mercurynews--2020-12-09--California shatters more coronavirus records as officials warn rapidly filling hospitals ‘may be ove

California shatters more coronavirus records as officials warn rapidly filling hospitals ‘may be overwhelmed’

One day into a sweeping new shutdown , an explosion of new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations signaled California could be entering the darkest chapter yet of the state ’ s public health crisis with no quick end in sight .
Wielding a litany of alarming data points , state Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Mark Ghaly on Tuesday again implored Californians to stay home as much as possible .
Whereas local health officials tied earlier outbreaks to certain higher-risk gatherings or workplaces , Ghaly said , the rampant spread of the virus throughout communities these days has ratcheted up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily life .
“ Activities that were lower-risk a month ago today are higher-risk , ” he said .
“ It is so ubiquitous , so around our communities , that many activities are causing this transmission.
” Still , critics have questioned whether the latest restrictions are being targeted appropriately , since they allow some riskier indoor activities like shopping in stores and malls , while shutting down outdoor dining and playgrounds .
Public health officials also acknowledged that after almost nine months of restrictions meant to contain the virus that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses into a tailspin with little government help , Californians are growing increasingly restless at perhaps the most dangerous point of COVID-19 ’ s grip on our lives .
“ We are all battling pandemic fatigue , ” Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said Tuesday .
“ Some are feeling a sense of complacency and a desire to get on with our lives , but this virus doesn ’ t care , and this virus wants to win.
” County health departments around California combined to report 34,136 new cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data compiled by this news organization , a staggering increase of more than 10,000 over the previous single-day record .
The Bay Area also shattered its previous daily high with 4,380 new cases , including all-time records in San Francisco , Santa Clara , San Mateo and Contra Costa counties .
More than 10 percent of tests for coronavirus in California are now coming back positive , far outpacing the 3 percent positivity rate the state saw in early November .
Meanwhile number of patients being treated for coronavirus in hospitals and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More than 11,500 people were hospitalized with the virus as of Monday , compared to fewer than 3,000 when the current surge began at the end of October ; 2,526 of those patients were in ICUs , 3.5 times the number in those units in late October .
The surge of patients has been especially dramatic in Southern California , where just 10.1 % of ICU beds were empty , and in the San Joaquin Valley , where capacity had dropped to 5.6 % .
Both regions have been placed under strict stay-home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But all of California has seen significant increases — including the Bay Area , where 313 COVID patients were in ICUs across the 11-county region on Monday , almost four times as many as were there in late October .
In Santa Clara County , the number of available ICU beds dropped from 50 to 31 just between Monday and Tuesday , health officials said , leaving just 9.5 % capacity available .
The county is discussing options with surrounding counties as well as the state for where it could send patients if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitalization figures may not yet reflect the recent days ’ surge of new cases or infections tied to travel over Thanksgiving , since it takes time for those who catch the virus to become seriously ill .
The state estimates that about 12 % of new cases result in hospitalizations two to three weeks later , and 20-30 % of hospitalizations eventually require an intensive care unit .
By that estimate , the new cases confirmed on Monday alone could lead to an influx of more than 4,000 hospital patients and potentially another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We are certainly worried that with so many patients with COVID being admitted ( and ) a predictable number needing ICU care , that that system — that fragile but important system — may be overwhelmed , ” Ghaly said .
“ And the goal of saving lives becomes threatened when that system isn ’ t as robust and as strong as it can be.
” As of Monday , 119 people had died from the virus each day on average over the past week , the highest that figure has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals work to add capacity and take on more patients , health officials are also warning that the state ’ s main shortage is not beds but hospital staff — the nurses and doctors needed to care for COVID patients , who are in demand throughout the state and country .
Ghaly said California has a “ tried and true ” mutual aid system that allows regions to request staff from less hard-hit parts of the state .
As the number of requests swell and more of the state and country grapples with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being strained .
“ We ’ re fulfilling what we can , ” he said , “ but it is getting harder .
”

One day into a sweeping new shutdown, an explosion of new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations signaled California could be entering the darkest chapter yet of the state’s public health crisis with no quick end in sight.
Wielding a litany of alarming data points — California recorded more than 30,000 new infections on Monday and again Tuesday, the first state ever to hit that threshold — state Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Mark Ghaly implored Californians to stay home as much as possible. Whereas local health officials tied earlier outbreaks to certain higher-risk gatherings or workplaces, Ghaly said Tuesday, the rampant spread of the virus throughout communities these days has ratcheted up the risk even from less-dangerous aspects of daily life.
“Activities that were lower-risk a month ago today are higher-risk,” he said. “It is so ubiquitous, so around our communities, that many activities are causing this transmission.”
HOLLISTER, CA - DEC. 8: An RN named Ariahnna, who couldn't give her last name due to hospital policy, works under a totally full patient tracking board at in the ER department at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, in Hollister, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
HOLLISTER, CA - DEC. 8: A room is cleaned inside the Emergency Room at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, in Hollister, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
HOLLISTER, CA - DEC. 8: Dr. Michael Bogey, the chief medical officer and head of the emergency department at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, talks with charge nurse Mylene, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, in Hollister, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
HOLLISTER, CA - DEC. 8: Outside Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister, Calif., staff prepare for people in cars lining up for Covid tests and medical screenings at San Benito County's only hospital, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
HOLLISTER, CA - DEC. 8: Outside Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister, Calif., an RN named Erin helps people lining up in cars for Covid tests and medical screenings at San Benito County's only hospital, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
HOLLISTER, CA - DEC. 8: Dr. Michael Bogey oversees staff at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister, Calif., as people line up in cars for Covid tests and medical screenings at San Benito County's only hospital, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
HOLLISTER, CA - DEC. 8: A room is cleaned inside the Emergency Room at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, in Hollister, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
HOLLISTER, CA - DEC. 8: Dr. Michael Bogey, being shadowed by a medical student named Bailey, finishes visiting with a COVID-19 patient in the ER department at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, in Hollister, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
HOLLISTER, CA - DEC. 8: Mylene, a charge nurse in the Emergency Room at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister, Calif., works Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Still, critics have questioned whether the latest restrictions are being targeted appropriately, since they allow some riskier indoor activities like shopping in stores and malls, while shutting down outdoor dining and playgrounds. Public health officials also acknowledged that after almost nine months of restrictions meant to contain the virus that have taxed their mental health and sent many businesses into a tailspin with little government help, Californians are growing increasingly restless at perhaps the most dangerous point of COVID-19’s grip on our lives.
“We are all battling pandemic fatigue,” Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said Tuesday. “Some are feeling a sense of complacency and a desire to get on with our lives, but this virus doesn’t care, and this virus wants to win.”
County health departments around California combined to report 34,136 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, according to data compiled by this news organization, a staggering increase of more than 10,000 over the previous single-day record. And late Tuesday the state was poised to break that record. The Bay Area also shattered its previous daily high Monday with 4,380 new cases, including all-time records in San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo and Contra Costa counties.
More than 10 percent of tests for coronavirus in California are now coming back positive, far outpacing the 3 percent positivity rate the state saw in early November.
Meanwhile number of patients being treated for coronavirus in hospitals and their intensive care units continues to rise. More than 11,500 people were hospitalized with the virus as of Monday, compared to fewer than 3,000 when the current surge began at the end of October; 2,526 of those patients were in ICUs, 3.5 times the number in those units in late October.
The surge of patients has been especially dramatic in Southern California, where just 10.1% of ICU beds were empty, and in the San Joaquin Valley, where capacity had dropped to 5.6%. Both regions have been placed under strict stay-home orders with their ICUs near capacity.
But all of California has seen significant increases — including the Bay Area, where 313 COVID patients were in ICUs across the 11-county region on Monday, almost four times as many as were there in late October. In Santa Clara County, the number of available ICU beds dropped from 50 to 31 just between Monday and Tuesday, health officials said, leaving just 9.5% capacity available. The county is discussing options with surrounding counties as well as the state for where it could send patients if its hospitals are overwhelmed.
And those hospitalization figures may not yet reflect the recent days’ surge of new cases or infections tied to travel over Thanksgiving, since it takes time for those who catch the virus to become seriously ill.
The state estimates that about 12% of new cases result in hospitalizations two to three weeks later, and 20-30% of hospitalizations eventually require an intensive care unit. By that estimate, the new cases confirmed on Monday alone could lead to an influx of more than 4,000 hospital patients and potentially another 1,000 ICU admissions in the coming weeks.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Health | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge “We are certainly worried that with so many patients with COVID being admitted (and) a predictable number needing ICU care, that that system — that fragile but important system — may be overwhelmed,” Ghaly said. “And the goal of saving lives becomes threatened when that system isn’t as robust and as strong as it can be.”
As of Monday, 119 people had died from the virus each day on average over the past week, the highest that figure has reached since late August.
Even as hospitals work to add capacity and take on more patients, health officials are also warning that the state’s main shortage is not beds but hospital staff — the nurses and doctors needed to care for COVID patients, who are in demand throughout the state and country. Ghaly said California has a “tried and true” mutual aid system that allows regions to request staff from less hard-hit parts of the state. As the number of requests swell and more of the state and country grapples with surges, however, that system is being strained.
“We’re fulfilling what we can,” he said, “but it is getting harder.”
Staff writers Harriet Blair Rowan and Fiona Kelliher contributed reporting.


