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About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 2021)
A4 The BulleTin • Monday, deceMBer 13, 2021 DEAR ABBY Write to Dear Abby online at dearabby.com or by mail at P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069 Dear Abby: My two daugh- ters are not speaking to each other. “Amy,” the older, claims her sister started it. “Lisa,” the younger, claims Amy took Lisa’s son out to din- ner and never told her. (This happened while he was liv- ing with me — another long story.) Amy has had us at her house for Christmas for the past seven years. Lisa wants to have Christmas at her home this year. She told her aunt that if I don’t go there for Christ- mas, she will never speak to me again. I have tried hard to get Amy to make up with Lisa. I think Lisa wants things to go back to the way they were. (Amy doesn’t know what her sister said to their aunt.) It feels to me like Lisa is asking me to pick which daughter I love more. How can I handle this without los- ing a daughter? — In the Middle in Massachusetts Dear in the Middle: Han- dle this by telling Amy that because you have celebrated Christmas at her home for the last seven years, you will be spending this one with Lisa. And if she gives you an argument, tell her that from now on you will be alternating celebrations with her sister because you do not want to be forced into the position of hav- ing to choose one daughter over the other. Dear Abby: I am a 68-year- old man, married for 45 years. I have cheated on my wife for most of them. Am I sorry about it? No. My wife shut me out of her life 25 years ago. She has her bedroom, and I have mine. Why did I stay with her? We had adopted two babies 30 years ago, and I wanted to give them an education and a good start in life, which is what we did. How do I treat her? I treat her well, I think. I help her with the housework, keep our home in good condition inside and out, and she has her own car. I take her out for dinner once a week and we go dancing every Satur- day night at the club. I’m a moderate drinker and non- smoker. I bathe four or five times a week. So, tell me, Abby. What’s WRONG with me? If you decide to print my letter, perhaps I’ll have an an- swer. Thanks, Abby. I enjoy your column very much. P.S. Would I cheat on my wife if the opportunity pre- sented itself in the future? Darned right I would! — No Regrets Dear No Regrets: If you are asking me what’s wrong with you for staying in your marriage, my answer would be that you did it for three decades for the sake of your children. I would add that since they are now all adults, it may be that you eventually adjusted to the lack of inti- macy with your wife, so you substituted women who were available. However, if you are asking me why your wife shut you out of her life 25 years ago, the only person who can an- swer that question is her. It may not be too late to ask. YOUR HOROSCOPE By Georgia Nicols Stars show the kind of day you’ll have dynaMic | PoSiTiVe | aVeraGe | So-So | diFFiculT MOON ALERT: There are no restrictions to shopping or important deci- sions today until 9:30 p.m. eST (6:30 p.m. PST). The Moon is in aries. HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR MONDAY, DEC. 13, 2021: you are op- timistic, charming, confident and charismatic. you definitely have your own particular style. you are also ambitious, hardworking and very organized. This year your zest for life has been strong. it’s a good year for socializing and enjoying the company of others. next year (2022) will focus on building both external as well as internal structures. ARIES (March 21-April 19) Keep your cool today, because it’s easy to end up in a power struggle with someone, especially an authority figure. Meanwhile, today, Mercury moves to the top of your chart, encouraging your desire to make plans and talk to the boss! Tonight: Fun times! TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Be smart and steer clear of controversial issues today so you can start your week on a gentler note. resist the urge to become embroiled in touchy subjects. Meanwhile, disputes about shared property also might be in the picture. Fortunately, Jupiter at the top of your chart favors your reputation. Tonight: enjoy time alone. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Be patient with a friend today, especially a female acquaintance. With fiery Mars opposite your sign now, you can be easily annoyed with others, especially those who are close to you. disputes about shared ownership or shared responsibilities might arise. easy does it. Tonight: Talk to a friend. CANCER (June 21-July 22) The key to your success today is to avoid squabbles or conflicts with authority figures — bosses, parents, teachers, the police, anyone in a posi- tion of power. That’s because these arguments will not go well. Therefore, steer clear of trouble! Tonight: People notice you. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) People are argumentative today, especially when it comes to con- troversial subjects like politics, religion and racial issues. Knowing this ahead of time, don’t get embroiled in these discussions. not today. you will achieve nothing and possibly alienate someone. Tonight: Travel plans? VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) you might be at odds with someone about shared property, inheri- tances or how to deal with shared responsibilities with someone. Today is a poor day for this kind of discussion, because you will not reach any kind of agreement. Wait until Wednesday. Tonight: Take it easy. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Because the Moon is directly opposite your sign, you will have to go more than halfway when dealing with others. Be conciliatory and coopera- tive. definitely avoid arguments with family members or people at home — at least for today. Tonight: Keep the peace. