mercurynews--2020-11-14--Stanford football vs. Colorado: What to know

Series history : Stanford leads 6-5 and has won 3 of 5 since Colorado joined the Pac-12 .
But the Buffaloes have won two straight , including last season ’ s 16-13 win in Boulder on a 37-yard field goal with no time left .
Storylines : Stanford QB Davis Mills and starting WR Connor Wedington return after missing the opener due what turned out to be COVID-19 testing errors .
… The Buffaloes scored in all seven red zone appearances against the Bruins , while the Cardinal got inside the Oregon 35 seven times but only came away with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven plays of at least 20 yards against UCLA .
That could be good news for Stanford WR Simi Fehoko , who was second in the FBS with 23.6 yards per catch last year and exceeded that average against the Ducks with three catches for 88 yards .
Roster updates : The Cardinal expects top CB Kyu Blu Kelly to return , but starting ILB Ricky Miezon will be out for an extended period .
… Colorado might be playing its third-string center after injuries at the top of the depth chart .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Broussard vs. Stanford ’ s front seven .
After allowing 269 rushing yards to Oregon , the Cardinal now face Broussard , who had 187 rushing yards and three touchdowns in his collegiate debut .
Stats that matter : The Buffaloes are looking to start 2-0 for the fifth straight season , while the Cardinal hasn ’ t lost a home opener since 2007 and is 53-12 at home since the start of the 2000 season .
… Sophomore RBs Austin Jones and Nathaniel Peat combined to rush for 193 yards on 26 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Oregon .
— HAROLD GUTMANN • Stanford football : Five things to watch when Cardinal plays Colorado • San Jose State football vs. UNLV : What to know • Pac-12 preview : Wild start to the weekend with ASU-Cal cancellation • Cal football : Bears will play at UCLA on Sunday after Arizona State game canceled • Pac-12 says testing error caused three Stanford football players to miss Oregon game

COLORADO AT STANFORD
Records: Stanford 0-1, 0-1; Colorado 1-0, 1-0
Kickoff: 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Stanford Stadium
Radio: KNBR/KTCT (1050 AM)
Television: ESPN
Series history: Stanford leads 6-5 and has won 3 of 5 since Colorado joined the Pac-12. But the Buffaloes have won two straight, including last season’s 16-13 win in Boulder on a 37-yard field goal with no time left.
Storylines: Stanford QB Davis Mills and starting WR Connor Wedington return after missing the opener due what turned out to be COVID-19 testing errors. … The Buffaloes scored in all seven red zone appearances against the Bruins, while the Cardinal got inside the Oregon 35 seven times but only came away with 14 points. … Colorado gave up seven plays of at least 20 yards against UCLA. That could be good news for Stanford WR Simi Fehoko, who was second in the FBS with 23.6 yards per catch last year and exceeded that average against the Ducks with three catches for 88 yards.
Roster updates: The Cardinal expects top CB Kyu Blu Kelly to return, but starting ILB Ricky Miezon will be out for an extended period. … Colorado might be playing its third-string center after injuries at the top of the depth chart.
Matchup to watch: Colorado RB Jarek Broussard vs. Stanford’s front seven. After allowing 269 rushing yards to Oregon, the Cardinal now face Broussard, who had 187 rushing yards and three touchdowns in his collegiate debut.
Stats that matter: The Buffaloes are looking to start 2-0 for the fifth straight season, while the Cardinal hasn’t lost a home opener since 2007 and is 53-12 at home since the start of the 2000 season. … Sophomore RBs Austin Jones and Nathaniel Peat combined to rush for 193 yards on 26 carries (7.4 yards per carry) at Oregon.
— HAROLD GUTMANN


mercurynews--2020-11-14--Raiders home field has yet to be an advantage with Broncos up next

In the COVID-19 era , the home field advantage in the NFL isn ’ t what it used to be .
So when the Raiders open the second half of the season Sunday against the Denver Broncos with the first of five games in the second half of the season at home , that may or may not be a good thing .
The Raiders are 1-2 at Allegiant Stadium and 4-1 on the road .
Denver , one of their AFC West rivals , is 2-2 on the road and 1-2 at home .
When Tennessee lost a home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped home teams to 65-68-1 on the season , the lowest percentage in the last 19 years .
From the time the NFL expanded to 32 teams in 2002 , home teams have won 57 percent of the time .
“ This whole experience is like the twilight zone , ” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said Friday in a video conference .
“ Everything ’ s different , from the way we travel , the way we operate .
It ’ s certainly different playing a home game .
I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s the first I ’ ve heard of that .
We ’ ve got to play better in Vegas , I know that.
” Allegiant Stadium is one of 13 venues which is not allowing fans at games ( the Meadowlands and SoFi Stadium are closed to fans each hosts two teams ) .
Of the 17 teams that are allowing fans fans , the maximum capacity ranges from family and friends gatherings of 250 ( Detroit and Minnesota ) to as many as 20,000 in Dallas at 25 percent capacity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ offenses is either a muffle or non-existent , replaced with recorded fan noise .
To players , it may as well be elevator music .
“ Right now without the fans , everything is just kind of like an even playing field , ” Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said .
“ There ’ s no noise aspect , no hostile environment .
But it ’ s very important that we take care of business at home because we want to protect that place.
” In the AFC West , the Kansas City Chiefs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Arrowhead Stadium , which allows a maximum of 16,000 fans and has long been considered one of the toughest places to play .
The Los Angeles Chargers fell to 1-3 at home after losing to the Raiders , the same record they have on the road .
The Baltimore Ravens are 2-2 at home and 4-0 on the road .
The 49ers are 1-4 at home and 3-1 on the road .
Raiders owner Mark Davis decided before the season began it would be all or nothing with fans so he wouldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among season ticket holders .
The Raiders beat New Orleans in their Allegiant Stadium debut but have lost to Buffalo and Tampa Bay .
And Gruden thinks he knows why .
“ We ’ ve only got one fan that comes to the game , so we blame Bob Stiriti our security man , he ’ s our only fan , ” Gruden said .
“ We have to get Bob Stiriti fired up to make some noise.
” Five ways the Raiders can beat the Broncos aside from ordering their head of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 .
Own the third quarter The Raiders had a horrible end to the first half against the Chargers in Week 9 , but set things right by dominating the third quarter 14-3 with two drives engineered by Carr .
They ’ ve outscored opponents 41-19 in the third quarter and given up double digits in points only once — a 10-point quarter in a loss to New England in Week 3 .
The win over the Chiefs was scoreless in the third quarter , but the Raiders dominated the clock and set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I didn ’ t know all that , but I ’ m glad that we ’ re doing better because it was something that coach was harping , ” Carr said .
Said Gruden : “ It ’ s midseason .
It ’ s not where you line up , it ’ s where you lineup.
” Seems ridiculously obvious , but with the way the Raiders play defense , they ’ ll need to keep putting the ball in the end zone .
They ’ re 5-3 on the strength of 24 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Josh Jacobs ) and 16 passing by Derek Carr to go along with eight field goals .
The Raiders aren ’ t built to score much less than their average ( 27.3 points per game ) and survive in a second half where six of the last eight games are in indoor venues .
A year ago , the Raiders were 4-4 at the break and the numbers weren ’ t dramatically different — 23 touchdowns and seven field goals .
The second half of the season was a different story .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then shut down , winning one of their last six games .
The Raiders had just 14 touchdowns in the second half of the season and 12 field goals .
The Raiders are in the middle of the pack in run defense , giving up 118.5 yards per game .
They ’ ve only been truly awful once , and that was in Week 3 against New England ( 250 yards ) which also happens to be their worst loss when taking into account the caliber of opposition .
The Broncos will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Phillip Lindsey ( 310 ) available at full health .
Ideally , the Broncos would like to take a page from the Raiders playbook and strive to for balance .
That would enable second-year quarterback Drew Lock a chance to compete on more even terms with Carr .
Nick Kwiatkoski , who had 13 tackles last week , is emerging as a reliable run defender for the Raiders .
Shutting down the run would give the Raiders more pass rush opportunities against Lock after getting some decent pressure on Justin Hebert against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the key to producing a takeaway or two .
Gruden and Carr are still kicking themselves over a late first-half play which had tight end Darren Waller running free down the field for potential 68-yard touchdown play — only to have the Chargers Jerry Tillery strip-sack Carr and recover the fumble and give the Chargers a gift field goal .
Waller ’ s 50 catches are second only to Travis Kelce in the NFL , but his 394 yards and 7.9 yards per reception with a long gain of 23 are hard to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the Chargers gained 22 yards , a 4.4 average which was less than the rushing averages of both Devontae Booker ( 8.5 ) and Jacobs ( 4.6 ) .
“ He has a tight end body with wide receiver abilities , ” Denver coach Vic Fangio said .
“ It ’ s hard to give him the attention you ’ d like with the new receivers they ’ ve added in ( Henry ) Ruggs and ( Nelson ) Agholor.
” Whether Waller or talented second-year Denver tight end Noah Fant does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Ruggs-Jerry Jeudy duel of Alabama wide receivers turned division rivals .
The Chiefs lost their only game to the Raiders and are next on the schedule after Denver at Allegiant Stadium .
Could the Raiders get caught looking ahead with visions of a sweep of the defending Super Bowl champions and Patrick Mahomes dancing in their heads ?
The sign of a good team is finding a winning formula and sticking to it , regardless of the uniform color on the other side .
“ We don ’ t look past anybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Gruden said .
“ We ’ re just trying to get ready for the next day and the next game and that ’ s all Denver .
We ’ ve got a lot of respect for them , believe me .
We ’ ve competed against them in the past , know them well and they know us well .
”

