Vol. 6: #20 "THE MOON- Tidbits Gets Sentimental" (5/9/10) - Tidbits of Coachella Valley by Tidbits of Coachella Valley

INTRIV PUZ IA ZL S & G ES ID AM , E ES !

Now over

50,000

Valley Readers Weekly

2006

...and you’re one of them.

Week of May 9, 2010

For Advertising Call (760) 320-0997

Vol. VI

Issue No. 20

�� TIDBITS® GETS SENTIMENAL OVER

��

THE

MOON

��

by Sarah Bates

Tidbits is moonstruck this week, so we’re taking a nostalgic tour through some fascinating facts about the celestial neighbor that orbits our sky, lights our nights and even warms our hearts with thoughts of romance!

Final Changes DUE:

Tues., July 14 Turn to page 3 THE MOON: 5:00

Open Daily M-F 8 to 5 Sat 9 to 5 Sun 10 to 4

AuntEffiesGardens.com

5 Effie Bucks in

when you present this coupon*

760-778-6030

W. Racquet Club Rd Pa lm

Ca ny on

Dr E. Via Escuela

N Palm Springs

N. Indian Canyon Dr

• It’s been done many different ways, but Frank Sinatra holds the title for making it the most Ad Proof: popular. “Fly Me To The Moon” was written by CastingCall.com Bart Howard in 1954. Nat King Cole recorded Front Page a version of the song in 1961, and the 1962 “Fly April 18 - July 11, 2010 (Volume 6: #17 - #29) Me To The Moon - Bossa Nova” instrumental version was the only version of the song to rise Corrections due by: 5 p.m. • Tues., 4/13/10 significantly on the charts. Frank Sinatra didn’t record a version of the song until 1964. Quincy Jones did the arrangement for this version of the song and changed the timing to give it a more swing feel. The song is played over the end credits of Clint Eastwood’s movie “Space Cowboys” released in 2000. • “Fly Me To The Moon” was also the title of a 2008 animated feature about three junior space exploring flies who stow away aboard the Apollo 11 mission inside the helmets of Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins.  The film includes the voices of Christopher Lloyd, Tim Curry, Kelly Ripa and Buzz Aldrin. There is also a cameo by Aldrin at the end of ADVERTISING PROOF after the credits. the film

Palm Springs’ Newest Garden Center

E. Vista Chino

2393 N. Palm Canyon Drive at Racquet Club *Minimum $25 purchase, coupon not valid with any other offer.

ELITE TRAINING ACADEMY

Professional Basketball Training Former HARLEM GLOBETROTTER, John Lane is offering a Year Round ELITE Basketball Training Program to the Coachella Valley for Boys & Girls grades Kindergarden thru 12th of all skill levels.

TAKEYOURGAMETOTHENEXTLEVEL

p.m..

Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours

WANT TO RUN YOUR OWN BUSINESS? Publish a Paper in Your Area We provide the opportunity for success!

HALLMARK Palm Springs Front Pg. Premium Banner 13x July 19, 2009 --- Oct. 11, 2009

Call 1.800.523.3096 (U.S.) 1.866.631.1567 (CAN) www.tidbitsweekly.com

Independent and

Assisted Living Community

Let our family take care of yours. 344 North Sunrise Way, Palm Springs (between Amado and Alejo)

Readers Weekly Nationwide!

Palm Springs, CA 92263 Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630

If you would like more information about this Elite Training Program, please email us at lanesports@hotmail.com or call 949.610.3748

Home is Where the Heart is...

�� Palm Springs L.P. Luxurious studios or one bedroom apartments, all with kitchenettes, 24-hour staffing and a licensed vocational nurse. Exciting and �� stimulating activity programs and many more amenities. P.O. Box 2207

1. Basketball Skills Training 2. Conditioning, Vertical Jump Training and Physical Development 3. Confidence and Character Building 4. Private, Group and Team Training

Offering the very best in Senior Living Care.

760-322-3955

Gloria Gourlay, Executive Director

Lic. #336412441

Page 2

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

ADVERTISING Vol. PROOF VI Issue 20 TUES., APR. 20 Final Changes DUE: 5:00

continue to check: wow uswith herNumber(s) career. Please review carefully. Double Phone  Spelling  Pric • Another Idol alumni who rose quickly to stardom was Season Four winner The Quilters Faire An Oklahoma native, Carrie Underwood. Business Card, SPOT color, 13x rate Underwood released her first album just May 9, 2010 • (Vol. 6: #20) Linda Berg one short year after she won Idol back in BZ BW 6x 2004. She Due: was 5one the biggest Changes p.m.,of Tuesday, 05/04/10debuts 4-25-10 Vol. 6 - No. 18

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

ADVERTISING PROOF p.m.. 5:00...Then Final Changes DUE:

1. How many people have set foot on the moon? TUES., MAR. 30 2. Who were the first two to do so? Number(s) Phone  did check: eview carefully. 3. Double How much time they spend on  Spelling  Prices  Hours the lunar surface? 4. What is the longest period of time If you’re like much of America, you’re into anyone has spent on the moon? watching “American Idol” each spring and root5. Which Apollo flights actually landed ing for your favorite. This week, Tidbits takes a on the moon’s surface? look at some of the past years’ winners and gives

Village Financial Services 1/12th pg. 4C 6x No. 15on page 16) April 4, 2010 Vol. 6 -(Answers

a quick update on where they are now.

Village Financial Services, LLC

NEED CASH

NOW?

Bad Credit? No Credit? No Job? Bankruptcy? Self Employed?

DEBT GOT YOU

DOWN?

Turn your car into cash - Now!

PROBLEM!

If you have the pink slip... we have the cash you need - in minutes!

• Fast • Easy • Private

Call

and Now

760-574-2556 or apply online today!

www.VillageFinancialService.com

��

Fax: 760.320.1630 760.320.0997 valleybits@msn.com

1. MOVIES: What 1997 movie All Rights Reserved starred actors Helen Hunt and Jack Nicholson? 2. MYTHOLOGY: What was the unusual feature possessed by Sleipnir, the horse belonging to the chief Norse god Odin? 3. LANGUAGE: What is meant by the French term “lèse-majesté”? 4. TELEVISION: What was the name of the headmistress in “The Facts of Life”? 5. POETRY: Who wrote the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay”? 6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is the only kind of food that a silkworm will eat? 7. LEGAL: If someone dies “intestate,” what does that mean? 8. CHEMISTRY: What is the symbol for the element tungsten? 9. CHILDREN’S STORIES: How many trips does Jack make to the Giant’s castle in “Jack and the Beanstalk”? 10. DISCOVERIES: What did 17thcentury scientist William Harvey discover about the human body? Answers (Trivia Testasanswers 1. “As Good it Gets” page 16) 2. Eight legs 3. Crime against a ruler Reading Tidbits is habit forming WARNING: 4. Edna Garrett 5. Robert Frost 6. Mulberry leaves 7. Without a will

• Speaking of first season favorites, we can’t mention Justin without talking about winner Kelly Clarkson. After her win on Season One of “American Idol,” Clarkson skyrocketed to super stardom and is still releasing hit singles. Her most recent album, “All I Ever Wanted” (2009) is the fourth of her albums to date.

Beautiful 2005 2-BR Mfd. Home on 7th tee of 55+ Sky Valley Golf Course Resort. Immaculate cond. w/ pergo ﬂoors, plantation shutters, central A/C, evap. cooler, screened-in deck. Four natural mineral pools + spa, tennis & private clubhouse facilities. Low annual fees.

Asking $70k o.b.o. Call Linda (owner) 760-610-5948

Beautiful fabrics, patterns, notions and books for Proof created Property of by: with this ad. Quilting and Sewing. Readers Weekly

10% OFF �� ALL MUSIC 760.320.0997 THEMED Fax: 760.320.1630 FABRIC! valleybits@msn.com

Plus: 10% of your purchase donated to DHS High School Band!

34500 Gateway Dr., #110 • Palm Desert (Behind Wal-Mart & Sam’s Club) www.quiltersfaire.com (760) 328-8737

Q: When do astronauts have their midday meal?

At launch time!

Readers Weekly Nationwide!

��

KFWS • MindGym

Readers Weekly

• These days, you can find Guarini on the TV Guide Network hosting “Idol Tonight” and “Idol Wrap Up,” as well as providing live coverage of the Grammy and Emmy Awards. Guarini, a Columbus, Georgia native, married Reina Capodici on September 26, 2009, and continues to work on his career. He has made appearances on the “Today Show,” “Larry King Live,” the Style Channel and several others as a returning commentator.

Gorgeous Home - Great Price

April 26, 2010

created Proof of by: Property

• We first heard the name Justin Guarini back in the summer of 2002 during the first season of “American Idol.” The new concept was originally scheduled during the summer as a replacement show. It first aired on Fox, and Season One is the only season not to air from January to May. Justin was runner-up to Kelly Clarkson in the final episode of that inaugural season.

AMERICAN IDOL: Turn to page 4

• Clarkson appeared with Guarini in 2003’s P.O. Box 2207 Palm Springs, CA 92263 “From Justin to Kelly “and has also had acting Phone: 760.320.0997 roles in television’s “American Dreams” and Fax: 760.320.1630 “Reba.” The 27 year old isn’t slowing down, email: valleybits@msn.com either. She has won two Grammy Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards and four American Music Awards and has continued touring for her Name the last pitcher to lead the 1. Name Sheena Eastontour release “Allthe I Ever Wanted” since the1.beginning American League in ERA for the seathat wasofthe theme song to a James the year.

son with a mark of 2.00 or less. Bond film. • What’s next for Clarkson? We’ll have to waitmajor-league pitcher had 2. Which 2. The E Street Band is best known the most losses during the decade of for its and recording and touring work see, but we’re sure Idol’s first winner will the 1990s? with which artist? 3. In 2009, Greg Schiano became 3. How many No. 1 chart toppers has the fourth person to coach 100 footJourney had over the years? ball games at Rutgers. Name any of 4. Name the two “answer songs” to the first three to do it. “Work With Me, Annie” (1954) by 4. Since it became an official stat in Hank Ballard and the Midnighters. 1973-74, who have been the shortest 5. Name the band that released the players to lead the NBA in blocked “Toys in the Attic” album. What year? shots per game for a season? 6. Which group was responsible for 5. Name the only current NHL head the garage-rock classic “96 Tears”? coach (at the end of the 2009-10 seaAnswers son) to have been with his team longer 1. “For Your Eyes Only” (1981) than Nashville’s Barry Trotz (11 sea2. Bruce Springsteen. The E Street sons). Band also has worked with artists 6. In 2010, Didier Defago of such as Meatloaf and The Grateful Switzerland became the oldest man to Dead. win the Olympic downhill skiing 3. That depends on which chart you event. How old was he? look at. Journey had a Billboard 7. Earlier in 2010, golfer Tommy Mainstream Rock Tracks No. 1 for Armour III tied a Champions Tour “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” in record for lowest score in relation to 1983, and a Hot Adult Contemporary par. What was his score? Tracks No. 1 for “When You Love a Answers Woman” in 1996. 1. Pedro Martinez had a 1.74 ERA 4. Answer songs are written “in for Boston in 2000. answer” to a previous song. “Annie 2. Andy Benes, who had 116 losses Had A Baby” and “Annie’s Aunt Fan(versus 125 wins) in the ’90s. nie” were by the Midnighters, 3. Harvey Harman (1938-41, 1946although “answers” were usually 55), John Bateman (1960-72) and done by other artists.