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) you might encounter difficulties with someone at work today, or per- haps this could be something related to your health. it might even be about your involvement with a pet. Whatever the case, people are inclined to argue today — for no reason! Tonight: Work. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Parents might be at odds with their kids today about financial matters or perhaps about a possession that you own. (it’s challenging letting anyone you have given birth to drive your car.) Furthermore, with Mars in your sign right now, you’re coming on pretty strong! Take it easy. Tonight: Socialize! CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today Mercury moves into your sign, where it stays for the rest of the month. This will make you talkative and eager to communicate to others. however, tread carefully today, because people are pushy and inclined to be at odds with each other. Tonight: Be patient with family. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) This is an excellent day for research, because you will be keen to uncov- er hidden information and look for what you want to discover. you also might be doing a slow boil about something. you’re irritated, but you feel you can’t speak up. remember that patience is a virtue. Tonight: you feel upbeat! PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) if you are tempted to challenge a friend today, especially about money issues, please think twice. lots of people are touchy and aggressive and eager to fight today, but is it worth it? you might threaten a friendship. you might look unreasonable. Think twice before you act. Tonight: Money solutions. Find it all online bendbulletin.com TODAY IN HISTORY By The Associated Press Today is Monday, dec. 13, the 347th day of 2021. There are 18 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: on Dec. 13, 2000, republican George W. Bush claimed the pres- idency a day after the u.S. Su- preme court shut down further recounts of disputed ballots in Florida; democrat al Gore con- ceded, delivering a call for na- tional unity. in 1835, Phillips Brooks, the amer- ican episcopal bishop who wrote the words to “o little Town of Bethlehem,” was born in Boston. in 1928, George Gershwin’s “an american in Paris” had its pre- miere at carnegie hall in new york. in 1937, the chinese city of nan- jing fell to Japanese forces during the Sino-Japanese War; what fol- lowed was a massacre of war pris- oners, soldiers and citizens. in 1978, the Philadelphia Mint began stamping the Susan B. an- thony dollar, which went into cir- culation the following July. in 1981, authorities in Poland im- posed martial law in a crackdown on the Solidarity labor movement. (Martial law formally ended in 1983.) in 1993, the space shuttle en- deavour returned from its mission to repair the hubble Space Tele- scope. in 2001, the Pentagon publicly released a captured videotape of osama bin laden in which the al-Qaida leader said the deaths and destruction achieved by the September 11 attacks exceeded his “most optimistic” expecta- tions. in 2002, President George W. Bush announced he would take the smallpox vaccine along with u.S. military forces, but was not recommending the potentially risky inoculation for most amer- icans. in 2003, Saddam hussein was captured by u.S. forces while hid- ing in a hole under a farmhouse in adwar, iraq, near his hometown of Tikrit. in 2007, Major league Baseball’s Mitchell report was released, identifying 85 names to differing degrees in connection with the alleged use of performance-en- hancing drugs. in 2014, thousands of protesters marched in new york, Washing- ton and other u.S. cities to call at- tention to the killing of unarmed Black men by white police officers who faced no criminal charges. in 2019, the house Judiciary com- mittee approved two articles of impeachment accusing President donald Trump of abuse of power in his dealings with ukraine and obstruction of congress in the in- vestigation that followed. Ten years ago: early sound re- cordings by alexander Graham Bell that were packed away at the Smithsonian institution for more than a century were played pub- licly for the first time using new technology that read the sound with light and a 3d camera. Five years ago: President-elect donald Trump announced his choice of exxonMobil ceo rex Til- lerson to be secretary of state. ac- tor alan Thicke, best remembered as the beloved dad on the aBc series “Growing Pains,” died in los angeles at age 69. One year ago: The first vials of the Pfizer vaccine against coVid-19 began making their way to distribution sites across the united States. President donald Trump said he was reversing an administration directive to vac- cinate top government officials against coVid-19 while public dis- tribution of the shot was limited to health care workers and people in nursing homes and long-term care facilities; hours earlier, the ad- ministration had confirmed that senior u.S. officials would be of- fered vaccines in the days ahead. Today’s Birthdays: actor-come- dian dick Van dyke is 96. country singer Buck White is 91. Music/ film producer lou adler is 88. Singer John davidson is 80. Singer Ted nugent is 73. rock musician Jeff “Skunk” Baxter is 73. country singer-musician randy owen is 72. u.S. agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is 71. Former Federal re- serve chairman Ben Bernanke is 68. country singer John anderson is 67. Singer-actor Morris day is 65. actor Steve Buscemi is 64. rock musician John Munson (Semi- sonic; Twilight hours) is 59. ac- tor-reality TV star nene leakes is 55. actor-comedian Jamie Foxx is 54. actor lusia Strus is 54. TV per- sonality debbie Matenopoulos is 47. rock singer-musician Thomas delonge is 46. actor James Kyson lee is 46. actor Kimee Balmilero (TV: “hawaii Five-0”) is 42. actor chelsea hertford is 40. rock singer amy lee (evanescence) is 40. actor Michael Socha is 34. actor Marcel Spears (TV: “The Mayor”) is 33. Singer Taylor Swift is 32. actor Maisy Stella is 18. ANNE RICE • 