Vol. 19: #19 • Things in Threes • (5-7-2023) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

by Kathy Wolfe

They say that all good things come in threes, and we can find this connection in everything from fairy tales to Hollywood movies, and in clover leaves to traffic lights. This week, Tidbits presents some famous trios for you that certainly bear this out.

• Kellogg’s Rice Krispies first hit grocers’ shelves in 1928, but their little mascots, Snap, Crackle, and Pop didn’t appear on the box until 1932. As the cereal became known for the noise it created when the milk was poured, artist Vernon Grant created the characters to accompany the sound. They appeared exclusively in ads and posters until 1955, when the trio made their television commercial debut. In English, we say, “Snap! Crackle! Pop!” but in German, the Rice Krispies mascots say, “Knisper! Knasper! Knusper!, while those in Finland declare, “Riks! Raks! Poks!” and “Pif! Paf! Pof!” in the Netherlands.

• America’s Triple Crown in horse racing is a group of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds that consists of the Kentucky Derby held at

PEOPLE WORTH REMEMBERING

ah, ting-tang, walla-walla bing-bang.” The odd little novelty song became a #1 hit, and a lastminute windfall that kept Liberty Records from their impending bankruptcy.

• Ross then used the same recording technique to create his trio of Chipmunks, using his own voice recorded at half-speed and played back at normal speed. He named his three little rodents after executives at Liberty Records: Simon Waronker, Theodore Keep, and Alvin Bennett.

(Answers on page 16)

Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. brought us one of the most famous trios of all times. Stick with Tidbits to learn about the origin of three of the most recognizable animated characters of our time, the Chipmunks.

• Born Rostom Sipan Dickran Bagdasarian, this California native started out with minor roles on Broadway in the late 1930s. With the advent of World War II, he served as a control tower operator in the Army Air Forces for four years, finishing as a staff sergeant. He was stationed in Seville, Spain, a city name that would later become quite significant in his career as a performer.

• In his post-war life, Ross managed to land several small roles in various movies, but it was his talent for songwriting that actually launched his career.

• In 1951, now known professionally by his stage name David Seville, he composed the #1 hit “Come On-a My House,” which became a million-selling hit for Rosemary Clooney, igniting her own career. It reached sales of 750,000 records in one month. Ross furthered his career by writing the song “Hey Brother, Pour the Wine” for singer Dean Martin.

• In 1958, Ross came up with the brainstorm idea that finally catapulted him to fame. He composed the song “Witch Doctor,” and recorded his voice at different speeds to create the high-pitched squeaky voice of the witch doctor, with the popular line, “Oo-ee, oo-ah-

1. GEOGRAPHY: How many U.S. states border Canada?

2. THEATER: The musical “My Fair Lady” is based on which play?

3. SCIENCE: Who was the first person to win Nobel prizes in two different sciences?

4. MOVIES: Which 1997 movie featured a character named Jack Dawson?

5. TELEVISION: What is the name of Ross’s pet monkey in “Friends”?

6. LANGUAGE: How many languages exist worldwide?

7. FOOD & DRINK: Which country produces Manchego cheese?

8. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: How many track and field events are in a decathlon?

9. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president had the most children?

10. MUSIC: What is the title of Britney Spears’ first album?

Answers

1. 13.

2. “Pygmalion,” by George Bernard Shaw.

10% 10%

• The scholarly Simon, the plump and lovable Theodore, and the mischievous Alvin, all voiced by Seville, was recorded 1958’s blockbuster hit “The Chipmunk Song” (“Christmas, Don’t Be Late”). The recording quickly rocketed to #1 on the charts, selling 4.5 million records in seven weeks, and went on to sell 12 million more copies. The song was awarded three Grammy Awards – Best Engineered Record, Best Comedy Performance, and Best Children’s Recording.

• Seville was the first person in popular music to serve as the writer, composer, publisher, engineer, conductor, and multiple vocalist of a hit record. With no other artists or crew to pay, all the revenue from “The Chipmunk Song” funneled into Seville’s pocket.

• He established Chipmunk Enterprises, which released Chipmunk-related merchandise, including shirts, stuffed animals, and figurines, with 15 companies selling products by 1963. CBS debuted “The Alvin Show” in 1961, featuring the trio along with an animated caricature of David Seville. While the series’ prime-time run ended in 1962, it was run in syndication for years, and re-invented in 1983.

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Final Changes DUE:

• Seville began a new adventure in 1963, purchasing a California grape ranch and winery. Sadly, he died of a heart attack in 1972, just days before his 53rd birthday. Yet the Chipmunk dynasty lived on! Seville’s son Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. and his wife stepped in to keep it going. New albums were released, along with a Christmas special, the new TV series in 1983, (which ran until 1990), four video games, a feature-length animated film in theaters, and the first live-action film adaptation in 2007.

• Although Ross, Jr. was a California lawyer, he took on the task of The Chipmunks. In his words, “…it was a way of keeping my dad alive, and keeping what he created alive.” □

Threes: (from page one)

Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, the Preakness Stakes, which takes places at Baltimore, Maryland’s Pimlico Race Course, and the Belmont Stakes, a race at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. All three races were in existence for the first time in 1875. The first horse to win the Triple Crown was Sir Barton in 1919. An 11-year drought followed, with Gallant Fox capturing the title in 1930.

• Kids of the ‘90s will remember the animated series “Powerpuff Girls,” that debuted in 1998 and ran for 78 episodes over six seasons. The series revolved around three kindergarten-aged girls with superpowers, living in the city of Townsville with their scientist father Professor Utonium.

• Blossom, dressed in pink, Bubbles in blue, and Buttercup in green regularly saved the city by exhibiting various abilities, including communicating with animals, creating thunder, lightning, and fireballs, microscopic vision, the ability to understand multiple languages, and spinning into tornadoes. Not bad for fiveyear-olds! A feature-length film was released in theaters in 2002, grossing $16 million worldwide.

