PRIMETIME of your life FREE | VOLUME 5 • ISSUE NO. 1 | JANUARY 2016 Interesting features for our 50+ audience
Gary Walker
Lifetime Master Storyteller By Lucinda Sue Crosby For PrimeTime of Your Life
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cheduling an in-depth interview with Gary Walker took some persistence. First of all, though a skillful and gifted award-winning writer/author/actor/journalist, his innate humility caused him some hesitation. “Are you SURE you want to do this?” he asked during one phone call. Raised in the Pacific Northwest, he was actually born in Kansas to a solidly middle-of-America family. “My reaction … I think of it as part of my mid-western sensibility, where modesty counts,” he said.
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Secondly, he’s involved in an array of endeavors that require time, thought and energy even though he insists that, in recent weeks, he’s been “simplifying” his life. I can only imagine how busy he must have been before! His neatly printed resume was a revelation: the dazzling length and mind-boggling breadth of this enviable curriculum vitae limns a bold life brimming with curiosity turned fascinated application resulting in real accomplishment. As he put it, “I’d bore into the core of something, zoom all the way to the center, roll around in it until I had a handle on it, then zoom back out and on to the next whatever.” As a boy, he fell madly in love with radio – “the theater of the mind”
SCAM ALERT PAGE 10 Gary Walker as he likes to say. “Each word or inflection is so important,” he said. “You set your imagination to work creating people and places … going where you wish with whom you wish. Since then, I have always loved hearing and telling stories.” As a sideline, he also danced and sang professionally for a span of 20 years, including 500 paid performances before graduating from high school.
During the next chapter of his life, his mother’s genius first cousin, Dr. Joe Guffy, became his mentor. “Uncle Joe” was a leading research chemist with Standard Oil who felt impelled to continually wrestle with a low threshold of boredom – a character trait Gary understood only too well. “This guy was amazing,” Gary said. “For example, when he took scuba diving lessons, he wound up inventing and sewing his own diving suit on his dining room table.” Continued on page 8
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TOPIC OF DISCUSSION PrimeTime of Your Life provides local editorial and advertising content for our active adults (50+). We strive to educate and inform through lifestyle features and human interest profiles. PrimeTime is distributed throughout the Coachella Valley.
Deb Geissler - Publisher
dgeissler@desertentertainer.com
Jose De La Cruz – Editor
news@desertentertainer.com
Kimberly Brucks - Senior Marketing Specialist kbrucks@desertentertainer.com
Judy Telander - Marketing Specialist jtelander@desertentertainer.com
Sandy Cloyd - Marketing Specialist scloyd@desertentertainer.com
Agustin Alejandre - Sr. Graphic Artist
ads@dmhnews.com | ads@desertentertainer.com
Lucinda Sue Crosby Feature Writer
(760) 776-5181 | 41-995 Boardwalk, Suite L2 Palm Desert CA 92211 A Product of the Desert Mobile Home News. Titles registered and all contents copyright 2015 by Hi-Desert Publishing Co. All Rights reserved.
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Lawsuits seek to abolish U.S. bail bond systems
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Here’s some of what’s been reported
woman didn’t have the cash or assets to post $150,000 bail and get out of jail after her arrest for assault in October. So she, promised to pay a bail bonds company $15,000 plus interest to put up the $150,000 bail for her, allowing to go home and care for her invalid grandmother. The day after her release, the district attorney decided not to pursue charges. But she still owes the bail bonds company. Criminal justice reformers and lawyers at a nonprofit Washington, D.C., legal clinic say that is unconstitutionally unfair. The lawyers have filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of
jail inmates who argue that San Francisco and California’s bail system unconstitutionally treats poor and wealthy suspects differently. Wealthy suspects can put up their houses or other valuable assets — or simply write a check — to post bail and stay out of jail until their cases are resolved. Poorer suspects aren’t so lucky. Many remain behind bars or pay nonrefundable fees to bail bonds companies. The lawsuit filed by the Equal Justice Under Law in San Francisco federal court in October seeks to abolish the cash bail system in the city, state — and the country. It’s the ninth law-
suit the center has filed in seven states. A president of bail agents group, the says the longtime system of putting up money or an insurance-backed bail bond is better at getting people to show up in court and it saves the public costs of monitoring defendants or hunting down bail jumpers. Let us know what you think. Do you believe the bail bond system should be abolished in the U.S.? Should the woman still owe the bail bonds company $15,000 plus interest? Should there be a grace period to return the money since she was not charged of a crime?
