Page 6B East Oregonian PEANUTS COFFEE BREAK Tuesday, December 19, 2017 DEAR ABBY BY CHARLES M . SCHULZ Karaoke fans have more love for singing than talent FOR BETTER OR WORSE BY LYNN JOHNSTON B.C. BY JOHNNY HART PICKLES BY BRIAN CRANE BEETLE BAILEY BY MORT WALKER GARFIELD BLONDIE BY JIM DAVIS BY DEAN YOUNG AND STAN DRAKE Dear Abby: My wife, “Karen,” to share or play with my child. He loves to sing karaoke along with lacks empathy and seeks only adult many others, most of whom who are attention. Because of his lack of vocally challenged. Listening to some socialization and outright unsafe of them can be grueling when we behavior, I don’t want my son around go out. Karen knows many of these him. Am I wrong for not wanting him “performers,” and when they finish, to be exposed to this behavior? she goes and tells them what a great My husband says it’s good for our job they’ve done. When I asked her little one to learn how to deal with Jeanne why she gives the false compliments, Phillips mean behavior, since it will make him she said, “I don’t want to hurt their “tough.” However, I don’t feel it’s our Advice feelings.” child’s job to learn to be tough at such Well, the same goes for Karen. a young age. — Day Care Accepting The other singers compliment her to the point Mommy that she now believes she has a competi- Dear Day Care Mommy: Perhaps your tion-worthy voice. In reality, while her voice son should see this cousin only when they isn’t terrible, it’s nowhere near what she will be closely supervised. Your child may thinks it is. learn to “toughen up” later, but at the age of My wife is the love of my life and the nicest 2 or 3, it’s a bit premature. The child who person I’ve ever known. I’m concerned for may be in for trouble is his cousin, because the future if someone should ever be honest learning concepts like sharing and empathy with her about this because, so far, no one enable children to successfully socialize with has been. Should I tell her the truth to save others throughout their lives. her from potential public embarrassment, or Dear Abby: I know for a fact that gifts should I keep my mouth shut? — Covering I have given to family members are often My Ears immediately given away. Should I confront Dear Covering: Unless your wife decides them about this? I’d like to suggest that to audition for “American Idol,” the chances instead of giving the gift away they please of her being booed off stage are slim. You return it to me. Of course, I know I could just don’t have to sing her praises, but I see quit giving them gifts. But I’d like for them to nothing positive to be gained by diminishing know the reason, instead of appearing to be her pleasure in performing. The word from stingy. Anxious for your opinion. — Anxious here is: Keep your lip zipped. In Fort Worth Dear Abby: I have a wonderful, kind Dear Anxious: This is a delicate situation, sister-in-law I’ll call “Margaret.” Our sons but it can be handled if you’re careful not to were born in the same year. She has chosen to cause embarrassment when you tell your rela- keep her son home, while I am sending mine tives you know what they’ve been doing with to day care. Both boys are toddlers now. The your gifts. Perhaps, rather than say you will problem is, my son is socialized, while hers just quit giving them gifts, you should offer to is not. give them gift cards for a store they like. That Margaret’s son is mean and unwilling way they can have something they will enjoy. DAYS GONE BY 100 Years Ago From the East Oregonian Dec. 18-19, 1917 The Storie-Ritner ranch on the reservation this morning was the scene of a fire which threatened for a time to destroy all of the buildings on it. Due to assistance received from neighbors and townspeople who were summoned by phone, by R.W. Ritner, the buildings were all saved. The biggest loss was four stacks of chaff for winter feeding. Mr. Ritner early this morning set one field afire to burn off the stubble. The breeze which was blowing then developed into a stiff wind which carried the fire across a ditch into another field where the stacks were. The flames were headed toward the buildings when Mr. Ritner summoned help. Fortunately there was a whole tank of water in the barn- yard and this proved a big aid. 50 Years Ago From the East Oregonian Dec. 18-19, 1967 The Umatilla County Library staff has come across a treasure in its stack of old books. It is a first edition of James Greenleaf Whittier’s “Snowbound,” a poem read by generations of elementary school children in their study of American literature. The small volume has been on the shelves for many years, and shows the wear and tear of much use. It was placed in the “mend” box by a library staff member, and it was here that librarian Dick Joder noticed it. 25 Years Ago From the East Oregonian Dec. 18-19, 1992 The cases of three men accused of murdering Brian David Smith last month were bound over to Umatilla County Circuit Court Thursday afternoon. District Court Judge Richard Courson said the state showed there was enough evidence to hold Donald C. Ball Jr., 22, of Hermiston; Steven L. DeRushe, 22, of Stanfield; and Nathaneual J. Miller, 21, of Umatilla, to answer charges of murder. All three are accused of conspiring to kill Smith and carrying out the murder at the edge of Cold Springs Reservoir. Katherine Ball, the wife of the man accused of pulling the trigger, told the East Oregonian that all three men told her Smith’s death was unintentional, but they didn’t go to police because they were afraid they’d be “put in for life, either way.” THIS DAY IN HISTORY DILBERT THE WIZARD OF ID LUANN ZITS BY SCOTT ADAMS BY BRANT PARKER AND JOHNNY HART BY GREG EVANS BY JERRY SCOTT AND JIM BORGMAN Today is the 353rd day of 2017. There are 12 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Dec. 19, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, Gen. George Wash- ington led his army of about 11,000 men to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to camp for the winter. On this date: In 1813, British forces captured Fort Niagara during the War of 1812. In 1843, “A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens, was first published in England. In 1907, 239 workers died in a coal mine explosion in Jacobs Creek, Pennsylvania. In 1932, the British Broadcasting Corp. began transmitting overseas with its Empire Service to Australia. In 1946, war broke out in Indochina as troops under Ho Chi Minh launched widespread attacks against the French. In 1957, Meredith Willson’s musical play “The Music Man” opened on Broadway. In 1961, former U.S. Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., 73, suffered a debilitating stroke while in Palm Beach, Florida. In 1974, Nelson A. Rockefeller was sworn in as the 41st vice president of the United States in the U.S. Senate chamber by Chief Justice Warren Burger with President Gerald R. Ford looking on. In 1975, John Paul Stevens was sworn in as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1986, the Soviet Union announced it had freed dissident Andrei Sakharov from internal exile, and pardoned his wife, Yelena Bonner. Lawrence E. Walsh was appointed independent counsel to investigate the Iran-Contra affair. Today’s Birthdays: Actress Cicely Tyson is 93. Former game show contestant Herb Stempel is 91. Actress Elaine Joyce is 74. Actor Tim Reid is 73. Paleontologist Richard E. Leakey is 73. Musician John McEuen is 72. Singer Janie Fricke is 70. Jazz musician Lenny White is 68. Actor Mike Lookinland is 57. Actress Jennifer Beals is 54. Actor Scott Cohen is 53. Actor Robert MacNaughton is 51. Magician Criss Angel is 50. Rock musician Klaus Eichstadt (Ugly Kid Joe) is 50. Actor Ken Marino is 49. Actor Elvis Nolasco is 49. Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp is 45. Actress Alyssa Milano is 45. Actor Jake Gyllenhaal is 37. Thought for Today: “No space of regret can make amends for one life’s oppor- tunity misused.” — From “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens (1812-1870). PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN BY DANA SIMPSON BIG NATE BY LINCOLN PEIRCE