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Check this website if you think you're getting scammed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

New scams are popping up every day. If you want to stay one step ahead of the crooks, there's a helpful website from the Better Business Bureau that can not only help you report scams but research the latest ones happening.Recently, I met up with West Los Angeles resident Dahlia, who didn't want me to use her full name on TV because she was so embarrassed about what happened to her.Follow Tech Reporter Rich DeMuro on Instagram.She describes herself as a smart woman who researches everything, but even she fell victim to a scam.It all started when her son's longtime cat, a Maine coon, passed away."He was heartbroken, so I wanted to get him another cat similar to the Maine coon cat that he had," explained Dahlia.She headed to Facebook in search of adoption groups and soon found the kitten she was looking for. It was from a breeder, but since it seemed perfect, she was willing to pay to get it.The website had "pictures of families with these little kittens and gave you a warm feeling."F...

Emei Digs Fearless

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

Taylor SwiftFearless (Big Machine)Emei Digs Fearless: L.A.-based Chinese-American alt-pop singer and songwriter Emei told us about her love for a Swift gem.(Big Machine)Emei: Choosing albums is actually very tough for me since I listened to a lot of very very different types of music growing up (anywhere from Amy Winehouse to Ella Fitzgerald to Jackson 5 to Sara Bareilles).The album I think of immediately though would definitely be Fearless by Taylor Swift.It was one of the first albums I bought on iTunes and I listened to it nonstop on my tiny blue ipod nano in elementary school.I remember listening to “Fifteen” when I was ten and thinking, ‘wow fifteen is so old and I can’t wait to fall in love then.’So yes, Fearless was definitely the soundtrack of baby Emei and my immediate pick for all time favorite album!Emei Digs Fearless: Emei’s single “Irresponsible” is out from May 26.         &nbs...

Is Delta-8 “Dreamier” Than CBD? — Delta-8 vs. CBD For Sleep Health

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

More customers are turning to hemp supplements for help with sleep disturbances. Indeed, many CBD and delta-8 manufacturers market their products to people who want to catch some “Zzz’s.” But are these cannabinoids truly effective for conditions like insomnia? If so, is one cannabinoid better than the other?While CBD and delta-8 have potential in the sleep health category, they work on the endocannabinoid system differently. Knowing what to expect from these cannabinoids should help you decide which one is better suited for your sleep concerns.Does CBD Work Better Than Delta-8 For Sleep?Honestly, both CBD and delta-8 could help people with sleep-related complaints. At this point, there’s not enough data to suggest that one cannabinoid works better than the other. There are, however, many anecdotal testimonies that CBD and delta-8 have a sedating effect at specific doses.Since CBD extracts have been around for longer, more research supports CBD’s use as ...

PGA Championship becomes a `Block party’ celebrating California club pro finishing tied for 15th

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

By JOHN WAWROW | AP Sports WriterPITTSFORD, N.Y.  — Michael Block recalled how only a week ago he was having drinks at the Pittsford Pub — a few par-5s away from where the PGA Championship was being held at Oak Hill in suburban Rochester, New York — and no one knew who he was.On Sunday, the once little-known golf pro from California is heading back to the bar for a few — maybe more — celebratory drinks with his friends and family knowing his days of living in anonymity might be over for the near future.Finishing in the top 15 at a major and making an ace during the final round with the entire sport watching will do that.“We’re going to have a crazy good time tonight, and I look forward to it,” Block said with a beaming smile on Sunday after he lived out every hacker’s dream.Over a four-day stretch at the brutish East Course, Block held his own against the best in the world, became a gallery favorite, conducted national television interviews between shots, made a hole-in-one, and pos...

Fatal crash closes Highway 101 in both directions in Sunnyvale

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

Multiple crashes with fatalities closed Highway 101 in Sunnyvale in both directions early Monday.The first collision was reported at 12:30 a.m. on northbound 101 between Lawrence Expressway and Fair Oaks Avenue, the California Highway Patrol said. Other collisions, including one in the southbound lanes, were then reported. The CHP told KGO-TV that three pedestrians were fatally struck. It was not yet known if they had been in one of the cars involved in the collisions.All lanes in both directions were closed by 12:50, and remained closed at 6 a.m. The CHP had no estimate for a reopening time. “Morning commute will be absolutely impacted,” CHP Sgt. Gil Ontiveros told NBC Bay Area.At least six vehicles were towed. Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | One dead, three injured in San Jose collision after vehicle overturns Crashes and Disasters | Man trying to help ducklings in Northern California intersection hit by vehicle, dies at the scene Crashes an...

