mercurynews--2020-02-23--Four things we learned from A’s HQ: Mike Fiers gets warm welcome from A’s fans

MESA , Ariz. — KC Sandstrom and Judy Lehman watch their favorite team , the Oakland A ’ s , play Cactus League games every weekend .
After taking a residency at Stanford University , Sandstrom became infatuated with the team and managed to convert Judy , a longtime Red Sox fan , into an Oakland fanatic , too .
This weekend the couple sat in their normal seats at Hohokam , but came equipped with something different : a white board they ’ d quickly picked up at Walmart with a message for Mike Fiers scrawled across it in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Can I have a ball ?
Fiers saw the sign , nodded at them from the field and shouted that he loved it .
Sandstrom and Lehman were just two of a slew of A ’ s fans that showed their support for Fiers , who made his Cactus League debut on Sunday in an eventual 5-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants in a split squad game .
The fans at Hohokam Stadium — both A ’ s and Giants — gave him a warm welcome .
“ Not a surprise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Our fans know what he ’ s going through.
” “ I really like his integrity , so I became a bigger A ’ s fan , ” Sandstrom said .
“ It ’ s good to stand for something…we don ’ t like ( David ) Ortiz anymore.
” Lehman came to her old team ’ s star ’ s defense briefly , but stayed firm .
“ Why play baseball if you ’ re going to cheat ?
” she asked .
The pair didn ’ t get a ball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ One ( sign ) said Mike Fiers for president , ” Fiers said at his locker .
“ It ’ s always good to see positive responses.
” Fiers has seen his fair share of praise from the baseball world .
Commissioner Rob Manfred hailed him a hero , attesting that he “ did the industry a service ” in his remarks to the press on February 18 in Scottsdale , Ariz. • Khris Davis dealing with calf injury , may play on Tuesday • Four things we learned from A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ races , A.J .
Puk ’ s nasty slider to Kris Bryant • Four things we learned at A ’ s HQ : Khris Davis ’ renewed confidence , Melvin on Ortiz ’ s ‘ snitch ’ comment • Best ballparks for beer : Where do the Giants and A ’ s rank ?
• Former A ’ s pitcher says dilapidated Coliseum wouldn ’ t allow team to cheat “ For him to attach his name to it was really brave , ” A ’ s fan Jonathan Espinoza , from Oakland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He ’ d been cheering Fiers when he walked out to the field .
“ He didn ’ t do it with any intent to get anyone in trouble , he just wanted to get the game cleaned up .
Because it ’ s been a known secret in the league for years , and they did nothing about it.
” On the baseball side of things…Fiers pitched two perfect innings in his Cactus League debut .
He threw all of his pitches — four seamer , sinker , slider , changeup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fiers said he got an early start this year in an effort to prevent a repeat of his rocky first few starts in 2019 .
Fiers accrued a 7.68 ERA in five April starts before settling in to a sub-3 ERA each month through August .
The A ’ s trip to Japan in late March last season contributed to the team ’ s overall slow start , in which they stumbled through a 14-18 record by April ’ s end .
Fiers said he started his throwing programs a little earlier in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-March interruption should help .
“ Not having to go across the seas to pitch early I definitely think is going to help these guys , too .
I know a lot of guys didn ’ t feel well , got sick over there , ” he said .
“ Last year it was more of a rush to get ready for Japan , whereas we ’ re at a normal pace right now , ” Melvin said .
A light buzz will hover around Marcus Semien this year .
The 29-year-old A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from free agency , a critical point intersecting with the Bay Area native ’ s MVP-caliber peak .
Semien has little say in the matter , but he wants to stay with the A ’ s — his home town team where he ’ s found his best friends and comfort zone .
“ The A ’ s let me fail here , ” Semien said at his locker in Mesa .
“ I owe that respect to them , to let me fail and struggle and help me get better along the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main focus for Semien this year will be to try to replicate his 2019 season .
Here ’ s what he will try to replicate : Semien started all 162 games , slashed .285 /.369/.522 with a .892 OPS and 33 home runs .
All career highs , all important numbers on paper .
Good on paper , too , is the A ’ s 2020 team — talented already positionally , juiced by young pitching additions .
Semien is less focused on his production on paper , less focused on how this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his sixth year with the A ’ s — making him the longest tenured player in this clubhouse — Semien can appreciate that his personal growth is most embodied by team success .
He noticed that a uniquely focused eye sparked a more aggressive approach at the plate .
He noticed that a leadoff role provided leverage for Semien to create a smaller zone , which allowed him to lay off more pitches .
“ That leads to a lot of good things .
You get ahead in the count , you get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great hitters behind me so you don ’ t wan to get to the ( Matt ) Chapman , ( Matt ) Olson , ( Mark ) Canha , ( Ramón ) Laureano , all those guys.
” Semien came to camp this spring in a different mindset from his last .
In 2019 , Semien was still looking for that focus , that routine .
A new toy appeared in the batting cages that helped : a tennis ball tracker .
The machine spits out tennis balls with different colored numbers ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discern each number and color .
“ For me it ’ s a focus thing , using my eyes the right way , ” Semien said .
“ I wish we had it in Oakland , but I use it every day here.
” Semien wanted to find his focus .
This helped him take charge of his at bats and develop a new goal : to draw more walks .
Semien ’ s BB/K rate skyrocketed from .47 in 2018 to .85 in 2019 , which ranked eighth in the his walk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % and his strikeout rate dropped from 18.6 % to 13.7 % .
His goal is to bump his walk rate even higher .
The optics of a walk may seem passive in nature , but Semien asserts that a high walk rate signals complete control .
“ If you ’ re ’ walking with an aggressive mindset , that ’ s the goal , ” Semien said .
“ Aggressive mindset in that right down-the-middle zone .
Just look at what the guy does , look at your strengths , and if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of looking at where he has his success.
” A keen focus on the minutia earned Semien national recognition in the form of a third place finish for American League MVP .
His future with the A ’ s — or any other team — might ask him to leap that high bar again .
Semien can ’ t dwell on that big picture .
In order to win , he ’ ll stay focused on his personal goals .
Keep an eye on Luis Barrera The outfield is overflowing with talent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Stephen Piscotty , Ramón Laureano , Mark Canha and Robbie Grossman due to resume their posts .
I detailed how Dustin Fowler and Seth Brown might be on the outside looking in here .
But don ’ t forget about Luis Barrera as a key depth piece in the outfield .
Barrera , a left-handed hitter , went 3-for-4 against the Giants on Sunday and made some nice catches from his post in right field , including a diving catch off Jacob Gonzalez ’ s sure-fire gap double .
“ Not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bats off lefties , too , and that ’ s what we ’ ve seen from him int eh past .
He had quick hands , isn ’ t afraid to let it travel and doesn ’ t look like there ’ s a lot of panic in his game , ” Melvin said .
Only one half of the team was at Hohokam The other half lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks , 7-3 , in Scottsdale .
A rundown of how the A ’ s scored their runs : Catcher Carlos Perez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ryan Goins had in RBI single and Seth Brown hit an RBI double to score Greg Deichmann .
Chris Bassitt gave up two earned runs , including a home run , with two walks and a strikeout in one inning of work .
Paul Blackburn allowed four earned runs on seen hits in 1 2/3 innings .
Some top pitching prospects got on the mound in this one , too .
Right-handed pitcher Grant Holmes allowed one run in two innings with three strikeouts .
Right-handed pitcher James Kaprielian struck out two in @ @ @

