We were made in the image of God and were meant to be free

Gratitude: It shouldn't be that hard. Everything we have is a gift. That's not the stuff of politics much anymore. We live in a time when anger is more of the trend. But that's not going to work. Gratitude is the only healthy way forward.

In 1814, British forces invaded Washington, D.C., and set fire to the White House.

21-year-old stressed over parents’ savings

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a 21-year-old woman, and I am feeling increasingly stressed and overwhelmed about my parents’ low savings. Over the past few years, my mom and dad have been making it known to me and my siblings that they have very little savings and are unsure if they will ever be able to retire. This revelation has created a significant amount of anxiety and pressure for all of us.

Health debate over plant-based burgers

Dear Doctors: My roommates are vegetarians, and they eat a lot of those plant-based burgers that look like real beef. I have read the labels, and they have tons of ingredients, some that I can’t pronounce. Isn’t this an ultra-processed food? Are any of them are actually good for you?

Kamala Harris, Joe Biden and the border

If the Trump campaign has any say in it, Americans should learn the name of Gianfranco Torres-Navarro. According to U.S. authorities, Torres-Navarro is the leader of a Peruvian crime gang and is thought to be personally responsible for 23 murders.

Parent expects daughter to take family

DEAR HARRIETTE: Am I unreasonable for expecting my daughter to take her dog with her after she graduates from college? When my daughter was in fifth grade, she really wanted a dog. I wasn’t particularly keen on the idea, but she was persistent. She promised to take care of him, and I gave in. We got a Pomeranian, and he’s been with us ever since. He’s about 12 years old now and could live for another five years or more. Caring for him has been a lot of work, and as time has passed, I’ve found it increasingly difficult to keep up with his needs. I was looking forward to my daughter taking over his care once she graduated from college. However, she has recently told me that she doesn’t want to take him with her to San Francisco. Her reasons are understandable: She’ll be working around 70 hours a week and living in a small apartment without the large yard he’s used to here in Wisconsin. She worries that she won’t have the time or the space to give him the quality of life he’s accustomed to. While I understand her concerns, I feel frustrated. – Long-Term Doggy Care DEAR LONG-TERM DOGGY CARE: Sadly, you are stuck with this dog. In a way, you knew that when you agreed to get him years ago. It may seem unfair, but you accepted responsibility for this animal the moment it entered your house. It would be an unkindness to the dog if you were to send him off to live in the cramped, lonely conditions he would have to endure in San Francisco.

DO JUST ONE THING

• We all know we’re supposed to turn off the lights when we leave a room. But no matter how many times you ask people in your household to do it, they leave them on. Consider investing in an easy-to-install home-occupancy sensor. It’s set up by the door and tracks the entries and exits. It’s smart enough to know how many people are in a room, and if there are no people, it automatically turns off the lights. Over time, it can save up to 30% of your electricity costs.

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