Vol. 19: #52 • Measurements • (12-24-2023) Tidbits of Coachella by Tidbits of Coachella Valley

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TIDBITS GOES TO GREAT LENGTHS ABOUT

MEASUREMENTS

by Janet Spencer

“Give ‘em an inch and they’ll take a mile”... but just how did it happen that we have inches and miles in the first place? The history of measurements is a long and rather interesting road, so grab a handy tape rule and follow along as we find out how we got here! FROM FEET TO FURLONGS

• To consider the origin of our Imperial units such as inches and miles, let’s start with an ordinary measurement: the foot. The Roman foot, called a “pes” (singular) or “pedes” (plural) was a basic unit of measurement for the Romans. Our words including “pedestrian” and “pedometer” spring from this. • The foot was the basis for other measurements. The inch came from the Old English “ince” which came from the Latin “unica” meaning “onetwelfth” indicating it was 1/12th of a Roman foot. • The Romans noted that a two-step pace of a man was about five feet. One thousand paces, or 5,000 feet, became their mile, which they called “milia Measurements: Turn to page 3 INSIDE: Celebrity Extra............................. Page 6 Good Houskeeping Recipes ........ Page 7 Comics & Puzzles........................ 8-9 Pet Column.................................. 9 Your Social Security.................... 11 Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s) 12 Spelling  Prices  Hours Doctor's Advice .......................... Antique or Junque........................ 14 MON., DEC. 31changes or corrections. Contact your Tidbits representative immediately Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s) with  Spelling  Prices  Hours

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One in a series

Vol. IXX Issue No. 52

• The first concert was scheduled for Castle Garden, a huge auditorium in Manhattan. • Prior to each performance, an auction was held on behalf of charity, for wealthy businessmen to bid for the privilege of buying the best seats. At each stop around the nation people waited in long lines to buy entry, while those too late (or too poor) stood outdoors in all kinds of weather just to see Jenny, or by chance to hear a few notes through a hall’s open windows. • Although Jenny was perplexed by this frantic attention, she patiently underwent the assault, little realizing that Barnum’s agents were telegraphing ahead to every city on the tour, informing local newspapers and hotels of the exact time and place of her arrival. The clever promotional tactic worked every time.

• A more improbable scenario would be hard to imagine: A plain-looking female singer from Sweden crosses the Atlantic to America, and ADVERTISING PROOF Carl Moore Locksmithing on these shores sings classics in languages that Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m.. • Number(s) BW • 26x disc. Prices  Hours few of her listeners understand. And although ase review carefully. Business Double check:Card  Phone  Spelling 15, 2023 Vol. 19 No. 42or corrections. she performed at a time that had neither videos, Contact your TidbitsOct. representative immediately with-changes Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 nor radios, speaker systems, or laser shows, • Barnum, however, was also sensitive to Lind’s (Answers on page 16) the young lady never failed to captivate each fatigue and need for privacy. He often tricked audience at every performance. overwhelming mobs into chasing a false figure -CLIP AND SAVE • This is the scenario that occurred in the U.S. most often his own daughter, veiled and garbed CARL MOORE between 1850 and 1852. What’s even more just like the songster, giving Jenny unhindered remarkable is that to achieve this adoration, the access to the performance venues. artist, Jenny Lind, teamed up with P. T. Barnum, • By the late spring of 1851, Jenny had tired of the Residential  Commercial Re-Key Re-Pin Keys Made Masterthat era’s grandmaster of humbug and hoax. relentless routine. On June 9, 1851, by common

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• Oddly enough, before engaging her services, consent the contract between the two was ended, P.T. Barnum had never heard “The Swedish with Lind forfeiting a part of her guarantee. But Nightingale” sing, however, he knew of her by then she had already earned $176,000 ($7 considerable European reputation. And on the million) and Barnum, $200,000 ($9 million). basis of that alone, he offered her the unheard-of • But this friendly parting did not end Lind’s stay sum of $1,000 per concert ($40,000 today) and in the U.S. Rather, she toured farther, giving a schedule of 150 appearances. Her charm, plus another 40 concerts on her own. Although those Barnum’s boosterism, were to create a strange events lacked the frantic appeal of her earlier ten-month pairing of Beauty and the Boast. ones, they were still well attended -- and at much • One reason Jenny took the risk was that, lower admission prices. although Barnum was indeed fond of the bizarre, • In 1852 Jenny Lind married her accompanist he did have a superb knack for managing tours and sailed back to Europe. She and Barnum long and creating spectacular promotions. Then, too, maintained a cordial relationship, and many Jenny was seeking relief from the stuffy operatic years later Barnum traveled to Europe and met stage, which had dominated her career. Jenny and her grandchildren. • Finally, as Jenny was known for giving much • When Jenny Lind died in 1887, two of her most of her earnings to charities, America was an precious possessions were placed in her casket. untapped opportunity for her to continue her One was a fancy shawl given her by Queen philanthropic practice. Victoria. The other was a simple quilt crafted in • On September 1, 1850, Jenny Lind arrived on a her honor by children in the United States.  New York City dock bedecked with welcoming flowers and flags. Huge crowds pressed in to see the famous star as thousands of blossoms paved her path. Even before the tour began, enterprising merchants stocked their stores with “Official Jenny Lind” merchandise of all sorts.

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Week of December 24, 2023

Measurements (from page one) passuum” meaning 1,000 paces. The word “mile” comes from this. • The unit of measure on Saxon farms was the furrow-long, or furlong, the distance that a team of oxen could pull a plow before needing to rest. The furlong equaled 660 feet. In 1592, Queen Elizabeth I standardized the mile. Because 5,000 can’t easily be divided by furlongs, the mile was standardized to 5,280 feet, exactly eight furlongs. INCHING TOWARDS STANDARDS

• The problem with many measurements was that they varied from place to place, causing problems for everyone. Attempts were made through the years in an effort to create some sort of standardization for everyone to use. • Charlemagne gave this a try in the early 800s but everything fell apart when his realm disintegrated. In the year 1215, the Magna Carta stipulated that standard measurements be instigated throughout England, but there was no enforcement and it ultimately failed. • Around 1150 A.D., King David I of Scotland defined the inch as the width of an average man’s thumb, measured at the base of the thumbnail. He added that the width must be set at the average of a large, a medium-sized, and a small man.

• The British Weights and Measures Act of 1824 replaced the Winchester Standards and instigated the Imperial measurements, the basis of the system still used in the U.S. today.

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• In 1669, French astronomer Jean Picard was the first person to give an accurate measurement of the size of Earth. A year later, French scientist Gabriel Mouton was one of the first to advocate for replacing the tangled conglomeration of measurements with a simple decimal system based on the size of Earth as the beginning point. He wrote a book about it, but it took another century for the idea to catch on.

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S GET DGE G FREE U N E of CoachellaL Valley W O N The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read K Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 OF valleybits@msn.com Even today, the All Rights Reserved is the same word for "thumb" as the wrd for "inch" in many languages. A "rule of thumb" means doing something the practical way instead of the official way, as when a carpenter measures with the thumb rather than the ruler.

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3:30PM

Fax: 760-320-1630 tions for an Imperial Roman war chariot.

• Then in 1495, King Henry VII of England established standards for measuring quantities, Mike Pendley Construction including the bushel, peck, gallon, and quart. 16th pg, BW, 6x He made prototypes that showed precisely how July 30, 2023 • Vol. 19 - No. 31 big these measurements were, storing them in the town of Winchester. This became known as the Winchester Standards.

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was in the “out with the old, in with the new” frame of mind, and receptive to new ideas. On the other hand, the turmoil made it hard to enforce the new measurements.

