Vol. 19: #16 • Remarkable Bears • (4-9-2023) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

by Janet Spencer

While we may rightly consider bears to be formidable creatures of the wild deserving our respect and a safe amount of distance, this week Tidbits looks at a few of these carnivoran mammals who don't quite fit this description. In fact, you could consider them quite extraordinary!

THE CANADIAN BEAR

• When WWI started, Harry Colebourn of Winnipeg, Canada volunteered. He was on his way to report for duty in 1914 when he came across a man who had a young black bear cub for sale. The mother bear had died. Colebourn bought the cub for $20 ($600 today) and smuggled him all the way to England. He named the cub Winnipeg, or Winnie for short.

• The bear became the mascot of his brigade. When they were mustered out to France, Colebourn left Winnie at the London Zoo, intending to transfer the bear to the Winnipeg Zoo after the war. But Winnie became such a popular attraction in London that Colebourne relinquished her permanently to their care.

• The gentle bear was fond of the children who

1. TELEVISION: What is the name of the president in the drama “West Wing”?

2. GEOGRAPHY: Which U.S. state shares the same name as one of the Great Lakes?

3. U.S. PRESIDENTS: What are the ZIP codes assigned to the president and first lady?

4. LANGUAGE: What is cryptophasia?

5. MOVIES: What is the number on top of the bus in the movie “Speed”?

6. LITERATURE: What is the setting for Dashiell Hammett’s novel “The Maltese Falcon”?

7. ANATOMY: Which two parts of the human body contain the most bones?

8. U.S. STATES: In which state would you find the Grand Teton National Park?

9. AD SLOGANS: Which popular product uses the slogan, “Is it in you?”?

10. FOOD & DRINK: What is the primary ingredient of baba ganoush?

Answers

1. Josiah “Jed” Bartlet.

2. Michigan.

3. 20500-0001 and 20500-0002.

• Grizzly bears once roamed across the entire U.S., but over the millennia they have gradually been eliminated from 98% of their once-free ranges. There was once an estimated 100,000 such bears inhabiting the lower 48 states, while only about 1,000 remain. Yellowstone National Park holds one of the densest populations of grizzlies.

• Because bears are such a popular attractions for tourists, concessionaires in Yellowstone once drew them in to populated areas by baiting them with garbage at locations near lodges. Handfeeding bears along the roadside also became popular as photo ops for visitors. Between 1931 and 1941, a yearly average of 59 tourists were injured in these situations by bears, some seriously.

• Park officials knew they needed to get things under control. In 1959, National Geographic hired two naturalists to study the grizzlies of Yellowstone and offer recommendations. John and Frank Craighead were twins with a long history in biological sciences.

• The Craigheads pioneered the use of radio telemetry, improving radio collars so much that they vastly increased knowledge of grizzly movement and behavior. They found that 90% of grizzlies in Yellowstone wandered outside of the park. Of those, 45% were killed by landowners.

that bears build a new den every year and never re-use any bear’s old den.

• What was supposed to be a two-year study lasted 12 years. The Craighead brothers and their assistants performed 9,000 person-days of research, hiked over 162,000 miles, and captured, marked, and studied 256 grizzlies.

• Then, in 1967, two young women were killed on the same night by grizzlies in nearby Glacier National Park. As a result, officials in Yellowstone wanted to immediately close all the dumps where bears fed.

• The Craigheads objected to this plan. The bears depended on the dumps as one of their main sources of food; closing them all at once would have catastrophic results, forcing the bears into campgrounds in search of food, sending them after livestock, increasing interactions with humans, and leading to starvation among bears unable to find another food source on short notice. They advocated for closing the dumps gradually, allowing the bears enough time to readjust their feeding habits.

• Yellowstone officials disagreed. For their efforts, the Craigheads were banned from the park. Their laboratory was bulldozed. And all of their predictions came true: the grizzly population of Yellowstone dropped catastrophically, until grizzlies were ultimately placed on the Endangered Species list in 1975. Frank and John Craighead wrote a book about their discoveries, “The Grizzlies of Yellowstone” and went on to enjoy long careers as naturalists and researchers.

ADVERTISING PROOF

Final Changes DUE: 5:00

• Although grizzlies normally live up to 30 years, the average Yellowstone grizzly died by age six, which was problematic since females don’t mate until they turn five. Only one of the grizzlies died of old age. Females mate once every three years, giving birth to between one and three cubs, and 40% of bear cubs die in their first year of life. Only the musk ox has a slower reproduction rate.

• They discovered that a male grizzly will roam a territory equal in size to the state of Rhode Island; that females will babysit and sometimes adopt cubs that don’t belong to them; that males will kill a cub that isn’t theirs. They discovered

• By the time Frank died in 2001 and John died at the age of 100 in 2016, agencies throughout the Yellowstone region had adopted all of the recommendations they had advocated. This included having all agencies work together; eliminating sport hunting and imposing stiff penalties for poaching; instituting public education; placing strict rules for food storage on public lands, and canceling livestock allotments near park boundaries.

• The grizzly population soon doubled, all thanks to the tireless research accomplished by the Craighead twins. □

ATTENTION BUSINESS OWNERS

Week

Remarkable Bears: (from page one)

flocked to the zoo to visit her. One of those visitors was a boy named Christopher Robin Milne. Christopher’s father bought him a souvenir teddy bear in 1921. Christopher and his Winnie teddy bear became inseparable. When Christopher’s father began writing stories to entertain his son, the main character was a bear called Winnie the Pooh.

• Winnie the black bear died in the London Zoo in 1934, but Winnie the Pooh will live in the hearts of children forever.

THE SOLDIER BEAR

• In 1942, a young Iranian boy rescued a sickly Syrian brown bear cub after its mother was shot by hunters. He took it to the train station near him. A young Polish woman bought the cub from the boy and spent the next three months in a refugee camp, nursing the cub back to health.

• She then gave the young cub to the 22nd Artillery Supply Company stationed nearby. They named him Wojtek, a Polish name meaning “happy warrior.”

• The soldiers doted on the bear, teaching him tricks and feeding him treats. He drank coffee every morning but preferred beer. They tried to teach him to smoke cigarettes but he only ate them. Wojtek learned to salute, engaged in wrestling matches with the soldiers, and often marched alongside the men on his hind legs.

