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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 29, 2018)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2018 FEATURES Getting rid of junk calls Dear Annie: For the past few to be pretty ridiculous, but I’m not months, my phone has just about sure what else to do. I also wonder exploded with calls from telemar- whether any of your other readers keters and scammers. I am at my have experience with this and/or wits’ end! No, robot, I’m not past advice. — Don’t Like This Robot due on my bank payments. I don’t Dance want a free stay at your beach Dear Don’t Like This Robot resort in Panama. And I’m Dance: It’s not just you. DEAR not going to send money to In the first month of this you to “protect” my iden- year alone, Americans ANNIE tity. These people have received 2.9 billion rob- ocalls. Prerecorded sales gotten so good that they’re calls are illegal unless a even manipulating num- bers to look like ones of company has your writ- ten permission to contact relatives, with up to four you that way. The Federal of the same digits. There Communications Com- are more implications than Lane mission receives more my being annoyed every Annie Creators Syndicate Inc. than 300,000 complaints time I step out of my office about robocalls every and answer only to hear a scammer’s voice on the other end. month. Visit http://ftc.gov/com- I feel my privacy is invaded, and plaint to add your voice to the deaf- as a small-business owner, I have ening chorus. You can also contact to answer every call, as it may be a your congressional representatives client or vendor. One day, I put an about the problem, with the hope unknown number straight to voice- that they pass better legislation mail twice, and it turned out to to address this problem or bolster be work-related. Needless to say, existing legislation so that it can be I was embarrassed, and she was better enforced. peeved. But if you’d like a quicker Is what these companies are fix, consider using an app such as doing even legal? And is there any YouMail, RoboKiller or Truec- technology available to help quiet aller, which help block robocalls my phone lines? I find the notion to smartphones. Just be aware that of paying for that kind of service these apps might also block robo- calls that are actually legitimate, such as appointment reminders. Dear Annie: For years, my husband has celebrated his birth- day with cake and company. Many times, I have taken my husband and several family members and friends out to a restaurant to have a birthday party for him. However, he never seems to plan anything for my birthday. This past year, I had major orthopedic surgery, and he used that as an excuse for not plan- ning anything again. No card, cake or best wishes; of course, no apol- ogy, either. I am tired of the one- sided plans and would just like to forget to do anything for his birth- day coming up later this month. I just don’t want to be that mis- erable. I can’t seem to get him to see how hurt my feelings are. I’m looking for happier celebrations. — Birthday Non-Celebrations Dear Birthday Non-Celebra- tions: Have you tried telling your husband how you feel? Because though you can drop all the hints in the world, there’s no guaran- tee he’ll pick them up. And you’ll just grow even more frustrated. So be direct. Let him know that it’s important to you to commemorate birthdays and that it means a lot to you that he do something. 5A TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc. ARIES (March 21-April 19). New people are opportunities. You may find yourself pretending you’re someone different, which can be fun. Who knows; maybe some of what you try on will suit you well and become part of your standard “wardrobe.” worth and letting people know what it takes to be part of your world. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Do you feel like you’re being watched? You are. Someone is sizing you up, in fact — observing how you interact with your friends and the world in general. They like what they see. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). If you wait for someone to tell you what to do, you’ll be lower than you could be. This is great for concert tickets with arena seating but not much else. Take charge. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Today your personal life will soar through clear and sunny skies. It’s a fine time to acknowledge and thank the crew that’s been keeping you on course. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Be strong and flexible of mind. Think of all you can do with a dollar, with an hour, with the position you have. Don’t settle for the first idea that comes to mind, because idea five or 12 or 322 could be a better one. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Those who grew up with nothing often see the accumu- lation of items as wealth, whereas those who grew up with an abundance of things often see minimalism as freedom. Your own views on materialism are changing. CANCER (June 22-July 22). Remind your people that they need what you contribute. There’s a cool way to do this. Maybe it’s best accomplished by disappearing for a while. It’s not a game. People will be better for what they appreciate. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Misery loves company, but he doesn’t match your outfit, so leave him at home. Your company will embrace you wholeheartedly. Upon your return home you’ll find that misery, neglected, has taken leave. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). If you see the path from here to there you can then work your way along it. If you don’t see the path, you could work just as hard, but who knows where you’ll wind up. It doesn’t have to be a well-worn path, just one that arrives. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). It is far easier and better to solve a problem that people already know they have than to try to get people to identify something in their normal, everyday life as problematic. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Business people aren’t the only ones who set prices. You set prices all of the time without even realizing it. For instance, you’re always projecting your 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 PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Someone close to you may be feeling like the side dish to your main course. Maybe it’s true. Some dishes are better as complements. Less is demanded of them. Anyway, you’ll do what you can to make everyone feel important. TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (March 30). Get serious about developing and employing your talent. You’ll earn a stellar reputation, and you’ll bank on it before this time next year. Focus on documenting your work in April. The extra effort you make to stand out in a good way will earn you critical acclaim. You’ll spend many hours building a very special relationship. Virgo and Pisces adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 15, 29, 4 and 13.