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Dishonesty is a bad sign in a big deal

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:55:56 GMT

Question: Regarding your July 22, 2023, column titled “When decorum goes out the door, the results can make tempers flare” on The Mercury News and East Bay Times websites:You wrote about where and how customers can complain about real estate agents. We bought our first house, and the air conditioner does not work. We did know this before the home sale closed. But the realty agents agreed that the home warranty company would cover the broken air conditioner. So last week we filed a claim. The home warranty representative requested the home inspection report. We complied with their request.This week, the home warranty company denied our claim. The rejection cited by the home inspector stated the air conditioner was “past its useful life.” The rejection also noted that “pre-existing conditions are not covered.” How can we lodge a complaint to have the colluding realty agents pay for the air conditioning? A: Be careful about the word colluding. Merriam-Webster’s online definition i...

Word Game: July 29, 2023

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:55:56 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — SILENTLY (SILENTLY: SYE-lent-lee: Without making any sound.)Average mark 39 wordsTime limit 45 minutesCan you find 49 or more words in SILENTLY? The list will be published Monday.YESTERDAY’S WORD — SERIOCOMIC score scrim secco semi sire soccer some sore emir rice rime rise room roomie rose icier iris cero cisco coco coir come comer comic core corm cosmic cries crime mesic mice micro mire miser miso moire moor moose more mores moroseTo 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.Co...

Horoscopes July 29, 2023: Martina McBride, do what you do best

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:55:56 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Munro Chambers, 33; Jason Belmonte, 40; Josh Radnor, 49; Martina McBride, 57.Happy Birthday: Be the one to make a difference this year. Stand tall and use your attributes to help others. Don’t let those less admirable rain on your parade. Be the proud provider and you will rise to the top and surpass those looking for a free ride. Choose not to be a follower when leading is in your best interest. Take charge, and do what you do best. Your numbers are 6, 13, 22, 24, 38, 44, 47.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Learn as you go, and you’ll reach the top. Get out and mingle with people heading in a similar direction or who share your interests. A self-improvement project will lift your spirits and build confidence. Romance is on the rise. 5 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Keep life simple. Consider what’s advantageous and make it happen. Dedication and persistence will pay off and set the bar high for anyone who wants to challenge you. Don’t...

Bridge: July 29, 2023

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:55:56 GMT

“Simple Saturday” columns focus on improving basic technique and logical thinking.An item in my local paper stated that a local political party was seeking promising candidates to run for office. Which moved me to wonder if there is any other kind.Against today’s 3NT, West led the queen of spades. South won with dummy’s king and counted seven fast tricks. He knew that a 3-2 break in clubs was much more promising than a 3-3 break in diamonds, so South took the A-K of clubs.FIVE TRICKSThe suit indeed broke evenly, and declarer conceded the third club. West threw a heart. East then returned a spade to force out declarer’s ace, and no matter how he continued, the defenders could manage five tricks.The club suit held false promise. Since South needed two extra tricks, he had to rely on the diamonds. After he wins the first spade, he should lead the A-K and a third diamond. He succeeds only a little more than a third of the time, but that is better than no ch...

Ilestedt scores twice as Sweden beats Italy 5-0 to reach knockout rounds at Women’s World Cup.

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:55:56 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — After leaving it to the last minute against South Africa, Sweden left nothing to chance Saturday in a 5-0 win over Italy which sealed its place in the knockout rounds of the Women’s World Cup.Sweden relied on Amanda Ilestedt’s 90th-minute winner to salvage a 2-1 win from a sub-par performance in its opener against South Africa.Ilestedt was Sweden’s first scorer Saturday, this time in the 39th, and her glancing header from a corner sparked a flood of four Swedish goals in 11 minutes on either side of halftime. Her second goal came in the 50th and was a mirror image of the first.Rebecka Blomqvist finished it off with Sweden’s fifth goal in stoppage time.The Swedish attack again looked hesitant in the first 20 minutes. Italy appeared more composed over the ball in that period and more threatening with Sofia Cantore particularly dangerous on the right. Cantore had the first shot on goal in the opening minute, finding the keeper at t...

