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Stephen Mihm: America’s on-again, off-again relationship with God

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:18 GMT

If religion in America were bought and sold like a stock, now might be a good time to short it in a big way. In recent weeks and months, a number of pundits have declared that the American love affair with organized religion — and Christianity in particular — is over. Recent surveys suggest that church attendance, already faltering in the 21st century, still hasn’t recovered in the wake of the pandemic.But before we conclude that we’re headed for a godless future, consider the longer ebb and flow of religiosity in this country. In the distant past, organized religion often lost adherents, only to rebound a generation later. And in modern times, church attendance and membership have proven deeply misleading, leading otherwise-sensible observers to assume that secular thinking will triumph.Many Americans have a vague idea that the first European settlers to the American colonies came here to escape religious persecution. That’s sort of true, up to a point...

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: Would you let your friend borrow your roll-on deodorant?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:18 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Today's 98.3 TRY Social Dilemma is from Tina and it's about, well, deodorant. Here's her email: Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Hey Jaime. Quick social dilemma for you. I recently went to the gym with a friend of mine. Not a super close friend, but a friend. Anyway, we worked out, we took our showers and were about to head back to work when my friend said she forgot her deodorant. She asked if she could borrow mine. I had brought a roll-on deodorant with me to the gym, so I said no. I thought it would be disgusting for someone else to use my roll-on. My friend did not understand at all. She said we're both clean and the deodorant is helping to keep us clean, but I don't know. Something about her using it under her arms and knowing it would then be under my arms seemed gross to me. Ultimately she bought a small deodorant and used it, but she's still a bit ticked off at me. Am I weird for thinking that it...

Ask Amy: Siblings confront challenging genealogy

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:18 GMT

Dear Amy: My brother and I are the byproducts of extramarital affairs our mother had between 1943 and 1953, presumably to the same man.For decades we were led to believe that the father who raised us was our biological father.Out of a guilty conscience, our mother eventually spilled the beans about her past. We were devastated.Even though we’ve subscribed to two well-known genealogical databases in an attempt to track down our biological father, our efforts have been fruitless.Both databases put forth hundreds of “possible relatives,” even though his surname has never even appeared in either one of them.The only confirmation that we have of his actual existence was an obscure death certificate, dated 1963.Although he was passed off as nothing more than a family friend at that time, we actually did have social contact with our biological father on rare occasions, so we do know his name.I might mention that our mother did several stints in psychiatric hospitals after...

Niger Crisis: Macron's Africa Strategy Needs Rethinking

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:18 GMT

The unfolding crisis in Niger, a nation grappling with a military coup led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, casts a dark cloud over France's traditionally powerful influence in the Sahel region - writes Bintou Diabaté. This influence, largely unchallenged, has been carefully nurtured and sustained through a three-pronged approach involving diplomatic channels, economic ties, and a potent military presence. Today, as thousands of protesters rally outside the French embassy in Niamey, however, the extent of anti-French sentiment is laid bare, presenting French President Emmanuel Macron with a formidable challenge to his strategic ambitions in Africa.One of the most striking features of the ongoing crisis is the conspicuous Russian presence, manifested in the symbolic waving of Russian flags during the protests. Such a sight would have been unthinkable a few years ago, as France was perceived as the dominant player in Niger and the Sahel region. Now, the Russian mercenary group Wagner, ...

Horoscopes Aug. 25, 2023: Blair Underwood, finish what you start

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:18 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Blake Lively, 36; Blair Underwood, 59; Tim Burton, 65; Elvis Costello, 69.Happy Birthday: Thoughts followed by actions will get you where you want to go this year. A confident attitude backed with facts and foolproof plans will help you glide through any interference you face. Don’t let your generosity be your downfall. Set expectations, and reveal your budget and the goal you hope to achieve. Know your target, stick to a budget and finish what you start. Your numbers are 5, 11, 20, 24, 33, 38, 41.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Do something that boosts your confidence. Make plans with someone you love to hang out with, or sign up for something that interests you and is conducive to making new friends. Personal growth and physical improvement are favored. Make romance a priority. 5 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take your time, think and respond with grace and dignity. Don’t get involved in joint ventures, emotional spending or overindulgence. Ho...

Bridge: Aug. 25, 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:18 GMT

“I can’t say that I always listen to my wife,” a player at my club told me, “but things seem to work out better when I do.”My friend said he was today’s West in a duplicate game and led a diamond against South’s 3NT.“My wife was East and followed with the deuce,” he told me. “Declarer won with the jack and led the jack of clubs, winning, and then the king and ten. I won the third club, and my wife discarded the deuce of hearts.“I led another diamond, hoping South had only the ace left. But dummy’s king won, and South followed with the eight. He took four hearts, four clubs and three diamonds. My wife apologized for not having lower cards than deuces with which to signal.”ELOQUENTEast’s signals were eloquent, and my friend should have listened. When he takes the ace of clubs, he should trust his wife and shift to the ace and four of spades. The defense wins four spades and a club.Listen to your partne...

Word Game: Aug. 25, 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:18 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — GRADUATE (GRADUATE: GRAD-joo-ate: To receive an academic degree or to pass from one stage to another.)Average mark 31 wordsTime limit 40 minutesCan you find 42 or more words in GRADUATE? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — DERMAL dale dame dare deal dear dram dream earl rale read real realm ream made male mare marl mead meal medal medlar meld alder armed lade lame lamer lard leadTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Sa...

Kremlin denies role in plane crash believed to have killed Wagner Group leader

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:18 GMT

President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, on Friday rejected allegations that the Kremlin was behind a plane crash that is presumed to have killed mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who led an abortive uprising two months ago. “Right now, of course, there are lots of speculations around this plane crash and the tragic deaths of the passengers of the plane, including Yevgeny Prigozhin. Of course, in the West those speculations are put out under a certain angle, and all of it is a complete lie,” Peskov told reporters during a conference call.Asked by The Associated Press whether the Kremlin has received an official confirmation of Prigozhin’s death, Peskov referenced Putin’s remarks from a day earlier: “He said that right now all the necessary forensic analyses, including genetic testing, will be carried out. Once some kind of official conclusions are ready to be released, they will be released.”A preliminary U.S. intelligence assessment concluded that the plane was dow...

Hibbett: Fiscal Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:18 GMT

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Hibbett, Inc. (HIBB) on Friday reported fiscal second-quarter net income of $10.9 million.The Birmingham, Alabama-based company said it had profit of 85 cents per share.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 68 cents per share.The sporting goods retailer posted revenue of $374.9 million in the period, which missed Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $376.8 million.Hibbett expects full-year earnings to be $7 to $7.75 per share._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on HIBB at https://www.zacks.com/ap/HIBBSource

‘Beyond Granite: Pulling Together’ brings six interactive art installations to National Mall

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:18 GMT

toggle audio on and off change volume download audio WTOP's Jason Fraley explores the art installation 'Let Freedom Ring' (Part 1) $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('send', 'event', 'Audio', 'play', audio_filename); }); });  The nation’s capital has rarely felt more creatively alive than it does right now on the National Mall.Visitors are enjoying six interactive art installations across the National Mall now through Sept. 18.“We’ve come together to elevate stories untold on the National Mall,&...