• However, a study done in France in 1789 found • In 1812, Napoleon revoked the new metric system and tried to instigate a new hybrid around 800 different units of measure in use method that incorporated some of each system.1. throughout that country alone. A survey in When the Napoleonic Empire collapsed, the Switzerland in 1838 showed that the foot could new French Assembly re-imposed the metric be 37 different lengths. This confusion sparked system in 1840, and soon most of France endless disputes. Every locale had its own embraced it. system, and no one wanted to adopt anyone else’s. It was clear that a universal measurement METRIC MAGIC system was badly needed. • A series of conventions and treaties finally 2. SCIENCE & STANDARDIZATION paved the way for the metric system. • It took wide social and scientific revolution to Measurements: Turn to page 15 open the doors for the metric system.

• In 1790, a panel of five French scientists was appointed to find a solution. A year later, the National Assembly of France instigated a decimal-based standard of weights and ADVERTISING PROOF measures. • An early Anglo-Saxon measure of length was Mon., July 24, 2023 al Changes DUE:because the barleycorn, these seeds tend to be5:00 p.m.. Since Roman chariots were made for the Imcarefully. Doublein check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Hours Rome Empire, they were all alike in the uniform size. In 1324 A.D., King Edward II  Pricesperial matter of wheel spacing. Therefore, the United of England decreedimmediately that the length an inch your Tidbits representative with of changes or corrections. States standard railroad gauge of four feet, 8.5 equaled three grains of barley. inches is derived from the original specifica-

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• The basic unit of length was equal to one tenmillionth of the distance from the North Pole to the equator. It was called a “meter” from the Greek word “metron” meaning “measure.” Units for length, weight, and volume correlated, making conversion between them easy. • In 1798, France invited dignitaries from all over the world to come learn about the new system. Because France and the U.S. were in the middle of a tiff over a treaty at the time, the U.S. was not invited. President John Adams wanted to see if the new method would stand the test of time because France was in the middle of a revolution. • Because of the French Revolution, the populace CLIP AND SAVE

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QUIZ BITS 1. The Latin "unica" gave us the inch, and also what word for another measurement? 2. What is the Latin word for "pound," giving us the abbreviation "lb"? (Answers page 16)

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Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Everyday CHEAPSKATE

by Mary Hunt By Lucie Winborne

* We should all be so lucky as to have vision like that of the mantis shrimp: Not only do its eyes possess four times as many color receptors as a human’s, it can see UV, visible and polarized light as well. * Lightning hasn’t brought down an airplane since 1963, thanks to engineering that allows a bolt’s electric charge to run through and out of the aircraft. * Spinraza, a drug prescribed for spinal muscular dystrophy, has a list price of $750,000. * By 2018, more than 100 people living in the U.S. owed at least $1 million in federal student loans. * A one-euro breakfast featured at an IKEA store in the Netherlands proved so popular that it had to be canceled after it attracted too many customers and even led to highway traffic jams. * Kellogg’s All-Bran cereal is actually 87% bran. * Heading for the gym in the new year? Be sure to take some hand sanitizer! A report found that a typical gym’s free weights boast 362 times as much bacteria as a toilet seat. * During the Cold War, President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev agreed to put aside their political differences if Earth was ever invaded by aliens from outer space. * Nicaraguan Catholics who abstain from meat during Lent include iguanas and armadillos in their diet. * In 1978, Equatorial Guinea’s President Francisco Macias Nguema, widely considered one of history’s most brutal, possibly even insane dictators, tempted fate by changing his country’s national motto to “There is no other God than Macias Nguema.” * More than four tons of old American paper money is mulched into compost every day. *** Thought for the Day: “Your life is your story. Write well. Edit often.” --Lisa Nichols (c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

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7 Things You Need to Do Now to Plan Ahead for Disaster Everyday The idea of emergency preparedness is good. But just having a rough idea is not good CHEAPSKATE enough. Every family -- every person -- needs a ®

by MaryofHunt plan in the event a disaster that could disrupt the normal course of life. But where to start? That’s where most of us get stuck for lack of useful, specific direction. Hopefully, these quick tips will do the trick to get you unstuck and on your way to being disaster-ready.

WATER STORAGE First of all, you don’t have to live in hurricane country to be prepared for one. Disasters can hit anywhere. This means water could be in short supply. For true emergency preparedness, store bottled drinking water in your home for your immediate needs. For flushing toilets and showers, line 30- to 45-gallon garbage cans with those large contractor plastic bags available at home improvement stores. Fill the garbage cans with water, and apply their tight-fitting lids. Most people forget that three weeks without electricity means three weeks of no water if their water utility provider has not attached a generator to pump water pressure to community homes. POINT PERSON Next, identify a friend or relative who lives in another state to be the disaster point person for your family. Keep that person’s phone number and contact information with you at all times. Add this contact to every person’s phone. Instruct all of your family members to call this person as a communication hub to check in with their location and conditions in the event you become separated when disaster hits. Be sure to let this point person know the plan, too! IMPORTANT PAPERS One of the most critical tips for emergency preparedness is to think ahead. So scan your family’s important documents: birth certificates, passports, Social Security cards, insurance policies, property deeds, car titles, immunization records, pet medical records, school transcripts, business licenses, education degrees and tax returns. Next, copy those files onto two DVDs or thumb drives. Keep one in a safe place with a password required for access, and have a trusted friend or relative in a different state -your point person -- keep the other. EMERGENCY CASH Also, you need to have some of your contingency fund in small denominations of cash; $1,000 is reasonable, but any amount is good. Store it in a safe place outside of your bank, like a fire-proof home safe or another similarly protected receptacle known only to you and one other person. In the event of a natural disaster that cripples utilities and services, banks will be closed. ATM machines will be down as well because they run on electricity. You will want to have cash on hand.

Vol. IXX Issue No. 52

GET A GO-BAG Every household needs a “go-bag.” This is a collection of items you may need in a disaster if all services are cut off and you and your family is forced to become self-sufficient. And because you may need to evacuate with little notice, your go-bag needs to be packed in an easyto-carry container like a suitcase on wheels. Additionally, have each family member keep a backpack that contains enough basic supplies to last for 72 hours -- always packed and ready to go on short notice. FULL TANK Keep your cars’ fuel tanks more full than empty. Make that a new habit. If you are required to evacuate, you won’t be the only one. Your entire community will be in the same situation. If your vehicle’s fuel tank is regularly almost empty, you’ll be stuck in a very long line -- assuming any filling stations are still in operation. For true emergency preparedness, make it a new rule that your car’s fuel indicator never falls below half-full. TRUNK KIT Store a sweatsuit, sneakers and a pair of old socks in the trunk of the car next to the spare tire. If there’s a flat tire, throw the sweats on over your good clothes. Next, kick off your shoes and change into sneakers. Being disaster-ready means you can change that tire without having to worry about getting dirty. Bonus: If the car simply breaks down, the sneakers will feel better on your way to find help. Check out https://www.ready.gov for more information and terrific resources. * * * Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https:// www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living. COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

Week of December 24, 2023

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in 1367. He was awarded a large “ruby” in appreciation. Today the gem is set in Britain’s Imperial State Crown just above the Cullinan II diamond. Later was it found that the 170-carat stone is spinel and not ruby. It’s still called “The Black Prince’s Ruby” and is the world’s largest uncut spinel.

Article # 9

• Pure spinel is clear as glass. Various mineral impurities imbue it with color and it can be found in every color of the rainbow including all shades of grey as well as pure black. “Jedi spinel” is a deep pink variety, named because it’s the same color as a Jedi’s red lightsaber.