In the COVID-19 era, the home-field advantage in the NFL isn’t what it used to be.
So when the Raiders open the second half of the season Sunday against the Denver Broncos with the first of five games in the second half of the season at home, that may or may not be a good thing.
The Raiders are 1-2 at Allegiant Stadium and 4-1 on the road. Denver, one of their AFC West rivals, is 2-2 on the road and 1-2 at home.
When Tennessee lost a home game to Indianapolis on Thursday night, it dropped home teams to 65-68-1 on the season, the lowest percentage in the last 19 years. From the time the NFL expanded to 32 teams in 2002, home teams have won 57 percent of the time.
“This whole experience is like the twilight zone,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said Friday in a video conference. “Everything’s different, from the way we travel, the way we operate. It’s certainly different playing a home game. I don’t know what the statistics are — that’s the first I’ve heard of that. We’ve got to play better in Vegas, I know that.”
Allegiant Stadium is one of 13 venues that is not allowing fans at games (the Meadowlands and SoFi Stadium are closed to fans and each hosts two teams).
Of the 17 teams that are allowing fans, the maximum capacity ranges from family and friends gatherings of 250 (Detroit and Minnesota) to as many as 20,000 in Dallas at 25 percent capacity.
The deafening roar which can rattle opposing offenses is either a muffle or non-existent, replaced with recorded fan noise. To players, it may as well be elevator music.
“Right now without the fans, everything is just kind of like an even playing field,” Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said. “There’s no noise aspect, no hostile environment. But it’s very important that we take care of business at home because we want to protect that place.”
In the AFC West, the Kansas City Chiefs’ only loss came to the Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium, which allows a maximum of 16,000 fans and has long been considered one of the toughest places to play. The Los Angeles Chargers fell to 1-3 at home after losing to the Raiders, the same record they have on the road.
The Baltimore Ravens are 2-2 at home and 4-0 on the road. The 49ers are 1-4 at home and 3-1 on the road.
Raiders owner Mark Davis decided before the season began it would be all or nothing with fans so he wouldn’t have to pick and choose among season ticket holders. The Raiders beat New Orleans in their Allegiant Stadium debut but have lost to Buffalo and Tampa Bay.
And Gruden thinks he knows why.
“We’ve only got one fan that comes to the game, so we blame Bob Stiriti our security man, he’s our only fan,” Gruden said. “We have to get Bob Stiriti fired up to make some noise.”
Five ways the Raiders can beat the Broncos aside from ordering their head of security to yell a little louder:
1. Own the third quarter
The Raiders had a horrible end to the first half against the Chargers in Week 9 but set things right by dominating the third quarter 14-3 with two drives engineered by Carr. They’ve outscored opponents 41-19 in the third quarter and given up double digits in points only once — a 10-point quarter in a loss to New England in Week 3.
The win over the Chiefs was scoreless in the third quarter, but the Raiders dominated the clock and set up a 16-point fourth quarter.
“I didn’t know all that, but I’m glad that we’re doing better because it was something that coach was harping,” Carr said.
Said Gruden: “It’s midseason. It’s not where you line up, it’s where you lineup.”
2. Keep scoring touchdowns
Seems ridiculously obvious, but with the way the Raiders play defense, they’ll need to keep putting the ball in the end zone. They’re 5-3 on the strength of 24 touchdowns, eight rushing (five by Josh Jacobs) and 16 passing by Derek Carr to go along with eight field goals.
The Raiders aren’t built to score much less than their average (27.3 points per game) and survive in a second half where six of the last eight games are in indoor venues.
A year ago, the Raiders were 4-4 at the break and the numbers weren’t dramatically different — 23 touchdowns and seven field goals. The second half of the season was a different story. They got all the way to 6-4 and then shut down, winning one of their last six games. The Raiders had just 14 touchdowns in the second half of the season and 12 field goals.
3. Slow the two-headed monster
The Raiders are in the middle of the pack in run defense, giving up 118.5 yards per game. They’ve only been truly awful once, and that was in Week 3 against New England (250 yards), which also happens to be their worst loss when taking into account the caliber of opposition.
The Broncos will have both Melvin Gordon (396 yards) and Phillip Lindsey (310) available at full health. Ideally, the Broncos would like to take a page from the Raiders playbook and strive for balance. That would enable second-year quarterback Drew Lock a chance to compete on more even terms with Carr.
Nick Kwiatkoski, who had 13 tackles last week, is emerging as a reliable run defender for the Raiders. Shutting down the run would give the Raiders more pass-rush opportunities against Lock after getting some decent pressure on Justin Hebert against the Chargers. Pressure on Lock is the key to producing a takeaway or two.
4. Get big plays from Darren Waller
Gruden and Carr are still kicking themselves over a late first-half play which had tight end Darren Waller running free down the field for a potential 68-yard touchdown play — only to have the Chargers Jerry Tillery strip-sack Carr and recover the fumble and give the Chargers a gift field goal.
Waller’s 50 catches are second only to Travis Kelce in the NFL, but his 394 yards and 7.9 yards per reception with a long gain of 23 are hard to justify. Waller’s five catches against the Chargers gained 22 yards, a 4.4 average, which was less than the rushing averages of both Devontae Booker (8.5) and Jacobs (4.6).
“He has a tight end body with wide receiver abilities,” Denver coach Vic Fangio said. “It’s hard to give him the attention you’d like with the new receivers they’ve added in (Henry) Ruggs and (Nelson) Agholor.”
Whether Waller or talented second-year Denver tight end Noah Fant does more damage could have more impact than the Ruggs-Jerry Jeudy duel of Alabama wide receivers turned division rivals.
5. Avoiding a big head
The Chiefs lost their only game to the Raiders and are next on the schedule after Denver at Allegiant Stadium.
Could the Raiders get caught looking ahead with visions of a sweep of the defending Super Bowl champions and Patrick Mahomes dancing in their heads? The sign of a good team is finding a winning formula and sticking to it, regardless of the uniform color on the other side.
“We don’t look past anybody. We have enough issues right now,” Gruden said. “We’re just trying to get ready for the next day and the next game and that’s all Denver. We’ve got a lot of respect for them, believe me. We’ve competed against them in the past, know them well and they know us well.”


mercurynews--2020-11-14--Horoscopes Nov. 14, 2020: Travis Barker, think outside the box

Happy Birthday : Think outside the box .
Believe in yourself , and follow a path that excites you .
An unexpected turn of events will open your mind to a host of alternative lifestyles .
Take the initiative to turn the mundane into something spectacular .
Own your place by directing your actions to suit your needs .
Make your journey count ; start a new adventure .
Your numbers are 4 , 11 , 23 , 27 , 32 , 35 , 41 .
ARIES ( March 21-April 19 ) : Pick your battles wisely .
Look inward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an impasse you experience with someone you live or work alongside .
Concentrate on health , and channel your energy into physical activity that will allow you to blow off steam .
3 stars TAURUS ( April 20-May 20 ) : Make personal adjustments that will help you advance .
Use your connections , intelligence and experience to help you reach your goal .
A partnership looks promising if you discuss what you both have to offer and how best to use your skills .
3 stars GEMINI ( May 21-June 20 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you present yourself to others .
Appropriate attire and a good reputation will help you impress someone who has the wherewithal to introduce you to the right people .
Play to win .
Romance is encouraged .
3 stars CANCER ( June 21-July 22 ) : Set high standards and goals .
Refuse to let trivial matters upset you or stand in your way .
Do your best to make a difference in your community .
Your words will touch someone who needs encouragement .
Protect against illness or injury .
5 stars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Take better care of your home , family and reputation .
Spend more time improving what you already have and less time trying to impress someone who isn ’ t worth your time and effort .
Face facts , implement routines , and add structure and fitness into your schedule .
2 stars VIRGO ( Aug. 23-Sept. 22 ) : You ’ ve got everything under control , so don ’ t mess with what ’ s working .
Pay more attention to keeping a steady pace and mastering what you do best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way .
Being fully prepared will promote high returns .
4 stars LIBRA ( Sept. 23-Oct. 22 ) : Stick to what and who you know .
Refuse to get into an altercation with someone who will never share your beliefs or values .
Set the record straight regarding your feelings , intentions and how you want to move forward in your personal life .
3 stars SCORPIO ( Oct. 23-Nov. 21 ) : Take the path that leads to peace of mind .
Study and research what you need to know to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be instrumental in reaching your goal .
Protect your physical well-being from excess and risk .
3 stars SAGITTARIUS ( Nov. 22-Dec. 21 ) : Don ’ t worry about what others do .
Take pride in what you do , and focus on the things that make you feel good about yourself .
It ’ s OK to do something you enjoy and to live life your way .
Romance is in the stars .
3 stars CAPRICORN ( Dec. 22-Jan. 19 ) : You ’ ll come up with exciting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use your space to pursue something that brings you joy .
Efficiency will play a role in how much you achieve .
A change of plans will end up benefiting you .
4 stars AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18 ) : Avoid anyone trying to persuade you to do something that will cost you financially or emotionally .
Protect your possessions and passwords .
Stay focused on what ’ s worked best for you in the past , and you ’ ll avoid making a mistake .
2 stars PISCES ( Feb. 19-March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal gains if you stick to your game plan and bring about the changes that will improve your personal life .
Sharing expenses with someone close to you will help you budget for something you want to do collectively .
5 stars Birthday Baby : You are intelligent , secretive and mysterious .
You are passionate and unpredictable .