Feel free to send us your thoughts on this subject by emailing news@desertentertainer.com. We will publish a few reader responses in the next issue of PrimeTime.
JANUARY 2016
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anuary is officially Oatmeal Month - so how about taking a look at these fun facts about oatmeal and oatmeal month.
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he portrait of the Quaker man on the Quaker Oats package has been updated just three times since its creation in 1877, once in 1946, again in 1957 and, most recently, in 1972.
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eventy-five percent of U.S. households have oatmeal in their cupboard.
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he most popular oatmeal toppings are: milk, sugar, fruit (raisins, bananas) and butter/margarine. Among the most unusual are: eggnog, peanut butter, cottage cheese and brewer’s yeast.
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atmeal cookies are the #1 noncereal usage for oatmeal, followed by meatloaf and fruit crisp.
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uaker Oats was the first U.S. breakfast cereal to receive a registered trademark, the first to offer a recipe and a premium on its package, and the first to offer trialsize samples. ats were one of the earliest cereals cultivated by man. They were known in ancient China as long ago as 7,000 B.C. The ancient Greeks were the first people known to have made a recognizable porridge (cereal) from oats.
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atmeal is heart healthy. More than 37 scientific studies show that eating oatmeal daily as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may help reduce the risk of heart disease. ne half cup of oats has over 25 percent of your recommended amount of biotin. Biotin is a B vitamin responsible for a healthy metabolism and digestion, but it also contributes to great hair, skin, and nails. It’s the star ingredient found in hair, skin, and nail vitamins, in fact. Oats are also a great source of protein, which stimulates collagen formation in the body.
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atmeal is still a bargain at less than 15 cents a serving.
ats’ beneficial fibers come specifically from a type of soluble fiber known as beta-glucans, which have been found to improve immune function and keep harmful bacteria away that leads to illness. Beta-glucans in oats have also been linked to even preventing cancer, especially breast and colon cancer.
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ats are one of the few whole grains that has repeatedly been linked to lowering the risk for type 2 diabetes. This is because oats contain over 300 milligrams of magnesium, a super star nutrient that balances your blood sugar to help you take care of your insulin levels naturally. Their high fiber content ensures they are digested slowly, which helps release insulin more slowly into the bloodstream, leading to reduced amounts of blood sugar spikes.
Female Liberace returns to Palm Desert win, John Philip Sousa, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Stephen Foster and Anna Louise Deal. One of the most popular parts of this musical spectacular is Gentille’s patriotic tribute to Veterans of the Fived Armed Forces. The finale is Gentille’s spectacular piano adaptation of Rhapsody in Blue which never fails to bring audiences to their feet.
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inda Gentille, known as “The Female Liberace” returns to the Sierra Ballroom at Sun City, Palm Desert on March 6. It has been 2 years since she has appeared in the Coachella Valley area. Her newest production, Rhapsody & Rhthym is a tribute to the great American composers and will include music from George Gersh-
Tickets to Rhapsody & Rhthym starring Linda Gentille are currently on sale. Tickets are $30-$40 with a group rate of $22 for any groups over 20 people. There is a limited number of 50 special $40 VIP tickets which includes the concert, and a VIP champagne artist reception at Linda’s private residence at the Indian Wells Country Club. For information and ticket purchases, call (800) 838-3006 or visit www. americanpianoshow.com.
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hat can beat a bowl of pasta with a creamy, savory meat sauce? Bolognese (boh-loh-NYEH-zeh) is a sauce from its namesake city, Bologna, Italy. Made rich and hearty by including ground meat, milk and wine, Bolognese is best ladled over ribbons of tender pasta. While traditional recipes can take many hours of very slow cooking to develop the deep flavor, our fast variation is still enormously satisfying. Even better, the sauce can be made in nearly the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta.
Classic Quick Bolognese • 3 Tbsp olive oil • 1 medium onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 lb lean ground beef chuck • 1/2 tsp coarse salt Freshly ground black pepper • 1/2 cup dry red wine • 2 cups tomato puree • 1/4 cup milk
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• 8 oz wide pasta (like fettuccine), cooked • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano 1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium. Add onion; cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. 2. Increase heat to medium-high. Add beef, salt and pepper. Cook until brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain excess fat. Add wine to pan and stir, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any brown bits. When wine is nearly evaporated, add tomato puree, stirring well. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce tightens around the meat, about 5 minutes. Add milk, stir and cook 5 minutes. 3. Serve with hot cooked pasta and sprinkle with cheese. Serves 4 Variation: For Turkey Bolognese, substitute 1 lb ground turkey for the beef and 1/2 cup chicken broth for the red wine.