• The bear moved with the 22nd Company throughout Iraq, and then to Syria, Palestine, and Egypt. But when the 22nd Company was reassigned to the Italian front, the British ship that was to carry them refused to carry pets or mascots. So Wojtek was officially drafted into the Polish Army as a private. During the brutal Battle of Monte Cassino, Private Wojtek helped keep the guns firing by dragging boxes of ammo, each containing four 25-pound shells, where

they were needed. These crates normally took four men to haul. For his bravery and service in battle, Wojtek was promoted to Corporal. On one occasion, the bear was sleeping in the ammunition depot when a thief broke in late at night. Needless to say, the maurader received the fright of his life and quickly fled the area.

• At the end of the war, Wojteck accompanied the 22nd Company to Scotland, where he became very popular with the townfolk. When the 22nd demobilized in 1947, the bear was donated to the Edinburgh Zoo, where he lived in pampered peace until he died in 1963 at the age of 21. By that time, Wojteck weighed 1,100 lbs and stood 5’11” tall on his hind legs.

A POPULAR POLAR BEAR

• In 1986, a polar bear cub was snatched from her mother in Canada and sold to an East German circus. Named Tosca, the bear was acquired by the Berlin Zoo in 1998. There she gave birth to two cubs in 2006, abandoning them both outside her den.

The Chinese government owns nearly all the giant pandas in the world. American zoos will pay up to $1 million per year to rent just one of the animals. Most zoos sign a 10-year "panda diplomacy" contract requiring payment of $400,000 for any cub born during this period as a baby tax.

• The cubs, blind, naked and the size of guinea pigs, were rescued by zookeepers. One died, but the other survived. Zookeeper Thomas Doerflein became the cub’s surrogate mother, staying with him round the clock for 150 days. It was the first polar bear born at the Berlin Zoo in 33 years. His name was Knut.

• Twice a day, Thomas Doerflein would put on shows, playing with the cub, feeding him, and showing him off to live audiences. “Knutmania” swept across Europe. The zoo’s revenues for 2007 were 30% higher than the previous year, making it the most successful in the zoo’s 168year history. The Berlin Zoo already had a full complement of polar bears and normally would have sent Knut off to some other zoo, but they were not about to let their celebritiy bear leave.

• Knut became addicted to human attention. He engaged with zoo visitors, pressing up against the Plexiglas divider, and playing fetch with a ball he would fling over the divider.

• As a young adult, Knut was moved into an enclosure with several female polar bears,

NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE

The giant panda has a large head because it needs a strong jaw and neck muscles to eat bamboo, which makes up 99% of its diet. The remaining 1% consists of insects on the bamboo.

Pandas have an extra "thumb" (actually an extra-large wrist bone) just for holding bamboo stalks. A panda can eat over 45 lbs. of bamboo a day.

If you suffered business disruption and financial loss due to the Covid pandemic you may be due substantial compensation from the IRS. See details on The Employee Retention Credit IRS program on the back cover, page 16.

including his mother. In the wild, male and female polar bears avoid each other. Here, Knut could not avoid the other bears, who bullied him. Knut took up repetitive behaviors so common to stressed zoo animals, such as relentless pacing. In the wild, Knut would have travelled up to 20 miles a day or swam great distances in search of

Remarkable Bears: Turn to page 15

ATTENTION BUSINESS OWNERS

����������������� ����

QUIZ BITS

1. What color is the skin of a polar bear?

2. What color is a polar bear's fur?

If you suffered business disruption and financial loss due to the Covid pandemic you may be due substantial compensation from the IRS. See details on The Employee Retention Credit IRS program on the back cover, page 16.

(Answers page 16)

ATTENTION BUSINESS OWNERS

If you suffered business disruption and financial loss due to the Covid pandemic you may be due substantial compensation from the IRS. See details on The Employee Retention Credit IRS program on the back cover, page 16.

1.VERNALEQUINOX 2.CROCUS

By Lucie Winborne

* An anonymous Middle Eastern prince donated $500,000 for Hurricane Sandy relief in exchange for a 15-minute meeting with actress Kristen Stewart.

* After more than six decades of separation, differences in the language have developed between South and North Korea. This leads to hardship for North Korean defectors after they escape, because they have to relearn their language.

* That distinctive odor of pool water usually described as the smell of chlorine is actually chloramines, which are released when chlorine reacts with human sweat, oil or urine.

* A snake’s heart can move around its body to protect it from harm when the snake has eaten a large prey.

* When is a kiss not just a kiss? Ask the fellow who, in 2010, bypassed security at the Newark Airport to smooch his girlfriend goodbye. The entire terminal was shut down for seven hours and the gentleman became known as “Airport Romeo.”

* The 1963 movie “Charade” entered the public domain immediately upon its release because Universal Pictures published it with an invalid copyright notice.

* All the air in potato chip bags everyone complains about is actually nitrogen and serves a useful purpose: It preserves crispiness and also provides a cushion for shipping.

* Former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg once went undercover as a taxi driver in Oslo because he wanted to “hear from real Norwegian voters and taxis were one of the few places where people shared their true views.”

* Abolitionist Frederick Douglass was the most photographed American of the 19th century.

Thought for the Day: “The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.”

-- John Maxwell

by Mary Hunt

When the Ship is Sinking, Get Everybody In the Lifeboat

take. You went absolutely house crazy. You let someone else (Realtor? lender?) sell you on how much house you could afford.

Jerry, you cannot continue to live in fear -- fear of your wife being embarrassed, fear of not giving her the home she’s always dreamed of, fear that you’ll ruin an 8-year-old forever if he has to move again, fear that if you tell the truth you will lose your family.

Put your emotions aside and face facts. This does not have to be the end. You can make this the beginning of a new chapter in your lives.

Trust your wisdom, step up and take a leadership role in this family. Eventually, your wife and children will respect you for it.

by Mary Hunt

DEAR MARY: My wife and I made a terrible mistake and bought a house that I don’t think we can afford. We dumped all of our money from the sale of our last home into it and now we have run out of money. It is not even close to being done. My wife is a stay-at-home mother of three and I work full time. I bring home about $5,500 per month with a house payment of $2,230. We have a $442 car payment and credit card minimum payments of about $250. My wife has student loans of around $26,000 with payments of $293 per month.

We have moved my oldest son to six different homes in eight years, but he has remained in the same school. My wife says we cannot sell this house under any circumstance because of fear of damaging him. Also, she is embarrassed and does not want anyone to know that we got in over our heads. She has always dreamed of having a big beautiful home, and I want to give this to her because she deserves it.

I need help. I have never been so scared. On one hand I feel this is unsustainable, and on the other I am scared of losing my family if I tell them we can’t afford to live here. -- Jerry

Dear Jerry: I am so sorry for what has transpired to put you in this place. But now is not the time for a pity party. It’s time to set emotions aside and move into action.

