Stay informed on COVID-19

Dear Readers: Want to know the most up-todate figures on COVID19? Look up the COVID Data Tracker on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website (www.cdc.gov/covid-datatracker).

Here you’ll find statistics on cases by age, race, gender and location, the cases in the last 30 days, deaths and vaccines administered, among lots of other information. Check it out. Not out of fear, but to be informed.

And, as always, keep following the COVID protocols: frequent handwashing, social distancing (keep 6 feet away from others), wear a mask and stay home if you feel sick. — Heloise

TECH TALK TUESDAY

Dear Readers: Want to do some research online? You’ll need to find a webpage, which is merely a collection of information filed under a web address, also called a URL (uniform resource locator).

A URL, or web address, is normally styled as www. webpageexample.com. — Heloise

YOU DO YOU

Dear Heloise: I was disappointed in your advice this week ( Jan. 26) to those incurring bank overdraft charges. It seemed to be offering them comfort against the “evil banking industry.” I wish that, instead, you had written about the reality.

The reality is that when a checking account is opened, the account holder agrees to the bank’s terms and is issued a check register in which to record transactions.

The account holder, therefore, has the means to know the account’s balance.

A transaction against an account without sufficient funds is a request that the bank advance its depositor’s funds without collateral. The function of the overdraft fee is to cover the cost for advancing funds, to compensate for the funds that may never be repaid, and to encourage perpetrators to change their ways. — Sandy in Ventura, Calif.

Hey Sandy. You’re right. Personal accountability is an important factor in responsible financial management. Thanks for your email. -- Heloise

WHOOPS? UNSEND!

Dear Readers: If you accidentally send an email to the wrong person (“Reply All” anybody?), there may be a way out. Your email platform may have an “Unsend” (also called the Undo Send) function.

This gives you typically 30 seconds or so to unsend or cancel the sent email. It could save some awkwardness on those video communication calls! Check it out before the next meeting. — Heloise

P.S. Usually it’s only available on your desktop computer, and not your phone, and not all email providers offer this feature.

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise. com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.

ACROSS

Water filter brand Voice below baritone

Major Web portal Grows faint Informal okay “Now I get it!” Wind of 19-24 mph, on the Beaufort scale 19 Reservoir structure 20 Swimmer that

may be furry 21 Inlet, vis-à-vis

the sea

22 Classic Lanvin

scent

24 In addition

26 Big name in

bouillon cubes 27 Japanese living

art form

30 Iberian dance

for two 33 Summer on the

Seine

34 Danes of

“Homeland” 36 Kept the party

hopping, briefly 37 Scenic road,

maybe 39 Albuquerque sch. 40 Dahl who wrote

“Fantastic Mr Fox” 41 Ready for business 42 Present from birth 44 Zen opening? 45 Pointy flags 47 Sports coat

49 Full of chutzpah 50 States

51 What a voter

fills out

53 Golf scorecard

word

54 Soybean product 58 Gershwin brother 59 “The Hunger Games” trilogy, e.g.

Light brown Upright

“Divine Comedy” poet

Unlike the starts of this puzzle’s four longest answers 1 6

10 13 14 16 17 62 63 64

65 66 Site for

handmade gifts 67 Little ones

DOWN

1

2 3

4

5 6

7

8

9

10

11 12 15

18 23

Inseparable pals, briefly Seldom spotted Half-baked thought, perhaps Popular electric cars

Shade of gray Grand Canyon pack animal “May I say something?”

The Beatles’

“__ Loves You” Somers who played Chrissy on “Three’s Company”

Genre for a John Lewis quartet

Layered hairstyle Bering Sea port King in “Jesus Christ Superstar” Thai cuisine herb Madrid museum

25

26 27

28

29 30 31

32 35 38 40

Like some bridal dresses

Destiny

Early form of 10-Down Common blood group

Patriots’ home Helsinki natives Hair salon application

More unusual Mommy’s sis Invalidate Depend (on) 42 43 46 48 50 51

52

53 55 56 57 60 61

About to happen Vintage ski lifts Make amends

Off the right path Like sea water __-Honey: candy bar Depleted Eurasian sea Push-up targets Sow sound

Big celebration Puts in the lineup Racetrack doc D.C. summer hrs.