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MESA, Ariz. — KC Sandstrom and Judy Lehman watch their favorite team, the Oakland A’s, play Cactus League games every weekend.
After taking a residency at Stanford University when the couple started dating, Sandstrom became infatuated with the team. As their relationship grew so did Judy’s conversion from her die-hard Boston Red Sox fandom into Oakland A’s fandom.
This weekend the couple sat in their normal seats at Hohokam, but came equipped with something different: a white board they’d quickly picked up at Walmart with a message for Mike Fiers scrawled across it in black pen.
Mike Fiers for president. Can I have a ball?
Judy Lehman and KC Samdstrom game out to support Mike Fiers. “We appreciate his integrity, and that’s why we became bigger A’s fans.” pic.twitter.com/jZjQnKjE6w — Shayna Rubin (@ShaynaRubin) February 23, 2020
Fiers saw the sign, nodded at them from the field and shouted that he loved it.
Sandstrom and Lehman were just two of a slew of A’s fans that showed their support for Fiers, who made his Cactus League debut on Sunday in an eventual 5-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants in a split squad game. The fans at Hohokam Stadium — both A’s and Giants — gave him a warm welcome.
“Not a surprise,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Our fans know what he’s going through.”
Fan reaction to Mike Fiers, today’s starter. Fan toward the end says he saved baseball. pic.twitter.com/vOh3rNVcUm — Shayna Rubin (@ShaynaRubin) February 23, 2020
“I really like his integrity, so I became a bigger A’s fan,” Sandstrom said. “It’s good to stand for something…we don’t like (David) Ortiz anymore.”
Lehman came to her old team’s star’s defense briefly, but stayed firm. “Why play baseball if you’re going to cheat?” she asked.
The pair didn’t get a ball, but Fiers certainly noticed the sign.
“One (sign) said Mike Fiers for president,” Fiers said at his locker. “It’s always good to see positive responses.”
Fiers has seen his fair share of praise from the baseball world. Commissioner Rob Manfred hailed him a hero, attesting that he “did the industry a service” in his remarks to the press on February 18 in Scottsdale, Ariz.
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A’s suffer historic ninth-inning collapse while getting swept in Washington Oakland Athletics | A’s fall again as Nationals win on Ruiz’s walkoff home run “For him to attach his name to it was really brave,” A’s fan Jonathan Espinoza, from Oakland, said from his seats at Hohokam. He’d been cheering Fiers when he walked out to the field.
“He didn’t do it with any intent to get anyone in trouble, he just wanted to get the game cleaned up. Because it’s been a known secret in the league for years, and they did nothing about it.”
Fiers off to a fast start
On the baseball side of things…Fiers pitched two perfect innings in his Cactus League debut. He threw all of his pitches — four seamer, sinker, slider, changeup, curveball — with one strikeout.
Fiers said he got an early start this year in an effort to prevent a repeat of his rocky first few starts in 2019. Fiers accrued a 7.68 ERA in five April starts before settling in to a sub-3 ERA each month through August.
The A’s trip to Japan in late March last season contributed to the team’s overall slow start, in which they stumbled through a 14-18 record by April’s end. Fiers said he started his throwing programs a little earlier in the offseason, too. But no mid-March interruption should help.
“Not having to go across the seas to pitch early I definitely think is going to help these guys, too. I know a lot of guys didn’t feel well, got sick over there,” he said.
“Last year it was more of a rush to get ready for Japan, whereas we’re at a normal pace right now,” Melvin said.
Marcus Semien’s focus
A light buzz will hover around Marcus Semien this year. The 29-year-old A’s shortstop is a season away from free agency, a critical point intersecting with the Bay Area native’s MVP-caliber peak.
Semien has little say in the matter, but he wants to stay with the A’s — his home town team where he’s found his best friends and comfort zone.
“The A’s let me fail here,” Semien said at his locker in Mesa. “I owe that respect to them, to let me fail and struggle and help me get better along the way.”
Extension talk aside, the main focus for Semien this year will be to try to replicate his 2019 season.
Here’s what he will try to replicate: Semien started all 162 games, slashed .285 /.369/.522 with a .892 OPS and 33 home runs. All career highs, all important numbers on paper.
Good on paper, too, is the A’s 2020 team — talented already positionally, juiced by young pitching additions. Semien is less focused on his production on paper, less focused on how this team looks on paper.
Now in his sixth year with the A’s — making him the longest tenured player in this clubhouse — Semien can appreciate that his personal growth is most embodied by team success.
He noticed that a uniquely focused eye sparked a more aggressive approach at the plate. He noticed that a leadoff role provided leverage for Semien to create a smaller zone, which allowed him to lay off more pitches.
“That leads to a lot of good things. You get ahead in the count, you get more pitches to hit. I have great hitters behind me so you don’t wan to get to the (Matt) Chapman, (Matt) Olson, (Mark) Canha, (Ramón) Laureano, all those guys.”
Semien came to camp this spring in a different mindset from his last. In 2019, Semien was still looking for that focus, that routine.
A new toy appeared in the batting cages that helped: a tennis ball tracker. The machine spits out tennis balls with different colored numbers; the player’s task is to discern each number and color.
“For me it’s a focus thing, using my eyes the right way,” Semien said. “I wish we had it in Oakland, but I use it every day here.”
Semien wanted to find his focus. This helped him take charge of his at bats and develop a new goal: to draw more walks.
Semien’s BB/K rate skyrocketed from .47 in 2018 to .85 in 2019, which ranked eighth in the his walk rate jumped from 8.6% to 11.6 % and his strikeout rate dropped from 18.6% to 13.7%. His goal is to bump his walk rate even higher. The optics of a walk may seem passive in nature, but Semien asserts that a high walk rate signals complete control.
“If you’re’ walking with an aggressive mindset, that’s the goal,” Semien said. “Aggressive mindset in that right down-the-middle zone. Just look at what the guy does, look at your strengths, and if he pitches in your hot zone instead of looking at where he has his success.”
A keen focus on the minutia earned Semien national recognition in the form of a third place finish for American League MVP. His future with the A’s — or any other team — might ask him to leap that high bar again.
Semien can’t dwell on that big picture. In order to win, he’ll stay focused on his personal goals.
Keep an eye on Luis Barrera
The outfield is overflowing with talent. And though the rotation is essentially set with Stephen Piscotty, Ramón Laureano, Mark Canha and Robbie Grossman due to resume their posts.
I detailed how Dustin Fowler and Seth Brown might be on the outside looking in here. But don’t forget about Luis Barrera as a key depth piece in the outfield.
Barrera, a left-handed hitter, went 3-for-4 against the Giants on Sunday and made some nice catches from his post in right field, including a diving catch off Jacob Gonzalez’s sure-fire gap double.
“Not only good at bats, but good at bats off lefties, too, and that’s what we’ve seen from him int eh past. He had quick hands, isn’t afraid to let it travel and doesn’t look like there’s a lot of panic in his game,” Melvin said.
A’s lose to Diamondbacks in split squad game
Only one half of the team was at Hohokam The other half lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-3, in Scottsdale.
A rundown of how the A’s scored their runs: Catcher Carlos Perez doubled to score Syke Bolte. Shortstop Ryan Goins had in RBI single and Seth Brown hit an RBI double to score Greg Deichmann.
Chris Bassitt gave up two earned runs, including a home run, with two walks and a strikeout in one inning of work. Paul Blackburn allowed four earned runs on seen hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Some top pitching prospects got on the mound in this one, too. Right-handed pitcher Grant Holmes allowed one run in two innings with three strikeouts. Right-handed pitcher James Kaprielian struck out two in one inning.


