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Editorial: Medicaid enrollment drop didn’t lead to disaster

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:21:16 GMT

Former President Ronald Reagan once noted, “No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size.” That’s true, which is why what’s currently happening with Medicaid is so remarkable.During the pandemic, Medicaid enrollment grew dramatically because the federal government tied increased emergency funding to a provision that prevented states from removing ineligible individuals from the rolls. Earlier this year, Medicaid enrollment ballooned from 65 million people to more than 94 million. That’s more than a quarter of the country’s population.So much for Medicaid being coverage of last resort for the neediest.Reagan foresaw that outcome. The rest of his above quote states, “Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll ever see on this Earth.”To prove his point, the White House kept renewing the emergency order even as the pandemic faded. This was a backdoor effort to permanently expand Medicaid.But Repu...

Riley Gaines: Charlie Baker can protect women’s sports

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:21:16 GMT

A penalty corner. A male player at the top of the circle winds up for a shot at the goal. Female defenders rush to try to get their stick on the ball. The male hitter has made contact with the solid ball. The ball is in the air headed straight into the teeth of a female defender. Screams. Teeth are knocked out of her mouth and there’s significant damage to her jaw. The male player stays on the field to finish up and win the game for the women’s field hockey team 2-0. The female players are devastated.This happened in Charlie Baker’s backyard. Not only in his home state but in a sport his daughter Caroline played and one which he now oversees in his role today. Yet, Charlie Baker – former Massachusetts governor and current National Collegiate Athletic Association president – has said nothing about the horrific incident.Baker continues to say nothing with respect to preserving the safety and integrity of women’s sports.Baker says he cares about women’s sports. He should. His dau...

Young cat coughs, older cat loses weight

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:21:16 GMT

Dear Dr. John,I have a new cat not quite a year old and another that is 13. I brought the kitten in to keep the old guy company. Things are going OK but the kitten is always trying to play with the other cat and grooms him a lot. As a result, sometimes the older cat wants nothing to do with the youngster.I have two concerns. The younger cat has taken to having some coughing fits. I looked it up online and it looks like asthma. Could he have asthma at his age? What do you recommend that I do? The older cat has taken to eating a bit less and has lost a fair amount of weight. He has always vomited a lot of hairballs and is currently vomiting once or twice a day. Could he be sick and what might cause a fair amount of weight loss at his age? Could the kitten be causing this problem? D.A.Dear D.A.,New kittens introduced into a household sometimes work out well and other times not so well. While a young cat could develop asthma, it usually affects cats starting at a few years of age, so it...

Fun things to do with the kids during Vacation Week

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:21:16 GMT

Between all the holiday shopping, end of term projects,  ornament swaps, cookie exchanges, your job and giving back to the community, it’s no wonder you haven’t had time to nail down vacation week adventure plans for your brood. Because that’s what good parents do, right?There’s good news: There’s plenty to be had over the busy holiday week. If you’re looking for educational, adventurous, or even simply a way to keep them busy, there are still ways to make vacation week fabulous.Consider these itineraries for an easy yet interesting family adventure.Sparkling city funBundle up, head in to Boston and start your adventure at the Seaport with Snowport (https://www.bostonseaport.xyz/), a fun pop-up village of cool holiday themed shopping and food. It’s all served out of quaint sheds in a lovely setting, and the perfect way to spend whatever crisp bills were tucked into holiday cards.From there, meander down Summer Street to Congress Street, Sudbury Street to Nort...

6 key Norman Lear TV shows and where to watch them

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:21:16 GMT

Norman Lear wasn’t just an epochal talent — he was highly prolific to boot. So much so that the legendary producer, who died Tuesday at 101, had at least one TV series, and as many as nine at once, on the air throughout the entire period between 1971 and 1986.To help you get a handle on where to start with Lear, or where to catch up with your old favorites, we asked our critics to compile a list of his six most essential TV shows and where to stream them.‘All in the Family’ (CBS, 1971-1979)Prime-time television was revolutionized by “All in the Family” when it premiered in 1971. The half-hour sitcom dared to tackle politics and social ills in a comedy set in the cramped Bunker household, where bigoted, grousing patriarch Archie (Carroll O’Connor) laid bare America’s changing values in the midst of the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and women’s liberation. Hate him or love him, Archie was a reflection of a country in flux, and “All in the Family” a demarcation point for the c...