• The Norwegian fairy tale “Three Billy Goats Gruff” was first published around 1841 in a collection known as “Norske Folkeeventyr.” When the tale was first published in English in 1859, the three goats’ family name was “Gruff,” although the original Norwegian version used the surname “Bruse.” In the story, the trio have no grass to eat, and must cross a river to reach a meadow on the other side. The only problem is the terrifying troll who lives under the bridge and eats anyone who tries to cross. The goats

trick the troll into coming up onto the bridge, where the largest goat butts him with his horns, and knocks the troll into the current, where he is carried away, making the bridge safe forever.

• The musical group Destiny’s Child didn’t start out as the well-known trio of Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. The group was originally six members in 1990 and known as Girl’s Tyme. In 1997, it was a quartet known as Destiny’s Child. In 2000, they became the familiar trio. They officially disbanded in 2006, although they reunited for the 2013 Super Bowl half-time show. Their record sales have topped 60 million.

film, and a childhood friend of the boys, Louis Feinberg, took his place with a stage name of Larry Fine. Another movie contract followed in 1933, and by 1946, the Three Stooges had appeared in more than 90 films. In 1946, Curly suffered a debilitating stroke, and brother

Final Changes

The original "Charlies Angels" lineup consisted of Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett Majors, and Jaclyn Smith. The TV series aired from 1976 to 1981. The 2000 film featured Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Lin as the famous detective trio.

• The three Great Pyramids of Giza rise above the desert on the west bank of the Nile in northern Egypt. Completed between 2550 and 2490 B.C., the pyramids were built as tombs by three pharaohs who expected to become gods in the afterlife. The massive structures were filled with everything they would need to sustain themselves in the next world.

• Pharaoh Khufu built the first one, which is the largest at 481 feet, consists of an estimated 2.3 million stone blocks weighing between 2.5 and 15 tons each. It’s the only one of the original Seven Wonders of the World still standing today. Khufu’s son Khafre built the second pyramid, and his tomb complex includes the well-known Sphinx, with the head of a man and the body of a lion. Khafre’s pyramid stands at 469 feet. The third pyramid is that of Pharoah Menkaure, considerably smaller at 215 feet. Although constructed as tombs, none of the kings’ mummies have ever been found. The tombs are filled with inscriptions and art that depict the lives of these ancient Egyptians.

• We think of the Three Stooges as Curly, Larry, and Moe, but this wasn’t always so. The vaudeville group was created by comedian Ted Healy in 1925 as “Ted Healy and his Southern Gentlemen,” and featured the three Horwitz brothers, Curly, Moe and Shemp. Crowds loved their slapstick routines and in 1930, the brothers were contracted to make a film, “Soup to Nuts.” Shemp left the act shortly after the

NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE

Steven Spielberg directed the blockbuster movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark" in 1981, the tale of Indiana Jones traveling the world to locate the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail. "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" was released in 1984, followed by "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," rounding out the original trilogy. Nineteen years later, the story was revived in "Indiana Jones and the Kindgom of the Crystal Skull." Another film is planned for 2023.

Threes: Turn to page 15

QUIZ BITS

1. What are three consecutive strikes in a bowling game called?

2. What name is given to the play by a hockey player who scores three goals in one game?

(Answers page 16)

1.VERNALEQUINOX

easy casseroles call for tomato sauce. If you have a few small cans as well as regular size, you won’t waste a bunch when a recipe calls for just a small amount of tomato sauce

By Lucie Winborne

* Competitive swimmer Tim Duncan grew up in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he trained for the 1992 Olympics, until Hurricane Hugo destroyed his island’s only Olympic-size pool. Since the only alternative was to swim in the ocean, and he was afraid of sharks, he decided to play basketball instead.

* Red Bull was developed in Thailand as an energy drink for truck drivers.

* Georg Gartner, a German POW, escaped his American prison camp near the end of World War II and lived in America for 40 years under a fake name before finally confessing his true identity on “The Today Show.”

* History’s longest prison sentence, a whopping 384,912 years, was given to a mailman -- for not delivering the mail.

* Johnny Depp dropped out of high school to become a rock musician. When he attempted to return two weeks later, the principal told him to follow his dream of being a musician.

* A shopping center in Zimbabwe uses an air conditioning system inspired by African termite hills. Ventilated and cooled by natural means, it uses less than 10% of the energy of a conventional building its size.

* The largest-known bird nest belonged to a pair of bald eagles and measured 9 feet wide by 20 feet deep, with an estimated weight of 4,400 pounds.

* Colorblind people tend to have better night vision and can sometimes see a luminosity of colors that normal-sighted people can’t. As a result, the U.S. Army discovered that they could perceive camouflage colors that are difficult for those with normal color vision to see, giving them the unique ability to better make out hidden enemies at night.

Thought for the Day: “If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.”

Jobs

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc

by Mary Hunt

Stock the Pantry to Save Money

Just in case you haven’t been paying close attention to what’s going on with the cost of food, the average cost of ground beef in the U.S. has once again hit an all-time high -- $4.78 a pound. And it's not only beef. It is shocking how grocery prices are going up across the shelves, which understandably is behind the soaring cost of what you're now having to pay for eating out at restaurants. The way to fight back is two-fold:

Frozen peas. Possibly my favorite thing to keep on hand, frozen peas kinda’ fix anything. Add peas to any pasta dish, stew or salad and you’re adding nutrition as well as visual appeal. Shredded cheese. You’ll save money if you bulk cheese and shred it yourself. But if you are not prone to do that ahead, buy it that way. You’ll recoup the cost the first time you opt to fix a quick meal of chips and cheese (one minute in the microwave should do it). And you’ll be good to go for a quick macaroni and cheese, too. And for pizza topping or to garnish chili.

by Mary Hunt

1) Buy groceries when they’re on sale

2) Eat at home.