You are right. Devoting nearly 60% of your net income to debt is unsustainable. In fact, your ship is about to capsize. You have a choice to go down with this sinking ship along with all of your passengers or move quickly to get everyone into a lifeboat and safely to shore.

Find someone to take care of the kids for a few hours and get your wife out of the house. Go to a quiet place where you can talk uninterrupted. Put your emotions aside and lay it all out. You cannot afford this house. You must sell it. Each day you delay brings you one day closer to foreclosure and bankruptcy.

Your wife is not your little princess; you are not her sugar daddy. She is your financial partner. Together, you made one colossal mis-

I believe both you and your wife would benefit greatly from credit counseling from a nonprofit organization that has been certified by the National Federation for Credit Counseling. Go to NFCC.org, and in about five minutes you’ll learn you can get help either in-person or online and also be connected to the closest office to you. NFCC is the real deal, the gold standard in nonprofit credit counseling. I recommend these folks highly.

I can’t tell you how many people I’ve heard from who took my advice on NFCC and for whom reliable and reputable counseling and guidance turned their lives around. I’m confident the same can happen for you.

DEAR MARY: I have two credit card debts: $15,989 at 9.24% and $12,619 at 9.00%. I received a check from an inheritance for $12,370. Should I pay some on both accounts or lump the whole amount on one? I currently am able to pay $400 a month towards each balance. We have $650,000 in retirement accounts and both of us contribute 15% to our 401k plans. Thanks! -- Sandy

Dear Sandy: Pay off that smaller balance. Come up with the additional amount you’ll need from somewhere and get that one account paid in full. Then continue making those $800 monthly payments to the remaining balance. You’ll be debt-free in about 20 months. Put those credit cards away for now and do not add another nickel in new purchases. Happy for your windfall, sorry it has to go to pay debt. *

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

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

THE CANE TOAD DISASTER

• In the 1930s, farmers in Australia were worried about their sugar cane crop, which was being ravaged by the cane beetle. To solve the problem, they imported 102 cane toads from Hawaii. The toads were kept in an enclosure to breed.

• In 1935, 2,400 cane toads were released into the sugar cane fields of Queensland, Australia, with the hope they would save the sugar cane crop from the cane beetle. It turned out to be an ecological disaster of unprecedented proportion.

• For one thing, and for several reasons, cane toads do not eat cane beetles. First of all, cane beetles are active during the day (cane toads are nocturnal), and cane beetles also live either under the soil (the toads do not dig) or in the leaves (toads don’t jump very high). Adult beetles fly away (toads don’t fly), and cane beetles prefer bare ground (toads prefer ground cover).

• For another thing, there are no natural predators to control cane toad numbers. In addition, they are poisonous. And finally, they breed prolifically.

• Each toad has poison glands on its shoulders which can shoot a milky white neurotoxin up to three feet. In their native Central and South America, predators that live alongside the cane toad, such as the caiman, have natural defenses against the toxin that the cane toad secretes. Australia’s native species are not equipped to defend themselves in this way. A single lick or bite causes native animals to experience rapid heartbeat, excessive salivation, convulsions, paralysis, and ultimately death when the heart stops.

• It’s not only the adults that are poisonous. Even the eggs and the tadpoles are toxic.

• Other species of frogs and toads lay perhaps 1,000 eggs at a time, hoping that one or two will survive. The cane toad lays up to 30,000 eggs at a time, and because no creature in Australia can eat those eggs, they all hatch.

• Meanwhile, the tadpoles, and then the voraciously omnivorous adult cane toads, eat all available foods that other creatures depend on, while poisoning everything that tries to eat it, and simultaneously devouring entire populations of frogs, lizards, bugs, and snakes.

• The cane toad is large, growing up to nine inches in length, and can easily swallow creatures such as birds and mice. A small marsupial called the Northern quoll has been brought to the brink of extinction. Fresh water crocodiles are experiencing record die-offs after eating the toad. Various species of snake have suffered as well. Turtles and fish that eat the poisonous eggs and tadpoles also die. The cane toad is a singlespecies ecological wrecking ball.

• Making things worse, cane toads inhabit a wide range of ecological niches including rainforests, coastal mangroves, sand dunes, shrubs, and woodlands. They don’t need much water to reproduce; anything from a puddle to a river is

fine. They can survive cold temperatures that kill other amphibians. They begin mating at the age of one year, and can continue to mate for nearly 20 years.

• By 1945, a pesticide had been developed that controlled the cane beetles. By then the cane toad was on the march across the entire continent of Australia, expanding their territory at a rate of up to 40 miles per year.

• However, there is hope. Water rats learned that if they flip the toad on its back, they can avoid the poison. Birds learned that if they harass the toad by flipping it into the air numerous times, and then rinse it in water, they can eat it without harm after it has expended its stores of toxin.

• Because the toad outpaces the available supply

of food, cane toads are now eating smaller cane toads, and larger tadpoles are eating smaller tadpoles. Furthermore, scientists are working to release genetically modified male cane toads that can only have male offspring. □

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

by Dana Jackson

Q: Who is the tall blonde woman who is one of the hosts of “The Talk”? Also, what happened to Sara Gilbert? Are any of the current hosts part of the original group? -- H.A.

A: “The Talk” is a live syndicated CBS talk show originally created by Sara Gilbert (“Roseanne,” “The Conners”) back in 2010. She was one of the original hosts, along with five other women: Julie Chen, Sharon Osbourne, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Holly Robinson Peete and Leah Remini. Gilbert left in 2019, but remains executive producer. None of the current hosts were part of the six who debuted, and the current roster includes two men, Jerry O’Connell and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila.

Former NBC “Today” show host Natalie Morales joined “The Talk” in 2021, along with Amanda Kloots. Kloots is a former Broadway star and dancer of the Rockettes. She’s listed as 5 feet 8 inches tall, but with heels, she appears taller. Sadly, before getting her big break with “The Talk,” she lost her husband, Tony-Award-nominated actor Nick Cordero, to COVID after a three-month battle in the hospital.

Sheryl Underwood, a former stand-up comedian, remains the veteran of the show, having joined in 2011. ***

Q: Whatever happened to Annette Bening? Is she still married to actor Warren Beatty? -- K.H.

A: Before George Clooney, Warren Beatty was considered Hollywood’s most sought-after bachelor. Both actors are still married to their wives, Beatty and Bening since 1992. A year before their wedding, Bening earned her first of four Oscar nominations in “The Grifters,” and she’s far from retiring. In 2022, she appeared in two films: “Death on the Nile,” with Kenneth Branagh, and “Jerry & Marge Go Large,” with Bryan Cranston.

