Vol. 20: #11 • "The Long and the Short of It" • (3-10-2024) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Kathy Wolfe

on

and shortest of all kinds of things.

• You might guess that Russian author Leo Tolstoy’s epic historical novel “War and Peace” would be the world’s longest book with 587,287 words. Good guess, but it’s not even close to “Remembrance of Things Past,” published in 1913 by Marcel Proust. It’s a book of this French author’s recollections of childhood and young adulthood, and reflections on the pursuit of truth and the meaning of life. It not only consists of nearly 1.3 million words, it contains some very long sentences, the longest being 958 words.

• Some marriages just don’t last! Actor/comedian Eddie Murphy remained married to Tracey Edmonds for only two weeks in 2008. Actor Nicolas Cage and his make-up artist wife Erika Koike made it four days after their Las Vegas wedding in 2019. Cage revealed that both he and his wife were

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

(Answers on page 16)

1. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which large U.S. city is nicknamed Rip City?

2. MOVIES: Which movie features the quote, “She doesn’t even go here!”

3. GEOGRAPHY: Which national capital city is the northernmost in the world?

4. TELEVISION: Which long-running sitcom features a dad named Phil Dunphy?

5. GAMES: In chess, how many knights does each player have at the beginning?

6. GEOLOGY: What natural phenomenon is associated with igneous rock?

7. LANGUAGE: How many official languages are in the United Nations?

8. MUSIC: David Grohl was a drummer in which band before he became the frontman for the Foo Fighters?

9. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of alligators called?

10. FOOD & DRINK: What kind of meat is used in Hasenpfeffer, a traditional German stew?

Answers

1. Portland, Oregon.

2. “Mean Girls.”

3. Reykjavik, Iceland.

We cut it, we wash it, we coif and fuss over it, then try something else for a still different “look.” In fact, our hair (or lack thereof) is a statement of our personalities, so let's look at some facts about these curious strands that grow on our bodies - from head to toe!

• The average personʼs head grows between 100,000 and 150,000 strands of hair. That number varies depending on hair color. Natural blondes have the most hair, about 150,000 strands, while brunettes have 100,000, with just 90,000 for redheads. The head has about 800 to 1,300 hairs per square inch, each with a thickness between .016 and .05 mm.

• Hair color is determined by genetics and differs by ethnicity. Black or brown hair comprises about 90% of people in the world. Asian hair is almost always black or dark brown and straight. It also grows the fastest and has the best elasticity, while African hair grows slower and is more fragile.

• Every strand of hair contains proteins, lipids, water, pigments, and traces of 14 different elements. It’s made up of 50.65% carbon, 20.85% oxygen, 17.14% nitrogen, 6.36% hydrogen, and 5% sulfur. There are trace amounts of magnesium, arsenic, iron, chromium, and even gold!

• A hair has two parts, the follicle and the shaft. The follicle is the part below the skin where it begins to grow, starting in the epidermis, the skin’s top layer. The shaft is what you see above the skin. Once the hair grows beyond the skin, the cells are no longer alive.

• Over the course of your lifetime, you will grow 590 miles worth of hair. On any day, 90% of your hair is growing, while the other 10% is resting. Hair is one of the body’s fastest-growing tissue, growing .3 to .5 mm a day (0.012 to 0.02 inches), about 15 cm or six inches a year. Only bone marrow grows faster than hair. Hair grows faster during the summer and when you’re asleep. Those between the ages of 16 and 24 have the fastest-growing hair.

• A hair’s lifespan is anywhere between 4 and 7 years. Everybody loses between 40 and 150 hairs every day, but because new hairs are

constantly growing and replacing the lost ones, this loss isn’t noticeable. Alopecia is a condition that causes hair loss in patches, caused by the immune system attacking hair follicles. However, other things can cause temporary hair loss, such as crash dieting, thyroid imbalance, an iron deficiency, hormones from childbirth, and reactions to medication.

• The middle layer of the strand, the cortex, is made up of long proteins twisted together. It’s here that melanin lives, the pigment cells responsible for hair color. Once a follicle stops producing melanin, hair will turn gray, and it can never be naturally colored again.

• When the ends of hair become dry, brittle, damaged, and frayed, the result is split ends. There’s actually a scientific term for split ends – trichoptilosis. Although some products claim to repair split ends, the only sure way to get rid of them is to cut them.

• Why do some people have curly hair and some have straight? Hair with a circular circumference produces straight hair, while hair that is more flat than round results in curly hair.

• Less than two percent of the world’s population has naturally red hair, but the percentage of redheads in Ireland, which has the highest number of redheads per capita, is around ten percent.

• In the 1950s, only about five percent of women dyed their hair. Today, that figure is 75 percent! Women in ancient Rome dyed their hair with pigeon droppings or decomposed leeches that had rotted in red wine for 40 days. Gray hair was covered with a concoction of ashes, boiled walnut shells, and earthworms. So let's appreciate all the hair products we have today! 

Week of March 10, 2024

Long & Short (from page one)

totally drunk at the time and that he “lacked understanding of his actions.” Singer Britney Spears was married to her first husband actor Jason Alexander for a mere 55 hours in 2004.

• But none of these short-term unions can match a couple from Kuwait who were married just three minutes before the bride demanded a divorce from the judge who had just married them. Apparently, the new bride tripped on her way out of the courthouse, and rather than coming to her aid, her new husband called her “stupid.” And that was the end of that!

• Ninth U.S. President William Henry Harrison is noteworthy for the shortest presidency in U.S. history just 31 days. The day of Harrison’s inauguration on March 4,1841, was cold, wet and blustery. An active outdoorsman, he defied the weather by leaving his coat and hat behind, and rode to the ceremony on horseback despite the hostile conditions. Then, while standing outside in the cold for nearly two hours, he delivered the longest inaugural address in the country’s history. After suffering with a serious cold for twenty-four days after his inauguration, he died on April 4th. He was the first U.S. President to die in office. Although it was proclaimed that his illness was caused by bad weather, it was later speculated that Harrison very likely died of septic shock from typhoid, due to the White House’s water supply being downstream from public sewage.