mercurynews--2020-02-23--Reliability of pricey new voting machines questioned

In the rush to replace insecure , unreliable electronic voting machines after Russia ’ s interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential race , state and local officials have scrambled to acquire more trustworthy equipment for this year ’ s election , when U.S. intelligence agencies fear even worse problems .
But instead of choosing simple , hand-marked paper ballots that are most resistant to tampering because paper can not be hacked , many are opting for pricier technology that computer security experts consider almost as risky as earlier discredited electronic systems .
Called ballot-marking devices , the machines have touchscreens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machines , they print out paper records that are scanned by optical readers .
South Carolina voters will use them in Saturday ’ s primary .
The most pricey solution available , they are at least twice as expensive as the hand-marked paper ballot option .
They have been vigorously promoted by the three voting equipment vendors that control 88 percent of the U.S. market .
Some of the most popular ballot-marking machines , made by industry leaders Election Systems & Software and Dominion Voting Systems , register votes in bar codes that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s a problem , researchers say : Voters could end up with printouts that accurately spell out the names of the candidates they picked , but , because of a hack , the bar codes do not reflect those choices .
Because the bar codes are what are tabulated , voters would never know that their ballots benefited another candidate .
Even on machines that do not use bar codes , voters may not notice if a hack or programming error mangled their choices .
A University of Michigan study determined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mock election notified poll workers when the names on their printed receipts did not match the candidates they voted for .
ES & S rejects those scenarios .
Spokeswoman Katina Granger said the company ’ s ballot-marking machines ’ accuracy and security “ have been proven through thousands of hours of testing and tens of thousands of successful elections.
” Dominion declined to comment for this story .
Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. voters will be using ballot-marking machines this year , compared with less than 2 % in 2018 , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology .
Pivotal counties in the crucial states of Pennsylvania , Ohio and North Carolina have bought ballot-marking machines .
So have counties in much of Texas , as well as California ’ s Los Angeles County and all of Georgia , Delaware and South Carolina .
The machines ’ certification has often been streamlined in the rush to get machines in place for presidential primaries .
Ballot-marking devices were not conceived as primary vote-casting tools but as accessible options for people with disabilities .
Critics see them as vulnerable to hacking .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ convention in Las Vegas , it took tinkerers at the ‘ Voting Village ’ not even eight hours to hack two older ballot-marking devices .
Tampering aside , some of the newer ballot-marking machines have stumbled badly in actual votes .
That happened most spectacularly in November when ES & S ’ s top-of-the-line ExpressVote XL debuted in a Pennsylvania county .
Even without technical troubles , the new machines can lead to longer lines , potentially reducing turnout .
Voters need more time to cast ballots and the machine ’ s high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how many they purchase .
“ There are a huge number of reasons to reject today ’ s ballot-marking devices — except for limited use as assistive devices for those unable to mark a paper ballot themselves , ” says Doug Jones , a University of Iowa computer scientist who co-authored the voting technology history “ Broken Ballots.
” But election officials see ballot-marking devices as improvements over paperless touchscreens , which were used by 27 percent of voters in 2018 .
They like them because the touchscreens are familiar to voters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been using for nearly two decades , and officials can use one voting method for everyone .
Michael Anderson , elections director for Pennsylvania ’ s Lebanon County , said “ voters want it.
” The county offers voters both machine- and hand-marked ballots .
“ When we give them a paper ballot , the very first thing they say to us is , ‘ We ’ re going back in time , ' ” he said .
New York State election commission co-chair Douglas Kellner was an early critic of paperless electronic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a ballot-marking device , the ImageCast Evolution by Dominion , certified for use in his state .
He said safeguards built into the machines and security protocols make a hack of the Image Evolution “ extraordinarily unlikely.
” But Jones is among experts who think today ’ s ballot-marking devices undermine the very idea of retaining a paper record that can be used in audits and recounts .
It ’ s an idea supported by a 2018 National Academies of Sciences report that favors hand-marked paper ballots tallied by optical scanners .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ them in the past two presidential elections and will do so again in November .
One state , Colorado , is banning bar codes from ballot-marking voting machines beginning in 2021 .
Election administrators who reject hand-marked paper ballots as antiquated , inconvenient or unwieldy have few options beyond ballot-marking devices .
That ’ s because the $ 300 million voting equipment and services industry is so insular and entrenched .
The industry faces virtually no federal regulation even though election technology was designated critical infrastructure in January 2017 .
Federal certification guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old and voluntary .
The leading vendors have resisted publicly disclosing third-party penetration testing of their systems .
“ It ’ s a self-reinforcing system that keeps it frozen in a place in the past , ” said Eddie Perez , a former product development director for Hart InterCivic , the No .
3 voting equipment company , now with the OSET Institute , a nonprofit that promotes reliable voting solutions .
“ They don ’ t want to make any changes in the equipment unless they absolutely have to.
” The Republican-controlled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would , among other things , require a voter-verifiable paper trail and require bulletproof postelection audits .
Republicans say the federal government should not impinge on states ’ authority to oversee elections .
Northampton County , on Pennsylvania ’ s eastern edge , mirrored the state ’ s choice in 2016 by voting for Donald Trump after twice choosing Barack Obama .
Last Election Day , it became ground zero in the debate over ballot-marking devices .
First , a programming misconfiguration prevented votes cast for one of three candidates in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bar codes used to count the vote .
Only absentee ballot votes registered for the candidate , said the county executive , Lamont McClure .
The other problem was miscalibrated touchscreens , which can “ flip ” votes or simply make it difficult to vote for one ’ s desired candidate due to faulty screen alignment .
They were on about one-third of the county ’ s 320 machines , which cost taxpayers $ 8,250 each .
One poll judge called the touch screens “ garbage.
” Some voters , in emails @ @ @ @ @ @ @ records request , said their votes were assigned to the wrong candidates .
Others worried about long lines in future elections .
Voters require triple the time on average to navigate ES & S ballot-marking machines compared to filling out hand-marked ballots and running them through scanners , according to state certification documents .
ES & S said its employees had flubbed the programming and failed to perform adequate pre-election testing of the machines or adequately train election workers , which would have caught the errors .
Election commissioners were livid but unable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they are appointees .
“ I feel like I ’ ve been played , ” commissioner Maudeania Hornik said at a December meeting with ES & S representatives .
She later told the AP she had voted for the devices believing they would be more convenient than hand-marked paper ballots , especially for seniors .
“ What we worry is , what happens the next time if there ’ s a programming bug — or a hack or whatever — and it ’ s done in a way that ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a commissioner and Lehigh University computer scientist .
ES & S election equipment has failed elsewhere .
Flawed software in ballot-marking devices delayed the vote count by 13 hours in Kansas ’ largest county during the August 2018 gubernatorial primary .
Another Johnson County , this one in Indiana , scrapped the company ’ s computerized voter check-in system after Election Day errors that same year caused long lines .
“ I don ’ t know that we ’ ve ever seen an election computer — a voting computer — whose software was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Duncan Buell , a University of South Carolina computer scientist who has found errors in results produced by ES & S electronic voting machines .
Voting integrity activists have sued , seeking to prevent the further use in Pennsylvania of the ExpressVote XL .
Grassroots organizations including Common Cause are fighting to prevent their certification in New York State .
ES & S defends the machine .
In a Dec. 12 filing in a Pennsylvania lawsuit , company executive Dean Baumer said the ExpressVote XL had never been compromised and said breaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impossibility.
” ES & S lobbied hard in Pennsylvania for the ExpressVote XL , though not always legally .
After ES & S won a $ 29 million contract in Philadelphia last year in a hasty procurement , that city ’ s controller did some digging .
She determined that ES & S ’ vice president of finance had failed to disclose , in a mandatory campaign contribution form , activities of consultants who spent more than $ 400,000 , including making campaign contributions to two commissioners involved in awarding the contract .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ record $ 2.9 million penalty as a result .
It said the executive ’ s failure to disclose was “ inadvertent.
” The Philadelphia episode contradicts claims by ES & S officials , including by CEO Tom Burt in Jan. 8 testimony to a congressional committee , that the company does not make campaign contributions .
Public records show ES & S contributed $ 25,000 from 2014-2016 to the Republican State Leadership Committee which seeks GOP control of state legislatures .
ES & S has also paid for trips to Las Vegas of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections officials , including from South Carolina , New York City and Dallas County , Texas , according to records shared with the AP from a Freedom of Information request .
Philadelphia paid more than twice as much for its ExpressVote XL machines per voter ( $ 27 ) as what Allegheny County , home to Pittsburgh , disbursed ( $ 12 ) for hand-marked paper ballots and scanners — plus ballot-markers for the disabled — from the same vendor .
Allegheny County ’ s elections board rejected ballot-marking devices as too risky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice-chair , state Judge Kathryn Hens-Greco , regretted during a September hearing having to award ES & S the county ’ s business at all given its behavior in Philadelphia and elsewhere .
But no other vendor offered a hand-marked option with enough ballot-configuration flexibility for the county ’ s 130 municipalities .
• Security adviser : I ’ ve seen no intel of Moscow helping Trump • Who ’ s raking in the most money for San Jose City Council campaigns ?
While cybersecurity risks can ’ t be eliminated , Hens-Greco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have “ the ability to recover ” from any mischief : a paper trail of hand-marked ballots .

By Frank Bajak | Associated Press
In the rush to replace insecure, unreliable electronic voting machines after Russia’s interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential race, state and local officials have scrambled to acquire more trustworthy equipment for this year’s election, when U.S. intelligence agencies fear even worse problems.
But instead of choosing simple, hand-marked paper ballots that are most resistant to tampering because paper cannot be hacked, many are opting for pricier technology that computer security experts consider almost as risky as earlier discredited electronic systems.
Called ballot-marking devices, the machines have touchscreens for registering voter choice. Unlike touchscreen-only machines, they print out paper records that are scanned by optical readers. South Carolina voters will use them in Saturday’s primary.
The most pricey solution available, they are at least twice as expensive as the hand-marked paper ballot option. They have been vigorously promoted by the three voting equipment vendors that control 88 percent of the U.S. market.
Some of the most popular ballot-marking machines, made by industry leaders Election Systems & Software and Dominion Voting Systems, register votes in bar codes that the human eye cannot decipher. That’s a problem, researchers say: Voters could end up with printouts that accurately spell out the names of the candidates they picked, but, because of a hack, the bar codes do not reflect those choices. Because the bar codes are what are tabulated, voters would never know that their ballots benefited another candidate.
Even on machines that do not use bar codes, voters may not notice if a hack or programming error mangled their choices. A University of Michigan study determined that only 7 percent of participants in a mock election notified poll workers when the names on their printed receipts did not match the candidates they voted for.
ES&S rejects those scenarios. Spokeswoman Katina Granger said the company’s ballot-marking machines’ accuracy and security “have been proven through thousands of hours of testing and tens of thousands of successful elections.” Dominion declined to comment for this story.
Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. voters will be using ballot-marking machines this year, compared with less than 2% in 2018, according to Verified Voting, which tracks voting technology.
[vemba-video id=”politics/2020/02/23/los-angeles-voting-machines-watt-pkg-vpx.cnn”]
Pivotal counties in the crucial states of Pennsylvania, Ohio and North Carolina have bought ballot-marking machines. So have counties in much of Texas, as well as California’s Los Angeles County and all of Georgia, Delaware and South Carolina. The machines’ certification has often been streamlined in the rush to get machines in place for presidential primaries.
Ballot-marking devices were not conceived as primary vote-casting tools but as accessible options for people with disabilities.
Critics see them as vulnerable to hacking. At last year’s DefCon hacker convention in Las Vegas, it took tinkerers at the ‘Voting Village’ not even eight hours to hack two older ballot-marking devices.
Tampering aside, some of the newer ballot-marking machines have stumbled badly in actual votes. That happened most spectacularly in November when ES&S’s top-of-the-line ExpressVote XL debuted in a Pennsylvania county.
Even without technical troubles, the new machines can lead to longer lines, potentially reducing turnout. Voters need more time to cast ballots and the machine’s high costs have prompted election officials to limit how many they purchase.
“There are a huge number of reasons to reject today’s ballot-marking devices — except for limited use as assistive devices for those unable to mark a paper ballot themselves,” says Doug Jones, a University of Iowa computer scientist who co-authored the voting technology history “Broken Ballots.”
But election officials see ballot-marking devices as improvements over paperless touchscreens, which were used by 27 percent of voters in 2018. They like them because the touchscreens are familiar to voters, looking and feeling like what they have been using for nearly two decades, and officials can use one voting method for everyone.
Michael Anderson, elections director for Pennsylvania’s Lebanon County, said “voters want it.” The county offers voters both machine- and hand-marked ballots.
“When we give them a paper ballot, the very first thing they say to us is, ‘We’re going back in time,'” he said.
New York State election commission co-chair Douglas Kellner was an early critic of paperless electronic voting machines. But he is confident in a ballot-marking device, the ImageCast Evolution by Dominion, certified for use in his state. He said safeguards built into the machines and security protocols make a hack of the Image Evolution “extraordinarily unlikely.”
But Jones is among experts who think today’s ballot-marking devices undermine the very idea of retaining a paper record that can be used in audits and recounts. It’s an idea supported by a 2018 National Academies of Sciences report that favors hand-marked paper ballots tallied by optical scanners. Some 70 percent of U.S. voters used them in the past two presidential elections and will do so again in November.
One state, Colorado, is banning bar codes from ballot-marking voting machines beginning in 2021.
Election administrators who reject hand-marked paper ballots as antiquated, inconvenient or unwieldy have few options beyond ballot-marking devices. That’s because the $300 million voting equipment and services industry is so insular and entrenched.
The industry faces virtually no federal regulation even though election technology was designated critical infrastructure in January 2017. Federal certification guidelines for voting machine design are 15 years old and voluntary. The leading vendors have resisted publicly disclosing third-party penetration testing of their systems.
“It’s a self-reinforcing system that keeps it frozen in a place in the past,” said Eddie Perez, a former product development director for Hart InterCivic, the No. 3 voting equipment company, now with the OSET Institute, a nonprofit that promotes reliable voting solutions. “They don’t want to make any changes in the equipment unless they absolutely have to.”
The Republican-controlled Senate has refused to take up bills that would, among other things, require a voter-verifiable paper trail and require bulletproof postelection audits. Republicans say the federal government should not impinge on states’ authority to oversee elections.
Northampton County, on Pennsylvania’s eastern edge, mirrored the state’s choice in 2016 by voting for Donald Trump after twice choosing Barack Obama. Last Election Day, it became ground zero in the debate over ballot-marking devices.
The county’s new ExpressVote XLs failed doubly.
First, a programming misconfiguration prevented votes cast for one of three candidates in a judge’s race from registering in the bar codes used to count the vote. Only absentee ballot votes registered for the candidate, said the county executive, Lamont McClure. The other problem was miscalibrated touchscreens, which can “flip” votes or simply make it difficult to vote for one’s desired candidate due to faulty screen alignment. They were on about one-third of the county’s 320 machines, which cost taxpayers $8,250 each.
One poll judge called the touch screens “garbage.” Some voters, in emails obtained by the AP in a public records request, said their votes were assigned to the wrong candidates. Others worried about long lines in future elections.
Voters require triple the time on average to navigate ES&S ballot-marking machines compared to filling out hand-marked ballots and running them through scanners, according to state certification documents.
ES&S said its employees had flubbed the programming and failed to perform adequate pre-election testing of the machines or adequately train election workers, which would have caught the errors.
Election commissioners were livid but unable to return the machines for a refund because they are appointees.
“I feel like I’ve been played,” commissioner Maudeania Hornik said at a December meeting with ES&S representatives. She later told the AP she had voted for the devices believing they would be more convenient than hand-marked paper ballots, especially for seniors.
“What we worry is, what happens the next time if there’s a programming bug — or a hack or whatever — and it’s done in a way that’s not obvious?” said Daniel Lopresti, a commissioner and Lehigh University computer scientist.
ES&S election equipment has failed elsewhere. Flawed software in ballot-marking devices delayed the vote count by 13 hours in Kansas’ largest county during the August 2018 gubernatorial primary. Another Johnson County, this one in Indiana, scrapped the company’s computerized voter check-in system after Election Day errors that same year caused long lines.
“I don’t know that we’ve ever seen an election computer — a voting computer — whose software was done to a high standard,” said Duncan Buell, a University of South Carolina computer scientist who has found errors in results produced by ES&S electronic voting machines.
Voting integrity activists have sued, seeking to prevent the further use in Pennsylvania of the ExpressVote XL. Grassroots organizations including Common Cause are fighting to prevent their certification in New York State.
ES&S defends the machine. In a Dec. 12 filing in a Pennsylvania lawsuit, company executive Dean Baumer said the ExpressVote XL had never been compromised and said breaches of the machine “are a practical impossibility.”
ES&S lobbied hard in Pennsylvania for the ExpressVote XL, though not always legally.
After ES&S won a $29 million contract in Philadelphia last year in a hasty procurement, that city’s controller did some digging. She determined that ES&S’ vice president of finance had failed to disclose, in a mandatory campaign contribution form, activities of consultants who spent more than $400,000, including making campaign contributions to two commissioners involved in awarding the contract. ES&S agreed to pay a record $2.9 million penalty as a result. It said the executive’s failure to disclose was “inadvertent.”
The Philadelphia episode contradicts claims by ES&S officials, including by CEO Tom Burt in Jan. 8 testimony to a congressional committee, that the company does not make campaign contributions.
Public records show ES&S contributed $25,000 from 2014-2016 to the Republican State Leadership Committee which seeks GOP control of state legislatures.
ES&S has also paid for trips to Las Vegas of an “advisory board” of top elections officials, including from South Carolina, New York City and Dallas County, Texas, according to records shared with the AP from a Freedom of Information request.
Philadelphia paid more than twice as much for its ExpressVote XL machines per voter ($27) as what Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh, disbursed ($12) for hand-marked paper ballots and scanners — plus ballot-markers for the disabled — from the same vendor.
Allegheny County’s elections board rejected ballot-marking devices as too risky for all but disabled voters. Its vice-chair, state Judge Kathryn Hens-Greco, regretted during a September hearing having to award ES&S the county’s business at all given its behavior in Philadelphia and elsewhere.
But no other vendor offered a hand-marked option with enough ballot-configuration flexibility for the county’s 130 municipalities.


