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Ask Amy: A reader reflects on the ongoing COVID risk

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:40:00 GMT

Dear Amy: I’m writing in response to “E.D.” who wrote that the pandemic has changed her. I found your advice for her to engage in her cultural interests of music and art useful, but I wanted to offer my perspective, as someone who wishes desperately that I could do these things without considering my personal risk.I’m a 65-year-old physician with an immune deficiency, and I still need to consider my risk every day. As infectious disease specialist Michael Osterholm says, we’re still in the “high plains plateau” of the pandemic, where real people are dying of COVID daily.As the risk is narrowed to older people and people with medical issues, it’s reasonable for lower-risk people to move on. But those of us who still face the concern of a virus that could harm or kill us are more and more isolated.I’d love to move freely and not feel so judged when I wear a mask. And as masks are now optional in health care settings, per CDC guidance, there ar...

In inflation-hit Germany, massive strike over pay to cripple transport

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:40:00 GMT

As Europe's largest economy struggles with rising inflation, a massive strike was scheduled to start in Germany on Monday (27 March). It would cripple mass transport and air travel.Both sides fought hard in the hours leading up to the strike. Union bosses warned that significant pay increases were necessary for thousands of workers. Management called the demands and the resulting action "completely unreasonable".These strikes, which are expected to start around midnight and continue throughout Monday, are the latest industrial action in months that have affected major European economies due to higher energy and food prices affecting living standards.Germany, which was dependent heavily on Russia for its gas supplies before the conflict in Ukraine, has been especially hard hit by rising inflation. Inflation rates have surpassed the average for the Euro-area in recent months.German consumer prices rose faster than expected in February, up 9.3% compared to one year ago. This indicates ...

Innovation stays strong: Patent applications in Europe continue to grow in 2022

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:40:00 GMT

The European Patent Office (EPO) received 193,460 applications in 2022, an increase of 2.5% on the previous year and a new record. The EPO’s Patent Index 2022, published today, shows that patent filings continued to grow last year, after an increase of 4.7% in 2021 that followed a small dip (-0.6%) in 2020. Companies from the UK filed 5,697 applications at the EPO, an increase of 1.9% following two years of consecutive decline (-1.9% in 2021; -7.0% in 2020). The number of patent applications – an early indicator of companies’ investments in research and development – underlines that innovation remained robust last year despite economic uncertainties around the globe. “When it comes to the promise of green innovation, there has been solid, sustained growth in filings related to clean technologies and other means that create, transfer and store electricity,” said EPO President António Campinos. “It’s this ongoing boom that is navigating the energy transition. Innovators are also worki...

Police search for motive in ‘calculated and planned’ mass shooting that killed 6 at Nashville Christian school

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:40:00 GMT

Police in Nashville are digging into the background and motivations of a former student who entered a Christian elementary school armed with AR-style weapons and detailed maps and opened fire, killing three children and three adults.The shooter, identified as 28-year-old Audrey Hale, was shot and killed by police during the Monday attack, leaving behind “drawn out” maps of the Covenant School detailing “how this was all going to take place,” Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said.As police work to piece together what led up to the violence, officials said they had determined where the shooter lived in the Nashville area and have interviewed Hale’s father. Investigators were expected to spend Tuesday processing the scene and gathering more details about what happened during the roughly 14 minutes of terror at the elementary school.The attack, which police said was a targeted one and involved prior planning, was the deadliest school shooting in nearly a year.As the shooting unfo...

Storm tracker map: Follow the Bay Area rain, Sierra Nevada snow

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:40:00 GMT

A storm bringing rain and high winds is expected to arrive in the Bay Area in the early hours of Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.The updating radar map above shows areas of precipitation in green, with greater intensities indicated by yellow and orange.Rain is expected to continue at least into Wednesday evening.Two to four feet of snow and wind gusts to 60 mph are forecast for the Sierra Nevada; the National Weather Service advises against mountain travel after 11 p.m. Monday.Related ArticlesWeather | Looming atmospheric river may put California at highest snowpack level ever. What’s your forecast? Weather | Rain, winds, cold on the way as another Tuesday blitz shapes up Weather | Oakland Zoo recovers 5 of 6 birds that escaped storm-damaged aviary Weather | Ski resorts in California got so much snow they’re going to stay open through June Weather | Point Reyes tule elk herds recover af...