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Karim Zeroual, 27; Travis Barker, 45; Patrick Warburton, 56; Harland Williams, 58.
Happy Birthday: Think outside the box. Believe in yourself, and follow a path that excites you. An unexpected turn of events will open your mind to a host of alternative lifestyles. Take the initiative to turn the mundane into something spectacular. Own your place by directing your actions to suit your needs. Make your journey count; start a new adventure. Your numbers are 4, 11, 23, 27, 32, 35, 41.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Pick your battles wisely. Look inward and consider the best way to handle an impasse you experience with someone you live or work alongside. Concentrate on health, and channel your energy into physical activity that will allow you to blow off steam. 3 stars
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Make personal adjustments that will help you advance. Use your connections, intelligence and experience to help you reach your goal. A partnership looks promising if you discuss what you both have to offer and how best to use your skills. 3 stars
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Pay more attention to the way you present yourself to others. Appropriate attire and a good reputation will help you impress someone who has the wherewithal to introduce you to the right people. Play to win. Romance is encouraged. 3 stars
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Set high standards and goals. Refuse to let trivial matters upset you or stand in your way. Do your best to make a difference in your community. Your words will touch someone who needs encouragement. Protect against illness or injury. 5 stars
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take better care of your home, family and reputation. Spend more time improving what you already have and less time trying to impress someone who isn’t worth your time and effort. Face facts, implement routines, and add structure and fitness into your schedule. 2 stars
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You’ve got everything under control, so don’t mess with what’s working. Pay more attention to keeping a steady pace and mastering what you do best. A positive change is heading your way. Being fully prepared will promote high returns. 4 stars
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Stick to what and who you know. Refuse to get into an altercation with someone who will never share your beliefs or values. Set the record straight regarding your feelings, intentions and how you want to move forward in your personal life. 3 stars
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Take the path that leads to peace of mind. Study and research what you need to know to justify your actions. Precision and detail will be instrumental in reaching your goal. Protect your physical well-being from excess and risk. 3 stars
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t worry about what others do. Take pride in what you do, and focus on the things that make you feel good about yourself. It’s OK to do something you enjoy and to live life your way. Romance is in the stars. 3 stars
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’ll come up with exciting ways to change your living arrangements or use your space to pursue something that brings you joy. Efficiency will play a role in how much you achieve. A change of plans will end up benefiting you. 4 stars
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Avoid anyone trying to persuade you to do something that will cost you financially or emotionally. Protect your possessions and passwords. Stay focused on what’s worked best for you in the past, and you’ll avoid making a mistake. 2 stars
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You’ll make personal gains if you stick to your game plan and bring about the changes that will improve your personal life. Sharing expenses with someone close to you will help you budget for something you want to do collectively. 5 stars
Birthday Baby: You are intelligent, secretive and mysterious. You are passionate and unpredictable.
Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.


Word Game: Nov. 14, 2020

Can you find 46 or more words in MANIFOLD ?
The list will be published Monday .
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 — MANIFOLD (MANIFOLD: MAN-ih-fold: Of many kinds; multiple.)
Average mark 30 words
Time limit 45 minutes
Can you find 46 or more words in MANIFOLD? The list will be published Monday.
YESTERDAY’S WORD — VELOCITY veil veto vice vile viol violet voice voile vole
volt vote evict evil levity levy lice live lotic love oily olive otic cite city civet clot clove
cloy coil cole colt cote cove covet covey telic tile toil toile tole yeti
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.


Bridge: Nov. 14, 2020

When today ’ s North opened two clubs , South wanted two of the top three honors for a positive response of two spades .
He tried to suggest his hand type by jumping in spades next , and North raised gently to seven .
The grand slam was simple enough , but simple-looking contracts are the ones that need care — and the first trick is a good time to get careless .
When West led a club , South let the lead ride to his jack !
He cashed the A-K of trumps and then had to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missing trumps .
He led the A-K of diamonds , planning to ruff the next round , but West ruffed .
Maybe South thought his contract was eight spades .
He must win the first club with the ace , take dummy ’ s top trumps , come to the king of clubs and draw trumps .
He has six trump tricks , four diamonds , two clubs and one heart .
You hold : S 6 H K 10 D 10 9 5 4 3 2 C 9 8 4 2 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ player passes .
What do you say ?
ANSWER : Almost surely you should want to play at diamonds at the lowest possible level .
In most partnerships , a response of two diamonds would be conventional : a “ transfer ” or a Stayman variation .
Depending on your partnership agreement , you might jump directly to three diamonds to sign off or employ some conventional method .

“Simple Saturday” columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking.
When today’s North opened two clubs, South wanted two of the top three honors for a positive response of two spades. He tried to suggest his hand type by jumping in spades next, and North raised gently to seven.
The grand slam was simple enough, but simple-looking contracts are the ones that need care — and the first trick is a good time to get careless. When West led a club, South let the lead ride to his jack! He cashed the A-K of trumps and then had to get back to his hand to draw the missing trumps. He led the A-K of diamonds, planning to ruff the next round, but West ruffed.
BAD LUCK
“Bad luck,” South sighed.
“You had 13 tricks,” growled North. “How about taking them.”
Maybe South thought his contract was eight spades. He must win the first club with the ace, take dummy’s top trumps, come to the king of clubs and draw trumps. He has six trump tricks, four diamonds, two clubs and one heart.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S 6 H K 10 D 10 9 5 4 3 2 C 9 8 4 2. Your partner opens 1NT. The next player passes. What do you say?
ANSWER: Almost surely you should want to play at diamonds at the lowest possible level. In most partnerships, a response of two diamonds would be conventional: a “transfer” or a Stayman variation. Depending on your partnership agreement, you might jump directly to three diamonds to sign off or employ some conventional method.
North dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S A K
H A Q 9 6 5
D A K Q J
C A 6
WEST
S 8 7 4 3
H J 8 4 2
D 7
C Q 10 7 3
EAST
S 6
H K 10
D 10 9 5 4 3 2
C 9 8 4 2
SOUTH
S Q J 10 9 5 2
H 7 3
D 8 6
C K J 5
North East South West
2 C Pass 2 D Pass
2 H Pass 3 S Pass
7 S All Pass
Opening lead — C 3
(C)2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


mercurynews--2020-11-14--Ask Amy: The bride’s pretense could lead to wedding humiliation for me

Dear Amy : My longtime friend has asked me to be a bridesmaid at her upcoming wedding .
Unfortunately , we recently experienced a falling-out that we are not openly acknowledging .
We are carrying on , pretending that we have a friendship that we seem to have outgrown .
Given the circumstances , I feel somewhat uncomfortable playing this role on her special day .
She has voiced her dissatisfaction with me to her fiance , friends ( who are part of the wedding party ) and family members .
I ’ m sensitive to the humiliation I may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know she ’ ll be terribly offended if I acknowledge the rift between us .
What do I do , Amy ?
• Ask Amy : She ’ s in a snit about our Christmas gift plan and acts like she ’ s the victim • Ask Amy : Which was ruder , her text or my reaction ?
• Ask Amy : We let them stay at our place , and what happened made me very uncomfortable • Ask Amy : The lie she told about my husband ended our friendship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone who objects to his big yard flag Dear Bewildered : You should acknowledge the current dynamic , judiciously and respectfully , and give her the option of having you step down from your bridesmaid status if she would like .
Say to her : “ There has been tension between us lately , and I want you to know that I will step down as a bridesmaid if you want .
I want you to have the best day possible .
I will stand up with you with a smile , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dear Amy : I recently reached out to a former manager/mentor to schedule some time to catch up .
The night before the scheduled call , I was invited to participate in a golf outing , so I texted her to see if we could reschedule .
She responded right away that it was no problem , and that she was excited for me .
( We had played in golf outings together in the past , so I knew that was a shared interest . )
We traded messages looking for times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopped getting any response .
That was eight weeks ago .
I ’ ve reached out via text and LinkedIn since then , but still nothing .
I respect this person very much .
Our relationship was always professional , but we did trade Christmas cards , and I would consider her a friend .
I ’ m also slightly concerned that something may have happened with her or her family related to COVID , so I ’ m not sure how to find out and reconnect without badgering .
Dear Concerned : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then you postponed it .
There is nothing at all wrong with doing that , but I do think it affects the dynamic between two people when it comes to rescheduling .
It sounds as if you went back and forth a few times regarding a new date , so it ’ s possible that your former mentor said to herself , “ I didn ’ t initiate this in the first place , and now it has taken on a life of its own .
I ’ m going to take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might assume that if something serious had happened to her , you would have found out about it , if not through her , then through social media .
If something has happened to a family member and you haven ’ t been notified , then you are not close enough to her to have been told about it .
People get busy .
Things come up .
I think you should let things lie for now .
Send her a Christmas card this year , saying : “ So sorry for our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I look forward to catching up in 2021.
” Dear Amy : “ Closet Case ” was worried about the highly personal content of her journals .
My journals are also a specter hiding in my closet , worrying me about who might someday read them .
Every time I get the courage to burn them , I think , “ But that ’ s my life !
” and I can ’ t do it .
Several years ago , I created Shutterfly memory books for my three grown kids .
Along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funny things they said when they were tiny and told the stories of their lives , using my journals to remind myself of little details .
This past Mother ’ s Day , my kids gave me a subscription to StoryWorth .
Every week my kids choose or create a question for me to answer about my life .
My journals have been invaluable in helping me to tell my story .
In another six months , my StoryWorth story will be complete and my kids will have all of the good stuff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ icky bits.
” I ’ ll finally be able to burn the notebooks and reclaim that closet shelf .
Dear Journaler : StoryWorth ( StoryWorth.com ) offers an ingenious way of compiling stories to share , and you need only include the “ icky bits , ” if you want to .
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 .

