Vol. 20: #24 • A Fleeting Look at Passenger Pigeons • (6-9-2024) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

PASSENGER

by Janet Spencer

The passenger pigeon’s name comes from the French “pigeon de passage” meaning “to pass by” referring to them “passing by” during migration. Once there were between three and five billion passenger pigeons in North America. Within 40 years, they were extinct.

GREAT BEGINNINGS

• Passenger pigeons gathered in large communal flocks to mate, raise their young, and feed. But when it was time to migrate, they came together in flocks that were astonishing in size. One flock seen over southern Ontario in 1866 was estimated to have been a mile wide and between 300 and 500 miles long, taking 14 hours to pass overhead. It was commonly reported that the size of the flocks blotted out the sun and sounded like rolling thunder.

• One modern naturalist estimated that if the entire population of passenger pigeons flew single-file, Passenger Pigeons: Turn to page 3

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

(Answers on page 16)

1. TELEVISION: What subject does Walter White teach at the beginning of “Breaking Bad”?

2. GEOGRAPHY: Which three countries make up the Baltic states in Europe?

3. MUSIC: What is the title of The Beatles’ first album?

4. LITERATURE: Prince Edward Island is the inspiration for which novel series?

5. HISTORY: Which Roman emperor built a wall across northern England to deter invaders?

6. MOVIES: Which movie first featured the character Lisbeth Salander?

7. ASTRONOMY: The asteroid belt lies between which two planets in our solar system?

8. U.S. STATES: Which state’s coast was dubbed the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” because so many ships wrecked there?

9. FOOD & DRINK: What does the term “a la carte” mean?

10. SCIENCE: What is the process called when a gas changes into a liquid?

(Trivia Test answers page 16)

Chemistry.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

“Please Please Me.” 4. “Anne of Green

your body

RANDOM BODY FACTS

Get set for a rapid-fire barrage of little known factoids about your body that we'll bet you never knew. Ready? - Go!

• Humans are the only species that cry emotional tears.

• Human thigh bones are four times stronger than concrete.

• If all the wrinkles in the brain were smoothed out, the brain would be the size of a pillowcase.

• You think about 20,000 thoughts per day.

• The fastest-growing fingernail is the middle finger.

• The average hair on the head lives 3 to 7 years.

• Lips look red because of the capillaries close to the skin’s surface.

• The coordination of 200 muscles is required to take a single step forward.

• Teeth are the only part of the body that cannot repair themselves when damaged.

• The aorta in a fully grown human is about the same width as a garden hose.

• There’s enough blood in your body to feed 1,200,000 mosquitoes – once.

• If all DNA in a human body was uncoiled and laid end to end, it would stretch 10 billion miles.

• The skin is completely replaced about once a month.

• Humans are the only animals that customarily sleep on their backs.

• The skull is composed of 22 different bones.

• The folds in your brain are as unique as

fingerprints; no two brains are alike.

• There are an estimated 37.2 trillion cells in the average adult human body.

• There are over 600 muscles in the body.

• If all the tissue in the lungs were stretched out and laid flat, it would be the size of a tennis court.

• Neural impulses travel along the nerves at speeds up to 275 mph.

• The brain cannot feel pain.

• The brain is 60% fat and runs at a power level of 20 watts.

• Your sense of smell is reduced while you sleep.

• Only humans consistently walk upright on two legs after learning to walk.

• The smallest bone in the body is located in the ear and is smaller than a grain of rice. The smallest muscle in the body is attached to that bone.

• The fastest muscles in the body control the eyelids.

• The left lung is smaller than the right lung to allow room for the heart.

• 96.2% of the body is made up of four elements: Oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen.

• The lungs are the only body part that will float in water.

• There are 206 bones in the adult body; 25% of them are located in the feet, and another 25% are in the hands.

• The largest joint in the body is the knee.

• All humans share 99.9 percent of their DNA.

• The brain uses 20% of the body’s oxygen and calories.

• The eyes are the same size from birth till death.

• A wink requires the coordination of 200 muscles.

• The fluid surrounding the eyeball is flushed and replaced 15 times a day.

• The average person experiences flatulence 14 times a day.

• The heart rate tends to sync with the beat of music being listened to. 

Gables.”