mercurynews--2020-12-09--Review: HyperX Cloud II Wireless keeps iconic design and cuts the cord

At first glance , one could confuse the HyperX Cloud II Wireless for its wired counterpart .
The two look nearly identical save , of course , for the cord and the dials on the ear cups .
Kingston doesn ’ t mess with an iconic design that has catapulted its HyperX brand to be among the top headsetmakers .
Much of its success lies in the Cloud series ’ comfort .
Since the beginning , that has been the defining characteristic of the peripheral .
Players put it on , and the headset fits snugly with pillowy cushions that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is durable and flexible .
It ’ s a set of cans that users can wear for hours without fatigue .
The HyperX Cloud II Wireless carries on that tradition and even improves on it in places .
One of the more impressive parts of the headset is that it actually got lighter without the wires , weighing in at 300 grams compared to the wired one at 320 .
With the microphone on , it adds an extra 9 grams .
It ’ s a setup that ’ s easy on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HyperX ’ s other wireless flagship the Cloud Flight S. ( Between the two though , I like the extra cushion on the Cloud Flight S. ) Compared to its more expensive sibling , the HyperX Cloud II Wireless is simpler and lacks the extra bells and whistles .
Players have a mute button , a volume dial and the power button , which also turns the 7.1 surround sound .
Unfortunately , it doesn ’ t have the game and chat audio balance nor does it support wireless charging of its older @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the easy-to-handle form factor of the HyperX Cloud will gravitate toward this product .
On the surface , it has all its strengths and none of the weakness of a wired connection .
All players have to do is connect a USB dongle to a PlayStation 5 , PlayStation 4 , Nintendo Switch or PC and the headset works flawlessly .
The sound pushed out by its 53mm drivers with neodynium magnets is good verging on great .
Players won ’ t hear the super fine detail in mids and highs , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players will be able to notice the difference in gunshots or the sound of running water .
The bass isn ’ t overpowering but it ’ s big enough to be appreciated .
Instead of an aggressive rumble or teeth-rattling blast , it ’ s a big round boom .
It ’ s effective at delivering immersion with thundering bass but it doesn ’ t end up distorted with the volume turned up .
Although the audio quality has its limits , HyperX tunes them with its own version of 7.1 surround sound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gives users a sense of directionality .
They ’ ll know where gunfire is coming from and they can hear the groans from an enemy behind them in horror games .
The headset works flawlessly across consoles .
• All original 150 Pokemon will be shiny for Pokemon Go Tour : Kanto celebration • ‘ Echo Generation ’ demo available through Dec. 15 on Xbox Series X|S When it comes to the microphone , it does a good job of picking up and isolating a player ’ s voice .
What ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so that players can hear themselves and know if they ’ re screaming at teammates or mumbling in a whisper .
It even has a nifty red light before the mic tip to let users know if they ’ re muted .
It ’ s a nice thoughtful touch .
The other great strength of the HyperX Cloud II Wireless is its ridiculous battery life .
Rated at 30 hours , this set of cans keeps going and going .
At the most , users will need to plug it in twice a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to power through marathon sessions to run the device dry .
I had a hard time doing it myself and spent almost a week trying to test its limits .
The lengthy batter life is another trait that the Cloud II Wireless has in common with the Cloud Flight S. Ultimately , the biggest competition hovering over the HyperX Cloud II Wireless is its big brother .
For about $ 10 more , players can get better cushioning on the ear cups , game and chat audio balance and wireless charging .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth the extra money but when you have them all together in a package , it ’ s clear that the bigger sibling is the better value .
Still , fans could still be drawn to that classic design , which has been a mainstay and one of the best in all gaming .