Sounds so easy, doesn’t it? Well, it can be if you make sure your kitchen pantry is wellstocked. It’s annoying and expensive to not have basic items on hand. You don’t have what you need and don’t have time to go get it, which means of course you’ll just have to go out for dinner. Again.

Taking the time and effort to make sure you have the following handy items in your pantry will save a lot of money, provided you pick these items up as they go on sale. Think of this as a project.

Evaporated milk. I basically detest the stuff because I had to drink it as a kid. But used in cooking and baking, evaporated milk is fabulous! Keeping a few cans in your pantry ensures you’ll always have milk on hand when the recipe calls for it.

Dry buttermilk. This is amazing. You can find it the baking aisle as “Cultured Buttermilk Blend.” I can’t tell you how many times buttermilk as an ingredient in something has thrown me to the wolves. Who keeps buttermilk on hand? And when you need only a small amount, then what to do with the rest of it? This dry option is the answer. I keep it in the freezer and it lasts indefinitely. And I find myself reaching for it quite often. Canned tuna. Always have a few cans of white albacore on hand. A good tuna sandwich is hard to beat, which makes it a great fallback. Mix with onions, garlic, beaten egg and breadcrumbs to make tuna “meatballs.”

Tomato sauce. Turn it into pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce. Add it to soup. Many quick and

Frozen chopped onions. Yes you can chop it yourself, if you happen to have an onion on hand. And you don’t have to buy them chopped. You can do this ahead and just keep a few bags in the freezer. However you do it, having this on hand is such a great idea. You’ll see. Bouillon. I think you need chicken, vegetable and beef. It comes granulated, cubed or as a very thick, concentrated base you keep in the refrigerator labeled “Better Than Bouillon.” I prefer the latter, but any bouillon will get you out of a jam when you don’t have chicken stock or beef broth on hand. Or a recipe calls for bouillon. Or you just want a nice hot cup of chicken broth. It’s easy to use, simple to store.

Chicken broth. Keeping a few cans on hand is a smart idea. Again, you can make it yourself, but will you? Canned broth or stock is an ingredient you will appreciate having on hand for bases, sauces, gravies and soups.

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

• Although we think of the musketeers as swashbuckling swordsmen, musketeers of the 16th century were actually soldiers equipped with heavy, muzzle-loaded long-barreled muskets -- hence the name Musketeers.

• French author Alexandre Dumas published his adventure novel “The Three Musketeers” in 1844. It told of the adventures of a young man of the 1600s named Charles d’Artagnan who seeks to join the elite musketeers guard.

• The young wannabe is eventually befriended by three of the most notable musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, and the four embark on a career of daring escapades with their wellknown motto of “all for one and one for all!”

• Since that time, the story has been adapted to full-length films eight times. The first was introduced in 1921 as a silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks.

• The Mars Candy Company debuted their Three Musketeers candy bar in 1932, borrowing the name of Dumas’ novel. Why a name like Three Musketeers? Originally, the confection had three pieces in the package; one chocolate, one strawberry, and one vanilla. Mars marketed the 5-cent candy bar as a treat that could be shared with friends. However, when sugar rationing was mandated during World War II, the company found it was too expensive to produce all three flavors and phased out the strawberry and vanilla, producing only chocolate, which

was rated the most popular.

• The Bronte sisters, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne, were nineteenth-century English authors who penned what are viewed as among literary masterpieces today. Charlotte was the author of “Jane Eyre” and three other novels. Emily wrote “Wuthering Heights,” her only novel, and Anne authored “Agnes Grey” and “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”

• Because writing at the time was considered a “man’s business, and not an appropriate vocation for ladies,” all three sisters originally published their work under male pseudonyms –Currer Bell for Charlotte, Ellis Bell for Emily, and Acton Bell for Anne.

• Who doesn’t immediately recognize the song that begins “Jeremiah was a Bullfrog”? “Joy to the World” was recorded by the rock band Three Dog Night in 1971, rocketed to the top of the charts, and was the #1 song of the year.

• Three Dog Night was formed in 1967, initially named Redwood. Between 1969 and 1974, no other band achieved more Top Ten hits or sold more concert tickets than Three Dog Night. The group had 21 consecutive Top 40 hits, including “Shambala,” “Black and White,” and “Mama Told Me Not to Come.”

• Where did their unusual name come from? Legend has it that a band member’s girlfriend read an article about aboriginal Australians who slept on the sands while holding a dingo dog. On cold nights, they would curl up with one dog, colder nights required two dogs, and an especially cold night was a “three dog night.” With one original band member remaining, 80-year-old Danny Hutton, the group still keeps up a schedule of concerts, 70 dates a year.

• The Andrews Sisters, LaVerne, Maxine, and

Patty, began singing together when they were 14, 9, and 7, respectively, in 1925. Five years later they won a talent contest at Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theater, where LaVerne had been playing the piano accompaniment for silent film showings, trading for free dancing lessons for herself and her sisters.

• When their father’s Minneapolis restaurant went belly-up, the sisters went on the road to support the family. Thousands of U.S. troops were entertained by the sisters during World War II. The girls appeared in 16 movies and had more than 1,800 recorded songs to their credit, including the ever-popular “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” with sales of more than 80 million records over their 40-year career. □

SOLAR PANEL DOCTORS

by Dana Jackson

Q: Whatever happened to the TV show “UnREAL,” which was a parody of “The Bachelor”? I thought it was really good, and not overly silly. Is it coming back? -- H.T.