• Verneuil’s method was the first step of modern industrial crystal growth technology and is still used today. Today, spinel is one of the most commonly synthesized gems. • Synthetic gems such as rubies, sapphires, and diamonds are meant to offer less expensive alternatives to the real thing. However, synthetic spinel is not meant to imitate spinel. Instead, it’s meant to mimic other more valuable gems. Fax: 760-320-1630

• Spinel (spin-ELLE) comes from the Latin word “spinella” meaning “thorn” because its pointed shape imitates the shape of a thorn. The same root word gives us “spine” because vertebrae are also shaped like thorns.

• French chemist Auguste Verneuil invented the method for producing synthetic gemstones in 1883. Spinel was one of the first gemstones to be reproduced in the lab, along with ruby, sapphire and simulated diamonds.

Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections.

• Often spinel crystals fall into rivers and streams where they are carried downstream, collecting in alluvial deposits where they are easily mined.

Dr.red Nicolas Campos • Although spinel is rarer than ruby and is 1/3 page, BW, 13xrubies, it’s usually often much larger than available at one-tenth of the19 price of ruby. 12-24-2023 Vol. - No. 52

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• Spinel is made of magnesium, aluminum, and oxygen which mix and melt where magma emerges from earthʼs crust. The molten solution seeps through cracks in the surrounding rock. The veins of spinel are often much harder than the surrounding rock, which weathers away, exposing the gem.

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SPINEL: THE GEM

• The largest cut and polished spinel is the 500-carat “Samarian Spinel” currently residing with the Royal Crown Jewels of Persia, todayʼs Iran.

• Because it is available in almost every color of the rainbow, it can imitate nearly every other gemstone. Until the invention of lab-grown cubic zirconia in the early 1970s, colorless spinel was a common substitute for diamond.

Chiropractic Can Help Achieve New Year’s Resolution Goals The New Year is nearly upon us, and 2024 promises to be like every other year with people setting their intentions for greater health and prosperity. According to Forbes magazine the top five New Year Resolutions For 2024 are: ● Improve fitness ● Improve finances ● Improve mental health ● Lose weight ● Improve diet That’s eighty percent focused on health and wellness. But let’s face it, less than ten percent of these goal-setters complete their New Year resolutions, with about twenty-five percent dropping them by the end of January. Why? With regard to health and wellness, particularly fitness, pain is a major obstacle to carrying out a regular exercise routine.

• Spinel is found in the same places where sapphires That does not have to be you – a and rubies are mined, leading to confusion remedy exists. Most musculoskeletal pain has because they look nearly identical. Sapphire and • Spinel’s hardness makes it excellent for use in a physical solution and chiropractic care is perruby have almost the same chemical makeup as jewelry. It’s commonly found in class rings and fectly positioned to provide it. Spinal sources Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours of pain are directly correctable by traditional spinel except that they don’t contain magnesium. in faux birthstone jewelry. Synthetic spinel also chiropractic. has industrialimmediately uses. It provides heat-resistant • Ruby and sapphire have Contact a hexagonal your crystal Tidbits representative with changes or corrections. coatings on metal tools. It’s also added to bricks structure, whereas spinelOffice: typically takes the 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630Muscle pain and limb injuries respond and ceramics.  shape of an octahedron, with two four-sided incredibly well to sports chiropractic, so foot and ankle pain, knee pain, hip pain, sciatica, pyramids stuck together at the base. For and neck and shoulder stiffness are all corcenturies, any red-colored gem was mistakenly rectable. These are some of the most common called a ruby, and any blue-colored gem was a pain areas that prevent people from exercising. sapphire.

• Prince Edward of England was known as the Black Prince because of his black shield and armor. He helped the Spanish defeat the Moors

And cranial chiropractic can help with problems like balance, dizziness, headache, and other conditions which may make physical movement uncomfortable. If you, like many others, would love to improve your health, wellness, and physical comfort, then starting the year off with a chiropractic health regimen would be worthwhile. Doing so may see you completing your New Year resolutions after all. *** DEAR DR. CAMPOS: I’ve had horrible digestive symptoms for years. Can chiropractic help? – M.P.

Office: 760-320-0997

• In 1783, a French mineralogist with the impressive name of Jean-Baptiste Louis Romé de l’Isle developed methods of distinguishing identical-looking minerals by testing their mineral makeup. This was the first revelation that many “rubies” were actually spinel. JeanBaptiste became the father of crystallography and gemology.

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Answer: Dear M.P: Many chiropractors are holistic doctors, so we also address nutritional elements of health. In my practice, I help clients with diet and nutrition through food sensitivity testing and guidance toward a diet that works best for them. I have been working with my clients for over two decades in this area of diet and nutrition with excellent results. Bloating, cramping, constipation, and much more result from eating foods to which an individual is sensitive. Finding those sensitivities is invaluable to the sufferer of gastrointestinal symptoms. If this is you, please give my office a call. ***

Dr. Campos is a Cranial and Sports Chiropractic Doctor in Palm Desert. While he cannot answer every individual question via email, he will choose one or two each week to answer here. Readers may email questions to

OfficeCamposCranial@gmail.com Learn more at:

Dr NickCampos.com or call (760) 359-8838

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Page 6

by Dana Jackson King Features News Syndicate

Q: I was sorr y to hear about the death

of Ryan O’Neal. “Paper Moon” is one of my all-time favorite movies. How is his daughter Tatum doing? -- H.G.

A: Tatum O’Neal wrote in her 2004 autobi-

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

1. The Boy and the Heron 1. (PG-13) Split ................................ (PG-13) Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy 2. The Hunger Games: The Ballad 2. of Rings ............................... (PG-13) Songbirds & Snakes Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Alex Roe (PG-13) Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth 3. A Dog’s Purpose ..................(PG) 3. Godzilla Minus One Josh Gad, Minami Dennis Hamabe, Quaid (PG-13) 4. Ryunosuke Hidden Figures Kamiki ....................(PG) Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer 4. Trolls Band Together 5. (PG) La La Land .................... Anna Kendrick, Justin (PG-13) Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone Timberlake 6. 5. Resident Evil:AThe Final Renaissance: Film by Beyoncé Chapter ...................................... (NR) Beyoncé, Blue Ivy Carter (R) Milla Jovovich, Iain Glen 6. Wish DeBose, Chris Pine 7. (PG) SingAriana .......................................(PG) 7. Napoleon animated Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa(PG-13) Kirby 8. (R) Lion ................................ 8. Patel, Waitress: The Kidman Musical Dev Nicole (NR) Space Sara Bareilles, Drew 9. The Between Us Gehling .. (PG-13) 9. Animal Gary Oldman, Asa Butterfield Kapoor, Anil Kapoor 10.(NR) xXx:Ranbir Return of Xander 10. The Shift Cage .................................... (PG-13) (PG-13) Kristoffer Polaha, Neal Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen McDonough

(Go Figure solution page 14)

A: ”Big Sky” was a very promising series created by David E. Kelley. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Kelley has created and/or produced many highly successful shows like “L.A. Law,” “Ally McBeal,” “The Practice,” “Big Little Lies” and “The Lincoln Lawyer.” In between these notable hits have been some misses (“Big Shot” for one). “Big Sky,” however, probably sits somewhere in the middle. It last-

A: “Station 19” is a spin-off of “Grey’s Anatomy,” one of the longest-lasting drama series ever, but unfortunately “Station’s” time is coming to an end, as ABC recently announced that the up-

ed only three seasons, but with its beautiful scenery (set in Montana) and compelling storyline, it seemed to have the makings of a hit. It starred Katheryn Winnick (“Vikings”), Kylie Bunbury (“Pitch”) and Dedee Pfeiffer (“Cybill”). Pfeiffer is actually the sister of Kelley’s wife, actress Michelle Pfeiffer. When the show wasn’t generating its desired ratings, the name of it was changed to “Big Sky: Deadly Trails,” and two stars were added to the cast -- Reba McEntire (“The Voice”) and Jensen Ackles (“Supernatural”). Alas, it wasn’t enough, and the series was canceled back in May. * * *

