THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2016
Irritating leaf blowers
Dear Annie: My mother has sanitation for more information.
been dealing with her jerk of a
Sure, “some people are just
neighbor for too long, and I’m jerks” — but it’s fair for this one
fed up. Every year, the leaves to get some blowback.
fall from his trees, and rather
Dear Annie: The letter from
than mulch them like the rest of “Heartbroken Again,” whose
the homeowners in the
son has Asperger’s syn-
DEAR
neighborhood, he gets out
drome, could be about
his leaf blower and blows
my son, except he
ANNIE
them into the road and
received a traumatic
beyond, to my mother’s
brain injury nine years
yard. Leaves cover the
ago, when he was 16. He
road lines. It’s slippery
was a star athlete and one
and dangerous. My sis-
of the most popular kids
ter called Highway Patrol
in school until his injury.
and reported this igno-
He lost a lot of his peo-
Lane
rant neighbor, but the per- Annie
ple skills. He, too, has
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
son who answered simply
had women at the college
replied, “Some people are
he is attending report him
just jerks.” He’s going to cause as a stalker. What my son sees as
an accident, and I’m ready to harmless flirting comes across as
give him a piece of my mind. — creepy and inappropriate.
Annoyed Daughter
It culminated in his being
Dear Annoyed: I assume charged with attempted kidnap-
you’ve already tried talking to ping. He saw a girl crying while
this man and he refuses to stop, walking down the street and asked
leaving you with no other choice her what the matter was. She said
than to contact authorities.
her boyfriend had dumped her
Record videos of him blowing and she was homeless. He asked
leaves onto public property and whether she needed a ride, and
your mother’s lawn so you have she declined. They talked for a
some proof. Depending on where few minutes, and then he gave
you live, he could be fined up to her a shoulder-to-shoulder hug
$450. Call your department of and left. She called the boyfriend
5C
FEATURES
afterward, looking for some sym-
pathy, and told him she had been
accosted. He told her to call the
police. She said my son had tried
to pull her into his car. My son
was arrested at gunpoint. The
alleged “victim” posted on social
media about how excited she was
to be interviewed on TV.
Fortunately, a nearby pedes-
trian thought it was unusual for
a guy to stop and talk to a cry-
ing girl, so he videoed the entire
encounter. Once the state attor-
ney’s office saw the video, all
charges were dropped. No crime
had been committed. It was just
a guy trying to console a cry-
ing girl. It took about a week for
the video to surface, and in the
meantime, the rush to judgment
on social media was unbeliev-
able. He was called a rapist and
worse, and his picture was plas-
tered all over the evening news.
He was afraid to go outside, and
when he did, he was punched in
the face by a guy who had seen
the TV report.
I agree with “Heartbroken
Again” about how society treats
people who are different. Thank
goodness for the man who took
the video. — William C.
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your instinct
to interpret the world for your dear ones is
admirable and necessary in the case of the
young and the old. You can’t protect them
from everything, but you can make life sweet-
er by protecting them from some things.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You’ll be the
victor, not the victim. You’ll use what happens
to create a wonderful win. Be patient. The
turnaround will happen in a good time-
frame even when it doesn’t happen in your
timeframe.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Don’t pass up
the chance to see new environments. Beauty
will inspire you and keep you producing and
creating into the new year. Relationships will
be your finest creations of all — well, co-cre-
ations, anyway.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It will be a
day of role reversals. Men will act like little
children, and little children will act like men.
You can’t predict the outcome, and that’s part
of the delight here.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). The skills
you’re honing this weekend are more im-
portant than anything else you’ve dedicated
yourself to before. Bringing people together
in love and comfort is where the real sweet
stuff of life comes in.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). It’s com-
forting to know the correct action, although
not always so obvious what that is. You’ll be
in a situation that seems to have no rules. It’s
the perfect chance for you to set a standard
for others.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You don’t have
to worry about whether or not you’re allowed
to do it this way or it’s proper to do it that way.
Just do it the way you want to, and let the
universe correct you if necessary.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’ll pull off
some amazing feats this weekend by putting
some diligent work behind the talents you
naturally possess. Then you’ll turn around
and give most of credit to others, because
you’re gracious that way.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). This is a lucky day
as far as social fun goes. The energy will
center around you long enough for you to get
your fill and not so long that you feel like a
performing seal.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). A friend’s ges-
ture prompts an emotional reaction that sur-
prises both of you. You forget sometimes just
how deeply you feel things. Your emotional
flexibility and availability is a wonderful gift.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’ll help
people fall into the roles they are suited for.
Mistakes will be corrected or compensated
for, so don’t be too quick to judge today’s
imperfect contenders.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 24). Not
all that’s asked of you this year is fair, but life
doesn’t have to be fair to be wonderful. You’ll
meet the demands and show your super-
human emotional strength. Fantastic news
comes in January; there’s a windfall in June.
Family ties will help you in a big way if you’re
willing to take the help. Taurus and Gemini
adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 3, 45, 39,
22 and 16.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Relationships are
healing around you, and this will make for a
nicer experience for you, too, even if you’re
not directly involved in the healing process.
Good vibes are contagious.
FRANK AND ERNEST
BLONDIE
THATABABY
SALLY FORTH
PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN
B.C.
LOLA
DILBERT
SIX CHIX
BIZARRO
MUTTS
NON SEQUITUR
BABY BLUES
WIZARD OF ID
ZITS
ROSE IS ROSE