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CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Lola Kirke, 33; Avril Lavigne, 39; Anna Camp, 41; Tamara Taylor, 53.

Happy Birthday: Keep life simple, factual and stress-free. Your decisions will determine how you feel and how far you get. Associate with people who have something to contribute and are willing to do their fair share, but don’t feel the need to tag along with anyone who wants you to walk a path that has no meaning or purpose for you. Savor beneficial relationships. Your numbers are 4, 17, 20, 26, 34, 38, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Reach out to people who push you to try new things and participate in events promoting what you have to offer. A potential partnership needs monitoring. You will likely bring out the best and worst in one another. Proceed with caution. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take better care of yourself and your relationships. Don’t let unacceptable behavior be your downfall; poor health or financial choices can cause vulnerability. Consider what’s possible and how to utilize your intelligence. 4 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Refuse to get trapped in someone else’s dilemma. Don’t believe everything you hear or get lured in by sob stories. Put more time and effort into personal appearances, meaningful relationships and physically making your life and surroundings suit your needs. Make happiness your goal. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Dedicate more time to listening and learning. What you discover will help you move from one situation to another quickly. Sidestep anyone trying to interfere with your progress or monopolize your time doing things that don’t interest you. Be true to yourself. 5 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take nothing for granted. Look at every angle and say no to frivolous or uncertain ideas. Pay attention to how you can mold your skills into something you enjoy doing. Concentrate on investments and making your money work for you. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Change can be good if you don’t hesitate. Size up situations and set boundaries to avoid taking on too much, overspending or any other enticement that comes your way. Keep life simple, your facts straight and your health immaculate. Concentrate on learning, saving, peace and love. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Pay homage to the ones you love. Your actions will make a difference to someone who needs encouragement. Don’t let ego or anger cause problems at home or when dealing with joint endeavors. Protect what you have and say no to temptation. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Make your mark, press forward with discipline and approach people heading in a similar direction. A partnership will help you maintain your momentum to meet your deadline. Practicality, imagination and creativity will get you where you want to go. 5 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): False information will slow you down. Don’t rely on others to do things for you. Take control of your destiny and invest your skills, knowledge and experience into your best work. Hard work, discipline and distancing yourself from interference will pay off. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Use brainpower to overcome adversity. Rely on experience and ingenuity to point you in the right direction. A domestic change will help alleviate stress, lower overhead or encourage you to engage in a healthier lifestyle. 4 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Keep moving in a direction that soothes your soul and eases stress. Disregard what others choose to do and go about your business. Pay attention to what others request, and don’t be afraid to say no. A simple lifestyle will lead to personal freedom. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Come up with a plan and follow through. Don’t let anyone guilt you into something you don’t want. Give your all, and don’t lose sight of your objective. Your intuition won’t let you down. Follow your instincts and everything will fall into place. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are dedicated, cooperative and astute. You are innovative and productive.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

Want a link to your daily horoscope delivered directly to your inbox each weekday morning? Sign up for our free Coffee Break newsletter at mercurynews.com/newsletters or eastbaytimes.com/newsletters. 

The former editor of French Vogue and renowned stylist discusses fashion week debuts, sex on the runway and why she finally got her first tattoos.

Tell it what you want to do, and it spits out the relevant code

MongoDB has built an AI-powered SQL converter designed to help developers move from relational databases to its document-oriented NoSQL system.…

The finding by a judge in a New York civil case that Donald Trump committed fraud in valuing his real estate properties undermined the narrative of the business career that launched him in politics.

Cy the Cynic, Rose, Grapefruit and I went to lunch at a restaurant. Our food was slow arriving, and Grapefruit called for the manager.

“Did the waiter who took our order leave any family?” Grapefruit wanted to know.

Grapefruit is as hard on his partners as unvarnished wood. He was today’s North in a penny game, and West led a spade against 3NT: three, ten, queen. Declarer then led the queen of clubs, preparing to run the clubs.

STOPPER

Unfortunately, East had a stopper. He won the fouth club and returned a spade, South went down one, and Grapefruit announced that South possessed a room-temperature IQ.

“I ought to give you a piece of my mind,” South growled.

“Careful,” Grapefruit snarled. “You don’t have much to spare.”