Week of June 9,

Passenger Pigeons: (from page one)

the flock would stretch around the globe at the equator 22 times. Many researchers feel it was the most numerous bird on earth at the time. One ornithologist believed that the sheer volume of passenger pigeons accounted for between 25% and 40% of the total population of birds in the U.S. Conservationist Aldo Leopold described their passing as “a feathered tempest.”

• Their range covered most of North America, from the Rockies to the Atlantic, and central Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. They depended on vast expanses of hardwood forests of beech, oak, and chestnut for sustenance, and added berries and bugs in the summer.

• The birds could fly at sustained speeds of 60 mph. While roosting, they could fly far afield in search of new food sources, covering up to 100 miles every morning and evening. This also made it easy for them to migrate long distances. In 1813, after witnessing the passing of a flock that took three days to fly overhead, ornithologist John James Audubon estimated that they could likely cross the Atlantic in three days.

• The birds had incredible maneuverability and could easily fly through dense forests where predatory birds could not navigate.

• They laid a single egg per nest. Chicks hatched after two weeks and fledged two weeks later, much faster than most other birds. This gave the passenger pigeon a head start over other birds regarding food sources and allowed them to fly to new areas to forage.

SOCIAL HABITS

• By their nature, passenger pigeons had what could be called hyper-social tendencies. Whereas most pigeon species have one or two nests per tree, passenger pigeons had hundreds.

They roosted so close together that branches broke under their weight.

• The safety-in-numbers habit of the passenger pigeon meant that normal predators like foxes and hawks could pick away at their numbers while leaving the vast majority unharmed. But this also led to their demise when humans entered the mix.

• When massed together, they became easy prey for men who carelessly slaughtered them in atrocious numbers, especially during nesting season. And there was plenty of incentive to do so, along with increasingly easy means of getting the mass killings done.

FATAL FACTORS

• Passenger pigeons were not only easy to kill but also tasted good. The Civil War meant that soldiers and slaves needed food in times of scarcity. Pioneers and homesteaders, after barely surviving a winter, enjoyed a windfall of free pigeon pie. The telegraph was invented about the same time that the railroads were expanding, which made it easy for professional pigeon hunters to find out where the flocks were headed and travel there to slaughter them in great numbers.

• The invention of the refrigerated boxcar in 1878 accelerated the slaughter. Birds were packed in barrels and shipped back to the cities by the boxcar load to be sold for fifty cents a dozen. A financial crisis in 1873 resulted in a depression, leaving more people than ever desperate for cheap food. The commercial pigeon industry flourished.

• Hunters found it easy to kill the greatest number of pigeons in the shortest period of time while they were nesting densely in trees. This killed the adults during the critical period of reproduction, meaning few chicks survived.

• At the same time, the birds’ habitat was being systematically destroyed, as forests were cut down by timber companies cutting lumber, and farmers clearing land for agriculture. With less food available, the pigeons invaded the farmers’ fields. Farmers killed as many pigeons as

Male and female passenger pigeons looked different, a rare trait among the world's more than 350 species of pigeons and doves. The red breasts of males were likely a signal of superior fitness to females seeking the best mate among the flock.

3

possible to protect their crops, and used them as fertilizer. Hunters fed them alcohol-spiked grain to make them easier to capture. Fires set at the base of nesting trees drove them into nets. Pots of burning sulfur caused dazed birds to fall to the ground.

Passenger Pigeons: Turn to page 15

1. How old was Martha,

2. What was the typical

a passenger

By Lucie Winborne

* “Witch windows,” or diagonal windows, exist almost exclusively in Vermont. Their moniker comes from the superstition that witches can’t maneuver their broomsticks through slanted windows.

* A 67-year-old woman named Dorothy Fletcher had a heart attack on a plane. When the stewardess asked if a doctor was on board, luck was on Dorothy’s side: Fifteen people on their way to a cardiology conference stood up! Dorothy survived.

* A killer fog that swathed London in 1952 and left as many as 12,000 people dead led to Parliament’s passing the first Clean Air Act in 1956.

* Richard Anthony Jones spent 17 years in jail on a robbery charge until talk by some of his fellow inmates revealed he had a doppelganger with the same first name in the same jail. This second Jones was actually the guilty party.

* Before his acting career took off, Harrison Ford worked as a roadie for The Doors. That gig proved so intense that he humorously claimed he was “one step away from joining a Jesuit monastery” after it ended.

