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About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (June 5, 2021)
A6 THE BULLETIN • SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021 Hiring 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’ve been dat- ing the same woman for more than two years. She is a beautiful lady who has quite a few male “fans” on Facebook, mostly from be- fore we met. What bothers me, and I don’t understand why, is her habit of posting selfies and then loving the comments from other men about her looks. We have discussed this many times, but she can’t seem to stop. Other than this, we seem to have a healthy relation- ship with the occasional, normal hiccups. I would like to take it to the next level, but I can’t help wondering if the Facebook habit is a sign that she needs more than what our relationship is giv- ing her. Please advise. — Hesitant in Ohio Dear Hesitant: Her Face- book habit may be a sign that your lady friend is in- secure — or conceited — about her looks, which is why she encourages these “fans” by “hearting” their comments. Frankly, it’s sad that she needs more val- idation than she can get from one person, but that’s the woman you’re involved with. If she were seeing these men in the real world, I would say you have a se- rious problem. But she’s not, so it shouldn’t present a threat unless you make it one. YOUR HOROSCOPE By Georgia Nicols Stars show the kind of day you’ll have DYNAMIC | POSITIVE | AVERAGE | SO-SO | DIFFICULT MOON ALERT: Avoid shopping or making important decisions after 6:30 p.m. EDT today (from 3:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. PDT). After that, the Moon moves from Aries into Taurus. HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021: You are in- telligent, flexible and adaptable — pragmatic qualities that help you achieve success. You have a fine, analytical mind and are an excellent problem solver. You multitask well. This year you will be a seeker. You want to leave behind what is dissatisfying and move on to something new that you want to ex- plore. It’s a year of flux and change. U.S. nonfarm payrolls, seasonally adjusted Continued from A5 “There is a gap between the economy and labor market,” said Nela Richardson, chief economist at the payroll pro- cessing firm ADP. May’s job gains, she said, are “more lack- luster than one would expect given the strong state of eco- nomic growth.” The May jobs report offered a number of signs that com- panies are trying harder to find workers. They’re offering more money, for one thing. Average hourly pay jumped for a second straight month, especially in the leisure and hospitality industry, which in- cludes restaurants, bars, hotels and amusement parks. Hourly wages for all workers in that in- dustry, except managers, were 6.4% higher in May compared with pre-pandemic levels — a substantial gain. And the number of unem- ployed who say their jobs are permanently lost declined in May by the most in five months. That’s an encouraging sign that companies are going beyond just recalling workers they had laid off in the pan- demic. Yet many of those jobs are still low-paying and not ap- pealing to many Americans — people like Marcellus Rowe, who has been unemployed since he lost his $16-an-hour job at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Agency in No- vember 2019. 155 million Feb. 2020 152.5 million Up 559,000 in May to 144.9 million 150 145 DETAIL 140 135 0 April 2020 130.2 million 130 January 2019 May 2021 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics The Washington Post Rowe, 29, says the only jobs he sees being advertised for someone like him pay scarcely more than $9 or $10 for work in restaurants and small shops. That isn’t enough to cover his $1,000 monthly rent. He’s been getting by on un- employment benefits, boosted by the $300-a-week federal sup- plement. But Georgia is elim- inating the federal benefit on June 26. Nearly half the states — all led by Republican gover- nors — will cut off the extra aid starting this month. Many busi- nesses have blamed the federal benefit for discouraging some of the jobless from taking work. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said Friday that the complaints from businesses about the federal jobless aid is “a distraction” and noted that the number of people applying for unemployment aid is fall- ing steadily. Eric Winograd, an econo- mist at AllianceBernstein, an investment management firm, said there are still about 7 mil- lion people not searching for work — and so aren’t counted as unemployed — but who say in government surveys that they want a job. That’s about 50% higher than before the pandemic. “That is compelling evidence that there is a large pool of workers who will return to work when they feel that it is safe or when they are able to sort out child care,” Winograd said. For now, many large chains, including Amazon, Walmart, Costco, and Chipotle, have raised starting pay to try to at- tract more applicants. And the average work week remained elevated last week, which sug- gests that businesses, strug- gling to hire, are working their current staffs for longer hours. “The company had lost track of its customer,” said chief executive Andrew Rees, who took the helm in 2017. “We had to focus on being democratic. We know our con- sumer could be 70, they could be 15, and we need to commu- nicate with all of them in the places that they go to.” The company dropped tele- vision commercials and print ads, shifting its entire market- ing budget online, and dou- bled down on social media. When the pandemic forced the company to shutter all its stores, it got attention for giv- ing away more than 910,000 pairs of Crocs to front-line health care workers. The way shoppers buy and wear the shoe has changed, too. Online sales have ex- ploded, and Crocs have be- come even more of a vessel for personal expression. Sales of its Jibbitz line — which includes plastic charms shaped like cheese boards, rainbows and Winnie-the-Pooh for about $5 a pop — more than doubled in the most recent quarter. “Crocs has simplified the shoe so it’s a blank canvas,” said Murphy of Piper Sandler. “And now they’re layering on elements — color, print and collaborations — that make the brand sizzle.” Murphy, who lives in Hous- ton, says she’s been surprised by how often she sees people wearing Crocs. “It’s a diverse crowd and more than I’ve ever seen,” she said. “There’s been a psychographic change: Com- fort is cool, and the pandemic has helped this. You don’t need to (contort ) your foot into