At first glance, one could confuse the HyperX Cloud II Wireless for its wired counterpart. The two look nearly identical save, of course, for the cord and the dials on the ear cups. Kingston doesn’t mess with an iconic design that has catapulted its HyperX brand to be among the top headsetmakers.
Much of its success lies in the Cloud series’ comfort. Since the beginning, that has been the defining characteristic of the peripheral. Players put it on, and the headset fits snugly with pillowy cushions that embrace the ear. The aluminum frame is durable and flexible. It’s a set of cans that users can wear for hours without fatigue.
The HyperX Cloud II Wireless carries on that tradition and even improves on it in places. One of the more impressive parts of the headset is that it actually got lighter without the wires, weighing in at 300 grams compared to the wired one at 320. With the microphone on, it adds an extra 9 grams. It’s a setup that’s easy on the ears and is just as comfortable as HyperX’s other wireless flagship the Cloud Flight S. (Between the two though, I like the extra cushion on the Cloud Flight S.)
The HyperX Cloud II Wireless works on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5 consoles and the PC. (Kingston Technology Company)
The HyperX Cloud II Wireless comes with a USB-C cord, a USB dongle and a detachable microphone. (Kingston Technology Company)
The HyperX Cloud II Wireless takes an iconic design and frees it from wires. (Kingston Technology Company)
The HyperX Cloud II Wireless takes an iconic design and frees it from wires. (Kingston Technology Company)
The HyperX Cloud II has built-in mic monitoring so players can hear themselves while playing with friends online. The HyperX Cloud II Wireless takes an iconic design and frees it from wires. (Kingston Technology Company)
Compared to its more expensive sibling, the HyperX Cloud II Wireless is simpler and lacks the extra bells and whistles. Players have a mute button, a volume dial and the power button, which also turns the 7.1 surround sound. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the game and chat audio balance nor does it support wireless charging of its older sibling.
Essentially, players who love the easy-to-handle form factor of the HyperX Cloud will gravitate toward this product. On the surface, it has all its strengths and none of the weakness of a wired connection. All players have to do is connect a USB dongle to a PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch or PC and the headset works flawlessly.
The sound pushed out by its 53mm drivers with neodynium magnets is good verging on great. Players won’t hear the super fine detail in mids and highs, but the headset outputs them clearly enough that players will be able to notice the difference in gunshots or the sound of running water.
The bass isn’t overpowering but it’s big enough to be appreciated. Instead of an aggressive rumble or teeth-rattling blast, it’s a big round boom. It’s effective at delivering immersion with thundering bass but it doesn’t end up distorted with the volume turned up.
Although the audio quality has its limits, HyperX tunes them with its own version of 7.1 surround sound. The headset offers nice separation and gives users a sense of directionality. They’ll know where gunfire is coming from and they can hear the groans from an enemy behind them in horror games. The headset works flawlessly across consoles.
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What to play: ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ will keep gamers busy during August Entertainment | ‘First Descendant’ crossplay beta delayed until September but will be open to all When it comes to the microphone, it does a good job of picking up and isolating a player’s voice. What’s even better is the built-in mic monitoring so that players can hear themselves and know if they’re screaming at teammates or mumbling in a whisper. It even has a nifty red light before the mic tip to let users know if they’re muted. It’s a nice thoughtful touch.
The other great strength of the HyperX Cloud II Wireless is its ridiculous battery life. Rated at 30 hours, this set of cans keeps going and going. At the most, users will need to plug it in twice a week, and they’ll have to power through marathon sessions to run the device dry. I had a hard time doing it myself and spent almost a week trying to test its limits. The lengthy batter life is another trait that the Cloud II Wireless has in common with the Cloud Flight S.
Ultimately, the biggest competition hovering over the HyperX Cloud II Wireless is its big brother. For about $10 more, players can get better cushioning on the ear cups, game and chat audio balance and wireless charging. One of those features wouldn’t be worth the extra money but when you have them all together in a package, it’s clear that the bigger sibling is the better value.
Still, fans could still be drawn to that classic design, which has been a mainstay and one of the best in all gaming.


mercurynews--2020-12-09--Security firm FireEye reports it was hacking victim

By Frank Bajak and Matt O ’ Brien | Associated Press BOSTON — Prominent U.S. cybersecurity firm FireEye said Tuesday that it was hacked by what could only be a government with “ world-class capabilities , ” and the hackers stole tools the company uses to test the strength of customers ’ defenses .
“ I ’ ve concluded we are witnessing an attack by a nation with top-tier offensive capabilities , ” FireEye CEO Kevin Mandia said in a statement .
“ This attack is different from the tens of thousands of incidents we have responded to throughout the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be responsible or say when the company detected the hack .
Phone calls to company officials were not immediately returned .
The stolen “ red team ” tools could be dangerous in the wrong hands , though FireEye said there ’ s no indication they have been used .
The company said it developed 300 countermeasures to protect customers and others from them and was making them immediately available .
The hackers “ primarily sought information related to certain government customers , ” Mandia said , without naming them .
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtained from FireEye ’ s consulting or incident-response businesses were accessed by the hackers .
Based in Milpitas , California , the publicly traded cybersecurity company has been at the forefront of investigating sophisticated state-backed backing groups , including Russian groups trying to break into state and local governments in the U.S. that administer elections .
It counts many of those state and local governments among its customers .
Among attributions credited to FireEye was that Russian military hackers were behind 2015 and 2016 mid-winter attacks on Ukraine ’ s energy grid .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in coordination with the FBI and other partners such as Microsoft , which has its own cybersecurity team .
Mandia said the hackers used “ a novel combination of techniques not witnessed by us or our partners in the past.
” Matt Gorham , assistant director of the FBI ’ s cyber division , said “ preliminary indications show an actor with a high level of sophistication consistent with a nation state ” was involved .
He said the government is “ focused on imposing risk and consequences on malicious cyber actors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intrusion in the first place.
” That has included what the U.S. Cyber Command terms “ defending forward ” operations , which include penetrating networks of adversaries , including Russia .
The nation ’ s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said Tuesday that it has not received reporting of FireEye ’ s stolen tools being used maliciously , but warned that “ unauthorized third-party users could abuse these tools to take control of targeted systems.
” U.S. Sen. Mark Warner , a Virginia Democrat on the Senate ’ s intelligence committee , applauded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We have come to expect and demand that companies take real steps to secure their systems , but this case also shows the difficulty of stopping determined nation-state hackers , ” Warner said in a statement .
Cybersecurity expert Dmitri Alperovitch said he was not surprised by the announcement because companies like FireEye are top targets .
“ Every security company is being targeted by nation-state actors .
This has been going on got over a decade now , ” said Alperovitch , the co-founder and former chief technical officer of Crowdstrike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton ’ s campaign .
He said the release of the “ red-team ” tools , while a serious concern , was “ not the end of the world because threat actors always create new tools.
” “ This could have been much worse if their customer data had been hacked and exfiltrated .
So far there is no evidence of that , ” Alperovitch said .
O ’ Brien reported from Providence , Rhode Island .
Associated Press writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to @ @ @

By Frank Bajak and Matt O’Brien | Associated Press
BOSTON — Prominent U.S. cybersecurity firm FireEye said Tuesday that it was hacked by what could only be a government with “world-class capabilities,” and the hackers stole tools the company uses to test the strength of customers’ defenses.
“I’ve concluded we are witnessing an attack by a nation with top-tier offensive capabilities,” FireEye CEO Kevin Mandia said in a statement. “This attack is different from the tens of thousands of incidents we have responded to throughout the years.”
He did not indicate who might be responsible or say when the company detected the hack. Phone calls to company officials were not immediately returned.
The stolen “red team” tools could be dangerous in the wrong hands, though FireEye said there’s no indication they have been used. The company said it developed 300 countermeasures to protect customers and others from them and was making them immediately available.
The hackers “primarily sought information related to certain government customers,” Mandia said, without naming them. He said there was no indication that customer information obtained from FireEye’s consulting or incident-response businesses were accessed by the hackers.
Based in Milpitas, California, the publicly traded cybersecurity company has been at the forefront of investigating sophisticated state-backed backing groups, including Russian groups trying to break into state and local governments in the U.S. that administer elections. It counts many of those state and local governments among its customers.
Among attributions credited to FireEye was that Russian military hackers were behind 2015 and 2016 mid-winter attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid.
FireEye said it is investigating the attack in coordination with the FBI and other partners such as Microsoft, which has its own cybersecurity team. Mandia said the hackers used “a novel combination of techniques not witnessed by us or our partners in the past.”
Matt Gorham, assistant director of the FBI’s cyber division, said “preliminary indications show an actor with a high level of sophistication consistent with a nation state” was involved. He said the government is “focused on imposing risk and consequences on malicious cyber actors, so they think twice before attempting an intrusion in the first place.”
That has included what the U.S. Cyber Command terms “defending forward” operations, which include penetrating networks of adversaries, including Russia.
The nation’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said Tuesday that it has not received reporting of FireEye’s stolen tools being used maliciously, but warned that “unauthorized third-party users could abuse these tools to take control of targeted systems.”
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat on the Senate’s intelligence committee, applauded FireEye for quickly disclosing the intrusion.
“We have come to expect and demand that companies take real steps to secure their systems, but this case also shows the difficulty of stopping determined nation-state hackers,” Warner said in a statement.
Cybersecurity expert Dmitri Alperovitch said he was not surprised by the announcement because companies like FireEye are top targets.
“Every security company is being targeted by nation-state actors. This has been going on got over a decade now,” said Alperovitch, the co-founder and former chief technical officer of Crowdstrike, which investigated the 2016 Russian hack of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
He said the release of the “red-team” tools, while a serious concern, was “not the end of the world because threat actors always create new tools.”
“This could have been much worse if their customer data had been hacked and exfiltrated. So far there is no evidence of that,” Alperovitch said.
O’Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island. Associated Press writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-12-09--Court rules San Jose church in contempt for defying COVID-19 safety orders