Continued from page 1 Uncle Joe might participate in something as tame as teaching advanced chemistry to Berkeley undergrads or something as wild as organizing and leading an archaeological expedition to Laguna Perdida in Guatemala where his team observed pirates pulling ancient artifacts right out of the ground. Gary says he admired the man’s will to take on anything and everything. “He showed me a lifetime of adventure, taught me to open myself up. I learned the one law of improvisation: always accept, never reject.” At one point, Uncle Joe hired Gary as an interpreter, a gig that paid a considerable salary for its six-month duration. And even though danger hid in the tall grass, behind the dense brush and under the water (“We’re talking huge spiders, giant anacondas and the River of Crocodiles”) Gary told me he’d enjoyed every single spine-tingling moment. Back in the good old USA, Gary began tackling a series of careers, some overlapping others, some appearing
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like bolts from the blue. If it attracted him, if it impassioned him, he followed the signpost and headed down the road. Educationally, he earned a B.A.(Portland St.); M.A. (English), M.Ed., (Seattle Univ.) and a Directing Certification from Yale Drama. Since then, he has taught classes to both high school and college students on journalism, mass media, tourism, hospitality promotion, speech and food writing. He’s been a political speech writer for Washington Gov. Dixie Lee Ray, Seattle Mayor Wes Uhlman, among others and has worked as a journalist/columnist/reporter for newspapers like the LA Times, the Desert Sun and our own Desert Entertainer. He has also hosted and written for radio shows and served as a TV show producer/writer. And finally, as you can imagine, he has earned recognition and tributes galore … deservedly so. There is so much more to this man – a great sense of humor, fast quipping wit and a love of animals not to mention a most affable personality and a continued willingness to
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share what he has learned. “I have been most involved and satisfied with teaching,” he said. “Finding a path to someone’s creativity – now that’s an adventure.” He and wife Suzy, a retired executive secretary, are longtime CV residents. They enjoy music, art and the theater and spend time together chauffeuring and appearing with their certified therapy dog, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Charlie. “We call him the love sponge,” Gary said. And in his “simplified” life, he is still teaching, including his 29th year at College of the Desert and working with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute via UC Riverside. He’s a regular contributor to a number of area magazines, is working on a book and helping friends and colleagues with manuscripts, songs and scripts. So, does he still believe that his low threshold of boredom is really his raison d’etre? “Life is a high wire act,” he assures me. “That’s what it takes to keep the magic alive.”
Gardens on El Paseo Annual Charitable Concert Series The Gardens on El Paseo will help raise funds for several Coachella Valley charities when it kicks off its 18th Annual Concert Series. Held on Saturday evenings, performances run from January 9 through February 27. This year’s musical lineup will consist of blues, rock and roll, contemporary and jazz genres. The one-hour concerts take place on Saturdays at 5 p.m. on the center lawn in front of Saks Fifth Avenue. Tickets go on sale at 3:30 p.m. at the Center Lawn and are $15, which includes two glasses of wine and light bites courtesy of The Gardens on El Paseo and El Paseo Village restaurants. $10 from each ticket sold will benefit a local charity as listed in the schedule below. For more information including line up and charities, visit www. thegardensonelpaseo.com/ events.
SCAM ALERT! CROSSWORD Don’t be so quick to update your computer software
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his scam has an ironic twist. It’s a phishing email that claims to be an update to your email service to protect against scam emails. Who says scammers don’t have a sense of humor?
HOW THE SCAM WORKS You are at work, and you get an email that appears to be an update from your office’s IT department. The message, with the subject line “Mailbox Helpdesk” (or something similar) informs you that “new security updates need to be performed on our servers, due to the rate of phishing.” To get the update and protect yourself against these phishing emails, just click the link and log into the IT help desk. Don’t do it! The “software” to protect your inbox from phishing emails is actually a phishing scam itself. Clicking on the link will download malware to your computer or mobile device. This scam is targeting business and college email addresses. Like many phishing scams that pose as office updates, such as emails from the scanner or voicemail, scammers are hoping busy employees or students will click without thinking.