February 13, 2017

ography, “A Paper Life,” that she and her father did not speak for two decades. According to Entertainment Weekly, they started to repair their relationship in the months before his longtime love, Farrah Fawcett, died after her cancer battle in 2009. The father and daughter duo, who starred in the classic film Ryan and Tatum O’Neal “Paper Moon,” in “Paper Moon” (1973) reunited onscreen in 2011 for their own reality show, “Ryan & Tatum: The O’Neals.” Their bond continued to grow until his passing on Dec. 8 at the age of 82. In a statement to People magazine, Tatum stated that her dad “meant the world to me. ... I’ll miss him forever, and I feel very lucky that we ended on such good terms.” *** Q: I know most of the new shows are starting later this season, but when is my favorite, “Station 19,” returning? -- K.L.

coming seventh season will be its last. The show boasts six cast members who have been there since the beginning -- Jaina Lee Ortiz (Andy), Jason George (Ben), Grey Damon (Jack), Barrett Doss (Vic), Jay Hayden (Travis) and Danielle Savre (Maya). Due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes in Hollywood, which have fortunately ended, the fall TV season was pushed to 2024 and will air much fewer episodes. “Station 19” will premiere its final season on March 14 at 10 p.m. ET., the first of just 10 episodes. *** Q: What happened to the show “Big Sky”? A friend told me it was canceled. This surprises me. I thought it was great and was looking for ward to more. -- B.F.

Vol. IXX Issue No. 52

Week of December 24, 2023

Good Recipes from

Root Beer-Glazed Ham It’s so fun to crack open a can of root beer and add it to the glaze. It provides liquid, sweetness and flavor. You also can use cola or even Dr Pepper! 1/2 fully cooked bone-in ham 40 whole cloves 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar Kosher salt Pepper 1 can root beer 1. Heat oven to 350 F. Place the ham cutside down on a rack set in a roasting pan; add 1/3 cup water to the pan. 2. Score the ham on all sides in a diamond pattern, cutting only 1/4 to 1/2 inches deep. Press 1 clove in the middle of each diamond. Cover the ham with foil and bake for 2 hours. 3. Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Gradually add the root beer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Page 7

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

heat until very warm. Stir in vanilla and coffee liqueur, if using.

4. Brush a third of the glaze (about 1/3 cup) over the ham and bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes; repeat. Brush the remaining glaze over the ham and bake until the ham is heated through and the internal temperature registers 140 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes more. Serves 16.

3. Pour into mugs. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon sticks, if desired. Makes 8 (1 cup) servings. * Each serving: About 458 calories, 33g total fat, 42g total carbohydrate, 11g protein.

Eggnog Hot Chocolate

* * *

For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our Web site at www.goodhousekeeping.com/reci finder/.

Start off Christmas morning in a very special way with this rich and creamy Eggnog Hot Chocolate.

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and chocolate just to a simmer; remove from heat. Let stand 2 minutes. Whisk chocolate until melted and smooth.

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2. Stir in eggnog. Gently heat over low

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PonderBits I just found out I have a height problem. According to the weight chart I sould be 4 inches taller. I hate it when people act all intellectual and talk about Mozart when they've probably never even seen one of his paintings.

"...so l figured living at work was even cheaper than working from home."

The sooner you fall behind the more time you'll have to catch up.

Page 8

Vol. IXX Issue No. 52

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

(Solution on page 16)

Donald Duck

by Walt Disney

Crossword Answers on page 16

NEST HEADS

By John Allen

Tidbits® of Coachella Valley Published and distributed weekly by AdVenture Media, Inc. P.O. Box 4308 Palm Springs, CA 92263-4308 Phone: 760-320-0997 Fax: 760-320-1630 Email: valleybits@msn.com www.TidbitsPalmSprings.com All rights reserved. Publisher: Erik D. Long Editor: David L. Long Distribution By:

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Week of December 24, 2023

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Page 9

NEXT WEEK in

Cody’s

TIDBITS SWEETENS THINGS UP WITH

Corner

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty By Matthew Margolis Creators News Service

A Man Walks Into a Dog Park...

3. The Weekly “Brain Breaker”

12/24 Christmas Eve

Two men were fighting at a bar. One of them threw a shrimp cocktail and yelled, “And that’s just for starters!” That’s a joke -- but it’s only a hairsbreadth away from describing the real-life events that played out at an Auburn, Calif., dog park. Police responded to a call at the local Auburn dog park and, after interviewing several witnesses, arrested Mr. Cramer, a 56-year-old gentleman for assault with a deadly weapon. The deadly weapon was a Chuck-It. A Chuck-It, for those who play fetch the old-fashioned way, is a long plastic ball-throwing device. Mr. Cramer reportedly used his as a “whack-it” by bopping a woman on the head during a disagreement. The two dog owners were arguing about the way their dogs were interacting. That’s not a joke. I’ve never been a fan of dog parks. For years, I’ve been warning against them in this space, harping on the fact that you know absolutely nothing about the other dogs with whom your dog is cavorting - whether they’re friendly, whether they’re fearful, whether they’re moody and persnickety, whether they love to pick a fight, or whether they’re hosting internal or external parasites you don’t want on your dog or in your home, . Fights at the dog park -- I’m talking about the canine variety now -- come with the territory. It’s an off-leash space where relative strangers -- both human and canine -- come together to socialize. But as the Auburn incident illustrates, even the most well-intentioned socializing can backfire when personalities clash. In theory, dog parks are great. They’re all about play. What complicates matters is that we don’t all play the same way. It’s kind of like when parents from the “we’re just here to have fun” camp mingle with parents who are “in it to win it” -- and of course I mean whose kids are in it to win it (wink). The parents and children from these opposing camps bring very different energy to the en-

12/25 Christmas Day 12/26 Boxing Day (Canada)

Print Your Answers Here:

12/27 Radio City Music Hall Day 12/28 Pledge of Allegiance Day 12/29 YMCA Day 12/30 Fried Bacon Day

Wuzzles solution Page 16

Tidbits® Word Search

"Measuring Methods" X

G Y

Q N

W M

R M

W E

W L

M M

W H

N M

O M

W M

O M

G W T

W H

www.WordSearchMaker.com



ACCELERATION � ACCELERATION � AMPEREAMPERE � FATHOMFATHOM � FURLONG FURLONG � GALLONGALLON � INCH INCH � INTENSITY INTENSITY � KILOMETER KILOMETER

(CryptoQuip Solution on page 14)

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

●



LENGTH � LENGTH � OUNCES OUNCES � POUNDS POUNDS �TEMPERATURE TEMPERATURE � TIME TIME � VOLUME VOLUME � WEIGHT WEIGHT � WIDTH WIDTH

(Word (Word Search Search solution solution page page 16) 16)

●

Mega Maze solution Page 14

Page 10

SENIOR NEWS LINE by Matilda Charles

Thieves Stole MyStaying Staying Healthy, Credit Home Card Number

Sometimes what you think is a scam I’ve...been lately in terms of real my health. phone call isn’t.lax Sometimes it’s the thing. ILike admit it. While I haven’t been at music concerts the call I got today. among thousands of people or riding packed phone rang I didn’t rush during to ansubwayWhen cars, the I have been going to stores swer. The foreign sounding man who left a the daytime when the aisles are full. This ismesessage said thatduring he needed to verify certainseason. recent pecially true the holiday shopping transactions on to one of my cards. Thestart only It’s time for me stop thatcredit -- again -- and reason I paid attention was that this same thing staying home, again. happened to me 15 years ago. Respiratory syncytial virus (also known Still, I was leery. Instead of calling back asthe RSV) is on he theleft, riseI where live, and likely at number called Ithe number on elsewhere. the back of my card and asked for the fraud department. They did some checking, and sure was onlynumber a few months ago thatgotten the enough,Itmy card had somehow CDC was to keep thebusily out and theadvising thieves pediatricians who had stolen it were standard RSV quick shot they usuallywith givethat children trying to make purchases card information over the country -- at thatvulnervery and save it -forallthe babies that were most moment! By that time, they already able because supplies werehad limited. Thatmade does fraudulent purchases thataexceeded ! not bode well for getting handle on$4,000 the spread of RSV. And it’s certainly not an illness vulnerThe person their fraud department able seniors want toinexperience. quickly went into action and immediately canceled my card out of their system. He said they

