THE BULLETIN • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2021 C3
DEAR ABBY
Write to Dear Abby online at dearabby.com
or by mail at P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Dear Abby: I have a friend
of 20-plus years I’ll call
“Gladys.” We enjoy walking
our dogs and talking about
relationship issues. Some-
times it’s just me counseling
her. She often regales me
about these wonderful times
she has — get-togethers with
her other friends that I’m not
invited to. She loves going
into detail about how won-
derful her excursions are, etc.
I have always made excuses
to myself about it — I’m
more boring and straight-
laced than her other friends,
not as rich, not as smart. (It’s
true. I don’t party much. I’m
a total lightweight.)
Also, I’m one of her only
friends who hasn’t met her
boyfriend of more than a
year, and believe me, she has
confided in me about their
relationship the whole time.
I have been concocting in
my mind a way to address
this with her without driv-
ing a wedge. (She can be very
sensitive and defensive.) My
boyfriend doesn’t like how
she treats me, but she’s never
been anything but kind and
sweet with me, generally. She
just doesn’t include me in her
social circle. What is your
take on this?
— Strange Friendship in
California
Dear Strange Friendship:
My “take” is that over the last
20 years you have fulfilled
one particular function in
Gladys’ life, being her thera-
pist and dog-walking chum.
Period.
Your boyfriend has a point.
She appears to be centered
on herself and insensitive
about how her confidences
have made you feel. In my
opinion, what she has been
doing isn’t kind and sweet; it
is clueless. Ask Gladys (and
her boyfriend) to go out for a
social activity. It’s worth a try.
If you really want to know
why you have never been in-
cluded in her social circle, I
don’t think it would be rude
to ask why — IF you are pre-
pared for the answer. It’s a fair
question.
Dear Abby: My grand-
son-in-law seems to have no
motivation to take advantage
of his VA benefits after just
having completed his mili-
tary service and not having
been trained to do anything
in civilian life. He’s married
and has a toddler. They have
moved in with his parents,
who babysit the child while
his wife works. He wastes
every day and doesn’t seem
to want to find a job or get
training (paid for by the VA).
My granddaughter is frus-
trated and at her wits’ end.
We have offered suggestions
and sent emails for virtual
job fairs for veterans, but
he doesn’t seem interested
enough to apply for anything
or follow up on the one or
two interviews he has had.
She has even filled out job
applications for him. What
can we do to encourage her
or him? Frankly, I feel like
she would be much better
off leaving him. Any sugges-
tions?
— Granddad-In-Law in Florida
Dear Granddad: Your
granddaughter’s husband
appears to need more help
than being steered toward
job fairs. He may need to be
medically and mentally eval-
uated. Could he suffer from
PTSD, drug addiction or an
undiagnosed mental illness?
And what do his parents have
to say about this? Once your
granddaughter knows what
she is dealing with, she will
have a better idea of what to
do about it. Right now the
most helpful thing you could
do is discuss with her what
I have written and provide
emotional support until she
has some answers.
YOUR HOROSCOPE
By Madalyn Aslan
Stars show the kind of day you’ll have
õ õ õ õ õ DYNAMIC | õ õ õ õ POSITIVE | õ õ õ AVERAGE | õ õ SO-SO | õ DIFFICULT
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR SUNDAY, FEB. 7, 2021: Idealistic, harsh-
ly spontaneous and brilliant, you have a social vision and a desire to right ex-
isting inequalities. This year, you set an example for others and succeed on a
grand and popular scale. If single, you9re a true free spirit, and you search for
the perfect mate until July. If attached, you are so important to your partner.
You are set to be a wonderful parent. CAPRICORN has your back.
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
õõõõõ You acquire a deeper understanding if you look at the practices
of other lands. This is a marvelous time for writing. If you have an idea for a
story, put it on paper. Add foreign phrases if you want to be a brilliant conver-
sationalist. Tonight: Fun.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
õõõõ Research goes well today. you have new insight and a renewed em-
pathy for children. If you take time to teach others, your own learning deep-
ens. Complete work requiring analysis and precise measurements. Tonight:
New technologies and gadgets are an asset.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
õõõõõ An abundance of forceful energy rains on you from the ideas and
choices generated by companions. Personal involvements will be electric,
exciting and unpredictable. You can meet people who revolutionize your
whole life. Tonight: Gather information and be a good listener.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
õõõõ You will find satisfaction today in getting organized and developing
good habits, after relaxing for the first part of the day, of course. You have
more empathy with animals. A pet shows love and devotion. Tonight: A nu-
tritious meal with loved ones.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
õõõõõ Accept an invitation. Creativity accelerates if you enjoy novelty and
stimulation. Study a new subject or skill if boredom threatens. Your humor
and charisma win new friends. If you encourage a relationship, a commit-
ment is offered. Tonight: Lady Luck is smiling on you.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
õõõ Foster peace and patience at home. Ideally, you want your residence to
feel safe, with the atmosphere of a peaceful sanctuary. Reconsider and post-
pone any major building or home improvements. Tonight: You have very
good judgement. Trust it well.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
õõõ Resist the temptation to exaggerate. A tall tale told now could damage
your credibility. Be factual about all communication and be subtle with jokes
and humor. Others are in a serious state of mind. Tonight: Investigate the
terms of any new commitment before getting involved.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
õõõõ Take some time to evaluate what you really want. It9s a day to control
impulses and rein in impulsiveness. You can resolve debts today. The de-
mand for your skills intensifies, and you9re aware of new options for profes-
sional growth. Tonight: Relax.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
õõõõõ Your charm and beauty are especially appreciated today. It9s a
perfect time to reach out to a new love, plan a virtual get-together, or express
artistic inclinations. You9re starting a new cycle of tremendous energy and
enthusiasm. Tonight: In wonderment.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
õõõ Today makes you quiet. You will prefer not to externalize your deepest
thoughts and desires. Peace and privacy are cherished. Quiet hours help you
find your balance. Old memories and news from old contacts are in your
thoughts. Tonight: Some low-key meditation.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
õõõõ Friends offer encouragement. You will be warmly welcomed into
new circles if you seek companionship. Today helps you discriminate in your
choice of associates. You will find it easier to select goals. Tonight: Reach out
to old colleagues from past careers.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
õõõõõ It9s a day for freshness and dynamic expansion. Be daring about
trying a new interest or type of project. You9ll enjoy exploring ways to make a
difference in your endeavors. You become highly visible and could assume a
position of leadership. Tonight: Online networking.