SAN JOSE — A Santa Clara County judge found a San Jose church in contempt of court Tuesday for defying county-ordered COVID-19 capacity and safety directives , a rebuke that brought an immediate promise from the church that they would continue the legal fight over such restrictions .
Calvary Chapel San Jose will be fined $ 1,500 per violation and $ 1,000 per violating event spanning to a 22-day period between Nov. 2 , when the county obtained a temporary restraining order against the church , and Nov. 24 , when that order was modified , according to a ruling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kirwan granted a preliminary injunction against the church , paving the way for Tuesday ’ s contempt hearing .
An exact total for the contempt fines was not immediately available , but the church had already been fined over $ 350,000 before the first restraining order was issued .
In articulating his ruling , Kirwan said he took no satisfaction in the contempt finding and deemed it necessary to secure public health , as the Bay Area and California continue to break infection records , which combined with grave concerns about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new stricter round of stay-home orders and indoor-capacity limits .
“ You can ’ t just ignore those regulations , or ignore a court order , to comply with those rules and regulations because you don ’ t believe them , ” Kirwan said .
Even when exercising one ’ s legal rights to challenge that order , “ Until that ’ s adjudicated , you ’ re expected to conform to them , and you just can ’ t ignore them.
” Robert Tyler , one of the lead attorneys for Calvary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he plans to appeal the contempt finding , and the fines .
A primary component of his argument in court Tuesday , besides restating his client ’ s First Amendment worship protections , was to assail the validity of the county health orders limiting indoor capacity by citing the U.S. Supreme Court ’ s ruling late last month blocking New York State ’ s capacity restrictions on houses of worship .
But Kirwan said that ruling did not directly apply to the Calvary situation , and along with Lead Deputy County Counsel Melissa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found evidence that churches and synagogues were being singled out , and were otherwise adhering to other safety protocols including mask-wearing and physical distancing .
Tyler and McClure emerged from the Old Courthouse in downtown San Jose to the cheers of more than a hundred sign-waving supporters , just a few among them wearing masks .
Besides signaling his intent to appeal , Tyler told the crowd that he had secured a Dec. 17 hearing in federal court to effect a change of jurisdiction on the matter .
“ It ’ s just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frank , ” Tyler said .
As he did in the courtroom moments earlier , Tyler strongly criticized the county counsel ’ s reference to a water baptism being one of the documented violations of COVID-19 protcols .
“ I can ’ t believe that we ’ re at a point in time in society where here we have governmental officials talking about how we need to be baptizing people , ” Tyler said “ It ’ s shocking.
” McClure did not give any indication to his supporters that he would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mission .
“ Thank you all for your prayers .
I ’ m just here because I want to help people , ” he said .
“ We recognize the needs here are not just of physical body , but … there ’ s more than just they physical , there ’ s the mental , the emotional , there ’ s the spiritual.
” Kirwan was also not swayed by Tyler ’ s reference to the U.S. Supreme Court ordering a California district court to re-evaluate its ruling regarding a Pasadena church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the state .
Since late October , the county has been embroiled in a legal and a political battle with Calvary Chapel , located on Hillsdale Avenue in the Willow Glen area , arguing that it had not only broken social distancing and masking protocols by hosting indoor services with hundreds of people , but “ trumpeted ” its noncompliance with live-streams and refused to pay more than $ 350,000 in accruing fines .
Tyler said in court Tuesday that Calvary Chapel had made concessions to the safety orders , keeping congregants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ putting up distancing signage , and making masks available .
But Kiniyalocts cited ample evidence , both photographic , video , and through the observations of county enforcement staff , showing that gatherings of as many as 600 people , with little regard to social distancing and mask wearing , were occurring at the church despite them having full knowledge of the county ’ s directives .
“ They repeatedly defied those orders .
They should be held in contempt , ” she said .
Chief County Counsel James Williams reinforced that notion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health orders are literally a matter of life and death ; they are designed to reduce COVID-19 transmission , avoid serious illness , and save lives , ” he said in a statement .
“ This entity ’ s ongoing violations put the whole community at risk , and they won ’ t be tolerated .
”