A: “UnREAL” originally aired on the Lifetime network for three seasons before concluding with a short fourth and final season on Hulu. It starred Shiri Appleby (“Roswell”) as a young producer of a “Bachelor”-style reality show titled “Everlasting.” She was directed by an even more unscrupulous executive producer behind the monitors, played by Constance Zimmer.

“UnREAL” was based on the short film “Sequin Raze,” which was directed by Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, who once was a field producer on ABC’s “The Bachelor.” “UnREAL” ended up winning a Peabody Award “for illustrating how masterfully parody can work when it shines its light fearlessly and for smartly blending the dichotomy between high and low culture.”

Hulu didn’t order any new episodes after the fourth season in 2018, and a return doesn’t seem to be in the works. Appleby recently had a role in the Reese Witherspoon rom-com “Your Place Or Mine,” but has been more busy directing than acting, having recently directed several episodes of the sitcoms “Young Sheldon” and “Grownish.” Zimmer, too, had found herself drawn to leadership positions behind the lens. She’s returning to Lifetime to direct her first feature-length film, “Boy in the Walls.” She also was a regular on the ABC series “Big Sky,” a show that remains in limbo as it

hasn’t been canceled or renewed. ***

Q: Is the police drama “The Rookie” with Nathan Fillion connected in any way to “The Recruit”? My friend told me they were created by the same person. -- A.P.

A: It’s true that producer Alexi Hawley created both ABC’s “The Rookie” and Netflix’s “The Recruit,” but they are not a shared “universe,” according to PopCultureReferences.com. “The Recruit” stars Noah Centineo as an attorney who finds himself in the midst of some international drama involving the CIA, while “The Rookie” stars Nathan Fillion (“Castle”) as a member of the LAPD.

“The Rookie” does, however, have a spinoff series on ABC titled “The Rookie: Feds,” which stars Niecy Nash-Betts (“Dahmer Monster: The

Jeffrey Dahmer Story”). It stands a good chance of lasting as long as its predecessor, which was recently renewed for a sixth season.

***

Q: Is the beautiful New York City apartment building in the series “Only Murders in the Building” a real place, or is it a set? -- C.C.

A: It’s a combination of both. What is known as the Arconia on the series is a real residential building in Manhattan, located at 86th and Broadway, but it’s called the Belnord. It earned recognition when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places back in 1980, and currently, the apartments which are being converted into condos cost as high as $11 million. The Belnord is only used for exterior shots on the Hulu series, while the inside scenes where Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez’s characters live are actually filmed on a set in the Bronx.

* * *

Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

1. Split ................................ (PG-13) James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy

1. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (PG) Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy

2. Rings (PG-13) Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Alex Roe

2. Evil Dead Rise (R) Mirabai Pease, Richard Crouchley

3. A Dog’s Purpose (PG) Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid

3. The Covenant (R) Jake Gyllenhaal, Dar Salim

4. Hidden Figures (PG) Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer

4. John Wick: Chapter 4 (R) Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne

5. La La Land (PG-13) Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone

5. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (PG-13) Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez

6. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (R) Milla Jovovich, Iain Glen

6. Air (R) Matt Damon, Jason Bateman

7. Sing (PG) animated

7. The Pope’s Exorcist (R) Russell Crowe, Daniel Zovatto

8. Lion ................................ (PG-13) Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman

8. Renfield (R) Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage

9. The Space Between Us .. (PG-13) Gary Oldman, Asa Butterfield

9. Beau Is Afraid (R) Joaquin Phoenix, Patti LuPone

10. xXx: Return of Xander Cage .................................... (PG-13)

Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen

10. Suzume (PG) Nanoka Hara, Hokuto Matsumura

© 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.

© 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Courtesy

of

Good Recipes from Easy Pita Pizzas With Vegetables

Top whole-wheat pitas with ricotta cheese, garbanzo beans and sauteed vegetables for a fast dinner the whole family will love.

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 medium red onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed with press

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 8 ounces broccoli florets, cut into 1 1/2inch pieces

1/4 cup water

Salt

1 can (15 to 19 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

4 (6-inch) whole-wheat pitas, each split horizontally in half

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 medium plum tomatoes (12 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1. Heat oven to 450 F. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add broccoli, water and 1/4 teaspoon salt; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until broccoli is tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, with potato masher or fork, mash beans with ricotta and 1/4 teaspoon salt until almost smooth.

3. Arrange pita halves on 2 large cookie sheets. Bake until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Spread toasted pitas with bean mixture. Top with broccoli mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until heated though, 7 to 10 minutes longer.

4. To serve, sprinkle pitas with tomatoes. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

ON THE SIDE: For each person, toss 2 cups mixed greens with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil plus salt, pepper and lemon juice or vinegar to taste.

 Each pizza: About 469 calories, 13g total fat (6g saturated), 27g protein, 64g carbohydrate, 10g fiber, 29mg cholesterol, 969mg sodium.

Double-Dipped Strawberries

For an instant party hit, coat ruby-red berries in dark or white chocolate and a mantle of coconut flakes or crushed pistachios or almonds.

1 pound large strawberries (about 20)

3 ounces semisweet, milk or white chocolate, melted Toppings: finely chopped pistachio nuts and/or sliced almonds, or sweetened flaked coconut

1. Rinse strawberries with cold running water; do not remove stems and/or leaves. Pat strawberries completely dry with paper towels.

2. With fingers, hold 1 strawberry and dip into melted chocolate, leaving part of strawberry uncovered. Shake off excess chocolate. Then dip chocolate-covered berry in topping of choice. Place berry on large cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Repeat with remaining strawberries, chocolate and toppings.

3. Place chocolate-covered strawberries in refrigerator about 15 minutes or until chocolate is set. Strawberries will keep at room temperature up to 2 hours. If not serving right away, refrigerate strawberries up to 4 hours. Makes about 20 strawberries.