2009.1 Four high school seniors suffering Senior Editor: Kara Kovalchi from “spring fever” skipped their Tidbits of Coachella Valley Page 3 Week of May 9, 2010 Editorial Director: Sandy Woo morning classes and went to the email: tidbitseditors@sbcglobal.n Ganymede, a satellite of Jupiter. Ganymede is ADVERTISING PROOF beach20,instead. After theyto cause 1969. Since therelunch, is no weather THE MOON (from page one) named afterDUE: a character in Greek mythology, who p.m.. TUES., MAY 4 5:00 erosion the moon, historic returned to on school andtheir told theirfootprintsFinal Changes was a Trojan prince and hero. The Ganymede moon • TV’s “The Honeymooners” first debuted in 1955 on the lunar surface forever. Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hour teachercould thatlast they were late because was discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610, exactly on the CBS Saturday night series The Jackie • Dr. Eugene Shoemaker was a well-known experienced a flat tire while 400 years ago this past January. Space scientists Gleason Show. Gleason famously portrayedthey’d the The have Curbnow Creator astronomer and astrogeologist who, among determined that Jupiter has 63 confirmed AD hapless NYC bus driver Ralph Kramden in the PLANT YOUR carpooling together to the school. other achievements, co-discovered the comet 1/16 pg 4C Open

moons in all! weekly comedy segment. Always humiliated May 9, 2010 Vol.6-No.20 MOON: Turn to page 15 Shoemaker-Levy 9. At one point he was Much to their relief, she smiled. when his wife Alice (Audrey Meadows) was as a candidate for an Apollo lunar usually right, he made famous the catchphrase“Youconsidered missed test today,” she mission, but a died before it became official. He “One of these days, Alice, POW! ZOOM! continued, “but you can make it up did, however, gain notariety as the first and only Right to the moon!” The comedic shtick has human Take being whose remains have been right now. seatsmortal apart from been parodied by modern comedies, including laid to rest on the moon. A capsule containing “Family Guy.” There is even a retro clothingone another and then get out a his ashes was sent to the moon aboard the Lunar line in Roscoe, New York, called “Right To pencil and aonpiece paper.” Prospector July 31, of 1999. The Moon, Alice!” Do you know a wolf is? Or a harvest She •waited for what them to moon sit down, moon? These names refer to specific full moons �� Between 1969 and 1972, six Apollo missions and then began. “Question One: in the year. A wolf moon is a full moon that occurs brought back over 800 pounds of lunar rocks, �� core samples, dust and pebbles from the moon. Which tiretheonmonth the ofcar waswhereas flat?”a harvest during January, Nearly 400 samples are distributed each year moon occurs during the month of September. for teaching purposes and research projects. These names originated with the Native American �� tribes of North America, who named the moons �� • While Buzz Aldrin is known for many to mark different seasons. accomplishments, he will always be remem�� • What exactly is a blue moon? Every calendar year, bered as the second man to walk on the there are approximately twelve full moons, but moon. He is also well known as a man who because the moon cycles every 28 days and doesn’t has dedicated his life to promoting space fit into our monthly pattern, every 2.7 years there exploration. A little known fact, however, is is an extra, thirteenth full moon in the year - a blue that the name “Buzz” began during Aldrin’s moon.Kovalchik So, the saying&“once in a Wood blue moon” really Sandy childhood. His young sister always stumbled by Kara does mean something that doesn’t happen very on the word brother, pronouncing it “buzzer”. often as a blue moon only happens about every 2.7 The moniker has stuck with him throughout �� years. The next blue moon will occur this year on his life. Aldrin officially changed his name �� November 21, 2010, but the next one won’t be until to Buzz in 1988. Incidentally, his mother’s ADVERTISING PROOF �� August 21, 2013. maiden name -- believe it or not -- is Moon! TUES., APRIL 27 �� • Earth’s moon is the fifth largest moon in the solar nal Changes DUE: • Does Mare Tranquillitatis mean anything to 5:00 p.m.. system, but what is the largest? That would be ew carefully. Phone Number(s)  Spelling you?Double If youcheck: took a  Latin class, you might know  Prices  Hours that it means Sea of Tranquility. But if you’re ��Offers �� Exp. �� All 6/01/10 a space buff, you’ll likely know that it is the �� landing sight of the Apollo 11 lunar module, Valley Patios �� UIZ ITS and the historic �� 1/16th pg. 4C 6x site where Neil Armstrong and 1. With which foot did Neil Buzz Aldrin took their19famous steps on July �� May 2, 2010 Vol. 6 - No.

IN AN ISSUE OF

AND WATCH YOUR � SALES � � � GROW! � �

QUIZ BITS

1. What’s the proper scientific name for the moment that the spring season begins? ��

2. What flower Q is B traditionally the Armstrong first step on first to bloom the moon? as Aluminum Weatherwood spring2. How long does it take PATIO COVERS

Zero Maintenance Weatherproof!

��S��A L A N U N

�

This word means: �� spring �� flowers that last one season

�� 760.345.9696

the moon to orbit the Earth?

��

Answers page 16

Proof created Property of by: Readers Weekly

��

Mention this ad for

760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com

$ 200 (Min. 200 sq. ft.)

Valley Patios Call or email today for a FREE Estimate!

760-534-4634 valleypatios@gmail.com

LIC. #937811

OF S T E G NUG WLEDGE KNO Property of

Readers Weekly

��

760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com

When Christopher All Rights Reserved Columbus landed on the island of Jamaica in 1504 he could not persuade the native indians to provide him with the supplies he needed. Columbus knew that a lunar eclipse was about to occur, so he “commanded” the moon to go dark. The indians were so astonished by his “powers” that they willingly gave him all the provisions he requested.

WORD POWER ANSWER

QUIZ BITS ANSWERS 1. VERNAL EQUINOX Mystery 2. CROCUS Tour

ANNUALS

• May 18

Little India • May 22 San Diego Seaport Village • June 6

Ireland • 10 Days June 6 New Mexico Loop • 9 Days June 12

Black Hills Gold • 7 Days July 8

QUOTE

Getty Villa • June 12

BUYS A NEW TELEVISION

SAVINGS

on Lattice or Solid Roof Cover

NEXT WEEK:

Sturdy construction looks just like wood, but never needs paint or other maintenance!

BONDED

Unscramble this word: �� www.the curbcreator.com ��

“Making Outdoor Living Luxurious and Affordable!

Highest Quality & Lowest Price Guaranteed!

WORD POWER

Canadian Rockies & Calgary Stampede • 8 Days July 8

“Spring is Nature’s way of 1801 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, TH Suite 1 Lagunasaying ‘Let’s party!!’” WE Beach 1801 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite 100 • June 16 ~ Robin Williams CE 1801 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite 100 Palm Springs, CA 92262

760-325-5556

BIR

CST# 2006022-40

Page 4

Kathyrn B. Hull - (Version 2) BZ BW 6x May 2, 2010 V6-No.19

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

• The state of Alabama has played a key role in producing some “American Idol” favorites, including Season Five winner Taylor Hicks. Hicks isn’t the only Alabama native to gain attention through the show. Season Two brought the world’s attention to the big, cuddly teddy bear Ruben Studdard, a Birmingham native. Ruben was followed by Diana DeGarmo in 2004 and Taylor Hicks in 2006, both also Birmingham natives. There was also Huntsville’s, Bo Bice in 2005. Studdard and Hicks were the only two Alabama natives to win the show, although DeGarmo and Bice were both runners-up in their respective seasons.

• The sixth season brought around Jordin Sparks, a smiling girl who rose to fame when she won “American Idol” in 2007. Sparks, a Phoenix, Arizona, native, is the daughter of former NFL quarterback Phillippi Sparks. At the early age of just 17, Sparks is to date the youngest American Idol winner.

• Something you might not know about Sparks, she actually auditioned twice for the show. She was also the opening act for the Jonas Brothers in the North American section of their 2009 World Tour.

Piano Lessons Given with love & joy All ages & levels

Kathryn B. Hull Nationally Certified Teacher of Piano

77-260 Calle Chillon

P.O. Box 947

760-771-1041

KathyHull@aol.com

La Quinta, CA 92247

www.KathyrynBHull.com

Ad Proof: Henry’s Auto Glass 1/16th page, CMYK, 26x Proof created by: July 26, ‘09 - Jan. 17, ‘10 Property of

Readers Weekly

��

760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com

�� Serving the Entire Coachella Valley & Hi Desert Readers Weekly

�� Competitive Prices Guaranteed Fax: 760.320.1630 • All years, makes760.320.0997 & models • Windshields, door glass, vents • Quarter glass • Sidevalleybits@msn.com glass • Back glass • Truck sliders • Power & Manual window repair • Custom & Heavy Machinery Glass

Free Mobile Service to Your Home or Ofﬁce FREE ESTIMATES • Se Habla Español DHS • Palm Springs • Cathedral City

(760)

904-5994

Rancho Mirage • Palm Desert • La Quinta • Indio

BEST PRICES! CALL TODAY

(760)

250-6203

Anytime Fitness [Cathedral City] 1/6th page- Horizontal March 7, April 4 & 11, 2010

Help the Environment! by Cutting Electricity Use



Changes Due: 10:am, Wed., 03/03/10 • Cuts Cooling Cost by 25% • Residential & Auto

Go Online: www.Sun-Eez.com

paper goes As a senior citizen wasThe driving down the free- to way, his cell phone rang. press Answering, heard his athe10:30! wife’s voice urgently warning him, “Herman, I just heard on the news that there’s a car going the wrong way on Interstate 77. Please be careful!” “ONE car?”, said Herman, “It’s not just one car... It’s hundreds of them!”

Lic. #744610

GET INTO SHAPE NOW 24 Hours a day for only

.00

10acamll-fo2rpapmpointomenlnty) (Or

State-of-the-Art Equipment  Eliptical trainers Treadmills Stairclimbers * Free Motion machines Free Weights Cathedral City location only. Private Showers

A MONTH

* New members only. One-time custom key charge applies. See club for details.

s Sign-up Saturday

Production tim • Date 1:20 -

—22— 7 Days a week

Limited time offer.

CALL TODAY!

Male & Female Trainers on site* Unlimited Tanning available 24/7 * UNLIMITED • 24/7 ANYTIME TANNING for non-gym members, only $25/month. One-time custom key charge applies

(760)

318-4200 .

68 100 Ramon Rd, #B-14  Cathedral City

* For a low additional fee.

Landua Rd.

• It was Pulitzer Prize-winning American author John Steinbeck, best known for “The Grapes of Wrath” and “Of Mice and Men,” who made the following sage observation: “The writer must believe that what he is doing is the most important thing in the world. And he must hold to this illusion even when he knows it is not true.” • If you’re planning a summer trip to Maine, you won’t want to miss the stunning tourist attraction to be found on Peaks Island. There you’ll find an entire museum devoted to housing a rather extensive collection of umbrella covers. • In the United States, January is the least popular month for weddings. • If you’ve never heard of the quagga, don’t blame yourself. The creature, once found on the plains of Africa, has been extinct since 1883. An odd-looking creature, this subspecies of zebra was once thought to be half-zebra, half horse. Though the front part of its body had the zebra’s stripes, those stripes faded out midbody and the rest of the equine looked remarkably like a common horse. • It’s been claimed that 19th-century English naturalist Charles Darwin devoted eight years to studying the lowly barnacle. • We all know that the day after Thanksgiving is commonly known as Black Friday, thanks to all the crowds seeking out deals on Christmas gifts, but have you ever wondered how it got that name? It seems that the moniker originated back in 1965 when the Philadelphia police department came up with the name after having to deal with the traffic jams and shopping crowds. *** Thought for the Day: “Everybody believes in something and everybody, by virtue of the fact that they believe in something, use that something to support their own existence.” — Frank Zappa

in country music in recent years, and her albums have continuously produced hit singles on both country and pop charts. Underwood has won four Grammy Awards, 14 American Music Awards and five Billboard Music Awards -- and just from the release of three albums! It’s an easy guess that she has a lot more in store to show us in the months and years to come.