SAN JOSE — A Santa Clara County judge found a San Jose church in contempt of court Tuesday for defying county-ordered COVID-19 capacity and safety directives, a rebuke that brought an immediate promise from the church that they would continue the legal fight over such restrictions.
Calvary Chapel San Jose will be fined $1,500 per violation and $1,000 per violating event spanning a 22-day period between Nov. 2, when the county obtained a temporary restraining order against the church, and Nov. 24, when that order was modified, according to a ruling by Judge Peter Kirwan. Last week, Kirwan granted a preliminary injunction against the church, paving the way for Tuesday’s contempt hearing.
An exact total for the contempt fines was not immediately available, but the church had already been fined over $350,000 before the first restraining order was issued. In articulating his ruling, Kirwan said he took no satisfaction in the contempt finding and deemed it necessary to secure public health, as the Bay Area and California continue to break infection records, which combined with grave concerns about the availability of intensive-care beds has spurred a new stricter round of stay-home orders and indoor-capacity limits.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: A woman sings as supporters of Calvary Chapel San Jose gather in St. James Park outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Supporters of Calvary Chapel San Jose's outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Supporters of Calvary Chapel San JoseÕs outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Micaiah Irmler, pastor and founder of Southridge Church, holds a bible and a face mask during a press conference about Calvary Chapel San Jose outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Pastor Mike McClure, from Calvary Chapel San Jose, speaks during a press conference outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Supporters of Calvary Chapel San Jose's outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: A supporter of Calvary Chapel San Jose waves an American flag outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Supporters of Calvary Chapel San Jose gather in St. James Park outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Supporters of Calvary Chapel San Jose gather in St. James Park outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Supporters of Calvary Chapel San Jose gather in St. James Park outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Pastor Mike McClure, from Calvary Chapel San Jose, poses for a picture with his family after speaking at a press conference outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Supporters of Calvary Chapel San Jose gather in St. James Park outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Supporters of Calvary Chapel San Jose wave to cars outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Pastor Mike McClure, from Calvary Chapel San Jose, speaks during a press conference outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Pastor Mike McClure, left, from Calvary Chapel San Jose, gets a hug after speaking at a press conference outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Robert Tyler, lead counsel representing Calvary Chapel San Jose, speaks during a press conference outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Robert Tyler, lead counsel representing Calvary Chapel San Jose, heads to a press conference outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 8: Pastor Mike McClure, from Calvary Chapel San Jose, heads to a press conference outside of Santa Clara Superior Court in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
“You can’t just ignore those regulations, or ignore a court order, to comply with those rules and regulations because you don’t believe them,” Kirwan said.
Even when exercising one’s legal rights to challenge that order, “Until that’s adjudicated, you’re expected to conform to them, and you just can’t ignore them.”
Robert Tyler, one of the lead attorneys for Calvary Chapel and Pastor Mike McClure, said he plans to appeal the contempt finding, and the fines. A primary component of his argument in court Tuesday, besides restating his client’s First Amendment worship protections, was to assail the validity of the county health orders limiting indoor capacity by citing the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling late last month blocking New York State’s capacity restrictions on houses of worship.
But Kirwan said that ruling did not directly apply to the Calvary situation, and along with Lead Deputy County Counsel Melissa Kiniyalocts noted that the Supreme Court case found evidence that churches and synagogues were being singled out, and were otherwise adhering to other safety protocols including mask-wearing and physical distancing.
Tyler and McClure emerged from the Old Courthouse in downtown San Jose to the cheers of more than a hundred sign-waving supporters, just a few among them wearing masks. Besides signaling his intent to appeal, Tyler told the crowd that he had secured a Dec. 17 hearing in federal court to effect a change of jurisdiction on the matter.
“It’s just a tragedy of justice, to be frank,” Tyler said.
As he did in the courtroom moments earlier, Tyler strongly criticized the county counsel’s reference to a water baptism being one of the documented violations of COVID-19 protcols.
“I can’t believe that we’re at a point in time in society where here we have governmental officials talking about how we need to be baptizing people,” Tyler said “It’s shocking.”
McClure did not give any indication to his supporters that he would be changing course, instead restating his religious mission.
“Thank you all for your prayers. I’m just here because I want to help people,” he said. “We recognize the needs here are not just of physical body, but … there’s more than just the physical, there’s the mental, the emotional, there’s the spiritual.”
Kirwan was also not swayed by Tyler’s reference to the U.S. Supreme Court ordering a California district court to re-evaluate its ruling regarding a Pasadena church that sought to block worship restrictions imposed by the state.
Since late October, the county has been embroiled in a legal and a political battle with Calvary Chapel, located on Hillsdale Avenue in the Willow Glen area, arguing that it had not only broken social distancing and masking protocols by hosting indoor services with hundreds of people, but “trumpeted” its noncompliance with live-streams and refused to pay more than $350,000 in accruing fines.
Tyler said in court Tuesday that Calvary Chapel had made concessions to the safety orders, keeping congregants spaced out in its 1,900-capacity sanctuary, putting up distancing signage, and making masks available.
But Kiniyalocts said ample evidence, both photographic and video, and through the observations of county enforcement staff, showing that gatherings of as many as 600 people, with little regard to social distancing and mask wearing, were occurring at the church despite them having full knowledge of the county’s directives.
“They repeatedly defied those orders. They should be held in contempt,” she said.
Chief County Counsel James Williams reinforced that notion after the hearing.
“These public health orders are literally a matter of life and death; they are designed to reduce COVID-19 transmission, avoid serious illness, and save lives,” he said in a statement. “This entity’s ongoing violations put the whole community at risk, and they won’t be tolerated.”


mercurynews--2020-12-09--Can I be held responsible for damage caused on city-owned property? Ask the lawyer

Q : I have a very large pine tree on my property adjacent to the city sidewalk .
The tree is city-owned but I am responsible for maintenance , which I have done consistently .
Several months ago , a heavy pine cone fell from the tree and broke a neighbor ’ s windshield .
It ’ s not the first time this has happened .
The current neighbor is now demanding I pay for the cost of the windshield ( he even asked me to lie to my homeowners insurance company and not mention that the tree is city-owned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him was that he assumed a risk by parking under the tree , as there are pine needles and cones littering the street .
I suspect he is planning to sue me alone in small claims court .
Am I correct in asserting assumption of the risk on his part ?
And how do I deal with him not adding the city as a defendant ?
A : First , a question : Did this person know pine cones fall from the tree ( you say “ it ’ s not the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If so , that may provide an argument to reduce any award to him .
Research indicates that the owner of the real property is the primary party liable under the circumstances , which I think ( based on what you have written ) is the city .
Thus , if you have not advised the city of the potential claim , give careful thought to doing so now .
Claims against the city often have a six month deadline — you must submit the claim six months from notice or it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is no formal claim yet , but the city could argue you have knowledge of the incident and should have already put them on notice .
Granted , the city may well deny responsibility , at least initially , so if you get sued , you should counter-sue the city ; just make sure to give timely notice beforehand , and if the city does not reject the claim in due course , it is deemed rejected typically in 45 days .
You ask about assumption of risk , which most often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as skiing , rock climbing , horseback riding or football ) .
In those instances , primary assumption of the risk can be a complete defense , but merely parking one ’ s car — even along a tree-filled area — would not seem inherently risky .
It is lawful to park there , right ?
The circumstances might , however , give rise to secondary assumption of the risk .
This potential defense arises when you have a duty to the other party , but he or she goes forward in spite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helpful for your purposes is written proof that you took precautions with the trees .
Still , the car owner could argue you should have posted a warning ( something else for you to consider doing now ) ; however , if the car owner was aware of falling pine cones there , comparative fault may arise to reduce any award to him .
Ron Sokol is a Manhattan Beach attorney with more than 35 years of experience .
His column , which appears in print on Wednesdays , presents a summary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as legal advice .
Email questions and comments to him at ronsesq @ gmail.com .

Q: I have a very large pine tree on my property adjacent to the city sidewalk. The tree is city-owned but I am responsible for maintenance, which I have done consistently. Several months ago, a heavy pine cone fell from the tree and broke a neighbor’s windshield. It’s not the first time this has happened. The current neighbor is now demanding I pay for the cost of the windshield (he even asked me to lie to my homeowners insurance company and not mention that the tree is city-owned. I refused. My response to him was that he assumed a risk by parking under the tree, as there are pine needles and cones littering the street. I suspect he is planning to sue me alone in small claims court. Am I correct in asserting assumption of the risk on his part? And how do I deal with him not adding the city as a defendant?
-T.R., Fremont
A: First, a question: Did this person know pine cones fall from the tree (you say “it’s not the first time this has happened”)? If so, that may provide an argument to reduce any award to him. Research indicates that the owner of the real property is the primary party liable under the circumstances, which I think (based on what you have written) is the city. Thus, if you have not advised the city of the potential claim, give careful thought to doing so now. Claims against the city often have a six month deadline — you must submit the claim six months from notice or it will be deemed too late. True, there is no formal claim yet, but the city could argue you have knowledge of the incident and should have already put them on notice. Granted, the city may well deny responsibility, at least initially, so if you get sued, you should counter-sue the city; just make sure to give timely notice beforehand, and if the city does not reject the claim in due course, it is deemed rejected typically in 45 days.
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Magid: Time to think about back-to-school devices and policies Advice | Magid: Google’s back in the game with its new Pixel Tablet You ask about assumption of risk, which most often applies to inherently unsafe activities (such as skiing, rock climbing, horseback riding or football). In those instances, primary assumption of the risk can be a complete defense, but merely parking one’s car — even along a tree-filled area — would not seem inherently risky. It is lawful to park there, right? The circumstances might, however, give rise to secondary assumption of the risk. This potential defense arises when you have a duty to the other party, but he or she goes forward in spite of your breach. What would be helpful for your purposes is written proof that you took precautions with the trees. Still, the car owner could argue you should have posted a warning (something else for you to consider doing now); however, if the car owner was aware of falling pine cones there, comparative fault may arise to reduce any award to him.
Ron Sokol is a Manhattan Beach attorney with more than 35 years of experience. His column, which appears in print on Wednesdays, presents a summary of the law and should not be construed as legal advice. Email questions and comments to him at ronsesq@gmail.com.