• The bones in our body make up about 15 percent of our total weight. Out of the 206 bones we have in our frame, the longest is the femur, the only bone in the thigh. Stretching from the hip to the knee, the femur is typically nearly 20

inches long in adults, and all other leg bones are attached to its bottom portion. It’s also the body’s strongest bone, supporting the weight of the body and helping a person move.

• The shortest we have is the stirrup bone, also known as the stapes. Located in the middle ear, it’s about 3 mm long in an adult, and is essential for transmitting sound vibrations from the outer ear to the inner ear. This tiny but important bone was reportedly discovered in 1546 by a medical professor at Italy’s University of Naples.

• The world’s longest beard has a home - at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History! Measuring 17 feet, 6 inches in length, the beard belonged to North Dakotan Hans Langseth, who died in 1927. Langseth was a Norwegian immigrant who was 19 years old when he signed up to compete in a local beard-growing competition. He kept the beard growing after the conclusion of the contest until his death at age 81. It was Lanseth’s final wish that his beard be preserved after his death. Following his opencasket funeral, his children cut the beard off, leaving 12 inches to be buried with him.

NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE

The

is located in northeastTennessee. Originally used by logging companies to transport timber through the Cherokee Forest, the Backbone Rock tunnel was a distance of 20 feet of rail tracks, a 75-ft tall hole blasted by dynamite. The locomotives' smokestacks were too tall for the opening, so an additional notch was chisled out. It was abandoned in 1916 and became Tennessee State Route 133.

• Most lighthouses range in height from 33 feet to 208 feet. Devon, England’s Berry Head Lighthouse is nowhere near that. This active lighthouse, in operation since 1906, stands just 16 feet tall.

• China has the world’s longest bridge, spanning the enormous distance of about 102.4 miles. The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge required 10,000 contractors working for four years to complete. The El Marco Bridge between Portugal and Spain, with a length of just 10.4 feet is the shortest international bridge in the world.

• The Dutch Caribbean island of Saba is home to the worldʼs shortest commercial airline runway. At only 1,312 feet long, itʼs just a shade longer than an aircraft carrierʼs landing strip. Located at the island’s Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, the runway has sheer drop-offs into the sea at each end. Jet aircraft are unable to land at the airport due to the short length, but smaller STOL airplanes such as the DHC-6 Twin Otter and helicopters are common sights.

• China’s Qamdo Bamda Airport in the Himalayan Mountain range has the world’s longest paved runway, measuring 18,045 feet, almost 3½ miles in length. Because the airport elevation is 14,219 feet above sea level, the thin air at that altitude requires a much greater takeoff distance for planes to get airborne. The decreased

3

atmospheric pressure also results in reduced engine thrust because the engine has less oxygen to burn.

• A 21-year-old Iranian man named Afshin Ghaderzadeh has been declared the world’s shortest living man, standing just two feet, 1.6 inches tall. His birth weight was just 1.5 lbs., and

Long & Short: Turn to page 15

QUIZ

2.

Tidbits of Coachella Valley Page

By Lucie Winborne

* Andrew Jackson’s parrot was kicked out of his funeral for swearing.

* In 1947, The New York Times opined that “the pizza could be as popular a snack as the hamburger if Americans only knew more about it.”

* Buzz Aldrin’s mother’s maiden name was Moon.

* When pirate Richard Worley, captain of the New York’s Revenge, captured his second ship, he named it the New York Revenge’s Revenge.

* Wisconsin is known as the Badger State because the area’s lead miners used to spend winters in tunnels burrowed into hills -- like badgers.

* Jim Carrey was the first actor to have three number one movies in one year.

* The Palais Ideal in France was built entirely of stones that a postman named Ferdinand Cheval picked up on his mail route.

* Honey hunters in Mozambique use special calls to recruit the services of birds known as honeyguides. The birds lead the humans to bees’ nests, and in return, they get the leftover beeswax.

* In 1964, a pre-fame 17-year-old David Bowie was interviewed on the BBC program “Tonight” as the founder of The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men.

* Thomas Edison nicknamed two of his kids Dot and Dash after the Morse code signals.

* Army ants that misinterpret the scent trails left by other ants will sometimes break from the crowd and march in circles. If enough ants join them, they can form massive “death spirals.”

* John Quincy Adams was an avid skinnydipper who included dips in the Potomac River as a regular part of his exercise regimen.

* The U.S. Senate’s Rule XIX states that U.S. senators cannot insult their colleagues. ***

Thought for the Day: “True leaders can let you fail and yet not let you be a failure.”

--

Stanley McChrystal

(c)

by Mary Hunt

The Dirty Dishes Dilemma

As you might imagine, I get a lot of mail. And since I could never respond to all your letters, questions and comments individually, I love to reach into the mail bag, selecting some of your letters to answer right here.

by Mary Hunt

DEAR MARY: Is it cheaper to wash dishes by hand since I wash most of my pots and pans by hand anyway, or use the dishwasher? Thanks. -- Audrey

Dear Audrey: Yes. And that’s my final answer. OK, just kidding. Here’s why: According to the folks at EnergyStar.gov, a new ENERGY STAR certified dishwasher uses less than half of the energy used when washing dishes by hand -- and it saves more than 8,000 gallons of water each year. That’s because washing by hand uses a lot more hot water, which is both a waste of the water (on average it takes 5,000 more gallons in a year to wash by hand than would be used by the typical dishwasher) and the energy to heat it. That’s just how efficient dishwashers have become.