▄

By Samantha Weaver By Samantha Weaver

King Features Weekly Service

April 26, 2010

AMERICAN IDOL (from page 2)

Vol. VI Issue 20

 Ramon Rd. � � �

Clean, Safe & Welcoming for EVERYON E

Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Pric Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Week of May 9, 2010

Page 5

The Lincoln Conspiracies

▄

just as a fall back, but as partners in crime with with dirt and lined with horse drawn carriages. Andrew Johnson in Lincoln’s murder. The list Surratt’s actual boarding house is currently a of conspirators included Mary Surratt, the only Chinese- Computer restaurantServices named “Wok and Roll,” BILL FLUSTER female tried in the assassination and the first and as of August 2009, is included on the U.S. rate BZ BW 6x woman to be executed by the federal government. National Register of Historic Places. 4x - Oct. 18, 2009 V5-43 • Edwin Stanton, Lincoln’s Secretary of War, was also later implicated in a book by Otto Eisenschiml, but in reality Stanton was always loyal to the ADVERTISING PROOF president. He stayed by his bedside as Lincoln I CAN HELP!! slowly died in the Petersen House across the street Changes DUE: TUES., April 27, ‘10 Final 5:00 p ☻ Apple Specialist from Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C. Stanton I CAN HELP!! & Upgrades ☻ Repairs Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices famously uttered the words, “Now he belongs to ☻ Email & iPhoto Instruction & ☻ Entertainment System Setup SENIOR the ages,” when Lincoln gasped his final breath the T STUDEN TS Conspiracy theories abound concerning the cirmorning following the shooting. DISCOUN Friendly & Patient Consulting AFFORDABLE Services for the Coachella Valley cumstances surrounding the assassination death Lucille Boston RATES! • Other theories point to a grand conspiracy of America’s sixteenth President, Abraham Lin4C 26x disc. rate formed by the Confederacy. Not only does this 1/4 pg.CALL coln. While Tidbits makes no attempt here to BILL: May 2, 2010 theory pin Lincoln’s assassination on the South, provide a detailed study into these controversial it also claims the Confederates planned to blow theories, we hope to at least pique your interest up the White House. This theory claims that with some of the more fascinating highlights. Booth, when he learned that the mission to blow up the White House had failed, took matters into • One report not widely known involves the theory created Proof of by: Property his own hands by assassinating Lincoln as he sat thatADVERTISING Lincoln’s vice president, Andrew Johnson, PROOF in a private booth in Ford’s Theater. was in some way involved in the death plot. There �� Final Changes DUE: 5:00 was a purported letter from John Wilkes Booth left • Mostp.m.. historians today agree that the conspirators Fax: 760.320.1630 760.320.0997 for Johnson his residence in Number(s) a Washington view carefully. Doubleatcheck:  Phone D.C. Spelling originally Prices  planned Hours on kidnapping the President valleybits@msn.com hotel. It is said that even Mary Todd Lincoln berather than murder him. It was only after the All Rights Reserved lieved Johnson was involved in the murder of her South surrendered to the North that Booth and husband. Members of Congress formed an offithe conspirators turned to assassination. cial Assassination Committee to connect Johnson • Did you know there were even plots to kidnap to the murder, though the incriminating evidence Lincoln after his death? Eleven years after they sought was never found. C-Sharp - Sewing & Gifts his burial, an 1876 plot was initiated to steal FOR RUN DATE •HOLD In some versions, this theory continues further Lincoln’s body from its tomb and hold it for a to include the actual convicted conspirators not 1/16 4C 13x disc. rate hefty ransom. The plot was ultimately foiled, and the villains caught, but they got so far as to actually make it into the tomb where Lincoln’s body lay in state. �� • To prevent further body snatching attempts, the casket was moved to a muddy grave in an unused QUILTING FABRIC room beneath the tomb itself. A temporary Now in Stock Kids Sewing grave was secretly dug, and the president’s Classes casket buried in dirt and covered with scraps of Attorney Boston has been the victim for old lumber. His body remained here until 1901, Specializing in Quality Handcrafted over six years of a horriﬁc new type of real when his remains and those of his family were Gifts and Custom Made Quilts estate identity theft orchestrated in the permanently laid to rest in dignity in a rebuilt United States and Mexico by a “fatal attracCarol Sharp - Owner tomb. tion” evil thief who when discovered does We’ve Moved! Visit our new location! • Robert Redford’s film “The Conspirator” is 74-420 Hwy. 111, Ste. 4, Palm Desert, CA 92260 not ﬂee but turns on his victim with egre(ONE BLOCK WEST OF DEEP CANYON RD.) about Mary Surratt’s role in the murder of gious, life-threatening conduct. Part one of Lincoln. The film has an all-star cast, and is 760-568-3634 the book describes her nightmarish experiHOURS: Tues. thru Fri. 10-6; Sat. 10-4 (Closed Sun. & Mon.) set in Washington D.C. in the spring of 1865. ence as a victim; the second part builds on Visit us online: www.csharpsewingandgifts.com However, the movie wasn’t filmed anywhere the elements in her story that could have near Washington D.C. Redford chose scenic gone differently if she had used preventive Savannah, Georgia, to represent 1865 tactics, and details the legal skills and tools Washington D.C., and locals of and tourists to (including legal forms) to adopt in protectSavannah were privy to Redford’s movie sets ing property in the U.S. and Mexico. Readfrom October to December of 2009. Scenes ers of this ad can purchase the book, with 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 of Surratt’s boarding house were filmed at a valleybits@msn.com the author paying the shipping charges, for residence on the corner of Barnard and Taylor All Rights Reserved the introductory price of $19.95. Streets, where cobblestone streets were covered

COMPUTER PROBLEMS?

760.537.0411

Readers Weekly

��

Sewing & Gifts

Readers Weekly

��

Lucille Boston is licensed to practice law in California and before the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals. She was invited to Mexico City by the U.S. Ambassador as a member of the International Division of the American Bar to study Mexico’s new foreign investment law. She was invited to accompany the U.S Justice Department to China and Japan to help secure trade relationships. She is a former Inheritance Tax Referee and is knowledgeable in estate planning. The author is available for lectures to civic and church groups on the subject of Preventing Real Property from Identity Theft. She will do book signings, and contribute a substantial portion of the book sales to the sponsoring organization. Contact her at:

Tel: 310-578-1775 Fax: 310-821-3600 e-mail: servicesunlimited@earthlink.net Web site: realpropertyprotection.com 4712 Admirality Way #230 Marina del Rey, CA 90292

Final Changes DUE:

5:00

Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Pric Page 6

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Vol. VI

ADVERTISING PROOF Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m..

Issue 20

represented the quantities of pelts traded. Hudson TUES., APR. 27 Bay blankets are still made today and marketed in the United States. Your blanket fits a twin bed. Please review carefully. Double check:  3.5 Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours Selling your blanket on eBay is an option. Similar ones are in the range of $100 to $175. ROCK GARDEN CAFE 1/12th pg. 4 Color by Anne McCollam Mar. 7, 2010 Vol. 6 - No. 11 Address your questions to Anne McCollam, P.O. B o x Creators News Service

Antique or Junque Ladylite Cigarette Lighters Maintain Value Q: The pictured gold cigarette lighter

belonged to my grandmother. It stands about 3 inches tall and still works. Marked on the bottom are the words: “Ronson -- Woodbridge -- N.J. -- U.S.A. -- Varaflame -- Ladylite -International Pats.” I am wondering if it is a collectable item and whether it has any value.

247, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Items of a general interest will be answered in this column. Due to the volume of inquiries, Palm Springs Power Baseball she cannot answer individual letters. To find out more Host Family about Anne ad McCollam and read features by other Creators writers andProgram) cartoonists, visit the Creators BZSyndicate 4C (Partnership Syndicate website at www.creators.com. 5-2-2010

NOW FEATURING

PRIME RIB DINNER

$13.95

Do you want to host a potential

All day - every day!

Major League�� Ballplayer?

- Also Featuring -

BABYBACK

ing We are seek ILIES HOST FAM for the 2010 ason Baseball Se July for June &

Make a New Friend!

Contact the POWER ofﬁce at

BBQ RIBS BEST IN THE VALLEY!

Complete Dinners include Homemade Soup, Potato Choice & Full Salad Bar.

760.778.HITS (4487) or ADVERTISING check our website at PSPBB.com PROOF for more information BASEBALL A: Your gold-tone cigarette lighter is an Final Changes DUE: �� 5:00 p.m..

Also

Featuring Authentic

$13.95

Delightful Patio Dining Shaded, Pet Friendly

example of a Tobacciana collectible.Please As the review amountcarefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours GREEK of people who smoke declines, the value of vintage • Three Elegant Dining Rooms Specialtie s • Full Service Cocktails smoking-related items rises. Ronson has been one John Polos Owner ■ Breakfast ■ Lunch ■ Dinner Did you hear that they’ve opened a of the leading manufacturers of cigarette lighters. In restaurant on the moon? The food’s the 1950s and early 1960s, they designed lighters okay, but there’s no atmosphere. that would appeal to women. They were designed Victoria’s Attic �� OPEN 7 Days: 7:00 A.M. -- 10:00 P.M. 1/8th page, 4C, 13x rate 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 to be glamorous, attractive and fit in a woman’s 777 So. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs April 11, 2010 valleybits@msn.com hand. Varaflame lighters used butane and were (760) 327-8840 All Rights Reserved produced in a plethora of shapes and sizes. Your Ladylite lighter is a collectable item and would probably sell in the range of $50 to $60. Property of �� by Linda Thistle

BATTA BOOM!

Rock Garden Café

Readers Weekly

alley’s Fine V e st Th

� ��

Ladylite cigarette lighters were popular with women in the 1950s and 1960s.

• Fine Mexican Silver Jewelry

Multiple Dealers!

• French & American

Furniture • Roseville & California Pottery

Readers Weekly

��

The idea of Go Figure! is toFax: arrive at the ﬁgures given 760.320.0997 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com at the bottom and right-hand columns of the diagram by following the arithmetic All Rights signs Reservedin 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.

• Mid-Century Furniture

• American & French Antiques and Accessories

• Large Art Collection

Q: This mark is on the bottom of a

porcelain vase that is decorated with flowers and vines. The vase stands 7 inches tall and is in mint condition. Could you please tell about its history and value?

A: Owned by Reissner, Stellmacher and

Kessel, Amphora Works used this mark. They produced porcelain and earthenware in TurnTeplitz, Austria, from 1892 to 1945. Your vase was made around 1900 and would probably be worth $275 to $300.

Amphora Works was operated by Reissner, Stellmacher and Kessel.

My wife and I received a Hudson’s Bay blanket as a wedding gift in 1964. It is a 3.5 point blanket in a rare pastel color that was discontinued in the 1970s. It has been in the original box ever since we got it. We have removed it only three or four times to check on its condition, which is still perfect. Would you please tell us what it’s worth? I would also like to know where we might be able to sell this blanket.

A: Hudson’s Bay Co. blankets are 100 percent

wool and made in England. In the 1700s and 1800s, they were traded with Native Americans for their trapped fur pelts. Each blanket has indigo stripes that designate its finished and overall size and weight. It is a myth that the stripes or points

Browse hundreds of quality items from reputible dealers in our spacious 5,000 sq. ft. showroom.