mercurynews--2020-02-23--Austria stops all trains to and from Italy over virus fears

By Luca Bruno and Frances D ’ Emilio | Associated Press CODOGNO , Italy — Austria halted all train traffic to and from Italy following fears that a train on Sunday night had two people on board who may have been infected with the COVID-19 virus , authorities said .
The train was stopped at the Brenner crossing on the Italian side , Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said , according to Austrian broadcaster ORF .
The train came from Venice in Italy and was on its way to Munich .
Austria , which shares its southern border with Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus in the north of the country .
The region has seen the number of infected people in the country soar to at least 152 , the most outside Asia .
Italy scrambled Sunday to check the spread of the new viral disease amid rapidly rising numbers of infections in the country and a third death , calling off the Venice Carnival attended by thousands of revelers , scrapping major league soccer matches in the stricken area and shuttering theaters , including Milan ’ s legendary La Scala .
Also rising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighboring Austria , which dangled the specter of closing its border if the health emergency worsens .
The decision to call off Carnival was announced by Veneto regional Gov .
Luca Zaia as the number of confirmed virus cases soared to 152 , the largest number outside Asia .
“ The ordinance is immediately operative and will go into effect at midnight , ” said Zaia , whose area includes Venice , where thousands packed St. Mark ’ s Square .
Carnival would have run through Tuesday .
Roadblocks were set up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lombardy at the epicenter of the outbreak , including in Casalpusterlengo , to keep people from leaving or arriving .
Even trains transiting the area weren ’ t allowed to stop .
Buses , trains and other forms of public transport — including boats in Venice — were being disinfected , Zaia told reporters .
Museums were also ordered to shut down after Sunday in Venice , a top tourist draw anytime of the year , as well as in neighboring Lombardy , which , with at least 110 confirmed cases , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Authorities said three people in Venice have tested positive for the viral disease known as COVID-19 , all of them in their late 80s and who were hospitalized in critical condition .
Other northern regions with smaller numbers of cases are Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont .
Italy ’ s first two cases were a Chinese tourist couple , diagnosed earlier this month and reported recovering in a Rome hospital .
The death on Sunday of an elderly woman , who was already suffering from cancer when she contracted the virus , raised the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Lombardy regional official Giulio Gallera .
Authorities expressed frustration that they haven ’ t been able to track down the source of the virus that is spreading in the north and which surfaced last week when an Italian man in his late 30s in Codogno became critically ill. “ The health officials haven ’ t been yet able to pinpoint ‘ patient zero , ' ” Angelo Borrelli , head of the national Civil Protection agency , told reporters in Rome .
At first , it was widely presumed that the man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dined with and who had recently returned from his job , based in Shanghai .
But when the friend tested negative for the virus attention turned to several Chinese residents who frequent the same cafe visited by the stricken man .
But Lombardy Gov .
Attilio Fontana told reporters they all tested negative too .
So for now , Borrelli indicated the strategy is to concentrate on closures and other restrictions to try to stem the spread in the country , which already had taken measures early on in the global virus alarm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hong Kong , Taiwan and Macau .
Italy has also tested millions of airport passengers arriving from other places for any signs of fever .
Gallera told reporters in Milan that schools , museums , discos , pubs and theaters would stay closed for at least seven days .
But restaurants in Milan and other Lombardy cities outside the main cluster area can still operate since , unlike at concerts and other entertainment venues , in eateries “ people are not congregated in one place and there is space between tables , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban on public events also extended to Masses in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation .
Venice also was forbidding public Masses , while in Milan , the city ’ s iconic Gothic cathedral was closed to visitors .
School trips inside Italy and overseas were banned .
But in the south , thousands turned out for a visit by Pope Francis in the port city of Bari .
The pontiff shook hands with many of the faithful .
In Lombardy , a populous region that includes the country ’ s financial capital , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 were in the countryside , mainly in Codogno and nine neighboring towns .
In those towns , only grocery stores and pharmacies were permitted to open , and people weren ’ t supposed to enter or leave the towns .
Melissa Catanacci , who lives on one of Codogno ’ s main roads , said in the morning , she ventured outside for a stroll along with her husband and two children , ages 10 and 13 .
“ Every quarter-hour or so a car goes by ” on the main road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With businesses closed , the usual Sunday “ passeggiata ” — a leisurely stroll through local streets — didn ’ t last very long , she said .
With school to stay shut through the week , her children were visiting their friends ’ houses or inviting them over to hers to break the boredom , she said .
Sporting events were canceled , from children ’ s team practices to Serie A soccer matches which were to be played in northern stadiums .
Those measures were ordered Saturday night by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were being installed in trains run by the state railways , which also said it was supplying its crews with masks and disposable gloves .
Britain ’ s number of confirmed cases rose to 13 , with the positive test results of four Britons who had been aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship , which had been moored for days at a Japanese port when the ship was quarantined .
In Austria , security official Franz Lang said the country was considering activating border controls to Italy .
Both nations are part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passport-free zone , but under certain circumstances , individual countries can reactivate controls .
Lang said the situation would be discussed in meetings Monday , local Austrian media reported .
In Switzerland , which like Austria borders Italy , there was a call for calm .
“ The news from Italy is worrisome … but it is too early to think that a wave is rolling our way , ” Daniel Koch , the head of the department for contagious diseases at the health office , told the SRF public broadcaster .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a phone conference for all European Union public health authorities about the outbreak in northern Italy on Monday .
French Health Minister Olivier Veran said that authorities were getting ready for a possible outbreak in France of the new virus .
In an interview published Sunday in French newspaper Le Parisien he said he was monitoring closely the “ very serious ” situation , including in neighboring Italy .
• They said it : Coronavirus fears • Coronavirus : Travis AFB ’ s infected people must go – but where ?
Earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside Asia of a person infected with the virus , an 80-year-old Chinese tourist .
D ’ Emilio reported from Rome .
Associated Press writers Sylvie Corbet in Paris , Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin , and Jill Lawless in London , contributed to this report .