Dear Amy: My longtime friend has asked me to be a bridesmaid at her upcoming wedding. Unfortunately, we recently experienced a falling-out that we are not openly acknowledging.
We are carrying on, pretending that we have a friendship that we seem to have outgrown.
Given the circumstances, I feel somewhat uncomfortable playing this role on her special day. She has voiced her dissatisfaction with me to her fiance, friends (who are part of the wedding party) and family members.
I’m sensitive to the humiliation I may experience going through with this, but I know she’ll be terribly offended if I acknowledge the rift between us.
What do I do, Amy?
Bewildered Bridesmaid
Related Articles Advice | Ask Amy: I found the videos she posted about me, with all the demeaning comments
Ask Amy: I found the videos she posted about me, with all the demeaning comments Advice | Ask Amy: My fiance wants me to stay home. Should I bolt?
Ask Amy: My fiance wants me to stay home. Should I bolt? Advice | Ask Amy: Why did she react that way? It was a compliment!
Ask Amy: Why did she react that way? It was a compliment! Advice | Ask Amy: I’ve told them they need therapy, and they refuse to do it. What now?
Ask Amy: I’ve told them they need therapy, and they refuse to do it. What now? Advice | Ask Amy: The man I love is my grandchild’s uncle, and things have gotten messy Dear Bewildered: You should acknowledge the current dynamic, judiciously and respectfully, and give her the option of having you step down from your bridesmaid status if she would like.
Say to her: “There has been tension between us lately, and I want you to know that I will step down as a bridesmaid if you want. I want you to have the best day possible. I will stand up with you with a smile, or quietly withdraw with no hard feelings.”
Dear Amy: I recently reached out to a former manager/mentor to schedule some time to catch up.
The night before the scheduled call, I was invited to participate in a golf outing, so I texted her to see if we could reschedule.
She responded right away that it was no problem, and that she was excited for me. (We had played in golf outings together in the past, so I knew that was a shared interest.)
We traded messages looking for times to reschedule, and then suddenly I stopped getting any response.
That was eight weeks ago. I’ve reached out via text and LinkedIn since then, but still nothing.
I respect this person very much. Our relationship was always professional, but we did trade Christmas cards, and I would consider her a friend.
I’m also slightly concerned that something may have happened with her or her family related to COVID, so I’m not sure how to find out and reconnect without badgering.
Ghosted & Concerned
Dear Concerned: You initiated this catch-up session, and then you postponed it. There is nothing at all wrong with doing that, but I do think it affects the dynamic between two people when it comes to rescheduling.
It sounds as if you went back and forth a few times regarding a new date, so it’s possible that your former mentor said to herself, “I didn’t initiate this in the first place, and now it has taken on a life of its own. I’m going to take a breather.”
At this point, you might assume that if something serious had happened to her, you would have found out about it, if not through her, then through social media. If something has happened to a family member and you haven’t been notified, then you are not close enough to her to have been told about it.
People get busy. Things come up.
I think you should let things lie for now. Send her a Christmas card this year, saying: “So sorry for our scheduling snafu back in the fall! I look forward to catching up in 2021.”
Dear Amy: “Closet Case” was worried about the highly personal content of her journals.
My journals are also a specter hiding in my closet, worrying me about who might someday read them. Every time I get the courage to burn them, I think, “But that’s my life!” and I can’t do it.
Several years ago, I created Shutterfly memory books for my three grown kids. Along with their childhood photos, I added funny things they said when they were tiny and told the stories of their lives, using my journals to remind myself of little details.
This past Mother’s Day, my kids gave me a subscription to StoryWorth. Every week my kids choose or create a question for me to answer about my life. My journals have been invaluable in helping me to tell my story.
In another six months, my StoryWorth story will be complete and my kids will have all of the good stuff from my journals and none of the “icky bits.”
I’ll finally be able to burn the notebooks and reclaim that closet shelf.
Maryland Journaler
Dear Journaler: StoryWorth (StoryWorth.com) offers an ingenious way of compiling stories to share, and you need only include the “icky bits” if you want to.
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--2020-11-14--Harriette Cole: My boss goes through assistants quickly, and I think I know why

DEAR HARRIETTE : I am an assistant for the CEO of a large corporation .
I ’ ve been his assistant for about four months now .
From my first day , he would call me honey , dear , sweetheart , things like that .
At first , I thought it was because he couldn ’ t remember my name .
Then I noticed that he began to compliment me every morning , admiring my hair , smile and eyes in our video conferences .
Now it has turned into him asking me very personal questions , like whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He jokes that we have to get together eventually outside business for drinks so that he can really get to know me .
I was hired virtually , and he said he ’ s been through a few assistants in the past few years .
I am starting to wonder if he ’ s had any complaints of sexual harassment brought against him .
He hasn ’ t done anything too inappropriate , but I can see him headed down that road .
What do you suggest I do if I fear being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You are right to be concerned .
I consulted an attorney about such incidents and was informed that when behavior makes you feel uncomfortable and feels like it is headed toward being inappropriate , you should have your antennae up .
Further , she recommended that you speak to an attorney about it first , before going to the human resources department .
Typically , the HR department of a company protects the company .
You should have independent counsel listen to your concerns and make a legal recommendation of how to proceed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drinks or any other type of personal engagement with your boss .
DEAR HARRIETTE : I have a lot of things going on in my personal life trying to balance my business , my stepsons , work and school .
I work every other weekend , getting up early to do stepmom duties and then having to open a shop .
I keep my stepsons with me most of the time and have to home-school them .
I try to keep them active and learning by having them help me with chores .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so a lot of my time goes into promotion and trying to get new customers in the store .
Sometimes I feel like it can be difficult , but I look at others and say if they can do it with more than what I ’ m juggling , then I know I can .
What are some tips you can give to keep focused when having a lot on my plate ?
DEAR FULL PLATE : Busy people are often the ones who can manage multiple responsibilities .
Get organized so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a list every evening of all of the tasks you must accomplish the next day .
Write them out in categories that include all aspects of your life — stepsons , home , the shop , your health and whatever else is important .
Under each category , list bite-sized tasks that need to be completed with deadlines when applicable .
Then , on the next day , execute your list .
This should keep you streamlined and aware of what you have to do and whether you did it or not .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is key to being able to complete all of the other tasks .
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 am an assistant for the CEO of a large corporation. I’ve been his assistant for about four months now.
From my first day, he would call me honey, dear, sweetheart, things like that. At first, I thought it was because he couldn’t remember my name. Then I noticed that he began to compliment me every morning, admiring my hair, smile and eyes in our video conferences. Now it has turned into him asking me very personal questions, like whether I am single or have kids.
He jokes that we have to get together eventually outside business for drinks so that he can really get to know me.
I was hired virtually, and he said he’s been through a few assistants in the past few years. I am starting to wonder if he’s had any complaints of sexual harassment brought against him.
He hasn’t done anything too inappropriate, but I can see him headed down that road. What do you suggest I do if I fear being sexually harassed?
Precarious Assistant
DEAR PRECARIOUS ASSISTANT: You are right to be concerned. I consulted an attorney about such incidents and was informed that when behavior makes you feel uncomfortable and feels like it is headed toward being inappropriate, you should have your antennae up. Further, she recommended that you speak to an attorney about it first, before going to the human resources department.
Typically, the HR department of a company protects the company. You should have independent counsel listen to your concerns and make a legal recommendation of how to proceed. Meanwhile, do not agree to drinks or any other type of personal engagement with your boss.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a lot of things going on in my personal life trying to balance my business, my stepsons, work and school.
I work every other weekend, getting up early to do stepmom duties and then having to open a shop. I keep my stepsons with me most of the time and have to home-school them. I try to keep them active and learning by having them help me with chores.
I just opened this new beauty shop, so a lot of my time goes into promotion and trying to get new customers in the store. Sometimes I feel like it can be difficult, but I look at others and say if they can do it with more than what I’m juggling, then I know I can.
What are some tips you can give to keep focused when having a lot on my plate?
Full Plate
DEAR FULL PLATE: Busy people are often the ones who can manage multiple responsibilities. Get organized so that you can stay focused.
Make a list every evening of all of the tasks you must accomplish the next day. Write them out in categories that include all aspects of your life — stepsons, home, the shop, your health and whatever else is important. Under each category, list bite-sized tasks that need to be completed with deadlines when applicable. Then, on the next day, execute your list. This should keep you streamlined and aware of what you have to do and whether you did it or not. Remember to include your health. This is key to being able to complete all of the other tasks.
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--2020-11-14--Miss Manners: I don’t want to carry on the old boss’s traditions

