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.
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