Olive oil is one of hottest ingredients in Asia
BY JOANNA OSSINGER
Bloomberg
Twenty years ago, when chef
Shinobu Namae cooked at the
acclaimed Italian restaurant
Acqua Pazza in Tokyo, he had
trouble selling dishes made with
olive oil, one of the cuisine’s fea-
tured ingredients. Customers
frequently asked him to omit it
from their order.
Today, says Namae, “people
in Tokyo love olive oil.” At his
Michelin three-star L’Efferves-
cence, the chef can now source
locally made oil from Souju, a
farm in the Kagawa prefecture
that once grew Bonsai plants.
Because the owners were expert
at pruning, Namae says they
can control the growth of the
olive trees to sustainably “har-
vest good fruits constantly.”
Japan’s increasing taste for
olive oil has spurred local pro-
ducers. The country won eight
awards, including four gold
ones, at the 2020 NYIOCC
World Olive Oil Competi-
tion. A big winner, Green Bas-
ket Japan, has olive groves in
Odawara, about an hour out-
side Tokyo.
In 2019, Japan exported
276.23 metric tons of olive oil, a
209 % increase from 2018 and a
545% increase from 2014.
China is also committing to
the olive oil business. In 2020,
the extra-virgin, organic oil
Xiangyu Coratina won double
gold at the Athena International
Olive Oil Competition out of
430 entrants. The company that
produced it, Xiangyu Oil Ol-
ive Development Co., hired an
Angel Garcia/Bloomberg file
Bottles of olive oil move along the production line at the Borges Agri-
cultural & Industrial Edible Oils plant in Tarrega, Spain, in 2019.
Argentine agronomic engineer,
Pablo Canamasas, to produce
the winning oil.
“Extra-virgin olive oil con-
sumption in China is increasing
at a significant pace,” said Cana-
masas via email. “Particularly
in big cities and in a segment of
the population aged 25-35 that
has traveled abroad and is more
exposed to the Mediterranean
diet or has heard of it.”
Xiangyu’s olives are grown
in the Wudu District in Chi-
na’s western Gansu province.
The climate has enough sim-
ilarities to the Mediterranean
coast to produce quality olives,
including slightly alkaline soil
and plenty of sun, according
to Xiaoyong Bai, chairman of
Garden City Olive Technology
Development Co. His Garden
Taste oil won a gold medal for
quality at the 2018 International
Olive Council’s Awards, where
it was recognized for its “ripe
fruitiness.”
Bai has been growing ol-
ives for 23 years; his plantation
now encompasses more than
3.7 million acres. A retired civil
servant and committed envi-
ronmentalist, Bai said that he’s
helped plant trees “on many
barren mountains” via a trans-
lator over email. He added: “At
present, China consumes 6,000
tons of olive oil every year, with
an annual growth rate of 18%.”
In 2020, his company exported
a batch of olive oil to South Ko-
rea, the first time he sold prod-
uct outside China.
The Asia-Pacific olive mar-
ket is expected to record a an-
nual growth rate of 4.2% from
2020 through 2025, according
to market research firm Mordor
Intelligence. Mordor sees the re-
gion’s market for olive oil grow-
ing rapidly to meet surging de-
mand from consumers because
of its health benefits.
In Singapore, Sebastien Lepi-
noy is likewise pushing world-
class oil, but he’s not using local
olives. The chef at Michelin
three-star restaurant Les Amis
spent five months develop-
ing a blend to complement his
modern French cooking for
such dishes as Langoustine de
Loctudy-giant shrimp with
zucchini and an extra-virgin
emulsion.
“I needed an olive oil to
match with my cuisine and
also, for cheese,” Lepinoy says.
He used five kinds of olives
from Château d’Estoublon, in
Provence, France, to create a
blend that he imports, uses, and
markets to customers.
Lepinoy has enough confi-
dence in the market for olive
oil in Singapore that he’s sell-
ing bottles of his smooth, sub-
tly peppery oil for $36 ($48
Singapore). He says there has
been good demand for a more
healthful fat as an alternative to
his restaurant’s famed butter.
Although travel restrictions
have kept away tourists who
might buy souvenir bottles of
oil, restrictions have also kept
the city-state’s well-off residents
home, and they’ve shown a lot
of interest in the olive oil, Lepi-
noy says.
Still, there is some resistance
to olive oil in Asia. “Crazy as it
may sound,” says Canamasas,
who helped produce Longnan
Xiangyu’s award-winning oil,
“the Chinese public have the
same view we outsiders have on
Chinese products: that they are
of poor quality.”