DEAR MISS MANNERS : Last year , shortly before the holidays , I accepted a promotion to a different department in the government agency where I ’ ve worked for several years .
This is my first supervisory position , and my predecessor set some precedents that I ’ m finding difficult to afford .
He bought lunch for each staff member on their birthday , and bought lunch for the entire staff plus the secretaries ( a total of about 10 people ) for the holidays .
Another supervisor , who also carries on these traditions , informed me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bad first impression or appear stingy , I went along with it last year .
But the truth is , I ’ m still paying off student loans and my salary is far from exorbitant .
Many of my staff make quite a bit more than I do , as they have been here longer .
• Miss Manners : They ’ re going to name the baby after me , and I wish they wouldn ’ t • Miss Manners : Is it rude to start drinking before the guests arrive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said to the bride came out awkward • Miss Manners : Are their adorable pandemic photos tacky , or am I just bitter ?
I ’ m struggling with what to do this year .
I would rather buy a small gift for my staff , but I don ’ t want them to feel that I appreciate them less than other supervisors or my predecessor .
What is the appropriate amount for a low-level government supervisor to spend ?
GENTLE READER : Does your compliance officer have nothing to say about this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miss Manners recommends that rather than get into a competition of gratitude with past employers , you express yours in personal and heartfelt wishes .
And then get your agency to agree to allowing people to go home early on the eves of holidays , as that will likely be more appreciated than grocery store cake and subpar takeout food .
DEAR MISS MANNERS : What is the best way to respond to someone who says , “ You have too much time on your hands ” ?
A friend of mine is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dearly , but when I do something special for her or her kids , this is what she says .
For example , I labeled the ice and water dispensers on my fridge for her , so she could get what she needed without putting her glasses on , and I ’ ve spent time on gifts because I thought her child would like them .
This is how she responds .
It ’ s ironic , because she spends most of her time cleaning her house , whereas mine is clean but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things like this .
Is there a polite way to respond without being snarky ?
Because I get that way when my feelings are hurt .
GENTLE READER : When compliments are met with derision ( “ This old thing ?
” ) , the intention is not to insult the giver ’ s taste .
Likewise , your friend must think that she is modestly deflecting your generosity .
However , Miss Manners agrees that it comes across less than gracious for deeds that are so thoughtfully meant .
A stricken , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have much time .
I just enjoy doing it and thought that you would like it .
I can stop if you like ” should sufficiently shame your friend into reminding her that generosity can always be terminated if it goes unappreciated .
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: Last year, shortly before the holidays, I accepted a promotion to a different department in the government agency where I’ve worked for several years.
This is my first supervisory position, and my predecessor set some precedents that I’m finding difficult to afford.
He bought lunch for each staff member on their birthday, and bought lunch for the entire staff plus the secretaries (a total of about 10 people) for the holidays.
Another supervisor, who also carries on these traditions, informed me of them. Not wanting to make a bad first impression or appear stingy, I went along with it last year. But the truth is, I’m still paying off student loans and my salary is far from exorbitant. Many of my staff make quite a bit more than I do, as they have been here longer.
Related Articles Advice | Miss Manners: They come to my house and yell at my dog
Miss Manners: They come to my house and yell at my dog Advice | Miss Manners: Why are parents miffed at me? They’re the ones who spell the kids’ names wrong.
Miss Manners: Why are parents miffed at me? They’re the ones who spell the kids’ names wrong. Advice | Miss Manners: She’s so rich, but she never gives us anything
Miss Manners: She’s so rich, but she never gives us anything Advice | Miss Manners: She wants to turn our music festival into a get-drunk weekend
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 I’m struggling with what to do this year. I would rather buy a small gift for my staff, but I don’t want them to feel that I appreciate them less than other supervisors or my predecessor. What is the appropriate amount for a low-level government supervisor to spend?
GENTLE READER: Does your compliance officer have nothing to say about this?
If not, she should. Miss Manners recommends that rather than get into a competition of gratitude with past employers, you express yours in personal and heartfelt wishes. And then get your agency to agree to allowing people to go home early on the eves of holidays, as that will likely be more appreciated than grocery store cake and subpar takeout food.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: What is the best way to respond to someone who says, “You have too much time on your hands”?
A friend of mine is a kindhearted person and I love her dearly, but when I do something special for her or her kids, this is what she says. For example, I labeled the ice and water dispensers on my fridge for her, so she could get what she needed without putting her glasses on, and I’ve spent time on gifts because I thought her child would like them. This is how she responds.
It’s ironic, because she spends most of her time cleaning her house, whereas mine is clean but I still have time to enjoy doing things like this.
Is there a polite way to respond without being snarky? Because I get that way when my feelings are hurt.
GENTLE READER: When compliments are met with derision (“This old thing?”), the intention is not to insult the giver’s taste. Likewise, your friend must think that she is modestly deflecting your generosity.
However, Miss Manners agrees that it comes across less than gracious for deeds that are so thoughtfully meant. A stricken, “Oh! No, I don’t have much time. I just enjoy doing it and thought that you would like it. I can stop if you like” should sufficiently shame your friend into reminding her that generosity can always be terminated if it goes unappreciated.
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.


mercurynews--2020-11-14--Dear Abby: I didn’t get off to a great start with the neighbors. How do I fix this?

DEAR ABBY : My husband and I bought a house and moved in literally the day COVID was announced as a national emergency .
I had planned to go around to our new neighbors and introduce ourselves , perhaps with a small gift ( I ’ m a professional baker ) .
That obviously hasn ’ t been possible .
We ’ ve had some over-the-fence interactions with a couple of neighbors , but I feel bad I haven ’ t reached out to the others .
My husband and I are private , introverted people , but I still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Is it too late ?
What ’ s the protocol on introducing yourselves to neighbors ?
• Dear Abby : They were paying me $ 2 an hour to babysit , and apparently that ’ s too much • Dear Abby : Their ungratefulness has me plotting a new strategy • Dear Abby : She posted signs all over our building , and she ’ s hurt by the reaction • Dear Abby : I asked him about the family secret , and he revealed something distressing Given that everything is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know if it ’ s safe , I don ’ t want to let that become an excuse to put it off indefinitely .
DEAR NEIGHBORLY : It is not too late .
A charming way to introduce yourselves would be to deliver — or have delivered — a small plant to each of your neighbors , with a short note explaining that you are new to the community , you are a professional baker and you regret that the quarantine makes it impossible to reach out in a more personal way .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone number .
DEAR ABBY : Ten months ago , my aunt ’ s 66-year-old live-in boyfriend died unexpectedly .
She has no children and is left with a four-bedroom , two-bathroom house to take care of by herself .
She has always been in debt ( I think ) , and his final expenses only made it worse .
Since his death , she has expected my family ( mostly me ) to complete a list of chores every time I visit .
I have been asked to hook up her garden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , replant flowers , vacuum — even move her boyfriend ’ s ashes from the original bag to a more permanent urn .
So far , I have managed to avoid taking care of her pool and cutting her grass , but it ’ s only a matter of time before the neighbors stop doing it for her .
I love my aunt , and she has done a lot for me over the years .
I realize she has no kids to take care of her .
But I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her lackey for the next 30 years .
How do I tell her I can ’ t be responsible for taking care of her house without getting her upset or angry ?
Is it my place to say something to her mother and siblings ?
She has been very emotional since the death , and we ’ ve all been walking on eggshells , but she won ’ t go to therapy .
DEAR NEPHEW : Your aunt may not need a therapist as much as she needs a grief support group to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Her mood swings , which I am sure surge and wane from day to day , are magnified by her money problems .
Because the house and yard are now too much for her to handle alone , it might make sense for her to downsize and put the money she gets from selling the place to work for her .
Of course , she should run the idea by her attorney or accountant before making any decisions , but it might be the solution — not only to her problem , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written by Abigail Van Buren , also known as Jeanne Phillips , and was founded by her mother , Pauline Phillips .
Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O .
Box 69440 , Los Angeles , CA 90069 .

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I bought a house and moved in literally the day COVID was announced as a national emergency.
I had planned to go around to our new neighbors and introduce ourselves, perhaps with a small gift (I’m a professional baker). That obviously hasn’t been possible. We’ve had some over-the-fence interactions with a couple of neighbors, but I feel bad I haven’t reached out to the others.
My husband and I are private, introverted people, but I still want to make ourselves known as approachable. Is it too late? What’s the protocol on introducing yourselves to neighbors?
Related Articles Advice | Dear Abby: Is it weird that I think this actress could be my sister?
Dear Abby: Is it weird that I think this actress could be my sister? Advice | Dear Abby: Why are people so rude to me lately? I’m a nice guy.
Dear Abby: Why are people so rude to me lately? I’m a nice guy. Advice | Dear Abby: My financial adviser won’t listen to me, but he insists he’s not sexist
Dear Abby: My financial adviser won’t listen to me, but he insists he’s not sexist Advice | Dear Abby: Our teen’s messy breakup has had awkward repercussions for us
Dear Abby: Our teen’s messy breakup has had awkward repercussions for us Advice | Dear Abby: I was annoyed to discover why our friends picked this restaurant Given that everything is in flux and we still don’t know if it’s safe, I don’t want to let that become an excuse to put it off indefinitely.
NEIGHBORLY IN NEW MEXICO
DEAR NEIGHBORLY: It is not too late. A charming way to introduce yourselves would be to deliver — or have delivered — a small plant to each of your neighbors, with a short note explaining that you are new to the community, you are a professional baker and you regret that the quarantine makes it impossible to reach out in a more personal way. Be sure to include your address and phone number.
DEAR ABBY: Ten months ago, my aunt’s 66-year-old live-in boyfriend died unexpectedly. She has no children and is left with a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house to take care of by herself.
She has always been in debt (I think), and his final expenses only made it worse.
Since his death, she has expected my family (mostly me) to complete a list of chores every time I visit. I have been asked to hook up her garden hose, plant grass, exterminate bees, replant flowers, vacuum — even move her boyfriend’s ashes from the original bag to a more permanent urn. So far, I have managed to avoid taking care of her pool and cutting her grass, but it’s only a matter of time before the neighbors stop doing it for her.
I love my aunt, and she has done a lot for me over the years. I realize she has no kids to take care of her. But I don’t think I should be expected to be her lackey for the next 30 years.
How do I tell her I can’t be responsible for taking care of her house without getting her upset or angry? Is it my place to say something to her mother and siblings? She has been very emotional since the death, and we’ve all been walking on eggshells, but she won’t go to therapy.
OVERWHELMED NEPHEW
DEAR NEPHEW: Your aunt may not need a therapist as much as she needs a grief support group to help her work through her loss.
Her mood swings, which I am sure surge and wane from day to day, are magnified by her money problems.
Because the house and yard are now too much for her to handle alone, it might make sense for her to downsize and put the money she gets from selling the place to work for her. Of course, she should run the idea by her attorney or accountant before making any decisions, but it might be the solution — not only to her problem, but also to yours.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.


mercurynews--2020-11-14--San Jose man arrested in connection with Palo Alto burglaries