The Art of

DESIGN by Joseph Publillones

Dorms to Small Bedrooms Recently, I had the bittersweet experience of decorating my daughter's dorm room. Luckily, she wanted something simple, no thematic decor. Her only requirements were that she wanted her bedding in white with accents in yellow. Lucky for us, most of the wood furnishings in the dorm were the signature blonde wood with minimal design features, which in the end proved to be modern design by default. Yes, it was an emotional decorating moment, interspersed with occasional chokedback tears. So, I thought I'd follow the theme of small bedrooms in this week's column -- decorating ideas for small bedrooms, to be exact. Small rooms can be challenging to design, but there is something about small bedrooms that can add charm, intimacy and a cozy feeling, which is so apropos for resting and sleeping. Bedrooms can be created in almost any corner of a home or space. At times, all we need to define a bedroom is a canopy bed with drapes around the perimeter for privacy. An alcove or an odd corner of a room can also function as a small bedroom. Even an attic can be outfitted to be a great bedroom. In general, minimalist decoration works well in small bedrooms. It can help you achieve a clean and modern look. Do not overload the room. Furnish it with only the precise elements for daily use -- and nothing more. Small bedrooms' decoration can be done in many styles, but re-

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

would issue another one with a new number, which should arrive in the mail within 48 hours.

Vol. IXX

Issue No. 52

Cody’s Corner (from page 9)

vironment of play. A highly competitive approach brings aggressiveness, confidence, willfulness, I asked him how this could happen. I am dominance. A playful approach is lighter, open, well aware of scammers and take great precaufriendly and relaxed. And while these attributes tions to protect my personal information. My are more often associated with humans, it isn’t uncard is always in my possession. I don’t keep heard of for a dog to absorb and even reflect the any list of credit cards on my computer. I shred energy of his upright companion. In other words, documents that contain my personal information it’s not blind coincidence that this owner and his before sending it out with the trash. I don’t use Chuck-It victim clashed mightily over their dogs’ the card at small mom-and-pop places (which inability to get along. was my mistake 15 years ago) because their seThe strange thing about this incident is that curity isn’t always the best. I don’t use the card check: Please review carefully. Double the Phone  things Spelling it’s usually humansNumber(s) who are able to talk at ATMs since they might be pirated by skimmer out, agree to disagree or at least walk away. When devices. I hadn’t fallen for any scammer tricks trouble brews between dogs at a dog park, it’s easy Contact yourtaken Tidbits immediately with changes o over the phone, and I hadn’t the baitrepresentative by for it to escalate for three reasons: clicking on links contained in suspicious emails 1. The relevant humans are usually too far Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax I had received. away or distracted to do anything to defuse tension before it turns into a fight. So, how did that number get out? He 2. Humans and dogs tend to react to a dog couldn’t tell me. He said there are always new fight with excited or frantic energy, which only ways that thieves are devising to steal this informakes the fighting dogs dig in deeper. Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  mation. It happens far too often, and it’s usually 3. Dogs aren’t impeded by the threat of a through no fault of the card owner. Contact your Tidbits representative with changes or co lengthy prison sentence or the loss of everything c/o Melanie Thomas Property of immediately that made life as they valleybits@msn.com knew Office: 760-320-0997 email: Fax: 7 AdVenture Media, Inc.it good. Once fighting, I suspect that a few weeks fromBZ now BW we’ll 26x they are acting on instincts that could drive them to And that’s and much more comhear on the news that there has been another October 8,kill. 2023 Vol.much 19 worse - No.-- 41 mon -- than a bonk on the head from a Chuck-It. massive security breach, similar to the Target Woof! breach of a few years back where the informaProperty * * * of AdVenture Media,Matty” Inc. Margolis is the tion on 40 million cards was stolen. Dog trainer Matthew “Uncle Bgreen, * * * co-authorInc. of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular

ADVERTISING PROO Final Changes DUE: MON., OCT. 1

ADVERTISING PROOF Final Changes DUE: MON., Nov. 6 5: 12: Bgreen, Inc.

Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personc/o Melanie Ashe guest, radio and television and the host of the PBS series ally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them “WOOF! It’s a Dog’s Life!” Read all of Uncle Matty’s columns valleybits@msn.com 26x into her column whenever possible. Send email to colum- BZ atBW www.creators.com, and visit him at www.unclematty.com. nreply2@gmail.com. Nov. 12, 2023Phone: Vol.760.320.0997 19 - No. 46 Fax: 760.320.1630 COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

All Rights Reserved straint is the best advice with any style, and using colors and patterns is a way of adding interest to such rooms. Keep in mind that the colors most ● Kills Plant Diseases! suitable for small bedrooms are light colors; they ● Cleans, Lubricates Pruners! R will allow your rooms to feel as if they are filled with light. For those who like the feeling of a cocoon for resting, rich and darker colors are quite apreview carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling propriate. These rooms will show theirPlease best side Available at Ace & True Value Hardware at night when lit by a warm incandescent source Contact your TidbitsVisit representative immediately with changes or us at: PruneMaster.us of light. These spaces are usually just perfect for Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: sleeping, more so than any other activity. Another option for small bedrooms is to use neutral tones, and you can incorporate them into your interior design -- including your bedding Property of and flooring or carpeting, for a monochromatic AdVenture Media, Inc. Please review look.carefully. This is perhapsDouble the pre- check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling ferred design approach for small bedrooms because it Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes o exudes peace. Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com High headboards and built- email: valleybits@msn.com Office: 760-320-0997 Fax in furniture also work well in All Rights Reserved small bedrooms because they integrate all the furnishing components into the background, leaving only the bedding as a softer, fluid eleProperty of ment in the room. Beds with AdVenture Media, Inc. storage underneath or in the headboard are useful where space is limited. Works of art can be incorporated into small rooms, as long as they blend into the Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 background and their theme is peaceful. Abvalleybits@msn.com stracts, botanical prints, landscapes and ocean views are great for bedroom artwork. They're safe All Rights Reserved themes that are there to soothe your thoughts, not stress you out. This artwork should relax you and eventually promote sleep. * * *

STOP CROSS-CONTAMINATION!