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE SCAM • Be wary of unexpected emails that contain links or attachments. Do not click on links or open files in unfamiliar emails. • Consider how the company normally contacts you. If a company usually contacts you by phone, be suspicious if you suddenly start receiving emails or text messages without ever opting in to the new communications.
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• Don’t believe what you see. Just because an email looks real, doesn’t mean it is. Scammers can fake anything from a company logo to the “Sent” email address. • Check your company’s IT department or Internet service provider. If something sounds suspicious, confirm it by checking with authorities at your company or ISP. Contact them directly from a number you know is accurate. DON’T click on any links in the message you suspect is a scam. • Be cautious of generic emails. Scammers try to cast a wide net by including little or no specific information in their fake emails. Always be wary of messages that don’t contain your name, last digits of your account number or other personalizing information. Pay attention to the ways in which your IT department normally addresses concerns and be cautious of any new method. To find out more about other scams, check out BBB Scam Stopper (bbb.org/scam). To report a scam, go to BBB Scam Tracker (bbb.org/scamtracker).
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“DENTAL WORK” Across 1 Young hooter 6 Scratch 10 Muse of history 14 Young chicken 15 “Yow!” 16 Goose sound 17 Places that gave away road maps 20 Pig residence 21 Deep in thought 22 Exhausting trips 23 Android alternative for smartphones 24 French chef’s egg 25 Where some contracts are agreed on 30 D.J.’s stack 33 Like a dryer trap 34 Transgresses 35 Tip-off 36 Colgate shaving product 37 One of the Osmonds 38 Drift 39 Plug away 40 Double-reed woodwind
41 “Vertigo” actress Kim 42 Use a Singer 43 Royal wealth 45 Wheedle 46 Flock member 47 Oafs 49 Tops 51 Guys 54 Gets ready to crash 57 Milieu for Lemieux 58 Cogito ___ sum 59 Diplomat Root 60 Heed 61 Presently 62 Kind of hose
13 18 19 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 35 37 41
Down
43 44 45 47 48
1 2 3 4 5
Does in, mob-style Order in the court Showy flower Snaky fish “The Hunger Games,” notably 6 Obscures 7 A deadly sin 8 Function 9 “Is there more?” 10 Principal 11 “_____, ma! No hands!” 12 Honeymoon spots
49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56
Some nods Glasses supporter Straight Luggage tie-on Host Conan Bill of fashion Winchester, e.g. Following Darjeeling holder Pointer Bit of garlic Golfer David Goes after Best Actor of 2000 Marshy lowlands Guys that cover stories Secret message Luke Skywalker, e.g. Self-assured Plagiarize Runner’s assignment Company’s icon Steel ingredient Salute Audio effect Overpower Friend in the ‘hood Back again Thickness
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33570 Walton Circle, Corner LOT, Nice Location