PALO ALTO – A 31-year-old San Jose man has been arrested in connection with a pair of burglaries in Palo Alto , police said .
The first burglary was reported in the 2300 block of Cornell Street just before 8 a.m. Tuesday , the Palo Alto Police Department said in a news release Friday .
The victim told officers two bicycles had been stolen from her garage earlier that morning , and security camera footage showed two men prying open a side door to the garage .
Officers obtained additional footage that showed the suspects arriving and leaving in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bicycles were also found a few houses away – one belonged to the victim and the other had been stolen from Stanford University .
At 8:10 a.m. , officers were called to a home in the 2000 block of Amherst Street — about eight blocks away — for a report of a stolen vehicle .
The vehicle , a white 2010 GMC Sierra 1500 pickup truck , matched the one the men were seen driving , police said .
Police said officers were called a second time to the 2300 block of Cornell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report of suspicious circumstances .
A resident said a burglar alarm was sounding at a second home on her property and she had seen a man in her backyard .
The door to the second home was found open , but nothing was missing and officers surmised the suspect left the area after tripping the alarm .
Officers searched the area and found the stolen pickup truck parked in the 1300 block of California Avenue , police said .
They also obtained security camera footage that showed the man leaving the area on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers found the suspect sitting on a bus bench next to a bicycle in the 3000 block of Hansen Way .
Police said officers later determined the bicycle had been stolen from Stanford University .
Police said the man matched the description of one of the suspects from the Tuesday burglary .
The man was arrested and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail in San Jose on felony charges of residential burglary , possession of stolen property and a probation violation , as well as misdemeanor charges of possession of methamphetamine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of burglary tools .
“ Detectives are continuing to investigate these cases , including making efforts to identify the second suspect and to see if any evidence connects either suspect to the stolen vehicle case or other burglaries or bicycle thefts , ” police said in the news release , referring to a series of occupied residential burglaries that were reported in October .
Anyone with information related to the cases can contact the police department at 650-329-2413 .
Those wishing to remain anonymous can call or text 650-383-8984 or email paloalto @ @ @

PALO ALTO – A 31-year-old San Jose man has been arrested in connection with a pair of burglaries in Palo Alto, police said.
The first burglary was reported in the 2300 block of Cornell Street just before 8 a.m. Tuesday, the Palo Alto Police Department said in a news release Friday. The victim told officers two bicycles had been stolen from her garage earlier that morning, and security camera footage showed two men prying open a side door to the garage.
Officers obtained additional footage that showed the suspects arriving and leaving in a white pickup truck. Police said two bicycles were also found a few houses away – one belonged to the victim and the other had been stolen from Stanford University.
At 8:10 a.m., officers were called to a home in the 2000 block of Amherst Street — about eight blocks away — for a report of a stolen vehicle. The vehicle, a white 2010 GMC Sierra 1500 pickup truck, matched the one the men were seen driving, police said.
Police said officers were called a second time to the 2300 block of Cornell Street about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday for a report of suspicious circumstances. A resident said a burglar alarm was sounding at a second home on her property and she had seen a man in her backyard. The door to the second home was found open, but nothing was missing and officers surmised the suspect left the area after tripping the alarm.
Officers searched the area and found the stolen pickup truck parked in the 1300 block of California Avenue, police said. They also obtained security camera footage that showed the man leaving the area on a bicycle. At 7:20 a.m., officers found the suspect sitting on a bus bench next to a bicycle in the 3000 block of Hansen Way. Police said officers later determined the bicycle had been stolen from Stanford University.
Police said the man matched the description of one of the suspects from the Tuesday burglary.
The man was arrested and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail in San Jose on felony charges of residential burglary, possession of stolen property and a probation violation, as well as misdemeanor charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of burglary tools.
“Detectives are continuing to investigate these cases, including making efforts to identify the second suspect and to see if any evidence connects either suspect to the stolen vehicle case or other burglaries or bicycle thefts,” police said in the news release, referring to a series of occupied residential burglaries that were reported in October.
Anyone with information related to the cases can contact the police department at 650-329-2413. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call or text 650-383-8984 or email paloalto@tipnow.org.


mercurynews--2020-11-14--South San Francisco: Attempted robbery under investigation

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO – Authorities are investigating an attempted robbery in South San Francisco .
The incident was reported in @ @ @ @ @ Avenue , near Spruce Avenue , about 8:40 p.m. Thursday , the South San Francisco @ @ @ @ @ news release Friday .
The victim told police he was walking westbound when he was @ @ @ @ @ did not know .
The man demanded the victim ’ s money but left the @ @ @ @ @ for help .
Police said the victim was not injured and nothing was taken .
@ @ @ @ @ Latino , about 25 years old , 5 feet 8 inches tall and 180 pounds @ @ @ @ @ wearing a black bandana over the lower portion of his face , a black hooded @ @ @ @ @ black shoes .
Anyone with information related to the case can contact the police department @ @ @

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO – Authorities are investigating an attempted robbery in South San Francisco.
The incident was reported in the 500 block of Grand Avenue, near Spruce Avenue, about 8:40 p.m. Thursday, the South San Francisco Police Department said in a news release Friday.
The victim told police he was walking westbound when he was confronted by a man he did not know. The man demanded the victim’s money but left the area when he started screaming for help.
Police said the victim was not injured and nothing was taken.
The suspect was described as Latino, about 25 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall and 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black bandana over the lower portion of his face, a black hooded jacket, black pants and black shoes.
Anyone with information related to the case can contact the police department at 650-877-8900.


mercurynews--2020-11-15--Takeaways: Stanford players, coach ‘upset’ after Colorado holds off Cardinal rally

The return of quarterback Davis Mills wasn ’ t enough for Stanford to get its first win of the season .
The Cardinal fell to Colorado 35-32 Saturday at Stanford Stadium , undone by too many miscues on defense and an offense that took way too long to get going .
“ The ( players are ) upset and they should be , ” Cardinal coach David Shaw said .
“ I ’ m upset and I should be.
” Mills rejoined the team on Thursday night after he missed the season-opening 35-14 loss at Oregon because of a false @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 56 passing for 327 yards and a touchdown , threw for two 2-point conversions , and added 36 yards and a touchdown rushing .
The Cardinal ( 0-2 , 0-2 ) scored 16 straight points in the final nine minutes and got the ball back on its 8-yard line with 10 seconds left , but a series of laterals couldn ’ t move the ball forward as Stanford lost its sixth straight game dating back to last season .
Here are the five biggest takeaways from the home opener : CLICK HERE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the photos on a mobile device After being forced to watch the Oregon game from his hotel room , Mills immediately went into isolation when he returned home .
He was allowed to rejoin the team in time for Friday ’ s practice , and the Pac-12 eventually apologized for the testing protocol errors stemming from Davis ’ s situation .
But his return wasn ’ t a panacea for a Stanford offense that went 1 of 8 on third down in the first half and took almost three quarters to find the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his first four passes on Stanford ’ s opening drive , but couldn ’ t get much going after that until Colorado built up a big lead .
“ We don ’ t know how the Oregon game goes if he ’ s able to play , ” Shaw said .
“ We don ’ t know how this game goes if he ’ s able to practice all week .
Those are things that are unknown .
I think it was obvious that he was rusty .
It ’ s unfortunate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by any stretch of the imagination .
Not much we could have done about it .
But to say that it didn ’ t affect his performance , I think would be inaccurate .
So hopefully we ’ ll play much better from here on out .
We ’ re capable.
” Connor Wedington , who also missed the first game because of contract tracing protocols stemming from Mills ’ test , had a game-high eight catches for 77 yards and a 2-point conversion in his return .
The defense gave up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was again caught out of position too many times against a running quarterback .
Twice , linebacker Jordan Fox got sucked inside on a fake handoff , allowing quarterback Sam Noyer to run for easy touchdowns .
And when cornerback Salim Turner-Muhammed blitzed , safety Kendall Williamson didn ’ t slide over , causing Colorado receiver Brenden Rice to get wide open for a 34-yard touchdown .
“ A lot of times we kind of lost our eyes on the back end and that ’ s things we can ’ t if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said safety Malik Antoine , who intercepted Noyer in the first quarter for the game ’ s only turnover .
“ It comes down to execution .
When guys do their job , we ’ re really good , but when one of our 11 makes a mistake , it shows against a good team.
” It wasn ’ t a good sign for Stanford that Mills also led the team in rushing .
After getting 193 yards against Oregon , running backs Austin Jones and Nathaniel Peat only gained 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which employed a lot of pre-snap movement and inside pressure to get penetration .
“ ( Jones ) barely got back to the line most of the day .
That ’ s them out-scheming us and outperforming us , ” Shaw said .
“ We believe that Austin ’ s got a chance to be an outstanding running back , but we got to get him to the line of scrimmage .
That just didn ’ t happen with any regularity today.
” On the other side , Jarek Broussard , who ran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had 121 yards on 27 carries for the Buffaloes , who are 2-0 for the fifth straight season .
Jet Toner , who missed all four of his field-goal attempts last week , connected from 48 , 33 , and 28 yards Saturday , but those were the only points for the Cardinal in the first half .
After scoring just 14 points in seven trips inside the Oregon 35 last week , Stanford again stalled in the red zone against the Buffaloes and trailed 14-9 at halftime .
Then Colorado scored touchdowns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second half , taking a 35-16 lead on the first play of the fourth quarter .
Stanford ’ s offense finally caught fire from there , going on two long touchdown drives while the defense held Colorado to one first down on its final three drives .
• Stanford football vs. Colorado : What to know • Stanford football : Five things to watch when Cardinal plays Colorado • Pac-12 preview : Wild start to the weekend with ASU-Cal cancellation “ We got to keep that urgency that we felt in the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of the year now , ” said Mills , who threw for 143 yards in the fourth quarter .
The Cardinal lost a home opener for the first time since 2007 , though it was far from a typical home game .
Instead of fans , Stanford played in front of nearly 300 cardboard cutouts featuring famous Stanford alumni , former players and coaches , and family members of current players .
Stanford also placed 470 trees around the field that will be replanted throughout the Bay Area after the season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the fans , but it just puts the onus on us as players to keep up the energy and really go out and execute , ” Mills said .
Stanford is back at Stanford Stadium next Saturday at 8 p.m. against Washington State .

