Man,Ilovedmyciscokidoutfit.IwantedtobeacowboybecauseIlikedthewaytheydressed.

    AnewprogramintheElderhostellistofferssevennightsinPragueandseveninVienna,withthetitle,✯x27;PragueandVienna:FromHabsburgCapitalstoModernEurope.✯x27;ThisisofferedAug.9to24.TheAustrianNationalCommissionforUnescoisthesponsoroftheprogramoflecturesontheheritageofthecities.Theprice,withairfarefromKennedyInternationalAirport,adouble-occupancyhotelroomandmeals,is,980.Thetermsoftheairticketpermitastayof21days.

    OurCoverageoftheInvestmentWorldThedeclineofthestockandbondmarketsthisyearhasbeenpainful,anditremainsdifficulttopredictwhatisinstoreforthefuture.ValueandGrowthStocks:Eighttechgiantsarenolonger“puregrowth”stocks,whileExxonandChevronare,accordingtoanewstudy.Hereiswhatthatmeansforinvestors.2023Predictions: ThereareplentyofforecastscomingforwheretheS&P500willbeattheendoftheyear.Shouldyoubepayingattentiontothem?MayISpeaktoaHuman?:Youngerinvestorswhoarenavigatingmarketvolatilityandtryingtosaveforretirementarefindingthatdigitalinvestmentplatformslackthepersonaltouch.TipsforInvestors:Whenyouinvestandwheremattersfortaxes.Butafewrulesofthumbcanstaveoffsomenastysurprises.Infact,thepreferred-stockmarketisasfrozenasaMidwesternwinterorthecurrentstateoftheWashingtonbudgettalks."It❼beenveryslow,"saidJeanneL.Mockard,amanageroftwomutualfundsatPutnamInvestmentsthatspecializeinpreferredstock."Nobodywantstosellatthenewdepressedpricesforpreferred,andnobodywantstobuybecausethetaxadvantagesmaynowbediminished."

    TheIrishgovernment,havingjustdevotedtheequivalentof30percentofitsG.D.P.tobailingoutitsdevastatedbanks,isagainunderseverepressuretocutspendingfurther.LikeBritain,Irelandpaysabenefittofamilieswithchildren,onethatmaybeevenmoregenerousthanBritain’s.OnMonday,theIrishministerforchildrensaidhecouldnotruleoutcutsinchildbenefits.

    MoreonCaliforniaAMissedOpportunity:DownpoursinCaliforniacouldhavebeenstoredforuseduringfuturedroughts.Butwateragenciesandexpertssaystatebureaucracy,designedtodistributewaterfairly,hasstoodintheway.Bruce’sBeach:TheBrucefamilywonthereturnofoceanfrontpropertynearLosAngelesthathadbeenseizedfromtheirrelatives,twoBlackentrepreneurs,nearlyacenturyago.Theirdecisiontosellthelandformillionsetoffafreshdebateaboutreparations.CovidStateofEmergency: Thestate’scoronavirusemergencydeclaration,whichgaveGov. GavinNewsombroadpowerstoslowthespreadofthevirus,issettoexpireonFeb.28.IntheWakeofTragedy:Californiaisreelingafterback-to-backmassshootings inMontereyPark andHalfMoonBay.Allfirefightingisdangerous,butwildfiresbringchallengesofwindanddifficultterrain.Friendssaidthesecrewmembersmeasuredsuccessbyeachhouseorevenacreoftheirforesttheypreserved.

    Mr.Tomlinsonshouldhavebeenhumbledbyhisprevioustroubles.InvestigatorsfoundherepeatedlybrokeethicsrulesbypackingthePublicBroadcastingpayrollwithRepublicanpartisansandpushingforamilliondealto"balance"publictelevisionwithconservativepolemicists.ButMr.Tomlinson,whohasclosetiestotheWhiteHouse,double-billedthegovernmentfor14workdaysonwhichinvestigatorsdiscoveredhistwobroadcastingjobssomehowoverlapping.

    KerryandMcCain,separatedbypartyandpoliticalphilosophybutunitedbytheirexperiencesinVietnamcombat,havebeendescribedbeforeashavingafriendlyrelationship.McCainisalsoviewedasapotentialrivalinthe2008presidentialrace.

    Likeseveralothergroups,FalunGongpromisesitsadherentshealthbenefitsandspiritualsalvationthroughmeditativeexercises.Itsaysitisnonpolitical.

    Ifmonkscouldsleepaloneinhighstyle,theymightsleepasMs.Monnahandoes,inawoodensinglebed,designedbyDavidSchaefer,withawhitePratesibedspread.

    BaileytoRidePrinceofThievesinPreakness

    IntensecompetitionisacertainoutcomeofthetelecommunicationslegislationnowpendinginWashington.Andmostindustryexecutivesexpecttechnologyandmarketforcessoontoforceopenthelocalandlong-distancecommunicationsmarketsevenifCongresscannotovercomeitscurrentimpasseoverthelegislation.