* While doing research for the film “Castaway,” William Broyles Jr. isolated himself on a beach for a week to immerse himself in the survival experience, which lent authenticity to the screenplay. ***

Thought for the Day: “By seeing each day and each situation as a kind of training exercise, the stakes suddenly become a lot lower. The way you interpret your own mistakes and the mistakes of others is suddenly a lot more generous.”

-- Ryan Holiday

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

by Mary Hunt

Of Green Smoothies and Grateful Readers

spinach to just shy of the amount that would be required to actually taste it. And we added cucumber to see if we could get the color a bit more greenish.

Long story short, it’s been more than a year. Once again I bow to the power of habit. Mostly green smoothies each morning have become a real, bona fide habit. It is our new way of life.

It’s so easy too, since I came up with a way to do all the work ahead of time, assemblyline style -- once every two weeks.

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

Some days I can’t believe how lucky I am. Not only do I get to communicate with this growing audience of readers, but many of you find your way to my blog EverydayCheapskate.com, sign up to see me in your inbox every morning, and even reciprocate with lovely responses. Every single day I open my mailbox and out spills wonderful notes, letters -- even an occasional multiple-page tome. Mostly you send me questions, but now and then it’s just a wonderful thank you note.

by Mary Hunt

Always, I’m grateful for your feedback.

DEAR CHEAPSKATE: I am marching in your army of green smoothie breakfasters! Is your recipe ( previous column, “Turns Out It IS Easy Being Green”) for one or two people? (Asked as she obligingly drinks the whole thing, which seems quite adequate!) -- Christine

Dear Christine: You just made me laugh out loud envisioning you marching in your green uniform, smoothie in hand. It is a recipe for one 16-ounce smoothie, and yes, it makes for a very adequate, healthy breakfast. You could easily divide this to make two smaller servings, but I do like your style. Happy to have you in the army, by the way. (For curious readers who may have missed that column, you will find a rerun of the column Nancy refers to below):

Turns Out It IS Easy Being Green

Have I got a story for you. I don’t like to think my husband and I cave easily to peer pressure, but apparently that is the case.

We have these friends who are way into the healthy lifestyle -- clean eating and extreme exercise. I call anything with the words “running,” “jogging” or “cycling” in it extreme. They’re so into these things, they don’t even think about taking a short hiatus when we visit. Oh, no. We’re talking green smoothies all around, every morning. No question, no excuse.

Let me just say right here that my husband has never met a vegetable he enjoys. He’s just not into them. Never has been. But he’s kinder than he is finicky, and so in the interest of friendship, he (OK, and I) would put on a happy face and down the green whenever we visited our friends Carol and Steve. And Harold would kind of shudder in a way only I was aware of -the way kids do when they have to eat something they think is really gross. This always made me laugh, but I tried really hard not to show it.

I cannot fully explain this, but after several of these occasions, something went off inside of both of us suggesting that perhaps, just maybe, we might think about doing this ourselves. At home.

One thing led to another -- by that I mean we started with bananas, apples and one teeny, tiny leaf of baby spinach -- until without quite knowing what hit us, every morning we were actually making smoothies that turned out the color of wet concrete.

We decided to gradually increase the

I start by opening these bread bags (I got a box of 1,000 on Amazon to demonstrate my level of commitment) and fashioning them into “bowls” on the counter. Into each bag goes a chopped banana, a handful of baby spinach leaves, four baby carrots, four fat slices of cucumber and half a chopped apple. That’s it.

I twist the bags, tie them loosely and into the freezer they go. Done.

Each morning we take out one bag, whack it on the counter a couple of times, dump the contents into a blender, along with about 3/4 cup of water (juice, kefir or whatever’s handy) and hit the “smoothie” button. In less than 3 minutes, voila! A healthy, actually quite delicious, lovely green smoothie.

Don’t tell a soul, but with each batch I’m increasing the amount of spinach. I’m trying to get our green up to a color that is actually pretty -- the way green smoothies are supposed to be.

Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate. com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”

COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM

WARNING: Reading Tidbits is habit forming

BIDDY MASON

• Bridget was born into slavery in Georgia probably around 1815. She was called Biddy for short as, like most slaves, she had no official last name. As she grew she was tutored in gardening, herbal medicines, livestock care, child care, and midwifery.

• As a young adult, she was presented to a Mormon couple in Mississippi as a wedding gift. Her new owners, Robert and Rebecca Smith, decided to join the Mormon exodus destined for Utah. In 1847, at the age of 32, Biddy was taken along to join the 300-wagon caravan. She tended livestock, helped the pregnant ladies, prepared meals, watched the children, and aided the sick.