* Each dipped berry without topping: About 30 calories, 1g total fat (1g saturated), 0g protein, 4g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 5mg sodium.

* * *

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

(c) 2019 Hearst Communications, Inc.

apartment is so amazing, but it’s the people that make it great. The people are so nice. The staff and the residents make it feel like home.

NEXT WEEK in

TIDBITS LOSES SLEEP OVER

INSOMNIA

Cody’s

Corner

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis Creators News Service

Sleeping with a ThreeHeaded Rattlesnake

H.L. Mencken said, “The most costly of all follies is to believe passionately in the palpably not true. It is the chief occupation of mankind.” The following letter from a reader demonstrates that it is certainly the chief occupation of those who champion the companionship of a particular canine at any cost.

“

Three things have a limited threshold: Time, pain, and death; while truth, love and knowledge are boundless.”

-- Susy Kassem

We recently got an 8-month-old yellow lab from a family with three small children. The lady said the dog could be aggressive and had nipped at her 2-year-old.

She is a very nervous puppy -- jumps at the slightest movement or noise. She also jumps and twitches when she sleeps. We have experienced her aggression now, and it is quite scary.

The second morning we had her, something spooked her and she would not let us near our truck. The doors were all open, and she sat in the driver’s seat growling and showing her teeth. I got a treat and put it on the ground near us. When I said “release,” she got out, snatched the treat and jumped right back in. She calmed down, but was nervous all day after that.

She has showed her teeth a few times, and we’re not sure how to handle it. I read that it isn’t always good to approach or discipline her when she is showing her teeth and growling, because it could initiate an attack. I know that she is scared and confused. Within one week, she stayed in four different houses, with all new people.

We’ve had her for a week, and we’d love to keep her. We have no children, but we have nieces and nephews around often. We need to break her of these aggressive behaviors, or we will not be able to run the risk of her hurting a child.

She is a good dog -- excellent when playing fetch, gives up the ball or toy every time. However, she gets aggressive with some of her toys when indoors. We gave her a pig’s ear last night, and she got extremely aggressive. Every time we moved, she growled and showed her teeth -- even when we were nowhere near her. She came out of it, but again she was nervous for the rest of the night.

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

3. The Weekly “Brain Breaker”

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Little Green Martians and Social Security

I was looking through some old columns of mine and I found one from about 15 years ago with an intriguing headline: “Little Green Martians and Social Security.” I wrote that column in reaction to a news story that was running in media outlets around the country based on a poll of young people that asked a question that went something like this: “Do you believe you will have a better chance of seeing a Social Security check someday or of seeing Martians land on Earth?” And guess what? Most people answered that they figured they’d be more likely to see little green men from outer space than their promised Social Security benefits.

I wasn’t surprised by those poll results. I’ve been listening to Social Security skeptics for a half-century. I remember way back in 1973 when I was sent out as a relatively new Social Security Administration spokesperson to deliver my first speech on the topic. Hardly before I had a chance to introduce myself, some guy in the audience who appeared to be around 40 years old jumped up and said, “I don’t know why we should listen to anything you have to say. We all know Social Security will go belly up long before we ever have a chance to collect a dime out of the system!”

Well, of course, if that guy is still alive, he’d be pushing 90 now and will have been collecting many millions of dimes in the form of Social Security checks, month in and month out, for about 30 years now. I’ve often wondered if he ever looked back and regretted his rude interruption of that neophyte Social Security rep’s maiden Social Security presentation. At least I hope he accepted the fact that he was wrong.

And that story always reminds me of something I learned from one of my mentors when I started working for the Social Security Administration. He was a fairly high-placed official within the agency who started working for the SSA shortly after it was created in 1936. And he told me that way back then, many members of the public were telling him that the Social Security program was doomed to failure.

Well, those doomsayers in 1936 were wrong about the future of Social Security. And that rude audience member who interrupted me in

1973 was wrong about the future of Social Security. And those poll respondents from about 20 years ago who said they’d see Martians from space before they’d see Social Security benefits were wrong about the future of Social Security. And so too are the people I still hear from today who tell me that Social Security is destined to fail.

I mean, come one folks! The Social Security program is almost 90 years old now. It has been paying monthly benefits over those years without fail to hundreds of millions of people. How long must the program be around before people accept the fact that it is here to stay?

But of course, I’m not naive. I know what fuels people’s recent skepticism about the future of the program. You can hardly go a week without seeing some newspaper report or some internet story predicting Social Security’s demise.

Some of the headlines like this one: “Social Security going broke in 2034” are just outright false. Some of the headlines like this one: “Social Security benefits to be cut 20% in 2034” are misleading. And of course, none of the headlines tell the whole story.

If you go beyond the headlines and read the rest of the story, you will see a statement similar to this one: “By 2034, Social Security will only have enough cash reserves to pay 80% of promised benefits IF NO CHANGES ARE MADE TO THE SYSTEM BY THEN.”

I added the emphasis to the “if no changes are made” part of that sentence because it is the key. The Social Security program will never reach the point where future benefits will have to be cut by 20% because there is absolutely no question that the system will be reformed before we reach the 2034 crunch date.

How do I know that? Well, for one thing, it’s just common sense. No member of Congress, no president, no government official is going to let the Social Security program go belly up. You can be as cynical as you want about the state of politics and about the lack of bipartisanship in our country today. But I can assure you that no politician is going to say to their elderly constituents: “Sorry, Grandma, because I’m bickering with my colleagues across the aisle and can’t get anything done, I’m going to just forget about reforming Social Security and cut your Social Security checks by 20 percent!”

