mercurynews--2020-03-01--Genetic clues hint at hidden virus cases in Washington state

SEATTLE ( AP ) — The coronavirus may have been circulating for weeks undetected in Washington state , a preliminary finding that could mean hundreds of undiagnosed cases , researchers said Sunday after analyzing genetic samples from two people .
Washington state , home of the nation ’ s first confirmed infection , saw the nation ’ s first death from the virus this weekend .
State and local authorities stepped up testing for the illness as the number of new cases grew nationwide , with new infections announced in Illinois , Rhode Island and Washington state .
Authorities in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus , both men in their 60s who were in critical condition .
Those cases brought the numbers to six in Seattle ’ s King County .
A man in his 50s died in Washington on Saturday and health officials said 50 more people in a nursing facility in Kirkland , Washington , are sick and being tested for the virus .
Elsewhere , authorities announced Sunday a third case in Illinois and Rhode Island ’ s first case as worried Americans swarmed stores to stock up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , canned foods and toilet paper .
The hospitalized patient in Rhode Island is a man in his 40s who had traveled to Italy in February .
As the fallout continued , Vice President Mike Pence and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar sought to reassure the American public that the federal government is working to make sure state and local authorities are able to test for the virus .
Both said during a round of TV talk show appearances Sunday that thousands more testing kits had been distributed to state and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come .
“ They should know we have the best public health system in the world looking out for them , ” Azar said , adding that additional cases will be reported and the overall risk to Americans is low .
As the cases ticked up , some Americans stocked up on basic supplies — particularly in areas with diagnosed cases — and began to take note of the impact on daily life .
Stores such as Costco sold out of toilet paper , bottled water and hand sanitizer outside Portland , Oregon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sports games and practices were canceled into the coming school week .
Some churches said they would not offer communion because of fears of viral spread .
As Americans prepared , researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington on Sunday said they had evidence the virus may have been circulating in the state for up to six weeks undetected — a finding that , if true , could mean hundreds of undiagnosed cases in the area .
They posted their research online , but it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reviewed by other scientists .
Trevor Bedford , an associate professor who announced the preliminary findings on the virus in Washington state , said on Twitter late Saturday that genetic similarities between the state ’ s first case on Jan. 20 and a case announced Friday indicated the newer case may have descended from the earlier one .
The Jan. 20 case was the first known case in the U.S. “ I believe we ’ re facing an already substantial outbreak in Washington State that was not detected until now due to narrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said on Twitter .
Bedford did not immediately reply to an e-mail requesting an interview Sunday .
Scientists not affiliated with the research said the results did not necessarily surprise them and pointed out that for many people — especially younger , healthier ones — the symptoms are not much worse than a flu or bad cold .
“ We think that this has a pretty high rate of mild symptoms and can be asymptomatic .
The symptoms are pretty non-specific and testing criteria has been pretty strict , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easily could have been circulating for a bit without us knowing , ” said Justin Lessler , an associate professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health .
Dr. Adam Lauring of University of Michigan called the findings “ high quality work ” from scientists who ’ ve done similar work with the flu virus for years .
“ They show their data and they show their work , ” Lauring said .
“ It ’ s more than a series of tweets ” because the researchers back up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve shared online .
“ If there ’ s something wrong , someone will find it.
” Dr. Carlos del Rio of Emory University School of Medicine said the findings are from respected researchers in genomic sequencing and they make sense because of the geographic proximity of the two cases .
“ This is a good time to reinforce the things we all should be doing to stop the spread of flu .
Wash your hands .
Don ’ t touch your face .
If you have a cold , stay home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to remind ourselves of that , ” he said .
Pence , named by the president to be the point-person overseeing the government ’ s response , said more than 15,000 virus testing kits had been released over the weekend .
And , the administration is working with a commercial provider to distribute 50,000 more , he said .
The vice president said testing was among the first issues raised by governors he ’ s spoken with so far .
Several states have begun their own testing , including Washington state , Oregon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3,600 people already have been tested for coronavirus and the capability exists to test 75,000 people .
He forecast a “ radical expansion of that ” in the coming weeks .
Pence and Azar spoke a day after President Donald Trump approved new restrictions on international travel to prevent the spread within the U.S. of the new virus , which originated in China .
There are now more than 80,000 cases worldwide and about 3,000 deaths .
Two Americans are now known to have died of the virus , one in Washington state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. travel restrictions apply to Iran , although travel there by Americans already is severely limited , as well as heavily affected regions of Italy and South Korea .
Trump tweeted Sunday that any travelers from those countries will be screened when they arrive in the U.S .
The number of known coronavirus cases in the U.S. had reached 70 as of Sunday .
Trump said Saturday at a White House news conference that he was thinking about closing the southern border with Mexico as a precaution .
Azar said Sunday that Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would take a dramatic change in the circumstances there to prompt serious consideration of a border shutdown .
The president , Azar said , “ was trying to say everything ’ s on the table.
” “ We will take whatever measures are appropriate and necessary to protect the American people , but we don ’ t forecast doing that any time soon , ” he said of closing the border .
Pence noted that an infectious disease expert is joining an existing White House coronavirus task force on Monday .
Last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Birx , a State Department ambassador-at-large and medical doctor who is the administration ’ s global HIV/AIDS response coordinator , to the virus panel .
Despite calls by Trump and Pence for political unity in the face of the viral threat , the issue has become mired in the partisan rancor in Washington , with both Republicans and Democrats accusing each other of mining the issue for political gain .
Trump , at a political rally last week , accused Democrats of “ politicizing ” the issue and said their criticism of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their new “ hoax.
” At the White House on Saturday , Trump said he was not trying to minimize the threat from the virus .
“ Again , the hoax was used in respect to Democrats and what they were saying , ” he said Saturday .
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden , who emerged victorious Saturday night from South Carolina ’ s primary , criticized the administration over the availability of testing kits .
Biden also panned the administration ’ s decision to have political appointees Pence and Azar , neither @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear on the Sunday shows , instead of an expert like Dr. Anthony Fauci , the National Institutes of Health infectious disease chief .
Biden claimed the administration doesn ’ t have testing kits .
Pence and Azar said thousands of kits had been distributed .
Azar said he didn ’ t know what Biden was talking about when the former vice president said testing kits didn ’ t exist .
Azar said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had developed a lab test for coronavirus with “ historic speed.
” Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State of the Union ” and Azar commented on “ Fox News Sunday , ” CBS ’ “ Face the Nation ” and ABC ’ s “ This Week.
” Biden commented on CNN .
This story has been corrected to reflect that the hospitalized patient in Rhode Island is a man , not a woman , who traveled to Italy in February .

