Health
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Jerry Zezima: Fowl play
I have a bone to pick with the slobs who have been dumping chicken bones and other garbage on our front lawn. But make no bones about it, I will catch these birdbrains because my wife, Sue, and I recently installed a home security system to capture their fowl deeds.
This is the latest poultry problem I have had to cackle — sorry, I mean ...Read more
Chicago's Bug Girl: Janelle Iaccino wants to enlighten the city on the greatness of the creepy, crawly things
When you think of the acronym STEM, you likely know it stands for science, technology, engineering and math. But does it make you think about bugs, rodentia and taxidermy? Janelle Iaccino thinks it should.
Iaccino is marketing director of Rose Pest Solutions, a structural pest control company that ensures nature and the environment stay outside...Read more
A Texas neighborhood was a food desert. Then an ex-Dallas Cowboys linebacker moved in
David Howard knows what it’s like to be successful. He was an NFL linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, and Minnesota Vikings in the 1980s. He also owned a restaurant and was a chef. Now, he wants his neighbors in Fort Worth to know that feeling.
So, how did he get drawn to Stop Six, a Fort Worth neighborhood known more for...Read more
These LA foster kids defied the odds when they aged out: 'This isn't the end of my story'
Alex Ballantyne thought he'd finally found some stability after spending much of his adolescence searching for a home where he felt safe and accepted.
Then, shortly after he collected his high school diploma, his longtime foster family in the Santa Clarita Valley kicked him out.
He found himself homeless, aging out of the Los Angeles County ...Read more
Can straight married men and women be friends? I went on a quest to find out
Last fall I met a guy.
He had a thick mustache and was, by my estimate, at least 10 years my junior. We happened to sit next to each other at a dinner event at my social club. I'd recently watched "Wild Wild Country," a documentary series on a religious cult, and it was all I wanted to talk about. It turned out that he loved documentaries on ...Read more
Ask Anna: Navigating the ripple effects of a poly breakup
Dear Anna,
My primary partner, who I’ll call Alex, and I have been in a loving, committed relationship for five years, and for three of those years, we've been in a closed triad with Sam. Our relationship with Sam grew organically and became a significant part of our lives, deeply intertwining with our daily routines and social circles.
...Read more
On Gardening: Luminary Sunset Coral phlox will have you mesmerized
Sitting on my driveway right now are three Luminary Sunset Coral tall garden phlox, Phlox paniculata. Just saying that color makes me expect a bolt of lightning to strike, and a mysterious voice to say it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature. This variety, still new to most everyone, is so beautiful in color and defies description.
There was a ...Read more
LA influencers, businesses live or die on TikTok's algorithm. Now they fear for the future
Brandon Hurst has built a loyal social media following and a growing business selling plants on TikTok, where a mysterious algorithm combined with the right content can let users amass thousands of followers.
Hurst sold 20,000 plants in three years while running his business on Instagram. After expanding the business he launched in 2020 to ...Read more
Fan accumulates epic collection of rock music memorabilia
Bill Guardino stands amid the nearly unfathomably large collection of music memorabilia that overwhelms the house he shares with his wife Janet and his dog Zappa in Gilroy
“I don’t know where to begin,” the 69-year-old fan says as he is about to guide me on a private tour of his artifacts, curiosities and undeniably cool stuff.
So, I ...Read more
Erika Ettin: 8 places to meet people IRL that aren't dating apps or bars
When there’s a new couple around, it’s natural to ask, “So, how did you meet?” Most of the time, it’s one of these answers: through friends, at work, or on a dating app. Gone are the days when connecting through Tinder or Bumble came with an elaborate lie about a meet-cute that stemmed from sitting together on a plane … it’s so ...Read more
Oh, dear! Baby gear! Why are the manuals so unclear?
Since becoming a father a few months ago, I’ve been nursing a grudge against something tiny, seemingly inconsequential, and often discarded: instructional manuals. Parenthood requires a lot of gadgetry to maintain a kid’s health and welfare. Those gadgets require puzzling over booklets, decoding inscrutable pictographs, and wondering whether...Read more
When Mother's Day hurts: strategies for those struggling
Mother’s Day isn’t just about buying cards and gifts; it’s about acknowledging the unique bond between a mother and her children, and all maternal connections. However, for some, this holiday can be a painful reminder of loss, grief or a complicated relationship. If you find yourself dreading the second Sunday in May (even the days leading...Read more
Steve Lopez: As some nursing homes cry poverty, what can be done about increased staffing requirements?
If you suspect that you or a loved one might one day end up in a nursing home, and you breathed a sigh of relief when the Biden administration announced increased staffing requirements on April 22, you may need to pull a Larry David and curb your enthusiasm.
Biden's follow-through on an earlier promise was applauded by many, given the dark ...Read more
Hi, Karen. I mean, Emily. Mixing up names more common than you think
As a parent, you’ve likely experienced the frustration and embarrassment of calling your child by their sibling’s or your pet’s name. You’re not alone, and you’re not losing your mind. In fact, a recent TikTok video has brought a 2016 Duke University study back into the spotlight, revealing this phenomenon is extremely common.
The ...Read more
The Kid Whisperer: How to make pre-K pickup more functional
Dear Kid Whisperer,
My 4-year-old was having a good day at preschool, but when I arrived to pick her up, she had a meltdown. After getting her to calm down and talk with me, she walked out fine, but it was only a matter of time -- she had another meltdown.
Then, when I got her in the car, her boot fell off. This began a massive power struggle ...Read more
This artist sued to remove homeless people. They also have been his friends and inspiration
Artist Joel Coplin has spent the better part of three years painting what he sees through the window of his studio:
A woman showering with a hose beside barbed wire; a body lying still at an intersection under a streetlight.
Then there's an unfinished piece he calls "The Land of Nod," an homage to the men and women who seem to defy gravity as ...Read more
Lori Borgman: The wonder of motherhood explained in under 500 words
The physical changes of impending motherhood are stunning. Though new curves and nausea can be dramatic, physical changes are only the beginning. The changes that create the deepest imprints happen in the heart.
The first change you notice is a depth love you never knew existed. You cradle that newborn in your arms and a deep swell of wonder ...Read more
Ex-etiquette: Mother's Day dilemma
Q. Each Mother’s Day I am faced with a dilemma. Now that I am in college, I can easily say I love my mom, but I also have a very close relationship with my bonus mom and each year I like to acknowledge her as well. My mom and Jessi get along just fine. We often have brunch together each Mother’s Day. But my family gets even more complicated....Read more
Jerry Zezima: No fly zone
Most people would say — especially in the winter, when insects are vacationing in Florida — that they wouldn’t hurt a fly. Not my wife.
Sue wouldn’t hurt anything else, including me, even though I’m the biggest pest in the house, but she doesn’t like flies.
Or ants. Or spiders. Or any other winged invaders or creepy crawlers that ...Read more
Yikes! You're stuck in a situationship. When to stick around or get out
LOS ANGELES — Meagan Culberson, 32, was on a third date with a guy she met on Hinge when she decided it was time to ask him a make-or-break question: What are you looking for?
They'd gone on fun dates and she was interested in getting to know him better, but only if they were on the same page. She wanted a long-term relationship.
When she ...Read more
Popular Stories
- This artist sued to remove homeless people. They also have been his friends and inspiration
- Laura Yuen: Parents, let's make a pact to get our kids off their screens and back to real-life play
- Yikes! You're stuck in a situationship. When to stick around or get out
- On Gardening: Luminary Sunset Coral phlox will have you mesmerized
- Chicago's Bug Girl: Janelle Iaccino wants to enlighten the city on the greatness of the creepy, crawly things