mercurynews--2020-12-04--Connery’s pistol from first Bond film sells for $256,000

LOS ANGELES – A handgun used by the late Sean Connery in the first James Bond film sold for $ @ @ @ @ @ Hills on Thursday , topping earlier estimates for the piece of Hollywood history , Julien @ @ @ @ @ The deactivated semi-automatic Walther PP pistol , which along with its smaller model the PPK @ @ @ @ @ franchise ’ s best-known images , was used by Connery in the movie “ Dr @ @ @ @ @ .
Connery , the first James Bond in the franchise , died on Oct. 31 @ @ @ @ @ .
Julien ’ s said the winning bidder , who asked to remain anonymous , @ @ @ @ @ seen every James Bond movie with his or her children .
The auction house had @ @ @ @ @ would fetch between $ 150,000 and $ 200,000 .
A helmet created for Tom Cruise @ @ @ @ @ also sold at the auction for $ 108,000 , while a sword used by Bruce @ @ @ @ @ ” fetched $ 35,200 .

By Lisa Richwine | Reuters
LOS ANGELES – A handgun used by the late Sean Connery in the first James Bond film sold for $256,000 at auction in Beverly Hills on Thursday, topping earlier estimates for the piece of Hollywood history, Julien’s Auctions said.
The deactivated semi-automatic Walther PP pistol, which along with its smaller model the PPK became one of the film franchise’s best-known images, was used by Connery in the movie “Dr. No” in 1962.
Connery, the first James Bond in the franchise, died on Oct. 31 at the age of 90.
Julien’s said the winning bidder, who asked to remain anonymous, was an American who had seen every James Bond movie with his or her children. The auction house had previously estimated that the gun would fetch between $150,000 and $200,000.
A helmet created for Tom Cruise in “Top Gun” also sold at the auction for $108,000, while a sword used by Bruce Willis in “Pulp Fiction” fetched $35,200.


mercurynews--2020-12-04--Which Californians will be first to get the virus vaccine?

California will receive its first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine — 263,600 doses from the drug maker Pfizer — between Dec. 12 and Dec. 15 , pending federal approval , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said on Thursday .
This is far short of the doses need to vaccinate the 2.4 million of the most vulnerable Californians who either work in health care or are cared for in nursing homes .
So the state has released a list of who — within those two high-risk groups — will be prioritized in the greatest mass vaccination campaign in the state in at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a virus that is infecting about 10 Californians every single minute , the state must make hard choices about who gets protected first .
As additional doses from Pfizer arrive later in the month , augmented by supplies from Moderna , this grim triage will ease .
The list of state priority groups , ranked into three tiers and released on Thursday , is based on the type of facility where people live or work .
But if there are not enough doses to reach everyone at risk in the facility , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal attributes , such as age , health , race and ethnicity .
At the top of the list — in the state ’ s Tier 1 — are people who work or reside at acute care , psychiatric and correctional facility hospitals ; skilled nursing facilities ; assisted living facilities ; and similar settings for older or medically vulnerable people .
Also at the top are paramedics , EMTs and others providing emergency medical services .
Finally , dialysis centers are included .
On Friday , the six geographic regions of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Pfizer , based on their allocations .
Earlier this week , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices made a general recommendation that health care workers and elderly people living in long-term care facilities should receive top priority .
This rollout has been called Phase 1a of the nation ’ s distribution plan .
The nation ’ s “ Phase 2 ” group would likely include people with significant illnesses , “ essential workers ” who can not telework , teachers and school staff , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and incarcerated people and staff .
Young adults , children and workers who can telecommute would be last .
Combined , Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the nation ’ s plan would cover the estimated 45 % to 50 % of the U.S. population at greatest risk .
But states have the final say on allocation and regional distribution plans .
Local public health departments have two responsibilities : administering the vaccine at public facilities and divvying up doses to other providers , such as hospitals .
Newsom said he was unsure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available .
A committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is meeting next Thursday to discuss “ Emergency Use Authorization ” of the two vaccines .
Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna have said they are ready to start shipping within 24 hours of an FDA go-ahead .
Deliveries could take up to three days .
The vaccine makers are ramping up a complex distribution system aimed at delivering doses around the nation .
The size of the undertaking is complicated further by the fact that the Pfizer vaccine must be stored at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Pfizer system centers on a distribution site in Kalamazoo , Michigan , where the company will load temperature-controlled containers onto trucks for delivery to nearby airports .
Pfizer has reportedly purchased cargo space on planes per day from FedEx , UPS and DHL .
Trucks will deliver the vaccine from airports to the health departments , hospitals and other prioritized facilities .
On Thursday , Newsom said that after the state ’ s Tier 1 facilities are completed , the next doses will go to Tier 2 , covering intermediate care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supportive services ; community health workers ; public health field staff ; primary care clinics , including health centers ; rural health centers ; correctional facility clinics ; and urgent care clinics .
The Tier 3 facilities include specialty clinics , laboratory workers , dental/oral health clinics and pharmacy staff not working in settings at higher tiers .
• New COVID stay-home order expected to hit Bay Area later this month • Newsom is asking Californians to stay home .
After his French Laundry outing , will anyone listen ?
• Biden says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up for 100 days • COVID-19 outbreaks infect more than 230 people at two San Jose nursing homes , 60 in homeless shelter Vaccines will be delivered by region :

California will receive its first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine — 263,600 doses from the drug maker Pfizer — between Dec. 12 and Dec. 15, pending federal approval, Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Thursday.
This is far short of the doses needed to vaccinate the 2.4 million of the most vulnerable Californians who either work in health care or are cared for in nursing homes.
So the state has released a list of who — within those two high-risk groups — will be prioritized in the greatest mass vaccination campaign in the state in at least the last half century.
Strained by a virus that is infecting about 10 Californians every single minute, the state must make hard choices about who gets protected first. As additional doses from Pfizer arrive later in the month, augmented by supplies from Moderna, this grim triage will ease.
The list of state priority groups, ranked into three tiers and released on Thursday, is based on the type of facility where people live or work. But if there are not enough doses to reach everyone at risk in the facility, allocation will be based on location and personal attributes, such as age, health, race and ethnicity.
At the top of the list — in the state’s Tier 1 — are people who work or reside at acute care, psychiatric and correctional facility hospitals; skilled nursing facilities; assisted living facilities; and similar settings for older or medically vulnerable people. Also at the top are paramedics, EMTs and others providing emergency medical services. Finally, dialysis centers are included.
On Friday, the six geographic regions of the state will be placing their orders directly to Pfizer, based on their allocations.
Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices made a general recommendation that health care workers and elderly people living in long-term care facilities should receive top priority. This rollout has been called Phase 1a of the nation’s distribution plan.
The nation’s “Phase 2” group would likely include people with significant illnesses, “essential workers” who cannot telework, teachers and school staff, older adults, people in homeless shelters and incarcerated people and staff. Young adults, children and workers who can telecommute would be last.
Combined, Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the nation’s plan would cover the estimated 45% to 50% of the U.S. population at greatest risk.
But states have the final say on allocation and regional distribution plans. Local public health departments have two responsibilities: administering the vaccine at public facilities and divvying up doses to other providers, such as hospitals.
When will the vaccine get here?
Newsom said he was unsure exactly when the vaccine would be widely available. A committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is meeting next Thursday, Dec. 10, to discuss “Emergency Use Authorization” of the two vaccines. It will make a recommendation to the FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn.
Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna have said they are ready to start shipping within 24 hours of an FDA go-ahead.
Deliveries could take up to three days. Meanwhile, California’s COVID-19 Scientific Safety Review Workgroup will independently examine the safety and efficacy data. UC Berkeley’s Arthur Reingold, who leads the panel, said that it will get data soon after it’s presented to the FDA, review it quickly and make its recommendation in short order — “in a matter of a few days, not weeks.”
“We’re quite confident that we will not impose additional delays on who gets the vaccine in California,” he said.
How will it arrive?
The vaccine makers are ramping up a complex distribution system aimed at delivering doses around the nation. The size of the undertaking is complicated further by the fact that the Pfizer vaccine must be stored at very cold temperatures.
In the U.S., the Pfizer system centers on a distribution site in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where the company will load temperature-controlled containers onto trucks for delivery to nearby airports. Pfizer has reportedly purchased cargo space on planes per day from FedEx, UPS and DHL. Trucks will deliver the vaccine from airports to the health departments, hospitals and other prioritized facilities.
Who will get the vaccine first, within this high-priority Phase 1a group?
On Thursday, Newsom said that after inoculation of the state’s Tier 1 facilities are completed, the next doses will go to Tier 2, covering intermediate care facilities; home health care and in-home supportive services; community health workers; public health field staff; primary care clinics, including health centers; rural health centers; correctional facility clinics; and urgent care clinics.
Who’s next?
The Tier 3 facilities include specialty clinics, laboratory workers, dental/oral health clinics and pharmacy staff not working in settings at higher tiers. Related Articles Health | San Jose office building wobbles into default — again
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Who decided all of this?
A panel called the Drafting Guidelines Workgroup is developing California-specific guidance for the prioritization and allocation of vaccines. The Community Vaccine Advisory Committee is providing input to ensure equitable access.
How many doses will be delivered to the different regions of the state?
Vaccines will be delivered by region:
Region I (Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura counties): 126,750 doses
Region II (Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Shasta, Solano, Sonoma): 80,497 doses
Region III (Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yuba): 8,592 doses
Region IV (Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo): 35,145 doses
Region V (Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced): 16,706 doses
Region VI (Imperial, Inyo, Mono, Riverside, San Bernardino): 59,910 doses
Teri Sforza of the Orange County Register contributed to this article.