ADVERTISING PROOF Final Changes DUE: 1 Pruner Tool Treatment Spray

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Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. His website is www.josephpubillones. com. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2019 CREATORS.COM

Week of December 24, 2023

YOUR

SOCIAL SECURITY by Tom Margenau

A Great Christmas Gift Idea Want a great Christmas gift idea? How about giving yourself and your friends the best book about Social Security that you will ever read. And surprise! I’m talking about my book, “Social Security Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-To-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security.” In just under 100 pages, I explain everything you’d probably ever need to know about our nation’s bedrock social insurance program. For example, if you are someone pushing retirement age who wants to know when and how to file for benefits, there is a chapter in the book for you. Or if you are a woman who is wondering what benefits you might be due on a husband’s, or ex-husband’s, or a deceased husband’s Social Security record, there is a chapter here for you. Or if you are someone with a physical or mental impairment wondering if you might be eligible for disability benefits, there is a chapter in the book for you. And there is so much more. Most people get the book through Amazon. If you do, there is one caveat to my Christmas suggestion. Although I have updated the book for 2024 and it does appear on the Amazon website as such, the retail giant has been having some problems and they sometimes send the 2022 or 2023 editions. If that happens, you can return the book. But you just might want to keep it and put it under the Christmas tree. All I do each year is update a few numbers that change annually with cost-ofliving adjustments. But 99% of the old editions (all the really important stuff) are the same as the 2024 edition. I recently sat down in my La-Z-Boy and reread the book (the 2022 edition), comparing it to two other Social Security guidebooks I bought. And not to be too self-centered about this, but I was surprised by how much better and easier-to-read my book is. “Social Security: Simple and Smart” is actually made up of a series of fact sheets I prepared over the years to explain various aspects of the Social Security program to the readers of my column. Here is a rundown of what’s in the book. It begins with a section that debunks the top ten myths about Social Security. Interestingly, I start out that section saying, “I could write a book called ‘The Top 100 Social Security Myths.’” And guess what? I have. “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts” is also available from booksellers. But back to my “Simple and Smart” book. Fact Sheet No. 1 is called “Social Security Basics.” It provides an introduction to the Social Security program. Fact Sheet No. 2 is called “Myths and Facts about Social Security Financing.” There are just so darn many rumors and myths floating around on the Internet about how Social Security works and is financed. This fact sheet tackles all those silly and misleading myths and sets the record straight. It also includes a section that discusses serious and workable proposals for Social Security reform. Fact Sheet No. 3 is the most popular. It is called “When to take your Social Security benefits.” It clarifies all the rules associated with retirement benefit eligibility and explains the mechanics of applying for benefits. There also is a section that

Page 11

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

And finally, there is a little bonus section at talks about “maximizing” your Social Security benthe end of the book called “What to do when someefits. Fact Sheet No. 4 is called “Working after one getting a Social Security check dies.” By the way, I’ve written another excellent retirement and the earnings penalty.” This chapter explains the convoluted rules that apply to Social Social Security book called “Social Security: 100 Security recipients who are under their full retire- Myths and 100 Facts.” Read it and it will clear up all the myths, rumors, and outright lies you have ment age but still working part time. Fact Sheet No. 5 is the second most popular heard or read about Social Security. And as long as I’m shamelessly promotpart of the book. It is called “A woman’s guide to ing my Social Security books, let me mention two Social Security.” It explains benefits a woman might be due on a husband’s, or ex-husband’s Social Secu- other books I’ve written -- even though they have rity record. And it explains benefits available to wid- nothing to do with Social Security. My readers may ows and divorced widows. (By the way, the same be surprised to learn that I’m not just a boring old former government employee who writes columns rules apply to husbands and widowers.) Fact Sheet No. 6, called “Benefits for chil- and books about Social Security. I’m also a grandpa dren,” explains benefits available for the children who writes stories for his grandchildren. I’ve turned two of those stories into pubof retirees or for the children of people getting dislished children’s books. One is a cute little story ability benefits. Survivor benefits for the children called “A House Made Out of Shells” about a little of a deceased parent are also discussed. Fact Sheet No. 7 is called “Disability ben- girl who lives on a beach and makes friends with efits from Social Security.” It clarifies everything a little hermit crab. The other is called “Molly’s you need to know about the Social Security and Magic Laces” about a girl who likes to run and gets Supplemental Security Income disability programs. some magic shoelaces from her father that take It also includes a section with tips for getting your her on adventures around the world. If you have a child, or grandchild, or niece or nephew, they will disability claim approved. love these fascinating little stories.PROOF Fact Sheet No. 8 is called “Pension offsets really ADVERTISING ADVERTISING PROOF * * * and Social Security.” If you get a pension from a job Final Changes DUE: 5 If you have a Social Security question, Tom Marthat was not covered by Social Security, you mustFinal Changes DUE: 5:0 genau has two Double books with all  thePhone answers. One is called Please review carefully. check: Number(s)  Spelling read this section so you will understand the affect Please review carefully. Double check:and  Phone  Spelling  “Social Security -- Simple Smart:Number(s) 10 Easy-to-UnderADVERTISING PROOF that pension will have on any Social Security benstand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Yourwith Questions Contact your Tidbits representative immediately changes or ADVERTISING PROOF Contact your Social TidbitsSecurity.” representative immediately with changes or co About The other is “Social Security: efits you might be due on your own recordFinal or Office: a Changes DUE: 5:00 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com 100 Fax: p Final Changes DUE: 5:00 Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: p. 76 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the books at Amaspouse’s record. Please review carefully. Double check: outlets. Phone Or Number(s)  Spelling  Price zon.com or other book you can himan Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  send Spelling Prices Fact Sheet No. 9, called “When Social Secu- email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. To find out Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or correct Contact your more Tidbitsabout representative immediately or correctio rity says you owe them money,” was written for anyTom Margenau and towith readchanges past columns LDR Construction Svcs. Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-32 and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320one who has received an overpayment letter from 1/16 pg. 4C 26x disc.the Creators Syndicate website at and cartoonists, visit LDR Construction Svcs. the Social Security Administration. www.creators.com. 1/16 pg. 4C 26x disc. Fact Sheet No. 10 is called “Working after COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM March 18, 2018 Vol. 14 - No. 12 your Social Security checks start: will your additional income increase your Social Security check?” Enjoy Enjoy the the Outdoors Outdoors And this fact sheet answers that question.

Mon.,10/4/21

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M.D.

Patient With PBC Needs Calcium Supplements Amid Normal Levels DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 60-yearold female who was diagnosed with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in 2020. At the time, I had a bone density scan that showed osteopenia of the left femoral neck with a T-score of -1.3. My 10-year risk of any fracture was 6.9%, while my risk for hip fractures was 0.5 %. My hepatologist wants me to take a calcium supplement, even though my calcium level has always been normal. I have always been overweight and led a very sedentary way of life. I had vitamin D tests done yearly, but the deficiency was, negligently, never addressed by my doctors. So my first question is, do I really need to take this supplement? I am concerned that too much calcium may do more harm than good, and my osteopenia may not have been caused by my PBC. The other question is, would taking vitamin K2 along with vitamin D and calcium help absorb vitamin D better so that it would not accumulate in my kidneys and damage them in the process? -- R.Z. ANSWER: PBC is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks the bile ducts. Without treatment, it can cause loss of the bile ducts, eventually leading to cirrhosis and liver failure. Since ursodeoxycholic acid has been available, fortunately the majority of people with this condition have a normal life expectancy. Few develop cirrhosis. A lesser-known complication of PBC is osteopenia and osteoporosis. There are several theories as to why this occurs, including decreased growth factors and toxicity to boneproducing cells. Low vitamin D and, possibly, vitamin K2 may play a role as well. It’s important for all people with osteopenia or osteoporosis to have adequate calcium in their diets. Calcium blood tests are not a reliable indicator of calcium stores in the body, since inadequate calcium intake will cause the body to take calcium out of the bones so that the blood levels remain normal. You can be severely deficient in calcium and dangerously osteoporotic with normal calcium blood levels. Ensuring adequate dietary calcium then becomes of the utmost importance. If you aren’t getting 1,000-1,200 mg of calcium in your diet, then changing your diet to add more or taking a supplement is recommended. Kidney stones are a complication of calcium supplementation, and there is controversy surrounding whether the calcification of blood vessels is more likely in people who take calcium supplements. For these reasons, dietary calcium is preferred, if possible. Many people with osteoporosis need supplemental vitamin D to keep their blood levels in the recommended range, which is 30-48 ng/ mL (75-120 nmol/L) for a person with PBC and osteopenia, in my opinion. Although studies in Japan have shown benefit when using vitamin K2 supplementation in people with osteoporosis,