Time magazine’s 50 greatest places in the world include a California wonder

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

Time magazine recently released its 2023 list of the 50 greatest places in the world, a wanderlust-inspiring, globe-circling journey that includes a beachy Fresian island in Germany, the pyramids of Giza and a gorilla trek in Rwanda.There are places we’ve all dreamed about or visited — Mexico City, for example, Vancouver and Barcelona. And places we’ve never even heard of, including Pantelleria, an island that lies between Sicily and Tunisia and is home to Italy’s newest national park, Parco Nazionale dell’Isola di Pantelleria.The U.S. gets some love, too, with Washington, D.C. hailed as an arts and culture mecca. California’s Yosemite National Park makes the list for its stunning landscapes, and Oregon’s Willamette Valley gets a shout out as “the next Napa,” an American Viticultural Area with more than 700 wineries.Here’s just a sampling from the full list. Find details on all 50, including suggestions for what to see and do when you ...

What happened to friendly feral cat that disappeared from Redwood City yard?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

DEAR JOAN: Two years ago, I discovered an older female feral cat sleeping in the leaves of my small orchard backyard. She’d been badly injured but had recovered somewhat.Over time, she became less afraid and I encouraged her into my inner backyard. She got used to my delivery of food and water in the mornings and evenings, even giving me a little meow when she saw me coming.We had grown to be pretty good friends. She slept under a chaise lounge near my patio door, where I made a bed for her. She loved it there, putting her head out to greet me. Then, after a couple years, one morning she was gone without a trace.There’s no evidence of anything happening to her. Given her age and past condition, do cats go away to die?I must say, I miss her terribly.— Joe, Redwood CityDEAR JOE: I’m a determined optimist and would like to believe your buddy found a permanent and loving home with some other kind person, who has convinced her to be an indoor cat and wander no more, how...

How your attitude and a bit of gardening rebelliousness might aid your plants

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

In “The 30-Minute Gardener” (Timber Press, 2023), Greg Loades has succeeded in rendering in words the rapturous joy of gardening. At the outset, he makes a comment that passionate gardeners everywhere will heartily endorse: “I still get excited when seeds start to sprout. That moment when the compost bulges and you catch a glimpse of a stem starting to unfurl is both a story with a happy ending and the thrill of a new beginning. You have sown a seed that germinated. New life has begun. … And that’s something to get excited about, whether for the first or the fiftieth time.” He then makes this confession: “I probably check pots of sown seeds at least three times a day, often knowing that it is far too early for anything to happen.” Yes, it is the gardener’s obsession to be a partner in creation and so watching seeds that you planted sprout has no parallel, with the exception of watching your child take shape in its mother’s womb and witnessing it emerge into the light of day. Loades ...

Wish You Were Here: South Dakota heartland adventures

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

The last few months have seen our intrepid readers headed for destinations from Quebec City to Amsterdam and Bruges, sharing their adventures and experiences along the way. You’ll find more than two dozen of their tales at www.mercurynews.com/tag/wish-you-were-here.Today, a Cupertino couple shares tips on what to see in South Dakota — Mount Rushmore, certainly, but so much more.Wish You Were HereSOUTH DAKOTA: Cupertino residents Larry and Donene Harrison road tripped from South Dakota to Minnesota in September — great timing, Larry says, because the weather was beautiful and the crowds sparse — on a journey that included a stop at Mount Rushmore and the Borglum Story Museum in nearby Keystone, which chronicles the history of the sculptor.Related ArticlesTravel | Wish You Were Here: Portsmouth’s naval sights delight Travel | Wish You Were Here: Beachy Australia adventures Travel | Wish You Were Here: Easter Isla...

TasteFood: Greening the goddess (chicken, that is)

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

The essence of a green goddess sauce is (surprise!) an abundance of fresh green herbs. It’s a light, bright and refreshing dip, dressing or crema. Precisely which herbs you use in the sauce is dependent upon your taste, garden and refrigerator. Suffice to say that you should use what you like and do not skimp. I make the dressing with herbs I always have on hand, which often include parsley and cilantro. If I have chervil, tarragon, chives or dill, I’ll add them, too. Feel free to tinker and mix and match the herbs to your preference — just be sure to mind the quantity.The sauce in this recipe is used as a marinade for the chicken and an accompaniment for serving. I’ll often make a double batch and use the remainder for dipping crudites or drizzling over roasted potatoes or other vegetables. It’s less creamy and less sweet than many goddesses, which often include mayonnaise. This one does not. If you prefer a runnier sauce, add a little more yogurt.Gree...