mercurynews--2020-12-04--Shiny Celebi available in ‘Pokemon Go’ next week

The Pokemon Company is full of surprises and the latest one drops next week as “ Pokemon Go ” is celebrating the release of the newest movie in the franchise by offering up shiny Celebi .
Yes , you read that right .
Niantic is offering up a rare mythical shiny pocket monster as part of the movie ’ s release .
Starting at 8 a.m. Dec. 14 , players will have a chance at the pink version of the Time Travel Pokemon by completing a limited-time Special Research .
Interestingly enough , Team Rocket villains Jessie and James will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the usual Professor Willow .
It also appears it will be a guaranteed shiny judging by the source material .
( See the trailer below . )
Along with the shiny Celebi , players will have a chance to catch another version of Pikachu .
This one is Explorer Pikachu and it can also be shiny .
The Pokemon will also be featured in the Dec. 15 Spotlight Hour , which also has the bonus of double catch candy .
In addition , Jessie and James will photobomb players but it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reward .
The bigger news is that from 8 a.m. Dec. 14 to 10 p.m. Dec. 17 players will have a chance too catch a shiny Rufflet .
It ’ s surprisingly cool-looking with blue on its wings instead of the normal red .
Players will be able to find Rufflets in raid battles and 5km eggs .
The Rufflet is part of a bigger “ Secrets of the Jungle ” promo that includes pocket monsters featured in the movie .
They include Hoothoot , Nuzleaf , Drilbur , Cottonee , Dwebble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wild .
It appears that Durant will be the rare spawn .
On the raid side , Lickitung , Mawile and Flygon will be appearing in gyms for challenges .
With 5km eggs , players can expect to see Igglybuff , Smoochum , Elekid , Magby and Bonsly .
Lastly , Dec. 25 , which happens to be Christmas , will be a busy day for Jessie and James as they will appear in their signature Meowth balloons .
They ’ ll also have different Shadow Pokemon than normal .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December for the game .

The Pokemon Company is full of surprises and the latest one drops soon as “Pokemon Go” is celebrating the release of the newest movie in the franchise by offering up shiny Celebi. Yes, you read that right. Niantic is offering up a rare mythical shiny pocket monster as part of the movie’s release.
Starting at 8 a.m. Dec. 14, players will have a chance at the pink version of the Time Travel Pokemon by completing a limited-time Special Research. Interestingly enough, Team Rocket villains Jessie and James will take players through the quest line instead of the usual Professor Willow. It also appears it will be a guaranteed shiny judging by the source material. (See the trailer below.)
Along with the shiny Celebi, players will have a chance to catch another version of Pikachu. This one is Explorer Pikachu and it can also be shiny. The Pokemon will also be featured in the Dec. 15 Spotlight Hour, which also has the bonus of double catch candy. In addition, Jessie and James will photobomb players but it’s uncertain what Pokemon will appear as the reward.
The bigger news is that from 8 a.m. Dec. 14 to 10 p.m. Dec. 17 players will have a chance too catch a shiny Rufflet. It’s surprisingly cool-looking with blue on its wings instead of the normal red as a Braviary. Players will be able to find Rufflets in raid battles and 5km eggs. The Rufflet is part of a bigger “Secrets of the Jungle” promo that includes pocket monsters featured in the movie. They include Hoothoot, Nuzleaf, Drilbur, Cottonee, Dwebble (shiny available) and more in the wild. It appears that Durant will be the rare spawn.
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Lastly, Dec. 25, which happens to be Christmas, will be a busy day for Jessie and James as they will appear in their signature Meowth balloons. They’ll also have different Shadow Pokemon than normal.
This is a surprise event amid an already busy December for the game.


mercurynews--2020-12-04--Kotsay promoted to third base coach; Why the A’s are thrilled to keep him in Oakland

The Oakland A ’ s promoted quality control coach Mark Kotsay to third base coach , the team announced Thursday .
During his six seasons as part of Oakland ’ s coaching staff , Kotsay has become respected for his keen coaching abilities and feel for the clubhouse mood .
Kotsay will replace Al Pedrique , who was released from his third base coach duties back in October after three years with Oakland .
It should be noted , too , that the A ’ s are standing by bench coach Ryan Christenson , who found himself in hot water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him inadvertently throwing up what looked like an offensive sign in the handshake line after a win last season .
Kotsay ’ s reputation follows him outside of the Coliseum confines — the 45-year-old has interviewed for positions with other teams — including for the Detroit Tigers managerial position ultimately filled by former Astros manager AJ Hinch this year .
He also interviewed for the Houston Astros managerial position filled by Dusty Baker and the San Francisco Giants job filled by Gabe Kapler in 2019 .
Kotsay ’ s promotion could be an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He ’ s proven to be an invaluable mentor to the team , utility player Chad Pinder can attest .
“ He ’ s awesome , ” Pinder said by Thursday .
“ With him playing for so long and not being that far removed from his playing days , he ’ s a guy that everyone gravitates toward.
” Kotsay was destined to return to a field staff position — the A ’ s created the quality control position , in essence , for Kotsay to squeeze as much of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dugout while allowing him time to deal with a family matter that forced him away from his bench coaching duties in 2016 .
Even as quality control coach of late , Kotsay still observed batting practice and helped with infield defense work .
Kotsay played 17 seasons with seven different teams , including four as a contact-hitting infielder with the Oakland A ’ s from 2004-07 .
He retired in 2013 and promptly joined the San Diego Padres front office in 2014 and , then , as their hitting coach .
He joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their bench coach and was moved to quality control coach in 2017 , a post he held until his move to third base coach for the 2021 season .
For players like Pinder , it ’ s clear why the A ’ s are intent on keeping a coach like Kotsay close .
It ’ s in the details .
Pinder recalls flubbing a situational hitting moment in one of his first big league games back in 2017 .
He didn ’ t utter a word as he tried to slither unnoticed back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit himself over the missed opportunity .
It was Kotsay who approached him with the right words .
“ In that first year , everything is amplified , ” Pinder said .
“ And I ’ m analyzing everything , and he can tell I ’ m analyzing .
He came put his hand on me and said , ‘ This is what needed to happen .
We know it .
You know it .
You ’ re gon na have thousands of opportunities and chances to get this done .
Just know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ “ I didn ’ t say anything , he just could sense I needed some words of encouragement and it was exactly what I needed to hear.
” And Kotsay came back when Pinder struggled not knowing if he ’ d be penciled into the game ’ s lineup during the 2018 season ; without a word , Kotsay sat him down and talked him through his role .
There ’ s always some certainty amid the uncertainty , he told him .
“ He has a really good pulse on every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He knows how to handle each player individually .
It ’ s not cookie cutter , ” Pinder said .
“ That ’ s a big strength of ( manager ) Bob Melvin ’ s , too , I see a lot of that it Kots.
” Waving home runners around third base , Kotsay can bring a little more of the competitive fire that still burns in him .
Kotsay is just seven years removed from a big league roster , and it shows in his on-field demeanor .
“ He ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still got that fire from playing and that ’ s fun to be around , too , ” Pinder said .
“ He ’ s a fun guy to be around .
Everybody really enjoys having him around.
” The A ’ s feel lucky to have been able to not only move him back onto the field , but also keep him another year .
It ’ s only a matter of time before he lands a managing position .
“ He ’ s not far off , I genuinely believe that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has experience on all sides of the game and that ’ s invaluable .
He ’ s going to be a great manager one day .
We ’ re happy to have him back .
”

The Oakland A’s promoted quality control coach Mark Kotsay to third base coach, the team announced Thursday.
During his six seasons as part of Oakland’s coaching staff, Kotsay has become respected for his keen coaching abilities and feel for the clubhouse mood. Kotsay will replace Al Pedrique, who was released from his third base coach duties back in October after three years with Oakland.
It should be noted, too, that the A’s are standing by bench coach Ryan Christenson, who found himself in hot water after an NBC Sports California camera caught him inadvertently throwing up what looked like an offensive sign in the handshake line after a win last season.
Kotsay’s reputation follows him outside of the Coliseum confines — the 45-year-old has interviewed for positions with other teams — including for the Detroit Tigers managerial position ultimately filled by former Astros manager AJ Hinch this year. He also interviewed for the Houston Astros managerial position filled by Dusty Baker and the San Francisco Giants job filled by Gabe Kapler in 2019.
Kotsay’s promotion could be an effort to keep the highly-sought-after coach close. He’s proven to be an invaluable mentor to the team, utility player Chad Pinder can attest.
“He’s awesome,” Pinder said by Thursday. “With him playing for so long and not being that far removed from his playing days, he’s a guy that everyone gravitates toward.”
Kotsay was destined to return to a field staff position — the A’s created the quality control position, in essence, for Kotsay to squeeze as much of his expertise and observations into the clubhouse and dugout while allowing him time to deal with a family matter that forced him away from his bench coaching duties in 2016. Even as quality control coach of late, Kotsay still observed batting practice and helped with infield defense work.
Kotsay played 17 seasons with seven different teams, including four as a contact-hitting infielder with the Oakland A’s from 2004-07. He retired in 2013 and promptly joined the San Diego Padres front office in 2014 and, then, as their hitting coach. He joined the A’s in 2015 as their bench coach and was moved to quality control coach in 2017, a post he held until his move to third base coach for the 2021 season.
For players like Pinder, it’s clear why the A’s are intent on keeping a coach like Kotsay close. It’s in the details.
Pinder recalls flubbing a situational hitting moment in one of his first big league games back in 2017. He didn’t utter a word as he tried to slither unnoticed back to his seat in the dugout to hit himself over the missed opportunity. It was Kotsay who approached him with the right words.
“In that first year, everything is amplified,” Pinder said. “And I’m analyzing everything, and he can tell I’m analyzing. He came put his hand on me and said, ‘This is what needed to happen. We know it. You know it. You’re gonna have thousands of opportunities and chances to get this done. Just know and grow from it and move on.’
“I didn’t say anything, he just could sense I needed some words of encouragement and it was exactly what I needed to hear.”
And Kotsay came back when Pinder struggled not knowing if he’d be penciled into the game’s lineup during the 2018 season; without a word, Kotsay sat him down and talked him through his role. There’s always some certainty amid the uncertainty, he told him.
“He has a really good pulse on every type of player in the clubhouse. He knows how to handle each player individually. It’s not cookie cutter,” Pinder said. “That’s a big strength of (manager) Bob Melvin’s, too, I see a lot of that it Kots.”
Waving home runners around third base, Kotsay can bring a little more of the competitive fire that still burns in him. Kotsay is just seven years removed from a big league roster, and it shows in his on-field demeanor.
“He’s a competitor. He’s still got that fire from playing and that’s fun to be around, too,” Pinder said. “He’s a fun guy to be around. Everybody really enjoys having him around.”
The A’s feel lucky to have been able to not only move him back onto the field, but also keep him another year. It’s only a matter of time before he lands a managing position.
“He’s not far off, I genuinely believe that,” Pinder said. “He has experience on all sides of the game and that’s invaluable. He’s going to be a great manager one day. We’re happy to have him back.”