$40,000
32720 Bloomfield Ave., Single-wide, Priced to Sell
$41,000
73039 Banff St., 2/2, Wood Laminate Floor, Priced to Sell!
$59,900
32870 Bloomfield Ave., 2/2 + Bonus Room, New A/C
$59,900
73390 Broadmoor Dr., Updated, NEW Kitchen/Baths, Windows
$63,000
32141 Saucon Valley, 2/1, Neat + Clean, F/TK, Outside Deck
$63,500
32121 Saucon Valley, 2/2, New Windows, 433A-For LOAN
$65,000
33511 Acapulco Tr., 2/2, Furnished, Owner May Carry
$68,500
33249 Laura Dr., 2/2 + Den, F/TK, Close to C.H.
$69,900
73320 San Carlos Dr., 2/2, Furn., Laminate Floors, 1500+SF
$69,900
32725 Westchester Dr., 2/2, Updated, F/TK, Sheetrock Walls
$75,000
32180 Westchester Dr., 2/2, Furnished, Great Deck, Garage
$79,000
32790 Flagstaff Ave., 2/2 + Den, NEW Flooring + NEW A/C
$79,500
32857 Bloomfield Ave., 2/2, F/TK, Large Patio, Open F.P.
$79,900
33120 Laura Dr., 2/2, Furnished, Sheetrock, 2-Car Garage
$79,900
32879 Bloomfield Ave., 2/2 + Den, 433A-Eligible for a Loan
$83,900
73270 Broadmoor Dr., 2/2 F/TK, Patio with Golf Course View
$84,000
32840 Boca Raton Place, 2/2, Updated, Private Spa, Must-See
$84,900
73401 Colonial Dr., 2/2, Furnished, Open F.P., Large Patio
$84,900
33611 Acapulco Trail, 2/2 + Den, NEW Furnace + A/C
$89,900
32677 Southern Hills Ave., 2/2, Furnished, New Master Bath
$89,900
73281 Puebla Dr., 2/2 + Den, Updated, Owner May Carry
$92,500
73597 Algonquin Place, 2/2 + den, Golf Course, New Windows
$95,000
33295 Laura Dr., 2/2, New Windows, Golf Course, Furnished TK
$98,000
33141 Deane Cir., 2/2, Updated, F/TK, Extra Large Lot
$98,900
33497 Acapulco Tr., 2/2, F/TK, Golf Course #3
$99,900
32491 Westchester Dr., 1997 Model, Sheetrock, Updated
$99,900
33860 Westchester Dr., 3/2, Open Floor plan, Stucco Exterior
$105,000
33001 Guadalajara Dr., 2/2 + Den, Golf Course, Enclosed Patio
$109,900
73659 Algonquin Place, 2/2, Golf Course, Owner Will Carry
$117,500
32704 Tucson Place, 2/2, Corner Lot, F/TK, Updated
$118,900
32877 Guadalajara Dr., 2/2, Golf Course, Furnished Turn-key
$125,000
33321 Tubac Trail, 2/2 + Den, Golf Course, Triple-wide, F/TK
$129,500
73371 Broadmoor Dr., 2/2, Updated, Golf Course, Garage
$144,900
73380 Colonial Dr., 3/2, 2002 Model, Sheetrock, F/TK
$154,000
32820 Barcelona Dr., 2/2 + den, Golf Course, Garage
$154,500
33490 Laura Dr., 2/2, Gorgeous Inside, Golf Course, F/TK
$154,900
33580 Les Road, 3/2, 2002 Model, 2-car Garage, Updated
$189,000
VILLAS ( “STICK BUILT” HOMES) LISTED BELOW: 73851 White Sands Dr., 3/2/2 Pool/Spa, G.C. View, F/TK
$212,500
73733 Boca Chica Tr., 2/2/2 + Den, on the G.C. #4, F/TK
$248,500
33899 Palm Lake Circle 2/2/2 + Den, G.C. #4, Pool/Spa, F/TK
$274,500
January 1, 1942 - Twenty six countries signed the Declaration of the United Nations, in Washington, D.C., reaffirming their opposition to the Axis powers and confirming that no single nation would make a separate peace. January 1, 1959 - Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba after leading a revolution that drove out Dictator Fulgencio Batista. Castro then established a Communist dictatorship. January 1, 1999 - Eleven European nations began using a new single European currency, the Euro, for electronic financial and business transactions. January 2, 1960 - In Washington, D.C., Senator John F. Kennedy announced his intention to seek the Democratic presidential nomination. January 3, 1924 - British Egyptologist Howard Carter found the sarcophagus of Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor after several years of searching. January 3, 1959 - Alaska was admitted as the 49th U.S. state with a land mass almost one-fifth the size of the lower 48 states together. January 3, 1961 - President Dwight D. Eisenhower broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba two years after Communist dictator Fidel Castro had seized power and just weeks before John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as the next president. January 5, 1925 - Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming became the first female governor inaugurated in the U.S.
CROSSWORD ANSWER
History This Month in
January 5, 1972 - President Richard Nixon signed a bill approving $5.5 billion over six years to build and test the NASA space shuttle.
January 7, 1999 - The first presidential impeachment trial in 130 years began as members of the U.S. Senate were sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist to decide whether President Clinton should be removed from office. House prosecutors had delivered two articles of impeachment charging Clinton with perjury and obstruction of justice. January 8, 1964 - President Lyndon Johnson declared War on Poverty during his State of the Union message before Congress. January 10, 1984 - The U.S. and Vatican established full diplomatic relations after a break of 116 years. January 11, 1964 - The U.S. Surgeon General declared cigarettes may be hazardous to health, the first such official government report. January 12, 1932 - Hattie W. Caraway, a Democrat from Arkansas, was appointed to the U.S. Senate to fill the term of her deceased husband. Later in the year, she became the first woman elected to the Senate. January 12, 1991 - Congress authorized President George Bush to use military force against Iraq following its invasion of Kuwait. January 13, 1990 - Douglas Wilder of Virginia became the first African American governor in the U.S. as he took the oath of office in Richmond. January 14-23, 1943 - President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met at Casablanca in Morocco to work on strategy during World War II. January 15, 1973 - Golda Meir became the first Israeli Prime Minister to visit the Pope.