But that’s not all. Using a dishwasher will save you about 230 hours of personal time in a year -- nearly ten days! And if your dishwasher boosts water temperatures to 140 F (most these days do), you enjoy improved disinfection compared to hand washing. That means better health, fewer doctor visits.

DEAR CHEAPSKATE: I love some of the products you recommend in your makeup regime you posted at Everyday Cheapskate in “Best Inexpensive Makeup to Replace M.A.C. Favorites.” I purchased the Prestige Eyeliner and love it but I can’t figure out how to extend it (sharpen?). I would appreciate your help. -- Doris

Dear Doris: Prestige Waterproof Eyeliner comes in two versions. The pencil version can be sharpened with a standard-size pencil sharpener. The “automatic” version, which I use and recommend, is retractable and never needs sharpening. Just twist to roll the product up as you would a mechanical pencil. When there’s no more product to roll up, it’s time to replace. Glad you’re enjoying this eyeliner. It really is a fabulous, inexpensive alternative for much more expensive brands.

DEAR MARY: How can I stop buy ing stuff I can’t afford? Honestly, I can go to

Wal-Mart determined to buy only a few things I need, and end up with $100 of stuff in my cart. I am disgusted with myself, like I need to turn myself in to the shopping police. Help! Thanks. -- Jennifer

Dear Jennifer: Well, you have a friend in me. I know exactly what you’re talking about because I have that same “gene.” Here’s how I got that little monster under control.

1) Cash only. Do not go to Wal-Mart (or any store) with any plastic in tow. Unless you plan to rob the place, you can’t spend more than you have allocated.

2) Don’t wander. Plan your route so you go directly to the location of the items you need.

3) Wear sunglasses. Seriously. Indoors, nothing looks that great through sunglasses.

4) Make-a-wish. Take along a small notepad. If despite items 1-3 above you happen to see things that are not your list -- things that you really want, need or must have -- put them on the list. When you get home, you can make plans for how to save for those items.

Now here's the part you weren't expecting. Once you’ve saved for the things on that make-a-wish list, there's a very good chance that you no longer really need them as badly as you did back in the store, and you realize you don't actually want them as much as you first thought. And that’s very cool. You’ll now have some cash stashed for something more important.

DEAR CHEAPSKATE: I recently found a website that promises to take our credit card debt and have it erased. They can do this because it’s technically illegal for banks to issue credit cards. So this company takes your debt and challenges it in court, legally dissolving the credit-card debt. I am skeptical, but hopeful. Do you know, is this truly legal? -- Nick

Dear Nick: I don’t know which is more shocking: That anyone would suggest such a thing, or that you would entertain for even a moment that it might be legitimate. Of course this is not legal. Of course they will require you to start making your monthly credit cards payments to THEM to hold for you and to cover negotiations and court costs. Don’t believe any of that, not even for one second.

It is another in a long list of internet scams that will hit you up for a big fee and leave you holding the bag. By the time they’ve fleeced your finances, you’ll be in default on your payments and then you’ll be in worse trouble than ever.

Stop looking for loopholes and shortcuts. Get busy getting out of debt the right way!

* * *

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

This week Tidbits stacks up the facts on the favorite creative toy of millions, Lego bricks.

• In 1932, Ole Kirk Christiansen was the 41-yearold owner of a woodworking shop in Denmark, a carpenter specializing in furniture and cabinet making. That year, because furniture business was in a slump, Christiansen made the decision to expand into the production of wooden toys, including pull-along animals, yo-yos, and trucks. But it still wasn’t enough to keep him from bankruptcy, so a bail-out loan from his siblings allowed him to keep the company afloat.

• He then chose to focus strictly on toys, and in 1934, he renamed his toy company “Leg godt,” Danish for “play well.” The toys were produced from birch wood cut from nearby forests, with pieces dried out for two years, followed by three weeks of drying in a kiln. Each toy was protected with three coats of varnish

• By 1947, Christiansen’s sons had become a key part of the company, and suggested attending a demonstration of a plastic injection-molding machine. They quickly saw exciting possibilities for new toy products that would be easier and faster to build than with wood. They convinced their father to purchase the machine, and also to morph the company name from Leg godt to simply “Lego.” It was a difficult challenge for

father Ole Kirk to embrace, as his entire career had been spent working with wood.

• One of the first toys they developed was a plastic toy building brick. But these bricks merely stacked upon each other like traditional wooden blocks, and was therefore nothing really new in the world of toys. So they decided to use the molding maching to modify the bricks by making each one a self-locking unit with holes on the underside that matched up with raised posts on the top. Now, this was new! The patent for the interlocking Lego brick was issued in Copenhagen in 1958.

• Initial sales were disappointing, due to customers’ preference for wooden or metal toys. Several shipments were returned from vendors.

• By 1960, Lego had abandoned production of all wooden toys, resulting in one of the Christiansen brothers, who had been the head of the wooden toys department, leaving Lego and starting his own company. By then, employees in the plastics division numbered 450.

• In 1961, Lego wheels were introduced, facilitating the building of cars, trucks, and other vehicles. Business then grew quickly and production expanded into North America, with the Samsonite Company hired to manufacture the products. There were lots of Lego vehicles, but no people figures to drive them, prompting Lego to create figures with round yellow heads. They embellished them with facial features along with movable arms, legs, and torso. The Lego figures were launched in 1978.

• The company then branched out into themed sets in the 1980s, including the Lego Castle, Pirates theme, and Space collections.

• Copenhagen was home to the first Legoland, a park that opened in 1968. More than 625,000 guests visited during the first year. There are now eight Legoland parks around the world, drawing upwards of 15 million visitors annually.

• There are factories in Denmark, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Mexico, and China, with projected openings for one in Vietnam and the U.S. state of Virginia in the next year. Sales in 2021 topped $8 billion, with an employee count exceeding 24,000. The company remains in the family, under the ownership of Ole Kirk’s grandson, Niels B. Christiansen.