mercurynews--2020-12-04--Romney laments ‘great human tragedy’ of Trump COVID response

Republican Sen. Mitt Romney on Thursday blasted President Donald Trump ’ s leadership — or lack thereof — during the deadly coronavirus pandemic as “ a great human tragedy.
” “ Well , this hasn ’ t been the focus of his rhetoric , apparently , and I think it ’ s a great human tragedy , without question , ” Romney told CNN ’ s Wolf Blitzer on “ The Situation Room ” when asked where Trump ’ s leadership is as the President focuses on other issues amid the worsening pandemic .
“ The extraordinary loss of life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unnecessary .
Not all respects , but we ’ ve relaxed our standards as individuals , ” added Romney , who represents Utah .
“ Some states haven ’ t had mask mandates , and from Washington we have not had a constant , consistent plan and plea for people to wear masks , to social-distance , to take all the measures that would reduce the spread of this disease.
” The comments from Romney , the 2012 Republican presidential nominee , come as Trump continues to push baseless claims of widespread voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential pardons , while cases surge around the country and pandemic-related records are continuously broken .
Wednesday was the pandemic ’ s deadliest day in the US , with more than 2,800 reported deaths .
The criticism also comes the same day that President-elect Joe Biden told CNN ’ s Jake Tapper that he will ask Americans to wear masks for the first 100 days after he takes office , focusing on a critical public health measure that Romney says has become politicized .
“ It ’ s unfortunate that this became a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political , ” the senator told Blitzer .
“ This is public health , and unfortunately we have not made that message clear enough to the American people , and people are dying because of it.
” Asked by Blitzer if the resistance by some Republican governors to enacting health and safety measures could be costing lives , Romney said he thought so and called their inaction “ unacceptable.
” • New COVID stay-home order expected to hit Bay Area later this month • Which Californians will be first to get the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay home .
After his French Laundry outing , will anyone listen ?
• Biden says he ’ ll ask Americans to mask up for 100 days • COVID-19 outbreaks infect more than 230 people at two San Jose nursing homes , 60 in homeless shelter “ Well , no question , unless you take this very , very seriously and communicate that this is not a political matter , this is not a matter of liberty , this is a matter of safety and public health , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ very , very sick , many people in the hospital .
We have people who have died and are dying — it ’ s unacceptable .
”

By Mary Kay Mallonee and Devan Cole | CNN
Republican Sen. Mitt Romney on Thursday blasted President Donald Trump’s leadership — or lack thereof — during the deadly coronavirus pandemic as “a great human tragedy.”
“Well, this hasn’t been the focus of his rhetoric, apparently, and I think it’s a great human tragedy, without question,” Romney told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room” when asked where Trump’s leadership is as the President focuses on other issues amid the worsening pandemic.
“The extraordinary loss of life is heartbreaking — and in some respects unnecessary. Not all respects, but we’ve relaxed our standards as individuals,” added Romney, who represents Utah. “Some states haven’t had mask mandates, and from Washington we have not had a constant, consistent plan and plea for people to wear masks, to social-distance, to take all the measures that would reduce the spread of this disease.”
The comments from Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, come as Trump continues to push baseless claims of widespread voter fraud and focuses his attention on potential presidential pardons, while cases surge around the country and pandemic-related records are continuously broken. Wednesday was the pandemic’s deadliest day in the US, with more than 2,800 reported deaths.
The criticism also comes the same day that President-elect Joe Biden told CNN’s Jake Tapper that he will ask Americans to wear masks for the first 100 days after he takes office, focusing on a critical public health measure that Romney says has become politicized.
“It’s unfortunate that this became a political issue. It’s not political,” the senator told Blitzer. “This is public health, and unfortunately we have not made that message clear enough to the American people, and people are dying because of it.”
Asked by Blitzer if the resistance by some Republican governors to enacting health and safety measures could be costing lives, Romney said he thought so and called their inaction “unacceptable.”


mercurynews--2020-12-04--Trump reports raising $200M+ since election day

President Donald Trump ’ s political operation raised more than $ 207 million since Election Day , as the President inundates his supporters with fundraising appeals and refuses to concede his White House loss , according to figures released Thursday night by his campaign .
The total includes money flowing to Trump ’ s campaign coffers and to the Republican National Committee — along with a new leadership PAC that Trump established after the election that could help fuel his political ambitions in the future and retain his influence over the Republican Party for years to come .
“ These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the leader and source of energy for the Republican Party and that his supporters are dedicated to fighting for the rightful , legal outcome of the 2020 general election , ” Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said in a statement .
Despite his loss to President-elect Joe Biden — and dozens of failed attempts to challenge the election results in the courts — Trump has refused to concede his defeat , instead opting to spread falsehoods about election fraud and bombard his supporters with appeals for additional cash .
In all , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and another 132 text messages — seeking funds between 11 p.m .
ET on Election Night , November 3 , and Thursday afternoon .
Many purport to seek donations to his “ Official Election Defense Fund.
” In reality , however , the first 75 % of every contribution currently flows to Save America , the new leadership PAC that Trump established less than a week after the election .
A donor has to contribute $ 5,000 to Save America before any funds are directed to the Trump campaign recount account .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his attacks on the election , releasing a 46-minute video on social media this week — filmed at the White House and replete with baseless allegations about the election .
Trump ’ s post-election haul far outpaces his fundraising performance before the election .
In the month of September , for instance , the Trump campaign took in $ 81.3 million in total receipts .
While politicians can ’ t use the money in leadership PACs directly on their campaigns , federal law provides broad leeway on their spending — leading to criticism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than slush funds to underwrite travel , staff and personal expenses .
In a statement , RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel indicated that the party ’ s money would help fund “ election integrity ” efforts and the GOP ’ s next big challenge : Getting out the vote in Georgia , where two Senate runoffs in January will determine whether their party retains control of the US Senate .
“ We are investing millions to push back against the Democrats ’ unprecedented power grab and drive a massive Get Out The Vote operation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Trump is slated to appear at a rally Saturday to aid Republican Sens .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue .
• Trump aide ousted from DoJ after trying to get case info • Ga. official : No change to Biden ’ s win after recount Most political committees must file reports Thursday with federal regulators detailing with fundraising and spending between October 15 and November 23 .
In the news release , Trump officials said all of the affiliated committees , with the exception of Save America , raised a grand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly six-week period .

By Fredreka Schouten | CNN
President Donald Trump’s political operation raised more than $207 million since Election Day, as the President inundates his supporters with fundraising appeals and refuses to concede his White House loss, according to figures released Thursday night by his campaign.
The total includes money flowing to Trump’s campaign coffers and to the Republican National Committee — along with a new leadership PAC that Trump established after the election that could help fuel his political ambitions in the future and retain his influence over the Republican Party for years to come.
CNN previously reported that Trump’s post-election fundraising had exceeded $170 million.
“These tremendous fundraising numbers show President Trump remains the leader and source of energy for the Republican Party and that his supporters are dedicated to fighting for the rightful, legal outcome of the 2020 general election,” Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said in a statement.
Despite his loss to President-elect Joe Biden — and dozens of failed attempts to challenge the election results in the courts — Trump has refused to concede his defeat, instead opting to spread falsehoods about election fraud and bombard his supporters with appeals for additional cash.
In all, the Trump political operation had sent 414 emails — and another 132 text messages — seeking funds between 11 p.m. ET on Election Night, November 3, and Thursday afternoon.
Many purport to seek donations to his “Official Election Defense Fund.” In reality, however, the first 75% of every contribution currently flows to Save America, the new leadership PAC that Trump established less than a week after the election. A donor has to contribute $5,000 to Save America before any funds are directed to the Trump campaign recount account.
In recent days, Trump has escalated his attacks on the election, releasing a 46-minute video on social media this week — filmed at the White House and replete with baseless allegations about the election.
Trump’s post-election haul far outpaces his fundraising performance before the election. In the month of September, for instance, the Trump campaign took in $81.3 million in total receipts.
While politicians can’t use the money in leadership PACs directly on their campaigns, federal law provides broad leeway on their spending — leading to criticism that these committees amount to little more than slush funds to underwrite travel, staff and personal expenses.
In a statement, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel indicated that the party’s money would help fund “election integrity” efforts and the GOP’s next big challenge: Getting out the vote in Georgia, where two Senate runoffs in January will determine whether their party retains control of the US Senate.
“We are investing millions to push back against the Democrats’ unprecedented power grab and drive a massive Get Out The Vote operation in the Peach State,” she said.
Trump is slated to appear at a rally Saturday to aid Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue.