ADVERTISING PROOF Final Changes DUE: TUES., APR. 20 5:00 p.m..

Victoria’s attic 



Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours

Antiques & Collectibles

67 777 E. Palm Canyon Dr., #9 • Cathedral City

DESERT BIRD&POOL SERVICE (Between Lumpy’s Innovative Flooring. Across from Del Taco) 1/6Dealer pg. space 4C CALL 6x or VISIT (760) Apr.available. 25, 2010 TODAY! Vol. 6 - No. 18 Hours: Mon-Sat: 10-6 • Sun: 12-5

328-7999

(Answers on page 16)

DESERT BIRD QUALITY POOL SERVICE Serving the Beautiful Communities of:

• La Quinta • Shadow Hills • North Indio

Professional Weekly Maintenence Service starting at

$9900mo

New Customers Receive One Month

• Residential • Weekly Service • Bi-Weekly Service • Filter Cleaning • Chemical Balancing

760-449-8049 Proof created by:

FREE Call For Details

Jerry Watson Owner Operated Lic. #1100014170

Week of May 9, 2010

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Everyday CHEAPSKATE

by Mary Hunt

What Your Mortgage Lender Hopes You Won’t Do Everyday CHEAPSKATE

Dear Susan: Yes, it is worth the trouble. Start by calling your credit card company, and speak with a conflict resolutions person in customer service. Be courteous yet firm. Use words like “fraud” and “deception” as you describe the situation. Be very clear that you are disputing charges that were made after your canceled and refused shipment, plus any future charges that may materialize. You may need to follow up by completing a dispute form given to you by your credit card company. You will do others a big service if you report this event to your state’s attorney general and the Better Business Bureau.

Dear Mary: I faithfully read “Everyday Cheapskate,” am also addicted to your byand MaryI Hunt Debt-Proof Living newsletter (found at http:// www.DebtProofLiving.com). I am 63, divorced and working. I would like to pay off my mortgage in the next three years. I plan to double or triple my payments to get it paid quickly. What is the best way to pay off my mortgage and save the most on interest? Is it best to make one large payment a month or send two or three payments separately each month? -- Cathy K., Wisconsin

Page 7

ever bought. -- Dan K., Pennsylvania Dear Dan: Your best thing makes my best thing pale by comparison. Your wife was one lucky gal to be on the receiving end of that best thing! Thanks for writing and sharing your story. Do you have a question for Mary? E-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including “Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With a Credit Card?” To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2010 CREATORS.COM

Dear Mary: In a previous column, you asked readers about the best thing they ever bought. Without a second thought, I had this item pop into my mind: my late wife’s wedding ring. For a few thousand dollars, I got a lover, pal, confidant, caregiver, therapist, best friend, traveling companion and someone to love who loved me. That ring has to be the best thing I

CLIP AND SAVE

Dear Cathy: It can be tricky to pay down your mortgage principal because your lender doesn’t want you to reduce the interest that you pay. You should manage your payments carefully. Make your extra payment at the same time each month, and clearly mark it for “principal prepayment only.” In addition, call your lender and speak with a customer service representative explaining your intentions, that you will be making prepayments from time to time and that you want detailed accounting for how your prepayments are being credited toward the principal. And thanks for being such a loyal “EC” reader and DPLer. Dear Mary: I had a weak moment and ordered a “body makeover” product earlier this year. I got the first shipment and promptly canceled future shipments of the product. Seven weeks after I canceled, I received another box. I marked it “refused, return to sender” and mailed it back the next day. However, I was charged for that second shipment. I called the company and wrote e-mails to customer service to no avail. They tell me they have no record of my cancellation. I am frustrated. Is it worth the trouble to pursue this? -- Susan, e-mail ��

��

3. The weekly “Brain Breaker”

��

Jane, your prescription is ready for pickup.

��

Created by Tom Underwood www.wuzzleking.com

©North America Syndicate, 2010

��

(Wuzzles answers on page 16) 10AD0008_Tidbits_0509.indd 1

4/27/10 2:24:53 PM

Corrections due by: 5 p.m. • Fri • 04/23/10

Page 8

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Vol. VI Issue 20

MULTIPLE DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE Auto + Home + Life Insurance = BIG $AVING$! SAVE UP TO on

Auto Insurance! • Auto Insurance

• Home Insurance

• Life Insurance

PACKAGE & SAVE even MORE!

CA. Lic.# 0G88239

• SR 22 • No Broker Fees! • Low Monthly Payments • FREE Quote Comparison CALL TODAY!

(Solution on page 16)



(760) 702-4684

Ad Proof: Newlife Private Training 1/16th page, 4/Color, 13x discount rate Feb. 14 - May 9, 2010 (Vol. 6: #8 - #20) Corrections due: Mon., 2/8/10, 5:30 pm

Readers Weekly Nationwide!

��

P.O. Box 2207 Palm Springs, CA 92263 Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630

��

email: valleybits@msn.com

��

... GET RESULTS!

u yo

By John Allen

Le tu s

NEST HEADS

answers on page 16 HRS:Crossword MIN:

lp he These Personal Trainers make the difference... EST The 2 B S R TRAINE y! lle a V e in th

AFFORDABLE ! • 1/2 Hour & • Hour Sessions

Jessica

Eric

We help you ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS through: 1:1 Private Sessions • Tailor made cardio & weight workout plans • Accountability • Encouragement = RESULTS Get in FREE!

IT’S TIME.

(760) 318-4200

@ Anytime Fitness, Cat. City CALL NOW! w/ paid private session. 68 100 Ramon Rd. #B-14 • Cathedral City

Tidbits® of Coachella Valley Published and distributed weekly by AdVenture Media P.O. Box 2207 Palm Springs, CA 92263-2207 Phone: 760-320-0997 Fax: 760-320-1630 Email: valleybits@msn.com All rights reserved. PUBLISHER: Erik D. Long EDITOR: David L. Long All rights reserved. Property of:

DISTRIBUTION MANAGERS: Manuel Aguayo, Christine Aguayo Readers Weekly Fred Snow, Claudia Snow Nationwide! ��

�� P.O. Box 2207 Palm Springs, CA 92263

Phone: 760.320.0997 “In business as in Fax: life,760.320.1630 we practice the Golden Rule”



Tidbits ® of Coachella Valley does not accept news matter of any nature submitted for publication. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising from any business, individual or group for any reason deemed inappropriate or not in the Publisher’s best interest. Published news matter and advertising content does not neessarily reﬂect the views of the Publisher or of AdVenture Media. Tidbits® of Coachella Valley is not an adjudicated publication and therefore cannot accept ofﬁcial legal notices for publication. All copy, photos and graphic illustrations submitted for advertising publication are subject to publisher’s prior approval. So there.

email: valleybits@msn.com

News content in the Tidbit s® Paper is provided by Tidbits Media, Inc. and other sources con sidered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed. 

�� Week of May 9, 2010 ��

Tidbits of Coachella PROOF Valley ADVERTISING Final Changes DUE: TUES., APR. 6 5:00 p.m..

Page 9

AT LAST! Please��review carefully. Double check:  Phone NEXT WEEK in Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours

MEDICALLY MANAGED

Casey’s

Which Came First

�� Natural Balance Pet Foods �� SUCCESSFULc/o Rick Rockhill

FREE

Solutions for MEN & WOMEN

1/16 pg. 4C 13x Apr. 4, 2010

Corner CATS, DOGS AND OTHER PEOPLE

CONSULTATION

Jody McCluskey-Scully, R.N.

By Matthew Margolis

Successfully maintain your weight loss through caring medical supervision and support groups. We provide motivation, accountability and support for long term success and happiness.

ADVERTISING PROOF Final Changes DUE: TUES., FEB. 23

your l

 Full medical evaluation and follow-up by M.D.  EKG  Full blood chemistry  Body Fat Percent  Eat your ownPlease food! review  Fitness Analysis  Personalized eating plans  Extensive consultation with Registered Nurse  Regular progress evaluations and coaching  Continued Individual support

o ife int

Sha p e

Precision Weight-loss (A division of Precision Ultrasound)

599 Williams Rd. - Suite 2 Palm Springs 92264

760.327.6773

carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices Hours I amnot a lawyer. I am not a judge. But as a

Reliable Home & Pet Care 1/16 4C 26x disc. rate 2-28-2010

Medically Managed Weight-loss & Maintenance

Call Today for a FREE, FREE, no-obligation consultation visit

Animal Cruelty Versus Free 5:00 p.m..Speech

march, 20 10:

7,324

LBS

LOST

Reliable Home & Pet Care

Ad Proof: Property of Pet Land Place 1/16th page, Color,in26x rate Loving Pet4 Care Your Home or Mine 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 Jan. 24per- home/hotel July 4, 2010  $25 valleybits@msn.com visit Readers Weekly

��

AdProperty preparedof by

 Fresh food & water  Love & exercise  Litter box maintenance  Medication management (including insulin)  Plant care & security checks

Corrections due: Tues., 6:30 pm • 1/19/10

Readers Weekly

��

Doggy Day Care $25 a day Overnight Care $30 a night OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE LICENSED  BONDED  INSURED

760-325-8668

Patty Hulse & Teá Rose MEMBER PET SITTERS INTERNATIONAL

CLIP AND SAVE

Property of &

Readers Weekly

��

760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com

TAKE

20%

Tidbits® Word Search

“Lunar Lingo” T

B R

G E

A R

M V Q

X E

E O V

O A

E R

G R

M H

X C

K N

V M H W N

W E U

M L

E M P

M C

O 1st We FF T L Y G J ek

S N

X Q

A W T

X K

M T

G N

A Z

M V C

A D

S D

G H

Q R

X Y

K D L

O C

X M L

W P

B E

!�

ALANSHEPARD

ALAN SHEPARD APOLLOMISSIONS

� APOLLO MISSIONS BUZZALDRIN � BUZZ ALDRIN CELESTIAL � CELESTIAL CRESCENT � CRESCENT GALILEO � GALILEO GREENCHEESE � GREEN CHEESE HARVEST � HARVEST

DOG &

CAT

• Food • Bowls • Dog Houses • Treats • Leashes • Carriers PLU S • Toys • Collars • Beds MORE!

72-049 Pet Land Place #B • Thousand Palms

ILLUMINATION

� ILLUMINATION LUNAR � LUNAR MOONSTRUCK � MOONSTRUCK OCEANTIDES � OCEAN TIDES ORBIT � ORBIT SATELLITE � SATELLITE SILVERY � SILVERY SPACE SHUTTLE � SPACE SHUTTLE

(Word Search solution page 16)

ALLTREATS

& TOYS

with this ad.

Expires 03/31/10 Expires 5/31/10

760.343.1555

Got Dooky (across from ANIMAL SAMARITANS) CALL 1/16 pg 4/C VISIT US TODAY! Mon - Sat: 10am - 4pm • Thurs: 10am - 7pm 2008-10-26

Dog owners got poop? ►$9.75/Wk: 1 Dog • $2.75 Add’l Dog◄ Dog

ot the We‛ve G

HRS:

MIN:

CASEY’S CORNER: Turn to page 10

AMAZI NG

LOW PRICE!

