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Other voices: The federal government is a fiscal mess

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:14:24 GMT

Decades of excessive spending, paid with debt, are hitting America’s credit rating. On Aug. 1 Fitch Ratings downgraded the United States federal government’s rating from AAA, the best, to AA+, one notch below. Fitch blamed “the expected fiscal deterioration over the next three years, a high and growing general government debt burden, the erosion of governance” and two decades of “debt standoff” over raising the debt ceiling.The debt size has soared from $6.2 trillion in 2002 to $32.7 trillion today — five times higher.It’s now 123% of the entire U.S. economy. That occurred under both Democratic and Republican presidents.The worst was Republican President Donald Trump, under whom it rose from $20.2 billion in 2017 to $29.6 billion in 2021 — $9.4 billion more.A big problem is that not just Democrats but even Republicans won’t begin to discuss entitlement reform, as Dan Mitchell, the president of the Center for Freedom and Pro...

Q&A: FamilyMeans celebrates 60 years of helping MN families cope with debt and other challenges

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:14:24 GMT

When a New Richmond, Wis., couple found themselves more than $100,000 in debt a few years ago, they turned to FamilyMeans for help.The Stillwater-based nonprofit, celebrating its 60th anniversary this month, counsels individuals, couples and families, and provides consumer credit-counseling services, caregiver support and youth development programs.Jim Kroening, president of of FamilyMeans in Stillwater. (Courtesy of FamilyMeans)In the case of the New Richmond couple, who owed $89,000 to 11 credit card companies and about $20,000 to other creditors, FamilyMeans’ consumer credit counselors were able to set them up on a repayment plan that they followed to a T, said Jim Kroening, the organization’s president.The couple didn’t go into debt taking lavish vacations or buying expensive cars; it was an accumulation of “life expenses” and medical bills, Kroening said. “A lot of it was housing repairs – replacing roofs and furnaces and AC units. They came in thinking that there was no way th...

Skywatch: A great meteor shower and great summer scorpion

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:14:24 GMT

Last week in Skywatch, I told you about the great Perseid meteor shower that continues this weekend, peaking late Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Earth is plowing into debris trail left in the wake of Comet Swift-Tuttle. In the dark countryside, it’s possible to see more than 50 meteors or “shooting stars” an hour, and even a good number in urban areas with limited light pollution. My advice for watching the Perseids, or any other meteor shower, is to lie on the ground or a reclining lawn chair and roll your eyes around the sky. Watching a meteor shower with family and friends is fun because you have many more eyes watching the big sky. The best time to watch the Perseids is between midnight and the start of morning twilight.One of the great summer constellations is Scorpius the Scorpion, prowling just above the south-southwest horizon in the early evening. You certainly won’t crane your neck to see it!It’s the 10th-brightest constellation in t...

Ask Amy: Suicide survivors are devastated by in-laws

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:14:24 GMT

Dear Amy: My husband and I lost our only son, who was 27 and died by suicide.This happened almost three years ago. We remain traumatized and grief-stricken. We do not have a large family, so support was important to help us cope with this tragedy.My in-laws live out of state, and they did nothing to acknowledge this tragic death, nor did their children (they are successful adults, both working full time in their respective careers).Last month, after three years, my in-laws told us they would be stopping in our city on their way to a summer vacation, and they wanted to go to our son’s gravesite while they were here for a few hours.Once they arrived, they made no acknowledgment of his death, and instead talked about their recent acquisitions (a Mercedes, a beach house, and a boat) and how excited they were about having these things.I understand that we live in a grief-illiterate society, and that people don’t know what to say, but this behavior was bizarre, hurtful, insensitive, and a...

Word Game: Aug. 13, 2023

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:14:24 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — ABSOLVED (ABSOLVED: ab-ZOLV’D: Pardoned; set someone free from an obligation or guilt.)Average mark 43 wordsTime limit 60 minutesCan you find 56 or more words in ABSOLVED?TODAY’S WORD — ABSOLVED able abode above absolve adobe aloe also bade bald bale base bead blade blase bled bode bola bold sable sale salve salvo save seal slab slave sled slob sloe soda sold sole solve oval lade lase lead load loaves lobe lode lose love vale valse vase veal veld vole dale deal doable does dole dose doveTo 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 ...