By CARLA K. JOHNSON and GILLIAN FLACCUS
SEATTLE (AP) — Health officials in Washington state said Sunday night that a second person had died from the coronavirus — a man in his 70s from a nursing facility near Seattle where dozens of people were sick and had been tested for the virus.
Researchers said earlier the virus may have been circulating for weeks undetected in Washington state.
In a statement, Public Health—Seattle & King County said the man died Saturday. On Friday, health officials said a man in his 50s died of coronavirus, the first death from the virus in the U.S.. Both had underlying health conditions, and both were being treated at a hospital in Kirkland, Washington, east of Seattle.
Washington state now has 12 confirmed cases.
State and local authorities stepped up testing for the illness as the number of new cases grew nationwide, with new infections announced in California, Florida, Illinois, Rhode Island, New York and Washington state.
Authorities in the Seattle area reported four new cases Sunday night, including the man who died. Two health care workers in California were also diagnosed. Of the new Washington state cases, two were women, one in her 80s and another in her 90s. Both were in critical condition. A man in his 70s was also in critical condition. All three were from the LifeCare nursing facility in Kirkland, Washington, where health officials said 50 people are sick and being tested for the virus.
On Sunday night, the International Association of Fire Fighters said 25 members who responded to calls for help at the nursing facility are being quarantined.
The first U.S. case was a Washington state man who had visited China, where the virus first emerged, but several recent cases in the U.S. have had no known connection to travelers.
In California, two health care workers in the San Francisco Bay area who cared for an earlier coronavirus patient were diagnosed with the virus on Sunday, the Alameda and Solano counties said in a joint statement.
The health care workers are both employed at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital in Vacaville, California, and had exposure to a patient treated there before being transferred to UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, the statement said. That patient was the first person in the U.S. discovered to have contracted the coronavirus with no known overseas travel.
Alameda County declared a state of emergency on Sunday following the news.
In Oregon, the state Health Authority said Sunday that a second person in the state tested positive for the virus. The person is an adult in household contact with the first Oregonian to test positive and does not need medical attention, the authority said.
Elsewhere, authorities announced Sunday a third case in Illinois, a second in Rhode Island and a first case in New York as worried Americans swarmed stores to stock up on basic goods such as bottled water, canned foods and toilet paper.
The patients in Rhode Island were on a school trip to Italy together in February. A third person from the trip is being tested, and the school is shutting down for the week.
In New York, officials confirmed Sunday that a woman in her late 30s contracted the virus while traveling in Iran. She has been quarantined to her home in Manhattan.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Sunday that it was retesting someone in San Antonio, Texas, who had been released from isolation Saturday but later returned after a lab test was “weakly positive.” The patient had been treated a local medical facility for several weeks after returning from Wuhan, China. The agency said the patient had met the criteria for release and was asymptomatic. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff told the San Antonio Express-News that the patient was a woman who had come into contact with around a dozen people at a hotel. Both Wolff and San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg expressed concerns over the patient’s initial release in a statement.
As the fallout continued, Vice President Mike Pence and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar sought to reassure the American public that the federal government is working to make sure state and local authorities are able to test for the virus. Both said during a round of TV talk show appearances Sunday that thousands more testing kits had been distributed to state and local officials, with thousands more to come.
“They should know we have the best public health system in the world looking out for them,” Azar said, adding that additional cases will be reported and the overall risk to Americans is low.
As the cases ticked up, some Americans stocked up on basic supplies — particularly in areas with diagnosed cases — and began to take note of the impact on daily life. Stores such as Costco sold out of toilet paper, bottled water and hand sanitizer outside Portland, Oregon, where a case was announced Friday. Sports games and practices were canceled into the coming school week. Some churches said they would not offer communion because of fears of viral spread.
As Americans prepared, researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington on Sunday said they had evidence the virus may have been circulating in the state for up to six weeks undetected — a finding that, if true, could mean hundreds of undiagnosed cases in the area. They posted their research online, but it was not published in a scientific journal or reviewed by other scientists.
Trevor Bedford, an associate professor who announced the preliminary findings on the virus in Washington state, said on Twitter late Saturday that genetic similarities between the state’s first case on Jan. 20 and a case announced Friday indicated the newer case may have descended from the earlier one. The Jan. 20 case was the first known case in the U.S.
“I believe we’re facing an already substantial outbreak in Washington State that was not detected until now due to narrow case definition requiring direct travel to China,” he said on Twitter.
Bedford did not immediately reply to an e-mail requesting an interview Sunday.
Scientists not affiliated with the research said the results did not necessarily surprise them and pointed out that for many people — especially younger, healthier ones — the symptoms are not much worse than a flu or bad cold.
“We think that this has a pretty high rate of mild symptoms and can be asymptomatic. The symptoms are pretty non-specific and testing criteria has been pretty strict, so those combinations of factors means that it easily could have been circulating for a bit without us knowing,” said Justin Lessler, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Dr. Adam Lauring of University of Michigan called the findings “high quality work” from scientists who’ve done similar work with the flu virus for years.
“They show their data and they show their work,” Lauring said. “It’s more than a series of tweets” because the researchers back up what they found with data that they’ve shared online. “If there’s something wrong, someone will find it.”
Dr. Carlos del Rio of Emory University School of Medicine said the findings are from respected researchers in genomic sequencing and they make sense because of the geographic proximity of the two cases.
“This is a good time to reinforce the things we all should be doing to stop the spread of flu. Wash your hands. Don’t touch your face. If you have a cold, stay home … It’s a good time to remind ourselves of that,” he said.
Pence, named by the president to be the point-person overseeing the government’s response, said more than 15,000 virus testing kits had been released over the weekend. And, the administration is working with a commercial provider to distribute 50,000 more, he said.
The vice president said testing was among the first issues raised by governors he’s spoken with so far. Several states have begun their own testing, including Washington state, Oregon and Illinois.
“We’re leaning into it,” Pence said.
Azar said more than 3,600 people already have been tested for coronavirus and the capability exists to test 75,000 people. He forecast a “radical expansion of that” in the coming weeks.
Pence and Azar spoke a day after President Donald Trump approved new restrictions on international travel to prevent the spread within the U.S. of the new virus, which originated in China. There are now more than 80,000 cases worldwide and about 3,000 deaths.
The number of known coronavirus cases in the U.S. had reached at least 80 as of Sunday, counting people evacuated from a cruise ship and Wuhan.
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The president, Azar said, “was trying to say everything’s on the table.”
“We will take whatever measures are appropriate and necessary to protect the American people, but we don’t forecast doing that any time soon,” he said of closing the border.
—-
This story has been corrected to reflect that the hospitalized patient in Rhode Island is a man, not a woman, who traveled to Italy in February.
___
Flaccus reported from Portland, Oregon. AP writers Darlene Superville in Washington and Chris Grygiel in Seattle contributed.


mercurynews--2020-03-01--‘The Invisible Man’ tops box office with $29 million

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) — The Elisabeth Moss-led thriller “ The Invisible Man ” rode a wave of good reviews to a very visible spot atop the box office this weekend .
Universal Pictures on Sunday estimated that the film from writer-director Leigh Whannell earned $ 29 million from North American theaters .
Internationally , it picked up an additional $ 20.2 million .
“ The Invisible Man ” carried a relatively modest budget , costing under $ 10 million to produce .
“ Sonic the Hedgehog ” slid to second place in its third weekend in theaters with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Wild , ” with Harrison Ford , placed third in its second weekend with $ 13.2 million .
• Netflix now shows top 10 lists of most-popular shows and movies • Box office goes ‘ Sonic ’ again but hears ‘ Call of the Wild ’ • What ’ s the state of black film today ?
These experts explore the range of African-American movie achievements And in limited release , Benh Zeitlin ’ s re-imagining of the Peter Pan myth , “ Wendy , ” got off to a bumpy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theaters .

By Lindsey Bahr | Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Elisabeth Moss-led thriller “The Invisible Man” rode a wave of good reviews to a very visible spot atop the box office this weekend. Universal Pictures on Sunday estimated that the film from writer-director Leigh Whannell earned $29 million from North American theaters. Internationally, it picked up an additional $20.2 million.
“The Invisible Man” carried a relatively modest budget, costing under $10 million to produce.
“Sonic the Hedgehog” slid to second place in its third weekend in theaters with $16 million. “The Call of the Wild,” with Harrison Ford, placed third in its second weekend with $13.2 million.
And in limited release, Benh Zeitlin’s re-imagining of the Peter Pan myth, “Wendy,” got off to a bumpy start with just $30,000 from four theaters.


mercurynews--2020-03-01--Women’s basketball: Cal stuns No. 13 Arizona

TUCSON , Ariz. — Jaelyn Brown ’ s putback with 13.7 seconds remaining lifted last-place California to a 55-54 win over No .
13 Arizona on Sunday in a regular-season finale .
CJ West went to the line for Cal ( 11-18 , 3-15 Pac-12 ) and missed both free throws but Brown was there for the go-ahead basket before Aari McDonald missed a 3-pointer on the other end .
Arizona ( 23-6 , 12-6 ) , coming off an overtime victory over No .
4 Stanford , led 52-49 when Brown was fouled on a 3-pointer and made all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She added another free throw with a half-minute left for a lead .
McDonald made two at the line to grab the lead back with before Brown ’ s winner .
The Wildcats didn ’ t get their first lead until a McDonald bucket early in the third quarter after Cal led by as many as 14 in the second quarter .
Arizona made only one of its first 15 shots , a drought that lasted through the first 14 minutes .
Jazlen Green led Cal with 17 points , making three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cal shot only 30 % but Arizona was only at 36 % and made only 1 of 16 from the arc .
• Pac-12 basketball : Cal knocks off No .
21 Colorado behind Matt Bradley ’ s career night • NFL Combine preview : From Herbert and Eason to Weaver and Shenault , the Pac-12 has no shortage of intrigue McDonald scored 17 points , Cate Reese had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Dominique McBryde had 12 points .
Cal will open play in the conference tournament in Las Vegas on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The fourth-seeded Wildcats have a bye into Friday ’ s quarterfinals .