P! SCOO

www.WordSearchMaker.com



OFF

All l Natura Food.

e er G W Off IN w M No OO R

FOOD DISCOUNTED PET SUPPLIES

U.S. citizen, I take an interest in the goings on of the Supreme Court. And as an animal lover, I am supremely disappointed in their collective judgment regarding United States v. Stevens. On Tuesday, April 20, the high court struck down as “substantially overbroad” a federal law making it a crime to depict animal cruelty in commercial expression. Justice Samuel Alito was the lone dissenter. The newly overturned law banned the sale and distribution of “crush videos” -- videos in which women in high heels violently stomp to death and otherwise torture puppies and kittens for the sexual gratification of the viewer. Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, said the passage of the law in 1999 achieved the intended effect of annihilating the market for such videos. But since 2008, when a federal appeals court threw out Robert Stevens’ conviction under the law, the Internet market for crush videos has been thriving. In his dissenting opinion, Alito set forth that this “valuable statute ... was enacted not to suppress speech, but to prevent horrific acts of animal cruelty -- in particular, the creation and commercial exploitation of ‘crush videos,’ a depraved form of entertainment that has no social value.” On any given day, there exists a multitude of speech with which I would not agree should my supply of oxygen depend on it. Just two days before this ruling, white supremacists gathered outside Los Angeles City Hall in protest. Of what? I’m not convinced even they knew. But if they want to peaceably rest on their ridiculous laurels on the lawn of city hall, more power to them. In order to “secure the Blessings of Liberty” as laid out in the Constitution, we must put up with ideas and people that make our skin crawl. If we want the serial killer locked up for good, we must ensure his right to due process is satisfied. If we want the freedom to counter-protest neo-Nazis, we must embrace their right to gather and express themselves. In this, there is intrinsic social value. But in the graphic torture of small animals? Not in the farthest reaches of my imagination can I muster even an iota of social value in the protection of such �� expression. 1 45 Justices and lawyers �� stretching to extend the First

DO YOU MOW YOUR LAWN? �� DO YOU CLEAN YOUR POOL? DO YOU LIKE SCOOPING P.O. Box 2207 POOP? Readers Weekly Nationwide!

Palm Springs, CA 92263

NO!

We scoop, disinfect and remove your dog’s Phone: 760.320.0997 poop weekly $9.75 for only $9.75. Fax: 760.320.1630

Don’t put it off! CALL TODAY:

visit us online:

866.229.9289 9289 �� email: valleybits@msn.com

Satisfaction GUARANTEED!

WARNING: Reading Tidbits is habit forming Readers Weekly Nationwide!

��

P.O. Box 2207 Palm Springs, CA 92263 Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630

�� HRS:

MIN:

��

Page 10

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Vol. VI Issue 20

Medicare population. Although the total amount of surgeries for lumbar stenosis remained consistent between 2000 and 2007, the complex procedure became the dominant approach, increasing 15fold from 1.3 to 19.9 surgeries for every 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries. A total of 32,152 of the complex surgeries were performed during the first 11 months of 2007 at a cost of $80,888 each, compared to a cost of $23,724 for the other two more minor approaches. If complications were less and the outcomes were better, the increased expenditures would be worth the benefit. However, this is simply not the case. In terms of greater mobility, less pain and improved quality of life, the outcome was no better for the complex procedure and the complication rate was much higher. Life-threatening complications occurred in 2.3 percent of patients having either decompression or simple fusion, compared to 5.6 percent for those having the complex procedure. Those being treated by the older procedures were less likely to die and required fewer readmissions to the hospital. These results offer an important message for patients and physicians. It is easy to justify more complicated therapies in the hope of achieving better outcomes, but often the aggressive approaches fail to meet our expectations. For patients, you must always understand the data behind your physician’s recommended course of action. How long has the procedure been performed? What are the success rates? Is it more beneficial than a conservative approach? Ad Proof: For physicians, we must be vigilant in assessing, Stansberry evaluating andChiropractic re-evaluating the need for newer, more sophisticated therapies. In health care, Business Card, BW, 6x RATE we must all do our part to improve outcomes May 9, 2010 (Volume 6: #20) while simultaneously considering cost. And with a thoughtful approach to medicine, the two can coexist perfectly. Corrections due: Tues. • 5/4/10 • 4:30 pm

lifelong health Dr. David Lipschitz

Surgical Therapies are Key to Easing Lumbar Pain

CASEY’S CORNER (from page 9) Amendment to cover depictions of animal cruelty engaged in an exercise of hypotheticals: What if an animal rights organization wants to produce a video that uses graphic images to make a point? What if hunters want access to instructional videos on killing and cleaning their prey? Under the law, both of those scenarios were permissible, as the bill contained an exception for items that have “serious religious, political, scientiﬁc, educational, journalistic, historical or artistic value.” “Crush videos” fall under none of those exceptions, and most of us would be hard-pressed to articulate their inherent social value. The battle may be over, but the war is not won. In disposing of the old law, the Supremes all but begged Congress to write a new one. In anticipation of this verdict, the co-chairs of the Animal Protection Caucus did exactly that. Reps. Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., and Jim Moran, D-Va., along with 54 co-sponsors, have already introduced “more narrowly focused legislation (that) would prevent video depictions of drowning, impaling, burning and crushing of animals, while addressing constitutional concerns outlined by the court.” It’s anyone’s guess as to whether the new bill will satisfy the Supremes’ on-again, off-again love affair with the First Amendment. Regarding its predecessor, as Alito put it, “the Court’s interpretation is seriously ﬂawed.” Woof!

After the age of 60, virtually everyone complains of low back pain that is second only to an upper respiratory infection as a reason for employee absenteeism. And it’s the single most common cause of long-term disability. Although it is generally difficult to manage and medical relief can be elusive, for people with a condition called lumbar stenosis, surgical therapies can be extremely successful in reducing pain. Lumbar stenosis disease affects one in 1,000 people over the age of 50 and is associated with a narrowing of the spinal canal, the central part of the bony spine that encases the spinal cord. This narrowing is caused by arthritis, degeneration of the vertebral disks and thickening of the ligaments that keep the vertebra in alignment and stable. In rare cases, injury to the spinal cord and tumors can lead to stenosis. The condition can either affect the neck (cervical spine) or low back (lumbar spine). Dog trainer Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis is co-author of 18 Patients with lumbar stenosis typically experience books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television low back pain that comes on slowly and can vary guest, and host of the PBS series “WOOF! It’s a Dog’s Life!” in intensity from mild to severe. Pain occasionally Send your questions to dearuncle.gazette@unclematty. radiates down into the legs and is made worse by com or by mail to Uncle Matty at P.O. Box 3300, standing and walking. Many patients find relief by Diamond Springs, CA 95619. bending forward. If the compression is particularly serious, patients can also experience numbness, Dr. David Lipschitz is the author of the books, “Breaking “When you need a helping hand” weakness, changes in gait and balance as well as the Rules of Aging” and “Dr. David’s First Health Book of TUES., JAN. 26 loss of bowel and bladder control. More Not Less.” To find out more about Dr. David Lipschitz Sturdy grab bar assistance Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Pr For people with severe pain where conservative visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. provides security and safety in your bath, or any other treatments have been unsuccessful, or if there More information is available at www.DrDavidHealth.com. area in your home. is evidence that nerve compression is leading to COPYRIGHT 2010 CREATORS.COM We provide professional urinary incontinence or neurological deficits in the installation and a selection lower limbs, surgery is the best option to correct the of styles and colors. stenosis, improve symptoms and ensure a better Specializing Bob’s Clock Repair in: •Bathing Aids •Grout Cleaning quality of life. HANDI-BARS BZ 4C 26x •Tile Installation and Repair To date, there are three common surgical (760) 469-3208 More! Jan. 31, 2010 •Much V6-No.6 Jack Jones Ceramic Tile Lic.#482707 approaches to the treatment of lumbar stenosis. Two are relatively minor treatments and one is a more Ad Proof: complex procedure. Of the two simpler surgeries, PAIN RELIEF one is a procedure called decompression, which Hillside Auto Salvage Solutions to an often misdiagnosed problem. involves widening the narrowed spinal canal. The �� 1/16th Page, 4C, 26x other is simple fusion of two vertebrae together, • Tues., May 18, 2010 These solutions We also Service, Repair and New Jan. helps 24, 2010 - July 2010 which relieve the 11,pain by stabilizing the repair Wall, can help with • @ US Bank Community Room Mantel, Movements from Germany spine. 72 260 Hwy 111 Ship’s and • Numbness • Burning Only 18 31 years Cuckoo The third procedure involves fusing three or more Palm Desert Profesionally installed assistance grab bars • Cramping Clocks experience �� Corrections due: Wed., 01/20/10, noon Seats vertebrae together and treating the front and the • Restless legs • Time: 1 2 pm in your own home. We have several styles to Carlsbad / San Diego / Desert Communities • Sharp electric pain CALL NOW to back of the spine. This operation is more extensive Servicing Coachella Valley on Fridays choose from. They can be installed anywhere • Pricking/Tingling and complicated, but many back surgeons believe reserve seats! (760) Call for In-Home service appointment to feel more hallSponsor: The Foundation for Wellness Professionals strongly thatyou the need success rates are secure; so high bathrooms, that the �� Guest Speaker: Dr. Jeffrey V. Stansberry, D.C. more aggressive approach is preferred. In a paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers examined the trends in treatment, complication rates and costs All rights reserved. Property of: associated with surgery for lumbar stenosis in the

ADVERTISING PROOF Final Changes DUE: 5:00

FREE WORKSHOP NEUROPATHY

��

346-4698

Readers Weekly Nationwide!

Y WE PTA UP O $3,000! FROM

Cars � Trucks

JUNK

P.O. Box 2207 Palm Springs, CA 92263

Readers Weekly

��

760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com

Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630

�

WANTED �

Proof created Property of by: ��

email: valleybits@msn.com

No Paperwork No Problem (Most Cases)

JEWELS!

Sell Your Vehicle to Someone You Can Trust

Pick A Part

Proud Member of:

ARA, SCADA & IADA

Associations DMV Lic. #23671

Call TODAY for Auto Recyclers CASH REW ARD

760-947-8799

Production time stamp: • Date 03/29/10

Week of May 9, 2010

ADVERTISING PROOF Page 11 Final Changes DUE: TUES., MAY 4 5:00 p.m..

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours

Dear Doug

 

Creators News Syndicate

Feeling the Pinch? Q:

Like most other people, my wife and I foresee a major jump in inﬂation in the near future. Although we have paid off our mortgage, we are still feeling the pinch. We deposited our savings in an FDIC bank insured account from which we can withdraw cash immediately if need be. This account pays practically no interest, which bothers me. Our present strategy is to leave it where it is and reinvest if rates should go up. Do you have any thoughts about how to best handle this situation?

bills. For upfront bill payments, are discounts well that ends well. available? Can you cut back on your cable bills? Are you carrying expensive balances on your credit Doug Mayberry makes the most of life in a Southern California card that have exorbitant interest rates? Neighbors retirement community. Contact him at deardoug@msn.com. Desert Diabetes Club c/o Andrew Trentacosta interested in replacing their car? It is supposedly a To ﬁnd out more about Doug Mayberry, visit the Creators 1/8 pg. 4C 26xwebsite disc. at www.creators.com. Syndicate good time to buy new ones. MayCOPYRIGHT 9, 2010 2010 Vol.CREATORS.COM 6 - No. 20 Politically, under quiet discussion, is the possibility of some form of a national sales tax on all items bought and sold. If instituted, prices would go up. Value-added tax may be new to us but are a way of life overseas. Tighten up your belt!