South needed foresight, and an awareness of “avoidance” play. In case West has the singleton jack of clubs (maybe one chance in 30), South must lead the five of clubs at Trick Two. When West’s jack appears, dummy plays low, and South is safe.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S 6 3 H A K D 10 6 3 C A K 8 6 4 2. Your partner opens one spade, you respond two clubs and he bids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: In a “two-over-one” style where your two clubs forced to game, this problem would be easy: You could rebid three clubs, forcing. In “Standard” methods, that bid would only invite opener to bid again. Your only option is a “fourth-suit” bid of three diamonds, asking opener to make another descriptive bid.

North dealer

N-S vulnerable

NORTH

S 6 3

H A K

D 10 6 3

C A K 8 6 4 2

WEST

S A J 9 7 4

H 8 7 4

D K Q 7 2

C J

EAST

S 10 8 2

H Q 9 6 3

D 9 8

C 10 9 7 3

SOUTH

S K Q 5

H J 10 5 2

D A J 5 4

C Q 5

North East South West
1 C Pass 1 H 1 S
2 C Pass 3 NT All Pass
Opening lead — S 7

©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

TODAY’S WORD — PANCAKES (PANCAKES: PAN-kakes: Flat cakes made of thin batter and cooked on both sides.)

Average mark 30 words

Time limit 40 minutes

Can you find 39 or more words in PANCAKES? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — HOMILIES helm hole holism home hose mesh mile miso moil mole isle isohel lime limo lose semi shim shoe silo simile slim slime sloe smile soil sole some

To 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.

Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at kzsaxe@gmail.com.

After decades of wars and tense stalemates, almost no one saw it coming: Azerbaijan seized Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenian control seemingly overnight.

Dear Amy: My BFF and I met in grade school. We’ve lost touch on and off, but we always find our way back, usually when she’s losing a relationship.

The last loss was two Christmases ago, when after 10 years together her partner “Benny” called her at work, telling her: “This isn’t working anymore, I’m moving out today.”

It was rough. She had custody of her toddler grandson whom she thought Benny would help her to raise.

I was there for her. She got therapy and started choosing to focus on herself, versus always needing to be with a guy.

Six months later, she met “Chris” on a dating website. He was one of five or six guys she was seeing. After four months, she decided she really liked him, and they became exclusive.

I’ve seen her four times since then. Now I’m lucky if I talk to her once a month.

Her birthday is coming up, so we caught up.

She told me that her daughter and the daughter’s girlfriend are taking over her house, while she will live in the basement. They will pay the mortgage and buy the house in about a year.

She and her boyfriend are going to get out of debt, save their money, and, in a year, buy an RV.

I’m concerned because the one thing she has always had is her house. It’s the house she grew up in. No house, no foundation.

I’ve met the guy once, and he seems to be a good guy, and she did an amazing job working on herself the past two years — but I believe she is jumping in way too quickly.

I want to know how to express my concerns. Or should I just be happy for her?

– Best Friend Forever

Dear BFF: Close, intimate, longtime friends get to tell one another the truth, as long as they also accept the possible consequences.

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Sometimes, the most effective way to do this is through simple statements, followed by thoughtful questions, and listening with intent.

“Surrendering your childhood home is a huge change for you. I have to admit, I’ve been worrying about this. Have you thought it through enough? Have you considered the possible downsides?”

After you initiate a thoughtful, non-judgmental conversation and listen to her answers, then you should step back and be happy for her.

Dear Amy: My daughter, who is in her 40s, has always had a bit of a weight problem, as have I. Having to work from home during COVID resulted in her gaining even more weight. I think she is around 80 pounds overweight.

We are very close, and I am sympathetic since I have struggled with weight issues since I was a teenager. But even though I could lose 10 pounds, I am at a healthy weight and am careful to get exercise and try to eat well.

I blame myself for her weight gains, since when my kids were young, I baked a lot. My sons have never gained much weight, but sadly my daughter shares my love of all things sweet.

Any time I mention it, she tends to get annoyed; her response is always that she eats healthy and gets plenty of exercise.

I worry more about her health than about her appearance, and I value my relationship with her.

I have offered to pay for any good weight loss program, but she always says, “No thanks. I’m fine.” She did agree to have her thyroid tested, and that test was normal.

Is there any way to bring up the subject of weight with an adult child in a kind way?