1. The book of Deuteronomy is in the a) Old testament b) New testament c) Neither

2. What church mentioned in Revelation is also the name of an American city? a) Erie b) Sardis c) Philadelphia d) Bethlehem

3. What king ordered Daniel to be thrown in the lions den? a) Nebudchadnezzar b) Darius c) Belshazzar d) Azariah

4. From Numbers 12:3, who was the most humble man on earth? a) Moses b) Noah c) Abraham d) Elijah

5. "Here I am; send me" comes from which book? a) Genesis b) Exodus c) Malachi d) Isaiah

6. What is the longest book of the old testament? a) Leviticus b) Proverbs c) Psalms d) Nehemiah

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

(Answers on page 16)

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

(OK, maybe there are a few rogue members of Congress out there who might say that. But certainly nowhere near a majority.

How else do I know that Social Security will not go belly up by 2034? Well, history is on my side. Throughout its history, the program has been reformed many times to keep it relevant and to keep it financially secure. The last time that happened in a big way was the early 1980s. At that point, the Social Security system was about five years away from going in the red. Back then, President Ronald Reagan appointed the National Commission on Social Security Reform, made up of a bipartisan coalition of senators, members of Congress and other experts. They proposed, and Congress eventually passed, a series of relatively modest tax increases and benefit cuts that kept the system solvent for the next 50 years.

And that’s what’s going to happen again. I’m betting there will be another commission established that will suggest relatively modest reforms that will keep the program solvent for the next halfcentury.

Before I close, I must make this point. I get dozens of emails from readers who tell me that the aforementioned Social Security headlines scare them, so they are choosing to take early (and reduced) benefits now so that they can get “grandfathered in” to the current system before benefits are cut. My advice to them is always the same: DO NOT make Social Security decisions based on politics. Make decisions based on your own personal economic situation. And I say that because I can guarantee that you will have a better chance of seeing little green men from outer space than you will of seeing the Social Security program go belly up now or anytime in the future.

* * *

If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has the answer. 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.

M.D.

Exercise Builds Strength and Improves Limits in Those With Arthritis

DEAR DR. ROACH: I so appreciated your recent column on arthritis, specifically osteoarthritis. I’m a big exerciser; however, I have always heard that this arthritis is caused or exacerbated by wear and tear. I was surprised to hear otherwise!

I have modified or given up a handful of exercises that seem to cause my joints more pain, specifically full-body weight-bearing on my wrists.

Are these exercises I can incorporate back into my routine? I have found that certain activities, i.e. card shuffling, buttoning, etc., hurt my thumbs, so I have made adaptations. Should I work through the pain, assuming that I am not causing any more damage to my joints? -- L.D.

ANSWER: Most exercise is not damaging to joints, but high-impact or high-frequency activities can certainly worsen arthritis pain.

For arthritis of the knees and hips, I recommend walking as the best exercise, starting slow and building up based on what a person can tolerate. It’s the movement, not the resistance, that’s most important, so swimming (or just wading in a pool) is a great option for people who feel too much pain from walking.

For the smaller joints of the hands and wrists, I would recommend activities that don’t hurt you as much. Stretching the joints and movements like squeezing are a good place to start. You might consider a “stress ball” or a hand therapy ball to provide some resistance and build up hand strength.

Adapting your activities to your limitations is a good idea, but you also want to work on improving those limitations. A physical or occupational therapist is your best partner in designing a program.

Don’t forget that over-the-counter topical anti-inflammatory medicines, like diclofenac, are pretty effective with small joints and are very safe. ***

DEAR DR. ROACH: Would you discuss the difference between rheumatoid arthritis and the ankylosing spondylitis? -- S.Y.

ANSWER: Both rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis are uncommon (each affecting about 1% of the population), inflammatory, multi-system diseases. RA affects the synovium (the lining of the joint) and tends to affect the hands first, but it can affect nearly any joint. The major area of activity of AS occurs where bones connect to ligaments, cartilage and tendons.

There is an auto-immune component to both diseases. Without treatment, RA leads to joint deformities, whereas AS causes new bone formation, leading to pain and reduced movement of the joints. The back and neck are most often affected in AS, but the hips and other joints may also be affected.

RA is treated early and aggressively with disease-modifying agents, such as methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine, or with biological agents.

Physical therapy is useful in RA, but is a mainstay of therapy with AS. Medications are often needed in AS, usually starting with antiinflammatory drugs and progressing to more potent agents if needed. About 30% will need biological agents, whereas 94% of people with RA need a disease-modifying drug.

A rheumatologist is the expert for both conditions, and a person with either condition should be referred to an expert as soon as the diagnosis is made.

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

Burial at a National Cemetery

No one wants to think about it, but have you made your final plans? Have you put them in writing for those you leave behind so they’ll know what your wishes are once you pass away? There are steps you can take now to make it easier on them when the time comes.

First, determine whether you’re eligible for burial in a Department of Veterans Affairs national cemetery. If you’re uncertain, go to va.gov/burials-memorials and click on “Eligibility” toward the middle of the page. Gather up your required documents you’ll need several, including DD-214 and submit them with your application for a preneed determination (VA Form 40-10007), which means the question of eligibility will be resolved beforehand. Choose a VA national cemetery. If you need help filling out the paperwork, call them at 800-535-1117.

Then be sure your loved ones know you’ve taken the pre-approval steps and where your documents will be kept.

Be sure your final paperwork includes information for the Veterans Legacy Memorial website (www.vlm.cem.va.gov). The VLM currently has 4.5 million veterans memorialized. (For some unexplainable reason, this does not include veterans buried at Arlington National Cemetery, and we’d love to know why.) Information on each veteran includes name, dates of birth and death, rank, war period, decorations and more. Friends and family are allowed to upload images, a bio, stories and any historical documents.