By Luca Bruno and Frances D’Emilio | Associated Press
CODOGNO, Italy — Austria halted all train traffic to and from Italy following fears that a train on Sunday night had two people on board who may have been infected with the COVID-19 virus, authorities said.
The train was stopped at the Brenner crossing on the Italian side, Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said, according to Austrian broadcaster ORF.
The train came from Venice in Italy and was on its way to Munich. Austria, which shares its southern border with Italy has expressed concern about the recent outbreak of the virus in the north of the country.
The region has seen the number of infected people in the country soar to at least 152, the most outside Asia.
Italy scrambled Sunday to check the spread of the new viral disease amid rapidly rising numbers of infections in the country and a third death, calling off the Venice Carnival attended by thousands of revelers, scrapping major league soccer matches in the stricken area and shuttering theaters, including Milan’s legendary La Scala.
Also rising was concern in Europe, including by neighboring Austria, which dangled the specter of closing its border if the health emergency worsens.
The decision to call off Carnival was announced by Veneto regional Gov. Luca Zaia as the number of confirmed virus cases soared to 152, the largest number outside Asia.
“The ordinance is immediately operative and will go into effect at midnight,” said Zaia, whose area includes Venice, where thousands packed St. Mark’s Square. Carnival would have run through Tuesday.
[vemba-video id=”health/2020/02/22/anthony-fauci-on-coronavirus-smerconish-vpx.cnn”]
Roadblocks were set up in at least some of 10 towns in Lombardy at the epicenter of the outbreak, including in Casalpusterlengo, to keep people from leaving or arriving. Even trains transiting the area weren’t allowed to stop.
Buses, trains and other forms of public transport — including boats in Venice — were being disinfected, Zaia told reporters. Museums were also ordered to shut down after Sunday in Venice, a top tourist draw anytime of the year, as well as in neighboring Lombardy, which, with at least 110 confirmed cases, is the epicenter of the viral outbreak.
Authorities said three people in Venice have tested positive for the viral disease known as COVID-19, all of them in their late 80s and who were hospitalized in critical condition.
Other northern regions with smaller numbers of cases are Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont.
Italy’s first two cases were a Chinese tourist couple, diagnosed earlier this month and reported recovering in a Rome hospital.
The death on Sunday of an elderly woman, who was already suffering from cancer when she contracted the virus, raised the nation’s death toll to three, said Lombardy regional official Giulio Gallera.
Authorities expressed frustration that they haven’t been able to track down the source of the virus that is spreading in the north and which surfaced last week when an Italian man in his late 30s in Codogno became critically ill.
“The health officials haven’t been yet able to pinpoint ‘patient zero,'” Angelo Borrelli, head of the national Civil Protection agency, told reporters in Rome.
At first, it was widely presumed that the man was infected by an Italian friend he dined with and who had recently returned from his job, based in Shanghai. But when the friend tested negative for the virus attention turned to several Chinese residents who frequent the same cafe visited by the stricken man. But Lombardy Gov. Attilio Fontana told reporters they all tested negative too.
So for now, Borrelli indicated the strategy is to concentrate on closures and other restrictions to try to stem the spread in the country, which already had taken measures early on in the global virus alarm that included banning direct flights from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau. Italy has also tested millions of airport passengers arriving from other places for any signs of fever.
“Worry is understandable, panic, no,” Premier Giuseppe Conte told a state TV interviewer.
Gallera told reporters in Milan that schools, museums, discos, pubs and theaters would stay closed for at least seven days. But restaurants in Milan and other Lombardy cities outside the main cluster area can still operate since, unlike at concerts and other entertainment venues, in eateries “people are not congregated in one place and there is space between tables,” Gallera said.
Lombardy’s ban on public events also extended to Masses in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation. Venice also was forbidding public Masses, while in Milan, the city’s iconic Gothic cathedral was closed to visitors. School trips inside Italy and overseas were banned.
But in the south, thousands turned out for a visit by Pope Francis in the port city of Bari. The pontiff shook hands with many of the faithful.
In Lombardy, a populous region that includes the country’s financial capital, Milan, nearly all the cases of COVID-19 were in the countryside, mainly in Codogno and nine neighboring towns. In those towns, only grocery stores and pharmacies were permitted to open, and people weren’t supposed to enter or leave the towns.
Melissa Catanacci, who lives on one of Codogno’s main roads, said in the morning, she ventured outside for a stroll along with her husband and two children, ages 10 and 13.
“Every quarter-hour or so a car goes by” on the main road, Catanacci said, speaking by telephone. With businesses closed, the usual Sunday “passeggiata” — a leisurely stroll through local streets — didn’t last very long, she said.
With school to stay shut through the week, her children were visiting their friends’ houses or inviting them over to hers to break the boredom, she said.
Sporting events were canceled, from children’s team practices to Serie A soccer matches which were to be played in northern stadiums. Those measures were ordered Saturday night by the Italian government.
Dispensers of hand disinfectant were being installed in trains run by the state railways, which also said it was supplying its crews with masks and disposable gloves.
Britain’s number of confirmed cases rose to 13, with the positive test results of four Britons who had been aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which had been moored for days at a Japanese port when the ship was quarantined.
In Austria, security official Franz Lang said the country was considering activating border controls to Italy. Both nations are part of the European Union’s visa- and passport-free zone, but under certain circumstances, individual countries can reactivate controls. Lang said the situation would be discussed in meetings Monday, local Austrian media reported.
In Switzerland, which like Austria borders Italy, there was a call for calm.
“The news from Italy is worrisome … but it is too early to think that a wave is rolling our way,” Daniel Koch, the head of the department for contagious diseases at the health office, told the SRF public broadcaster.
The German health ministry said it had initiated a phone conference for all European Union public health authorities about the outbreak in northern Italy on Monday.
French Health Minister Olivier Veran said that authorities were getting ready for a possible outbreak in France of the new virus. In an interview published Sunday in French newspaper Le Parisien he said he was monitoring closely the “very serious” situation, including in neighboring Italy.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms National News | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge Earlier this month, France reported the first death outside Asia of a person infected with the virus, an 80-year-old Chinese tourist.
D’Emilio reported from Rome. Associated Press writers Sylvie Corbet in Paris, Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, and Jill Lawless in London, contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-02-24--Letter: I implore everyone with a moral compass to resist this trend

Henry Fielding once said , “ Let no man be sorry he has done good , because others have done @ @ @ @ @ has acted right , he has done well though alone ; if wrong , the @ @ @ @ @ not justify him.
” • Letter : Nordic education system will never work in U.S. @ @ @ @ @ mind Dems are even considering Bloomberg • Letter : Tom Steyer is showing same methods @ @ @ @ @ I could only stand 20 minutes of the Democratic debate I implore every person with @ @ @ @ @ resist the temptations riding on the wave of lawlessness that is currently driving our country @ @ @ @ @ there are still enough of us to make a difference if we are willing to @ @ @ @ @ your letter to the editor via this form Read more Letters to the Editor

Resist trend driving
country to anarchy
Henry Fielding once said, “Let no man be sorry he has done good, because others have done evil! If a man has acted right, he has done well though alone; if wrong, the sanction of all mankind will not justify him.”
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Letters: Insulate wires | CDE was wrong | Functional Chromebooks | Trump’s ego | Healthy debate | A new path Letters to the Editor | Letters: Local solar | Titan resources | Activism helps I implore every person with a functioning moral compass to resist the temptations riding on the wave of lawlessness that is currently driving our country to anarchy. I believe there are still enough of us to make a difference if we are willing to brave the challenge.
Nancy L. Morris
Walnut Creek
Submit your letter to the editor via this form
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mercurynews--2020-02-24--How the Iwo Jima flag raising became a symbol of American dreams

Seventy-five years ago this week , the U.S. Marine Corps began the invasion of Iwo Jima .
The tiny island in the Pacific Ocean was considered Japanese soil and fiercely guarded .
The battle is said to have been the bloodiest in the war , and Iwo Jima had a monumental impact on the Marine Corps .
Iwo Jima is a tiny , 8-square mile island , about one-tenth the size of Catalina Island .
Iwo Jima means “ sulfer island ” in Japanese and is 660 miles south of Tokyo .
The Imperial Japanese Army used two airfields while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ runs of the Japanese home islands .
The Japanese heavily fortified the island with 11 miles of underground tunnels .
The U.S. Armed Forces planned to take the island with more than 100,000 U.S. troops .
The mission amassed the largest force of Marines , ( 70,000 ) in World War II .
Bombing raids of the island began in 1944 and lasted 74 days .
Navy ships bombarded the island for 72 hours before the landing with little effect on the Japanese forces that were in underground bunkers .
More than 880 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beach .
There were approximately 22,000 Japanese soldiers dug in and waiting .
The fighting lasted for 36 days .
• The tale of this Marine in the ‘ other ’ Iwo Jima photo can , at last , be told • James Bradley , an Iwo Jima vet ’ s son , marvels at recent changes in East-West relations • The Iwo Jima photo and the man who helped save it The Japanese lost their entire force with only a couple hundred captured .
U.S. forces had 24,053 casualties and 6,140 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every three Marines that invaded .
“ For every plot of ground the size of a football field , an average of more than one American and five Japanese were killed and five Americans wounded , ” said military historian Norman Cooper .
The U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington , D.C. , depicts a famous moment from Iwo Jima but is dedicated to all Marines who have given their lives in defense of the country .
Here ’ s how the sculpture came to be : 1 .
After the bloody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capture the highest point on the island , Mount Suribachi .
Once the Marines held the position , they raised a small flag on the morning of Feb. 23 , which thrilled the troops .
2 .
Later that day a second , larger flag , was brought to the mountaintop .
Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal shot this photo .
Rosenthal ’ s photos eventually won the Pulitzer Prize .
3 .
Sculptor Felix de Weldon , in the Navy at the time , was inspired by Rosenthal ’ s photo .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ create the 3-foot-tall wax model .
Weldon ’ s commanding officers sent the sculpture to Navy headquarters where it was met with great reception .
The monument was dedicated Nov. 10 , 1954 .
Vice President Richard Nixon gave the dedicatory address and said the monument was “ a symbol of the hopes and dreams of all Americans.
” “ Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima , uncommon valor was a common virtue.
” — U.S. Adm. Chester Nimitz • The flag flies at full mast 24 hours a day and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2016 , the Marine Corps discovered it had misidentified one of the men in the statue .
Here is the corrected list :