DIABETES EDUCATION EVENT

My father disappeared from our home when I was ﬁve. As I got older, I asked my mother about him. She divorced him because he was a “bad man”, and he walked out on us. Based on that information, I had no interest in learning more. Long stor y short, it turns out mom was actually the dysfunctional member of that marriage. My home life with her was ver y unhealthy and unhappy, so I left at age 17 and never returned. After I married, my wife and I searched the internet and learned my father had since died, but that he had remarried and had happy marriage with ﬁve children, none of whom ever knew about me. Please advise your readers of the mistake I made of not digging into my roots earlier. I have since met my half brothers and sisters and we love our great “new family” and they love us!

FREE TO THE PUBLIC

No Reservations Required

DID YOU KNOW? Being overweight or obese is one of the most common risk factors for Type 2 diabetes. Weight loss and exercise reduces blood sugar, allowing diabetes medications to work more effectively. Blood glucose monitoring should be done regularly and frequently.

I am not a licensed ﬁnancial counselor, but Don’t be in denial! events, such as the bankruptcy of Greece and corporate and individual scrambling for cash, will certainly cause interest rates to rise. For the moment, simply reconsider your shopping and buying habits to stretch your dollars. Check out • Meet leading diabetes educators the dollar-store merchandise for exceptional deals, • Diabetes-related Q&A but watch out for those expiration dates. As mortgage rates are low, would you be comfort2-- 3 p.m., Wednesday, May 19 The computer has become a virtual instant Annenberg Center for Health Sciences able taking the risk of a new home loan? You could at Eisenhower library and can lead to new discoveries and raise your cash stash, deduct taxes from your interest payments and have the option to use your cash for opportunities. Your story could have been a negative additional income. Check with your tax adviser. experience. How lucky you are to experience loving Some experts believe small apartment houses will and bonding with your half brothers and sisters and �� their families. produce more income as rents may rise. ADVERTISING PROOF �� Others should never give up in learning more Food prices are surging. Researchers studied food TUES., APR.Rancho 20 Mirage, 39000 Bob Hope Drive, CA 92270 Final out Changes 5:00 p.m.. about their real backgrounds. Finding about DUE: costs and found the average household tosses out USMRC For More Information review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours your is nowPlease practical and possible. about one-third of the food they buy! Fifty percent is 1/3 emc.org/ddc pg.family BW history 6x 760-773-1578 You married the right wife! The bottom line is all’s still believed to be edible. Apr. 25, 2010 V6-18 Tues., March 31 Bundle up your shopping, think about car pooling and divide up bulk purchases from warehouse Proof created Property of by: stores with your neighbors. Public transportation, if available in your neighborhood, is usually a bargain. �� Utility costs will become higher because of 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com antiquated equipment, our growing population and All Rights Reserved water shortages. Non-thirsty landscaping plants, such as rocks, succulents, cactus and artiﬁcial turf, �� can cut expenses. �� Compare your auto, home and personal insurance

Roundtable Discussion

Readers Weekly

��

BUYING & SELLING Old Gold Wedding Bands, Class Rings, Gold & Silver Watches & Necklaces

TOP PRICES PAID!

Coins & Currency

ins Rare Co are a Great rm Long-Te t! en tm s e v In

• Gold & Silver Coins • Currency • Collections Ask about FREE Appraisals

Come see our large inventory of Coins and Supplies including Presidential Dollars & State Quarters.

UNIQUE COINS, CURRENCY & SUPPLIES

affects

Member of A.N.A. • N.G.C. Dealer Representative

320-3140

(760) Mon-Fri 10am-5pm • Sat 10am-2pm



“Unique Coins”

� � �

E. Granvia Valmonte

N. Indian Canyon

Today

Tamarisk

N. Palm Canyon

Ask for Ed Nedderman 655 N. Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs Call

Alejo Rd.

Call 760-625-0680 XXX-XXX-XXXX

Proof created by: Readers Weekly

��

Phone: 320.0997

Fax: 320.1630

valleybits@msn.com

Advancing

Or visit: www.diabetesAWARDstudy.com for more information. Research

Advancing Diabetes Research Proof created Property of by:

Page 12

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Vol. VI Issue 20

home and rent out the other half of the house. Will that rental income count?

SENIOR NEWS LINE

YOUR

�� by Tom Margeneau

Little Girls Will Get Social Security on Mom’s Record Q: I am a 35-year-old father of two little girls.

My wife has breast cancer and is not expected to live much longer. She hasn’t worked since the girls were born, but she did work steadily -- and paid Social Security taxes -- for about six years before then. I am wondering what kind of Social Security beneﬁts the girls would be due if their mother passes away. And would I be due any beneﬁts? I work and make about $95,000 per year.

Even though your wife doesn’t have an extensive work history, it sounds like she’s worked and paid Social Security taxes for enough years to be “insured.” That means your daughters will be eligible for Social Security survivor’s benefits on her record. I really can’t tell you how much money the girls would get from Social Security each month. The average monthly benefit for two children is about $2,000 combined. But because your wife hasn’t worked in a while, you probably can expect a little less than that. You can get a much better idea by checking your wife’s latest Social Security statement. She would have received one about three months before her most recent birthday. That statement, in addition to providing projections for future retirement benefits, also gives estimates of payments due to widows, widowers and surviving children. If you were not making as much money as you are, you might be due widower’s benefits on your wife’s Social Security record. (The government actually calls them “father’s” benefits.) I used the hedging phrase “might be due” because there is a maximum amount of money that can be paid to survivors on any Social Security account. The maximum monthly payout varies depending on the account holder’s basic Social Security benefit. It’s usually reached when more than two people are claiming benefits on the account. But that maximum is a moot point in your case because your income is well above the $14,160 per year earnings threshold. Your $95,000 annual salary doesn’t prevent the girls from receiving Social Security, but it will keep you from collecting father’s benefits. One final point: You will be due the one-time miserly $255 Social Security death benefit that’s paid to the spouse of someone who dies.

I am about to turn 62 and plan to apply for Social Security. I read in one of your columns that I can make up to $14,160 with no reduction in my beneﬁts. I own a duplex

For more teasers log on to www.TriviaGuy.com





I am really confused about when I should take my Social Security. Should I retire at 62 and take reduced beneﬁts? Or should I wait until age 66 and get full beneﬁts?

I’m afraid your question is way too openended. There are so many variables that go into making that decision: like how much money you’re making; whether or not you like your job; what kind of health insurance you have; what other income you expect after retirement; whether you’re married; etc. And that even leaves out the biggest variable of all: How long are you going to live? Of course, you don’t know the answer to that last question, so you really never know if you’re ahead to take Social Security at 62 or wait until age 66 or later. I suggest you make an appointment with a representative at your local Social Security ofﬁce and go over all of your Social Security options with him or her.

Q: I am ready to sign up for Social Security.

Do you suggest I do it online at the Social Security website or call their 800 number?

The www.socialsecurity.gov website is great if you have a simple, straightforward claim for Social Security benefits. But if you have any questions or are unsure about any aspect to your potential eligibility for benefits -- like which month would be the most advantageous starting point for those benefits - then call 800-772-1213 and make an appointment for a personal interview at your local Social Security office. If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has the answer. Contact him at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. To find out more about Tom Margenau and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2010 CREATORS.COM.

by Matilda Charles © King Features Synd., Inc.

Who’s the Wisest of Them All? There’s another study out comparing seniors with younger age groups. This time the research was on social dilemmas and conflicts, and predicting how they would turn out -- in other words, wisdom. Researchers broke participants into three age groups: 25-39, 40-59 and 60-plus. Subjects then read fake newspaper articles about different types of interpersonal conflict. Then they were asked questions like, “What do you think will happen next?” Later, the participants were called back for more tests. This time they read letters from an advice columnist and were asked questions such as, “What do you think should be done?” The results were broken into wisdom-related categories, such as searching for compromise, recognizing change, taking into account the perspective of others and searching for a resolution. The researchers worked blind when they tabulated the results: They didn’t know the subject’s age group. So what did this study show? It proves what we already knew, that we seniors are able to take information we’ve accumulated over a lifetime and make wise decisions, especially when it comes to conflicts. We’re better able than our younger counterparts to compromise, admit it when we just don’t know something, take into consideration the viewpoints of others and make accurate predictions about how situations will turn out. So, what do we do with our wisdom, now that it’s been acknowledged? A few ideas come to mind: ● Act as mediators for divorcing couples or squabbling families. Ad● Work Proof: with groups of schoolchildren, the Bram’sthe better, on understanding the viewpoint younger of1/16th others. page, Black & White ● Work as advisers to young couples with Jan. 10 - Feb. 14, 2010 unhealthy spending patterns, or in culture conflict [Volumein 6: Issue #3 -#8] resolution companies. While some of us by: already workMon. in roles such Corrections due 6 pm, 01/04/10 as these, what we really need now is for more “wisdom” positions to be developed. Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 328536475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com.

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

2. Who went to the city gate every morning to hold a court of justice trying to win people away from David? a) Nain b) Rehoboam c) Felix d) Absalom 3. Where did the first miracle of Jesus - his turning water into wine - take place? a) Cana b) Antioch c) Nazareth d) Corinth

Running or NOT!

5. Which queen died by being thrown from a window and trampled by horses? a) Elisabeth b) Jezebel c) Vashti d) Abigail 6. Where does Paul promote the public reading of scripture? a) 1 Timothy b) 1 Samuel c) 1 John d) 1 Thessalonians Wilson Casey’s new book, “Firsts: Origins of Everyday Things That Changed the World” is available from AlphaPenguin Publishing. © 2010 King Features Synd., Inc. (Answers on page 16)

bUYING YOUR OLD POCKET & WRIST

Watches

4. From Judges 9, who had 70 of his brothers killed on one stone? a) Abraham b) Amos c) Abimelech d) Samuel

TOP PRICES PAID

E. Alejo Rd.

 Bram’s

N. Palm Canyon



No. The only forms of income that count toward the $14,160 per year earnings threshold are wages from a job or self-employment income from a business. So assuming you are not in the business of property management, but simply own a home and rent out part of that home to others, the rental income you get will NOT count against you and will not reduce your Social Security beneﬁts.

