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When a wedding invite asks too much

Dear Annie: My husband and I are invited to my co-worker’s daughter’s midweek black-tie wedding at 3 p.m. My husband and I would need to leave work early to attend, and I feel it’s a burden to both take time off work and purchase or rent black-tie attire for a warm weather event in the summer. Is it acceptable to decline the invite and just send a nice gift? The couple getting married have been living together for a year, although I congratulate them for making vows to each other. I wish the couple was more understanding of the possible financial burden to their guests. Your ...

From ‘BuddhaBot’ to $1.99 chats with AI Jesus, the faith-based tech boom is here

CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — For some evangelical Christians, faith is about having a personal relationship with Jesus. At $1.99 per minute, the tech company Just Like Me is taking that concept to a new level. Users of the platform can join video calls with an avatar of Jesus generated by artificial intelligence. Like other religious AI tools on the market, it offers words of prayer and encouragement in various languages. With the occasional glitch, it remembers previous conversations and speaks through not-quite-synced lips. “You do feel a little accountable to the AI,” CEO Chris ...

West Virginia History

CHARLESTON — The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history. To read more, go to e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia at www.wvencyclopedia.org. April 12, 1865: The 36th Virginia Infantry, known as the Logan Wildcats, disbanded. The Confederate company was created at Logan Courthouse on June 3, 1861, and consisted of about 85 men. The company saw its first action in the Battle of Scary Creek in Putnam County. April 12, 1885: Photographer George James Kossuth was born. After opening his Wheeling studio in 1909, he achieved broad fame for his photos of the city ...

Wall Street mixed, oil prices steady

(AP) — Wall Street hovered around yesterday’s levels and oil prices barely budged early Friday amid a shaky ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran, which maintained its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz. Futures for the S&P 500 were flat before the opening bell, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched down less than 0.1%. Nasdaq futures gained less than 0.1%. Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency, close to the Revolutionary Guard, claimed that talks wouldn’t happen unless Israel stopped its attacks in Lebanon. U.S. President Donald Trump ...

‘Godfather’ tactics

As a fan of the movie “The Godfather,” there is a classic line that is referenced that sets the tone for the entire movie. Michael Corleone tells his soon-to-be wife how his father was able to establish himself as a ruthless negotiator. In essence, “my father made a person an offer that they could not refuse” — translation: Either you give me what I want or else. “Because I assure you your brains or your signature will be on the contract in front of you.” In the movie, it worked. Oh well.... that is great theater. But it is not necessarily true in real life, especially ...

Five charged with murder in fireworks warehouse explosion

(AP) — Five people have been charged with murder in a deadly Northern California explosion at a fireworks warehouse that killed seven people and shook a tiny farming community, authorities said Friday. The charges stem from a grand jury indictment that found five people, including a former Yolo County Sheriff lieutenant, responsible for the explosion that injured two others, Yolo County Deputy District Attorney Clara Nabity said. The deadly fireworks explosion near the community of Esparto sparked a massive fire and led to nearby Fourth of July celebrations being called off. The ...