TUCSON, Ariz. — Jaelyn Brown’s putback with 13.7 seconds remaining lifted last-place California to a 55-54 win over No. 13 Arizona on Sunday in a regular-season finale.
CJ West went to the line for Cal (11-18, 3-15 Pac-12) and missed both free throws but Brown was there for the go-ahead basket before Aari McDonald missed a 3-pointer on the other end.
Arizona (23-6, 12-6), coming off an overtime victory over No. 4 Stanford, led 52-49 when Brown was fouled on a 3-pointer and made all three free throws with 1:11 to go. She added another free throw with a half-minute left for a lead. McDonald made two at the line to grab the lead back with before Brown’s winner.
The Wildcats didn’t get their first lead until a McDonald bucket early in the third quarter after Cal led by as many as 14 in the second quarter. Arizona made only one of its first 15 shots, a drought that lasted through the first 14 minutes.
Jazlen Green led Cal with 17 points, making three 3-pointers. Brown had 10 points.
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McDonald scored 17 points, Cate Reese had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Dominique McBryde had 12 points.
Cal will open play in the conference tournament in Las Vegas on Thursday against the No. 5 seed. The fourth-seeded Wildcats have a bye into Friday’s quarterfinals.


mercurynews--2020-03-01--Virus fears close down France’s famed Louvre Museum

CLICK HERE if you ’ re having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device .
PARIS — The spreading coronavirus epidemic shut down France ’ s Louvre Museum on Sunday , with workers who guard its famous trove of artworks fearful of being contaminated by the museum ’ s flow of tourists from around the world .
Almost three-quarters of the Louvre ’ s 9.6 million visitors last year came from abroad .
The world ’ s most popular museum welcomes tens of thousands of fans daily in Paris .
“ We are very worried because we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sacristin , a Louvre employee and union representative .
“ The risk is very , very , very great , ” he said in a phone interview .
While there are no known virus infections among the museum ’ s 2,300 workers , “ it ’ s only a question of time , ” he said .
A short statement from the Louvre said a staff meeting about virus prevention efforts stopped the museum from opening as scheduled Sunday morning .
Would-be visitors were still waiting Sunday afternoon to get inside but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all on Sunday .
Among the frustrated visitors was Charles Lim from Singapore .
He and his wife , Jeanette , chose Paris to celebrate their first wedding anniversary and bought tickets in advance for the Louvre , home to the “ Mona Lisa ” and other famous artworks .
He posted a video on Twitter of the long lines of people waiting to get in .
“ We waited for about 3 hours before giving up , ” he told The Associated Press .
“ It was incredibly disappointing.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ban indoor public gatherings of more than 5,000 people .
Sacristin said the new measure exacerbated the fears of Louvre workers that they might be in danger of contamination .
Louvre staffers were also concerned about museum workers from northern Italy who had come to the museum to collect works by Leonardo da Vinci that were loaned for a major exhibition , he said .
Italy , with over 1,100 coronavirus cases and 29 deaths , has been the epicenter of the outbreak in Europe .
Another meeting about virus prevention at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ union representatives and museum management .
Sacristin , who will be taking part , said museum visitors should be subjected to health checks to protect staffers and if any cases of coronavirus contamination are confirmed “ then the museum should be closed.
” • As coronavirus fears spread , some Bay Area shoppers stocking up • Virus cases in Italy soar 40 % ; US urges Americans not to go Workers have asked for masks to be distributed but so far have been given only an alcohol-based solution to disinfect their hands , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t please us at all , ” he said .

CLICK HERE if you’re having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device.
By John Leicester | Associated Press
PARIS — The spreading coronavirus epidemic shut down France’s Louvre Museum on Sunday, with workers who guard its famous trove of artworks fearful of being contaminated by the museum’s flow of tourists from around the world.
Almost three-quarters of the Louvre’s 9.6 million visitors last year came from abroad. The world’s most popular museum welcomes tens of thousands of fans daily in Paris.
“We are very worried because we have visitors from everywhere,” said Andre Sacristin, a Louvre employee and union representative.
“The risk is very, very, very great,” he said in a phone interview. While there are no known virus infections among the museum’s 2,300 workers, “it’s only a question of time,” he said.
A short statement from the Louvre said a staff meeting about virus prevention efforts stopped the museum from opening as scheduled Sunday morning. Would-be visitors were still waiting Sunday afternoon to get inside but the Louvre later announced it would not open at all on Sunday.
[vemba-video id=”van/ns-acc/2020/03/01/IN-31SU_CNNA-ST1-1000000005aaf6ff”]
Among the frustrated visitors was Charles Lim from Singapore. He and his wife, Jeanette, chose Paris to celebrate their first wedding anniversary and bought tickets in advance for the Louvre, home to the “Mona Lisa” and other famous artworks. He posted a video on Twitter of the long lines of people waiting to get in.
“We waited for about 3 hours before giving up,” he told The Associated Press. “It was incredibly disappointing.”
The shutdown followed a French government decision Saturday to ban indoor public gatherings of more than 5,000 people.
Sacristin said the new measure exacerbated the fears of Louvre workers that they might be in danger of contamination. Louvre staffers were also concerned about museum workers from northern Italy who had come to the museum to collect works by Leonardo da Vinci that were loaned for a major exhibition, he said.
Italy, with over 1,100 coronavirus cases and 29 deaths, has been the epicenter of the outbreak in Europe.
Another meeting about virus prevention at the Louvre is scheduled for Monday between union representatives and museum management.
Sacristin, who will be taking part, said museum visitors should be subjected to health checks to protect staffers and if any cases of coronavirus contamination are confirmed “then the museum should be closed.”
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“That didn’t please us at all,” he said.


mercurynews--2020-03-02--Golden Gate Bridge median barrier ‘saving lives’ after 5 years

The movable median barrier that separates traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge was installed five years ago , and it has stopped what was once an alarming trend of head-on collisions .
There have been no head-on crashes on the span since the bridge district installed the barrier in 2015 .
That ’ s down from an average of about 2.8 per year .
“ The barrier has been a wildly successful project , ” said bridge manager Steve Miller .
“ It wasn ’ t put in to save money .
It wasn ’ t put in to increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ save lives.
” Between 1970 and 2015 , there were 128 head-on collisions on the bridge .
Those resulted in 16 deaths and dozens of serious injuries .
Before the barrier , north and southbound traffic was separated by flimsy , yellow tubes that were a few inches taller than a bowling pin .
Workers hanging off a truck placed the rubber tubes by hand along the roadway every 25 feet .
The $ 30 million median barrier , made of concrete and steel , is 32 inches high and a foot wide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each day by workers driving yellow “ zipper ” trucks in accordance with commute patterns .
The barrier rests on the bridge with gravity holding it in place , but is strong enough to absorb major impacts without moving because of an internal spring system .
On several occasions , cars have hit the barrier .
Officials noted that it ’ s likely those accidents could have been disastrous if the separator wasn ’ t in place .
The downside to the barrier , Miller said , is that it has emboldened some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in excess of the bridge ’ s 45 mph speed limit .
Drivers “ have a lot greater sense of safety and security having that barrier , ” he said .
“ Speeds have increased pretty significantly.
” Though there haven ’ t been any head-on collisions , there has been a “ slight uptick ” in the number of traffic accidents overall since the barrier was installed , said bridge district spokesman Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz .
Most of them , he noted , have been “ minor and without injury.
” California Highway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of crashes each year has increased throughout the state .
He doesn ’ t attribute the trend on the bridge to motorists driving at higher speeds .
“ The majority of the crashes we respond to on the bridge are low-speed crashes , usually either in stop-and-go traffic or with people colliding with bridge property such as the barrier or the toll plazas , ” he said .
Barclay said the barrier has done its job , which is to prevent cars from veering into oncoming traffic .
“ That was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I would definitely consider it a success .
”

The movable median barrier that separates traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge was installed five years ago, and it has stopped what was once an alarming trend of head-on collisions.
There have been no head-on crashes on the span since the bridge district installed the barrier in 2015. That’s down from an average of about 2.8 per year.
“The barrier has been a wildly successful project,” said bridge manager Steve Miller. “It wasn’t put in to save money. It wasn’t put in to increase efficiency. It was put in to save lives.”
Between 1970 and 2015, there were 128 head-on collisions on the bridge. Those resulted in 16 deaths and dozens of serious injuries.
Before the barrier, north and southbound traffic was separated by flimsy, yellow tubes that were a few inches taller than a bowling pin. Workers hanging off a truck placed the rubber tubes by hand along the roadway every 25 feet.
The $30 million median barrier, made of concrete and steel, is 32 inches high and a foot wide. It’s moved three times each day by workers driving yellow “zipper” trucks in accordance with commute patterns.
The barrier rests on the bridge with gravity holding it in place, but is strong enough to absorb major impacts without moving because of an internal spring system. On several occasions, cars have hit the barrier. Officials noted that it’s likely those accidents could have been disastrous if the separator wasn’t in place.
The downside to the barrier, Miller said, is that it has emboldened some drivers who apparently feel more comfortable driving in excess of the bridge’s 45 mph speed limit.
Drivers “have a lot greater sense of safety and security having that barrier,” he said. “Speeds have increased pretty significantly.”
Though there haven’t been any head-on collisions, there has been a “slight uptick” in the number of traffic accidents overall since the barrier was installed, said bridge district spokesman Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz. Most of them, he noted, have been “minor and without injury.”
California Highway Patrol Officer Andrew Barclay said that the number of crashes each year has increased throughout the state. He doesn’t attribute the trend on the bridge to motorists driving at higher speeds.
“The majority of the crashes we respond to on the bridge are low-speed crashes, usually either in stop-and-go traffic or with people colliding with bridge property such as the barrier or the toll plazas,” he said.
Barclay said the barrier has done its job, which is to prevent cars from veering into oncoming traffic.
“That was the whole intent,” he said. “I would definitely consider it a success.”


mercurynews--2020-03-02--Coronaovirus: More than 89,000 infected, over 3,000 dead