In your stash of documents you might include a favorite photo or two that you’d like to have added to the VLM later. There’s even a “Follow A Veteran” feature to send email alerts if any additional content is added to a veteran’s listing. The listing for a veteran is done the day of interment, and listings go back to the Revolutionary War.

As a note: Only veterans are listed in the VLM. Spouses buried with the veteran are not included.

VOLUNTEER DRIVERS NEEDED

American Veterans (AMVETS) Post 66 in Palm Springs is seeking volunteer drivers. The drivers will drive a 9 passenger van known as the “AMVETS Express” from Cathedral City and Palm Springs to the Loma Linda VA Hospital and then return to the desert.

The driver will work one day per week. The van departs Cathedral City about 6:30 AM and returns to the desert in the afternoon of the same day. The van operates Monday through Friday.

Applicants for the position of driver do not have to be veterans. Applicants are required to study a training manual and pass a complete physical exam. The drivers cannot be over age 70. The drivers are volunteers and are not paid a salary.

For full details and to apply, please call

For help accessing the VLM site and uploading documents or photos, call them at 866-2451490.

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.

The AMVETS Express has operated since 2004 and it is the only free van transportation from the desert to the VA Hospital. Drivers are not permitted to accept tips from the passengers. The AMVETS Express takes homeless veterans and veterans who are having a mental health crisis to the hospital. We also transport many disabled veterans who cannot drive a car. For many veterans the AMVETS Express is the only way for them to receive their medical care. We transport about 22 veterans per month. Because we only have three drivers right now on some days we cannot operate for lack of a driver. To apply please call

-- by Jim Miller

How to Prepare a Will

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: I would like to prepare my last will and testament and would like to know if this is something I can do myself, or do I need to hire a lawyer to make it all legal?

-- Don’t Have Much to Spend

Dear Don’t: You ask a very good question! Almost everyone needs a will, but only around one-third of Americans have actually prepared one. Having a last will and testament is important because it ensures your money and property will be distributed to the people and places that you want to receive it after your death.

If you die without a will (known as dying “intestate”), your estate will be settled in accordance with state law. Details vary by state, but assets typically are distributed using a hierarchy of survivors, i.e., first to a spouse, then to children, then your siblings, and so on.

You also need to be aware that certain accounts take precedence over a will. If you jointly own a home or a bank account, for example, the house, and the funds in the account, will go to the joint holder, even if your will directs otherwise. Similarly, retirement accounts and life insurance policies are distributed to the beneficiaries you designate, so it is important to keep them up to date as well.

Do You Need a Lawyer?

It’s also recommended that if you do create your own will, have a lawyer review it to make sure it covers all the important information and details.

Where to Store it?

Final

Not necessarily. Creating a will with a do-it-yourself software program may be acceptable in some cases, particularly if you have a simple, straightforward estate and an uncomplicated family situation. Otherwise, it’s best to seek professional advice. An experienced lawyer can make sure you cover all your bases, which can help avoid family confusion and conflict after you are gone.

If you need help finding someone the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA.org), the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC. org) and the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC.org) websites are good resources that have online directories to help you search.

Costs will vary depending on your location and the complexity of your situation, but you can expect to pay somewhere between $200 and $1,000 or more to get your will made. To help you save, shop around and get price quotes from several different firms.

And before you meet with an attorney, make a detailed list of your assets and accounts to help make your visit less time consuming and more efficient.

If money is tight, check with your state’s bar association (see FindLegalHelp. org) to find low-cost legal help in your area. Or call the Eldercare Locater at 800-6771116 for a referral.

If you are interested in a do-it-yourself will, some top options to consider are Nolo’s Quicken WillMaker & Trust (Nolo.com, $99) and Trust & Will (TrustandWill.com, $159). Or, if that’s more than you’re willing to pay, you can make your will for free at FreeWill.

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Final Changes

Once your will is written, the best place to keep it is either in a fireproof safe or file cabinet at home, in a safe deposit box in your bank, or online at sites like Everplans. com. But make sure your executor knows where it is and has access to it. Or, if a professional prepares your will, keep the original document at your lawyer’s office. Also, be sure to update your will if your family or financial circumstances change, or if you move to another state.

by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

Lemonade Set Stands Test of Time

Q: Enclosed is a photo of a porcelain juice set that belonged to my grandmother close to 40 years ago. The set includes a pitcher and six matching glasses. Each piece is marked with an artist’s palette and a brush. Below that is the letter “L” in a circle. The pitcher and glasses are trimmed in gold and the decorations are pastel flowers in relief and are the same on the front and back.

I remember this set throughout my childhood and, therefore, I am pretty certain it is more than 60 years old, and it is in perfect condition.

I hope you can provide me information about the maker, origin and value of my set.

inherited from my grandmother. The dish is decorated with a man and woman in 17th-century costumes. They are standing in a garden setting. There is a filigree band on the border and gold around the scalloped edge.

I have searched online and unfortunately, I can’t find any information about my dish or the possible value.

Any assistance you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

Sabin Industries purchased blanks from other companies.

A: Sabin Industries, Inc. made your oval platter. The company was established in McKeesport, Pa., in 1946. They purchased blank pieces of china from other companies and used their own artists to decorate them, usually with transfer print designs. They often decorated their wares with French inspired scenes of couples wearing formal attire in garden settings.

The mark on your platter shows the decoration is 22-karat gold. Sabin produced “Crest-0-Gold” series, and a variety of other tableware, ovenware, kitchenware and decorative pieces. In 1967 Chase Enterprises purchased Sabin along with Mt. Clemens Pottery and McCoy Pottery.

Your platter was made around 1950 and would probably be worth $40 to $60.

*

Antiques expert and columnist Anne McCollam has recently 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

A: Lenox, Inc. made your cider/lemonade set, and they used the mark you described from 1906 to around 1930 on their Belleek wares.