‘Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget’ heads to Netflix nest

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:21:16 GMT

Britain’s Aardman Animation is rightly admired for its phenomenal success over the years with stop-motion clay figures. Its breakthrough and still most successful hit is “Chicken Run” – which has now spawned a 23-years-later sequel “Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.”“Nugget” director Sam Fell remembers the hook that drew everyone to “Chicken Run” – “It’s ‘The Great Escape’ – with chickens!”“That was a massive milestone for the studio. Eventually,” he said in a virtual press conference, “a new single line came about that unlocked a new version of it, a new story. That line was, ‘This time, they’re breaking in.’ With just that one line, it promised a new kind of movie for Aardman. A break-in, a heist, and all of the comic invention that it conjures up with the ingenuity of Aardman characters breaking into a ginormous building and the unlikeliness of chickens as action heroes.“No Tom Cruise, no Sly Stallone. It’s chickens! It just had this inherently comic notion to it ̵...

Is artificial intelligence taking over my job?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:21:16 GMT

Q. I work in HR. My work is slowly being given to AI. Am I outsourcing my job to technology? I enjoy what I do, but if I’m becoming obsolete, what’s my next step?A. Embrace technology. Although AI has been around for years, work handled by generative AI can amplify your productivity so you can dive into deep thinking work.While your profession has a strong people component, the work also includes transactional tasks (like processing an internal transfer date that triggers a new salary and business unit.)Automation changes the nature of work — both people and technology become more valuable. By partnering with AI to handle monotonous tasks, you can be more high-level strategic by immersing yourself in invigorating brainstorming sessions and exchanging ideas that tap into your highest talents and skills.According to the IBM Institute for Business Value research, AI is about people and how work gets done. In the AI era, people skills are essential.The research shows that pe...

Volunteering has health benefits, especially for seniors

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:21:16 GMT

Dear Mayo Clinic: My neighbor recently retired, and I’ve been trying to convince her to volunteer at the library with me. She’s not swayed by my stories of feeling good from helping others. Can you share some other benefits of dedicating her time and energy to a cause?A: Thank you for volunteering in your community and for trying to persuade your neighbor to join you. Volunteers make an immeasurable difference in people’s lives.The act of volunteering also benefits a person’s health as well. Research has shown that volunteering offers significant health benefits, especially for older adults. Here are the top three you can share with your neighbor:1. Improves physical and mental health.Volunteer activities keep people moving and thinking at the same time. Research has found that volunteering among adults who are 60 and older provided benefits to physical and mental health. Volunteers report better physical health than nonvolunteers.Volunteering leads to lower ...

Active Olivia loves to play Just Dance

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:21:16 GMT

Olivia is a friendly and spunky young girl who enjoys cooking, playing with her dolls, painting her nails and board games. She also enjoys being active and playing at the playground.Olivia is social, friendly and outgoing and easily engages in conversation. Olivia has built positive relationships with her peers and caregivers. She responds well to support and praise. Olivia can get silly and is often seen joking with others.Olivia will benefit from a home with at least one female parent, with or without older children in the home. A family will need to have the time and patience to appropriately care for Olivia in order to best support her needs. Olivia has a relationship with her three siblings, and a family should be willing to support these relationships post-adoption.Can I adopt?If you’re at least 18 years old, have a stable source of income, and room in your heart, you may be a perfect match to adopt a waiting child. Adoptive parents can be single, married, or partnered; experi...

Cheating ex wants her back at the holidays

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:21:16 GMT

Q. My ex cheated and broke up our family, which we worked hard to blend for more than 20 years. By the time I left, I was pretty disgusted with his antics. My ex was awful during the breakup and made our adult children choose with whom they would spend Christmas. This holiday is different. He is texting me things like, “I want you in my life so I will do what I have to do to make that happen.” I don’t know what that means, and my kids are putting pressure on me to take him seriously. What’s good ex-etiquette?A. Around the holidays I always get questions about spending time as a family even though there has been a breakup. It’s like people watch the Sci-Fi Channel all year long and then around the holidays switch to Hallmark.I’m not surprised your kids want you to consider his offer. No matter what has happened in the past, kids of any age want their parents to reconcile. Unfortunately, they don’t look at cheating the same way you do.If you fear your ex is playing games and you want ...