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‘Strange Planet’ a cheerful look at humanity through an alien lens

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:27:00 GMT

“Strange Planet,” the popular web comic by Nathan W. Pyle, has been expanded, by Pyle and Dan Harmon, into a television series streaming on Apple TV+. Bright, sweet and cheerful, if unusually concerned with mortality, it is, as satire, highly affectionate — keen to human frailty but understanding, hopeful, more engaged with our possibilities than our limitations.The series centers on a race of vaguely lightbulb-shaped, barely distinguishable blue beings who, for all intents and purposes, are human beings on a planet that, for all intents and purposes, is Earth, its two moons notwithstanding. The comic is a witty commentary on a variety of human desires, habits, behaviors, strategies and pursuits, observing daily life through the filter of an “alien” language, in which the heart is a “blood pump,” parents are “lifegivers,” years are “rotations,” alcohol is “mild poison,” coffee is “jitter liquid” and a high school dance is an “adolescent limbshake.” (“Throw your hands in the air like...

Heart problems in beloved senior dog

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:27:00 GMT

Dear Dr. John,Our family is heartbroken after we had to put our elderly mother’s 13-year-old Terrier to sleep. We are thinking about getting her a new dog and would welcome any thoughts about what might be good for a woman who is 90. We have some questions about what happened to our old family dog. He was in reasonable health except for having developed a heart murmur about two years ago. It had progressed but was being managed by a cardiologist. Just before things turned badly, the dog had not been eating for two days and was more tired than usual. We called our vet and sent him a video. He noticed the dog was panting and had labored breathing and referred us into an emergency facility. There, we were told that the dog had a heart rate of 20, and it was determined that not much could be done short of surgery to place a pacemaker. We opted not to put the dog through the difficulty given the risks, life expectancy, and cost. What causes a dog’s heart to slow down so much? H.S.Dear H....

How to pursue a career as an EMS pro

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:27:00 GMT

Emergency medical personnel are often first on the scene when someone experiences an accident or a medical emergency. EMS workers are generally trained and certified as certified first responders, emergency medical technicians and paramedics. However, the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians recognizes five different levels of emergency medical service worker. Though similar, the requirements governing each type of EMS worker vary.All EMS workers provide life-saving services and help transport individuals to hospitals for additional treatment and care. Here is a deep look into the different EMS personnel and the training one might expect.Certified first responderA certified first responder is an integral member of an EMS team. These individuals provide basic medical care at the scene of emergencies, including basic first aid, stabilization of injuries, treating shock, and other tasks. First responders must be certified by the National Registry of Emergency Technicians,...

TV Q&A: Did Chevy Chase turn down ‘American Gigolo’ role?

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:27:00 GMT

You have questions. I have some answers.Q: I was doing a puzzle where a clue was an actor turned down the lead in the movie “American Gigolo” because of its content — and the answer was Chevy Chase. Is that really true?A: Vulture.com in 2011 indeed said Chase turned down the role because “he was uncomfortable with the sexual content of the film.” In an interview with HuffPost the following year, Chase said he turned down a lot of movies: “I turned down ‘Forrest Gump,’ I turned down ‘American Gigolo.’ There are many films — like ‘Ghostbusters’ — that I turned down … the first one I did was ‘Foul Play’ with Goldie Hawn, but I turned down ‘Animal House.’ I turned that down.” He regretted the rejections because the movies “made huge amounts of money and I would be very wealthy, but I don’t regret working with Goldie.”By the way, Chase was in one film before “Foul Play”: the sketch comedy “The Groove Tube.” And “American Gigolo” inspired a TV series which ran on Showtim...

Catch the harbor delights at great Mass. waterfront fests

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:27:00 GMT

What you need this time of year is a safe harbor – a safe harbor for fun, that is. All along coastal Massachusetts, that’s just what you’ll find.Our harbor towns and cities love to celebrate their beauty with festivals that not only highlight their ports, but keep visitors entertained all day with fun, food and more.Consider these in the coming weeks.Gloucester Waterfront Festival: The Gloucester Waterfront Festival , set for Aug. 19-20 this year, has been celebrating their culture and location for 42 years.This year, the show is back and bigger than than it was pre-pandemic.The day starts out early for those who want to make it a full experience with the town’s delicious Rotary Club pancake breakfast, taking place from 7:30 – 11 a.m. at  Stage Fort Park, where the entire weekend of events are centered.The breakfast, a fundraiser for the organization, is $9 for adults and $5 for children six and under. Tickets can be pre-purchased at www.gloucesterrotary.org, or purchased at the doo...