Bridge: March 28, 2023

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:40:00 GMT

In today’s deal (reported by Barry Rigal) from the Life Master Pairs at the ACBL Fall Championships, East had options at his first turn to bid and chose a preemptive lift to three spades. He failed to shut out South, who came in with four diamonds (a lusty 3NT was possible) and was raised.West led his singleton club: deuce, queen, ace. South drew trumps and next led the jack of hearts, putting up dummy’s ace when West played low. Fine so far; but then declarer tried a spade to his king, He lost two spades and later a club. Down one.11TH TRICKIt’s sad to see this quality of play in an event for Life Masters. After South takes the ace of hearts, he has an extra chance by cashing the king and ruffing a heart. The fall of East’s queen makes dummy’s ten high for the 11th trick.When I became a Life Master in 1972, the title had some prestige. But now with masterpoint inflation plus the proliferation of events, players can achieve LM ranking without ever playi...

Word Game: March 28, 2023

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:40:00 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — SCURRILOUS (SCURRILOUS: SKUR-ih-lus: Using or given to coarse language; vulgar.)Average mark 17 wordsTime limit 35 minutesCan you find 24 or more words in SCURRILOUS? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — CORPSE cero cope copse core corps crop rope rose peso pore pose poser prose scope score sore spore eposTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at [email protected].

Horoscopes March 28, 2023: Lady Gaga, stay in control

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:40:00 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Lady Gaga, 37; Julia Stiles, 42; Vince Vaughn, 53; Reba McEntire, 68.Reba McEntire (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images) Happy Birthday: Take your time; get organized. Preparation will help eliminate mishaps and misunderstandings. Stay in control and push forward with your issues and the goals that matter most to you. The hard work you put in this year will make a difference for years to come. Trust and believe in yourself, and refuse to let anyone get in your way. Think big, but be reasonable. Doors will open. Your numbers are 7, 18, 21, 24, 30, 35, 48.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Distance yourself from anyone who tries your patience. Spend more time on personal goals, not arguing with someone about something that doesn’t matter. Focus on your options and how to make the most of your time. Success will follow. 2 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Pay attention to detail and present what you have to offer with pizazz. How you portray yourself and yo...

A Is for Abuse: The Saga of For-Profit Schooling in Africa

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:40:00 GMT

Bridge International is the largest for-profit education chain in the world, serving upward of 750,000 children in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Liberia, and India. The founders, two Harvard graduates, developed an attractive business model for investors. With centrally-produced curriculum and bare-bone standardized schoolhouses, Bridge offered a vision of making a profit while doing good. But then rumors started to swirl about the dark side of the company.This week on Deconstructed: Journalists Neha Wadekar and Ryan Grim narrate the saga of Bridge International Academies. As allegations of sexual abuse and neglect emerged against Bridge, investor responsibility became the center of a controversy at the World Bank. [Upbeat music from video.]Shannon May: Between 700 million and 800 million children living in poverty across the globe, the majority of those children are not accessing a reasonable education.Ryan Grim: In the early days of the era of big tech disruption, two Harvard Unive...

Butler pledges to lead Maryland State Police into ‘new era’

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:40:00 GMT

Acting Maryland State Police Superintendent Roland Butler told lawmakers Monday he is committed to moving the agency “into a new era,” as some senators have questioned whether someone who has spent nearly three decades in the department is the right choice to lead reforms in an agency under a federal discrimination probe.“It is my top priority,” Butler told the Maryland Senate Executive Nominations Committee. “I’ve heard your concerns and the concerns of your constituents, and I’m absolutely committed to addressing these issues head on. To begin, we must acknowledge and address all bias and discriminatory practices.”Butler, who would become the first Black superintendent of the agency with Senate confirmation, has served as chief of the State Police Field Operations Bureau, where he led a force of more than 1,000 troopers and investigative personnel assigned to 23 barracks. He also served on the superintendent’s staff and the Mar...