• Although the Lego Company has experienced enormous success, along the way, the Christiansen family experienced tragedy. Ole’s workshop and the family home burned to the ground when his young sons were playing with wood shavings and caused a fire.

by Dana Jackson

Q: Is it true that next season’s mystery on “Only Murders in the Building” will be set in Los Angeles instead of New York? I love the old apartment building they live in on the show. It won’t be the same if it’s in California. -- D.D.

A: I agree, but apparently only part of the season will be filmed in LA. According to TVLine, Craig Erwich, who oversees Hulu, loves the Big Apple but doesn’t want the show to become too insular. However, he assures fans that the Arconia apartment building will always be part of the show.

Season three ended with Oliver’s (Martin Short) girlfriend, Loretta (Meryl Streep), moving back to LA, and it’s been confirmed that Streep will return for the new season. Joining them will be Charles (Steve Martin) and Mabel (Selena Gomez), who I’m assuming will tag along to LA to escape the seemingly cursed Arconia after last season ended with a cliff-hanging murder. Jane Lynch is also expected to return in some capacity as Charles’ stunt double.

The announcement of two more big names joining the cast should help alleviate the disappointment of those who aren’t pleased with the change of scenery. Molly Shannon (“The Other Two”) will play a high-powered businesswoman, and Eva Longoria (“Desperate Housewives”) will also recur. No details have been given yet about her character. ***

Q: When is “Yellowstone” returning with new episodes? Is it true that Kevin Costner has left the show? -- K.S.

A: The wildly successful series “Yellowstone” will return with six final episodes, begin-

ning this November, but it probably will not include Costner. The Dutton family story will continue with the focus remaining on Rip (Cole Hauser) and Beth (Kelly Reilly).

Costner parted ways with the show and its creator Taylor Sheridan when a contract couldn’t be agreed upon. Sheridan has a spin-off in the works titled “2024,” but no further details have been announced (including whether it will star Matthew McConaughey, as rumored).

As for Costner, he recently released the trailer for his upcoming Civil War-era films, titled “Horizon: An American Saga,” which will be released in two parts this June and August. Costner not only directs but stars in “Horizon,” along with Sienna Miller and Sam Worthington. He said that he hasn’t “felt this way about a movie since ... making ‘Dances with Wolves,’” which was the Oscarwinning film he also pulled double duty with back in 1990.

Q: What happened to the boxer on the new season of “The Traitors?” I don’t recall him being voted out, and now he’s gone. -- A.M.

A: Former World Boxing heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder was one of only two contestants on Peacock’s “The Traitors” who didn’t have reality show experience. He told the press

at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. (c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

1. Split ................................ (PG-13)

James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy

1. Bob Marley: One Love (PG-13) Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch

2. Rings (PG-13)

Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Alex Roe

3. A Dog’s Purpose ..................(PG)

2. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - To the Hashira Training (R) Natsuki Hanae, Kengo Kawanishi

Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid

4. Hidden Figures (PG)

3. Ordinary Angels (PG) Alan Ritchson, Hilary Swank

Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer

5. La La Land .................... (PG-13)

4. Madame Web (PG-13) Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney

Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone

6.

5. Migration (PG) Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks

7.

6. Argylle (PG-13) Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard

8.

7. Wonka (PG) Timothee Chalamet, Gustave Die

8. Drive-Away Dolls (R) Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan

9. The Beekeeper (R) Jason Statham, Emmy RaverLampman

10. The Chosen: S4.E4 (NR) Shahar Isaac, Paras Patel © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

Meryl Streep in “Only Murders in the Building”

Patrick Harbron/Hulu

Good Recipes from Light Sesame Noodles

For an even easier version of this Chinese-style favorite, substitute 2 cups thinly slivered leftover grilled chicken or pork for the chicken tenders -- no need to reheat.

1 package (9 ounces) fresh angel-hair pasta

2 cups packaged shredded carrots

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

12 ounces chicken breast tenders, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed with press

1 medium orange

3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

4 large radishes, each cut in half and thinly sliced

2 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

1. Heat large saucepot of water (do not add salt) to boiling over high heat. Add pasta and cook as label directs. Place shredded carrots in colander; drain pasta over carrots to soften them slightly. Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside.

2. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken and garlic; cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until chicken loses its pink color throughout. Transfer chicken to bowl with pasta.

3. To prepare vinaigrette, from orange, grate 1 teaspoon peel and squeeze 1/4 cup juice. In small bowl, with wire whisk or fork, mix orange peel, orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, sugar and ground red pepper until combined.

4. Toss pasta mixture in bowl with vinaigrette, radish slices and green onions; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve warm or refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

 Each serving: About 415 calories, 10g total fat (2g saturated), 30g protein, 51g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 121mg cholesterol, 1,170mg sodium.

Penne with Chicken, Asparagus and Lemon Alfredo Sauce

1 pound penne rigate (penne with ridges) pasta

1 pound thin asparagus

12 ounces chicken tenders

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 jar Alfredo sauce

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 large tomato

1/4 cup snipped fresh chives

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Garnish: finely shredded lemon peel

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water as package directs, adding asparagus 3 minutes before pasta is done.

2. Meanwhile sprinkle chicken with salt, then toss with flour to lightly coat.

3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add chicken; saute 3 minutes until golden and just barely cooked through. Add Alfredo sauce, peel, juice and cheese. Bring to a simmer

and cook 1 to 2 minutes until chicken is done

4. Drain pasta and asparagus; return to pot. Immediately add sauce, tomato, chives and pepper. Toss to mix and coat. Serves 6.