mercurynews--2020-12-04--Alison Lurie, novelist who won Pulitzer for ‘Foreign Affairs’, dies at 94

NEW YORK — Alison Lurie , the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist whose satirical and cerebral tales of love and academia included the marital saga “ The War Between the Tates ” and the comedy of Americans abroad “ Foreign Affairs , ” died Thursday at age 94 .
Lurie , a professor emerita at Cornell University , died of natural causes , according to her husband and partner , Edward Hower .
Praised by The New York Times as one of the country ’ s “ most able and witty novelists , ” Lurie broke through commercially in 1974 with “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received her highest acclaim for “ Foreign Affairs , ” winner of the 1985 Pulitzer .
Set in London , Lurie ’ s novel was consciously based on old-fashioned narratives of manners and customs , with one character imagining himself trapped in a Henry James story .
The protagonists were Corinth University professor Virginia “ Vinnie ” Martin , an Anglophile and middle-aged scholar of children ’ s literature so self-contained that her closest companion is an invisible dog , and her wayward young colleague , Fred Turner , who takes up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his marriage falls apart back home .
“ Before he met Rosemary , Fred didn ’ t really exist for anyone here except a few other academic ghosts , ” Lurie wrote .
“ Now the city is alive for him and he alive in it .
Everything pulses with meaning , with history and possibility , and Rosemary most of all .
When he is with her he feels he holds all of England , the best of England , in his arms.
” Lurie ’ s novel was adapted into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vinnie and Eric Stoltz as Fred .
“ The War Between the Tates ” became a 1977 TV production featuring Elizabeth Ashley and Richard Crenna .
Academics and artists were often featured in her work , which combined storytelling with social and intellectual commentary .
Her first book , “ Love and Friendship , ” centered on a professor ’ s wife in New England who has an intense affair with a school musician .
In “ The War Between the Tates , ” a Corinth professor ’ s adultery upends his marriage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cultural upheavals of the late 1960s .
Her other books included the novels “ The Last Resort ” and “ Real People , ” the nonfiction works “ The Language of Clothes ” and “ The Language of Architecture ” and “ Familiar Spirits , ” a memoir about her friendship with the prize-winning poet James Merrill and his companion David Jackson .
Her most recent novel , “ Truth and Consequences , ” came out in 2005 .
Her last published book , the literary essay collection “ Words and Worlds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her fiction , Lurie drew openly from her own life .
Corinth was an Ivy League school that closely approximated Cornell and she shared Vinnie ’ s love for England and expertise in children ’ s literature , editing such compilations as “ The Oxford Book of Modern Fairy Tales ” and “ The Heavenly Zoo.
” She wrote about Vietnam War protests , and participated in them .
In 1985 , she was arrested during a rally at Cornell that called on the school to sell off its investments in companies doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government .
Married in 1948 to Jonathan Bishop , an academic and son of the poet John Bishop Peale , she separated from him around the time “ The War Between the Tates ” was published and later married Hower , an author and Cornell literature professor .
She had three sons with Bishop .
Born in Chicago and raised in White Plains , New York , Lurie was the child of liberal , educated parents and grew up reading Jane Austen and other British authors because there “ were not many models @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Southern school , ” she told The Associated Press in 1985 .
She studied history and politics at Radcliffe College and spent much of the 1950s raising her children , writing stories and poems and working with the Poets ’ Theater , where members included Merrill and John Ashbery .
• Bob Gibson , St. Louis Cardinals pitcher who dominated in 1960s , dies at 84 • Eddie Benton-Banai , co-founder of the American Indian Movement , dies at 89 She and Bishop lived in Amherst , Massachusetts , and Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for her fiction , before moving to Ithaca , New York in the early 1960s .
“ Love and Friendship ” came out in 1962 and got right to a favorite theme .
“ The day on which Emily Stockwell Turner fell out of love with her husband , ” Lurie wrote in the book ’ s opening sentence , “ began much like other days .
”

By Hillel Italie | Associated Press
NEW YORK — Alison Lurie, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist whose satirical and cerebral tales of love and academia included the marital saga “The War Between the Tates” and the comedy of Americans abroad “Foreign Affairs,” died Thursday at age 94.
Lurie, a professor emerita at Cornell University, died of natural causes, according to her husband and partner, Edward Hower.
Praised by The New York Times as one of the country’s “most able and witty novelists,” Lurie broke through commercially in 1974 with “The War Between the Tates” and received her highest acclaim for “Foreign Affairs,” winner of the 1985 Pulitzer. Set in London, Lurie’s novel was consciously based on old-fashioned narratives of manners and customs, with one character imagining himself trapped in a Henry James story.
The protagonists were Corinth University professor Virginia “Vinnie” Martin, an Anglophile and middle-aged scholar of children’s literature so self-contained that her closest companion is an invisible dog, and her wayward young colleague, Fred Turner, who takes up with the impulsive British actress Rosemary Radley as his marriage falls apart back home.
“Before he met Rosemary, Fred didn’t really exist for anyone here except a few other academic ghosts,” Lurie wrote. “Now the city is alive for him and he alive in it. Everything pulses with meaning, with history and possibility, and Rosemary most of all. When he is with her he feels he holds all of England, the best of England, in his arms.”
Lurie’s novel was adapted into a 1993 television movie starring Joanne Woodward as Vinnie and Eric Stoltz as Fred. “The War Between the Tates” became a 1977 TV production featuring Elizabeth Ashley and Richard Crenna.
Academics and artists were often featured in her work, which combined storytelling with social and intellectual commentary. Her first book, “Love and Friendship,” centered on a professor’s wife in New England who has an intense affair with a school musician. In “The War Between the Tates,” a Corinth professor’s adultery upends his marriage and scatters husband and wife into the cultural upheavals of the late 1960s.
Her other books included the novels “The Last Resort” and “Real People,” the nonfiction works “The Language of Clothes” and “The Language of Architecture” and “Familiar Spirits,” a memoir about her friendship with the prize-winning poet James Merrill and his companion David Jackson. Her most recent novel, “Truth and Consequences,” came out in 2005. Her last published book, the literary essay collection “Words and Worlds,” was released in 2019.
In her fiction, Lurie drew openly from her own life. Corinth was an Ivy League school that closely approximated Cornell and she shared Vinnie’s love for England and expertise in children’s literature, editing such compilations as “The Oxford Book of Modern Fairy Tales” and “The Heavenly Zoo.” She wrote about Vietnam War protests, and participated in them.
In 1985, she was arrested during a rally at Cornell that called on the school to sell off its investments in companies doing business with South Africa’s racist government.
Married in 1948 to Jonathan Bishop, an academic and son of the poet John Bishop Peale, she separated from him around the time “The War Between the Tates” was published and later married Hower, an author and Cornell literature professor. She had three sons with Bishop.
Born in Chicago and raised in White Plains, New York, Lurie was the child of liberal, educated parents and grew up reading Jane Austen and other British authors because there “were not many models for the American woman novelist, except for the Southern school,” she told The Associated Press in 1985. She studied history and politics at Radcliffe College and spent much of the 1950s raising her children, writing stories and poems and working with the Poets’ Theater, where members included Merrill and John Ashbery.
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A lonely life ends. A brother writes a ‘brutally honest’ obituary. Obituaries | Jamie Reid dies at 76; anarchist artist designed iconic Sex Pistols covers She and Bishop lived in Amherst, Massachusetts, and Los Angeles, both of which became settings for her fiction, before moving to Ithaca, New York in the early 1960s. “Love and Friendship” came out in 1962 and got right to a favorite theme.
“The day on which Emily Stockwell Turner fell out of love with her husband,” Lurie wrote in the book’s opening sentence, “began much like other days.”


mercurynews--2020-12-04--Newsom is asking Californians to stay home. After his French Laundry outing, will anyone listen?