The return of quarterback Davis Mills wasn’t enough for Stanford to get its first win of the season.
The Cardinal fell to Colorado 35-32 Saturday at Stanford Stadium, undone by too many miscues on defense and an offense that took way too long to get going.
“The (players are) upset and they should be,” Cardinal coach David Shaw said. “I’m upset and I should be.”
Mills rejoined the team on Thursday night after he missed the season-opening 35-14 loss at Oregon because of a false positive COVID-19 test. He was 31 of 56 passing for 327 yards and a touchdown, threw for two 2-point conversions, and added 36 yards and a touchdown rushing.
The Cardinal (0-2, 0-2) scored 16 straight points in the final nine minutes and got the ball back on its 8-yard line with 10 seconds left, but a series of laterals couldn’t move the ball forward as Stanford lost its sixth straight game dating back to last season.
Here are the five biggest takeaways from the home opener:
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: A pass intended for Stanford's Austin Jones (20) is broken up by Colorado's Joshua Gustav (33), in the fourth quarter, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford quarterback Davis Mills (15) celebrates his third quarter rushing touchdown against Colorado, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford quarterback Davis Mills (15) looks for a receiver during the team's home opener against Colorado in an empty Stanford Stadium, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford's Bryce Tremayne (81) holds off Colorado's Isaiah Lewis (23), Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, during the Cardinal's fourth quarter rally at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford's Michael Wilson (4) is tackled by Colorado's Akil Jones (36), Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, during the Cardinal's fourth quarter rally at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford quarterback Davis Mills (15) throws a touchdown pass to Scooter Harrington (80) during the fourth quarter against Colorado, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford's Scooter Harrington (80) is mobbed by teammates after scoring a fourth quarter touchdown against Colorado, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford's Tucker Fisk (88) celebrates a two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter that shrinks Colorado's lead to 35-32, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford's Tucker Fisk (88) celebrates a two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter that shrinks Colorado's lead to 35-32, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford's Tucker Fisk (88) celebrates a two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter that shrinks Colorado's lead to 35-32, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford quarterback Davis Mills (15) hands off to Austin Jones (20) for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against Colorado, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford's Michael Wilson (4) catches a pass deep against Colorado's Nate Landman (53), Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, during the Cardinal's fourth quarter rally at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Colorado's Jaren Mangham (1) is hoisted by teammate William Sherman (78) after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter against Stanford, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Colorado quarterback Sam Noyer (4) throws a touchdown pass to Brendan Rice in the third quarter against Stanford, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford quarterback Davis Mills (15) passes in the second quarter against Colorado, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford wide receiver Scooter Harrington (80) makes a first down reception on the first scrimmage play of the game against Colorado, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford wide receiver Scooter Harrington (80) gets a first down on the first scrimmage play of the game against Colorado's Nate Landman (53) and Derrion Rakestraw (3), Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Colorado quarterback Sam Noyer (4) rushes for a 7-yard touchdown against Stanford's Treyjohn Butler (8) and Malike Antoine (3) in the second quarter, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Colorado's Dimitri Stanley (14) scores on a 55-yard pass against Stanford's Malike Antoine (3) and Noah Williams (9) in the first quarter, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Colorado's Dimitri Stanley (14) celebrates his 55-yard touchdown with Jarek Brousard (23) in the first quarter against Stanford, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford's Malike Antoine (3) intercepts a Colorado pass in the first quarter, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford quarterback Davis Mills (15) rushes for a first down in the second quarter of the team's home opener against Colorado in an empty Stanford Stadium, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford takes the field in an empty Stanford Stadium for their delayed Pac-12 home opener against Colorado, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: With more trees than people in the stands, Stanford finishes warming up before their Pac-12 home opener against Colorado, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
STANFORD, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Stanford quarterback Davis Mills (15) throws looks for Austin Jones (20) in the fourth quarter against Colorado, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device
MILLS RETURNS
After being forced to watch the Oregon game from his hotel room, Mills immediately went into isolation when he returned home. He was allowed to rejoin the team in time for Friday’s practice, and the Pac-12 eventually apologized for the testing protocol errors stemming from Davis’s situation.
But his return wasn’t a panacea for a Stanford offense that went 1 of 8 on third down in the first half and took almost three quarters to find the end zone. The junior actually completed his first four passes on Stanford’s opening drive, but couldn’t get much going after that until Colorado built up a big lead.
“We don’t know how the Oregon game goes if he’s able to play,” Shaw said. “We don’t know how this game goes if he’s able to practice all week. Those are things that are unknown. I think it was obvious that he was rusty. It’s unfortunate. I’m not happy about it, by any stretch of the imagination. Not much we could have done about it. But to say that it didn’t affect his performance, I think would be inaccurate. So hopefully we’ll play much better from here on out. We’re capable.”
Connor Wedington, who also missed the first game because of contract tracing protocols stemming from Mills’ test, had a game-high eight catches for 77 yards and a 2-point conversion in his return.
DEFENSIVE BREAKDOWNS
The defense gave up 35 points for the second straight game and was again caught out of position too many times against a running quarterback.
Twice, linebacker Jordan Fox got sucked inside on a fake handoff, allowing quarterback Sam Noyer to run for easy touchdowns. And when cornerback Salim Turner-Muhammed blitzed, safety Kendall Williamson didn’t slide over, causing Colorado receiver Brenden Rice to get wide open for a 34-yard touchdown.
“A lot of times we kind of lost our eyes on the back end and that’s things we can’t if we want to be a great defense,” said safety Malik Antoine, who intercepted Noyer in the first quarter for the game’s only turnover. “It comes down to execution. When guys do their job, we’re really good, but when one of our 11 makes a mistake, it shows against a good team.”
NO RUN SUPPORT
It wasn’t a good sign for Stanford that Mills also led the team in rushing.
After getting 193 yards against Oregon, running backs Austin Jones and Nathaniel Peat only gained 30 yards on 14 carries against Colorado, which employed a lot of pre-snap movement and inside pressure to get penetration.
“(Jones) barely got back to the line most of the day. That’s them out-scheming us and outperforming us,” Shaw said. “We believe that Austin’s got a chance to be an outstanding running back, but we got to get him to the line of scrimmage. That just didn’t happen with any regularity today.”
On the other side, Jarek Broussard, who ran for 187 yards in the opener, had 121 yards on 27 carries for the Buffaloes, who are 2-0 for the fifth straight season.
LATE COMEBACK
Jet Toner, who missed all four of his field-goal attempts last week, connected from 48, 33, and 28 yards Saturday, but those were the only points for the Cardinal in the first half. After scoring just 14 points in seven trips inside the Oregon 35 last week, Stanford again stalled in the red zone against the Buffaloes and trailed 14-9 at halftime.
Then Colorado scored touchdowns on three straight possessions to start the second half, taking a 35-16 lead on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Stanford’s offense finally caught fire from there, going on two long touchdown drives while the defense held Colorado to one first down on its final three drives.
“We got to keep that urgency that we felt in the second half and just kind of use it the rest of the year now,” said Mills, who threw for 143 yards in the fourth quarter.
UNUSUAL ENVIRONMENT
The Cardinal lost a home opener for the first time since 2007, though it was far from a typical home game.
Instead of fans, Stanford played in front of nearly 300 cardboard cutouts featuring famous Stanford alumni, former players and coaches, and family members of current players. Stanford also placed 470 trees around the field that will be replanted throughout the Bay Area after the season.
“It’s definitely different with the fans, but it just puts the onus on us as players to keep up the energy and really go out and execute,” Mills said.
Stanford is back at Stanford Stadium next Saturday at 8 p.m. against Washington State.


mercurynews--2020-11-15--Review: Metallica unplugs for charity during epic livestream concert