mercurynews--2020-12-09--James Wiseman attends Warriors practice and more takeaways from Day 2 of training camp

After shaking off the rust in Day 1 of training camp Monday , the Warriors completed a much smoother practice Tuesday , according to head coach Steve Kerr .
Here are some takeaways from the second day of group workouts .
After missing the first day of training camp after testing positive for the coronavirus , rookie center James Wiseman was allowed Tuesday to watch the Warriors practice from a balcony above the practice court .
He did so with Zaza Pachulia , the former Warriors center and current front-office staffer who likely gave the second-overall pick some pointers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Warriors have tasked him with watching film .
Wiseman may be closer to returning than Green , who also missed the first day of training camp after a positive coronavirus test but was not allowed in the arena Tuesday .
“ We ’ re following the protocol exactly as the league and our medical staff is telling us to , ” Kerr said .
Warriors won ’ t be in mid-season form on opening night Two weeks from now , the Warriors will open the 2020-21 season against the Nets in Brooklyn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Nets debut against his former team .
However , with only a week ’ s worth of group workouts and three preseason games to ramp up , Kerr does not think Golden State will be in ideal game shape by Dec. 22 ’ s opener .
“ I doubt in two weeks we ’ re going to have people ready to play big minutes , ” Kerr said .
“ So we ’ re going to probably play a lot of people.
” Kerr has said he wants to keep Stephen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game , with Green likely logging about 32 .
But with Green missing training camp , he may not be ready to play his full allotment .
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Conditioning won ’ t be the only thing holding the Warriors back .
Having not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bubble , they didn ’ t have experience playing games without fans .
“ We thrive so much on the energy of our crowd , ” Kerr said .
“ I ’ m not looking forward to it actually.
” Added Wiggins : “ We have to talk and hype each other up .
Encourage one another.
” Golden State will open the preseason at Chase Center Saturday against the Nuggets , then play two preseason games against the Kings in Sacramento before the regular season begins .
Where does the offense come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Curry ?
Though most of training camp is aimed at constructing a top-10 defense , part of it also is ironing out the rotation .
A major factor in that will be determining how the Warriors can generate offense when Curry is on the bench .
Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr. are the likeliest solutions .
Both have experience as top scorers , can attack closeouts and create shots for others .
The Warriors will need them to be at their most efficient when playing alongside Curry and Green , but also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
“ There ’ s a good chance you see both those guys in the second unit .
Maybe just one of them .
We ’ ll see , ” Kerr said .
“ We have to mix and match with all this and find the right lineup combinations.
” In the 5-on-5 scrimmages so far , Wiggins and Oubre have played with Curry on the “ blue team , ” with Oubre defending opposing the shooting guard Jordan Poole , providing a hint that Kerr could view Oubre as the nominal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s only been two days of group workouts and , as Kerr said , plenty can and will change .

After shaking off the rust in Day 1 of training camp Monday, the Warriors completed a much smoother practice Tuesday, according to head coach Steve Kerr. Here are some takeaways from the second day of group workouts.
James Wiseman attends practice, Draymond Green does not
After missing the first day of training camp after testing positive for the coronavirus, rookie center James Wiseman was allowed Tuesday to watch the Warriors practice from a balcony above the practice court.
He did so with Zaza Pachulia, the former Warriors center and current front-office staffer who likely gave the second-overall pick some pointers. Though Wiseman can’t practice, the Warriors have tasked him with watching film.
Wiseman may be closer to returning than Green, who also missed the first day of training camp after a positive coronavirus test but was not allowed in the arena Tuesday.
“We’re following the protocol exactly as the league and our medical staff is telling us to,” Kerr said.
Warriors won’t be in mid-season form on opening night
Two weeks from now, the Warriors will open the 2020-21 season against the Nets in Brooklyn in a marquee matchup featuring Kevin Durant’s Nets debut against his former team. However, with only a week’s worth of group workouts and three preseason games to ramp up, Kerr does not think Golden State will be in ideal game shape by Dec. 22’s opener.
“I doubt in two weeks we’re going to have people ready to play big minutes,” Kerr said. “So we’re going to probably play a lot of people.”
Kerr has said he wants to keep Stephen Curry’s minutes around 34 per game, with Green likely logging about 32. But with Green missing training camp, he may not be ready to play his full allotment. Related Articles Golden State Warriors | Here’s the Warriors’ schedule for NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament
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Conditioning won’t be the only thing holding the Warriors back. Having not participated in the resumed season in the bubble, they didn’t have experience playing games without fans.
“We thrive so much on the energy of our crowd,” Kerr said. “I’m not looking forward to it actually.”
Added Wiggins: “We have to talk and hype each other up. Encourage one another.”
Golden State will open the preseason at Chase Center Saturday against the Nuggets, then play two preseason games against the Kings in Sacramento before the regular season begins.
Where does the offense come from when it’s not coming from Curry?
Though most of training camp is aimed at constructing a top-10 defense, part of it also is ironing out the rotation. A major factor in that will be determining how the Warriors can generate offense when Curry is on the bench.
Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr. are the likeliest solutions. Both have experience as top scorers, can attack closeouts and create shots for others. The Warriors will need them to be at their most efficient when playing alongside Curry and Green, but also take on more responsibility when playing without them.
“There’s a good chance you see both those guys in the second unit. Maybe just one of them. We’ll see,” Kerr said. “We have to mix and match with all this and find the right lineup combinations.”
In the 5-on-5 scrimmages so far, Wiggins and Oubre have played with Curry on the “blue team,” with Oubre defending opposing the shooting guard Jordan Poole, providing a hint that Kerr could view Oubre as the nominal 2 and Wiggins as the 3. It’s only been two days of group workouts and, as Kerr said, plenty can and will change.