When Gavin Newsom popped up on computer screens Thursday to inform 40 million Californians they ’ d soon be subject to yet more coronavirus restrictions , he grappled with a new challenge : Has the governor lost his credibility right when he needs it most ?
With California ’ s hospitals at risk of overflowing , the governor must convince pandemic-weary residents to listen to a leader who was recently caught attending a crowded dinner at one of the state ’ s swankiest restaurants , undermining the stay-home message he ’ s been touting for months .
And there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unveiled the state ’ s latest shutdown orders : “ This is the time , if there was ever any doubt , to put aside your doubt , to put aside your skepticism , to put aside your cynicism , to put aside your ideology , to put aside any consideration except this : Lives are in the balance .
Lives will be lost unless we do more than we ’ ve ever done.
” But this call to action has been muddied by a series of do-as-I-say , not-as-I-do moments from political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imploring residents to “ meet the moment ” and sacrifice .
Turns out the night after Newsom attended a dinner party on the enclosed patio at Napa County ’ s exclusive French Laundry , San Francisco Mayor London Breed — another strict-rhetoric politician — attended a dinner there , too .
Breed acknowledged her misstep in a tweet Thursday , writing , “ What I especially regret is that the urgency of our public health message in this moment has never been more dire and my actions have distracted from that .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than even just a few weeks ago and we need everyone to do their part , starting with me.
” But the bougie dinners and multi-household gatherings — which go well beyond just Newsom and Breed to include San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo , whose family gathered at his parents ’ home for Thanksgiving , and Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl , who dined out hours after calling the practice dangerous — have angered Golden State residents who have gone months without meeting new grandchildren and seeing loved ones .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause a lot of people who live in the state to say , ‘ Never mind , it doesn ’ t matter , ’ ” said Fred Wilson , a youth soccer league director in Danville .
“ When the governor is telling you one thing and doing something else , the hypocrisy shuts people down .
We ’ ve seen story after story — people throw up their hands and say , ‘ Why am I following the rules if you ’ re not ?
’ ” Barbara O ’ Connor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State University , thinks the kerfuffle could make governing more difficult .
“ I do think the French Laundry hurts his and Mayor Breed ’ s capability to be role models , ” O ’ Connor said of Newsom .
Bill Whalen , a research fellow from the Hoover Institution at Stanford University , agrees .
“ I think he lost a lot of that moral authority with that ill-advised trip to Napa , ” Whalen said .
Whalen expects the frustration among Californians to linger , in part because Newsom was caught @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not at the Olive Garden down the street from his house .
“ If he was busted eating breadsticks , I think maybe you get out of it , ” Whalen said .
“ The sheer , pun-intended , deliciousness of where he was eating … I think it sticks with people.
” Asked about his credibility at a Thursday news conference , Newsom gave a somewhat curt response : “ I ’ ll continue to do my job , that ’ s what I have to do.
” But beyond bad optics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing and doing the opposite is deeply worrisome to epidemiologists and infectious disease experts such as John Swartzberg , a professor emeritus at UC Berkeley .
They know firsthand that getting the pandemic under control depends on convincing millions of people to make smart , science-based individual choices that ultimately put the greater good of the state ahead of their wants and desires .
“ When they do things that are contrary to what they are asking you to do , the public is going to stop following the recommendations , ” Swartzberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality of this latest alarming wave of the pandemic convinces us to behave appropriately .
• New COVID stay-home order expected to hit Bay Area later this month • Which Californians will be first to get the virus vaccine ?
• Biden says he ’ ll ask Americans to mask up for 100 days • COVID-19 outbreaks infect more than 230 people at two San Jose nursing homes , 60 in homeless shelter “ The headlines on the papers are going to be very difficult for anybody to ignore and are going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Swartzberg said .
“ We ’ re at the precipice of being like New York City in their catastrophic days .
That ’ s going to influence human behavior far more than the hypocrisy of elected officials.
” Overall , in contrast to many states and the Trump White House , California ’ s leaders have done an above-average job at driving home the correct messages — both in words and actions , experts say .
As bad as things are in the Golden State , with record-breaking coronavirus case numbers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dire as in some other states , including nearby Arizona , where the San Francisco 49ers relocated to avoid Santa Clara County ’ s no-contact sports rule .
As with politicians , the team ’ s decision is causing consternation among health care workers .
“ They pick the state that in terms of cases is doing worse than California — which is making the statement that we ’ re going to even put our players in a riskier environment so we can play and make money , ” Swartzberg said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to model correct behavior .
”

When Gavin Newsom popped up on computer screens Thursday to inform 40 million Californians they’d soon be subject to yet more coronavirus restrictions, he grappled with a new challenge: Has the governor lost his credibility right when he needs it most?
With California’s hospitals at risk of overflowing, the governor must convince pandemic-weary residents to listen to a leader who was recently caught attending a crowded dinner at one of the state’s swankiest restaurants, undermining the stay-home message he’s been touting for months.
And there was no denying that tension Thursday when Newsom unveiled the state’s latest shutdown orders: “This is the time, if there was ever any doubt, to put aside your doubt, to put aside your skepticism, to put aside your cynicism, to put aside your ideology, to put aside any consideration except this: Lives are in the balance. Lives will be lost unless we do more than we’ve ever done.”
But this call to action has been muddied by a series of do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do moments from political leaders in recent weeks who have been imploring residents to “meet the moment” and sacrifice. Turns out the night after Newsom attended a dinner party on the enclosed patio at Napa County’s exclusive French Laundry, San Francisco Mayor London Breed — another strict-rhetoric politician — attended a dinner there, too.
Breed acknowledged her misstep in a tweet Thursday, writing, “What I especially regret is that the urgency of our public health message in this moment has never been more dire and my actions have distracted from that. We’re in a much different place than even just a few weeks ago and we need everyone to do their part, starting with me.”
But the bougie dinners and multi-household gatherings — which go well beyond just Newsom and Breed to include San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, whose family gathered at his parents’ home for Thanksgiving, and Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, who dined out hours after calling the practice dangerous — have angered Golden State residents who have gone months without meeting new grandchildren and seeing loved ones.
“I believe it’s those stories that cause a lot of people who live in the state to say, ‘Never mind, it doesn’t matter,’ ” said Fred Wilson, a youth soccer league director in Danville. “When the governor is telling you one thing and doing something else, the hypocrisy shuts people down. We’ve seen story after story — people throw up their hands and say, ‘Why am I following the rules if you’re not?’ ”
Barbara O’Connor, a professor emeritus of communications at Sacramento State University, thinks the kerfuffle could make governing more difficult.
“I do think the French Laundry hurts his and Mayor Breed’s capability to be role models,” O’Connor said of Newsom.
Bill Whalen, a research fellow from the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, agrees.
“I think he lost a lot of that moral authority with that ill-advised trip to Napa,” Whalen said.
Whalen expects the frustration among Californians to linger, in part because Newsom was caught at a Michelin-starred, ultra-expensive restaurant and not at the Olive Garden down the street from his house.
“If he was busted eating breadsticks, I think maybe you get out of it,” Whalen said. “The sheer, pun-intended, deliciousness of where he was eating … I think it sticks with people.”
Asked about his credibility at a Thursday news conference, Newsom gave a somewhat curt response: “I’ll continue to do my job, that’s what I have to do.”
But beyond bad optics, the implications of leaders saying one thing and doing the opposite is deeply worrisome to epidemiologists and infectious disease experts such as John Swartzberg, a professor emeritus at UC Berkeley. They know firsthand that getting the pandemic under control depends on convincing millions of people to make smart, science-based individual choices that ultimately put the greater good of the state ahead of their wants and desires.
“When they do things that are contrary to what they are asking you to do, the public is going to stop following the recommendations,” Swartzberg said.
But he hopes that the reality of this latest alarming wave of the pandemic convinces us to behave appropriately.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Politics | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge “The headlines on the papers are going to be very difficult for anybody to ignore and are going to scare the hell out of people,” Swartzberg said. “We’re at the precipice of being like New York City in their catastrophic days. That’s going to influence human behavior far more than the hypocrisy of elected officials.”
Overall, in contrast to many states and the Trump White House, California’s leaders have done an above-average job at driving home the correct messages — both in words and actions, experts say.
As bad as things are in the Golden State, with record-breaking coronavirus case numbers and hospitalizations, they are not yet as dire as in some other states, including nearby Arizona, where the San Francisco 49ers relocated to avoid Santa Clara County’s no-contact sports rule. As with politicians, the team’s decision is causing consternation among health care workers.
“They pick the state that in terms of cases is doing worse than California — which is making the statement that we’re going to even put our players in a riskier environment so we can play and make money,” Swartzberg said. “The 49ers are an institution. They need to model correct behavior.”


mercurynews--2020-12-04--Review: A brilliant turn from Aubrey Plaza in ‘Black Bear’

‘ Tis the season of great Aubrey Plaza performances , apparently .
The “ Parks and Recreation ” and “ Legion ” alum has been long overdue for a breakout film role , something fitting of her wide-ranging talent and more imaginative than just relying on her quirky deadpan and eye rolls .
She ’ s been excellent before as a motivated teen in “ The To Do List ” and an empathetic social media stalker in “ Ingrid Goes West ” but the bigger studio comedies have largely failed her .
Something finally clicked into place , though , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on another level .
And no , I ’ m not just talking about her effortlessly cool “ Happiest Season ” character , a side-player who became a social media favorite simply by existing .
The movie is ” Black Bear , ” a meta thriller about moviemaking , creativity and ego from writer-director Lawrence Michael Levine that debuted earlier this year at Sundance and is the kind of indie that can so easily get lost just because it is never going to be an Oscar contender .
It also has the misfortune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or satisfyingly : It essentially becomes a different movie halfway through .
But even though it is purposefully disorienting and occasionally a little too heightened , it is never not interesting and keeps you rapt with its captivating performances , revealing dialogue and moody , lo-fi style .
In the first section , Plaza plays Allison , an actor turned filmmaker who has decided to escape to a bed and breakfast in the woods on a lake to work on her next screenplay .
Her movies , she says , are the small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And she quit acting because she was difficult or not pretty enough or , more likely , some other reason she would rather not admit to herself much less a stranger whose property she ’ s renting .
The cabin is maintained by a young , pretty couple Gabe ( Christopher Abbott ) , a musician , and Blair ( Sarah Gadon ) , a dancer , who are expecting their first child .
Their struggling artist life in Brooklyn was too expensive and unsuccessful to continue and they ’ re trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Although , like an unhappy couple who have been isolated for too long , the cracks are starting to show .
The first act unravels like a play .
The three have a long , wine-fueled dinner talking , bickering and provoking one another to the breaking point and beyond .
Allison is sarcastic , evasive and quippy and finds herself allying with Gabe much to the distress of the much more direct and sincere Blair .
Gabe is a very particular kind of millennial male whose artistic temperament , dismissive intellect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combination — a theme which carries over into the second part of the film to explosive results .
It ’ s cringey and enthralling as the three dig themselves into deeper and deeper holes and you begin to wish for any kind of release .
Perhaps that ’ s part of the reason why “ Black Bear ” cuts to black and restarts with a different premise but similar themes .
Gadon and Abbott are darkly excellent as they playfully skewer the worst kind of egos in their industry .
And it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Allison , gets some real showstopper moments within the stereotypical construct of a desperately insecure , jealous and dangerously method female lead .
It ’ s reminiscent of and probably inspired by Gena Rowlands and puts Plaza in a different class .
The film itself might not wrap up in any sort of tidy or satisfying way , but nothing leading up to the conclusion would lead you to expect something so basic .
Rating : R ( for language throughout , sexual content , drug use and some nudity )