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January 16, 1991 - The war against Iraq began as Allied aircraft conducted a major raid against Iraqi air defenses. The air raid on Baghdad was broadcast live to a global audience by CNN correspondents as operation Desert Shield became Desert Storm.
January 17, 1966 - A Hydrogen bomb accident occurred over Palomares, Spain, a American B-52 jet collided with its refueling plane. Eight crewmen were killed and the bomber then released its H-bomb into the Atlantic. January 18, 1966 - Robert Clifton Weaver was sworn in as the first African American cabinet member in U.S. history, becoming President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. January 20, 1945 - Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated to an unprecedented fourth term as president of the United States. He had served since 1933. January 20, 1981 - Ronald Reagan became president of the United States at the age of 69, the oldest president to take office. January 22, 1973 - Abortion became legal in the U.S. as the Supreme Court announced its decision in the case of Roe vs. Wade striking down local state laws restricting abortions in the first six months of pregnancy. January 24, 1965 - Winston Churchill (1874-1965) died. January 24, 1972 - Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi was discovered on Guam after he had spent 28 years hiding out in the jungle not knowing World War II had long since ended.
January 25, 1947 Gangster Al Capone, who once controlled organized crime in Chicago, died in Miami at age 48 from syphilis. January 25, 1959 - An American Airlines Boeing 707 made the first scheduled transcontinental U.S. flight, traveling from California to New York. January 25, 1961 - President John F. Kennedy conducted the first live televised presidential news conference, five days after taking office. January 27, 1967 - Three American astronauts were killed as a fire erupted inside Apollo 1 during a launch simulation test at Cape Kennedy, Florida. January 27, 1973 - U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War ended as North Vietnamese and American representatives signed an agreement in Paris. January 28, 1915 - The U.S. Coast Guard was created by an Act of Congress, combining the Life Saving Service and the Revenue Cutter Service. January 28, 1963 - African American student Harvey Gantt entered Clemson College in South Carolina, the last state to hold out against integration. January 30, 1948 - Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in New Delhi, India, by a religious fanatic. January 30, 1973 - During the Watergate scandal, Gordon Liddy and James McCord were convicted of burglary, wire-tapping and attempted bugging of the Democratic headquarters inside the Watergate building in Washington, D.C.
? KNOW
Wine Bottle Succulent Planters
DID YOU
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eil Armstrong and the Apollo XI crew have a moon on the Hollywood Walk of Fame instead of a star.
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or those who have trouble sleeping, researchers say that one week of camping without electronics, resets our biological body clock and synchronizes our melatonin hormones with sunrise and sunset.
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agpie birds are known to mourn the passing of their loved ones through rituals similar to funerals. Some have been seen laying “wreaths” of grass alongside roadside corpses.
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wls fly silently due to specially designed edges of their primary feathers. When most birds fly, turbulence from air gushing over their wings create noise. However, owls have their primary feathers serrated like a comb, which divides turbulence into tiny currents.
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n 1979 NASA sent two spiders known as Arabella and Anita into space to see if they could spin a web without gravity. It took them a couple of days to figure it out, but they eventually ended up making webs that were
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finer and more complex than their earth counterparts.
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ulius Yego, a Kenyan javelin thrower learned the sport and techniques by watching YouTube videos. He competed in the London Olympics and won gold at the 2015 World Championships. He is known as “Mr. YouTube Man.”
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five year old boy named Saroo Brierley, in India fell asleep on a train and ended up lost and alone in Calcutta. 25 years later he finally found his way back home using Google Maps.
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unflowers can be used to clean up radioactive waste (they are able to extract pollutants, including radioactive metal contaminants, through their roots and store them in the stems and leaves. Making them the international symbol of nuclear disarmament.
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inmate prison debate team, whose members were all convicted of violent crimes, won a debate against a team of undergrads from Harvard.
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he reason why cats shake and wiggle their butt before pouncing is to attain balance and leverage.
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INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Wrap yarn around the spot where you want to cut the bottle. Tie the yarn into a secure knot and trim off excess. 2. Remove yarn and dip into a cup of acetone. Place yarn back in place on the bottle.