Next up for Bening is “Poolman,” which is written, directed by and stars Chris Pine, followed by the upcoming TV miniseries “Apples Never Fall,” with Alison Brie.

She’ll also star alongside Jodie Foster in “Nyad,” based on the true story of a 64-year-old woman who, 10 years ago, aimed to be the first woman to swim from Cuba to Florida. ***

Q: I was surprised to see that Edge is back wrestling with the WWE. Didn’t he suffer a neck injury in real life? -- L.H.

A: Adam Copeland, best known as his WWE professional wrestling character, Edge, returned to the ring in 2020 during the Royal Rumble. This was 11 years after leaving the sport to undergo surgery on his cervical spine.

According to the “Daily Star,” the 49-yearold Copeland states that he doesn’t want to overstay his welcome and wants this run to help. “I don’t want to hinder,” he expressed. He says his wife, WWE wrestler Beth Phoenix, will be sure to tell him when “it’s time” to retire permanently.

Copeland has a less risky career to fall back on with acting, having recurred on the popular History Channel series “Vikings” for several years. Next up, he’ll play Ares (aka the Greek God of War) in the upcoming Disney+ series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” ***

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. His Only Son (PG-13) Nicolas Mouawad, Sara Seyed

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

4. Scream VI (R) Courteney Cox, Melissa Barrera

5. Creed III (PG-13) Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson

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

6. Shazam! Fury of the Gods (PG-13) Zachary Levi, Asher Angel

7. Sing (PG) animated

7. A Thousand and One (R) Teyana Taylor, Aaron Kingsley Adetola

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

8. 65 (PG-13) Adam Driver, Ariana Greenblatt

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

10. xXx: Return of Xander Cage (PG-13) Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen

9. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (PG-13) Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly

10. Jesus Revolution (PG-13) Kelsey Grammer, Kimberly Williams-Paisley

© 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.

© 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Good Recipes from

sugar on top.

1 cup butter or margarine, cut up 3/4 cup chocolate syrup

8 chocolate-covered caramel-and-nougat bars (2.05 ounces each), cut up

Chicken Parmigiano Mini Meatloaves

1 pound ground chicken

1 large egg

1/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Heat broiler. Line broiling pan (without rack) with foil. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In bowl, mix chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt and 1/4 cup marinara sauce just until blended. In foil-lined pan, shape meat mixture into four 4-by-2-inch oval loaves.

3. Place pan in broiler 5 to 6 inches from source of heat and broil meatloaves 15 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Spoon remaining 1/4 cup sauce over loaves; sprinkle with mozzarella. Broil 1 to 2 minutes longer or until cheese melts. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

 Each serving: About 310 calories, 27g protein, 9g carbohydrate, 18g total fat (4g saturated), 1g fiber, 65mg cholesterol, 615mg sodium.

Black Magic Cake

This celestial cake -- its richness comes from Milky Way bars! -- needs only powdered

2 cups sugar

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs, lightly beaten 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Powdered sugar, for dusting

1. Heat oven to 325 F. Grease 12-cup Bundt pan. In 4-quart microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, syrup and nougat bars. Heat 5 to 5 1/2 minutes on Medium (50 percent power), whisking once. Whisk until smooth.

2. Whisk in sugar, then buttermilk, vanilla and eggs. Stir in flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda.

3. Pour batter into pan. Bake 1 hour, 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen cake from pan; invert onto rack to cool. Dust with powdered sugar. Makes 20 servings.

 Each serving: About 375 calories, 16 g total fat (9 g saturated), 5 g protein, 57 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 71 mg cholesterol, 295 mg sodium.

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

(c) 2019 Hearst Communications, Inc.

If you suffered business disruption and financial loss due to the Covid pandemic you may be due substantial compensation from the IRS. See details on The Employee Retention Credit IRS program on the back cover, page 16.

If you suffered business disruption and financial loss due to the Covid pandemic you may be due substantial compensation from the IRS. See details on The Employee Retention Credit IRS program on the back cover, page 16.

If you suffered business disruption and financial loss due to the Covid pandemic you may be due substantial compensation from the IRS. See details on The Employee Retention Credit IRS program on the back cover, page 16.

John Allen

Donald

Foresters"

Cody’s

Corner

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis Creators News Service

Wake in Wedlock

“They dream in courtship, but in wedlock wake.” -- Alexander Pope

Some days it feels as if my 40 years of working with dogs have earned me professional competency in the field of couples counseling. This was especially true this week, when I took a call from a man whose first words to me were: “Ya gotta save my marriage.”

He and his wife, newlyweds, are just back from their honeymoon. As the next logical step in building a life together, he is in the process of moving into her home, soon to be their home. Along with his wardrobe, toiletries, favorite furnishings and beloved doodads, he will bring his dogs: two 5-year-old Pomeranian mixes who have been spoiled, indulged and appeased as a matter of dayto-day life.

The problem? She doesn’t like dogs. While one might question the wisdom of the “marry first, get to know each other later” school of thought for those willing to agree to such daunting terms as “till death do us part,” my years of experience as a marriage and family counselor, ahem, dog trainer, suggested something else was going on.

In talking with the two of them together, a far less insidious truth was revealed. It isn’t that she doesn’t like dogs. Period. It’s that she doesn’t like the behavior of dogs, generally, and of these dogs, particularly. An entirely different beast...

In his bachelor days, this man enjoyed sleeping with his dogs at night, cuddling with them on the sofa, sitting with them on his lap, and romping and roughhousing with them in his home. Were he insistent on bringing these rituals untamed into his marriage, he’d find himself divorced and for reasons on par with those of Woody Allen, who once said, “Basically, my wife was immature. I’d be at home in the bath, and she’d come in and sink my boats.”

Marriage doesn’t have to mean the end of all that, but it does call for boundaries and compromise.

Generally speaking, dogs are malleable both in behavior and in preference. Princess Pomeranians accustomed to the master bed can be

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

3. The Weekly “Brain Breaker”

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles

Living Long Lives in the Blue Zones

In several parts of the world there are large populations that regularly live into their 90s and even pass 100 years. They’re called Blue Zones, those parts of the world where seniors live longer, healthier lives. It started as a National Geographic project to look for the secrets to longevity. They were able to identify five locations: Loma Linda, California; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; and Okinawa, Japan.