Seventy-five years ago this week, the U.S. Marine Corps began the invasion of Iwo Jima. The tiny island in the Pacific Ocean was considered Japanese soil and fiercely guarded. The battle is said to have been the bloodiest in the war, and Iwo Jima had a monumental impact on the Marine Corps.
Bloodiest of battles
Iwo Jima is a tiny, 8-square mile island, about one-tenth the size of Catalina Island. Iwo Jima means “sulfer island” in Japanese and is 660 miles south of Tokyo. The Imperial Japanese Army used two airfields while constructing a third to intercept U.S. bombing runs of the Japanese home islands.
The Japanese heavily fortified the island with 11 miles of underground tunnels. The U.S. Armed Forces planned to take the island with more than 100,000 U.S. troops. The mission amassed the largest force of Marines, (70,000) in World War II.
Bombing raids of the island began in 1944 and lasted 74 days. Navy ships bombarded the island for 72 hours before the landing with little effect on the Japanese forces that were in underground bunkers.
Landing
More than 880 vessels were used and 30,000 Marines hit the beach. There were approximately 22,000 Japanese soldiers dug in and waiting. The fighting lasted for 36 days.
The toll
Related Articles News | Bay Area photographer’s Iwo Jima photo still resonates after 75 years The Japanese lost their entire force with only a couple hundred captured. U.S. forces had 24,053 casualties and 6,140 dead. There was one dead for every three Marines that invaded.
“For every plot of ground the size of a football field, an average of more than one American and five Japanese were killed and five Americans wounded,” said military historian Norman Cooper.
Lasting impression
The U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington, D.C., depicts a famous moment from Iwo Jima but is dedicated to all Marines who have given their lives in defense of the country. Here’s how the sculpture came to be:
1. After the bloody beach landing, the Marines fought to capture the highest point on the island, Mount Suribachi. Once the Marines held the position, they raised a small flag on the morning of Feb. 23, which thrilled the troops.
2. Later that day a second, larger flag, was brought to the mountaintop. Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal shot this photo. Rosenthal’s photos eventually won the Pulitzer Prize.
3. Sculptor Felix de Weldon, in the Navy at the time, was inspired by Rosenthal’s photo. Weldon worked nonstop for three days to create the 3-foot-tall wax model. Weldon’s commanding officers sent the sculpture to Navy headquarters where it was met with great reception.
The monument was dedicated Nov. 10, 1954. Vice President Richard Nixon gave the dedicatory address and said the monument was “a symbol of the hopes and dreams of all Americans.”
“Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.”— U.S. Adm. Chester Nimitz
The Marine Corps Memorial Statue
The flag flies at full mast 24 hours a day and 365 days a year by presidential proclamation
The flag pole is 60 feet long
20 tons of bronze
In 2016, the Marine Corps discovered it had misidentified one of the men in the statue. Here is the corrected list:


mercurynews--2020-02-24--Kurtenbach: What Zion, the Pelicans can teach the Warriors in this lost season

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors have been waiting for the 2020 NBA Draft for months .
That ’ s what this lost season is all about .
And on Sunday night , the No .
1 overall pick of last year ’ s draft and his team provided Golden State a lesson for what they should do with their certain-to-be early selection in June .
• Dragan Bender makes Warriors debut and 3 more thoughts from Sunday ’ s loss to Pelicans • ‘ I ’ m getting used to the new normal ’ : Steph Curry on his left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warriors • Warriors dismissing Andrew Wiggins ’ critics after run of impressive play by the former No .
1 pick Sadly for the Dubs , there is no player like Zion Williamson in this year ’ s NBA Draft .
That ’ s because there are few players like Zion in the NBA .
He ’ s 13 games into his NBA career and he ’ s already one of the best players in the game , averaging 22 points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes per game .
If he ramps up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typical star workload — his current output would be just shy of 30 points and nine rebounds a game .
That ’ s the kind of output only three other players in the league — Giannis Antetokounmpo , Luka Dončić , and former Pelican Anthony Davis — can match .
The Pelicans are on a roll with Williamson in the lineup , too , winning four of their last five to move within 3.5 games of the No .
8 seed in the Western Conference .
I ’ d bet on them making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be surprised if they give the likely No .
1 seed Lakers all they can handle in the first round .
Williamson is a phenomenon — a star player with an “ it ” factor that can ’ t be fully explained — but he ’ s proven worthy of the hype .
He has already changed the trajectory of the Pelicans franchise and I don ’ t think it ’ ll be long until he changes the course of the NBA .
And it ’ s important to note that the Pelicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheme , or style with Williamson when they landed the No .
1 overall pick in last year ’ s draft .
Zion — referring to him as Williamson feels wrong — was the best player on the board and so they took him and figured out the rest later .
It ’ s working out wonderfully because he ’ s a wonderful player — perhaps a generational one .
The Warriors need to follow the same rules with their selection this June .
Again , there won ’ t be a Zion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not to say that a player with transcendent talent won ’ t be available for them to select .
The Warriors need to make sure that they take that player and not someone who might seemingly fit their 2020-2021 needs .
The NBA holds a lottery to determine the draft order , but the NBA Draft itself is a lottery .
With the one-and-done rule , the vast majority of the draft ’ s top prospects are 19-year olds .
Zion is the kind of rare talent that can dominate at that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule : these young players need time to develop .
Hell , some of them need more time to literally grow .
There will be a lot of those kinds of players in the draft .
Patience is necessary .
Because the Warriors — if they still have their selection ( it could well be traded ) — could take a player that fills a role for a team with Stephen Curry , Klay Thompson , Draymond Green , and Andrew Wiggins .
Call that kind of player a high-floor prospect .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NBA is to go for players with high ceilings .
Go big or don ’ t go at all .
• Dragan Bender makes Warriors debut and 3 more thoughts from Sunday ’ s loss to Pelicans • ‘ I ’ m getting used to the new normal ’ : Steph Curry on his left hand and his eventual return to the Warriors • Warriors dismissing Andrew Wiggins ’ critics after run of impressive play by the former No .
1 pick The NBA has dozens of players floating around that can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a strong rookie , but he ’ s a high-floor , low-ceiling kind of player .
The Warriors were able to select him in the second round .
If he ’ s your ninth man , you ’ re a great team — if he ’ s starting for you , you ’ re probably going to be in a position to draft a replacement in June .
For the Warriors , while the near-future might have pressing needs , the long-term need must be to maximize the pick .
Taking a player @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — even if that potential will take years to materialize — is not maximizing that pick .
The early goings might be rough , but the Warriors will be fine in the short-term — they do not need a 19-year-old to carry a large load next year .
Everyone wants a Zion , and his impact should be noted , but his Pelicans teammate , All-Star Brandon Ingram , represents the strongest case study for what the Warriors should be doing if they have their draft pick come June .
At 22 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 overall pick has blossomed into one of the NBA ’ s best wings , averaging 24 points , six rebounds , and four assists a game .
He ’ s a dude , and while he didn ’ t have a great game against the Warriors Sunday , there were flashes that showed what his performances all year have announced : he ’ s found his footing in this league .
The Pelicans are also Ingram ’ s second team .
His breakout is coming in his fourth season in the league @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prior team , the Lakers , were not patient enough with him .
Their loss — he and Zion are now arguably the NBA ’ s best young duo .
The Lakers , meanwhile , have gone all-in on a player in his 17th season , LeBron James , and a big man in Davis who is unquestionably great but can ’ t seem to stay healthy .
If the Lakers win a title or two , the swap will leave both teams happy , but the Lakers ’ window is shorter than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a team that appears poised to capture the league ’ s imagination ( and perhaps more ) for years to come .
• Dragan Bender makes Warriors debut and 3 more thoughts from Sunday ’ s loss to Pelicans • ‘ I ’ m getting used to the new normal ’ : Steph Curry on his left hand and his eventual return to the Warriors • Warriors dismissing Andrew Wiggins ’ critics after run of impressive play by the former No .
1 pick The Warriors should aim to be both teams : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
The Warriors are almost guaranteed a top-five pick in June ’ s draft given how poorly they ’ re playing .
All but perhaps one of the top 10 prospects in this draft are under 20 years old .
That means that they ’ ll be under 25 by the time they are first free agents , in 2024 .
At that juncture , Curry — whose current contract expires in 2022 — will be 36 years old .
Thompson and Green will both be heading into free agency at age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the league for its length — will have expired the year prior .
Age only works in one direction .
In the coming years , the Warriors will need a new core to emerge .
That ’ s why this year ’ s draft pick is so important .
If the Warriors use the pick , they can not select for the here-and-now , they have to pick for that day — distant yet fast approaching — when Curry , Thompson , and Green are no longer in leading the way .