A new virus first detected in China has infected more than 89,000 people globally and caused over 3,000 deaths .
@ @ @ @ @ named the illness COVID-19 , referring to its origin late last year and the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ latest figures reported by each government ’ s health authority : — Mainland China : @ @ @ @ @ , mostly in the central province of Hubei — France : 130 cases , including @ @ @ @ @ island of Guadeloupe , 2 deaths

A new virus first detected in China has infected more than 89,000 people globally and caused over 3,000 deaths. The World Health Organization has named the illness COVID-19, referring to its origin late last year and the coronavirus that causes it.
The latest figures reported by each government’s health authority:
— Mainland China: 2,912 deaths among 80,026 cases, mostly in the central province of Hubei
— Hong Kong: 98 cases, 2 deaths
— Macao: 10 cases
— South Korea: 4,335 cases, 26 deaths
— Italy: 1,694 cases, 34 deaths
— Iran: 1,501 cases, 66 deaths
— Japan: 961 cases, including 705 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, 12 deaths
— France: 130 cases, including one on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, 2 deaths
— Germany: 130 cases
— Singapore: 106
— United States: 80 cases, 2 deaths
— Spain: 71
— Kuwait: 56
— Bahrain: 47
— Thailand: 43 cases, 1 death
— Taiwan: 41 cases, 1 death
— United Kingdom: 35 cases, 1 death
— Malaysia: 29
— Australia: 24 cases, 1 death
— Canada: 24
— Switzerland: 24
— Iraq: 21
— United Arab Emirates: 21
— Norway: 19
— Vietnam: 16
— Sweden: 14
— Austria: 14
— Israel: 10
— Lebanon: 10
— Netherlands: 10
— Belgium: 8
— Croatia: 8
— Greece: 7
— Finland: 6
— Oman: 6
— India: 5
— Russia: 5
— Denmark: 4
— Mexico: 4
— Pakistan: 4
— Algeria: 3
— Czech Republic 3
— Philippines: 3 cases, 1 death
— Qatar: 3
— Romania: 3
— Belarus: 2
— Brazil: 2
— Egypt: 2
— Georgia: 2
— Indonesia: 2
— Afghanistan: 1
— Andorra: 1
— Armenia 1
— Azerbaijan: 1
— Cambodia: 1
— Dominican Republic 1
— Ecuador: 1
— Estonia: 1
— Iceland: 1
— Ireland: 1
— Lithuania: 1
— Monaco: 1
— Nepal: 1
— New Zealand: 1
— Nigeria: 1
— North Macedonia: 1
— Portugal: 1
— San Marino: 1
— Sri Lanka: 1


mercurynews--2020-03-02--Julie Jason: 20 resources for future retirees

Last week , I promised to provide you with a list of resources that you can use to research retirement finances .
Here are two sets of resources .
The first 10 are provided by FINRA , the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ( finra.org ) .
The second 10 are from the Social Security Administration ( ssa.gov ) .
1 .
BrokerCheck : Find out if investment professionals and firms are licensed .
This is the first place to start your research when you are looking for help in retirement .
( https : //tinyurl.com/ryben2x ) 2 .
Investment Professional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a person ’ s name .
What do they stand for ?
What does it take to “ earn ” them ?
( https : //tinyurl.com/s3ws8gr ) 3 .
Fund Analyzer : Compare fees and analyze information on over 30,000 mutual funds , exchange-traded funds , exchange-traded notes and money market funds .
( https : //tinyurl.com/svfjfld ) 4 .
Market Data : Here you can find stock quotes and market data on corporate , municipal , Treasury and agency bonds .
( https : //tinyurl.com/hp4pokx ) 5 .
Retirement Calculator : Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( https : //tinyurl.com/sa5lr9a ) 6 .
Savings Calculator : This calculator helps you review your savings plan and develop a strategy .
( https : //tinyurl.com/yx7xc9e3 ) 7 .
Con ‘ Em If You Can : This interactive tool shows you how fraudsters might influence someone to act against his or her own interests .
That way , you can learn about the tricks of the fraud trade and how to prevent being taken in .
( https : //tinyurl.com/uu56yqc ) 8 .
Risk Meter : Are you vulnerable to investment fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determine if you are .
( https : //tinyurl.com/woha9vj ) 9 .
Scam Meter : Are you likely to be scammed ?
This interactive tool will help you assess investments based on whether they are legitimate or scams .
( https : //tinyurl.com/rfmnadw ) 10.Learn to Invest : These are online courses that everyone can benefit from .
Courses include types of investments , advanced investing , and young adults and investing .
( https : //www.finra.org/investors/learn-to-invest ) The following tools are from the Social Security Administration : 1. my Social Security Retirement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mySocialSecurityAccount to use this calculator .
The tool lets you “ what-if ” your Social Security retirement benefits for three time periods : starting at age 62 vs. Full Retirement Age ( FRA ) vs. age 70 .
The calculator can accommodate changes in earnings .
( https : //tinyurl.com/qpkdtwt ) 2 .
Retirement Estimator : Using this tool , you can estimate your monthly benefits based on your Social Security earnings record .
( https : //tinyurl.com/ycszfgdh ) 3 .
Retirement Age Calculator : Full retirement age is important to know .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and learn how your monthly benefit is reduced if you retire before your FRA .
For example , the FRA for someone born in 1959 is age 66 and 10 months .
If that person takes Social Security earlier , say at age 65 , the monthly check will be 87.8 % of the FRA check .
( https : //tinyurl.com/p3h5qz7 ) 4 .
Detailed Calculator : To use this tool , you ’ ll have to download and install it on your computer .
It is designed to give you “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , disability and survivors benefits , according to SSA .
( https : //tinyurl.com/vngdxo3 ) 5 .
Early or Late Retirement Calculator : I love this calculator .
It is especially helpful for anyone who is thinking about starting Social Security retirement benefits at any time other than FRA .
You enter your date of birth along with the date you are thinking about starting benefits .
If the latter date is before your FRA , the calculator will show you how much lower your benefits will be .
If the retirement date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will tell you how much more you would receive in benefits .
( https : //tinyurl.com/ujdme75 ) 6 .
Earnings Test Calculator : With this calculator , you can figure out how current earnings might impact your benefit payments .
( https : //tinyurl.com/ya7coky5 ) 7 .
Benefits for Spouses Calculator : What happens to your spouse ’ s benefits if you file for own retirement benefits early .
This calculator will tell you .
( https : //tinyurl.com/y33unyky ) 8 .
Quick Calculator : If you only have a few minutes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits in today ’ s dollars or future dollars .
All you need is your date of birth and this year ’ s earnings .
( https : //tinyurl.com/yd4xvtqw ) 9 .
Online Calculator : You can estimate your retirement , disability and survivors benefits using this calculator .
The estimate includes WEP reduction ( Windfall Elimination Provision ) .
( https : //tinyurl.com/mj49qs3 ) WEP is described here ( https : //tinyurl.com/zj52wr4 ) .
10 .
Retirement Checklist : Saving the best for last , this four-page checklist starts off with what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Social Security retirement benefits .
( https : //tinyurl.com/qmhodrd ) Julie Jason , JD , LLM , a personal portfolio manager ( Jackson , Grant of Stamford , Conn. ) and author , welcomes your questions/comments ( readers @ juliejason.com ) .