By Lindsey Bahr | Associated Press
‘Tis the season of great Aubrey Plaza performances, apparently. The “Parks and Recreation” and “Legion” alum has been long overdue for a breakout film role, something fitting of her wide-ranging talent and more imaginative than just relying on her quirky deadpan and eye rolls.
She’s been excellent before as a motivated teen in “The To Do List” and an empathetic social media stalker in “Ingrid Goes West” but the bigger studio comedies have largely failed her. Something finally clicked into place, though, and she has proven that she is on another level. And no, I’m not just talking about her effortlessly cool “Happiest Season” character, a side-player who became a social media favorite simply by existing.
The movie is ” Black Bear,” a meta thriller about moviemaking, creativity and ego from writer-director Lawrence Michael Levine that debuted earlier this year at Sundance and is the kind of indie that can so easily get lost just because it is never going to be an Oscar contender. It also has the misfortune of being enormously tricky to describe coherently or satisfyingly: It essentially becomes a different movie halfway through. But even though it is purposefully disorienting and occasionally a little too heightened, it is never not interesting and keeps you rapt with its captivating performances, revealing dialogue and moody, lo-fi style.
In the first section, Plaza plays Allison, an actor turned filmmaker who has decided to escape to a bed and breakfast in the woods on a lake to work on her next screenplay. Her movies, she says, are the small, unsuccessful ones that no one likes. And she quit acting because she was difficult or not pretty enough or, more likely, some other reason she would rather not admit to herself much less a stranger whose property she’s renting.
The cabin is maintained by a young, pretty couple Gabe (Christopher Abbott), a musician, and Blair (Sarah Gadon), a dancer, who are expecting their first child. Their struggling artist life in Brooklyn was too expensive and unsuccessful to continue and they’re trying on the rustic life for a change. Although, like an unhappy couple who have been isolated for too long, the cracks are starting to show.
The first act unravels like a play. The three have a long, wine-fueled dinner talking, bickering and provoking one another to the breaking point and beyond. Allison is sarcastic, evasive and quippy and finds herself allying with Gabe much to the distress of the much more direct and sincere Blair. Gabe is a very particular kind of millennial male whose artistic temperament, dismissive intellect and sensitive posturing make for a toxic combination — a theme which carries over into the second part of the film to explosive results. It’s cringey and enthralling as the three dig themselves into deeper and deeper holes and you begin to wish for any kind of release.
Perhaps that’s part of the reason why “Black Bear” cuts to black and restarts with a different premise but similar themes. Gadon and Abbott are darkly excellent as they playfully skewer the worst kind of egos in their industry. And it’s here where Plaza, as actor Allison, gets some real showstopper moments within the stereotypical construct of a desperately insecure, jealous and dangerously method female lead. It’s reminiscent of and probably inspired by Gena Rowlands and puts Plaza in a different class.
The film itself might not wrap up in any sort of tidy or satisfying way, but nothing leading up to the conclusion would lead you to expect something so basic.
“Black Bear”
3 stars out of 4
Rating: R (for language throughout, sexual content, drug use and some nudity)
Running time: 104 minutes


mercurynews--2020-12-04--Dangerously viral: How President Trump, supporters spread false claims

By AMANDA SEITZ and DAVID KLEPPER | The Associated Press The cellphone video shot in the dark by a woman in a parked car appeared to show something ominous : a man closing the doors of a white van and then rolling a wagon with a large box into a Detroit election center .
Within hours , the 90-second clip was being shared on news sites and conservative YouTube accounts , offered as apparent proof that illegal votes were being smuggled in after polls closed .
Prominent Republicans , including Eric Trump , one of the president ’ s sons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Within a day , views of the video shot up past a million .
That single video serves as a powerful emblem of the trafficking in false information that has plagued the presidential election won by Joe Biden .
In other videos , photos and social media posts , supporters of President Donald Trump , and most notably the incumbent himself , have raised doubts about the outcome based on problems that did not occur .
Though the clip was quickly discredited by news organizations and public officials — the man depicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not illegal votes — to many viewers it had its intended effect .
Eric Hainline , a UPS driver from Dayton , Ohio , watched the video and many like it , and said the images reinforced his suspicions that the election was stolen from Trump .
“ You don ’ t know who to believe anymore , ” said Hainline , 44 .
“ I think the trust people have is broken.
” Trump and his allies have fomented the idea of a “ rigged election ” for months , promoting falsehoods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraudulent votes and dead voters casting ballots across the country .
While the details of these spurious allegations may fade over time , the scar they leave on American democracy could take years to heal .
“ There will always be people who believe the Democrats stole the election in 2020 , ” said Jennifer Mercieca , a historian of political rhetoric at Texas A & M University .
“ That will not change.
” In fact , there is no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election .
Election officials confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election went well .
Attorney General William Barr said Tuesday the Justice Department has not identified voter fraud that would change the presidential election .
But from the Oval Office , Trump has consistently tried to mislead the nation about the outcome .
As a result , cries of voter fraud have persisted loudly in an online media ecosystem where pro-Trump Facebook pages , Twitter accounts and fringe websites readily circulate unchecked or misleading claims about the voting process .
And one of those falsehoods sprang from the cellphone camera of Kelly SoRelle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting her video of the man with a wagon in Detroit , SoRelle took it to a conservative YouTube host who played it for his show ’ s 5 million subscribers the day after the election .
She also gave it to the Texas Scorecard , a website started by Empower Texans , a lobbying group that ranks politicians on a conservative scorecard and is bankrolled by West Texas businessman Tim Dunn .
Empower Texans ’ PAC has pumped millions of dollars into the campaigns of ultra-conservative candidates .
Texas Scorecard posted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which collectively racked up 50,000 shares on Facebook .
SoRelle did not respond to requests for comment .
Others soon picked up the story , and four hours later , Eric Trump had tweeted it to his 4 million followers .
“ WATCH : Suitcases and Coolers Rolled Into Detroit Voting Center at 4 AM , Brought Into Secure Counting Area , ” he tweeted .
Over the next week , there were nearly 150,000 mentions of wagons , suitcases or coolers of votes in broadcast scripts , blogs and on public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to an analysis that media intelligence firm Zignal Labs conducted for the AP .
An investigative reporter at local TV station WXYZ-TV clarified on Twitter the night the video was first posted that the mysterious man was one of its videographers .
He was pulling in a wagon of equipment to relieve the crew inside the voting center .
Mentions of the story began to fizzle out on Nov. 5 after news organizations fact-checked the claims , Zignal Labs ’ report found .
By then , however , many of those fringe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new claims of voter fraud online .
Some claimed 100,000 ballots were “ magically found ” in Milwaukee at 3 a.m. , when , in reality , the city ’ s election director , escorted by police , had just delivered thumb drives of data with the count of roughly 169,000 absentee ballots to the county courthouse so the results could be uploaded .
Others suggested that Dominion Voting Systems , one of the country ’ s most widely used voting technology firms , deleted or switched votes — an impossible feat that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a finding confirmed by the federal agency that oversees election security .
Meanwhile , in lawsuits , tweets and Facebook posts , the Trump campaign started naming voters in Georgia , Nevada and Michigan they believed were dead .
Among them was Mrs. James E. Blalock , a Georgia widow who registered to vote using her married name and is alive .
In Georgia , where Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win since 1992 , other false claims that voting machines deleted votes for Trump or ballots were tossed into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Propping up those false claims as evidence , fellow Republicans , including the president , accused Georgia ’ s GOP secretary of state , Brad Raffensperger , of being a “ liar ” who failed to root out “ illegal ” votes in the state .
“ There are those who are exploiting the emotions of many Trump supporters with fantastic claims , half-truths , misinformation , and frankly , they ’ re misleading the president as well , apparently , ” Raffensperger said at a news conference Monday .
And even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results showing that Biden won the race , Trump and his closest allies have continued their campaign against the election , reviving debunked falsehoods in front of TV cameras and late-night tweets .
Biden supporter RosaLea Schiavone , of San Diego , said she has watched with horror — but not surprise — as Trump has fanned conspiracy theories about the election ’ s outcome .
She worries the damage will last far longer than one campaign , one term or one presidency .
“ This is about fear , what he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s fear and mistrust , ” the 71-year-old said .
“ It could hurt all of us.
” The social media platforms have tried to slow the reach of some of those falsehoods about the U.S. election , with both Twitter and Facebook fact-checking false claims on their sites .
Since Election Day , Twitter has flagged more than 100 of the president ’ s tweets about the vote , some of which it prohibited users from sharing , commenting on or liking .
Facebook has labeled the president ’ s misleading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spread the falsehoods across its platform .
On Wednesday , Trump used Twitter and Facebook to deliver a 46-minute diatribe of misstatements about the election to his collective following of 100 million users on the two platforms .
When the president says he was cheated in this election , 77-year-old Myra C. Ruiz believes him .
Any fact-checking of his statements has done little to convince her otherwise .
“ I heard two days ago that Trump said he didn ’ t lose this election ; it was taken from him , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who lives in New Orleans .
Ruiz is among a sizable majority of Trump backers who believes the election was stolen .
A survey last month by Monmouth University found that almost one-third of Americans , and more than 75 % of Trump supporters , believe Biden only won because of fraud .
Falsehoods around the election have continued to reach a large audience , with nearly 2.5 million mentions of voter fraud and Stop the Steal across online sites , broadcasts and public social media accounts just last week , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says he ’ ll ask Americans to mask up for 100 days • Trump aide ousted from DoJ after trying to get case info Overwhelmed with claims of problems in the election from the president , media reports and social media posts , Americans are increasingly likely to wonder if the vote can be trusted , said Lisa Fazio , a psychology professor at Vanderbilt University who studies the impact of false information .
“ There ’ s so much repetition of this narrative that there ’ s voter fraud , ” Fazio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits of repetition .
We know people are more likely to remember something .
Repetition also increases belief in a claim.
” But Michael Hobson , a 61-year-old who voted for Trump , has mostly shrugged off the complaints he ’ s heard from the president about the election and the reports he ’ s seen about voter fraud on the conservative TV station One America News Network he watches .
“ I think he ’ s wrong , ” said Hobson , who lives in Virginia Beach , Virginia .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s talking about is not going to make a difference anyway .
”