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors have been waiting for the 2020 NBA Draft for months. That’s what this lost season is all about.
And on Sunday night, the No. 1 overall pick of last year’s draft and his team provided Golden State a lesson for what they should do with their certain-to-be early selection in June.
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Report: Bob Myers returning to NBA in a different role Golden State Warriors | Warriors to face Suns on NBA Opening Night, per report Sadly for the Dubs, there is no player like Zion Williamson in this year’s NBA Draft. That’s because there are few players like Zion in the NBA. He’s 13 games into his NBA career and he’s already one of the best players in the game, averaging 22 points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes per game. If he ramps up to 36 minutes a night — a typical star workload — his current output would be just shy of 30 points and nine rebounds a game. That’s the kind of output only three other players in the league — Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić, and former Pelican Anthony Davis — can match.
The Pelicans are on a roll with Williamson in the lineup, too, winning four of their last five to move within 3.5 games of the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. I’d bet on them making the playoffs, and don’t be surprised if they give the likely No. 1 seed Lakers all they can handle in the first round.
Williamson is a phenomenon — a star player with an “it” factor that can’t be fully explained — but he’s proven worthy of the hype. He has already changed the trajectory of the Pelicans franchise and I don’t think it’ll be long until he changes the course of the NBA.
And it’s important to note that the Pelicans didn’t worry about fit, scheme, or style with Williamson when they landed the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft. Zion — referring to him as Williamson feels wrong — was the best player on the board and so they took him and figured out the rest later. It’s working out wonderfully because he’s a wonderful player — perhaps a generational one.
The Warriors need to follow the same rules with their selection this June.
Again, there won’t be a Zion available for selection, but that’s not to say that a player with transcendent talent won’t be available for them to select.
The Warriors need to make sure that they take that player and not someone who might seemingly fit their 2020-2021 needs.
The NBA holds a lottery to determine the draft order, but the NBA Draft itself is a lottery. With the one-and-done rule, the vast majority of the draft’s top prospects are 19-year olds.
Zion is the kind of rare talent that can dominate at that age — the exception that proves the rule: these young players need time to develop. Hell, some of them need more time to literally grow. There will be a lot of those kinds of players in the draft. Patience is necessary.
Because the Warriors — if they still have their selection (it could well be traded) — could take a player that fills a role for a team with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins. Call that kind of player a high-floor prospect.
But the correct answer for sustained success in the NBA is to go for players with high ceilings. Go big or don’t go at all.
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Report: Bob Myers returning to NBA in a different role Golden State Warriors | Warriors to face Suns on NBA Opening Night, per report The NBA has dozens of players floating around that can fill a role. Eric Paschall is a strong rookie, but he’s a high-floor, low-ceiling kind of player. The Warriors were able to select him in the second round. If he’s your ninth man, you’re a great team — if he’s starting for you, you’re probably going to be in a position to draft a replacement in June.
For the Warriors, while the near-future might have pressing needs, the long-term need must be to maximize the pick. Taking a player without a chance to be a superstar — even if that potential will take years to materialize — is not maximizing that pick.
The early goings might be rough, but the Warriors will be fine in the short-term — they do not need a 19-year-old to carry a large load next year.
Everyone wants a Zion, and his impact should be noted, but his Pelicans teammate, All-Star Brandon Ingram, represents the strongest case study for what the Warriors should be doing if they have their draft pick come June.
At 22 years old, 2016’s No. 2 overall pick has blossomed into one of the NBA’s best wings, averaging 24 points, six rebounds, and four assists a game. He’s a dude, and while he didn’t have a great game against the Warriors Sunday, there were flashes that showed what his performances all year have announced: he’s found his footing in this league.
The Pelicans are also Ingram’s second team. His breakout is coming in his fourth season in the league. Progress is not linear and his prior team, the Lakers, were not patient enough with him.
Their loss — he and Zion are now arguably the NBA’s best young duo. The Lakers, meanwhile, have gone all-in on a player in his 17th season, LeBron James, and a big man in Davis who is unquestionably great but can’t seem to stay healthy. If the Lakers win a title or two, the swap will leave both teams happy, but the Lakers’ window is shorter than people think while the Pelicans are now a team that appears poised to capture the league’s imagination (and perhaps more) for years to come.
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Kurtenbach: What’d I miss? A summer’s worth of takes on the Warriors, Giants, Niners, and Pac-12 Golden State Warriors | Former Warriors president Bob Myers joins ESPN as analyst
Former Warriors president Bob Myers joins ESPN as analyst Golden State Warriors | Report: Bob Myers returning to NBA in a different role
Report: Bob Myers returning to NBA in a different role Golden State Warriors | Warriors to face Suns on NBA Opening Night, per report The Warriors should aim to be both teams: Short-term success with a long-term plan behind it.
The Warriors are almost guaranteed a top-five pick in June’s draft given how poorly they’re playing. All but perhaps one of the top 10 prospects in this draft are under 20 years old. That means that they’ll be under 25 by the time they are first free agents, in 2024.
At that juncture, Curry — whose current contract expires in 2022 — will be 36 years old. Thompson and Green will both be heading into free agency at age 34. Wiggins’ contract — bemoaned around the league for its length — will have expired the year prior.
Age only works in one direction. In the coming years, the Warriors will need a new core to emerge.
That’s why this year’s draft pick is so important. If the Warriors use the pick, they cannot select for the here-and-now, they have to pick for that day — distant yet fast approaching — when Curry, Thompson, and Green are no longer in leading the way.


mercurynews--2020-02-24--Letter: Nordic education system will never work in U.S.

Nordic education system will never work in U.S. Re : “ Brooks : This is how Scandanavia got great : Bildung-style education ” ( Eastbaytimes.com , Feb. 14 ) It ’ s all well and good that we admire the Bildung model of education experienced by the Nordic countries , but it will never work in the United States .
We are a religiously capitalist country and feel that money is the panacea for all societal ills .
Over several days now , this paper has been inundated with articles about supporting the schools with this and that parcel tax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the schools , ignoring the fact that the Bildung model accentuates the students ’ personal responsibility toward friends , society , humanity and our global heritage .
• Letter : I implore everyone with a moral compass to resist this trend • Letter : Blows my mind Dems are even considering Bloomberg • Letter : Tom Steyer is showing same methods as Trump • Letter : I could only stand 20 minutes of the Democratic debate This is foreign to our way of thinking about education .
We support the business of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our focus .
One way of examining our problem is by comparing the prison populations of the Nordic countries with that of the United States .
Submit your letter to the editor via this form Read more Letters to the Editor

Nordic education system
will never work in U.S.
Re: “Brooks: This is how Scandanavia got great: Bildung-style education” (Eastbaytimes.com, Feb. 14)
It’s all well and good that we admire the Bildung model of education experienced by the Nordic countries, but it will never work in the United States.
We are a religiously capitalist country and feel that money is the panacea for all societal ills. Over several days now, this paper has been inundated with articles about supporting the schools with this and that parcel tax and school bond issue to raise money for the schools, ignoring the fact that the Bildung model accentuates the students’ personal responsibility toward friends, society, humanity and our global heritage.
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Letters: Insulate wires | CDE was wrong | Functional Chromebooks | Trump’s ego | Healthy debate | A new path Letters to the Editor | Letters: Local solar | Titan resources | Activism helps This is foreign to our way of thinking about education. We support the business of college with our youth — this is our focus. One way of examining our problem is by comparing the prison populations of the Nordic countries with that of the United States.
Robert Sinuhe
Oakland
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Bridge: Feb. 24, 2020

A team led by Josef Blass ( npc ) won the Soloway Knockout Teams , the ACBL Fall NABC ’ s major event .
In the final BLASS ( Brink , Drijver , Kalita , Nowosadzki , Pszczola ) came from behind to beat Nick NICKELL , 123 to 102 .
As usual , most of the top seeds included pro players .
In today ’ s deal , Meckstroth-Rodwell bid the North-South cards to a poor 3NT , an atypical performance for them .
North went down one .
In the replay , Brink-Drijver reached five diamonds .
West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won and East signaled with the eight .
South forced out the ace of trumps , and East returned the queen of spades to dummy ’ s ace .
South then took the A-K of clubs , ruffed a club and drew trumps .
He led the nine of spades to East ’ s ten — and dummy ’ s five was high !
Making five .
East regretted spending his eight of spades , but South could always guess his way home .
He could run his trumps , forcing East to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ K-9 of hearts .
Then a spade would end-play him .
You hold : S A K 5 2 H A Q 10 5 2 D 5 C A K 3 .
You open one heart , and your partner bids one spade .
What do you say ?
ANSWER : Slam chances depend on whether partner has useful cards such as the king of hearts and the ace of diamonds ( but not the king ) plus decent spades .
Jump to three clubs and support the spades next , painting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ An option is a four-club “ splinter ” bid ; I might prefer that call with a weaker hand .