Last week, I promised to provide you with a list of resources that you can use to research retirement finances. Here are two sets of resources. The first 10 are provided by FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (finra.org). The second 10 are from the Social Security Administration (ssa.gov).
1. BrokerCheck: Find out if investment professionals and firms are licensed. This is the first place to start your research when you are looking for help in retirement. (https://tinyurl.com/ryben2x)
2. Investment Professional Designations: Check on those letters behind a person’s name. What do they stand for? What does it take to “earn” them? (https://tinyurl.com/s3ws8gr)
3. Fund Analyzer: Compare fees and analyze information on over 30,000 mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, exchange-traded notes and money market funds. (https://tinyurl.com/svfjfld)
4. Market Data: Here you can find stock quotes and market data on corporate, municipal, Treasury and agency bonds. (https://tinyurl.com/hp4pokx)
5. Retirement Calculator: Do you have enough money to retire? (https://tinyurl.com/sa5lr9a)
6. Savings Calculator: This calculator helps you review your savings plan and develop a strategy. (https://tinyurl.com/yx7xc9e3)
7. Con ‘Em If You Can: This interactive tool shows you how fraudsters might influence someone to act against his or her own interests. That way, you can learn about the tricks of the fraud trade and how to prevent being taken in. (https://tinyurl.com/uu56yqc)
8. Risk Meter: Are you vulnerable to investment fraud? This risk meter will help you determine if you are. (https://tinyurl.com/woha9vj)
9. Scam Meter: Are you likely to be scammed? This interactive tool will help you assess investments based on whether they are legitimate or scams. (https://tinyurl.com/rfmnadw)
10.Learn to Invest: These are online courses that everyone can benefit from. Courses include types of investments, advanced investing, and young adults and investing. (https://www.finra.org/investors/learn-to-invest)
The following tools are from the Social Security Administration:
1. my Social Security Retirement Calculator: You need to create a mySocialSecurityAccount to use this calculator. The tool lets you “what-if” your Social Security retirement benefits for three time periods: starting at age 62 vs. Full Retirement Age (FRA) vs. age 70. The calculator can accommodate changes in earnings. (https://tinyurl.com/qpkdtwt)
2. Retirement Estimator: Using this tool, you can estimate your monthly benefits based on your Social Security earnings record. (https://tinyurl.com/ycszfgdh)
3. Retirement Age Calculator: Full retirement age is important to know. This tool helps you determine your FRA and learn how your monthly benefit is reduced if you retire before your FRA. For example, the FRA for someone born in 1959 is age 66 and 10 months. If that person takes Social Security earlier, say at age 65, the monthly check will be 87.8% of the FRA check. (https://tinyurl.com/p3h5qz7)
4. Detailed Calculator: To use this tool, you’ll have to download and install it on your computer. It is designed to give you “the most precise” estimate of your retirement, disability and survivors benefits, according to SSA. (https://tinyurl.com/vngdxo3)
5. Early or Late Retirement Calculator: I love this calculator. It is especially helpful for anyone who is thinking about starting Social Security retirement benefits at any time other than FRA. You enter your date of birth along with the date you are thinking about starting benefits. If the latter date is before your FRA, the calculator will show you how much lower your benefits will be. If the retirement date is after your FRA, the calculator will tell you how much more you would receive in benefits. (https://tinyurl.com/ujdme75)
6. Earnings Test Calculator: With this calculator, you can figure out how current earnings might impact your benefit payments. (https://tinyurl.com/ya7coky5)
7. Benefits for Spouses Calculator: What happens to your spouse’s benefits if you file for own retirement benefits early. This calculator will tell you. (https://tinyurl.com/y33unyky)
8. Quick Calculator: If you only have a few minutes, use this calculator to estimate your retirement benefits in today’s dollars or future dollars. All you need is your date of birth and this year’s earnings. (https://tinyurl.com/yd4xvtqw)
9. Online Calculator: You can estimate your retirement, disability and survivors benefits using this calculator. The estimate includes WEP reduction (Windfall Elimination Provision). (https://tinyurl.com/mj49qs3) WEP is described here (https://tinyurl.com/zj52wr4).
10. Retirement Checklist: Saving the best for last, this four-page checklist starts off with what you should know before you apply for Social Security retirement benefits. (https://tinyurl.com/qmhodrd)
Julie Jason, JD, LLM, a personal portfolio manager (Jackson, Grant of Stamford, Conn.) and author, welcomes your questions/comments (readers@juliejason.com).


mercurynews--2020-03-02--Police shoot, kill armed man in California Catholic church

An armed man , possibly distraught over a relationship , was fatally shot Sunday afternoon by Santa Ana police in a Catholic church , a police spokesman said .
The man was shot at the altar at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church at 1100 S. Center St. , near McFadden Avenue .
An officer responding to an unrelated call for service at a park across the street from the church was flagged down around 4:20 p.m. by church members , between services , who said there was a man with a gun inside , Santa Ana Police Cpl .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that information in , went inside and found the man at the altar with a handgun in his hand , Bertagna said .
The officer fired at the suspect and struck him .
The man exited a back door and ran 100 feet outside the church before he collapsed on Center Street south of McFadden .
He was pronounced dead at the scene with the gun he was carrying still in his possession .
Police searched the church campus and an adjacent school after hearing word of a possible second suspect , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims .
No officers or church parishioners were hurt .
An estimated 10 to 15 people potentially associated with a choir group were in the church at the time of the incident , police said .
“ We understand he was distraught over a relationship , ” Bertagna said .
“ We ’ re not sure if that ’ s why he was here.
” Police Chief David Valentin said witnesses reported the man was distraught and possibly suicidal ; and it didn ’ t appear he was planning a mass shooting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , police said it did not otherwise involve the church .
“ We don ’ t believe this was related to the church , ” Bertagna said .
“ It ’ s tragic , it really is .
Any loss of life , it ’ s tragic .
In this circumstance , it ’ s a place of worship .
People come here for comfort , spiritual healing , support , so for this to happen here it ’ s traumatic for everyone involved , ” Valentin said .
It wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It also wasn ’ t yet known if the suspect fired at officers or threatened them .
The suspect ’ s name was withheld pending notification of family .
A Vote Center in the church was evacuated because of the incident , according to Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley .
“ Vote Center staff and voters have been evacuated and are safe , ” the Registrar ’ s office said in a statement .
Maria Roque , 39 of Santa Ana , was one of a handful of community members who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass only to see it surrounded by yellow police tape with a large number of police vehicles nearby .
She , like the others , was surprised to find out a shooting had taken place .
She said friends were serving in the library inside the church when the shooting occurred , but they were all safe .
“ It ’ s scary to think we ’ re not even safe here , ” Roque said .
“ I ’ ve been coming here since I was 16 years old .
”

Santa Ana detectives and officers investigate the scene where an armed man was fatally shot Sunday afternoon by Santa Ana police at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 1100 S. Center St., near McFadden Avenue in Santa Ana on Sunday, March 1, 2020. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Ana Police detectives huddle underneath umbrellas at the scene where an armed man was fatally shot Sunday afternoon by Santa Ana police at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 1100 S. Center St., near McFadden Avenue in Santa Ana on Sunday, March 1, 2020. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Santa Ana Police standby at the scene where an armed man was fatally shot Sunday afternoon by Santa Ana police at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 1100 S. Center St., near McFadden Avenue in Santa Ana on Sunday, March 1, 2020. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
An armed man, possibly distraught over a relationship, died by gunfire Sunday afternoon, March 1, after he entered a Catholic church in Santa Ana and was confronted by police, a department spokesman said.
The man was wounded at the altar at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church at 1100 S. Center St. near McFadden Avenue, police said.
Initially, Santa Ana police reported that the man had been shot and killed by an officer in the holy building.
But on Monday Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said authorities did not know if the man died by officer gunfire or his own. Police said the man was possibly intending to harm himself.
In between Mass services on Sunday at about 4:20 p.m., congregants flagged down an officer who was on an unrelated call at a park across the street from the church, Bertagna said.
The officer radioed information in, went inside the church and found the man at the altar with a handgun in his hand, Bertagna said.
The officer fired at the suspect and hit him but it is unclear if that was the fatal shot, police said.
The man exited a back door and ran 100 feet outside before he collapsed on Center. He was pronounced dead at the scene with the gun he was carrying still in his possession.
An estimated 10 to 15 people, possibly a choir, were in the church at the time, police said.
“We understand he was distraught over a relationship,” Bertagna said. “We’re not sure if that’s why he was here.”
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office was going to investigate the incident.
Police Chief David Valentin said witnesses reported the man was distraught and possibly suicidal and that it didn’t appear he was planning a mass shooting.
While the shooting happened in the church, police said it did not otherwise involve the church. “We don’t believe this was related to the church,” Bertagna said.
According to the Diocese of Orange, the church has more than 6,300 members and conducts Mass in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
“It’s tragic, it really is,” the police chief said. “Any loss of life, it’s tragic. In this circumstance, it’s a place of worship. People come here for comfort, spiritual healing, support, so for this to happen here it’s traumatic for everyone involved.”
It wasn’t known how many shots were fired. It also wasn’t yet known if the suspect fired at officers or threatened them. Bertagna said investigators would be analyzing shell casings and any bullet holes.
The suspect’s name was withheld pending notification of family.
A Vote Center in the church was evacuated because of the incident, according to Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley. The voting center remained closed Monday while the investigation continued.
Maria Roque, 39, of Santa Ana was one of a handful of community members who walked to the church for Sunday evening Mass only to see it surrounded by yellow police tape with a large number of police vehicles nearby.
She, like others, was surprised to find out a shooting had taken place. She said friends were in the library inside the church when the shooting occurred, but they were all safe.
“It’s scary to think we’re not even safe here,” Roque said. “I’ve been coming here since I was 16 years old.”


mercurynews--2020-03-02--Bridge: March 2, 2020

Bridge: March 2, 2020

“ I contacted a credit-rating service , ” Unlucky Louie told me , “ and asked for a written report .
They sent me my score — with a Burger King application attached to it.
” Louie ’ s credibility as declarer suffers because he plays without thinking .
At today ’ s 3NT , he took the king of spades and swiftly cashed the K-A of clubs .
When West discarded , Louie was in trouble ; he couldn ’ t afford to concede a club .
So Louie led a diamond to his king and back to dummy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ace and then the queen of clubs but was stuck in dummy .
When he led a heart to his king next , West won and ran the spades for down one .
North , of course , was incredulous .
Louie could take the cash and let the credit go if he were careful .
A creditable play is to start the clubs with the A-K .
If East-West followed , Louie would have nine easy tricks .
When West discards , Louie leads a diamond to the jack .
When the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louie has five diamonds , three clubs and a spade .
You hold : S 9 2 H 10 3 D A J 6 C A Q 10 7 4 2 .
Your partner opens one diamond , you respond two clubs , he rebids two diamonds and you raise to three diamonds .
Partner then bids three hearts .
What do you say ?
ANSWER : Your partner is trying for game .
He may be hoping that you can bid 3NT .
You can ’ t oblige , but you do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bidding .
Bid five diamonds .
A possible hand for partner would be J 3 , A 8 7 , K Q 10 7 4 2 , K 3 .