Engaging K’Lonie likes listening to music

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:27:00 GMT

K’Lonie is a sweet young girl who is social and engaging. She enjoys getting her nails done and watching videos. She likes listening to music and humming along and loves interacting with her teachers and peers.K’Lonie currently attends a residential school where she participates in lessons and activities but requires supervision throughout her day. She has shown immense potential for learning new skills.K’Lonie will thrive with an energetic and committed two-parent family that has natural supports in place. A family will also need to be strong educational advocates and comfortable accessing community services. The ideal family for K’Lonie will help her maintain contact with members of her birth family and support their relationships.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; experienced or not; renters or homeowners; LG...

Get on the same page with your co-parent

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:27:00 GMT

Q. My daughter tells me she doesn’t want to go back to her father’s house when her time with him is up. I told her father and he said that is exactly what she tells him (about going back to my house). I am confident my daughter wouldn’t lie about something like that. What’s good ex-etiquette?A. That your child tells you she doesn’t want to leave does not necessarily mean she prefers your home. It means exactly what she is telling you. She doesn’t want to leave — and she may very well be telling her father the same thing because she doesn’t want to leave him, either.Your child may be torn between the two people she loves the most. When she’s settled in, she doesn’t want to pack up and go back to the other home. Consider that she’s not lying, and neither is her father. They are both telling the truth.A poor response would be:“You have to go, it’s a court order.” “The judge says you have to go.”A child’s parents or other trusted caregivers are that child’s greatest source of security. ...

How to choose an insect repellent for your child

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:27:00 GMT

Warmer weather means more chances for kids to go outside to play, hike and enjoy the fresh air with family and friends. Warmer weather also means preventing insect bites.Biting insects such as mosquitoes and biting flies can make children miserable. More worrisome is that bites from some insects can cause serious illnesses.Depending on where you live, you may already be familiar with illnesses that spread from insects to people. For example, Lyme disease, West Nile virus and Zika spread through the bite of a mosquito or tick. Recently, insect-borne illnesses are on the rise, due in part to the effects of climate change.One way to protect your child is to use insect repellents. Choose one that is effective at preventing bites from insects commonly found where you live. Follow the instructions on the label for proper use.Keep in mind that most insect repellents don’t kill insects. Insects that bite — not ones that sting — are kept away by repellents. Biting insects include mosqu...

Maui deaths rise to 89 with more than 2,200 structures destroyed or damaged. Follow live updates

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:27:00 GMT

By REBECCA BOONE (Associated Press)Follow live updates about wildfires that have devastated parts of Maui in Hawaii this week, destroying a historic town and forcing evacuations. The National Weather Service said Hurricane Dora, which passed south of the island chain, was partly to blame for strong winds that initially drove the flames, knocking out power and grounding firefighting helicopters.In a press conference Saturday, Gov. Josh Green said the number of confirmed deaths from the Maui wildfires has risen to 89, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than 100 years.Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said officials have identified two of the 89 victims, but the process is extremely challenging because “we pick up the remains and they fall apart.”“When we find our family and our friends, the remains that we’re finding is through a fire that melted metal. We have to do rapid DNA to identify them. Every one of these 89 are John and Jane Does,” Pell...

Dear Abby: Stay out of teen kids’ rom-drama

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:27:00 GMT

Dear Abby: My son dated a girl for 3 1/2 years in high school. Both were sure they had found their life mate. While my husband and I knew it was a long shot, they believed it was true because the girl’s parents had been high school sweethearts.When school ended, they split up, hoping to remain friends and maybe rekindle when they were older. They are now off to college. Before my son left, rumors started flying that the breakup was his fault, and lies were spread to create a victim and a villain. The gossip came from the girl. My son refused to defend himself. Not one of his friends stood up for him and asked if it was true; they just quietly cut him out.Three weeks after the breakup, his ex started dating another boy in the friend group. No one, including the parents, have spoken up and pointed out that this is even mildly unethical. To make matters worse, the boy my son’s ex is dating is the brother of my older son’s girlfriend. They are in a serious long-distanc...