Bridge: Aug. 13, 2023

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:14:24 GMT

When a player takes an unsuccessful action — but one he is sure was correct — he may appeal to higher authority. Players often come to me seeking support for a bid or play, or asking me to assess blame for a partnership mix-up.It’s not a pleasant job; I’m sure to make at least one person unhappy. Moreover, bridge is an ego-driven game, and no matter what I say, a player will tend to remain persuaded by the logic that led him to the losing action.Two players brought me today’s deal. Against four hearts, West had led a spade, and East took the queen and ace. South won the third spade and drew trumps. Finding no miracle in diamonds, he lost two diamonds.The point of contention was the bidding.“Four hearts was a poor contract,” North argued. “We’re better off at 3NT. We make it if West leads a spade and have a chance with a club lead. My partner should bid 2NT or 3NT at his second turn.”“Bidding notrump with J-3-2 in spad...

Horoscopes Aug. 13, 2023: John Slattery, take responsibility for your happiness

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:14:24 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Shani Davis, 41; Debi Mazar, 59; John Slattery, 61; Dawnn Lewis, 62.Happy Birthday: Trying to convince others to follow your lead this year will waste time. Size up your situation and configure a plan that you can embrace alone. Opportunities will come from unexpected sources and tempt you to make a move or change that will redirect your life and improve your lifestyle. Trust in yourself and your ability to take responsibility for your happiness. Your numbers are 8, 14, 20, 28, 31, 36, 42.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Bypass feeling sorry for yourself or taking on burdens that don’t belong to you. Focus on what you can do to improve yourself and your position. Leave nothing to chance or up to someone else. Honesty is necessary to achieve the best outcome. 2 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Remain where you feel comfortable and you’ll achieve more. Taking on too much or letting temptation take over will set you back. Pick and choose your course of...

Kylian Mbappe returns to training with PSG after constructive talks with the club

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:14:24 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Kylian Mbappe has returned to training with Paris Saint-Germain after “constructive and positive talks” between the two parties, the club said Sunday.Mbappe watched from the stands on Saturday night as defending champion PSG drew 0-0 at home to Lorient because he is mired in a contract standoff. He wants to play this season and leave for free when his contract runs out, but PSG wants to sell him to stop this happening.“After very constructive and positive discussions between Paris Saint-Germain and Kylian Mbappe before the PSG-Lorient match, the player has returned to training with the first-team group this (Sunday) morning,” PSG said in a statement.The World Cup star was left out of the pre-season tour to Japan and South Korea and then trained apart from the first-team regulars last week. Now he could play away to Toulouse on Saturday.PSG received a world-record $332 million bid from Saudi Arabian team Al-Hilal for Mbappe, who reportedly refused to meet with representa...

Police respond to serious crash on Mass Pike in Newton

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:14:24 GMT

State police are investigation a serious crash overnight on the Mass. Pike in Newton.Video from the scene showed state troopers with flashlights looked over two damaged vehicles in the westbound lanes. No additional information was immediately available.This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Orioles break through in 10th to beat red-hot Mariners, 1-0, as Félix Bautista once again dominates extra frame

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:14:24 GMT

The Mariners honored King Félix on Saturday. The Orioles showed a new reign has begun.After Seattle inducted Félix Hernández into their hall of fame, Baltimore beat the Mariners, 1-0, in 10 innings, with Ryan Mountcastle singling in automatic runner Cedric Mullins in the top half of the extra frame before closer Félix Bautista stranded Seattle’s free runner in the bottom half with three strikeouts in his second inning.It marked the fourth time manager Brandon Hyde has tasked his All-Star reliever with pitching both the ninth and 10th innings. In those appearances, Bautista has pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing four base runners with 15 strikeouts. He has retired all 12 batters he has faced in those 10th innings with nine strikeouts.“What he’s done this entire season is unbelievable,” Hyde said. “There’s no other closers that are doing that.”Mariners fans booed when Bautista entered for the bottom of the ninth; alt...