Latest news with #Eric
Chicago Tribune
an hour ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Asking Eric: Friends didn't send my daughter a wedding gift
Dear Eric: My daughter got married a year ago and decided to have a wedding with immediate family members only due to the huge family on the groom's side (the wedding was still about 100 people). It was planned on the West Coast (we are on the East Coast). Some of my friends sent them a gift, knowing why they were not invited but three of my close friends didn't send anything (even a card would have been thoughtful). I've sent their kids very generous gifts. One, I couldn't attend (it was during Covid and the other was far away and very expensive to get to). One of the other ones, we traveled to her daughter's wedding, spent a fortune to stay in a hotel and gave her a generous cash gift. I mean, really, nothing from her? She wouldn't have gone to the wedding if she had been invited. I'm so disappointed. I feel like even a small gift would have been nice. They have known my daughter since she was little. I'm having trouble letting it go. It just feels cheap. Some of my friends are shocked that they didn't do anything. – Giftless Dear Giftless: You're right, it would have been nice if they'd sent a gift. When it comes to children and grandchildren of friends, wedding gifts and other gestures for special occasions can become extensions of the central friendship. A gift to your kid is also (perhaps, primarily) a gift to you. So, I can see why this stings. The answers to two questions might help de-escalate this situation. First, did your daughter send out wedding announcements? Even if other people know about a wedding or other special event, it simply may not occur to them to send a gift without the trigger of a piece of cardstock in the mail. It's a weird system, perhaps, but an announcement can serve as an indication that the couple is open to gifts, and help guests figure out where to send them. Without it, life can get in the way and gifts can fall to the wayside. So, if your friends didn't receive announcements, this may not be a one-to-one comparison with the weddings to which you were invited. The second question is, does your daughter have any feelings about this? Often, in life's biggest events, the gifts you get feel so thoughtful and generous that one doesn't really think about the gifts that one didn't get. Is it possible that your daughter doesn't have the same expectations of your friends? If so, you're still perfectly within your right to hold them to a different standard. But, for the sake of peace of mind, it's important to remember that everyone's expectations of themselves and of others are different. Dear Eric: This is not an earth-shattering question, yet I'd appreciate an opinion. We call our firstborn son by his middle name because his first is the same as his father's middle, who also goes by his middle name. This practice goes back generations on my husband's father's side. Imagine my confusion, years ago, when I learned of the tradition and discovered that our as-yet-unconceived son had already been given a first name (but we could choose the middle). I've made my peace with the tradition despite its oddness (personal opinion). Now our son is going on four, ripe for learning and spelling his entire name and I'm worried he'll be confused and in turn confuse others when we try to explain that his real first name is actually his daddy's. I'm already cringing. I may or may not have noticed your name as an example of an elegant solution, but is it? – Name Game Dear Name: Well, the elegance of my nomenclature is up for debate. In high school, when I first started using my first initial, a teacher told me, 'Eric, there's a thin line between class and pretension.' Can you believe that? The audacity still makes me laugh and laugh. Suffice it to say, your son will have plenty of opportunity to choose class, pretension or something else on his journey of self-expression. If you call him by his middle name, he may eventually choose to use his first. If you call him by his first name, he may choose his middle name. If he becomes a pop star later in life, he may choose a whole new name. All of those are just fine. But, for now, he'll be able to understand the concept of a full name and that some parts of the name are used conversationally and others aren't. A name is an offering from a parent. And like all the myriad offerings of parenthood, one hopes that it is of use. But even if that use changes, it doesn't make it less valuable.
Chicago Tribune
11 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Afternoon Briefing: What Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has done as health secretary
Good afternoon, Chicago. A fourth person has died after a suspicious fire erupted at an apartment building in the Austin neighborhood yesterday morning, the Chicago Fire Department said today. The body of the fourth victim, who hasn't been identified, was recovered Friday among the rubble at the building in the 5200 block of West North Avenue, according to Fire Department spokesperson Larry Langford. Three others — two adults and one child — also died in the blaze that broke out shortly before 2 a.m. Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History Yesterday evening marked Stray Kids' Wrigley Field debut, as well as the stadium's first time hosting a K-pop group in its history. Fans from across the Midwest gathered in Chicago for the group's 12th and final U.S. show in its 2024-25 'dominATE' world tour. Read more here. More top news stories: Global shares were mostly higher today as the week was winding down with the Israel-Iran ceasefire still in place and signs of progress on a China-U.S. trade deal. Read more here. More top business stories: The Cubs (48-33) and White Sox (25-66) have officially passed the halfway point of the season. Here's a guide for the next 81 games for both teams, including key series and a list of each ballpark's theme nights. Read more here. More top sports stories: History is not just a study of the past, but a conversation between where we've been, where we're at and where we're going. And no record label understands it as intimately as Numero Group. Read more here. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: The Department of Health and Human Services under Robert F. Kennedy has taken unprecedented steps to change how vaccines are evaluated, approved and recommended — sometimes in ways that run counter to established scientific consensus. Read more here. More top stories from around the world:
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Trumps drop 'Made in the USA' claim for new phone and a debate ensues: How to define 'made'?