mercurynews--2020-12-09--Opinion: Skip the useless COVID-19 rules, please

A clutter of unhelpful pandemic rules is wearing people down .
One-way systems in stores , outdoor mask mandates , ceaselessly cleaning groceries and packages — should these things be our top priorities for limiting the spread of COVID-19 ?
Harvard ’ s Joseph Allen is an associate professor of exposure assessment science and one of the world ’ s experts on why some indoor spaces are worse than others for spreading viruses .
Like other experts , he agrees that poorly ventilated indoor sites are the prime spreading ground for SARS-CoV-2 .
So the longer people spend in any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greater the risk they pose to themselves and others .
I asked him : Wouldn ’ t it be better if we did away with the one-way system so that people could dispatch with their grocery shopping quickly , without having to endure long waits behind price-comparers or other slowpokes ?
The answer is yes .
Eliminating those annoying arrows would probably make shopping safer as well as less stressful .
Businesses are , of course , free to impose their own rules , but it ’ s unlikely many would knowingly make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the public health community for being too shy in talking about which rules don ’ t help , leaving us with a tangle of rules and recommendations — and pandemic fatigue .
As risk communication consultant Peter Sandman has said early in the pandemic , a public health policy that people don ’ t follow is a failed policy .
That means even a really solid , science-based set of rules can fail if it ’ s not communicated with a clear rationale .
Harvard ’ s William Hanage , who studies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people don ’ t need more rules .
They need more information about how the virus is transmitted so they can take steps to avoid it .
“ When you phrase things in terms of rules , it leads people to try to come up with ways to get around those rules , ” he says .
Rules can become a form of misinformation .
The rules in many states seem to suggest that walking outside is dangerous and eating in a restaurant is safe , but Hanage says the truth is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his outdoor mask mandate by saying it sends a message .
The message I heard was that that the rules are not chosen for our health and welfare but to make our political leaders look like they are doing something .
Rules should only be decreed along with evidence for their benefit , argued statistician and risk communication expert David Spiegelhalter in a piece for The Guardian : “ Too often , the message is shaped by communication professionals working to ensure the greatest number of people ‘ get the message ’ rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence so the greatest number of people can understand it , trust it , and then decide for themselves.
” Harvard disease expert Hanage says that the science to date points to the primary risk coming from what he calls the three C ’ s — close contact , closed spaces and crowds .
He says in Japan , where they ’ ve had few COVID-19 deaths , people are advised to avoid these — not just to wear masks in these situations but to limit them or avoid them altogether .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sorted out is the CDC .
In an encouraging trend , the agency is starting to make recommendations by explaining why they ’ re likely to improve public health .
The agency cited good reasons people should avoid traveling for the holidays , including many combinations of those three C ’ s .
They ’ ve just issued new guidelines recommending masks when people are indoors outside their homes or can not stay more than six feet away from other people .
And they ’ ve just shortened the quarantine period for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 10 , or seven if you get a test at the end .
Again , the rationale was explained — some cases can incubate for two full weeks , but most people develop symptoms sooner .
A shorter quarantine period can still cut down on transmission and will get better compliance .
It would be wonderful if the CDC could also start telling us which rules and recommendations are unlikely to work , so we can all concentrate on the ones that will .
There ’ s some denial out there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and willingness to help .
It ’ s a resource we can ’ t afford to keep squandering .

A clutter of unhelpful pandemic rules is wearing people down. One-way systems in stores, outdoor mask mandates, ceaselessly cleaning groceries and packages — should these things be our top priorities for limiting the spread of COVID-19?
Harvard’s Joseph Allen is an associate professor of exposure assessment science and one of the world’s experts on why some indoor spaces are worse than others for spreading viruses. Like other experts, he agrees that poorly ventilated indoor sites are the prime spreading ground for SARS-CoV-2. So the longer people spend in any indoor space with other people, the greater the risk they pose to themselves and others.
I asked him: Wouldn’t it be better if we did away with the one-way system so that people could dispatch with their grocery shopping quickly, without having to endure long waits behind price-comparers or other slowpokes? The answer is yes. Eliminating those annoying arrows would probably make shopping safer as well as less stressful.
Businesses are, of course, free to impose their own rules, but it’s unlikely many would knowingly make shopping less safe. The fault lies with the public health community for being too shy in talking about which rules don’t help, leaving us with a tangle of rules and recommendations — and pandemic fatigue.
As risk communication consultant Peter Sandman has said early in the pandemic, a public health policy that people don’t follow is a failed policy. That means even a really solid, science-based set of rules can fail if it’s not communicated with a clear rationale.
Harvard’s William Hanage, who studies infectious disease dynamics, told me that people don’t need more rules. They need more information about how the virus is transmitted so they can take steps to avoid it. “When you phrase things in terms of rules, it leads people to try to come up with ways to get around those rules,” he says.
Rules can become a form of misinformation. The rules in many states seem to suggest that walking outside is dangerous and eating in a restaurant is safe, but Hanage says the truth is the other way around.
Baker has justified his outdoor mask mandate by saying it sends a message. The message I heard was that that the rules are not chosen for our health and welfare but to make our political leaders look like they are doing something.
Rules should only be decreed along with evidence for their benefit, argued statistician and risk communication expert David Spiegelhalter in a piece for The Guardian: “Too often, the message is shaped by communication professionals working to ensure the greatest number of people ‘get the message’ rather than thinking about how to present the evidence so the greatest number of people can understand it, trust it, and then decide for themselves.”
Harvard disease expert Hanage says that the science to date points to the primary risk coming from what he calls the three C’s — close contact, closed spaces and crowds. He says in Japan, where they’ve had few COVID-19 deaths, people are advised to avoid these — not just to wear masks in these situations but to limit them or avoid them altogether.
One place where the informational clutter can get sorted out is the CDC. In an encouraging trend, the agency is starting to make recommendations by explaining why they’re likely to improve public health. The agency cited good reasons people should avoid traveling for the holidays, including many combinations of those three C’s. They’ve just issued new guidelines recommending masks when people are indoors outside their homes or cannot stay more than six feet away from other people. And they’ve just shortened the quarantine period for people exposed to the virus from 14 days to 10, or seven if you get a test at the end. Again, the rationale was explained — some cases can incubate for two full weeks, but most people develop symptoms sooner. A shorter quarantine period can still cut down on transmission and will get better compliance.
It would be wonderful if the CDC could also start telling us which rules and recommendations are unlikely to work, so we can all concentrate on the ones that will. There’s some denial out there, but there’s also enormous curiosity and willingness to help. It’s a resource we can’t afford to keep squandering.
Faye Flam is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. ©2020 Bloomberg L.P. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC


mercurynews--2020-12-09--End of an era: You’ll never see another toll taker at Bay Area bridges

