Situation

As a child, Steve Thompson displayed outsized reactions to ordinary events and intense mood swings. By age 12, doctors diagnosed him with bipolar disorder. The idea that he had a chronic mental illness - one typically marked in adulthood by manic periods followed by depression - frightened him. "It's something you think you'll have your entire life," said Thompson, a 23-year-old student at Massasoit Community College in Brockton. But over the past year, with the help of his longtime psychiatrist, he has weaned himself off mood-altering medication.

Junior Seau's suicide is troubling NFL players. No one knows precisely why the 43-year-old Seau shot himself in the chest at his oceanfront home May 2, less than 2 ½ years after the end of his Pro Bowl career as a linebacker. What is clear — and cause for concern among other players — is that he reached some serious depths of despair. "To see a guy like that, in such a dark place, to take the action he did … makes you think about life after football and what it's like, and what you'll be going through, when that time comes, mentally," said Colts linebacker A.J. Edds,...

The Globe's Nick Cafardo provides his opinion on the situation the Red Sox find themselves in following the news closer Andrew Bailey needs surgery and will be out 3-4 months.

Move over chicken and beer. Golf has been entered into the Red Sox mix. Red Sox righthander Josh Beckett played golf in the area last Thursday afternoon, two days before he was scheduled to miss a start against the Orioles because of stiffness in his latissimus muscle, radio station 98.5 The Sports Hub reported Wednesday. The station did not reveal the sources of the report. Clay Buchholz was reportedly golfing with Beckett on the off day for the Red Sox. "I don't know that I'm aware of it," Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said during his weekly appearance on WEEI...

The White House says it's concerned and disappointed about the situation in Egypt, where a handful of U.S. citizens who are being prevented from leaving the country have taken shelter at the American embassy in Cairo. White House press secretary Jay Carney says the administration has made its concerns clear in discussions with Egypt's military authorities. He said U.S. officials are working to resolve the matter as quickly as possible. The unusual situation comes amid an Egyptian crackdown on U.S.-funded groups promoting democracy that has jeopardized more than $1 billion in...

There was some fabulous facial hair on display at 826 Boston's annual Moustache-a-Thon, during which men grow moustaches to raise money for 826 Boston's youth writing and tutoring programs. Since Feb. 16, participants have gone upper-lip to upper-lip to cultivate their best imperials, Twains, and Fu-Manchus, and collected donations for their hirsute pursuit. The contest concluded Thursday with the Dead Authors Ball at The Burren, where 826 Boston chose the most creative, original, and impressive 'staches.

Milton police are detouring traffic on a side street near the Pierce Middle School while they continue to investigate a domestic situation in one of the homes. Milton Deputy Police Chief Charles F. Paris said the department was asked earlier today by someone from out of state to check on the condition of a Clapp Street resident. He said police did not find the man in the residence, but did find him at another location. He said detectives are questioning this man this afternoon.

By Zuri Berry, Boston.com Staff With the mix and mash of defensive backs fighting for a spot on the final roster, it can be a little confusing for those on the outside to discern who will make the final cut. But it can be just as tough for those on the inside, too. Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather, who didn't start Thursday night's preseason finale against the New York Giants, said he "didn't know" when asked if he was happy with his...

By Steve Silva, Boston.com Staff Move over chicken and beer. Golf has been entered into the Red Sox mix. According to a report by 98.5 The Sports Hub's Hardy, Red Sox righthander Josh Beckett played golf in the area last Thursday afternoon, two days before he was scheduled to miss a start against the Orioles because of stiffness in his latissimus muscle. The Sports Hub's Michael Felger said the report had been confirmed when he opened the Felger and Mazz show today, but that Hardy did not reveal the name of the golf course to...

Junior Seau's suicide is troubling NFL players. No one knows precisely why the 43-year-old Seau shot himself in the chest at his oceanfront home May 2, less than 2 ½ years after the end of his Pro Bowl career as a linebacker. What is clear — and cause for concern among other players — is that he reached some serious depths of despair. "To see a guy like that, in such a dark place, to take the action he did … makes you think about life after football and what it's like, and what you'll be going through, when that time comes,...

A hostage situation was resolved swiftly and without incident this morning at the Essex County House of Correction in Middleton, the sheriff's office said. William Goddard, 42, of Worcester, an inmate who has been awaiting trial in the facility since June, took a computer teacher hostage. The standoff, which began at 8:10 a.m. lasted 15 to 20 minutes, said Barbara Maher, chief of staff for Sheriff Frank G. Cousins Jr. She said Goddard appeared to be having a "mental health situation ... He wasn't thinking clearly.

A hostage situation was resolved swiftly Tuesday morning at the Essex County House of Correction in Middleton, the sheriff's office said. William Goddard, 42, of Worcester, an inmate who has been awaiting trial in the facility since June, took a computer teacher hostage. The standoff began at 8:10 a.m. and lasted 15 to 20 minutes, said Barbara Maher, chief of staff for Sheriff Frank G. Cousins Jr. Goddard appeared to be having a "mental health situation," she said. ". . . He wasn't thinking clearly.

The Globe's Nick Cafardo provides his opinion on the situation the Red Sox find themselves in following the news closer Andrew Bailey needs surgery and will be out 3-4 months.

There was some fabulous facial hair on display at 826 Boston's annual Moustache-a-Thon, during which men grow moustaches to raise money for 826 Boston's youth writing and tutoring programs. Since Feb. 16, participants have gone upper-lip to upper-lip to cultivate their best imperials, Twains, and Fu-Manchus, and collected donations for their hirsute pursuit. The contest concluded Thursday with the Dead Authors Ball at The Burren, where 826 Boston chose the most creative, original, and impressive 'staches.

AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — A JetBlue flight bound for Las Vegas landed unexpectedly in Amarillo after a ‘‘medical situation" arose involving the captain. The airline says in a statement that the pilot in command of Flight 191 from New York then elected to land in the Panhandle of Texas about 10 a.m. Tuesday. The airline says an off-duty captain who happened to be aboard the plane went to the flight deck and took over the duties of the ill captain ‘‘once on the ground.

By Greg A. Bedard, Globe Staff PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Remember all the talk about how the Patriots used a loophole in the rules to hire Josh McDaniels as an offensive assistant -- right before the team played the Broncos, his former team? Well, the NFL didn't apparently think it was very controversial. Competition committee chairman Rich McKay said Monday that the situation -- a fired or released assistant coach being hired by another team before the season was over -- was discussed by the committee, but no rules change is coming.

The situation had become so complicated that after awhile he went up to the library and tried to work it out on paper, letting X equal himself. P.G. Wodehouse

A year ago, Syracuse guard Dion Waiters was having a hard time making the math work. His minutes were sporadic. He couldn't crack the starting lineup, no matter how well he played. "I would score 9 points in the first half," he said, "then I wouldn't play the second half. " It was ego-bruising. Waiters was considered by some a street-ball legend in Philadelphia, where he grew up. But he also had a high school track record that was hard to pin down because he went to four schools.