“I contacted a credit-rating service,” Unlucky Louie told me, “and asked for a written report. They sent me my score — with a Burger King application attached to it.”
Louie’s credibility as declarer suffers because he plays without thinking. At today’s 3NT, he took the king of spades and swiftly cashed the K-A of clubs. When West discarded, Louie was in trouble; he couldn’t afford to concede a club.
So Louie led a diamond to his king and back to dummy’s jack. He took the ace and then the queen of clubs but was stuck in dummy. When he led a heart to his king next, West won and ran the spades for down one. North, of course, was incredulous.
CAREFUL
Louie could take the cash and let the credit go if he were careful. A creditable play is to start the clubs with the A-K. If East-West followed, Louie would have nine easy tricks.
When West discards, Louie leads a diamond to the jack. When the finesse wins and diamonds break 3-2, Louie has five diamonds, three clubs and a spade.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S 9 2 H 10 3 D A J 6 C A Q 10 7 4 2. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond two clubs, he rebids two diamonds and you raise to three diamonds. Partner then bids three hearts. What do you say?
ANSWER: Your partner is trying for game. He may be hoping that you can bid 3NT. You can’t oblige, but you do have a sound hand for your previous bidding. Bid five diamonds. A possible hand for partner would be J 3, A 8 7, K Q 10 7 4 2, K 3.
South dealer
E-W vulnerable
NORTH
S 9 2
H 10 3
D A J 6
C A Q 10 7 4 2
WEST
S A J 8 5 3
H A 8 6 2
D Q 10 4
C 5
EAST
S Q 10 4
H J 9 7 5
D 9 8
C J 9 8 3
SOUTH
S K 7 6
H K Q 4
D K 7 5 3 2
C K 6
South West North East
1 D 1 S 2 C Pass
2 NT Pass 3 NT All Pass
Opening lead — S 5
(C)2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


mercurynews--2020-03-02--Word Game: March 2, 2020

Word Game: March 2, 2020

TODAY ’ S WORD — IGNEOUS ( IGNEOUS : IG-nee-us : Relating to or characteristic of rock formed from a molten state . )
Can you find 20 or more words in IGNEOUS ?
The list will be published tomorrow .
SATURDAY ’ S WORD — ANTHOLOGY agony ahoy along alto talon tang tangly tango tangy than thong toga tonal tong tony tool halo halt hang hoagy hogan holy hoot hotly oath only onto lagoon lath loan loath logo logy long loon loony loot loth ghat gloat gnat goal goat goon goth yahoo yang Yoga To purchase the Word Game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now for just $ 5 while supplies last !
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 “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admissible .
4 .
Proper nouns , slang words , or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed .

TODAY’S WORD — IGNEOUS (IGNEOUS: IG-nee-us: Relating to or characteristic of rock formed from a molten state.)
Average mark 15 words
Time limit 30 minutes
Can you find 20 or more words in IGNEOUS? The list will be published tomorrow.
SATURDAY’S WORD — ANTHOLOGY agony ahoy along alto talon tang
tangly tango tangy than thong toga tonal tong tony tool halo halt hang hoagy
hogan holy hoot hotly oath only onto lagoon lath loan loath logo logy long
loon loony loot loth ghat gloat gnat goal goat goon goth yahoo yang Yoga
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--2020-03-02--Horoscopes March 2, 2020: Jon Bon Jovi, control and contain your emotions.

Happy Birthday : Control and contain your emotions , and the rest will be simple .
Getting into senseless debates is a waste of time .
Your intelligence , experience and ability to use your skills to make a difference should be where you focus your energy .
Don ’ t limit what you want to do to make someone else happy .
Your numbers are 5 , 12 , 22 , 27 , 34 , 38 , 45 .
ARIES ( March 21-April 19 ) : Concentrate on what ’ s in front of you , not what ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest .
Aim for comfort , happiness and confidence .
Refuse to let emotional issues or pushy , persuasive people pull you into tempting situations that encourage bad habits .
2 stars TAURUS ( April 20-May 20 ) : Waffling won ’ t get you to your next destination .
Check out something that interests you , whether it ’ s a new job , updating your skills or traveling somewhere you ’ ve never been ; it ’ s time to set sail and implement change .
3 stars GEMINI ( May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a time .
Be aware of what is going on around you .
Keep your emotions well-hidden and your opinions to yourself until you feel you can share without jeopardizing your reputation , position or status .
3 stars CANCER ( June 21-July 22 ) : Information is coming down the pipeline .
Listen carefully , and it will help you elaborate on your plans .
An open mind , coupled with a good imagination , will help you bring about positive change .
Don ’ t reveal your plans prematurely .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) : Watch and wait .
Don ’ t feel you have to make the first move .
False information will push you in the wrong direction .
Joint ventures will not be as they appear .
You are best not to make a risky , impulsive move .
4 stars VIRGO ( Aug. 23-Sept. 22 ) : Take the plunge , do what ’ s best for you and refuse to let anyone or anything interfere .
Don ’ t trust anyone using emotional tactics to push you in a direction that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Take care of your concerns first .
2 stars LIBRA ( Sept. 23-Oct. 22 ) : Size up whatever situation you face , and be responsible .
Pencil in downtime to help avoid exhaustion and ease stress .
Gather facts , and keep the peace using truth , integrity and common sense .
Say no to indulgent behavior .
5 stars SCORPIO ( Oct. 23-Nov. 21 ) : A change of plans will work to your advantage .
Go with the flow , and everything will fall into place .
Traveling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who pique your imagination and stimulate your mind will lead to a positive lifestyle change .
3 stars SAGITTARIUS ( Nov. 22-Dec. 21 ) : The past will come back to bite you if you have let matters escalate and emotions take over .
Be upfront about the way you feel , and find out where you stand before you take another step forward .
3 stars CAPRICORN ( Dec. 22-Jan. 19 ) : A change at home will be beneficial and bring you joy .
Walk away from people and situations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Put an end to what isn ’ t working for you .
Protect your money , possessions and reputation .
3 stars AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18 ) : Make a change to your surroundings that will add comfort and convenience .
Don ’ t be fooled by someone who twists information to get you to buy in to something you don ’ t need .
Be clear about what you want .
5 stars PISCES ( Feb. 19-March 20 ) : Take criticism for what it ’ s worth , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control the decisions you make and the changes you want to pursue .
Refuse to let a friend or relative ruin your day .
Don ’ t share personal opinions .
2 stars Birthday Baby : You are adventuresome , independent and alert .
You are confident and dedicated .

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Bryce Dallas Howard, 39; Method Man, 49; Daniel Craig, 52; Jon Bon Jovi, 58.
Happy Birthday: Control and contain your emotions, and the rest will be simple. Getting into senseless debates is a waste of time. Your intelligence, experience and ability to use your skills to make a difference should be where you focus your energy. Don’t limit what you want to do to make someone else happy. Your numbers are 5, 12, 22, 27, 34, 38, 45.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Concentrate on what’s in front of you, not what’s over and should be put to rest. Aim for comfort, happiness and confidence. Refuse to let emotional issues or pushy, persuasive people pull you into tempting situations that encourage bad habits. 2 stars
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Waffling won’t get you to your next destination. Check out something that interests you, whether it’s a new job, updating your skills or traveling somewhere you’ve never been; it’s time to set sail and implement change. 3 stars
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take one step at a time. Be aware of what is going on around you. Keep your emotions well-hidden and your opinions to yourself until you feel you can share without jeopardizing your reputation, position or status. 3 stars
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Information is coming down the pipeline. Listen carefully, and it will help you elaborate on your plans. An open mind, coupled with a good imagination, will help you bring about positive change. Don’t reveal your plans prematurely. 3 stars
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Watch and wait. Don’t feel you have to make the first move. False information will push you in the wrong direction. Joint ventures will not be as they appear. You are best not to make a risky, impulsive move. 4 stars
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Take the plunge, do what’s best for you and refuse to let anyone or anything interfere. Don’t trust anyone using emotional tactics to push you in a direction that you don’t want to go. Take care of your concerns first. 2 stars
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Size up whatever situation you face, and be responsible. Pencil in downtime to help avoid exhaustion and ease stress. Gather facts, and keep the peace using truth, integrity and common sense. Say no to indulgent behavior. 5 stars
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A change of plans will work to your advantage. Go with the flow, and everything will fall into place. Traveling, considering educational pursuits and hanging out with people who pique your imagination and stimulate your mind will lead to a positive lifestyle change. 3 stars
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The past will come back to bite you if you have let matters escalate and emotions take over. Be upfront about the way you feel, and find out where you stand before you take another step forward. 3 stars
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A change at home will be beneficial and bring you joy. Walk away from people and situations that are detrimental to your emotional well-being. Put an end to what isn’t working for you. Protect your money, possessions and reputation. 3 stars
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Make a change to your surroundings that will add comfort and convenience. Don’t be fooled by someone who twists information to get you to buy in to something you don’t need. Be clear about what you want. 5 stars
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take criticism for what it’s worth, and use it to your benefit. You control the decisions you make and the changes you want to pursue. Refuse to let a friend or relative ruin your day. Don’t share personal opinions. 2 stars
Birthday Baby: You are adventuresome, independent and alert. You are confident and dedicated.
Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.


mercurynews--2020-03-02--Ask Amy: Our kids have seen us drunk. Should we tell them the whole story?