Bram’s (760)

Also BUYING: Coins Jewelr y Antiques

Scrap Gold Silver

Over 40 years in Business

416-2667

� No Amount � � 461 N. Palm Canyon Drive • Palm Springs Too Large

Hours: Tues-Sat. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

or Small

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Week of May 9, 2010

Page 13

April 26, 2010

and not experiencing any bad side effects. Then someone told me that Splenda is really bug poison and that it (September has made a 23 lot of LIBRA to people October sick, so I stopped using it. I have noticed noin 22) Traveling and career are strong improvement, butaspect. I didn’t have anything wrong your Perhaps your job will take in the ﬁrst place. miss Splenda foods. What is you toI someplace exotic. Or you might be--setting your opinion? N.B. up meetings with potential

clients or employers. Whatever it is,

good luck. is not bug poison. It’s made ANSWER: Splenda ARIES (March 21 to April 19) A SCORPIO (October 23 tosweeter Novemfrom sugar. It’s a product that is 600 times Senior Benefits seemingly stalled romantic than situation ber 21) Someone might use deception 1/16th page, sugar. It is26x not absorbed, so it contributes no could benefit from your reassurance to try toeat push you6: into aand deciFeb. 28 Aug. 1, 2010 ♦it.[Vol. Issuemaking #10 - #32] calories to -those who It’s FDA-approved, I that you want this relationship to work. sion you’re not fully comfortable with. trust the people at the Food and Drug Administration And if you do, use a tad more Corrections of that But those keen Tuesday Scorpio ♦senses should DUE: 3 p.m., 02/23/10 more than I trust no reason irresistible Aries charm. keepyour you informant. alert to anyThere’s such attempt. for you20) not to use it. TAURUS (April 20 to May SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to Some people delight21) in passing on dominates alarming Going to new places and meeting new December Romance information whether true or not. Your “someone” people appeals to both the Taurean’s this week when Cupid spears the has to all, be oneArcher, of them. for a change. Positive things romantic and can practical side. After DEAR DR. DONOHUE: What you tell *** you never tell friend where those new also are happening in the workplace. me about a low sodium level? My can visiting

Low Sodium Level Causes Many Symptoms

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual take you. Right? Expect important news to arrive by the (from England) was contacts refused can embarkation on letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) That week’s end. his cruise because he was acting belligerent possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of career-change opportunity that didn’t CAPRICORN (December 22 to Janand confused. The ship’s doctor sent him to a available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL work out when you first considered it uary 19) Anyone trying to bully the Sea hospital. He had scans, an EEG and numerous 32853-6475. could come up again. But this time, Goat — whether it involves a personal blood and urine tests.remember Ever ything thatwas younormal have more to offer or a professional matter — will learn a except he had low sodium. His insurance carrier and should act accordingly. painful lesson. Others will also benefit sent a doctor from England to accompany him CANCER (June 21 to July 22) There Prepared from the strong example. by Goat’s Elder Law Attorney on a flight back to London. He has tensions since seen could be some in relationships AQUARIUS (January 20 to FebruTrust Package With things his own doctor. His — sodium levelor has risen. But a calm Complete domestic workaday. ary 18) Congratulations. What happened to him? -B.L. approach that doesn’t raise the anger $795 Single $895 Married going the way they are, you should be levels and a frank discussion soon will ablethistoPackage spare Includes: some time and take a resolve problem. break Living fromTrust your hectic schedule for ANSWER: Sodium has manythe functions. It keeps * Revocable * Pour over will 23 to August * California Health Care Directive well-earned fun and games. body fluids at the right LEO level. (July It maintains blood 22) It’s a some Durable Power of Attorney idea to begin preparing for that * Springing PISCES (February 19 to March 21) pressure. It’s essential good for muscle contractions. It career change you’ve been thinking Complimentary Financial Analysis Your sharp Piscean intuition should be participates in generating the heartbeat. It carries a and Trust Review Annually about for a while. Start to sharpen your able to uncover the true agendas of positive electric charge, so it balances the negatively A. Madoni , Attorney of Lawbe • CAtrying Bar #170652 skills and expand your background toStephen those who might to catch the charged body substances. Jeffrey D. , Registered Certified be ready when it calls. FishFinancial inMitchell oneAdvisor, of their schemes. CA Lic. #0804862 A drop in blood sodium leads to fatigue, nausea and VIRGO (August 23 to September Stephen BORN THIS WEEK: Your flair for W. Brittain, Registered Certified weakness. If the level dips farther, people 22) Bless that Virgobecome skepticism that has innovative art and design Financial Advisor, CA Lic. #0794806keeps you at confused and dizzy. At kept very you low levels, they could from falling into traps others least Lisa G. Lerner , Registered a step aheadCertified of most everyone have a seizure and lapseseem into ato coma. rush into. But you might want else.Financial Advisor, CA Lic. #0818762 Your friend’s doctor to has theatask finding out give newofpossibility the benefit ofFor information call: (760) 322-9292 why your friend’s sodium fell. quite few basis. © 2010 King Features Synd., Inc. thelevel doubt, at In least on aa trial

REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST

instances, it comes about from an inappropriate release of a body hormone called ADH, antidiuretic hormone. This hormone stops kidney urine �� production. The result is too much water in the body. All rights reserved. Property of: The extra water dilutes sodium and produces a low reading. Liver diseases, troubles with the adrenal glands and a sluggish thyroid gland are other causes for a lowering of blood sodium. �� P.O. Box 2207 Restoring the body’s sodium content is not too Palm Springs, CA 92263 difﬁcult. Tracking the reason why it dropped is. Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 Has your friend’s mental function normalized now that his sodium level has returned to normal? If it email: valleybits@msn.com has not, then his doctor has to look for explanations �� of his erratic behavior that have nothing to do with his sodium. �� The booklet on sodium and potassium explains why ADVERTISING PROOF �� these minerals are so important and what happens 30 a copy �� when they are out of kilter.TUES., ReadersMAR. can order Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m.. bycarefully. writing:Double Dr. Donohue -- NoNumber(s) 202W, Box 536475, ease review check:  Phone  Spelling  Prices ��  Hours Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money �� order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with the �� recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow �� four weeks for delivery. *** DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have been eating ice cream and cookies sweetened with Splenda Stephen K. Su, D.P.M. for about four years, enjoying them ver y much Readers Weekly Nationwide!

1/16 pg. BW 13x disc. 4/4/10 -- 6/27/10

��

�� Melanie Jones 413-6613 Hudson Alling 323-2116 ext. 224

� ��

��

• On May 10, 1877, President Rutherford B. Hayes has the White House’s first telephone installed in the mansion’s telegraph room. Hayes embraced the new technology, though he rarely received phone calls. The White House phone number was “1.” • On May 12, 1932, the body of aviation hero Charles Lindbergh’s baby is found, more than two months after he was kidnapped from his family’s Hopewell, N.J., mansion. Kidnapping was made a federal crime in the aftermath of this high-profile crime. • On May 11, 1947, the B.F. Goodrich Company of Akron, Ohio, announces it has developed a tubeless tire. While Goodrich awaited approval from the U.S. Patent Office, the tubeless tires underwent high-speed road testing. Within three years, the tubeless tire came standard on most new automobiles. • On May 13, 1958, during a goodwill trip through Latin America, Vice President Richard Nixon’s car is attacked by an angry crowd and nearly overturned while traveling through Caracas, Venezuela. President Eisenhower dispatched U.S. troops to the area to rescue Nixon, and the vice president left Venezuela ahead of schedule. • On May 16, 1968, Donald E. Ballard, U.S. Navy Corpsman, is awarded the Medal of Honor for action in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam. While directing the removal of a wounded man, an enemy soldier tossed a grenade into the group. Ballard vaulted over the stretcher and pulled the grenade under his body. The grenade did not go off. Nevertheless, he received the Medal of Honor for his selfless act of courage. • On May 15, 1982, “Ebony And Ivory,” a duet by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, takes the top spot in the Billboard Hot 100. This continued the pop-music trend of pairing successful duos, such as Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond, and Diana Ross and Lionel Richie. © 2010 King Features Synd., Inc.

��

• On May 14, 1796, Edward Jenner, an English country doctor, administers the world’s first vaccination as a preventive treatment for smallpox. Scientists following Jenner’s model developed new vaccines to fight diseases such as polio, whooping cough, measles and tetanus.

Lend a helping hand to Desert AIDS Project – an essential part of your community for 25 years. www.desertaidsproject.org

��

—2

Page 14

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Vol. VI Issue 20

Is it true that S. Epatha Merkerson is leaving “Law & Order”? I hope not, since she is one of my favorite characters. -- Sheila F., Harrisburg, Pa.

I have a question about the stars of the TV series “JAG.” I know Catherine Bell is in “Army Wives,” but what about David James Elliott? Where can I see him? -- Mare, via e-mail

A: David James Elliott, 49, has been keeping very

busy with TV miniseries and movies, his most recent being the Hallmark Channel original movie “Dad’s Home.” David stars as a dad who loses his job and has to stay at home. When the former workaholic is suddenly thrust into the lives of his children, whom he doesn’t really know at all, it’s just in time to heal the family bonds he has been breaking. Sharon Case (“The Young and the Restless”) co-stars. The movie premieres on Saturday, June 19, just in time for Fathers’ Day. ***

I’m sorry to be the one to tell you that the rumors are true. Merkerson recently told EW.com that she did indeed plan to leave the hit crime drama after 16 years on the show. She revealed: “It’s the end of my contract this year, and the story line has been so perfect. I’ve given it my best for 16 years. It’s time to move on. I’m doing other things, and this will be a great way to leave what has been an extraordinary gig.” *** Write to Cindy at King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475; or e-mail her at letters@cindyelavsky. com. For more news and extended interviews, visit www. celebrityextraonline.com and twitter.com/Celebrity_Extra. (c) 2010 King Features Synd., Inc.

I have always been a big fan of Emeril Lagasse and always watched his cooking show, “Emeril Live.” I read that he has a new show coming out soon. What is it, and where can I watch it? -- Doris J., Atlanta

The goodnatured chef is back on TV with a new variety/talk show, “The Emeril Lagasse Show.” As Emeril himself told me, his goal is to have fun and entertain his fans, as well as his guests: “We had Sammy Hagar on, which was a great show. He’s a great musician, but Sammy Emeril Lagasse just didn’t come to play. He came to not only play a song, but he came to actually play and be a part of the show.” You can catch “The Emeril Lagasse Show” on the ION network Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ***

DERS

I was watching a rerun of “The Ofﬁce,” and I could swear that the actor who plays the pizza deliver y boy that Michael and Dwight take hostage is Artie from “Glee.” -- Genie J., via e-mail

You are correct, Genie. I spoke recently with Kevin McHale, the talented young actor who plays Artie on the megahit “Glee,” and he told me what a thrill it was to work on that show. “They were really, really nice. They’re all geniuses. I remember the very ﬁrst take we shot was the ﬁrst scene that I’m in with Steve Carell. He starts improvising, and I had to hide my face behind the pizza boxes, ‘cause I’m like, ‘This is ridiculous.’ Every time I start frowning -- the same thing on ‘Glee’ -- if you see me frown, it’s because I’m about to laugh.” ***

I was a faithful viewer of the sitcom “Becker,” and I would like to know what the star, Ted Danson, is up to lately. -- Sara S., Fort Worth, Texas

Ted co-stars in the Glenn Close legal drama “Damages,” which airs on FX. He also co-stars in the HBO comedy series “Bored to Death.” When Ted’s not working, you can ﬁnd him tending to his organic garden at his and wife Mary Steenburgen’s home in Ojai, Calif. ***

PROFESSIONAL

HANDYMAN SERVICES & HOME REPAIR • Carpentry • Painting • Plumbing • Electrical • Drywall • Tile • Repair • Remodeling

27 years experience • Honest • Reliable I also serve the Desert Shores and Salton City areas

Reasonable Rates!

SONSHINE BUILDERS 76 0 - 219 - 3715

General Contractor License # 447497

760-219-5184 John & Donna Winters 760-395-1170

�� by David Uffington

Straight Talk About Debt Anytime somebody talks about having a “strategy” to get out of debt, it pays to be leery. There are scams galore, including those that promise (for a fee) to take your payments and make arrangements with lenders to accept a smaller amount each month. (Unless you send the check yourself, you really don’t know where it’s going.) However, there’s a new book out that talks about strategy, and it’s one you can trust: “Debt-Free Forever (Take Control of Your Money and Your Life)” by Gail Vaz-Oxlade (Collins, $14.95). There’s a lot of no-nonsense tough love in VazOxlade’s plans, and there should be if a strategy to reduce debt is going to succeed. After all, the average consumer has $16,000 in credit-card debt. But under the humor (yes, there’s that, too) is a sound plan. She tells you upfront that it’s going to be hard work, right in the first line of Chapter One, then moves quickly into the all-important first step: Find out where your money’s going (spreadsheets are provided in the book). Step two, facing your debt, is where VazOxlade takes things beyond the typical “get out of debt” book. Not only are debts written down and HANDYMAN categorized, they’re critiqued and analyzed for what SERVICES they really cost. There is plenty of hands-on help. Focus on longterm goals. Decide what you really want, because with debt control, it matters. Write down your core values, prioritize and set a goal. Find friends who are compatible with that goal (spending less to have fun). Swap bad habits for good ones. “Debt-Free Forever” explains how to get a handle on disappearing money (what happens when the pocket monster eats all the change when you break a $20), 401(k) plans, insurance, credit cards and more. There are worksheets, guidelines, instructions on how to make a budget -- everything you need to become debt free, except for a pencil, piece of paper and a calculator. Vaz-Oxlade has a television show called “Til Debt Do Us Part” (about couples in debt) on CNBC and has written 11 books on finances. As she says on her blog: “Money is only a tool. You can use it to your advantage or you can misuse it to your detriment. You decide.” David Uffington regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Write to him in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com .