American Belleek was made by several companies and designed to compete with the popular Irish Belleek. They have been located in Trenton, N.J., since 1889. The company was founded as the Ceramic Art Company by Jonathan Coxon Senior and Walter Scott. By 1906, the name was changed to Lenox, Inc. Dinnerware sets have been ordered by several United States presidents, including Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan. Your circa 1930 lemonade set would probably be worth $400 to $600.

* * *

Q: This is a photocopy of the mark seen on the back of a small oval dish that I

Puzzle Solutions

When you populate an empty meadow with lots of male sheep, I'd consider that ram-ification.

* On May 14, 1796, Edward Jenner, an English country doctor, gave the first vaccination against smallpox to 8-year-old James Phipps. While he did not discover vaccination, he was the first person to confer scientific status on the procedure and to pursue its scientific investigation. His work is widely considered the foundation of immunology.

* On May 8, 1912, Adolph Zukor founded the Famous Players Film Company, now known as Paramount Pictures. With partners Daniel and Charles Frohman, he planned to offer feature-length films that would appeal to the middle class. The company’s first film was “Les Amours de la Reine Elisabeth,” and starred Sarah Bernhardt.

* On May 12, 1921, National Hospital Day was first observed on what would have been Florence Nightingale’s 101st birthday. Originally a one-day holiday, it turned into a weeklong event to educate the public about medical care.

* On May 9, 1926, Commander Richard E. Byrd announced that he and his copilot, Floyd Bennett, had made the first flight over the North Pole in Byrd’s Fokker tri-motor airplane, the Josephine Ford. While Byrd’s navigational records were verified by the U.S. Navy and a committee of the National Geographic Society, some skepticism still remains about the claim.

* On May 11, 1978, Margaret A. Brewer became the first female general in the U.S. Marine Corps. Because the Marines did not allow women to achieve such a rank at the time, President Jimmy Carter made a special nomination on her behalf to the grade of brigadier general, which was approved by both houses of Congress.

* On May 13, 1983, right fielder Reggie Jackson became the first major league baseball player to strike out 2,000 times. He would eventually retire with a total of 2,597 strikeouts and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.

* On May 10, 1994, serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was baptized by Roy Ratcliff while in prison at Columbia Correctional Institution in Wisconsin, in a whirlpool type of tub normally used for inmates with back issues. Ratcliff continued to meet weekly with Dahmer until the latter’s death at the hands of another prisoner.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

"Did you happen to notice any mention of yardage along with the great course photos you saw in that travel guide?"

Cider set is an example of American Belleek.

Shemp was persuaded, although reluctantly, to return to the group, where he remained until his death nine years later. The Stooges’ total film count topped 220.

• Joanne Woodward nabbed the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in 1957’s “The Three Faces of Eve,” the true story of a woman with multiple personality disorder. A shy, quiet housewife named Eve White visited a psychiatrist after suffering severe headaches and blackouts. During an appointment, a new personality emerged, dubbed Eve Black, who was outgoing, fun-loving, and single. She knew about Eve White, but Eve White was unaware of Eve Black.

• At one time, Eve Black was found trying to strangle Eve White’s daughter. The woman’s true identity was kept secret for 20 years, until in 1977, Chris Sizemore wrote the book “I’m Eve,” revealing that she had not just three personalities, but rather, more than 20, which, through extensive therapy, were eventually unified. It was discovered that Sizemore’s witnessing of two deaths and a gruesome accident within three months as a small child triggered the development of her conflicting personalities.

• Walt Disney's cartoon creation, Donald Duck, had three nephews named Huey, Dewey, and Louie, who were introduced in a 1937 newspaper comic strip. They were presented as the triplet sons of Donald’s sister Della, although in one cartoon short, “Donald’s Nephews,” their mother was named Dumbella. Disney took their names from Louisiana governor Huey Long, New York politician and later-governor Thomas Dewey, and a Disney studio animator named Louis Schmitt. The trio has remained popular for 85 years, with movies, numerous video games, and a 1987 TV series called “Duck Tales.” In Finland, the nephews are known as Tupu, Hupu, and Lupu, while their Polish names are Hyzio, Dyzio, and Zyzio. □

STAN SMITH’S TENNIS CLASS

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Game Changers

by Jason Jenkins

Three Club Chipping

Not all greenside chips are equal. There are different lies, distances to the pins, and terrains between you and the hole. Not only are all chips not equal, but one club should not always be used for them all.

One basic of the greenside chip should be a consistent technique which includes setup, swing length, and impact conditions. After that, you have the freedom to alter the club you’re using, its alignment, and where you hit it on the face.

A good finish should have the left leg straight, the right thigh up close to the left leg, the right foot up on the toe, and the upper body arching back slightly. The trick is that the hips are now “tucked under” the upper body or the stomach is pushed forward. Many beginners, or players who don’t have good core strength, will finish with their hips pushed out behind their upper body. Learn to correct the finish by tucking the hips under or pushing your belt buckle forward in order to feel the correct position. Good leg work will assist in correct hip positioning as well.

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Assuming for now that the face is square and you’re striving for center contact, practice mastering three clubs around the green. Use the 8-iron for long distance chips where you can allow the ball to land quickly and roll out over the length of the green. Adjust to the pitching wedge when the pin is more centralized on the green and you don’t need as much roll on the ball.

Finally, switch to the sand or lob wedge to attack the short chips when the hole is quite near you. Each stroke should be similar, but the club will create different carry and roll results.

When I work with a lot of beginning to intermediate players, the finish position requires extra attention. The body is contorting into an unusual position and needs to be balanced to be effective. Advanced players take the finish position for granted, especially when it comes to the small arch in the lower back.

Tuck It Under

Changers

By practicing with these three clubs, you’ll have a better gameplan around the greens.

GO FIGURE!