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hese succulent planters are great housewarming or “just because” gifts. Once you get the bottle cutting down, you can’t stop making them! SUPPLIES: • Bucket of cold water • Yarn • Nail Polish Remover or Acetone • Lighter • Empty wine bottles (as many as possible – you’ll need a few to practice on • Potting soil • Succulent * If you have a glass cutter follow the instructions.
3. Hold bottle from the end where the yarn wasn’t slipped over. This is important because the acetone on the other end will light on fire during this step. Grab a lighter and light the candle. Cautiously light the yarn on fire by rotating the bottle over the flame. Spin the bottle to make sure the fire heats it evenly. 4. As soon as the fire is gone, dip the bottle in the cold water. The rapid contraction from hot to cold transition should split the bottle. Use sandpaper to smooth the sharp edge, sand the outside and inside. 5. Scoop a little potting soil into the base of your bottle and re-pot the succulent. Feel free to use a couple of different ones to create a look that you enjoy. 6. Add more soil so that the plant is well-supported and pat down. 7. Now it’s ready for you to give it to someone or keep it for yourself!
FILLER FILES Man kills his computer We all know how frustrating it can be when your new computer is not responding to your commands. You might even get so angry that you’ll conjure up all kinds of violent ways to deal with the inhumanity of the darned thing. One computer user in Colorado Springs got so flustered earlier that he picked up his gun and shot his recalcitrant desktop machine eight times. Although local police labeled their report of the incident: “Man Kills His Computer,” the culprit was charged only with discharging a firearm within city limits.
Improper Disposal A nature lover in Idaho thought he was doing the right thing for the environment by disposing of his used wad of toilet paper by taking a match to it. He didn’t want to be a litterbug, reports say. He turned out to be an inadvertent firebug. He was on an exceptionally dry stretch of wilderness trail near Boise when the incident occurred and the burning tissue paper set the woods on fire. The Association of Mature American Citizens [www.amac.us] provides the Filler Files as a service on issues of concern to Americans over 50.
Under the Streetlamp with The Desert Symphony. Wednesday, January 20 at 8 p.m. America’s hottest new vocal group performs an electrifying evening of classic hits from the American radio songbook with The Desert Symphony. McCallum Theatre, 73-000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert. (760) 340-2787, www.mccallumtheatre.com.
Under the Streetlamp to perform with The Desert Symphony Palm Springs International Film Festival. January 1-11. Featuring more than 180 films from over 70 countries and includes the largest selection Foreign Language Oscar submissions of any Festival in the nation. www.psfilmfest.org. Pippin. January 12 - 17. Broadway’s high-flying, death-defying hit musical! Full of extraordinary acrobatics, wondrous magical feats and soaring songs, Pippin will lift you up and leave you smiling. McCallum Theatre, 73-000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert. (760) 3402787, www.mccallumtheatre.com.
Art Under the Umbrellas. January 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Over 80 artists, art patrons will find quality artwork, while tourists will discover treasured mementos. www. lqaf.com. Desert Arts Festival. January 16 - 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Featuring 100 artist presenting their original works in all mediums of two and three dimensional art. Frances Stevens Park, 538 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. www.westcoastartist.com.
Riverdance. January 22 - 24. Drawing on Irish traditions, the combined talents of the performers propel Irish dancing and music into the present day, capturing the imagination of audiences across all ages and cultures in an innovative and exciting blend of dance, music and song. McCallum Theatre, 73-000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert. (760) 340-2787, www.mccallumtheatre.com. Anything Goes. January 22 - February 7. When the S.S. American heads out to sea, etiquette and convention head out the portholes as two unlikely pairs set off on the course to true love… proving that sometimes destiny needs a little help from a
JANUARY 2016
crew of singing sailors, an exotic disguise and blackmail. Palm Canyon Theatre, 538 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. (760) 323-5123, www. palmcanyontheatre.com. Dwight Yoakam. Saturday, January 23 at 8 p.m. Country superstar and Grammy Award-winner. Spotlight 29 Casino. (866) 377-6829, www.spotlight29.com. City of Palm Springs Mayor’s Race and Wellness Festival. Sunday, January 24. One of the most scenic runs you will ever experience. The race is part of the cities commitment to health and wellness. There is a race for everyone of every age. www.healthyplanethealthyyoups.com.
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