Fascinated scientists began to study these over-100 people and concluded that they had nine commonalities. They are:

-- The Blue Zoners move and exercise naturally, working in gardens and going about their lives with frequent walks, not engaging in heavylifting gym visits.

-- They have a purpose to each day.

-- They do what they must to avoid stress.

by Joseph Publillones

Get Out NOW! I Need to GO!

Those of a certain age may relate to the image of a long line of children and adults waiting anxiously to use a bathroom. The ritual includes a strong pounding on the door usually followed by a primal yell: “Get out NOW! I need to GO!” Rush hour not only consists of a drive to work or school; it also includes strategic timing to get in and out of the common facility.

It used to be that homes of up to three bedrooms were designed with only one bathroom. As home standards have evolved, the prescription now seems to be one bathroom per bedroom. However, there are still some circumstances in older homes, smaller homes and multigenerational homes where the bathroom is shared by more than one person.

In homes where sharing a bathroom is part of daily coexistence, the best solutions can be accomplished architecturally when designing the bathroom. Although contrary to the contemporary trend of open floor plans, the most efficient bathrooms are divided based on all the functions the bathroom serves. Your fixtures are: the vanity/ sink, the shower and/or tub and the toilet. Here are some tips to maximize your use of each area.

Forego the trendy pedestal sinks in favor of a multi-use vanity with preferably two sinks and faucets. The cabinet tops provide a surface to set things on allowing two people to use the sinks at the same time. The cabinets below should have multiple drawers, or shelves with bins, giving each user space to store their stuff -- hair dryer, brushes, combs, toothbrushes, etc., etc. There

Some pray, some have happy hour, some take naps, but they intentionally do something.

-- They follow a rule to stop eating when they’re 80% full, and don’t eat late at night.

-- Their diets are semi-vegetarian and they stick mostly with beans and lentils, fruits and vegetables, olive oil and whole grains.

-- They drink modest amounts of wine, perhaps 1 to 2 cups per day, if at all.

-- They belong to a faith-based community of some kind.

-- They put loved ones first and often live with or near family members.

-- The people around them are engaged in similar healthy behaviors.

To read the study about the Blue Zones, go online to www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, select PubMed from the dropdown menu and put “Blue Zones” in the search box. Look for the authors Buettner D, Skemp S. The heading includes “Lessons from the World’s Longest Lived.”

There is hope for all of us to extend our lives if we incorporate some of what those in the Blue Zones have to teach us.

Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@ gmail.com.

(c) KingFeaturesSyndicate

should also be one or two medicine cabinets for meds and whatnot. Shelves or a small closet for towels and washcloths are a must.

The bathing area is one that can be divided into two components if there is both a shower and a tub. Showers are generally favored by most because they're quick and easy. Turn on the shower valve and it's ready to go. Showers are also great in small spaces as almost any 3-by-3-foot corner is a viable space.

Although the use of tubs was once the most common way to bathe, today they are considered more of a method used by those with the luxury of time. By the time it takes just to fill the tub, you could have already finished your shower -- and used a lot less water doing it. But there's no denying tubs are the perfect place to relax an unwind at the end of a long day, and they're also a fun-filled place to bathe children.

Even though tubs require more space, many tubs today are fabricated and installed with a showerhead above so the space does double duty. If you have both a tub and separate shower, making the shower an enclosed walk-in space with clear or frosted glass walls and door keeps the two separated very nicely.

Finally, the toilet should be placed in its own enclosed area with a privacy door. Both this space and the bathing areas should be outfitted with ventilation fans that vent outdoors for efficiently removing steam and odors.

Sharing a bathroom is quite an act of intimacy, but it can be accomplished graciously if some careful consideration is given to avoid the hallway scenarios of yesteryear.

* * *

Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. His website is www.josephpubillones. com. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones and read fea

tures by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Cody’s Corner (from page 9) guided toward the use of dog beds and trained to respect boundaries. The great majority of domesticated dog behaviors, by which this dog lover’s bride is so repelled, are in actuality the reflection of human preference.

In this case, the prognosis is good because their marital preferences are aligned: Both husband and wife prefer to share a bed, and with each other. Concerned about the implications for his dogs, he asked whether they’d feel bad about being relegated to another sleeping space. My answer: No. They’ll learn, and they’ll be fine.

Today, with people remaining single longer, with more people living alone and with more people sharing space with dogs, a blending of homes often requires the help of a professional dog trainer. This version -- two dogs who live together moving into a non-dog home -- is one of the easiest. Dog people moving in with cat people; two head-of-household dogs suddenly under one roof; multiple dogs horning in on an “only dog” household... Those are tougher.

While he has been permissive over the years, and she isn’t fond of the dogs’ behavior, these two have two things going for them: They’re open to training, and they’re open to change. And because of this, they will wake in wedlock and live the dream.

Woof!

* * *

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.

The Art of DESIGN

SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Social Security Rules for Federal Government Employees

I’ve commented before how surprised I am that a high percentage of emails I get come from the relatively small group of people in this country who don’t even pay into Social Security. Most of those questions come from retired or soon-tobe retired educators in those states where teachers have a separate retirement system other than Social Security. And I have written maybe 100 columns over the years explaining the offsets that apply to those folks if they have worked on the side paying into Social Security or if they have a spouse who is covered by Social Security. And I’m not going to go over that topic again today. (If you want to become an expert on the issue, spend 10 bucks and get my book called “Social Security: Simple and Smart.” One of the chapters in that book explains those offsets as simply as I know how.)

I am also not dealing today with another employer group not covered by Social Security: railroad workers. For reasons a little too complicated to explain here, a separate pension system was set up for employees of our nation’s railroads at about the same time as Social Security was started.

In today’s column, I’m going to explain how Social Security rules affect another large group of public employees: those who work for the federal government. But before I do that, I have to give a bit of a history lesson.

When the Social Security laws were first passed in 1935, Congress figured that federal government employees did not need to be covered by the new program. Why? Because federal employees were already covered by the civil service retirement system. That retirement program has been around since 1920.

Congress also decided that they could not force a federal pension plan (Social Security) on state and local government employees, so they gave them the option to join Social Security or not. Most did. And over the years, other state and local groups who did not originally join Social Security eventually signed on to the program. But to this day, there are still large blocks of state and local employees, like the aforementioned teachers in some states and firefighters and police officers in other states, who are not covered by the Social Security system. (They constitute about 20% of all state and local government workers.)

OK, now back to federal government employees and Social Security. To repeat, they were not included in the original Social Security Act because they already had their own pension plan that had been around for 15 years before Social Security got started.