Larry Collins remembers getting the call as he drove home one night in March at the end of a 10-hour shift collecting tolls at the Carquinez Bridge .
It was his supervisor telling him not to report to work the next day — with the state and country locking down to contain the coronavirus , officials were launching a temporary new toll system in which drivers who normally stopped to pay with cash would get a bill in the mail instead .
He didn ’ t realize it , but after 23 years Collins had just worked his last day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , quickly handing over your toll — of a few cents , then a few dollars , then a few more dollars — to a human being on the other side of an open booth window was a daily ritual for thousands of bridge-crossing Bay Area commuters .
The arrival of Fastrak two decades ago meant fewer and fewer people have been stopping to pay their tolls in person , though it was still a usual sight to see drivers lined up to pay cash in the dwindling number of lanes where it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Area Toll Authority says , collectors at the region ’ s seven state-owned bridges who were pulled out of their booths in the early days of the pandemic won ’ t return even after the threat of COVID-19 recedes .
Those spans join the Golden Gate Bridge , which eliminated in-person toll collection back in 2013 , and mean toll takers are a thing of the past throughout the Bay Area .
“ We knew it was just a matter of time , ” Collins said .
Fastrak , which debuted in 2000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wall , ” he said .
“ The pandemic just sped things up.
” The toll authority , which oversees the Bay Bridge , Dumbarton and other state-owned spans , last year adopted a plan to more gradually end in-person tolls over the next five years .
Eventually , they planned to remove the booths where Collins and his colleagues worked , remaking the toll plazas into open-road operations where traffic can flow far more smoothly because drivers zip through and pay while barely slowing down , much less stopping .
But when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toll takers ’ face-to-face interactions with hundreds or even thousands of people per day seem far too risky , the authority had to scramble to implement that new system practically overnight , BATA spokesman John Goodwin said .
Since March , drivers in the “ cash ” lanes have been told to continue past the booth without paying or even stopping .
Instead a camera snaps a photo of their license plate and a customer service center sends them a bill for each crossing .
“ It has worked OK , but not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system got a break at first , as the lockdowns meant less than half as many cars were crossing the bridges compared to pre-pandemic traffic .
But since then , many of those cars have returned — weekday traffic across the seven spans is just 20 % below what it was last year .
The Bay Bridge now typically sees more than 100,000 cars pass through its toll plaza each weekday , down just 15 % compared to the volume before the pandemic .
While about three-quarters of drivers use Fastrak , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ switch , that still leaves tens of thousands of toll notices that must be processed each day .
“ As traffic volume has increased that has put greater strain on the customer service center , ” Goodwin said .
“ We ’ re showing the wear and tear there.
” It ’ s also costing the toll authority money : An October BATA report found 9 % of bills for bridge crossings between March and August had not yet been paid despite drivers getting toll notices by mail , amounting to $ 26.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the authority expects to recover much of that money , since it can put holds on drivers ’ registration renewals if they don ’ t pay up .
A new and permanent all-electronic system will go into place sometime next year .
Rather than mailing out a notice for each unpaid crossing , it will send drivers a monthly statement for all of their tolls , reducing the amount of paperwork .
Meanwhile , drivers can use any lane , whether or not they have Fastrak , Goodwin said .
But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for signs and lane markings to reflect that change .
The empty tollbooths will be sticking around for a while , though .
The plan to renovate toll plazas is expected to take several more years for design and construction , but you can get a glimpse of what ’ s to come when you cross the Benicia-Martinez Bridge going north — the Fastrak lanes there have been remade in the style of “ open-road tolling , ” with no booths or other physical barriers between them .
As for toll collectors like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Caltrans and take training courses meant to prepare them for new jobs within the department .
About 250 people worked in toll collection at the Bay Area ’ s bridges , including supervisors and custodians .
• Bay Area commuters ’ precarious shortcut is closed , even to locals Collins said he enjoyed his time in the toll collection booth , and having such little interaction during the pandemic , after a career spent meeting more than 1,000 people each day , was “ a new way of living.
” He has applied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispatch center , but at 64 he ’ s also thinking about retiring rather than taking on a new career .
Collins said he understands the move toward automation and efficiency .
Still , he thinks losing the human touch will come with its own cost , like for the tourists to whom he ’ d often dispense directions .
And then there was the man who drove up to Collins ’ booth last year saying he was having a heart attack — Collins got his supervisor to call 911 while he shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , then watched as an ambulance took the man away .
Collins has also had a few famous customers in his 23 years , like NFL Hall-of-Fame 49ers Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott , and NBA legend Bill Russell .
His favorites , though , were the ordinary customers who pulled into his booth in a bad mood , but left it smiling .
“ You would be the first person they ’ d see in the morning , ” Collins said .
“ A ‘ good morning !
’ goes a @ @ @ @

Larry Collins remembers getting the call as he drove home one night in March at the end of a 10-hour shift collecting tolls at the Carquinez Bridge. It was his supervisor telling him not to report to work the next day — with the state and country locking down to contain the coronavirus, officials were launching a temporary new toll system in which drivers who normally stopped to pay with cash would get a bill in the mail instead.
He didn’t realize it, but after 23 years Collins had just worked his last day as a toll collector.
For decades, quickly handing over your toll — of a few cents, then a few dollars, then a few more dollars — to a human being on the other side of an open booth window was a daily ritual for thousands of bridge-crossing Bay Area commuters. The arrival of Fastrak two decades ago meant fewer and fewer people have been stopping to pay their tolls in person, though it was still a usual sight to see drivers lined up to pay cash in the dwindling number of lanes where it was accepted.
Now, the Bay Area Toll Authority says, collectors at the region’s seven state-owned bridges who were pulled out of their booths in the early days of the pandemic won’t return even after the threat of COVID-19 recedes. Those spans join the Golden Gate Bridge, which eliminated in-person toll collection back in 2013, and mean toll takers are a thing of the past throughout the Bay Area.
“We knew it was just a matter of time,” Collins said. Fastrak, which debuted in 2000, “was the writing on the wall,” he said. “The pandemic just sped things up.”
The toll authority, which oversees the Bay Bridge, Dumbarton and other state-owned spans, last year adopted a plan to more gradually end in-person tolls over the next five years. Eventually, they planned to remove the booths where Collins and his colleagues worked, remaking the toll plazas into open-road operations where traffic can flow far more smoothly because drivers zip through and pay while barely slowing down, much less stopping.
But when the coronavirus hit this spring, making toll takers’ face-to-face interactions with hundreds or even thousands of people per day seem far too risky, the authority had to scramble to implement that new system practically overnight, BATA spokesman John Goodwin said.
Since March, drivers in the “cash” lanes have been told to continue past the booth without paying or even stopping. Instead a camera snaps a photo of their license plate and a customer service center sends them a bill for each crossing.
“It has worked OK, but not great,” Goodwin said.
The system got a break at first, as the lockdowns meant less than half as many cars were crossing the bridges compared to pre-pandemic traffic. But since then, many of those cars have returned — weekday traffic across the seven spans is just 20% below what it was last year. The Bay Bridge now typically sees more than 100,000 cars pass through its toll plaza each weekday, down just 15% compared to the volume before the pandemic.
While about three-quarters of drivers use Fastrak, which hasn’t been affected by the switch, that still leaves tens of thousands of toll notices that must be processed each day, which is taking longer because of the volume, Goodwin said. And customers who call with questions about their bills are facing longer waits.
“As traffic volume has increased that has put greater strain on the customer service center,” Goodwin said. “We’re showing the wear and tear there.”
It’s also costing the toll authority money: An October BATA report found 9% of bills for bridge crossings between March and August had not yet been paid despite drivers getting toll notices by mail, amounting to $26.5 million in outstanding revenue. Goodwin said that the authority expects to recover much of that money, since it can put holds on drivers’ registration renewals if they don’t pay up.
A new and permanent all-electronic system will go into place sometime next year. Rather than mailing out a notice for each unpaid crossing, it will send drivers a monthly statement for all of their tolls, reducing the amount of paperwork.
Meanwhile, drivers can use any lane, whether or not they have Fastrak, Goodwin said. But it will take at least until the spring for signs and lane markings to reflect that change.
The empty tollbooths will be sticking around for a while, though. The plan to renovate toll plazas is expected to take several more years for design and construction, but you can get a glimpse of what’s to come when you cross the Benicia-Martinez Bridge going north — the Fastrak lanes there have been remade in the style of “open-road tolling,” with no booths or other physical barriers between them.
As for toll collectors like Collins, they have remained employed with Caltrans and take training courses meant to prepare them for new jobs within the department. About 250 people worked in toll collection at the Bay Area’s bridges, including supervisors and custodians.
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Collins said he understands the move toward automation and efficiency. Still, he thinks losing the human touch will come with its own cost, like for the tourists to whom he’d often dispense directions. And then there was the man who drove up to Collins’ booth last year saying he was having a heart attack — Collins got his supervisor to call 911 while he shut down his lane and diverted cars around him, then watched as an ambulance took the man away.
Collins has also had a few famous customers in his 23 years, like NFL Hall-of-Fame 49ers Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott, and NBA legend Bill Russell. His favorites, though, were the ordinary customers who pulled into his booth in a bad mood, but left it smiling.
“You would be the first person they’d see in the morning,” Collins said. “A ‘good morning!’ goes a long way.”