• In 1851, Robert Smith joined a contingent of Mormons destined for the gold fields of California. The group, including Smith’s family and his slaves, settled in San Bernardino.

• California had been admitted to the Union as a free state in 1850, which meant that Robert Smith’s slaves were then being held illegally. Smith subsequently decided he was moving the entire clan to Texas, a slave state, to avoid having to set them all free. He knew he could sell them for a high price in Texas.

• Biddy wanted to remain in California to claim her freedom, fearing that a move to Texas would result in being separated from her children.

• She fled with her children along with other slaves, hoping to reach Los Angeles. Smith intercepted them and reclaimed them. But when he attempted to leave California to go to Texas, an anti-slavery posse stopped them.

• The case went to court. Biddy, her three daughters (who may have been Smith’s children), and ten other slaves were held in the local jail for their own safety until the case could be heard.

• In 1856, the judge granted all of them their freedom.

• Finally free, Biddy took on the last name of Mason, which was likely the name of the family she had been born into in Georgia.

• She and her daughters moved to Los Angeles. Biddy worked as a nurse and midwife. In 1860, she bought a house at 331 Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles, becoming the first black woman to own property in the city. She also purchased a vacant lot nearby and rented it out as livery stables where horses and carriages could rest. This was likely L.A.ʼs first official “parking lot.”

• Biddy continued to expand her holdings. Through judicious investments, she built the first elementary school for black children as well as a hospital. Her money financed the founding of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in California, which is now the oldest church in Los Angeles.

• She also used the building as a community food pantry, a daycare, and a shelter for homeless travelers. She provided meals for prisoners in the local jail. Biddy Masonʼs heart was always to help other people in any way she could, and she was relentlessly philanthropic.

• When she died in 1891, she had accumulated a fortune worth an estimated $6 million in today’s dollars. In her will, she donated much of her wealth to area charities.

• Today, the location that was once her homestead at 333 South Spring Street in Los Angeles is now a memorial park to honor the life of this remarkable woman.

• This mini-park, called Biddy Mason Time and Place, was designed by landscape architects Katherine Spitz and Pamela Burton. Highlights

of her life are displayed on an 80-foot poured concrete wall. The display includes artifacts, papers, maps, and photographs that represent her life, from being born into slavery, to being mourned by a community that loved her. Surrounded by green trees, deep shade, and quiet places to sit, the park is a fitting tribute to this truly amazing woman.

budget & level of social activity

There are Pros & Cons to owning a home in an HOA Community. Last week we looked at the Pros and this week we consider the Cons.

• It’s very important to read the CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions, & Restrictions) before purchasing your Dream Home. These regulations dictate what you can & cannot do with your property. For example, there could be restrictions that don’t align with your lifestyle, such as prohibiting pets or not allowing overnight guest parking. Understanding these rules beforehand can save you from future frustrations & ensure the community is the right fit for you.

• HOA Fees can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars A MONTH, depending on what’s included. It’s very important to factor this cost into your monthly Dream Home budget. For personalized help with understanding local HOAs, call or email MJ & Marcanne today! ©

Q: What do you call a flatulent pigeon?

A: A tootle dove!

by Dana Jackson

Q: Now that “NCIS: Hawai’i” has been canceled, are there going to be any other “NCIS” shows in the works? -- K.S.

A: Yes! “NCIS” has been a very successful franchise for CBS ever since it premiered on the network back in 2003. Starring Mark Harmon, the series has spawned four spin-offs (“Los Angeles,” “New Orleans,” “Hawai’i” and “Sydney”) with two more planned.

“NCIS: Origins” will focus on Harmon’s character at the beginning of his career in the 1990s, with Austin Stowell (“Three Women”) stepping into his shoes. The series will air on CBS on Monday nights beginning this fall, and Harmon is listed as the narrator.

The other new spin-off, “NCIS: Tony & Ziva,” will air on the streamer Paramount+ and will star fan-favorites Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, who reprise their “NCIS” roles. You may remember that de Pablo’s Ziva was presumed dead when the actress left “NCIS,” but later, it was learned that she was alive and went on to live happily ever after with Tony and their baby in France. The new series picks up with the family on the run in Europe.