Ad Proof: Tidbits of Coachella Valley First Tee Golf MOON (from page page 3) “Golf Caddy” position March 7 - May 30, 2010 (Vol. 6: #11 - 23) • It’s official! As of September 2009, trace evidence

Page 15

Week of May 9, 2010

of water is said to have been found on the moon. Corrections due: 2 p.m., Tues. (03/02/10) But don’t rush to call NASA to book a trip to a lunar beach. The rocky, desolate moon is far more arid than any earthly desert.

• Scientists think that the moon has a core that is hot and partially molten like the Earth’s center. Data collected by NASA suggests that the moon’s core is small, about 2 to 3 percent of its mass, while Earth’s core represents about 30 percent of its total mass. • The moon orbits Earth at an average speed of about 2,300 miles per hour (relative to Earth). It makes its way around Earth once every 29-1/2 days. Due to its eliptical orbit path, the moon’s speed changes at different points along the way

AFFORDABLE

GOLF

for the

WHOLE FAMILY Junior & Senior Rates!

• The airless lunar surface bakes at around 243 degrees Fahrenheit for two weeks at a time when facing the sun. On the “dark” side of the moon, the surface cools to about -272 degrees Fahrenheit. • From Earth’s vantage point, we are not able to see more than 59 percent of the moon’s surface. This is because the rotations of the Earth and moon are almost exactly “in time,” and we always see the same side of the moon.

▄

keep a small sewing kit (inon your • The Apollo 11 astronauts leftnearby a plaque the desk, moon jacket, purse, or car) so that you can quickly to commemorate their historic landing. The plaque repair the problem. Even amateur sewers can reads: “Here Men Fromof The Earth First Set accomplish enough a Planet “fix” to keep from Foot Upon to Thewalk Moon Julythat 1969, A.D. We meeting Came In having into important withFor a safety pin holding your collar shut. Peace All Mankind.” • What to do when Lightning Strikes. There are manyCLIP myths about the actions to take AND SAVE when you’re stuck outdoors during an electrical storm. The number of deaths and injuries have risen as a result. Be smart. Read up on what not to do and where not to be during an electrical storm. • How to Read an Electric Meter. The ability to read the dials on your electric meter adds a level of protection between you and your local utility company. Once you read the meter, you can estimate your electric bill based on the kilowatt/hour rates from your utility bill. (Yes, meter readers make mistakes!) This knowledge can also serve to alert you to any sudden increase in usage, which might signal a faulty electrical appliance or unauthorized use of your service by a neighbor. • Basic Bathroom Repair. Of all the plumbing fixtures in our homes, none is more essential than a functioning toilet. And when one overflows after 5 p.m., you’ll probably pay overtime rates to get the problem repaired. But there are a few “do-it-yourself” fixes that novices can employ to keep their facilities operational, such as flapper valve, fill valve and seal ring replacement. • Read Tidbits Each Week. It provides you with a much-needed dose of infotainment!

Information in the Tidbits® Paper is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

Can’t Get Enough

TRILOGY III

Send $24.95 (plus $5 S&H) by Check or Money Order to: Tidbits Media, Inc. 1430 I-85 Parkway, Suite 301 Montgomery AL 36106

(Alabama residents LIMITED EDITION BOOK SET please add $1 sales tax.) Reprints of Books I, II & III WHILE THEY LAST!

1st Quarter 2009 – Week 01 – Page 8

• Shortgame School • Private Instruction • Group Lessons • Junior Golf Programs • Pro-Shop & Clubhouse

$2 OFF

Sunday D UNLIMITE F L GO Regular Green Fee

ADVERTISING PROOF Final Changes DUE: Monday, Jan. 19 5:00 p.m. __________________________

with this ad. Every round supports the First Tee Junior Program S he

Located in Palm Desert on corner of Cook & Sheryl

Call & Play TODAY!

(760) 779-1877

PLEASE REVIEW CAREFULLY Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours

ryl Av e Cook St.

• The surface gravity of the moon is only 1/6 of that of the Earth. Since the force that gravity exerts on a person determines one’s weight, you would weigh much less on the moon than you would on Earth. While astronaut Alan Shepard was walking on the moon’s surface he teed up a golf ball and hit it with a driver, which he had packed along on the space craft for just this purpose. SKILLS With no air to offer resistance NECESSARY (continued): and very little gravity pulling it down to the surface, • Sewing a Button. Whether you’re male or -- a thefemale, golf ballbuttons traveledtend 2,400tofeet popbefore off atlanding the most distance of nearly half a mile! inopportune times. It is definitely handy to



Fred Waring Dr.

Hwy. 111

GOLF ALLEY - Doug Wilgers BZ 4C 6x Jan. 25, 2009 (Alt. wks. thru April 5, ‘09)

� � �

www.TheFirstTeeCoachellaValley.org

Readers Weekly Nationwide!

with Tina Mickelson

��

P.O. Box 2207 Palm Springs, CA 92263 Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630

�� email: valleybits@msn.com

GOLF ALLEY YOUR ECONOMY RELIEF GOLF STORE FEATURING: • Consignment Golf Equipment • Club Repair • Club Rental

WE’LL SELL YOUR CLUBS TO HELP

��

PAY YOUR NEXT GREEN FEE �� 42829 Cook St. 760.776.4646 since 1996 HRS: MIN: ��

Play Better Golf with JACK NICKLAUS Proof created Property of by:

Readers Weekly

�� TINA MICHELSON, PGA

Photo by Paul Nasri

��

Page 16

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Vol. VI Issue 20

KFWS • MindGym

April 26, 2010

1. MOVIES: What 1997 movie starred actors Helen Hunt and Jack 1. Name the Sheena Easton release 1. Name the last pitcher to lead the Nicholson? that wasWeekly the themeSUDOKU song to a James American League in ERA for the sea2. MYTHOLOGY: What was the son with a mark of 2.00 or less. Bond film. unusual feature possessed by Sleipnir, -Answer2. Which major-league pitcher had 2. The E Street Band is best known the horse belonging to the chief Norse the most losses during the decade of for its recording and touring work god Odin? the 1990s? with which artist? 3. LANGUAGE: What is meant by 3. How many No. 1 chart toppers has 3. In 2009, Greg Schiano became the French term “lèse-majesté”? the fourth person to coach 100 footJourney had over the years? 4. TELEVISION: What was the ball games at Rutgers. Name any of 4. Name the two “answer songs” to name of the headmistress in “The the first three to do it. “Work With Me, Annie” (1954) by Facts of Life”? 4. Since it became an official stat in 5. POETRY: Who wrote the poem Hank Ballard and the Midnighters. 5. Name the band that released the 1973-74, who have been the shortest “Nothing Gold Can Stay”? theKing Attic” album. What year? players to lead the NBA in blocked 6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is “Toys© in2006 Features Syndicate, Inc. 6. Which group was responsible for shots per game for a season? the only kind of food that a silkworm 5. Name the only current NHL head the garage-rock classic “96 Tears”? will eat? coach (at the end of the 2009-10 sea7. LEGAL: If someone dies “intesAnswers son) to have been with his team longer tate,” what does that mean? 1. “For Your Eyes Only” (1981) than Nashville’s Barry Trotz (11 sea8. CHEMISTRY:What is the symbol 2. Bruce Springsteen. The E Street sons). for the element tungsten? Band also has worked with artists 9. CHILDREN’S STORIES: How such as Meatloaf and The Grateful 6. In 2010, Didier Defago of Switzerland became the oldest man to many trips does Jack make to the Dead. Giant’s castle in “Jack and the 3. That depends on which chart you win the Olympic downhill skiing Beanstalk”? lookFILLER at. Journey had a Billboard event. How old was he? PAGE 2 7. Earlier in 2010, golfer Tommy 10. DISCOVERIES: What did 17th- Mainstream Rock Tracks No.with1 for 1Q09 - cheaters WEEK 13ﬂogged GO FIGURE! - Answers Sukdoku wet noodles! T NEWSFRONT TRIVIA MAR 22 - MAR 28 Armour III RIVIA tied a Champions Tour century scientist William Harvey dis- “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” in NEWSFRONT ANSWERS ANSWERS TEST 1983, and a Hot Adult Contemporary record for lowest1. score in relation to coverTRIVIA about the human body? 1986 par. What was his score? Weekly SUDOKU 2. NBC ANSWERS Tracks No. 1 PRESENTS for “When You Love a Answers 3. DuMont Answers -AnswerWoman” in 1996. 4. “Video Killed the Radio 1. “As Good as it Gets” TRIVIA NEWSFRONT™ Star” by The Buggles had a 1.74 ERA 4. Answer songs are written “in 1. Pedro Martinez 2. Eight legs 5. Walter Cronkite 1. In what year did the Fox TV network premiere? for Boston in 2000. answer” to a previous song. “Annie 3. Crime against a ruler 2. Which network used to boast that its programming wasHad “brought to you living color”? A Baby” and in“Annie’s Aunt Fan- 2. Andy Benes, who had 116 losses 4. Edna Garrett 3. What wasnie” the name of by the world’s first commer- (versus 125 wins)ALWAYS in the ’90s. FREE were the Midnighters, 5. Robert Frost cial television network? WUZZLES®Answers BIBLE TRIVIA 3. Harvey Harman (1938-41, 1946“answers” werevideousually 4. What wasalthough the title of the very first shown 6. Mulberry leaves ALWAYS Answers FUN on MTV?done by other artists. 55), John Bateman (1960-72) and 7. Without a will 5. What legendary CBS newsman was the first to (C) Neither Frank Burns1.(1973-83). 5. Aerosmith, in assassination 1975. The album 8. W break the news of the 1963 of 2. (D) Absalom Presidentcover John showed F. Kennedy? 4. Ben Wallace (3.5 blocks per game Quiz Bits toys crawling out of a 9. Three 3. (A) Cana in 2001-02) and Andrei Kirilenko (3.3 toy box. 4. (C) Abimelech 10. The role of arteries and veins in 1. Left foot are both listed at 6 5. (B) Jezebel 6. Question Mark and thePUZZLE Mysteri- bpg in 2004-05) the circulation of blood NUMBER 2. Approx. 27 days, 8 © 2006 King Features Syndicate, Inc. Fill in the ans. grid The so that every column, everySynd., row, Inc. feet 9 inches.6. (A) 1 Timothy ©1966 2010 King Features release sold more than hours © 2010 KingFeatures Features Synd.,Synd., Inc. ©©2010 King Inc. 2009 King Features Synd., Inc. and every 3 x 3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. 5. Lindy Ruff of Buffalo (12 sea1 million copies. sons). 1 © 2010 King Features Synd., 6 Inc. 6. Thirty-two years, 136 days.NUMBER 2 7 by Kara Kovalchik & Sandy Wood

ANSWERS

Tidbits® Word Search