A team led by Josef Blass (npc) won the Soloway Knockout Teams, the ACBL Fall NABC’s major event. In the final BLASS (Brink, Drijver, Kalita, Nowosadzki, Pszczola) came from behind to beat Nick NICKELL, 123 to 102. As usual, most of the top seeds included pro players.
In today’s deal, Meckstroth-Rodwell bid the North-South cards to a poor 3NT, an atypical performance for them. North went down one.
In the replay, Brink-Drijver reached five diamonds. West led the jack of spades, dummy won and East signaled with the eight. South forced out the ace of trumps, and East returned the queen of spades to dummy’s ace.
11TH TRICK
South then took the A-K of clubs, ruffed a club and drew trumps. He led the nine of spades to East’s ten — and dummy’s five was high! Making five.
East regretted spending his eight of spades, but South could always guess his way home. He could run his trumps, forcing East to come down to a high spade and K-9 of hearts. Then a spade would end-play him.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S A K 5 2 H A Q 10 5 2 D 5 C A K 3. You open one heart, and your partner bids one spade. What do you say?
ANSWER: Slam chances depend on whether partner has useful cards such as the king of hearts and the ace of diamonds (but not the king) plus decent spades. Jump to three clubs and support the spades next, painting a picture of your shape and strength. An option is a four-club “splinter” bid; I might prefer that call with a weaker hand.
North dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S A K 5 2
H A Q 10 5 2
D 5
C A K 3
WEST
S J 4
H J 7
D 6 3 2
C Q 10 8 7 6 4
EAST
S Q 10 8 3
H K 9 8 6
D A 9 7
C J 5
SOUTH
S 9 7 6
H 4 3
D K Q J 10 8 4
C 9 2
North East South West
1 H Pass 1 NT Pass
2 C Pass 3 D Pass
5 D All Pass
Opening lead — S J
(C)2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


Word Game: Feb. 24, 2020

Can you find 21 or more words in UNERRING ?
The list will be published tomorrow .
To purchase the @ @ @ @ @ WordGameBooks.com .
Order it now for just $ 5 while supplies last !
1 .
@ @ @ @ @ or more letters .
2 .
Words that acquire four letters by the addition of @ @ @ @ @ as “ bats ” or “ dies , ” are not allowed .
3 .
@ @ @ @ @ a “ d ” or an “ s ” may not be used .
For @ @ @ @ @ ” is used , “ baked ” or “ bakes ” are not allowed , @ @ @ @ @ “ baking ” are admissible .
4 .
Proper nouns , slang words , or @ @ @ @ @ are not allowed .

TODAY’S WORD — UNERRING (UNERRING: un-ER-ing: Making no error or mistake.)
Average mark 16 words
Time limit 30 minutes
Can you find 21 or more words in UNERRING? The list will be published tomorrow.
SATURDAY’S WORD — CATAFALQUE cafe calf claque cleat clef cleft
clue cult cute actual acute alate aqua talc tale teal tufa face facet fact
factual falcate fatal fate faucet fault feat fecal felt feta fetal flat flea flue
flute fuel lace late leaf left lute eclat equal
To purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!
RULES OF THE GAME:
1. Words must be of four or more letters.
2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.
3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.
4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.
Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at kzsaxe@gmail.com.


mercurynews--2020-02-24--Horoscopes Feb. 24, 2020: Edward James Olmos and O’Shea Jackson, Jr., share advice.

Happy Birthday : Take your time , reflect , digest what ’ s happened and prepare to let go of anything that is no longer a necessity .
The relief you feel from uncluttering your life emotionally , mentally and physically will help you take advantage of new possibilities .
A demonstrative approach to life , love and personal gain will push you in a positive and prosperous direction .
Your numbers are 6 , 14 , 19 , 22 , 27 , 34 , 41 .
ARIES ( March 21-April 19 ) : Overreacting will lead to a poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unpredictable because you are angry or frustrated with what ’ s happening around you .
Keep the peace , bide your time and don ’ t jeopardize your reputation or your income .
Avoid indulgent behavior .
3 stars TAURUS ( April 20-May 20 ) : Think about what you can do , and head in that direction .
The help you offer will be appreciated and encourage you to update your skills and qualifications .
A change of scenery will lead to unusual friendships .
Live within your means .
4 stars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Truth matters ; if you mislead someone or you are inconsistent or uncertain , you will damage your reputation .
Take your time , be direct and concentrate on self-improvement , not trying to change others .
Get rid of any bad habits you ’ ve adopted .
2 stars CANCER ( June 21-July 22 ) : Join in and spend time with your friends , relatives or peers .
Sign up for something that interests you , and share your ideas and feelings with someone you find special .
Do your research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something you want to pursue .
5 stars LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22 ) : Ignore what others are doing , and stay focused on what you want to achieve .
A personal goal geared toward making updates will add to what you have to offer .
Don ’ t mix business with pleasure .
3 stars VIRGO ( Aug. 23-Sept. 22 ) : Keep your money and your possessions in a safe place .
Don ’ t take risks or let anyone take advantage of you .
Focus on keeping a steady @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you get ahead .
3 stars LIBRA ( Sept. 23-Oct. 22 ) : Take time out for yourself .
A day of pampering , spending time with someone special or curling up with a good book will ease stress .
Do whatever it takes to avoid an argument .
Don ’ t overdo it ; moderation will be necessary .
3 stars SCORPIO ( Oct. 23-Nov. 21 ) : Don ’ t hesitate ; you are more than ready to take on whatever comes your way .
Seize the moment , ask questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn your plan into a reality .
A financial gain is within reach .
5 stars SAGITTARIUS ( Nov. 22-Dec. 21 ) : You ’ ll face confusion and uncertainty due to the information someone offers .
Question whatever you are told , and find out what ’ s real and what isn ’ t before you commit to anything or anyone .
Stick close to home , and take care of your health .
2 stars CAPRICORN ( Dec. 22-Jan. 19 ) : Check out the job market , and consider what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like to do next .
A change at home will help you make a move in a new direction .
Turn your dream , passion or talent into a prosperous venture .
4 stars AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18 ) : Take action , and form alliances with someone who has always been there for you .
Don ’ t worry about the changes others are making .
Focus on what ’ s best for you , and work with those who are heading in a similar direction .
3 stars PISCES ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , reason and fair play will help you stay on course and reach your target .
Refuse to let ego , regrets or bad habits come between you and the success you deserve .
Stay on track , do your best and don ’ t look back .
3 stars Birthday Baby : You are astute , dedicated and fair .
You are strong-willed and faithful .

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: O’Shea Jackson Jr., 29; Billy Zane, 54; Helen Shaver, 69; Edward James Olmos, 73.
Happy Birthday: Take your time, reflect, digest what’s happened and prepare to let go of anything that is no longer a necessity. The relief you feel from uncluttering your life emotionally, mentally and physically will help you take advantage of new possibilities. A demonstrative approach to life, love and personal gain will push you in a positive and prosperous direction. Your numbers are 6, 14, 19, 22, 27, 34, 41.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Overreacting will lead to a poor decision. Don’t do anything unpredictable because you are angry or frustrated with what’s happening around you. Keep the peace, bide your time and don’t jeopardize your reputation or your income. Avoid indulgent behavior. 3 stars
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Think about what you can do, and head in that direction. The help you offer will be appreciated and encourage you to update your skills and qualifications. A change of scenery will lead to unusual friendships. Live within your means. 4 stars
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Truth matters; if you mislead someone or you are inconsistent or uncertain, you will damage your reputation. Take your time, be direct and concentrate on self-improvement, not trying to change others. Get rid of any bad habits you’ve adopted. 2 stars
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Join in and spend time with your friends, relatives or peers. Sign up for something that interests you, and share your ideas and feelings with someone you find special. Do your research, and lay down the foundation for something you want to pursue. 5 stars
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Ignore what others are doing, and stay focused on what you want to achieve. A personal goal geared toward making updates will add to what you have to offer. Don’t mix business with pleasure. 3 stars
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keep your money and your possessions in a safe place. Don’t take risks or let anyone take advantage of you. Focus on keeping a steady pace and making adjustments that will help you get ahead. 3 stars
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Take time out for yourself. A day of pampering, spending time with someone special or curling up with a good book will ease stress. Do whatever it takes to avoid an argument. Don’t overdo it; moderation will be necessary. 3 stars
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t hesitate; you are more than ready to take on whatever comes your way. Seize the moment, ask questions and start making the changes required to turn your plan into a reality. A financial gain is within reach. 5 stars
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You’ll face confusion and uncertainty due to the information someone offers. Question whatever you are told, and find out what’s real and what isn’t before you commit to anything or anyone. Stick close to home, and take care of your health. 2 stars
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Check out the job market, and consider what excites you and what you’d like to do next. A change at home will help you make a move in a new direction. Turn your dream, passion or talent into a prosperous venture. 4 stars
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take action, and form alliances with someone who has always been there for you. Don’t worry about the changes others are making. Focus on what’s best for you, and work with those who are heading in a similar direction. 3 stars
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Common sense, reason and fair play will help you stay on course and reach your target. Refuse to let ego, regrets or bad habits come between you and the success you deserve. Stay on track, do your best and don’t look back. 3 stars
Birthday Baby: You are astute, dedicated and fair. You are strong-willed and faithful.
Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.


mercurynews--2020-02-24--Letter: Blows my mind Dems are even considering Bloomberg

The fact that Democrats are actually considering Michael Bloomberg for president , the trifecta of political evil , blows my @ @ @ @ @ really old , Caucasian and is using his billions to buy his way in .
@ @ @ @ @ Man ” the Boomer generation defined in the 1960s .
• Letter : Nordic education @ @ @ @ @ U.S. • Letter : Tom Steyer is showing same methods as Trump • Letter : @ @ @ @ @ minutes of the Democratic debate • Letter : It scares me to see how Trump @ @ @ @ @ Apparently the desire to kick our current president out of office is worth selling out @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Party .
The world has gone haywire .
Submit your letter to the editor @ @ @ @ @ Letters to the Editor

Amazed that Dems even
considering Bloomberg
The fact that Democrats are actually considering Michael Bloomberg for president, the trifecta of political evil, blows my mind.
Mayor Bloomberg is really old, Caucasian and is using his billions to buy his way in. He seriously represents “The Man” the Boomer generation defined in the 1960s.
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Letters: Insulate wires | CDE was wrong | Functional Chromebooks | Trump’s ego | Healthy debate | A new path Letters to the Editor | Letters: Local solar | Titan resources | Activism helps Apparently the desire to kick our current president out of office is worth selling out the political soul of the Democratic Party. The world has gone haywire.
Joel Greenia
Santa Clara
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