DEAR AMY : I am a 42-year-old man .
My wife is 40 .
We were both abused as children .
I like to drink , and now my wife has followed this path .
We have two kids , whom we love very much .
Should we tell our kids about our past troubles ?
We have done very well for ourselves .
Our kids are great .
They know we love them , and they have done very well .
Obviously , they see us drink too much at times .
The oldest is going off to college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he knows we love him .
I ’ ve told him about the genetics of alcohol ( it does run in our family ) , but should I tell him about the abuse ?
• Ask Amy : This anonymous act of kindness threw us for a loop • Ask Amy : The bride hurt my feelings .
Can I skip her wedding ?
• Ask Amy : My boyfriend gets upset if I won ’ t accept his castoffs as gifts • Ask Amy : With our wedding already paid for , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Ask Amy : The dog pees in our bed , and my husband says I ’ m too picky You always talk about being honest , but this seems like it might be too much ?
I ’ m not sure if I ’ m trying to cover my own insecurities by telling him , or if honesty is the best policy here ?
DEAR FATHER : Yes , honesty is the best policy .
So , let ’ s talk about your drinking .
You seem to gloss over your alcohol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; I infer that your childhood abuse has also been a factor and that both are likely related to your drinking .
It is also possible that your childhood abuse was perpetrated by people who were — like you — abusing alcohol .
My point is that you need to start your conversations by getting real about your alcohol abuse .
The most impactful statement you could make to your entire family would be to admit that you are abusing alcohol — and to seek recovery .
The worst message you can send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is genetic ( this is partially correct ) , while you are drinking — and sometimes drunk — in front of them .
Your children will sniff out the hypocrisy very quickly .
They will also get the message that alcohol is more powerful than they are .
( “ Look at my folks !
Resistance is futile !
” ) Your kids love you .
But — here ’ s a shock — all of that love will take a back seat to the vulnerable legacy imposed by your untreated addiction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fixers , ” with a deep well of anxiety they hide from the world .
( In short , you don ’ t actually know how “ great ” they are doing . )
Yes , you should tell your children about your childhoods , but not right before your son heads off to college , and not while you are still drinking .
You should start by admitting your alcoholism , telling your story to a qualified therapist , and working toward recovery .
Al-Anon ’ s program for kids : Alateen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids .
Check Al-Anon.org for information about local meetings .
Even if you are not in recovery , this would be a gift for them .
DEAR AMY : I ’ ve been with my boyfriend for 2½ years .
He was married before and had children with his ex-wife ( they are adults , now ) .
The marriage ended almost 10 years ago , when she told him she had been having an affair .
My issue is that his family continues to invite her to family functions — not just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I have nothing against her — it just feels wrong !
Am I wrong if I tell them that as long as they continue to invite her to events , we will not attend ?
My boyfriend is too nice to tell his family it bothers him , although in my opinion he shouldn ’ t have to .
DEAR SAVVY : Are you the boss of your boyfriend — and his family ?
Do you get to dictate the terms of their socializing ?
You don ’ t have anything against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family obviously doesn ’ t have anything against her , and your boyfriend likely doesn ’ t care one way or the other , because if he really did , he would give them the message that he didn ’ t want to socialize with his ex .
If you don ’ t want to attend events where his ex is also invited , then you can stay home , but if you make your attendance conditional , you should be prepared for them to choose her .
DEAR AMY : I thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was great .
Yes , she should tell her parents that she was sexually assaulted in middle school .
I ’ d like to add , however , that a great way to do this is to write a letter .
Face-to-face communication can catch people very off guard .
DEAR BEEN THERE : I agree that putting thoughts down on paper is an ideal way to frame — and tell — a story .
Thank you .
You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy @ amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Freeville , NY 13068 .
You can also follow her on Twitter @ askingamy or Facebook .

DEAR AMY: I am a 42-year-old man. My wife is 40. We were both abused as children.
I like to drink, and now my wife has followed this path.
We have two kids, whom we love very much.
Should we tell our kids about our past troubles?
We have done very well for ourselves. Our kids are great. They know we love them, and they have done very well.
Obviously, they see us drink too much at times.
The oldest is going off to college. He is a top-notch kid and he knows we love him. I’ve told him about the genetics of alcohol (it does run in our family), but should I tell him about the abuse?
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I’m not sure if I’m trying to cover my own insecurities by telling him, or if honesty is the best policy here?
Loving Father
DEAR FATHER: Yes, honesty is the best policy. So, let’s talk about your drinking.
You seem to gloss over your alcohol abuse by saying that it is genetic; I infer that your childhood abuse has also been a factor and that both are likely related to your drinking.
It is also possible that your childhood abuse was perpetrated by people who were — like you — abusing alcohol.
My point is that you need to start your conversations by getting real about your alcohol abuse. The most impactful statement you could make to your entire family would be to admit that you are abusing alcohol — and to seek recovery.
The worst message you can send is to tell your kids that alcoholism is genetic (this is partially correct), while you are drinking — and sometimes drunk — in front of them. Your children will sniff out the hypocrisy very quickly. They will also get the message that alcohol is more powerful than they are. (“Look at my folks! Resistance is futile!”)
Your kids love you. But — here’s a shock — all of that love will take a back seat to the vulnerable legacy imposed by your untreated addiction. Children of alcoholics are often high-functioning “fixers,” with a deep well of anxiety they hide from the world. (In short, you don’t actually know how “great” they are doing.)
Yes, you should tell your children about your childhoods, but not right before your son heads off to college, and not while you are still drinking.
You should start by admitting your alcoholism, telling your story to a qualified therapist, and working toward recovery. Al-Anon’s program for kids: Alateen, would be most useful for your kids. Check Al-Anon.org for information about local meetings.
Even if you are not in recovery, this would be a gift for them.
DEAR AMY: I’ve been with my boyfriend for 2½ years. He was married before and had children with his ex-wife (they are adults, now).
The marriage ended almost 10 years ago, when she told him she had been having an affair.
My issue is that his family continues to invite her to family functions — not just major holidays, but birthdays and such. I have nothing against her — it just feels wrong!
Am I wrong if I tell them that as long as they continue to invite her to events, we will not attend?
My boyfriend is too nice to tell his family it bothers him, although in my opinion he shouldn’t have to.
Savvy Girlfriend
DEAR SAVVY: Are you the boss of your boyfriend — and his family? Do you get to dictate the terms of their socializing?
You don’t have anything against this woman; your boyfriend’s family obviously doesn’t have anything against her, and your boyfriend likely doesn’t care one way or the other, because if he really did, he would give them the message that he didn’t want to socialize with his ex.
If you don’t want to attend events where his ex is also invited, then you can stay home, but if you make your attendance conditional, you should be prepared for them to choose her.
Want Ask Amy delivered to your inbox for free on weekdays?
DEAR AMY: I thought your advice to “Old Wounds” was great. Yes, she should tell her parents that she was sexually assaulted in middle school.
I’d like to add, however, that a great way to do this is to write a letter. Face-to-face communication can catch people very off guard.
Been There
DEAR BEEN THERE: I agree that putting thoughts down on paper is an ideal way to frame — and tell — a story. Thank you.
You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.


mercurynews--2020-03-02--Harriette Cole: How can I tell if he’s going to hurt himself?

