In 1790, President George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address in New York City. In 1815, the last major engagement of the War of 1812 came to an end as U.S. forces defeated the British in the Battle of New Orleans, not having received word of the December signing of a ...

Dear Heloise: First, I’d like to say that I enjoy reading your hints each day. Here is a novel idea my late mother once said to me: “Why don’t you give me flowers now when I can enjoy them, not when I am dead and cannot?” I find it rather sound advice. What say you? Thank you. -- Daniel ...

Dear Annie: I’m writing because I feel embarrassed even admitting this, but I’m starting to dread parts of my own life that I worked hard to build. I’m 52, married for 24 years, and we have two grown kids who are mostly launched. Our son is across the country and our daughter lives ...

In 1610, astronomer Galileo Galilei observed three of Jupiter’s moons for the first time and a fourth days later. In 1955, Marian Anderson became the first African American to sing with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, in Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera.” In 1979, Vietnamese forces ...

Dear Heloise: People spend their hard-earned money on outdoor flags only to have the hems fray in a short time from weather. If you turn the hem over and restitch on a sewing machine, the edges will not become ragged from the elements. I especially like to see the American flag flying fray-free ...

Dear Annie: I’m writing because I can’t tell if I’m being too sensitive or if I’m finally seeing something I’ve been ignoring for years. I’m 46, married, and we have three kids (two teens and one in college). On paper, our life is good. We’re busy, we’re stable, we show up for ...