Metallica was ready to rock once again — although certainly not in the way that fans have been accustomed to hearing over the decades .
It would be a little more quiet on this occasion as the biggest Bay Area band of all time — as well as the most successful group in heavy metal history — unplugged for its second annual acoustic fundraiser in support of Metallica ’ s own All Within My Hands charity .
And , of course , there weren ’ t actually any fans in attendance — at least physically speaking — at this follow-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held at the Masonic in San Francisco back in 2018 .
Instead , this was a livestreamed gig from the band ’ s headquarters in San Rafael .
Yet , the result was still the same : Kicking off with the new version of “ Blackened ” — dubbed “ Blackened 2020 , ” which the band debuted via a socially distanced performance back in May — Metallica began transforming its usually thunderous , stadium-sized material into something a bit more soft-spoken and intimate , but still so fulfilling .
It was still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as the group found ways to work within the ( semi ) acoustic format to crank up the rock .
Usually , it involved heavily showcasing Kirk Hammett ’ s guitar heroics , which again proved to be as impressive in this realm as they are during a fully-charged stadium show .
That was certainly the case during “ Creeping Death , ” the “ Ride the Lightning ” favorite that balanced an overall softer , folksy approach with a firmly biting solo from Hammett .
The group performed in front of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , each containing fans from around the globe — from Palo Alto and Germany to Japan and beyond .
They had all tuned in to rock out with their favorite band and support All Within My Hands ( www.allwithinmyhands.org ) , Metallica ’ s terrific charity that works in support of disaster relief , education , providing food to those in need and other worthwhile endeavors .
“ Metallica doesn ’ t do anything halfway .
This is an example of that.
” Hammett said of All Within My Hands prior to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve helped so many people through our music .
Now we want to help in a different way.
” The band members took time between the songs to talk with fans , pointing out certain things — like a Brazilian flag or even a feathered friend — they ’ d see on the video screens .
At one point , somebody from one of the video screens yelled out to ask the band how it felt to be back playing together .
“ It feels awesome to be playing , ” Hetfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sounds .
But it feels great.
” Oh , it sounded great , too , as the band continued through a mesmerizing version of “ The Unforgiven , ” which hails from the group ’ s blockbuster 1991 eponymous affair ( commonly referred to as “ The Black Album ” ) , as well as groovy update on “ Now That We ’ re Dead ” from the most recent studio outing , 2016 ’ s “ Hardwired… to Self-Destruct.
” Hammett , as per usual , provided the lion ’ s share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s vocals and rhythm guitar work ( and occasional lead ) were excellent .
Bassist Robert Trujillo , looking smart in an always-fashionable Black Sabbath T-shirt , was in top form .
Then there ’ s Ulrich , who used the opportunity to once again illustrate why he deserves to be rated among the best in the business — even though some remain so reluctant to rate him as such .
For instance , it ’ s nearly inconceivable how Ulrich — whose influence stretches so far and wide — did not make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top 100 drummers .
Just like at the first All Within My Hands benefit , Metallica would lean on cover songs during this show .
The group included three covers , including a repeat from the first benefit — Deep Purple ’ s “ When a Blind Man Cries.
” “ Deep Purple was my first concert back in 1562.
” Ulrich remarked at the end of “ When a Blind Man Cries.
” “ Hearing James sing it was so ( expletive ) awesome .
So thanks for indulging us.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The House of the Rising Sun , ” the traditional folk tune that the Animals took to the top of the singles charts ( in both the U.S. and U.K. ) in 1964 , as well touched upon the catalog of one of the best songwriters of all time — Bob Seger — for the band ’ s popular take on the timeless tour journal “ Turn the Page.
” ( Read what Seger thinks of Metallica ’ s version of “ Turn the Page ” here . )
Metallica ended the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ namesake — “ All Within My Hands ” from 2003 ’ s unfairly maligned “ St .
Anger ” — and featured accompaniment from Ulrich ’ s sons , Layne and Myles , on percussion .
( Guest musicians Avi Vinocur and Henry Salvia also performed during the show . )
Then quick commercial break — a word from the sponsors , Salesforce — before Metallica returned to the stage .
“ Just had to go get a shot of Geritol , ” says Ulrich , who often makes age-related jokes at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second set was quite different than the first , as the group eschewed the acoustic setting in favor of a more electric approach .
“ We are going metal , ” Hetfield says .
“ Let ’ s play heavy.
” That turned out to be a terrific decision , as the group took the show to even greater heights as it kicked open the nightcap with a thundering version of “ Disposable Heroes ” from 1986 ’ s “ Master of Puppets.
” Then they pulled out a deep cut — if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing as a “ deep cut ” for a band that has sold 110 million albums — as they pulled off “ Wasting My Hate ” from 1996 ’ s “ Load.
” Can ’ t remember when the last time the band played that one .
Fortunately , Ulrich would remind us , saying that the last live performance of “ Wasting My Hate ” came during the band ’ s 30th anniversary run at the Fillmore in San Francisco in 2011 .
The band brought the 14-song , roughly two-hour-long concert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot of “ For Whom the Bell Tolls ” and “ Enter Sandman ” and then left the stage with the hope of seeing these fans — in person — down the road someday .
“ Thank you for supporting All Within My Hands and , even more importantly , thank you for supporting Metallica through thick and thin , ” Ulrich says .
“ We love you .
We can ’ t wait to see you in all corners of the world as soon as possible .
”

Metallica was ready to rock once again — although certainly not in the way that fans have been accustomed to hearing over the decades.
It would be a little more quiet on this occasion as the biggest Bay Area band of all time — as well as the most successful group in heavy metal history — unplugged for its second annual acoustic fundraiser in support of Metallica’s own All Within My Hands charity.
And, of course, there weren’t actually any fans in attendance — at least physically speaking — at this follow-up to the first benefit, which was held at the Masonic in San Francisco back in 2018. Instead, this was a live-streamed gig from the band’s headquarters in San Rafael.
Yet, the result was still the same:
Metallica triumphed.
Kicking off with the new version of “Blackened” — dubbed “Blackened 2020,” which the band debuted via a socially distanced performance back in May — Metallica began transforming its usually thunderous, stadium-sized material into something a bit more soft-spoken and intimate, but still so fulfilling.
It was a far cry from James Taylor, of course, as the group found ways to work within the semi-acoustic format to crank up the rock. Usually, it involved heavily showcasing Kirk Hammett’s guitar heroics, which again proved to be as impressive in this realm as they are during a fully-charged stadium show.
That was certainly the case during “Creeping Death,” the “Ride the Lightning” favorite that balanced an overall softer, folksy approach with a firmly biting solo from Hammett.
The group performed in front of walls that contained dozens of video screens, each containing fans from around the globe — from Palo Alto and Germany to Japan and beyond. They had all tuned in to rock out while supporting All Within My Hands (www.allwithinmyhands.org), which works in support of disaster relief, education, providing food to those in need and other worthwhile endeavors.
“Metallica doesn’t do anything halfway. This is an example of that.” Hammett said of All Within My Hands prior to the start of the concert. “We’ve helped so many people through our music. Now we want to help in a different way.”
The band members took time between the songs to talk with fans, pointing out certain things — like a Brazilian flag or even a feathered friend — they’d see on the video screens.
“Somebody brought their bird,” vocalist James Hetfield remarked. “That’s awesome.”
At one point, somebody from one of the video screens yelled out to ask the band how it felt to be back playing together.
“It feels awesome to be playing,” Hetfield answered. “Not sure how it sounds. But it feels great.”
Oh, it sounded great, too, as the band continued through a mesmerizing version of “The Unforgiven,” which hails from the group’s blockbuster 1991 eponymous affair (commonly referred to as “The Black Album”), as well as a groovy update on “Now That We’re Dead” from the most recent studio outing, 2016’s “Hardwired … to Self-Destruct.”
Hammett, as per usual, provided the lion’s share of the highlights. But Hetfield’s vocals and rhythm guitar work (and occasional lead) were excellent. Bassist Robert Trujillo, looking smart in an always-fashionable Black Sabbath T-shirt, was in top form.
Then there’s Lars Ulrich, who used the opportunity to once again illustrate why he deserves to be rated among the best in the business — even though some remain so reluctant to rate him as such. For instance, it’s nearly inconceivable how Ulrich — whose influence stretches so far and wide — did not make Rolling Stone magazine’s list of top 100 drummers.
(Oh, well, I guess Ulrich will have to be content with being an architect of one of the most important bands ever and changing the very face of music.)
Just like at the first All Within My Hands benefit, Metallica would lean on cover songs during this show. The group included three covers, including a repeat from the first benefit — Deep Purple’s “When a Blind Man Cries.”
“Deep Purple was my first concert back in 1562.” Ulrich joked at the end of “When a Blind Man Cries.” “Hearing James sing it was so (expletive) awesome. So thanks for indulging us.”
The group also delivered a solid take on “The House of the Rising Sun,” the traditional folk tune that the Animals took to the top of the singles charts (in both the U.S. and U.K.) in 1964. And they borrowed from the catalog of one of the best songwriters of all time — Bob Seger — for the band’s popular take on the timeless tour journal “Turn the Page.” (Read what Seger thinks of Metallica’s version of “Turn the Page” here.)
Metallica ended the first set with the charity’s namesake — “All Within My Hands” from 2003’s unfairly maligned “St. Anger” — and featured accompaniment on percussion from Ulrich’s son Layne and Hetfield’s son Castor. (Guest musicians Avi Vinocur and Henry Salvia also performed during the show.)
After a quick commercial break — a word from the sponsors, Salesforce — Metallica returned to the stage.
“Just had to go get a shot of Geritol,” says Ulrich, who often makes age-related jokes at the band’s own expense.
The second set was quite different than the first, as the group eschewed the acoustic setting in favor of a more electric approach.
“We are going metal,” Hetfield says. “Let’s play heavy.”
That turned out to be a terrific decision, as the group took the show to even greater heights as it kicked open the nightcap with a thundering version of “Disposable Heroes” from 1986’s “Master of Puppets.”
Then they pulled out a deep cut — if, indeed, there is such a thing as a “deep cut” for a band that has sold 110 million albums — as they tackled “Wasting My Hate.” Most would have a hard time remembering the last time Metallica played that number from 1996’s “Load.”
Fortunately, Ulrich would remind us, saying that the last live performance of “Wasting My Hate” came during the band’s 30th anniversary run at the Fillmore in San Francisco in 2011.
The band brought the 14-song, roughly two-hour-long concert to a close with a mighty double shot of “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “Enter Sandman” and then left the stage with the hope of seeing these fans — in person — down the road someday.
“Thank you for supporting All Within My Hands and, even more importantly, thank you for supporting Metallica through thick and thin,” Ulrich says. “We love you. We can’t wait to see you in all corners of the world as soon as possible.”
The show is still currently available for viewing online at nugs.net.
Set list:
1. “Blackened 2020”
2. “Creeping Death”
3. “When a Blind Man Cries” (Deep Purple cover)
4. “The Unforgiven”
5. “Now That We’re Dead”
6. “Turn the Page” (Bob Seger cover)
7. “Nothing Else Matters”
8. “All Within My Hands”
(Set break)
9. “Disposable Heroes”
10. “The House of the Rising Sun” (cover, traditional)
11. “Wasting My Hate”
12. “For Whom the Bell Tolls”
13. “Master of Puppets”
14. “Enter Sandman”