“I expect intrigue, romance, the background of Europe, impossible situations that will make our life complicated, but somehow a little something about love,” explained de Pablo on a recent announcement via Zoom. Paramount+ has ordered 10 episodes, with shooting to begin shortly

in Budapest. ***

Q: Is it true that Susan Lucci is going to be the “Golden Bachelorette”? Will the show air soon? -- J.K.

A: ABC decided to give audiences what they’ve been requesting for decades -- a “Bachelor” for Boomers. Gerry Turner, a 72-year-old retired restaurateur and widower, became “The Golden Bachelor,” marrying, and alas divorcing, Theresa Nist, a financial securities specialist from Manhattan.

Despite the disappointing conclusion to that romance, the season itself was a hit with many questioning who would be the first Golden Bachelorette. There was a recent report that “All My Children” star Susan Lucci was asked to be the chooser, but a spokesperson from ABC has denied it.

According to TVLine, they eventually found their “The Golden Bachelorette” star in 61-year-old Joan Vassos, a school administrator who had to leave the “Golden Bachelor” season early to be by her daughter’s side for a medical crisis. She’ll make her debut this fall when “The Golden Bachelorette” premieres, with episodes being expanded to 90 minutes long. ***

Q: Is the PBS series “Antiques Roadshow” still making new episodes? I see reruns all the time where they give updates on what an item would be appraised at in 2024, but they’re still reruns. -- V.O.

A: Yes, “Antiques Roadshow” is currently filming its upcoming 29th season with a five-city tour. The new season will premiere sometime in

2025, with episodes filmed from their stops this summer in Las Vegas; Baltimore; Bentonville, Arkansas; Urbandale, Iowa; and Littleton, Colorado. For more information about the show and future tours, visit PBS.org/wgbh/roadshow

* * *

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

(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo to star in “Tony & Ziva” Gail Schulman

Good Recipes from

Turkey Marsala with Mushrooms

Turkey cutlets are an excellent and economical substitute for veal scallopini, and this recipe proves it.

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

10 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

3/4 teaspoons salt

1 pound turkey cutlets, large pieces cut in half

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup dry Marsala wine

1/4 cup water

1. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook until mushrooms are golden brown and liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to medium bowl.

2. Meanwhile, with meat mallet or between two sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper with rolling pin, pound turkey cutlets to 1/4-inch thickness. On waxed paper, combine flour, pep per and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; use to coat cutlets, shaking off excess.

3. In same skillet, melt remaining 1 table spoon butter with oil over medium-high heat. Add half of cutlets and cook until cutlets are golden brown and lose their pink color throughout, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer cutlets to bowl with mushrooms; keep warm. Repeat with remaining cutlets.

4. To skillet, add Marsala and water; cook

1 minute. Stir in turkey cutlets and mushrooms, turning to coat with sauce. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

 Each serving (without skin and including pan juices): About 284 calories, 10g fat (4g saturated), 30g protein, 86mg cholesterol, 556mg sodium, 9g total carb.

Double Cornbread

Frozen corn enhances the texture and flavor of hearty cornbread without a lot of extra expense. Bake and freeze the cornbread, tightly wrapped, up to one month. Thaw; then, when ready to serve, reheat, covered, at 450 F for 15 minutes. Cut into 24 serving pieces.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups buttermilk

3 large eggs

1 package frozen corn

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

2 jalapeno chiles

1. Heat oven to 450 F. Grease 13-by-9-

inch metal baking pan.

2. In large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In medium bowl, with wire whisk or fork, beat buttermilk and eggs until blended.

3. Add corn, melted butter and jalapenos to buttermilk mixture; then add to flour mixture. Stir until ingredients are just mixed.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 22 to 25 minutes, or until golden at edges and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cut lengthwise into 4 strips, then cut each strip cross-

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

(c) 2024 Hearst Communications, Inc.

By John Allen

DIAMOND LIL

by Brett Koth

Donald Duck by Walt

NEXT WEEK in TIDBITS NIBBLES ON FOOD BITS

GALORE

6/9 Donald Duck Day

6/10 Be a Miracle in Someone's Life

6/11 Shavout begins at sundown

6/12 Mechanics Appreciation Day

6/13 Roller Coaster Day

6/14 National Flag Day

6/15 Worldwide Day of Giving

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis

Dogs Chase, Fences Protect

You can’t see me, but I’m shaking my head.