I don’t generally recommend it, based on multiple other studies that failed to produce a benefit. However, for bone disease associated with PBC in particular, K2 is reasonable for those who wish to try it. Vitamin K2 works through its mineralization effect on the bone itself. By carefully monitoring vitamin D blood levels, you can avoid the unusual complication of vitamin D excess. Finally, becoming less sedentary will help, even if it’s walking an extra 10-20 minutes a day. * * * Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu. (c) 2023 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved

Vol. IXX

Issue No. 52

VETERANS  POST  by Freddie Groves

What’s Up at the VAOIG? The Office of Inspector General for the Department of Veterans Affairs is always busy, and that’s a good thing. Here’s what they’ve been up to lately: A surviving spouse in Florida lied to the VA and collected benefits he wasn’t entitled to receive ... for 30 years. As the surviving spouse of a deceased service member, he collected DIC benefits (dependency and indemnity compensation) to the tune of nearly $365,000 before it was all over. During all those years he remarried twice and was no longer legally eligible to receive the benefits. When nabbed, he pleaded guilty. He’s looking at ten years in the pen, as well as forfeiting all the stolen money. Another case is a double whammy: A woman not only lied to get a VA home loan but then lied to an arms dealer about being the purchaser of firearms when she wasn’t. She’s now nailed with wire fraud for using email to the VA and the lender about the loan. Then, at a gun store, she stated that she was the gun purchaser while in the company of someone who indicated which weapons she should buy and who also wasn’t allowed by law to purchase firearms. Three years in prison and a $177,000 fine doesn’t seem like enough. A pair of house cleaners attracted the attention of several agencies, including the VAOIG, Homeland Security and the Post Office, for their scams against clients. Specifically, they stole personal information by having the mail rerouted from clients’ homes and using the info to open lines of credit, get loans and credit cards and steal identities. (Clue to thieves: When you want to steal mail, don’t have it rerouted to your home address.) One of the pair is looking at 22 years in prison and a half-million-dollar fine. And then there was the VA employee who took bribes to approve disability benefits applications. This included extortion of monies and then, when he suspected the game was up, witness tampering. His sentence is still pending, but it's clear he'll have a long time to regret the poor decision he made thinking he could scam the system and get away with it. The VAOIG never rests. * * *

Freddy Groves regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@gmail.com.

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Week of December 24, 2023

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-- by Jim Miller

How to Ease the Winter Blues DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: What can you tell me about seasonal affective disorder in seniors? My 86-year-old father lives alone and is basically healthy, but he has grown to dread the winter months. He has always disliked the cold and snowy season in our state, but for the last few years he appears depressed during these long, cold and gray months. He stays at home almost all the time and I'm afraid it's taking a toll on his mental health. Is there a cure for this? -- Sam Dear Sam: If your dad gets depressed in the winter but feels better in spring and summer, he may indeed have seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, a wintertime depression that affects roughly five percent of Americans in all age groups. In most cases, SAD is related to the loss of sunlight in the winter months. Reduced sunlight can upset natural sleep-wake cycles and other circadian rhythms that can affect the body. It can also cause a drop in the brain chemical serotonin, which affects mood, and can increase the levels of the hormone melatonin, which can make people feel more tired and lethargic. If you think he may have SAD, a trip to his doctor’s office is the best way to diagnose it or he can take a SAD “self-assessment” test at the Center for Environmental Therapeutics website at CET.org/assessments. If you find that he does have SAD, here are several treatment options and remedies that can help: Light therapy: The most effective treatment for SAD is sitting in front of a specialized light therapy box for 20 to 30 minutes a day, within the first hour of waking up in the morning. Light therapy mimics outdoor light to cause a change in brain chemicals linked to mood. While you can buy a light box without a prescription, it’s best to use it under the guidance of a health care provider and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Most health insurance plans do not cover the cost. The best light therapy lamps provide 10,000 lux of illumination, many times stronger than typical indoor light, and have a diffuser screen that filters out ultraviolet rays and projects downward toward the eyes. Some top-rated light therapy products include the Carex Day-Light Classic Plus Bright Lamp ($145); Northern Light Technology Boxelite-OS ($205); and the budget friendly Verilux

Q: Why can't a nose be 12 inches long? A: Because it would then become a foot!

Cognitive behavioral therapy: Even though SAD is considered to be a biological problem, identifying and changing thought and behavior patterns can help alleviate symptoms too. To help you with this, choose a therapist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy and who has experience in treating SAD. To locate someone in your area, Psychology Today offers a search tool at PsychologyToday.com/us/ therapists/cognitive-behavioral-cbt. Antidepressants: Some people with SAD benefit from antidepressant treatments too. Some proven medications to ask the doctor about are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the extended-release antidepressant bupropion. But keep in mind that it may take several weeks to notice full benefits from an antidepressant. In addition, you may have to try different medications before you find one that works well for you and has the fewest side effects.

Page 13

Lifestyle remedies: Some other things you can do to help alleviate his SAD symptoms include making his environment sunnier and brighter. So, open up his blinds, have him sit closer to bright windows and get him outdoors as much as possible. Even on cold or cloudy days, outdoor light can help, especially if he spends some time outside within two hours of getting up in the morning. Moderate exercise such as walking, swimming, and stretching routines can also help alleviate his symptms of SAD. Also helpful is seeking interaction with others, such as attending church services and other social gatherings with people who share common interests and values as your dad. * * * Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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Page 14

made in Falls Creek, Pa., by Jackson China Company. The firm was founded in 1917 and “Royal” was added to its mark around 1940. “Parisienne” is the name of the dishes’ shape, which was available in a variety of pattern decorations. Jackson China Company made fine-quality china and also hotel dishes. The factory closed in 1985 because of a lack of funds to clean up environmental contaminations from sludge and pollution to nearby wetlands. Your set of dinnerware would probably be in the range of $400 to $500.

ANTIQUE -- OR -JUNQUE by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

Victorian Rococo Cabinet Rocks Q: I have enclosed a photo of a beautiful china cabinet. I purchased it in 1975 for $800 at a secondhand store and was told it was made in the early 1800s. The finish is black, the mirrors are beveled and it is in mint condition. I don’t know anything else about it. Can you tell something about its background and the value? A: You have a Victorian Rococo china cabi-

net. The black finish is painted over wood to achieve an ebony appearance. The gold appearing trim is ormolu, which is gilt bronze, and the cabriole legs were inspired by 18thcentury French furniture. The ornately scrolled beveled mirrors, wood-framed glass doors, applied carving, cabriole legs and ormolu are typical of late Victorian design. Your cabinet is Victorian china cabinet was vintage 1890 and made around 1890. would probably be worth $2500 to $3000. *** Q: This name is on the back of each dish in my set of china that I bought in 1966. It is a ser vice for 12 and decorated with silver floral designs against a white background. Also included with the mark are the name “Parisienne” and a tower. It is like new because I have never used it. I think it was made in Poland. I would like to know how much my set is worth.

A: Your set of porcelain dinnerware was

Puzzle Solutions

GO FIGURE SOLUTION

Why are most folks who annotate books insignificant? Beacause their work is usually marginal.

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Jackson China Company was located in Falls Creek, Pa.

*** Q: I have two red plastic swizzle sticks that were given to passengers on TWA Airlines. Each is approximately 8 inches in length, in the shape of an airplane propeller and marked “TWA” on each end. I have been wondering if they are collectible and have any value.

A: Vintage airline memorabilia is collectible. Airline-issued swizzle sticks like yours can be found on the Internet and at antiques shops selling in the range of $3 to $5 each.