By AMANDA SEITZ and DAVID KLEPPER | The Associated Press
The cellphone video shot in the dark by a woman in a parked car appeared to show something ominous: a man closing the doors of a white van and then rolling a wagon with a large box into a Detroit election center.
Within hours, the 90-second clip was being shared on news sites and conservative YouTube accounts, offered as apparent proof that illegal votes were being smuggled in after polls closed. Prominent Republicans, including Eric Trump, one of the president’s sons, amplified the falsehoods on social media. Within a day, views of the video shot up past a million.
That single video serves as a powerful emblem of the trafficking in false information that has plagued the presidential election won by Joe Biden. In other videos, photos and social media posts, supporters of President Donald Trump, and most notably the incumbent himself, have raised doubts about the outcome based on problems that did not occur.
Though the clip was quickly discredited by news organizations and public officials — the man depicted was a photojournalist hauling camera equipment, not illegal votes — to many viewers it had its intended effect.
Eric Hainline, a UPS driver from Dayton, Ohio, watched the video and many like it, and said the images reinforced his suspicions that the election was stolen from Trump.
“You don’t know who to believe anymore,” said Hainline, 44. “I think the trust people have is broken.”
Trump and his allies have fomented the idea of a “rigged election” for months, promoting falsehoods through various media and even lawsuits about fraudulent votes and dead voters casting ballots across the country.
While the details of these spurious allegations may fade over time, the scar they leave on American democracy could take years to heal.
“There will always be people who believe the Democrats stole the election in 2020,” said Jennifer Mercieca, a historian of political rhetoric at Texas A&M University. “That will not change.”
In fact, there is no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Election officials confirmed there were no serious irregularities and the election went well. Attorney General William Barr said Tuesday the Justice Department has not identified voter fraud that would change the presidential election.
But from the Oval Office, Trump has consistently tried to mislead the nation about the outcome. As a result, cries of voter fraud have persisted loudly in an online media ecosystem where pro-Trump Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and fringe websites readily circulate unchecked or misleading claims about the voting process.
And one of those falsehoods sprang from the cellphone camera of Kelly SoRelle, a Republican from Texas. After shooting her video of the man with a wagon in Detroit, SoRelle took it to a conservative YouTube host who played it for his show’s 5 million subscribers the day after the election. She also gave it to the Texas Scorecard, a website started by Empower Texans, a lobbying group that ranks politicians on a conservative scorecard and is bankrolled by West Texas businessman Tim Dunn. Empower Texans’ PAC has pumped millions of dollars into the campaigns of ultra-conservative candidates. Texas Scorecard posted the video on its website and YouTube page, which collectively racked up 50,000 shares on Facebook. SoRelle did not respond to requests for comment.
Others soon picked up the story, and four hours later, Eric Trump had tweeted it to his 4 million followers. “WATCH: Suitcases and Coolers Rolled Into Detroit Voting Center at 4 AM, Brought Into Secure Counting Area,” he tweeted.
Over the next week, there were nearly 150,000 mentions of wagons, suitcases or coolers of votes in broadcast scripts, blogs and on public Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts, according to an analysis that media intelligence firm Zignal Labs conducted for the AP.
An investigative reporter at local TV station WXYZ-TV clarified on Twitter the night the video was first posted that the mysterious man was one of its videographers. He was pulling in a wagon of equipment to relieve the crew inside the voting center. Mentions of the story began to fizzle out on Nov. 5 after news organizations fact-checked the claims, Zignal Labs’ report found.
By then, however, many of those fringe websites and Trump associates were busy peddling new claims of voter fraud online.
Some claimed 100,000 ballots were “magically found” in Milwaukee at 3 a.m., when, in reality, the city’s election director, escorted by police, had just delivered thumb drives of data with the count of roughly 169,000 absentee ballots to the county courthouse so the results could be uploaded. Others suggested that Dominion Voting Systems, one of the country’s most widely used voting technology firms, deleted or switched votes — an impossible feat that never happened, the company says, a finding confirmed by the federal agency that oversees election security.
Meanwhile, in lawsuits, tweets and Facebook posts, the Trump campaign started naming voters in Georgia, Nevada and Michigan they believed were dead. Among them was Mrs. James E. Blalock, a Georgia widow who registered to vote using her married name and is alive.
In Georgia, where Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win since 1992, other false claims that voting machines deleted votes for Trump or ballots were tossed into the garbage have littered social media feeds. Propping up those false claims as evidence, fellow Republicans, including the president, accused Georgia’s GOP secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, of being a “liar” who failed to root out “illegal” votes in the state.
“There are those who are exploiting the emotions of many Trump supporters with fantastic claims, half-truths, misinformation, and frankly, they’re misleading the president as well, apparently,” Raffensperger said at a news conference Monday.
And even as states around the country certify election results showing that Biden won the race, Trump and his closest allies have continued their campaign against the election, reviving debunked falsehoods in front of TV cameras and late-night tweets.
Biden supporter RosaLea Schiavone, of San Diego, said she has watched with horror — but not surprise — as Trump has fanned conspiracy theories about the election’s outcome. She worries the damage will last far longer than one campaign, one term or one presidency.
“This is about fear, what he’s doing. He plays into people’s fear and mistrust,” the 71-year-old said. “It could hurt all of us.”
The social media platforms have tried to slow the reach of some of those falsehoods about the U.S. election, with both Twitter and Facebook fact-checking false claims on their sites. Since Election Day, Twitter has flagged more than 100 of the president’s tweets about the vote, some of which it prohibited users from sharing, commenting on or liking. Facebook has labeled the president’s misleading posts but not limited users’ ability to spread the falsehoods across its platform. On Wednesday, Trump used Twitter and Facebook to deliver a 46-minute diatribe of misstatements about the election to his collective following of 100 million users on the two platforms.
When the president says he was cheated in this election, 77-year-old Myra C. Ruiz believes him. Any fact-checking of his statements has done little to convince her otherwise.
“I heard two days ago that Trump said he didn’t lose this election; it was taken from him,” said Ruiz, a Trump supporter who lives in New Orleans.
Ruiz is among a sizable majority of Trump backers who believes the election was stolen. A survey last month by Monmouth University found that almost one-third of Americans, and more than 75% of Trump supporters, believe Biden only won because of fraud.
Falsehoods around the election have continued to reach a large audience, with nearly 2.5 million mentions of voter fraud and Stop the Steal across online sites, broadcasts and public social media accounts just last week, according to Zignal Labs’ analysis.
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Judge Chutkan: Trump’s right to free speech ‘not absolute’ Election | A conservative case for disqualifying Donald Trump in 2024 Overwhelmed with claims of problems in the election from the president, media reports and social media posts, Americans are increasingly likely to wonder if the vote can be trusted, said Lisa Fazio, a psychology professor at Vanderbilt University who studies the impact of false information.
“There’s so much repetition of this narrative that there’s voter fraud,” Fazio said. “There’s two benefits of repetition. We know people are more likely to remember something. Repetition also increases belief in a claim.”
But Michael Hobson, a 61-year-old who voted for Trump, has mostly shrugged off the complaints he’s heard from the president about the election and the reports he’s seen about voter fraud on the conservative TV station One America News Network he watches.
“I think he’s wrong,” said Hobson, who lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia. “The amount of (voter fraud) he’s talking about is not going to make a difference anyway.”


mercurynews--2020-12-04--A new monolith appeared out of nowhere in a California park, but it didn’t last for long

