Don’t let supply chain disruptions leave you out in the cold — As Halloween approaches, you’re probably spending more time thinking about spooky décor and trick-or-treat candy than shopping for holiday gifts. But ongoing challenges with slow shipping, scanty stock, and staff shortages threaten to frustrate holiday shoppers who may find store shelves empty if they wait too long to begin buying. …

“Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the fandango?” — When you’re cruising along in the car on a crisp fall day, windows down, and the music cranked up, it’s a good bet Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” is on your playlist. That’s according to a new survey that declares the band’s six-minute magnum opus the best driving song of all time. …

Americans waste $1,866 in food every year, experts say — When our four sons were teenagers, my husband and I were always a little embarrassed to go grocery shopping. As we pushed our two fully loaded shopping carts to the checkout counter, I’d quickly explain that I was paying for both, then laugh and add, “We’ve got four teenage boys…

New research says they’re just as obnoxious in real life — If you’ve ever joined an online political discussion, you know how quickly trolls can turn it into a toxic stew of venom and vitriol. While it’s tempting to blame the anonymity of the internet for their hostile behavior, new research suggests keyboard warriors are just as repellent in real life. …

A week is about as much as most of us can take — As we sped home from the airport after a quick getaway, my husband and I talked nonstop about our collie, Vince. One of our sons stayed with him while we were gone, and he was happy to chill out, catch up on his favorite television shows, and play video games…

It creates the space for a thoughtful response — My college senior son was interviewing for a post-graduation job and asked for some advice. In addition to the standard tips about researching the companies that recruited him, giving specific examples from his work experiences, and sending thank you notes, I added something that he found counterintuitive. “Don’t rush to…

The GOP congressman’s blustering puts N.C. students in peril — Madison Cawthorn has generated a lot of headlines since his election to the U.S. House of Representatives last November. Although creating controversy is on-brand for the GOP congressman, they make many North Carolinians like me wince with embarrassment. Now, his anti-mask antics are putting the state’s students in danger. After…

It’s time for Millennial and Gen Z voices to be heard at work — The dangerous Delta variant of COVID-19 has upended corporate plans to bring staffers back to the office. And that’s just fine with many young employees who are in no rush to return to business as usual. A recent survey by Morning Consult for Bloomberg News shows 39 percent of respondents…

How emojis became our new universal language — Ten billion emojis are used every single day. And, whether you’re texting, tweeting, or sharing photos on Instagram, you’re likely among the 92 percent of people who use them. For example, Twitter’s 199 million daily users fire off 500 million tweets each day, and more than one in five includes…