NEXT WEEK in TIDBITS INVESTIGATES SOME AMAZING CRITTERS creepy, crawly

3/10 Daylight Savings Time Begins

3/11 Replace Smoke Alarm Batteries Day

3/12 Girl Scouts Birthday

3/13 K-9 Veterans Day

314 Start Writing Your Memoirs Day

3/15 Ides of March

3/16 National Corn Dog Day

Cody’s Corner

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis Creators News Service

Get Fit with Fido

When the physical focus is on beach bods and six-pack abs, it’s hard to remember that fitness isn’t just about looks. It’s about health -- and not just physical health.

Fitness is also about mental acuity, good behavior and an all-around feeling of happiness. This is true for humans, and it’s true for dogs.

No doubt you’ve heard the saying: A tired dog is a good dog. Well, it’s almost accurate.

If a dog that hasn’t been on so much as a walk around the block since winter struck suddenly finds himself jogging across town under a blazing summer sun, he’ll be tired, all right. But he might also be injured. Or in pain. Or dehydrated. Or feeling sick. This is not the objective, and it could backfire, as pain, injury and illness can trigger aggression.

Nor is it the goal of exercise to simply tire your dog out by setting him loose in the yard to mindlessly run around in circles. Tired is good. But tired in the right way is best.

What’s the right way? Depends on the dog.

While it’s true that any exercise is better than none, in most cases, owners and dogs exercising together is optimal for many reasons:

-- You are there to bear witness to any injury your dog may suffer. Prompt attention and temporary restriction of activity if necessary can prevent a minor injury from becoming severe.

"H efty Herbivores"

-- Your participation allows you to tailor the type of exercise to your dog’s needs. For example, herding dogs are intelligent and high energy by nature. Sports, games or even an obstacle course in the back yard will satisfy their need for physical exercise and mental stimulation. A Chihuahua, however, might be turned into a jittering bundle of nerves by such a regimen. This small breed’s exercise requirements would be easily satisfied with a couple of half-hour walks a day.

-- Exercising with your dog makes the entire experience as much about bonding as about getting in shape. If you carve out time every day for exercising with your dog and customize that exercise to accommodate his breed and your life-

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles

It’s the Little Expenses That Add Up

“But it’s only ...” is a phrase I’ve come to dislike. It always involves money and people who don’t understand living on reduced income.

“But it’s only twenty dollars a month,” said the one who was signing up for the new program at the rec center and trying to convince others to do the same. “But it’s only an extra fifty dollars a month,” said the one who was purchasing a package of extra TV cable channels and encouraging the rest of us to do the same. “But it’s only...,” said the one who happily signed up for a year-long membership at a certain big box warehouse, until we stopped her in mid-phrase.

“But it’s only” tends to add up when we calculate all the additional expenses that have come as a result of the increase in prices of, well, everything: rent, electricity, food, clothing, car insurance, movie tickets, prescription drugs, telephone service, pet food and veterinary care.

Wise seniors on limited income do the mental math each and every time they hear that phrase and consider the extra expense. When they add the new number to the previous num ber, they come to the reality: They will not make

it through the month if they add new X to the previous total Y, because the increased total Z doesn’t exist.

Here is just one way I’ve managed to shave some dollars off the amount of my budget that goes out each month:

The car insurance company gave me a hefty discount when I inquired about combining auto and homeowners insurance under one umbrella. The savings really added up, even though it meant leaving a company I’d been with for decades that did not offer a seniors discount. I contacted every company I deal with, and three of them offer seniors discounts, which I’d never suspected.

Sometimes all you have to do is ask.

* * *

Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally

Cody’s Corner (from page 9)

style, you will have created something that will both lengthen and strengthen your relationship. Here are a few ideas of the kind of exercise I am talking about. Again, do a little research into your dog’s breed to determine what kind of exercise would benefit him most:

-- Most dogs will benefit from at least one long walk every day. How long should be determined by breed and current fitness level. If your dog is out of shape, gradually increase the length and pace of your walks over time.

-- Supervised swimming is good exercise for most breeds. But don’t just toss your dog into a lake assuming he’ll be a great swimmer.

-- Hiking trails provide good exercise and stimulation for dogs -- on-leash, of course.

-- Set up an obstacle course in your yard for a good mental and physical workout.

-- Jogging and Frisbee are tried and true forms of exercise, as well. Just remember to always have water available for you and your dog.

Bottom line: Exercise isn’t about feeling tired. It’s about feeling -- and being -- your best.

* * *

Dog trainer Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis is the co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and the host of the PBS series “WOOF! It’s a Dog’s Life!” Read all of Uncle Matty’s columns at www.creators.com, and visit him at www.unclematty.com. COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Book Updates

Over the past couple of months, hundreds of you have written to me because you’ve had trouble getting my book called “Social Security: Simple and Smart” from Amazon. And other times, the problem was that you wanted to get the 2024 edition of the book and you were sent a prior edition.

I won’t bother sharing with you the tales of woe my publisher and I have had with Amazon trying to get this fixed. But the good news is the problem seems to be resolved. You can now order the book from the online merchandizing giant. And if you ask for the 2024 edition of “Social Security: Simple and Smart,” you will be sent the 2024 edition. Yay!

And here is an interesting sidelight. The original cover of the book had a facsimile of a Social Security card. But where you’d normally find the Social Security number, this facsimile had the title of the book and my name. I thought it was clever and cute. Well, my former employers, the Social Security Administration, didn’t. They sent a letter to my publisher telling us we could not have the image of a Social Security card on the cover. So we are in the process of designing a new cover.

That’s an update on “Social Security: Simple and Smart.” But I’m going to spend the rest of this column reminding you that I have another book. It’s called “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.”

I think the best way to tell you about that book is to reprint here the introduction that you’ll find at the very beginning of the book. It goes like this.

“Social Security touches the lives of every American. We all have a Social Security number. Most of us work at jobs in which Social Security taxes are taken out of our paychecks, while others have their own businesses and pay self-employment taxes into the Social Security system.