* * *

Antiques expert and columnist Anne McCollam has since retired and no longer receives inquiries nor answers reader letters. Due to the popularity of her column, this publication will continue to reprint previous columns of interest to our readers. To find out more about Anne McCollam and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

Vol. IXX

Issue No. 52

* On Dec. 25, 1868, President Andrew Johnson offered amnesty to all Confederate soldiers with Proclamation 179. It was the fourth order of its kind, with earlier agreements re-establishing legal rights to Confederate soldiers if they signed oaths of loyalty to the United States. * On Dec. 26, 1991, Jack Ruby’s 38-caliber Colt Cobra revolver, which the nightclub owner used to kill J.F.K. assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, sold for $220,000 in a Las Vegas auction. The original asking price was $1 million. * On Dec. 27, 2019, Valerie Sneade and Jason Roy got married at their local Dunkin’ Donuts in Worcester, Massachusetts, after ending their relationship at the same shop nearly three decades earlier. The reunited couple attributed their long separation to misunderstandings and “words that didn’t come out right.” * On Dec. 28, 1967, American businesswoman Muriel “Mickie” Siebert became the first woman to own a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. She also became the first female superintendent of banking for New York State. And after her death, the New York Stock Exchange named Siebert Hall for her, marking the first time a room at the stock exchange was named for a person. * On Dec. 29, 1852, Emma Snodgrass was arrested in Boston for the crime of ... wearing pants. Mocked by one newspaper as “the foolish girl who goes around in virile toggery,” she was sent home to her police officer father in New York but went on to repeat the act a number of times. * On Dec. 30, 1940, California’s first freeway, Arroyo Seco Parkway, also known as the Pasadena Freeway, officially opened to traffic. Now considered narrow and outdated, though still in use, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. * On Dec. 31, 1970, Paul McCartney, after struggling through the summer of that year with the idea of having to bring legal action against his bandmates in order to be released from Apple Records and business manager Allen Klein, filed a lawsuit in London’s High Court of Justice to dissolve the Beatles. (c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Page 15

Measurements from page 3 •

•

Western Air Cooling and Heating In 1875, an international convention resulted in Golf Caddy - Prem. Position the Treaty of the Meter, signed by 17 nations, Oct. 22, 2023 Vol. 19 - No. 43 including the U.S. The metric system quickly caught on in most of these places, partly because colonialism was failing, and countries were throwing off the yoke of imperial rule we are not and welcomed the new international measuring comfortable system. The scientific community was quick to until you embrace it. are. The General Conference on Weights and Measures committee was formed to meet in GET Paris every four years to review, revise, and READY NEW update measurements. In 1960, the new system, FOR known as the metric system, was officially WINTER! WINTER! dubbed the International System of Units, Upon arrival at your home, our tecnicians abbreviated as S.I. ADVERTISING PROOF use a time-tested, In 1957, the U.S. Army and Marine Corps Final Changes DUE:exhaustive 5:00 p.m.. adopted it as the basis for theirPlease weapons and Double check:  Phone Property review carefully. Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours of 24-point checklist! equipment. Britain endorsed it in 1965. Butyour theTidbits representative immediately AdVenture Media, Inc. Contact with changes or corrections. WINTER U.S. was not quick to embrace it. Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 TUNE-UP In 1971, the U.S. National Bureau of Standards FREE SPECIAL! of Coachella Valley recommended the U.S. transition to metric over Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com the next decade. Congress passed the Metric Conversion Act in 1975. This encouraged the All Rights Reserved transition but made adherence voluntary and neglected to stipulate the ten-year deadline. Alas, inertia prevailed, and the U.S. remains one of three countries still using the outdated Imperial system, along with Liberia and Myanmar. Americans use many metrics in everyday life FREE ESTIMATES without a second thought. Soda pop is sold by Call us TODAY: 760-984-3151 the liter; nutritional labels measure the food callwesternair.com by gram; prescription drugs are measured in Not valid with other promos or on previous purchases. Ask representative for details. Offer ends 11/30/23. Lic #1068351 milligrams; people shoot a 9-millimeter pistol instead of a 0.354331-inch pistol. The United Property of States has given at least an inch, even if it AdVenture Media, Inc. hasn’t gone the whole nine yards. Meanwhile, the International System of Units is now the by JasonFREE Jenkins most widely used method of measurements, Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com used throughout the world.  4 Million Readers Weekly Nationwide!

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Under Your Chin

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Making a powerful turn of the body in the backswing might be the one thing that could take your game to the next level. Every long hitter can make a shoulder turn that creates torque against the lower body, enabling speed to develop in the downswing. While flexibility and proper lower body action greatly assist the upper body’s movement, one small cue can remind you to make a big turn.

STAN SMITH’S TENNIS CLASS

The left shoulder can turn to a point where you may feel it under your chin. By rehearsing swings to the top position, you can determine if you’ve made a large enough turn by feeling the shoulder move under the chin. Allow your head to even swivel slightly for a larger turn. Normally, golfers make considerably shorter turns than any rehearsal position, so use your practice as ADVERTISING PROOF way to improve your body coil. Strive to make a shoulder turn of at least 80 plus degrees. Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m..

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Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours Jason JasonJenkins Jenkinswas wasaa 16-year 16-year member member of of the the Jim McLean Golf Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changesTop or 100 corrections. School teaching staff.and He was was one of of GOLF GOLF Magazine’s School teaching staff one Magazine’s Teacher Nominees Nominees 1999-2010. 1999-2010 and has been named one the Teacher He Fax: was named one of theofGolf Also on Office: 760-320-0997 760-320-1630 Golf Digest Top Teachers in California. Jason teaches at GOLFTEC Digest Top Teachers in California in 2011. CENTER Indio. at Contact him at jjenkins@golftec.com ContactinJason 760-485-2452 or devgolfinstr@gmail.com

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Vol. IXX

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Page 16

Issue No. 52

THERE'S STILL TIME TO ENROLL

1. FOOD & DRINK: What is ciabatta? 2. TELEVISION: What is the name of the 1980s cop drama series starring actor William Shatner? 3. HISTORY: In which year did the Gulf oil spill occur? 4. LITERATURE: Who wrote the classic holiday novella “The Cricket on the Hearth”? 5. INVENTIONS: Who invented penicillin? 6. GEOGRAPHY: Monaco is bordered on three sides by which European country? 7. U.S. STATES: Which state’s nickname is “The Land of Enchantment”? 8. MOVIES: What is the name of the police chief in the movie “Jaws”? 9. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What does the J.D. stand for in a law degree? by Linda G O10. F I G UWhich R E !singer MUSIC: had Thistle aPeekers' names added Answer to Santa's Naughty list. breakout hit with “I Kissed a Girl”? TRIVIA TEST The idea of Go Figure is to Answers arrive at theAnswers figures given at Answers Weekly Weekly SUDOKU SUDOKU the bottom and right-hand bread. columns 1. ofAn theItalian diagram by fol-Answerlowing the arithmetic signs in 2. “T.J. Hooker.” the order3.they 2010.are given (that is, from left to right and top to Charles Dickens. bottom). 4. Use only the numbers Alexander below the5.diagram to Fleming. complete its blank6.squares France.and use each of the nine numbers only once. 7. New Mexico. 8. Martin Brody. DIFFICULTY: � 9. Juris �� Doctor. � Moderate Difficult 10. Katy Perry. �� GO FIGURE! © 2010King KingFeatures FeaturesSynd., Synd.,Inc. Inc. ©©2020 2023 2022

Games

October 23-29, 2006

Go Figure! answers ANSWERS

BIBLE TRIVIA Answers

1. (A) Old Testament 2. (A) Isaiah 3. (B) Engaged 4. (B) Angelic Appearance 5. (C) Jerusalem 6. (D) Not mentioned

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