1941-2021 Novelist helped breathe new life into vampire stories BY JAKE COYLE aP Film Writer NEW YORK — Anne Rice, the novelist whose lush, best-selling gothic tales, includ- ing “Interview With a Vampire,” reinvented the blood-drinking immortals as tragic antiheroes, has died. She was 80. Rice died late Sat- urday due to compli- Rice cations from a stroke, her son Christopher Rice announced on her Face- book page and his Twitter page. “As a writer, she taught me to defy genre boundaries and surrender to my obsessive pas- sions,” Christopher Rice, also an author, wrote. “In her final hours, I sat beside her hospital bed in awe of her accomplish- ments and her courage.” Rice’s 1976 novel “Interview With the Vampire” was later adapted, with a script by Rice, into the 1994 movie directed by Neil Jordan and starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. It’s also set to be adapted again in an upcoming TV series on AMC and AMC+ set to pre- miere next year. “Interview With the Vampire,” in which reporter Daniel Mol- loy interviews Louis de Pointe du Lac, was Rice’s first novel but over the next five de- cades, she would write more than 30 books and sell more than 150 million copies worldwide. Thirteen of those were part of the “Vampire Chronicles” be- gun with her 1976 debut. Long before “Twilight” or “True Blood,” Rice introduced sump- tuous romance, female sexu- ality and queerness — many took “Interview With the Vam- pire” as an allegory for homo- sexuality — to the supernatural genre. “I wrote novels about peo- ple who are shut out life for various reasons,” Rice wrote in her 2008 memoir “Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Con- fession.” “This became a great theme of my novels — how one suffers as an outcast, how one is shut out of various levels of meaning and, ultimately, out of human life itself.” Though Rice had initially struggled to get it published, “Interview With a Vampire” was a massive hit, particularly in paperback. She didn’t im- mediately extend the story, following it up with a pair of historical novels and three erotic novels penned under the pseudonym A. N. Roquelaure. But in 1985, she published “The Vampire Lestat,” about the “Interview With a Vam- pire” character she would con- tinually return to, up to 2018’s “Blood Communion: A Tale of Prince Lestat.” In Rice’s “Vampire Chron- icles,” some critics saw only cheap eroticism. But others — including millions of readers — saw the most consequen- tial interpretation of vampires since Bram Stoker. DEADLY TORNADOES Gerald herbert/aP A collapsed factory and surrounding areas are seen in Mayfield, Kentucky, on Sunday after tornadoes caused catastrophic damage. ‘Not knowing is worse’ Hopes dwindle of finding more twister survivors in candle factory rubble BY BRUCE SCHREINER AND DYLAN LOVAN associated Press MAYFIELD, Ky. — Workers on the night shift at Mayfield Consumer Products were in the middle of the holiday rush, cranking out candles, when a tornado closed in on the fac- tory and the word went out: “Duck and cover.” Autumn Kirks pulled down her safety goggles and took shel- ter, tossing aside wax and fra- grance buckets to make room. She glanced away from her boy- friend, Lannis Ward, and when she looked back, he was gone. On Sunday, he was among scores of people feared dead in the rubble of the factory and elsewhere across the state. Gov. Andy Beshear initially warned Sunday that the state’s overall death toll from the out- break of twisters Friday night in Mayfield and other com- munities could exceed 100. But later in the day, he said the number might turn out to be half that, citing details from the candle company. “We are praying that maybe original estimates of those we have lost were wrong. If so, it’s going to be pretty wonderful,” the governor said. Kirks and others could only wait in agony for news of their loved ones amid the rescue ef- Mark humphrey/aP Arthur Byrn, left, Carole Dowdy, center, and Carla McDonald console each other after an outdoor service was held at First Christian Church in Mayfield on Sunday. The church building was heavily damaged. fort. “Not knowing is worse than knowing right now,” she said. “I’m trying to stay strong. It’s very hard right now.” Kentucky was the worst- hit state by far in an unusual mid-December swarm of twist- ers across the Midwest and the South that leveled entire com- munities and left at least 14 peo- ple dead in four other states. Forty people who were in- side the candle factory were pulled out soon after the twister struck, authorities said. The number of people who had been in the factory was initially put at 110. Rescuers had to crawl over the dead to get to the living at a disaster scene that smelled like scented candles. But by the time churchgoers gathered Sunday morning to pray for the lost, more than 24 hours had elapsed since any- one had been found alive. In- stead, crews recovered pieces of peoples’ lives — a backpack, a pair of shoes and a cellphone with 27 missed messages were among the items. Layers of steel and cars 15 feet deep were on top of what used to the factory roof, the governor said. Four twisters hit the state in all, including one with an extraordinarily long path of about 200 miles long, authori- ties said. Landslide near Florence shuts down Highway 101 The register-Guard All lanes of U.S. Highway 101 near Florence were closed due to a landslide Saturday. According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, the landslide happened about 10 miles north of Florence. The road was cleared and reopened at about 6 p.m., following an initial alert sent out at 1:15 p.m., according to ODOT spokesman Matt Noble. “About 40 yards of dirt and rock is covering the roadway,” according to the alert. The landslide was likely caused by the heavy rain at the coast, weakening the hillside, Noble said. “That’s typically what causes those landslides to happen, especially on Highway 101 on what is already a slowly eroding hillside as it is,” he said.