I’m just off a call with a woman who’s having some trouble with her 3-year-old Labrador. Her family resides on seven beautiful acres, and their dog chases birds and squirrels with the joyful zeal we would expect from a Lab. She wants him to respect the property boundaries.

Did I mention she refuses to put up a fence?

“Can’t you just train him to stop chasing birds and squirrels,” she asked me.

“Impossible,” I said.

“Why not,” she demanded.

“What’s his last name? … Retriever?”

She wasn’t impressed. At that point she told me that her previous dog had the same habit of “ignoring” the property boundaries, and he eventually was hit and killed by a car.

It was my turn not to be impressed. A dog ignoring boundaries he doesn’t know exist is understandable. A woman ignoring danger of which she’s acutely aware is not.

I get that it costs a lot of money to securely fence seven acres of land. How about a dog run or some other fenced-in area within the property? She shot down that idea, saying a dog run is “cruel.”

Cruel?

Cruel is willfully ignoring a dangerous situation and essentially going for two for two dead dogs.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said. On many things, I would agree with her, but not on this.

Wuzzles solution Page 16

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

(CryptoQuip Solution on page 14)

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles © King Features Synd., Inc.

Surviving summer heat

While winter cold can cause health problems for seniors, the summer heat can be just as dangerous.

Heat that’s too high can lead to heat exhaustion. Nausea, feeling weak or dizzy, being thirsty, having rapid pulse -- those are all signs that we’re too hot. Then there is heat rash, heat edema (swollen ankles and feet), heat cramps, heat stroke ... all with their own list of serious medical results.

The risks can come not only from the temperature, but from reactions from some of the prescription drugs we take, drinking alcohol and caffeine, living without air conditioning and having certain medical conditions.

Here is a list of suggestions from the National Institutes for Health for seniors to follow for dealing with summer heat:

 Consult with your doctor about how many ounces of water you need to drink on a daily basis. Ask if it needs to be only water, or if juices can also count in your daily intake of liquid

 Keep the drapes closed to block the sun.

 Leave a hot house for a cooler place during the heat of the day, ideally a public place. Think about the library, a movie theater or the mall during the heat of the afternoon until the sun goes down.

 Check with the rec center, senior center, town government or health department if they have cooling centers.

 Wear lightweight cotton clothes instead of synthetics. It’s not just the heat, humidity adds to the temperature as well and can greatly increase the sweltering effects of high temperatures. There's even a name for this: The Misery Index. Seniors don’t produce as much sweat as we used to, so we don't experience as much natural cooling as breezes blow over us.

 Keep an eye on the news for advance notice about heat waves in your area. Plan ahead for where you might go to cool off and for meals that don’t heat up the kitchen.

 And remember: If you do have air conditioning, use it! A heatwave is not the time to worry about the electric bill!

* * *

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

More than one million dogs are killed by cars on American roads every year, and most of them were chasing something -- a ball, a squirrel, a cat. A dog’s drive to chase is natural, as natural as breathing. It’s an instinct, and it’s virtually impossible to train away instincts. It’s like calling a dog trainer and asking him to train your dog to stop sniffing.

Part of responsible dog ownership is training. With commitment, perseverance and know-how, we can train our dogs to respond every time to commands like “sit” and “stay” and “here.” That would help in situations like this one, as long as we’re physically present and giving the dog our full attention.

But what about when we aren’t around? What about when we’re off running errands or washing dishes in the kitchen or running to answering a phone call or taking a quick shower?

The other part of responsible dog ownership is prevention. This is the area of leashes and fences and securing the dog in the house.

The combination of training and prevention is powerful. It’ll keep our dogs safe and sound under most circumstances. Absent real and thorough training, prevention becomes absolutely vital -it’s all that stands between our dogs and disaster. Without either, we’re just playing the odds. Woof! Cody’s Corner (from page 9)

* * *

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

COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Still Nifty at 50!

My wife and I are celebrating 50 years of wedded bliss! I wrote a column similar to this one on our 45th anniversary. I did it then because I was worried we weren’t going to make it to 50 -- not because of any marital discord but because of health issues. For you see, I inherited some terrible longevity genes. My dad died at the age of 47. And I don’t have a single uncle who lived past the age of 60. So, my prospects for old age were gloomy. And about five years ago, my wife started struggling with some health issues. But here we are at our 50th anniversary. My wife has been given a clean bill of health by all her doctors. And for some genetic reason I don’t understand (but am thankful for), I’m still kicking!