“Sixty-five million people are receiving monthly Social Security checks. They are getting either retirement or disability benefits, or they are the spouse or child of someone getting such benefits, or they are the widow, widower or child of a worker who has died.

“The trillion-dollar funding of the Social Security program makes up about one-fourth of the entire federal budget of the United States.

“So, a government program that is so huge and that affects every one of us is bound to be the focus of many rumors, misunderstandings, halftruths and outright lies.

“I have spent the last half-century debunking all those myths. And now, for the first time, I have compiled a list of the top 100 myths about Social Security into one easy-to-read and easy-tounderstand guidebook.

“Those myths can be broadly divided into two categories. One I will call ‘Political and Policy Myths.’ These myths frequently have to do with how the Social Security program is financed.

“But I suspect most people reading this book will be more interested in the second broad category, which I will call ‘Program and Practical Myths.’ These are myths about the rules and regulations for each of the various kinds of Social Security benefits -- essentially, who is eligible for which benefits, when they are eligible and how they go about getting those benefits.”

So that was the introduction. And now, here is just a sampling of the politically oriented myths that I take on in the first part of the book.

-- Social Security is going broke (Hint: the program has fiscal problems that are fixable and those reforms will keep the system from going belly up).

-- Social Security is a Ponzi scheme.

-- The government has stolen Social Security money and used it for other purposes.

-- Illegal immigrants get Social Security benefits.

-- The Social Security disability program is rife with fraud and abuse.

The second half of the book deals with program and policy myths and is further subdivided into sections clearing up myths about retirement benefits, spousal and widow’s benefits, benefits for children, disability benefits and Supplemental Security Income payments. There is also a small section on Medicare myths -- although, as I always point out to my readers, I am a Social Security expert but not much of a Medicare expert.

Here is a sampling of the myths covered in the program and policy part of the book.

-- My retirement benefit is based on my highest three years of earnings (or last five or highest 10 -- just pick your number).

-- If I stop working, or work part-time, before I start my Social Security, I will be messing up my future Social Security check.

-- There are secret or hidden rules about Social Security.

-- I can take reduced benefits from my spouse and later switch to full benefits on my own record.

1. The book of 3 Kings is found in the a) Old testament b) New Testament c) Neither

2. In Matthew 24 when asked what signs would mark the end of the age, Jesus first warned against falling prey to ________? a) Temptation b) Riches c) Deception d) False teachings

3. From Leviticus 14, how long was a "clean" person required to remain outside his tent? a) One night b) Three nights c) Four days d) Seven days

4. What city was Saul of Tarsus going to when he converted to Christianity? a) Jerusalem b) Damascus c) Corinth d) Bethsaida

5. Jesus says that you must do what to enter the Kingdom of God? a) Love one another b) Deny yourself c) Reject evil d) Be born again

6. Which apostle's mother-in-law is mentioned in the Bible? a) Peter b) James c) John d) Andrew

-- I have to be married for 10 years before I can get benefits from my spouse’s record.

-- All disability claims are denied the first time around.

-- Children can only get benefits from a deceased parent’s Social Security record.

I recommend you read “Social Security: Simple and Smart” if you are looking for a practical guide to how Social Security works, with important information about how and when to file for various kinds of Social Security benefits. And if you want tips for dealing with issues that crop up once your benefits start.

You should read “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts” if you are sick and tired of hearing and seeing all the Social Security mumbojumbo that’s out there, mostly polluting the online world -- and if you’d just like to know the truth.

* * *

If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called “Social Security: Simple and Smart: 10 Easyto-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security.” The other is “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the books at Amazon.com or other book outlets. (If ordering the “Simple and Smart” book from Amazon, click on “See all formats and editions” to make sure you are getting the 2024 edition.) Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www. creators.com.

(Answers on page 16)

Sharpen your understanding of scripture with Wilson Casey's latest book, "Test Your Bible Knowledge," now available in stores and online. Enjoy Tidbits with a Friend!

For comments or more Bible Trivia go to www.TriviaGuy.com

© 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

Treatment Given for Dry Eyes Fails to Improve Condition

DEAR DR. ROACH: I developed chronic dry eyes after having cataract surgery on both eyes. I consulted an ophthalmologist who specialized in treating dry eyes. She prescribed Restasis, but my condition didn’t improve after three months of use. She then switched me to Xiidra and instructed me to use it for two more refills, which lasted for nine months.

At the end of my conversation with the dry eye specialist, she said that she had done everything she could for me. I inquired about the Miebo drug that was recently approved or the LipiFlow procedure. She mumbled something, then said “goodbye” and “good luck.” Was she openly admitting her incompetence? -- K.J.W.

ANSWER: It’s hard for me to believe that a dry eye specialist wouldn’t know about the new treatments available in their area of expertise, and I can only guess that there was some kind of miscommunication. As a generalist, I have to know at least a little bit about a whole lot of conditions, rather than a specialist who knows a whole lot about just a few conditions.

For most people with dry eyes, starting with artificial tears is usual and effective, but I certainly have had patients use artificial tears many times daily and still have unpleasant symptoms. I also recommend trying to avoid dry areas, especially with high airflow.

Most people with dry eyes have blockages in the meibomian glands, which secrete an oily substance that helps prevent the eye fluid from drying. It also forces the lacrimal glands to make more tears. (This leads to the paradox of people having red, watery eyes when they really have dry eye disease.) Trying to unblock the meibomian glands with baby shampoo and warm water is another treatment generalists like me often try. But when these therapies aren’t working, an ophthalmologist is essential.

An ophthalmologist can do an exam to be sure if the meibomian glands are blocked. Among the treatments they have available are the ones you tried: cyclosporine (Restasis), which works well for a minority of people; lifitegrast (Xiidra), which decreases inflammation; varenicline (Tyrvaya), which increases tear production; and Miebo (perfluorohexyloctane), which works by reducing evaporation.