Sweden 5, Italy 0

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:55:56 GMT

Italy00—0Sweden32—5First Half_1, Sweden, Ilestedt, (Andersson), 39th minute; 2, Sweden, Rolfo, 44th; 3, Sweden, Blackstenius, 45th+1.Second Half_4, Sweden, Ilestedt, (Andersson), 50th; 5, Sweden, Blomqvist, (Jakobsson), 90th+5.Goalies_Italy, Francesca Durante, Laura Giuliani, Rachele Baldi; Sweden, Zecira Musovic, Jennifer Falk, Tove Enblom.Yellow Cards_None.Referee_Cheryl Foster. Assistant Referees_Michelle O’Neill, Franca Overtoom, Pol van Boekel. 4th Official_Myriam Marcotte.___Source

High temperatures and humidity continue to scorch DC region during heat wave

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:55:56 GMT

Listen live for the latest weather updates on the 8s on WTOP. The sweltering three-day heat wave in the D.C. region will continue on Saturday, with temperatures expected to reach the upper 90s in the afternoon and humidity driving up the heat index to over 100 degrees.The region is under an Excessive Heat Warning from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, with residents urged by local leaders to stay cool and hydrated.A cold front should swing into the region on Saturday night, finally offering relief from the heat. WTOP meteorologist Steve Prinzivalli says that northwesterly winds will bring cooler and less humid weather for the second half of the weekend.“The weekend will start with more oppressive heat, humidity, and nasty thunderstorms before quieter and refreshing weather returns by Sunday,” Prinzivalli said.The National Weather Service said that cool weather should last into next week.Excessive Heat continues into Saturday afternoon, but a cool-down is in sight for Sunday in...

Spain election repeat more likely after expat vote leaves left-right tie in parliament

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:55:56 GMT

Spain’s already complicated electoral landscape just got a lot more complex.On Saturday, the count of the 233,688 ballots deposited by Spaniards living abroad — which are tallied five days after the in-person vote is held — led to the redistribution of seats in the Spanish parliament. As a result, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist Party lost one of the spots it was allocated in Madrid, which will now go to the center-right Popular Party.The Popular Party is now set to have 137 MPs in the next legislature; together with the far-right Vox party’s 33 MPs and the single MP belonging to the affiliated Navarrese People’s Union (UPN), the right-wing bloc is set to control at least 171 seats — the same number as Sánchez and his preferred partners. Should the Canarian Coalition revise its stated position, which is against backing any government that includes Vox, the conservative bloc could add another seat to its tally.Those numbers do not ...

Patriots extra points: Bill Belichick touts rookie WR, Matt Judon explains red sleeves

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:55:56 GMT

FOXBORO — According to Bill Belichick, Demario Douglas is like most of the other Patriots’ rookies.He’s hard-working, versatile and taking on new roles during training camp. Except, unlike any other rookie, Douglas has seen regular snaps with the starting offense in all three practices to date. The 5-foot-8, 192-pounder out of Liberty has impressed with his quickness, especially out of the slot He caught four passes during team drills Friday.Douglas has also tried his hand at returning, working as one of three kick returners to work in full-team kickoff drills in the Pats’ last practice.“Demario’s working at returns and offensively inside and outside, so it’s a big jump for him from a competition level in college, but he seems to be transitioning pretty well,” Belichick said. “He’s a smart kid. He picks things up well, learns quickly, so all things that work in his favor, but we’ll see how it goes when things get more competitive next week.&...

Triston Casas, Kutter Crawford lead Red Sox past Giants 3-2

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:55:56 GMT

Triston Casas went down in a heap. The big Red Sox first baseman had just fouled a pitch right off his shin, and while it undoubtedly hurt like crazy Casas was able to gather himself and step back into the box.Then he sent the next pitch he saw 435 feet into the center field bleachers.One of the hottest hitters in baseball since the All-Star break, Casas kept things going with another huge game to power the Red Sox to a 3-2 win over the San Francisco Giants to kick off their latest west coast trip. He went 2 for 4 with two RBI, crushing the solo home run along with a run-scoring ground rule double, and starting pitcher Kutter Crawford earned the win after delivering one of his best outings of the season.Casas started the scoring in the top of the second after Adam Duvall doubled down the left field line, bringing him in with a bomb to straightaway center that bounced off the warning track and into the outfield stands. He then homered his next time up to lead off the fifth, prompting...