Anyway, I got more positive feedback to that anniversary column I wrote five years ago than I’ve received about any column I’ve ever written. So I thought I’d repeat a slightly updated version of it now.

We were married on June 1, 1974. I was a relatively new employee of the Social Security Administration at that time, having been hired just a year earlier. How that came to be is an interesting story.

After graduating from college, I floundered around for a year or two looking for work. I finally decided to take a federal civil service exam. Within a month or two, I started getting letters from various federal government agencies inviting me for job interviews.

The first letter came from the Federal Aviation Administration for a job as a “sky marshal.” Older readers may recall that in the late 1960s and early 1970s, there were a spate of airline hijackings in this country and around the world. So, the government was beefing up the air marshal service that had started in the 1960s. The interview did not go well. They were looking for tough young men (and back then it was just men) preferably with military training who were familiar with guns, not a bookish nerd who barely knew the difference between a six-shooter and a pea-shooter.

Next came a letter from the Internal Revenue Service. Once again, I didn’t impress them. They wanted someone who was good with numbers. I was never into math and could barely balance my checkbook, let alone be ready to audit someone’s tax return.

Three or four more letters arrived from various government agencies. I don’t even recall what

the jobs were. I just remember that each interview was a flop. And I had pretty much concluded that a career with the federal government was just not in the cards for me. And so, when a letter arrived from the Social Security Administration about a job in Springfield, Illinois, I just threw it in the trash figuring it wasn’t worth the effort of scheduling an interview.

And then, about two weeks later, I got a call from the manager of the Springfield Social Security office. I was living in my hometown, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and he said the reason he called was that he was born and raised in the “Bratwurst Capital of the World,” and he thought he’d try to help a fellow Sheboyganite. He asked if I had received their letter. Thinking quickly on my feet, I lied and said, “What letter?” I then cursed the post office (apologies to all my postal service friends out there), and he promised to send a follow-up invite.

Long story short: About a month later, I found myself reporting for duty at the Social Security office in Springfield, Illinois. And following a long training class, I was eventually assigned to Springfield’s new branch office that they were opening up in a small farming community about 50 miles south called Litchfield.

One of my duties in that office was to take phone calls from the insurance billing clerk at the local hospital. Becky Bachstein would call almost every day to verify Medicare numbers so she could complete the billing process for various elderly patients. We had been exchanging these phone calls for many months when her boss decided to try to play matchmaker by inviting me out to the hospital for lunch to meet Becky.

That was in January 1974. And another long story short: Five months later, we were married! Of course, I’ve often thought about the serendipity of our getting together. I mean, if the Springfield Social Security office manager hadn’t been from Sheboygan, and if he hadn’t felt inclined to call me, that Social Security job invite would have remained in my trash basket -- and who knows where I’d be to-

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

2. From 2 Samuel 11, who received a letter from David telling to put Uriah into battle? a) Gideon b) Ahab c) Issac d) Joab

3. Which metal, used to sharpen others, does Proverbs 27 compare to friends? a) Gold b) Silver c) Iron d) Zinc

4. Who told God that Job would curse Thee to His face? a) Moses b) Satan c) Caleb d) Job's wife

5. Matthew, a tax collector, was known by what other name? a) Levi b) Didymus c) Felix d) Reuben

6. From Mark 6, who called Herod an adulterer? a) Luke b) John the Baptist c) Jesus d) Peter

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

(Answers on page 16) For comments or more Bible Trivia go to www.TriviaGuy.com

day? And who knows who Becky Bachstein’s boss would have invited to have lunch with her?

I promise I will tie something to do with Social Security into these memories in a minute. But first I must share another cute story involving my courtship with Becky. Please indulge me. After all, how many 50th wedding anniversaries do you get in a lifetime?

The story involves asking Becky out on our first date. (That lunchtime get-together arranged by her boss didn’t count.) On an upcoming Saturday night, I was going to invite her to the most popular movie at the time, “American Graffiti.” Starring Ron Howard and Richard Dreyfus and directed by George Lucas, it is the story of recent high school grads cruising their summer nights away in 1962 before going off to college.