If the problem really is the blocked glands, doctors can also consider more powerful treatments to unblock them. One of these, Lipiflow, is a heat-based treatment. My colleagues in ophthalmology, to whom I refer, tell me that this is often successful, although the process may need to be repeated -- sometimes every six months and sometimes longer. Ophthalmologists can also place plugs to reduce the loss of tears through drainage. ***

DEAR DR. ROACH: We’re told to wash our hands with soap and water for 20 seconds to kill the COVID-19 virus. How long

should we wash our hands to kill bacteria and other viruses? -- C.C.

ANSWER: 20 seconds is the right amount of time for bacteria and viruses. An alternative is an alcohol-based handrub, which is fast and effective. Of course, you should wash your hands before and after eating -- and after using the restroom. Bacterial spores cannot be easily killed, but they are effectively washed off with soap and water. In cases where spores are a concern (Clostridioides difficile is a big one), then handwashing is essential, as alcohol is ineffective.

* * *

Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to ianswer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.

(c) 2024 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved

Put

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

a “Pause” on Your Surgery at the VA

The Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding an initiative designed to hold off rushing a veteran to surgery. The purpose of the Surgical Pause is to give a good going over with veterans destined for surgery to screen them for risk of frailty.

Already taking place at 50 of the VA facilities, the program seeks to identify veterans who would likely experience post-operative complications, loss of independence and even death. The stats are grim: Too many very frail patients die within six months of surgery, even when that surgery is considered low stress.

The test doesn’t take long. The Risk Analysis Index (RAI) is a screening that only takes 30 seconds and gives the medical staff an opportunity to weigh the potential risks before they move ahead.

Apparently, the pause in the rush to surgery is working. A recent study of 50,000 patients showed that a three-year mortality rate dropped significantly.

If you’re scheduled for surgery at the VA, ask for this Surgical Pause assessment, even if you don’t consider yourself to be frail. Ask about potential long-term recovery after surgery. Also to be considered: You might ask whether there is nonsurgical treatment for your condition. If surgery is definitely in your future, ask, too, whether a threesix week exercise regimen before surgery would let your body beef up and give you some physical reserves.

To read more about the Surgical Pause, go to marketplace.va.gov/innovations/preoperative-frailty-screening-prehabilitation. When you read down to “Successful adoptions,” view the list of innovations each hospital has started. Scroll to the “Surgical Pause” in each one to see if they were successful. There is also an “In-progress adoptions” section for hospitals that are still working on their programs. Know in advance how your hospital rates.

Of course, you need to do what your doctor says. But if you ask good questions (Do I need a Risk Analysis Index?), you’ll make a better health advocate for yourself.

* * *

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.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

-- by Jim Miller

How to Get ‘Extra Help’ Paying for Prescriptions

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: I would like to know if Medicare offers any financial assistance programs to help seniors with their medication costs? I recently enrolled in a Medicare drug plan, but I am also prescribed to take certain medications that are very expensive and include high out-of-pocket cost for me. I can't get this medication without some assistance, and I need help. -- Limited Lucille

Dear Lucille: Yes, there’s a lowincome subsidy program called ‘Extra Help’ that assists Medicare beneficiaries on a tight budget by paying for their monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and co-payments related to their Medicare (Part D) prescription drug coverage.

And, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law in late 2022, this program has expanded and gotten easier to qualify for in 2024. Even if you’ve applied and didn’t qualify before, you may be eligible now.

The Extra Help benefit is estimated to be worth about $5,300 per year. Currently over 13 million people are receiving this subsidy, but there’s around three million more who may qualify for it but don’t realize it.

The amount of financial assistance you would receive depends on your income and assets. If you qualify, you’ll pay no premium or deductible (unless receiving a partial subsidy), and no more than $4.50 for each generic drug or $11.20 for each brandname drug that your plan covers in 2024.

To get the subsidy, your resources

must be limited to $17,220, or $34,360 for married couples living together. Bank accounts, stocks, bonds, mutual funds and IRAs count as assets, but your home, vehicle, personal belongings, life insurance and burial plots do not count as assets.

Also, your annual income must be limited to $22,590 for an individual, or $30,660 for married couples. If you support a family member who lives with you, or you live in Alaska or Hawaii, your income can be higher. In addition, the government won’t count any money if you receive help for household expenses like food, rent, mortgage payments, utilities and property taxes.

How to Apply

There are three ways to see if you qualify and apply for Extra Help: online at SSA.gov/medicare/part-d-extra-help; by calling Social Security at 800-772-1213; or by visiting your local Social Security office.

The application form is easy to complete, but you will need your Social Security number and information about your bank balances, pensions and investments. Social Security will review your application and send you a letter within a few weeks letting you know whether you qualify.

If you don’t qualify for Extra Help, you may still be able to get help from a state pharmacy assistance program or a patient assistance program. Visit NeedyMeds.org to search for these programs.

Other Medicare Assistance

If you’re eligible for Extra Help, you may also qualify for help with your other Medicare expenses through your state’s Medicare Savings Program.

State Medicaid programs partner with the federal government, so income and asset qualifications vary depending on where you live. Medicare Savings Programs will pay your entire Medicare Part B premium each month. And in some cases, they may also pay your Medicare deductibles, coinsurance and copayments, depending on your income level. To find out if you qualify, contact your state Medicaid office.

You can also get help through your State Health Insurance Assistance Program

FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803

by Anne McCollam

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT.

Victorian-Era Side Chair

MOMENTS IN TIME #12345_20240226

RELEASE FEB. 26, 2024

Q: This is a photo of my grandmother’s chair. She made the needlepoint cover on the seat. Both the needlepoint and chair are in excellent condition.

Anything you can tell me about the style, age and value of the chair will be appreciated.