But over the years, Congress felt an increasing amount of pressure to bring federal employees into the Social Security fold. There were two main reasons. First, you could make the case that all workers in the country should be covered by the same retirement system. (Although to be true to that philosophy, you would then have to make all state and local workers and all railroad workers part of the Social Security program, too.)

But reason No. 2 was the bigger factor: federal government employees, members of Congress and the judiciary and the president did not pay into Social Security. They were covered by the same civil service retirement system as all other federal employees. And it was politically embarrassing for politicians to be making laws about a retirement program (Social Security) that they were not a part of.

This led to all kinds of conspiracy theories that top members of government get fat and lucrative pensions while scattering crumbs to the peasants in the form of meager Social Security benefits. This was never true. But millions of Americans believed it then and many still do today.

Anyway, by the 1980s, the political pressure to bring federal employees into the Social Security tent was too great. So, in 1983, a law was passed saying that all federal employees hired after Dec. 31, 1983, would be covered by the Social Security system. At the same time, the law decreed that effective Jan. 1, 1984, all members of Congress, the president, the vice president and federal judges would also start paying into Social Security. (So, let’s get rid of the myth that politicians are not covered by Social Security. Again, since 1984, they have been.)

The new retirement program that Congress set up was called the Federal Employees Retirement System, or FERS. And they gave all old government employees hired before 1984 the option of switching from the Civil Service Retirement System to FERS. By the way, I was one of those people. I was hired in 1973. I remember that I struggled mightily with that decision. Should I stick with CSRS or switch to FERS? (There were some advantages -- too complicated to explain here -- to making the switch.) I finally decided to stay with CSRS. And frankly, to this day, I’m not sure I made the right move. I had several friends who switched to FERS, and now that we are all retired, it looks to me like they are a little better off than I am. But that’s my problem, not yours.

also had an extra deduction from their salary to fund a federal retirement benefit designed to supplement their Social Security checks. So, old federal retirees like me get just one CSRS pension check each month. But those retirees who are covered by FERS get a Social Security check and a smaller FERS pension check. (Smaller than CSRS pension checks, that is. But the intent of the program was that a combination of Social Security and FERS benefits should roughly equal what CSRS retirees were getting.)

Earlier in this column, I mentioned some offsets that affect state and local government workers, like teachers in some states. They are called the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). Both those offsets also affect federal CSRS retirees, but usually not FERS retirees. And as I also mentioned earlier, to understand how these offsets work, get my book, “Social Security: Simple and Smart,” and read the chapter dedicated to WEP and GPO. * * *

If you suffered business disruption and financial loss due to the Covid pandemic you may be due substantial compensation from the IRS. See details on The Employee Retention Credit IRS program on the back cover, page 16.

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 Easy-to-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. 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.

COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

ADVERTISING PROOF

Final Changes DUE:

If you suffered business disruption and financial loss due to the Covid pandemic you may be due substantial compensation from the IRS. See details on The Employee Retention Credit IRS program on the back cover, page 16.

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

2. In Luke 17, when Jesus healed 10 men of leprosy, how many returned to thank him? a) One b) Six c) Nine d) All

3. What woman restored to life by Peter was known for helping the poor? a) Leah b) Dorcas c) Abigail d) Miriam

4. Where are the names of Abaddon and Apollyon used to denote Satan? a) Jude b) 2 Peter c) 3 John d) Revelation

5. Who contracted leprosy for lying to the prophet Elisha? a) Deborah b) Gideon c) Abhadar d) Gehazi

6. From 2 Samuel 20, who led David's armies? a) Aaron b) Dan c) Joab d) Abner

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

Anyway, FERS employees had Social Security taxes taken out of their paychecks, and they (Answers on page 16)

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

If you suffered business disruption and financial loss due to the Covid pandemic you may be due substantial compensation from the IRS. See details on The Employee Retention Credit IRS program on the back cover, page 16.

Complex Jargon Keeps Patient From Understanding Diagnosis

DEAR DR. ROACH: After many bouts of pain in my left leg, I was referred for an MRI. They diagnosed me with left lumbar radiculitis, spondylolisthesis and lumbar spondylosis. There are many people in my independent living facility who have gotten similar diagnoses.

As an RN with a master’s in nursing education, I have a question: When the diagnoses are made, do doctors not explain the problem in layman’s terms? I only found out what my list of diagnoses were from a physical therapist, to whom I was referred. -- N.F.P.

ANSWER: Doctors certainly should explain their diagnoses in language appropriate for their patients. We can forget that the language we use is sometimes incomprehensible to the untrained ear, but that’s not an excuse. A patient should always feel comfortable in saying they don’t understand a diagnosis, or any other word or phrase their doctor uses, and ask for more explanation. Many of the most effective communicators I have seen not only ask the patient whether they understood, but have made sure their patient can explain it back to them.

In your case, these specific diagnoses are generally not well-known by nonexperts, and I am disappointed that they did not give you an explanation. Lumbar radiculitis is essentially sciatica -- it’s an inflammation of the large bundle of nerve roots, which usually causes pain down the leg into particular locations, based on which nerves are being affected. It is not a specific diagnosis, as it doesn’t say what is causing the damage to the nerves.

Spondylolisthesis is a condition where one vertebra overlaps another one below it (front to back, not side to side). Very mild spondylolisthesis will not cause any symptoms, but more severe cases can cause damage to the nerve roots. Spondylosis of the lumbar vertebrae is a nonspecific term signifying degeneration of the spine, usually due to osteoarthritis and often including degeneration of the disks in between the vertebrae.

So, these diagnoses together suggest that you have osteoarthritis of the spine, along with a displacement of one vertebra over another, causing damage to the nerve roots of the spine. These conditions would be likely to cause the back and leg pain you have on your left side.

DEAR DR. ROACH: What are the risks for long-term usage of metformin for prediabetes? -- T.G.

ANSWER: Metformin is a commonly used treatment for Type 2 diabetes, but has also been proven to prevent, or at least delay, the onset of diabetes in people who are at risk. This includes those who already have abnormal blood sugar but don’t yet meet the diagnostic criteria for diabetes -- called “prediabetes” or “impaired glucose tolerance.”

Metformin works mostly by preventing the liver from making sugar. This allows the insulin a person makes to work on dietary sugar instead and, in turn, lowers insulin levels, thus promoting weight loss.

Metformin is a very safe drug with few long-term side effects. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal -- nausea and diarrhea are the most common. These usually go away after some time and can be minimized by using the long-acting form of the drug. Vitamin B12 deficiency happens in about 20% of people over a span of five years.