By Bernard Condon NEW YORK: When the Trump family unveiled a new phone before a giant American flag at its headquarters earlier this month, the pitch was simple and succinct, packed with pure patriotism: "Made in the U.S.A." The Trumps are apparently having second thoughts. How about "proudly American"? Those are the two words that have replaced the "Made in the USA" pitch that just a few days ago appeared on the website where customers can pre-order the so-called T-1 gold-toned phones with an American flag etched on the back. Elsewhere on the site, other vague terms are now being used, describing the $499 phone as boasting an "American-Proud Design" and "brought to life right here in the U.S.A." The Federal Trade Commission requires that items labeled " Made in USA " be "all or virtually all" produced in the U.S. and several firms have been sued over misusing the term. The Trump Organization has not explained the change and has not responded to a request for comment. Neither did an outside public relations firm handling the Trumps' mobile phone business , including a request to confirm a statement made to another media outlet. "T1 phones are proudly being made in America," said Trump Mobile spokesman Chris Walker, according to USA Today. "Speculation to the contrary is simply inaccurate." The language change on the website was first reported by the news site The Verge. An expert on cell phone technology, IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo, said he's not surprised the Trump family has dropped the "Made in the USA" label because it's nearly impossible to build one here given the higher cost and lack of infrastructure to do so. But, of course, you can claim to do it. "Whether it is possible or not to build this phone in the US depends on what you consider 'build,'" Jeronimo said. "If it's a question of assembling components and targeting small volumes, I suppose it's somehow possible. You can always get the components from China and assemble them by hand somewhere." "You're going to have phones that are made right here in the United States of America," said Trump's son Eric to Fox News recently, adding, "It's about time we bring products back to our great country." The Trump family has flown the American flag before with Trump-branded products of suspicious origin, including its "God Bless the USA" Bibles, which an Associated Press investigation last year showed were printed in China. The Trump phone is part of a bigger family mobile business plan designed to tap into MAGA enthusiasm for the president. The two sons running the business, Eric and Don Jr., announced earlier this month that they would offer mobile phone plans for $47.45 a month, a reference to their father's status as the 45th and 47th president. The call center, they said, will be in the U.S., too. "You're not calling up call centers in Bangladesh," Eric Trump said on Fox News. "We're doing it out of St. Louis, Missouri." The new service has been blasted by government ethics experts for a conflict of interest, given that President Donald Trump oversees the Federal Communications Commission that regulates the business and is investigating phone service companies that are now Trump Mobile rivals. Trump has also threatened to punish cell phone maker Apple, now a direct competitor, threatening to slap 25% tariffs on devices because of its plans to make most of its U.S. iPhones in India.
Washington Post
a day ago
- General
- Washington Post
Asking Eric: Husband and wife divided over stepchildren's inheritance
Dear Eric: My husband and I just turned 80. We are in good health but began talking about estate planning. We each have two children from previous marriages, and at first this was an easy fix. After considering donating to nonprofits, we thought the rest of our assets would be equally divided among our children.
Japan Today
a day ago
- Business
- Japan Today
Trumps drop 'Made in the USA' label for new phone and a debate ensues: How to define 'made'?
Eric Trump, Don Hendrickson, Eric Thomas, Patrick O'Brien and Donald Trump Jr., left to right, participate in the announcement of Trump Mobile, in New York's Trump Tower, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) By BERNARD CONDON When the Trump family unveiled a new phone before a giant American flag at its headquarters earlier this month, the pitch was simple and succinct, packed with pure patriotism: 'Made in the USA.' The Trumps are apparently having second thoughts. How about 'proudly American'? Those are the two words that have replaced the 'Made in the USA' pitch that just a few days ago appeared on the website where customers can pre-order the so-called T-1 gold-toned phones with an American flag etched on the back. Elsewhere on the site, other vague terms are now being used, describing the $499 phone as boasting an 'American-Proud Design' and 'brought to life right here in the USA.' The Federal Trade Commission requires that items labeled 'Made in USA' be 'all or virtually all' produced in the U.S. and several firms have been sued over misusing the term. The Trump Organization has not explained the change and has not responded to a request for comment. Neither did an outside public relations firm handling the Trumps' mobile phone business, including a request to confirm a statement made to another media outlet. 'T1 phones are proudly being made in America,' said Trump Mobile spokesman Chris Walker, according to USA Today. 'Speculation to the contrary is simply inaccurate.' The language change on the website was first reported by the news site The Verge. An expert on cell phone technology, IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo, said he's not surprised the Trump family has dropped the 'Made in the USA' label because it's nearly impossible to build one here given the higher cost and lack of infrastructure to do so. But, of course, you can claim to do it. 'Whether it is possible or not to build this phone in the US depends on what you consider 'build,'" Jeronimo said. 'If it's a question of assembling components and targeting small volumes, I suppose it's somehow possible. You can always get the components from China and assemble them by hand somewhere.' 'You're going to have phones that are made right here in the United States of America,' said Trump's son Eric to Fox News recently, adding, 'It's about time we bring products back to our great country.' The Trump family has flown the American flag before with Trump-branded products of suspicious origin, including its 'God Bless the USA' Bibles, which an Associated Press investigation last year showed were printed in China. The Trump phone is part of a bigger family mobile business plan designed to tap into MAGA enthusiasm for the president. The two sons running the business, Eric and Don Jr., announced earlier this month that they would offer mobile phone plans for $47.45 a month, a reference to their father's status as the 45th and 47th president. The call center, they said, will be in the U.S., too. 'You're not calling up call centers in Bangladesh,' Eric Trump said on Fox News. 'We're doing it out of St. Louis, Missouri.' The new service has been blasted by government ethics experts for a conflict of interest, given that President Donald Trump oversees the Federal Communications Commission that regulates the business and is investigating phone service companies that are now Trump Mobile rivals. Trump has also threatened to punish cell phone maker Apple, now a direct competitor, threatening to slap 25% tariffs on devices because of its plans to make most of its U.S. iPhones in India. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