A: You have a late Victorian side chair. The demi arms, round seat, reeded and slightly splayed/fanned styles, turned legs and stretchers represent furniture design popular around 1870. The demi arms were made to accommodate bustles, and the round seats were caned or decorated with a cushion and needlepoint.

Your chair was factory-made and constructed of several different types of wood.

Similar side chairs can be found selling in the range of $150 to $190. * * *

Q: Helping my mother sort through my grandmother’s things, we found a pair of pottery planters. They are shaped like a rooster and a hen and decorated with multicolored feathers in a high-gloss finish. The rooster is over 7 inches tall, and the hen is about 6 inches tall. They are both in perfect condition, and each has a label with the words “Royal Copley.”

Are our chickens “Antique or Junque?”

A: None of the above. Your planters are not old enough to be antiques; nonetheless, they are not junque. They are somewhere in between

GO FIGURE

SOLUTION

and still in the collectible category. Royal Copley pottery was produced by Spaulding China Company, located in Sebring, Ohio, from 1942 to 1957.

Your set of planters would probably be worth $40 to $45. * * *

Q: I have enclosed the mark that is on the back of a porcelain cake plate I inherited. The plate is decorated with pastel flowers against a white background and trimmed in gold. It measures approximately 10 inches in diameter and is in perfect condition. Included with the mark are the words “Wild Rose -- E & R -- Est. 1886.”

I plan to pass my plate on to my daughter and would like to learn more about the maker, vintage and value.

• On March 11, 2021, England’s Prince William made a public statement declaring that the British royal family was not a racist one. The announcement came on the heels of allegations from his sister-in-law, Prince Harry’s wife Meghan Markle, that she had experienced racism from some of the Windsors.

1881.

A: Carl Schumann Porcelain factory made your cake plate. They have made porcelain in Arzburg, Bavaria, Germany, since 1881. The letters “E & R” stand for Ebeling & Reuss Company. They were an importing firm located in Philadelphia that has imported porcelain from Europe since 1866. “Wild Rose” is the name of the pattern.

Your cake plate was made around 1918 and would probably be worth $35 to $65.

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

• On March 12, 1999, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland formally joined NATO, endowing the nations with a level of political and military security that had been lacking for much of the 20th century. The move was said to signify the beginning of a united Europe.

• On March 13, 1942, the U.S. Army promoted Julia Otteson Flikke, who served as a nurse during both world wars, to the rank of its first female colonel. Her second-in-command, Captain Florence A. Blanchfield, was appointed lieutenant colonel by Dwight D. Eisenhower and became the first woman in American history to hold permanent military rank.

• On March 14, 2022, singersongwriter, actress Dolly Parton initially refused a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination. The Hall nevertheless kept the nomination in place, and she was ultimately voted in. Parton finally accepted her induction because it was something her fans were eager for.

• On March 15, 1959, Robert Foster created a new world record by holding his breath underwater in a California swimming pool for an astounding 13 minutes and 42.5 seconds. He would hold this record for the next 48 years.

• On March 16, 1876, 20-something variety show dancers Nelly Saunders and Rose Harland fought in America’s first public women’s boxing match at Harry Hill’s gambling resort in New York, for a prize of $200 and a silver plate. After Saunders won by a single point, the pair “left the stage arm in arm.”

• On March 17, 1905, Albert Einstein submitted his first paper on the quantum theory of light to the journal Annalen der Physik. It was the only one of his papers that year that he himself described as “very revolutionary,” and the theory would become a cornerstone of modern physics.

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

This side chair was made in the late Victorian era.

Carl Schumann Porcelain Factory has made porcelain since

he now weighs in about at 14.3 lbs. Thirty-yearold Jyoti Amge of India is the shortest living woman in the world, measuring 2 feet, 0.72 inches tall, shorter than the average two-yearold.

• The world’s shortest war took place in 1896 between the United Kingdom and the Sultanate of Zanzibar. The British Empire wanted Zanzibar to be completely under British rule, and the Sultan was pro-British and agreeable to the change. However, he died very suddenly and unexpectedly, and under suspicious circumstances. His nephew, suspected of assassination, quickly moved into the palace, declaring himself ruler and rejecting the British rule. The British Empire quickly attacked, killing the new ruler along with some 500 Zanzibar men and women. The entire conflict lasted between 38 and 45 minutes.

• There’s some debate as to which is the shortest river in the world. Great Falls, Montana has laid claim with its Roe River, running 201 feet, but Lincoln City, Oregon, disagrees, citing its “D” River at just 120 feet. However, new data points to the Reprua River in the Republic of Abkhazia on the coast of the Black Sea, at just 59 feet long. How can these even be called rivers? In order to be classified as such, a river must have constant flowing water received from upland sources, ending in seas, lakes, or wetlands. These short streams of water all qualify, but the disagreement still remains.

illustrate the target line and the intended downswing path in your practice sessions. Angle the inner rod (umbrella) roughly twenty to thirty degrees as illustrated. Visualize approaching the ball from this diagonal attack.

1. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which large U.S. city is nicknamed Rip City?

2. MOVIES: Which movie features the quote, “She doesn’t even go here!”

3. GEOGRAPHY: Which national capital city is the northernmost in the world?

4. TELEVISION: Which long-running sitcom features a dad named Phil Dunphy?

5. GAMES: In chess, how many knights does each player have at the beginning?

6. GEOLOGY: What natural phenomenon is associated with igneous rock?

7. LANGUAGE: How many official languages are in the United Nations?

8. MUSIC: David Grohl was a drummer in which band before he became the frontman for the Foo Fighters?

9. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of alligators called?

10. FOOD & DRINK: What kind of meat is used in Hasenpfeffer, a traditional German stew? Answers

5.

1 . The Amazon River

2. Book of Psalms

1. (C) Neither 2. (C) Deception

3. (D) Seven days

4. (B) Damascus

5. (D) Be born again