The most severe side effect is called lactic acidosis, but this is extremely rare when metformin is only given to people with normal kidney function. Kidney function and blood sugar levels should be periodically checked when on metformin, whether for diabetes or prevention.

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

When the Scammer Is a Doctor

Mostly you think of scammers who steal as lowlifes, but it’s not always the case. Sometimes they’re well-educated professionals who have a lot to lose when they’re caught.

Take the case of the doctor who took money that was meant to go to those who’d suffered severe traumatic injuries.

This doctor, a decorated Navy commander, conspired with others to lie their way to a $2 million profit in an insurance program that helps servicemembers who were traumatically injured while on active duty. The co-conspirators would coax others to create fake or exaggerated claims for injuries in exchange for a portion of the proceeds.

Enter the doctor who, in exchange for a kickback, would verify that the injuries and disabilities existed and sign off on the application for the claim, sometimes saying he’d actually seen the person making the claim. Or he would provide the medical records of others to those who were submitting fake claims.

The other nine co-conspirators included a nurse (who helped to falsify medical records) and a former Navy mechanic (who actively recruited others into the scheme, where he netted nearly $400,000). They kept the scam going for at least three years. The various charges included fraud, wire fraud and making a false and fraudulent claim. Of all the co-conspirators, it’s the Navy doctor who disappointed me the most. This wasn’t a short-term scam; it went on long enough that one wonders whether in all that time the doctor thought about how he got to that point.

This is the same man who, serving in Iraq, climbed onto a roof in 2007 to help a tiny infant who wasn’t breathing properly, evacuated the baby via helicopter under sniper fire, and got him into surgery in a hospital. The baby was saved and back home in a week.

It’s hard to reconcile the image of that doctor with his participation in a theft scam that only netted him $180,000 over three years. And now he’s potentially facing 20 years in prison.

* * *

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.

* * *

Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate

-- by Jim Miller

New RMD Rules for 2023

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: What are the new rules on required minimum distributions from IRAs and 401(k)s? I will turn 72 this year and want to be clear on what I’m required to do. -- Planning Ahead

Dear Planning: Thanks to the SECURE Act 2.0 that was passed by Congress last December, there are several new rules that affect required minimum distributions (RMDs) from traditional IRAs, 401(k)s and other tax-deferred retirement accounts. These changes, which build on the original SECURE Act of 2019, are a benefit to retirees by increasing the RMD age and lowering the penalty for missing a withdrawal. Here’s what you should know.

New RMD Rules

As of Jan. 1, 2023, the starting age for taking RMDs is now 73, up from 72. And it rises to age 75 in 2033. This change means that if you turn 72 this year, as you stated in your question, you can delay your RMDs one more year, allowing your savings in these accounts to grow longer, tax deferred.

But once you turn 73 (next year), you must start taking annual RMDs from the taxdeferred retirement accounts you own – like traditional IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s and 457(b)s – and pay taxes on those withdrawals. Distributions are taxed as ordinary income in your tax bracket.

There are, however, a few exceptions. Owners of Roth IRAs are not required to take a distribution, unless the Roth is inherited. And starting in 2024, Roth 401(k)s will not be subject to RMDs either.

There’s also a work waiver for RMDs you should know about. If you are still working beyond age 73, and you don’t own 5 percent or more of the company you work for,

Final Changes DUE:

you can delay withdrawals from your employer’s retirement plan until after you retire. But if you have other non-work-related accounts, such as a traditional IRA or a 401(k) from a previous employer, you are still required to take RMDs from them after age 73, even if you’re still working.

Deadlines and Penalties

Generally, you must take your distribution every year by Dec. 31. First timers, however, can choose to delay taking their distribution until April 1 of the year following the year you turn 73. But be careful about delaying, because if you delay your first distribution, it may push you into a higher tax bracket because you must take your next distribution by Dec. 31 of the same year.

Also note that you can always withdraw more than the required amount, but if you don’t take out the minimum, you’ll be hit with a 25 percent penalty (it was 50 percent) on the amount that you failed to withdraw, along with the income tax you owe on it. This penalty drops to 10 percent if you take the necessary RMD by the end of the second year following the year it was due.

Distribution Amounts

Your RMD is calculated by dividing your tax-deferred retirement account balance as of Dec. 31 of the previous year, by an IRS estimate of your life expectancy. A special rule applies if your spouse is the beneficiary and is more than 10 years younger than you.

IRA withdrawals must be calculated for each IRA you own, but you can withdraw the money from any IRA or combination of IRAs. If you own 403(b) accounts, they too allow you to total the RMDs and take them from any account or combination of accounts.

With 401(k) plans, however, you must calculate the RMD for each plan and withdraw the appropriate amount from each account.

To calculate the size of your RMD, you can use the worksheets on the IRS website – see IRS.gov/Retirement-Plans and click on “Required Minimum Distributions.” Or contact your IRA custodian or retirementplan administrator who can do the calculations for you.

For more information, see the “Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements” (publication 590-B) at IRS.gov/pub/ irs-pdf/p590b.pdf.

• Extensive valley-wide distribution in over 600 newsstand locations - including Wal-Mart, Walgreens, and Revivals, as well as restaurants, coffee shops,

by Anne McCollam Creators

Dinnerware Is a Bohemian Rhapsody

Q: This is a photo of a service for six set of porcelain. It was given to my grandmother by her sister around 1929 and then passed along to me.

The set includes serving platters, bowls, egg cups, a cream pitcher and a sugar bowl. Each dish is decorated with stylized large pink flowers and small blue ones and green leaves. The edges and handles are embellished with gold.

Most pieces are marked with a lion inside a heart and the words “Bohemia -Czecho-Slovakia.” A few of the small dishes are marked simply “Germany” and the cream pitcher includes the word “Donatello.”

I very much appreciate your time looking at my set and greatly anticipate your possible response.

Q: When my mother-in-law passed away several years ago, she left me several sets of china. One is a set of small plates. This mark is on the back of each piece. Each is decorated with a different scene of a castle and trees overlooking a lake. The pattern is red against a white background.

Just in case my daughter would someday be interested in this set, I would like to know their history, age and value. Any information you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Johnson Brothers are located in Staffordshire, England.

A: Johnson Brothers made your set of plates in Staffordshire, England. Alfred, Henry, and Frederick Johnson founded their earthenware and ironstone factory in 1883. In 1968 the company became part of the Wedgwood Group. “Castle on the Lake” is the name of your pattern. Although the pattern was made in red, it was also available in blue, brown and multi-colors.

Your plates would probably be worth $20 to $30 each.