The silver pillar was reported Wednesday afternoon at the summit of Pine Mountain Loop at Stadium Park in Atascadero , which is nearly halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco .
“ We don ’ t know how it got there and apparently its already disappeared , ” Deputy City Manger Terrie Banish told CNN .
The Atascadero News reported that a group of men removed it early Thursday .
Banish said the city doesn ’ t plan to investigate the monument , or its disappearance , but they will remove the rebar , or reinforcing rod , that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they don ’ t want anyone to get hurt .
The three-sided metal monument became a bit of a social media sensation for the brief time it was in place .
Michelle Gilsdorf read about the monolith ’ s appearance on a community Facebook page and decided to check it out for herself .
She told CNN it took about 30 minutes to hike to the object .
“ I know the trail very well , it ’ s a semi-moderate hike , my Fitbit from the trailhead on Capistrano Avenue , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way we walked up , ” said Gilsdorf .
“ I saw a bit of it from the trailhead , so I knew it wasn ’ t a complete joke that something was up there.
” Banish said the monolith was 10-12 feet tall and weighed an estimated 200 pounds .
“ Nobody ever saw it being installed , ” she said , even though the trail is pretty popular .
This is the latest mystery object to appear in recent weeks , but it is not known whether they are related .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ if for no other reason than UFOs would probably want nothing to do with Earth in 2020 .
The first was spotted last month in Utah by a team that was counting bighorn sheep from a helicopter .
• California mortuary driver suspected of stealing ring from body of dead woman • Couple arrested after allegedly traveling from San Francisco to Hawaii knowing they tested positive for Covid-19 • Mysterious monolith pops up in California after finds in Utah , Romania • This British pub is posing as a church to get around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the Utah Bureau of Land Management reported that the monolith had disappeared .
A Colorado photographer told CNN that he saw four people pull down it down and remove it from the area .
That group later announced on social media that they removed the monolith .

The silver pillar was reported Wednesday afternoon at the summit of Pine Mountain Loop at Stadium Park in Atascadero, which is nearly halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
“We don’t know how it got there and apparently its already disappeared,” Deputy City Manger Terrie Banish told CNN. The Atascadero News reported that a group of men removed it early Thursday.
Banish said the city doesn’t plan to investigate the monument, or its disappearance, but they will remove the rebar, or reinforcing rod, that was used to secure it to the ground because they don’t want anyone to get hurt.
The three-sided metal monument became a bit of a social media sensation for the brief time it was in place.
Michelle Gilsdorf read about the monolith’s appearance on a community Facebook page and decided to check it out for herself.
She told CNN it took about 30 minutes to hike to the object.
“I know the trail very well, it’s a semi-moderate hike, my Fitbit from the trailhead on Capistrano Avenue, was .81 miles to the summit the way we walked up,” said Gilsdorf. “I saw a bit of it from the trailhead, so I knew it wasn’t a complete joke that something was up there.”
Banish said the monolith was 10-12 feet tall and weighed an estimated 200 pounds.
“Nobody ever saw it being installed,” she said, even though the trail is pretty popular.
This is the latest mystery object to appear in recent weeks, but it is not known whether they are related.
Experts have mostly ruled out aliens — if for no other reason than UFOs would probably want nothing to do with Earth in 2020.
The first was spotted last month in Utah by a team that was counting bighorn sheep from a helicopter.
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30-year-old Michigan woman charged with having sex with a dog Environment | ‘All of the dream’: How Eurodance parody ‘Planet of the Bass’ became the song of the summer The mystery deepened last week when the Utah Bureau of Land Management reported that the monolith had disappeared.
A Colorado photographer told CNN that he saw four people pull down it down and remove it from the area. That group later announced on social media that they removed the monolith.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


mercurynews--2020-12-04--Sponsored: Design virtually or in person

Planning to purchase a new home ?
Then you must be wondering how the design selection process will go for all the design elements that tailor the home to your tastes .
If you ’ re like most new-home buyers , the idea of shopping online for the house itself is not foreign , nor has it been for about five years .
A full 99 % of new-home buyers spend the majority of their new-home search time viewing communities online , researching builders and understanding communities .
For years , new-home buyers have analyzed new-home lots and floor plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ renderings that show how different design combinations will mix and match .
Some builders even provide 3D views to allow buyers to compare different home elevations and options to each other , by room , by floor or by entire property .
The reality , therefore , is that the concept of “ virtual design ” for new-home buyers has been part of the homebuying process since long before pandemic conditions turned most of us into fully online shoppers .
That doesn ’ t mean that buyers don ’ t still want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tile , hardwood , molding or countertop stone .
It also doesn ’ t mean that they no longer want to view side-by-side comparison of cabinet woods , backsplashes , and countertops for the kitchen and bathroom .
For many buyers , the tactile experience around cabinet knobs and handles , as well as faucets and plumbing fixtures , is a must-have .
“ It ’ s a mix in terms of who prefers online or virtual design and how much of an in-person experience they want , ” says Jennifer Kamenca , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Residential Design Services ( RDS ) .
“ Fortunately , the protocols have changed over the past six months.
” RDS works with several Bay Area and Northern California builders , including Signature Homes , Blue Mountain Communities and Century Communities .
The company operates four Northern California design studios , including Livermore and San Jose locations .
Kamenca explains that , at first , all design studios were closed and builders extended cutoff dates for homebuyers to make decisions .
But by late April or May , Zoom , FaceTime and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designers sharing images on their screens .
“ A lot of them take the buyer directly to the vendors ’ websites when sharing screens during the meetings .
On some vendor sites , the designer or vendor can set up virtual rooms to see the designs , ” she says .
“ Designers also will ask the vendors to mail samples directly to the buyers.
” For some new-home communities , virtual design is an unexpected benefit to the buyer who otherwise would have had to travel an hour or more to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is purchasing in Sacramento , for example , can trim the number of studio visits down to one or two at most by taking advantage of virtual design .
While all of the many virtual design experiences still take place , scheduled , in-person design studio meetings now happen more regularly .
“ In our design studios , we can schedule two meetings at a time , ” Kamenca says .
Each meeting can have up to two people ( no children ) from the buyer and one design specialist .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the studio and only the designer can touch the samples .
Everyone wears a mask and gloves and we disinfect the entire design studio before each meeting.
” Builders such as Blue Mountain Communities , Century Communities and Woodside Homes are also using RDS ’ Momentum Design program , which allows buyers to create and share multiple design scenarios for one home .
“ Each builder uses it differently , ” Kamenca says .
“ It ’ s really simple to use and everyone is really happy with the virtual design concept.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level with in-person meetings , virtual or online design , builders are ready to accommodate everyone ’ s needs .
So , too , are vendors , who are happy to share their samples of woods , tiles , knobs , handles and other textiles with buyers .

Planning to purchase a new home? Then you must be wondering how the design selection process will go for all the design elements that tailor the home to your tastes.
If you’re like most new-home buyers, the idea of shopping online for the house itself is not foreign, nor has it been for about five years. A full 99% of new-home buyers spend the majority of their new-home search time viewing communities online, researching builders and understanding communities.
For years, new-home buyers have analyzed new-home lots and floor plans online and worked with designers to create renderings that show how different design combinations will mix and match.
Some builders even provide 3D views to allow buyers to compare different home elevations and options to each other, by room, by floor or by entire property.
The reality, therefore, is that the concept of “virtual design” for new-home buyers has been part of the homebuying process since long before pandemic conditions turned most of us into fully online shoppers.
That doesn’t mean that buyers don’t still want to touch and feel every carpet, floor tile, hardwood, molding or countertop stone. It also doesn’t mean that they no longer want to view side-by-side comparison of cabinet woods, backsplashes, and countertops for the kitchen and bathroom. For many buyers, the tactile experience around cabinet knobs and handles, as well as faucets and plumbing fixtures, is a must-have.
“It’s a mix in terms of who prefers online or virtual design and how much of an in-person experience they want,” says Jennifer Kamenca, vice president of design studio operations for Residential Design Services (RDS). “Fortunately, the protocols have changed over the past six months.”
RDS works with several Bay Area and Northern California builders, including Signature Homes, Blue Mountain Communities and Century Communities. The company operates four Northern California design studios, including Livermore and San Jose locations.
Kamenca explains that, at first, all design studios were closed and builders extended cutoff dates for homebuyers to make decisions. But by late April or May, Zoom, FaceTime and other online meetings became more common, with designers sharing images on their screens.
“A lot of them take the buyer directly to the vendors’ websites when sharing screens during the meetings. On some vendor sites, the designer or vendor can set up virtual rooms to see the designs,” she says. “Designers also will ask the vendors to mail samples directly to the buyers.”
For some new-home communities, virtual design is an unexpected benefit to the buyer who otherwise would have had to travel an hour or more to a design studio. A Bay Area-based buyer who is purchasing in Sacramento, for example, can trim the number of studio visits down to one or two at most by taking advantage of virtual design.
Design studio meetings are back
While all of the many virtual design experiences still take place, scheduled, in-person design studio meetings now happen more regularly.
“In our design studios, we can schedule two meetings at a time,” Kamenca says. Each meeting can have up to two people (no children) from the buyer and one design specialist.
“The meetings happen on opposite sides of the studio and only the designer can touch the samples. Everyone wears a mask and gloves and we disinfect the entire design studio before each meeting.”
Gaining ‘momentum’ in design
Builders such as Blue Mountain Communities, Century Communities and Woodside Homes are also using RDS’ Momentum Design program, which allows buyers to create and share multiple design scenarios for one home.
“Each builder uses it differently,” Kamenca says. “It’s really simple to use and everyone is really happy with the virtual design concept.”
Depending on the buyer’s comfort level with in-person meetings, virtual or online design, builders are ready to accommodate everyone’s needs. So, too, are vendors, who are happy to share their samples of woods, tiles, knobs, handles and other textiles with buyers.