a teeny-tiny heel anymore.” Rees acknowledges the skep- tics, but, he says, their ridicule has been “critically import- ant” to the success of Crocs. When fashion designer Victo- ria Beckham received a pair of Crocs from Bieber in April, she took to Instagram to say she’d “rather die” than wear them. “To us, that’s not a failure,” Rees said. “That’s a win. It cre- ates conversation; it creates media; it creates attention, and that’s really good for the brand.” Midas Mitchell used to think Crocs looked like “ugly nurse shoes.” But the pan- demic had him itching for a change — and a new way to express himself. The 34-year- old recently bought his first pair of gray clogs and outfit- ted them with nearly a dozen charms . “With everyone wearing masks, it’s harder to make a first impression,” said Mitch- ell, a small-business owner in Richmond, Virginia. “Now when I walk into a room with my Crocs, it’s a conversation starter.” ARIES (March 21-April 19) Tread carefully! This is not the day to throw your weight around. Ironically, you have a lot of energy, which you want to use to deal with the chaos at home. However, if you are pushy, others will push back. Tonight: Be patient. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) No matter how determined you are today, do not try to coerce others to agree with you (which you will be tempted to do). If you do, it will be at your own peril. Avoid dangerous places today. Forewarned is forearmed. Tonight: Stay chill. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Power struggles about money, possessions or something that you might own will be nasty today. If you make a big deal about something, you will get instant flak coming right back at you. Wham! Therefore, be patient. Tonight: Avoid arguments. CANCER (June 21-July 22) Ego battles with partners and close friends are likely today. This is a very poor day for these disputes. They will be nasty and probably futile. It is doubtful that you could win. The more you push for something, the more resistance you will incur. Pull back. Tonight: Stay cool. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Behind-the-scenes resistance to your ideas and efforts is very likely today. Your best option is to gracefully step aside. Don’t try to do the impossi- ble. Tonight: Chill out. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) You might be at odds with a friend today or you might be at odds with a group. Either way, this is not a good situation. You might think you can win, but you can’t. Cut your losses and pull back. Tonight: Don’t lose a friend. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) A nasty battle between parents, bosses and family members (could be anything) might take place today. The more you push for what you want, the more you will increase the opposition to you. This is not a case about right or wrong. It’s about knowing when to hold and when to fold. Tonight: Avoid power struggles. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Crocs Continued from A5 Almost 20 years old Crocs debuted nearly 20 years ago at a Florida boat show. The clunky shoes, which sold for about $30 a pair, were quick-drying, antimicrobial and easy to clean. And they were comfortable. All 200 pro- totypes sold out. Word spread quickly. Sales tripled between 2006 and 2007 as the company underwent a rapid, multimillion-dollar ex- pansion, buying up four com- panies in three years. Its suc- cess was far-reaching — and bipartisan. President George W. Bush wore Crocs, as did former first lady Michelle Obama. Then came the Great Reces- sion: Demand fell sharply and sales cratered, leading to $185 million in losses in 2008 alone. The brand teetered near bank- ruptcy while its stock, once valued at $75 a share, fell to less than $1. It is now trading closer to $100. This is an accident-prone day, so pay attention to everything you say and do. Avoid getting wrapped up in controversial subjects like politics, reli- gion and racial issues. Tonight: Hide. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Arguments about shared property, taxes, debt plus shared responsibil- ities might be real power struggles today. Therefore, stay away from all this. Keep your head down and your powder dry. Tonight: Avoid money quarrels. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Arguments between couples, professional partners and close friends might ensue today because fiery Mars is opposing Pluto. This means people are trying to subject others to their wishes. They’re doing everything to block what the other party wants. Tonight: Don’t fight. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Don’t get involved in power struggles about a pet today or something to do with your health or anything that is job-related. If you do, you will re- gret it. Tonight: Find consensus. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) Parents must be patient with their kids today because patience is the antidote to anger. This is a classic day for hissy fits and meltdowns. Remem- ber that you are the adult. Meanwhile, romance is threatened by power struggles. Sheesh! Tonight: Be patient with loved ones. Powell’s Continued from A5 “This would be a wholesale abandonment of the remaining laid-off workers’ contractual rights and union membership,” the union said in its statement. “There is nothing generous about Powell’s repeated at- tempts to use the pandemic as a means to cast aside lifelong booksellers.” Powell’s CEO Patrick Bassett said in a statement Wednesday that the company’s offers to the union are beyond what is re- quired by its contract, and that the bookstore anticipates hir- ing more laid-off workers. “Our continued hope is that former Powell’s Books employ- ees will express interest in fu- ture opportunities and secure reemployment with the com- pany,” Bassett said. “Our goal is that when former employ- ees are hired for the same or a similar position that they held before, we will return them at their previous wage.” Monty D. Gregg Sr. of Burns, OR January 27, 1951 - May 29, 2021 Arrangements: Autumn Funerals of Redmond is honored to serve the family. 541-504-9485 Memories and condolences may be expressed to the family on our website at www.autumnfunerals.net Services: A graveside service with military honors will take place at Redmond Memori- al Cemetery, 3545 S. Canal Blvd., on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at noon. OBITUARY DEADLINE Call to ask about our deadlines 541-385-5809 Monday - Friday, 10am - 3pm. No death notices or obituaries are published Mondays. Email: obits@bendbulletin.com