DEAR HARRIETTE : I have a friend who has told me he is depressed .
He has a therapist and seems to be working through his issues , but I worry about him .
With so many stories of suicide these days , I don ’ t want to be the friend who didn ’ t notice the warning signs .
He does still talk to me , and he says that he is seeking help .
He broke up with his girlfriend about a year ago , and he hasn ’ t been right since .
I want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be to him during this time .
What do you recommend ?
DEAR FIGHTING DEPRESSION : Continue to stay in close communication with your friend .
Be a good listener .
Notice if his conversation changes in a way that might indicate a pivot toward self-harm .
If so , ask him if he is following his therapist ’ s directions and if he needs more support .
Otherwise , without casting any judgment , keep him engaged .
Let him know how much you care about him , avoid offering your evaluation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you want the best for him .
If he asks you for advice or guidance that you do not have the capability to give , tell him as much .
Remind him that you are not a therapist .
You are a friend .
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Make sure that you do not get so immersed in your friend ’ s troubles that you forget to watch out for your mental , spiritual and physical health .
Do not allow this friend to absorb all of your time .
For more ideas , go to healthline.com/health/how-to-help-a-depressed-friend .
DEAR HARRIETTE : My mother is elderly , so my siblings and I tend not to tell her all of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it ’ s not good .
I ’ m supposed to have a routine medical procedure soon , and I ’ m a little nervous about it .
Normally I would tell my mother , but I feel like I should keep it to myself .
How do you think I should handle this ?
DEAR PROTECTING MOM : You are smart not to share all of the details of your medical challenges with your mother .
Just as when you were little and you told your mother about a problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after you had gotten over it , so it is when your mother is older .
Instead , make sure that your siblings are informed about your health status and whatever you are undergoing .
Have them monitor the situation so that if there is an emergency , they will be able to loop in your mother and address any serious concerns that come up .
At the same time , do not lie to your mother .
It is better to speak in generalities with her so that she has a sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life .
In this way , a medical issue does not have to be a total shock to her system .
But you do not need to inform her of every test or procedure that you have .
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS , an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams .
You can send questions to askharriette @ harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication , 1130 Walnut St. , Kansas City , MO 64106 .

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a friend who has told me he is depressed. He has a therapist and seems to be working through his issues, but I worry about him.
With so many stories of suicide these days, I don’t want to be the friend who didn’t notice the warning signs. He does still talk to me, and he says that he is seeking help. He broke up with his girlfriend about a year ago, and he hasn’t been right since.
I want to be the best friend that I can be to him during this time. What do you recommend?
Fighting Depression
DEAR FIGHTING DEPRESSION: Continue to stay in close communication with your friend.
Be a good listener. Notice if his conversation changes in a way that might indicate a pivot toward self-harm. If so, ask him if he is following his therapist’s directions and if he needs more support.
Otherwise, without casting any judgment, keep him engaged. Let him know how much you care about him, avoid offering your evaluation of his situation and remind him that you want the best for him. If he asks you for advice or guidance that you do not have the capability to give, tell him as much. Remind him that you are not a therapist. You are a friend.
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Harriette Cole: I’m ashamed to tell people I forgave my childhood friend Advice | Harriette Cole: I’ve worked hard, and my poor siblings resent my success Also, take care of yourself. Make sure that you do not get so immersed in your friend’s troubles that you forget to watch out for your mental, spiritual and physical health. Do not allow this friend to absorb all of your time. For more ideas, go to healthline.com/health/how-to-help-a-depressed-friend.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My mother is elderly, so my siblings and I tend not to tell her all of our troubles anymore. She gets to worrying, and it’s not good.
I’m supposed to have a routine medical procedure soon, and I’m a little nervous about it. Normally I would tell my mother, but I feel like I should keep it to myself. How do you think I should handle this?
Protecting Mom
DEAR PROTECTING MOM: You are smart not to share all of the details of your medical challenges with your mother. Just as when you were little and you told your mother about a problem and she worried for days or weeks after you had gotten over it, so it is when your mother is older.
Instead, make sure that your siblings are informed about your health status and whatever you are undergoing. Have them monitor the situation so that if there is an emergency, they will be able to loop in your mother and address any serious concerns that come up.
At the same time, do not lie to your mother. It is better to speak in generalities with her so that she has a sense of what’s happening in your life. In this way, a medical issue does not have to be a total shock to her system. But you do not need to inform her of every test or procedure that you have.
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.


mercurynews--2020-03-02--Miss Manners: Barista has some nerve to do his job without a smile

DEAR MISS MANNERS : Since relocating two years ago , I walk two blocks to the same local coffee shop to order a morning coffee and latte for my wife and me .
As I ’ m a recognized regular patron , I ’ ve come to know nearly every member of the staff .
I always greet them with a warm hello , and they respond in kind — that is , except for one curmudgeon of a cashier .
I know he knows I ’ m a regular , because he knows our drink order by heart , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for whatever reason , he has never once even attempted to be cordial .
When I greet him with a friendly , “ Good morning !
” he responds with a gruff “ The usual ?
” No smile , no greeting , no mention of my name … nothing .
He just fills my order , takes my payment and that ’ s it .
Should I bring up his curt behavior with the store manager , who is always friendly to me ?
Or should I simply accept that this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a small thing , but it ’ s really starting to rub me the wrong way .
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• Miss Manners : This is how she gets away with rude questions • Miss Manners : Why can ’ t our restaurants be as enjoyable as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And your cheeriness may be rubbing him the wrong way .
Yet Miss Manners does not want you to change .
You don ’ t even have to accept the idea that he will never change .
People have different temperaments , and sometimes the steady administration of cheer can make an eventual difference .
But the worst thing you could do is to get him in trouble by reporting him .
He is doing his job , and it is presumptuous of you to believe that you should be able to control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only show him that your show of goodwill was a mask .
DEAR MISS MANNERS : My husband and I received an invitation to an acquaintance ’ s 60th birthday , and we were shocked to see that “ monetary gifts only ” were requested .
She is single and throwing this party for herself , so the fact that a grown woman is very plainly asking for money is very off-putting ( particularly when the event doesn ’ t include dinner and has a cash bar ) .
While we will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate with what etiquette would call for in this situation .
For adult birthday or dinner parties , we usually bring a nice bottle of wine , or the like , as a thank-you to the host .
But it feels ridiculous to bring an envelope containing cash as if this were a party for a 16-year-old .
What would proper etiquette be in this case ?
Either show up with cash , or decline to attend ?
GENTLE READER : Yes , that is your choice .
You should understand that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but to a fundraiser .
The rules are different .
For a birthday party , you would choose to bring a present — although for an adult birthday , it is not strictly necessary , and many such celebrants try to discourage their guests from doing so .
( The simplest way to do that is not to announce the birthday on the invitation , but only at the party itself , thus enabling the guests to protest that they wish they had known so they could have brought something . )
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that attendance indicates a willingness to support the cause .
So only go — and give — if you believe that helping support this acquaintance is a good use of your charitable funds .
Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website , www.missmanners.com ; to her email , dearmissmanners @ gmail.com ; or through postal mail to Miss Manners , Andrews McMeel Syndication , 1130 Walnut St. , Kansas City , MO 64106 .

Judith Martin, Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Since relocating two years ago, I walk two blocks to the same local coffee shop to order a morning coffee and latte for my wife and me. As I’m a recognized regular patron, I’ve come to know nearly every member of the staff. I always greet them with a warm hello, and they respond in kind — that is, except for one curmudgeon of a cashier.
I know he knows I’m a regular, because he knows our drink order by heart, as well as my name. But for whatever reason, he has never once even attempted to be cordial. When I greet him with a friendly, “Good morning!” he responds with a gruff “The usual?” No smile, no greeting, no mention of my name … nothing. He just fills my order, takes my payment and that’s it.
Should I bring up his curt behavior with the store manager, who is always friendly to me? Or should I simply accept that this is his normal demeanor? I know it’s a small thing, but it’s really starting to rub me the wrong way.
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Miss Manners: She wants to turn our music festival into a get-drunk weekend Advice | Miss Manners: My rule is no gift for a second wedding, no attendance for a third GENTLE READER: And your cheeriness may be rubbing him the wrong way. Yet Miss Manners does not want you to change.
You don’t even have to accept the idea that he will never change. People have different temperaments, and sometimes the steady administration of cheer can make an eventual difference.
But the worst thing you could do is to get him in trouble by reporting him. He is doing his job, and it is presumptuous of you to believe that you should be able to control his mood.
Besides, it would only show him that your show of goodwill was a mask.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I received an invitation to an acquaintance’s 60th birthday, and we were shocked to see that “monetary gifts only” were requested. She is single and throwing this party for herself, so the fact that a grown woman is very plainly asking for money is very off-putting (particularly when the event doesn’t include dinner and has a cash bar).
While we will not be attending, it did prompt a debate with what etiquette would call for in this situation. For adult birthday or dinner parties, we usually bring a nice bottle of wine, or the like, as a thank-you to the host. But it feels ridiculous to bring an envelope containing cash as if this were a party for a 16-year-old.
What would proper etiquette be in this case? Either show up with cash, or decline to attend?
Want Miss Manners delivered to your inbox for free on weekdays?
GENTLE READER: Yes, that is your choice. You should understand that you were not invited to a party, but to a fundraiser. The rules are different.
For a birthday party, you would choose to bring a present — although for an adult birthday, it is not strictly necessary, and many such celebrants try to discourage their guests from doing so. (The simplest way to do that is not to announce the birthday on the invitation, but only at the party itself, thus enabling the guests to protest that they wish they had known so they could have brought something.)
But for a fundraiser, it is understood that attendance indicates a willingness to support the cause. So only go — and give — if you believe that helping support this acquaintance is a good use of your charitable funds.
Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.