– Concerned Mother

Dear Concerned: You ask if there is any way to bring up this subject kindly, and yet you have brought this up, kindly and repeatedly.

“Is it your thyroid?” She had it tested. “Can I pay for a weight loss program?” No, thank you.

She already knows she is overweight. There is literally no escaping this knowledge.

And now you should stop. Just – stop. Love her wholeheartedly and without judgment, just as she is.

Dear Amy: “Concerned Grandma” has her knickers in a twist about her daughter letting the teen grandson drink at home.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with parents allowing this. It’s their house, their kid, and you and the other grandmas should stay out of it.

– Bud Out

Dear Bud Out: I do agree that the grandmother should not intervene, but with a history of alcoholism in their family, I also understand her concern.

You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.

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6007 Laurel Creek Drive – Google Street View

The spacious property located in the 6000 block of Laurel Creek Drive in Pleasanton was sold on Aug. 1, 2023 for $3,026,000, or $758 per square foot. The house, built in 1999, has an interior space of 3,992 square feet. This single-story house offers a capacious living environment with its five bedrooms and five baths. In addition, the house comes with a three-car garage, allowing for convenient vehicle storage and additional storage space.

These nearby houses have also recently changed hands:

• A 3,718-square-foot home on the 5900 block of Laurel Creek Drive in Pleasanton sold in September 2022, for $3,100,000, a price per square foot of $834. The home has 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.
• On Laurel Creek Drive, Pleasanton, in July 2022, a 4,337-square-foot home was sold for $3,100,000, a price per square foot of $715. The home has 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms.
• In November 2022, a 3,424-square-foot home on Crosby Drive in Pleasanton sold for $2,500,000, a price per square foot of $730. The home has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.

 

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Dozens of leaders, mostly from Western states, have asked the Supreme Court to overturn lower court decisions that restrict enforcement against public camping.

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Despite their intent to make coastal communities safer, Florida’s building codes can actually complicate long-term resilience efforts.

Sondheim said days before his death in 2021 that he did not know when it would be finished, but the musical, now called “Here We Are,” begins performances Thursday.

Is the primary approaching being over?

DEAR HARRIETTE: My brother and his wife are expecting their first child together, and I am thrilled for them. However, I am growing increasingly concerned about my sister-in-law’s lack of caution during her pregnancy.

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As someone who has had three children of my own, I feel confident in my knowledge of the do’s and don’ts of pregnancy. I am constantly seeing my sister-in-law do things that make me worry for the safety of her and her unborn child.

There are specific foods that you are supposed to stay away from while pregnant, and I’ve seen her eat them on multiple occasions. I can only imagine what she’s doing in private.

How do I approach her about this delicately?

— Careless

DEAR CARELESS: Now is not the time to mince words. Sit down with your sister-in-law and tell her you need to share some important information with her. Remind her of the obvious — you have given birth to three children already — and there are some things you have learned about pregnancy that you believe she should know.

Make a list and share it with her. Point out the foods that are considered unsafe to eat, along with the impact eating them may have. Tell her about any other behavior of hers that worries you. Note that pregnancy is a short but critical time for the life and health of the baby. Encourage her to be more cautious.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I got together with my ex after being apart for nearly 30 years. We had two good years together, but then he went back to his old ways. He started lying and not following through on promises.

It is so sad and disappointing, but I feel like I have given him every chance I could. I can’t trust him anymore. That’s why we broke up in the first place. He has been so hopeful, though, that I hate to let him down.

I know he counts on me for being his rock, but I don’t feel safe being with him when I never know if he is going to show up when he says he will or be in a decent mood or simply be a human being. I bet he is what is known as a narcissist. He won’t see a therapist, so there is no diagnosis, but what I am experiencing is a man who thinks only of himself. That is not the kind of partner I want.

How do I let him know that his second chance is over?

— No More Second Chances

DEAR NO MORE SECOND CHANCES: If you are done, say as much to him. There is no rule that says your job is to care for this man.

If he has proven, twice now, that he does not know how to care for your heart, believe it. To paraphrase Maya Angelou, when somebody shows you who they are, believe them the first time. You need to accept what this man has shown you to be true about his behavior. Give yourself credit for trying one more time, but let him go.

You don’t have to wish him bad thoughts. You simply have to understand that he is not your soulmate. And that’s OK.

Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

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