ArcaMax

BALTIMORE -- Laura Hutton has taken in everyone from a baby born weighing a pound and a half to a pregnant teenager, children whose needs ranged from feeding tubes to mental health therapy.

With a background as a special education teacher, Hutton, 55, has become something of a go-to foster parent for children whose medical, emotional or ...Read more

-- A company uses an AI system to streamline its hiring process, but the system favors certain demographic groups over others.

-- A hospital employs AI to diagnose patients but might miss rare conditions or produce false positives.

-- A bank uses AI to determine loan eligibility, but the system starts denying loans based on certain data ...Read more

There’s nothing better than being lost in a book and letting a story overtake you. Some fiction is life-changing and permanently alters your worldview. Other books bring you to tears and consume your thoughts for the subsequent days or weeks. If you’re a reader who seeks out the kinds of books that will have a long-lasting impact on you, ...Read more

Navigating the world as the parent of a child with a unique or difficult-to-pronounce name can be a constant source of frustration.

When I named my daughter Chiara, I never considered that people would struggle with its pronunciation. Her name, which means “light” or “clear” in Italian and is deeply rooted in our family’s heritage, is...Read more

We have smoke detectors that warn of fire, dashboard icons that warn of low fuel and dying batteries, and health hazard warnings are printed on every pack of cigarettes.

In 2024 we were given a clear and resounding warning for cell phones. It came in the form of a thick book titled “The Anxious Generation” (How the Great Rewiring of ...Read more

Q. My ex is impossible. Each time we go back to court, I hope for a different outcome, but nothing is ever changed. No one understands! How do you co-parent with someone you cannot agree with? What’s good ex-etiquette?

A. Disagreements don’t stop co-parents from co-parenting well. Conflict is normal, but you do have to create an environment...Read more

The nine-year-old boys wearing matching knapsacks walk down the street in the morning light, but they are not going to school. In their hands are loaded guns, and the boys know how to use them. One aims his pistol at the Haitian police officers engaging them in a firefight a few hundred yards away. The children are members of one of the gangs ...Read more

Set against the backdrop of the early 20th century and World War I, "Crossroads of Empire" captures the essence of a world in turmoil. Author Michael Cooper’s diligence and attention to detail bring this period to life, from the smoky trenches of the Western Front to the political maneuvering in Europe.

The protagonist, Evan Sinclair, a 16-...Read more

All people who are pulled from the water after drowning should receive CPR with rescue breaths and chest compressions, according to updated guidance from the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The guidelines were published in the journals Circulation and Pediatrics. The article in Pediatrics focuses on literature...Read more

You’ve no doubt heard of the infamous Judas Iscariot — and his well-known betrayal — but you’ve never seen him in this light before. In the first of Martin Davey’s exciting The Black Museum series, Judas is, well … miraculously, the hero.

"Judas the Hero" follows Detective Inspector Judas Iscariot through the dark underbelly of ...Read more

'NOSFERATU'

Rated R for bloody violent content, graphic nudity and some sexual content.

What it’s about: This remake of the iconic 1922 vampire film sees a newlywed marriage torn apart by the obsessions of the vampire Count Orlok.

The kid attractor factor: Not much — this is a spooky, moody atmospheric horror film.

Good lessons/bad ...Read more

I haphazardly closed up the little house this year. I hurriedly swept the floors, took out the trash, checked the windows, pulled the Dutch door shut and whispered, “Thanks for the memories.”

Not long after, a fierce night wind pushed the door open. Blowing snow drifted in and nestled in the corners.

Tiny hand-shaped footprints ...Read more

Q. My ex is not a good person. She sends me terrible text messages that the kids have read over my shoulder. They tell me she refers to me as “sperm donor” when she talks to her friends. (They aren't sure what that means, but they know it's bad.) Now the kids are telling me they don’t want to go back to her home. We alternate weeks, and ...Read more

As we round the corner to Christmas, I feel compelled to say something to women across the land:

It’s OK.

It’s OK that you didn’t get the same amount of presents for each child.

It’s OK that you shopped for yourself. Not once or twice, but often.

It’s OK that you didn’t meet your Christmas budget while negotiating a trillion-...Read more

Q. I don’t hate my ex, and I’d like to get him a little something for Christmas. What’s good ex-etiquette?

A. I have multiple answers to your question. Do you have children or not? Using the children as qualifiers, that will help determine my answer.

If you don’t have children, how will the present be received, and what is the ...Read more

Q. My son recently married a woman with four children. They also have a baby together, my only grandchild. We are expecting a lot of company for the upcoming holiday, and I have asked my son to bring my grandchild but leave his wife’s children at home. There’s just not enough room. Now he’s refusing to come, and I’m broken-hearted. What ...Read more