video and watch it, tweak your responses but also look at your energy levels and confidence. With each progressing interview hopefully you will improve.Q. I have an interview coming up and know I need...

Adrian Dunbar leads the case in ‘Ridley’ detective series

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:12 GMT

“Ridley,” PBS’s new British detective series premiering Sunday with the first of four 120-minute murder mysteries, gifts Adrian Dunbar with a character he could fine tune.Dunbar’s Alex Ridley is a retired Detective Inspector, slowly recovering from a nervous breakdown after his wife and daughter were killed in a house fire.  He returns to work after 18 months but only as a consultant, a development inspired by real-life retired detectives re-joining police forces in consultancy roles.“That means,” Dunbar said, “he’ll go outside normal police procedures — because he’s not bound by police procedures.”Ridley is assisting colleague Carol Farman (Northern Ireland’s Bronagh Waugh) who has been promoted to D.I. He’s also co-owner of a jazz club where he lets off steam at the piano and sings.For Dunbar, 64, having this above-the-title starring role is one result of a long run, from 2012 to 2021, in one of the BBC-TV’s biggest hits.  “Line of Duty,” he said in a phone inter...

Dear Abby: SIL’s unhinged behavior burns a family bridge

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:12 GMT

Dear Abby: I’m hoping you can help with an ongoing issue I’m having with my sister-in-law. She has verbally assaulted me four times, each time acting like she doesn’t remember what she said or apologizing — only to do it again. When these assaults happen, she’s intoxicated and high (I suspect she has an addiction problem).I have never been anything but kind to her, her husband and her children, and I never fight back. These attacks happen mostly via phone or text, after which I hang up or block her. Once, it happened in person, and I just walked away. I have done this so it doesn’t cause even more problems, but I have reached my limit.What do I do next time I see her at a mutual get-together? I already told my husband I will no longer attend events at her home. — Hates All the DramaDear Hates: Have you or your husband approached your sister-in-law’s husband about her erratic behavior and your concern about her substance abuse? I think ...