* * *

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: Your dinnerware was made by Bohemia Ceramic Works. They produced porcelain in Bohemia from 1921 to 1945. Actually, the mark represents a lion inside a scrolled letter “B.” They used the mark you provided from 1941 to 1945.

The country, Czecho-Slovakia, existed from 1918 to 1945. From 1939 to 1945 it was part of Nazi Germany. In 1993, it became two separate countries, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. “Donatello” is the name of the pattern. Because a few of the pieces are marked “Germany” your set may not be as old as 1929.

The value of your set would probably be $500 to $800.

Puzzle Solutions

If two animated characters are drawn on the same cartoon frame, I'd call them cel mates.

* On April 17, 1964, the Ford Motor Company unveiled its new Mustang model at the New York World’s Fair. Championed by Ford Division general manager Lee Iacocca, the car came with a suggested retail price of $2,368 and was a great success, with more than a million sold in just its first 18 months.

* On April 18, 1988, a retired U.S. auto worker identified as “Ivan the Terrible” was found guilty of Nazi war crimes in an Israeli court and sentenced to death. His conviction was overturned in 1993 after evidence suggested another Ukrainian was actually Ivan the Terrible, and he was returned to America, but later deported back to Ukraine when a judge ruled there was enough evidence to prove he had indeed been a death camp guard.

* On April 19, 1927, blonde bombshell Mae West was confronted by the New York Police Department’s Municipal Vice Squad, sentenced to 10 days in a workhouse on the charge of obscenity for her play titled “Sex,” and fined $500. She later quipped that the only thing that really bothered her about the experience was having to wear cotton underwear.

* On April 23, 1940, a fire broke out in the Rhythm Club in Natchez, Mississippi, causing the deaths of more than 200 African Americans due to boarded up windows and a padlocked back door. At the time, it was the second deadliest building fire in American history.

* On April 20, 1957, the Mayflower II, a replica of the original Mayflower that transported Pilgrims to the New World, set out to re-create that voyage from Brixton, England to Plymouth, Massachusetts. The journey took 55 days, and the ship is currently docked at the Plimoth Patuxet Museum.

* On April 21, 2014, Kraft Foods recalled 96,000 pounds of Oscar-Meyer hot dogs that had been mislabeled. The company stated that some of their “Classic Cheese Dogs” had been placed in regular hot dog packaging, posing a threat to consumers with dairy allergies.

* On April 22, 1993, the Holocaust Memorial Museum opened in Washington, D.C. Dedicated to documenting, studying and interpreting the history of the Holocaust, it serves as the official American memorial to the millions of Jews and others who lost their lives under the directives of Hitler’s Nazi Germany.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

"No, we don't charge by the hour, we charge by how bad your swing is. And, frankly, before we'd ever sign you up here you'd have to surrender your house as collateral."

Bohemia Ceramic Works were in business from 1921 to 1945.

food.

• In 2011, Knut unexpectedly died at the age of four, drowning in his pool after suffering a seizure that resulted from a viral infection in his brain. His mother, Tosca, died in 2015 at the age of 30.

THE BAD LUCK BEAR

• Andrew Thornton was an American narcotics officer with the DEA who quit his job with law enforcement in order to become a smuggler. In 1985, he was delivering a load of cocaine from Colombia in his Cessna airplane.

• During a late-night flight, he became aware that he was being followed by two government aircraft who had obviously been tipped off about his payload. Thornton put the plane on autopilot, pushed all of the illicit cargo out of the plane, strapped on a parachute, and jumped.

• Unfortunately, both the parachute and the reserve chute failed to open, and Thornton plummeted to his death in the driveway of a Knoxville, TN home. His unmanned plane crashed 60 miles away in North Carolina.

• The police began searching for the cargo that had been dumped. Media covered the story and encouraged citizens to turn in any suspicious duffel bags they found. All but one were recovered.

• About ten weeks later, a hunter in Georgia was tracking a wounded deer when he was surprised to find a dead bear in a clearing near an empty duffel bag. When recounting the tale of his hunt, a friend suggested that the duffel bag could be the one the police had been searching for. The hunter led police to the dead bear.

• Sure enough, the now empty duffel had previously been full cocaine. Acting on an educated hunch, they had the dead bear autopsied. The chief medical examiner from the Georgia State Crime Lab found that the bear’s stomach was packed full with cocaine powder. The bear must have consumed all 75 lbs of the cocaine very quickly as it would have taken only a few grams to kill it.

• The bear, known locally as “the cocaine bear” and officially dubbed “Pablo Escobear” was stuffed and mounted by a taxidermist, passed around to various owners, and is now on display at the Kentucky Fun Mall in Lexington, Kentucky. Some observers claim to see a faint smile on its face. □

STAN SMITH’S TENNIS CLASS

TEE UP

Final

Game Changers

by Jason Jenkins

Real Head Turner

Many golfers have been told, “keep your head down” or “don’t look up” on many shots around the green in order to achieve good contact.

Skulls, blades, chunks, and chili dips have been blamed on what many consider faulty head movement. Following this advice leads golfers to glue their eyes and head down well after the shot has been struck.

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.

Top golfers have a simple head movement principle that every level of golfer should follow: turn the head to follow the ball flight. By prompting the head to turn to the target in the early follow through, the body can turn allowing the arms and wrist to extend through the strike.

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.

The head down syndrome prevents the body from turning which inhibits the arms from extending through impact.

When I work with

The key in the practice strike is to watch a spot of the turf you want to hit but allow the body and head to turn toward the target as if watching the ball flight. Look for extended arms and the body weight to finish on the left side in the finish.

Next time you miss the grass through impact, blame your hands, arms, or a change in posture but not your head.

Game Changers

GO FIGURE!

10. FOOD & DRINK: What is the primary ingredient of baba ganoush? Answers

TRIVIA TEST Answers Answers

by Linda Thistle

1. Josiah “Jed” Bartlet.

2. Michigan.

3. 20500-0001 and 20500-0002.

4. A language developed by twins that only the two children can understand.

5. 2525.

6. San Francisco.

The idea of Go Figure is to arrive at the figures given at the bottom and right-hand columns of the diagram by following the arithmetic signs in the order they are given (that is, from left to right and top to bottom). Use only the numbers below the diagram to complete its blank squares and use each of the nine numbers only once.

7. More than half the bones are in the hands and feet, 27 in each hand and 26 in each foot.

8. Wyoming.

9. Gatorade.

10. Eggplant.

1. Black, to better absorb the sun's heat

2. Clear; colorless, but reflects light and appears white