Anyway, the tagline to the movie was this: “Where were you in ‘62?” And I had cleverly (or so I thought) planned to use that as one of the opening lines in my date invite. Now, in 1962, I was in 7th grade. And I fully expected Becky’s response to be something similar. So imagine my shock when she answered, “Oh, that’s the year I graduated from high school.” And then she turned the question on me. “Where were you in ‘62, Tom?” Not wanting to admit that I was just a youngster and that she was about to “rob the cradle,” I merely replied, “Oh, about the same.”

But oh, my gosh! I suddenly realized I was talking to an older woman! I had no idea. My mind raced. What should I do? I thought of coming up with excuses. “Oh, I forgot. I’m washing my car Saturday night and I can’t go.” Or “I’m sorry, but Saturday night is when I polish my shoes.” But I wisely decided I’d forgo the excuses and take a chance by asking this older woman out on a date. And thank goodness I did. Because it’s been a fantastic 50 years! And believe it or not, all these years later, she’s still five years older than me. But she looks and acts 10 years younger!

OK, so what is my Social Security tie-in to all of this? Well, I thought I would look back to see what Social Security was like in 1974.

In 1974, there were around 30 million people getting Social Security checks totaling about $61 billion in annual benefits. Today, there are 66 million beneficiaries, and annual Social Security benefits will top the $1 trillion mark. (That’s what happens when every single day, about 10,000 baby boomers turn into senior boomers and file for Social Security benefits.) My love for baby boomer turned senior boomer Becky Bachstein has continued to grow for 50 years. So has Social Security!

* * *

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

COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM

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Narrowing Down the Main Cause Behind Insulin Resistance

DEAR DR. ROACH: What is the main cause for insulin resistance? I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes about five years ago. I’ve maintained a consistent weight under 200 pounds, and I’m only 5 feet, 9 inches tall. I was able to get my A1C level down to 7.2% last summer, but in late fall, my numbers started spiking, even with insulin. I now find myself injecting crazy amounts of insulin just to maintain normal glucose levels.

I’m on a diet of 40 grams of carbohydrates a day. I walk close to 20,000 steps a day. But on a regular day, I inject 30-40 units of mealtime insulin before eating a low-carb, high-protein meal. Still, my level spikes above 250 mg/dL, and it stays there for a few hours. -- A.R.N.

ANSWER: Insulin is a signal that there is plenty of sugar in the body, and the body uses insulin to take sugar out of the blood into cells. Normally, just a little insulin will make blood sugar levels go down a lot. When it takes a lot of insulin to lower blood sugar levels, we say that there is insulin resistance. A great deal of work has been done in trying to elicit why people develop resistance to insulin.

There are some rare congenital cases involving mutations of the insulin receptor. There are rarely acquired immune-mediated causes that have antibodies to insulin or the insulin receptor. These antibodies have an extremely high resistance to insulin.

However, most cases of insulin resistance are associated with obesity. Your BMI is 29.5, suggesting that you’re overweight but not obese. In this case, abdominal fat is more metabolically important, since it can lead to free fatty acids and compounds called adipocytokines, which may contribute to insulin resistance.

People with abdominal obesity and insulin resistance often have abnormal cholesterol levels and high blood pressures, a combination called “metabolic syndrome.” Blood pressure and cholesterol must often be treated separately.

Insulin works to lower blood sugar, but

there are four main hormones that oppose insulin and raise blood sugar: cortisol, catecholamines, glucagon and growth hormone. Elevated levels of any of these hormones will cause insulin resistance. I know this isn’t your case, but the pregnancy hormone human placental lactogen causes insulin resistance and is the proximate cause for gestational diabetes.

Some medicines (steroids, birth control pills, and HIV medicines) can cause insulin resistance. Critically, glucose itself can cause insulin resistance! High blood sugar levels prevent insulin release as well. This is why getting and keeping a normal blood sugar level is so critically important, especially when a person is first diagnosed.

Management of a person with high amounts of insulin resistance can be challenging. You are already doing amazingly well with exercise, and it sounds as though your diet is of the type that is commonly recommended. Medications that reduce insulin levels -- such as metformin, GLP-1 agonists and thiazolidinediones -- are often recommended to reduce the amount of insulin used.

Your situation is not common, and you should absolutely be in the hands of an endocrinologist who specializes in diabetes. ***

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 79-year-old man with diabetes and high blood pressure. What are your thoughts on taking a supplement designed for horses by humans? My son-in-law takes l teaspoon of this every other day for building his body and suggests that it might help me. -- Anon.

ANSWER: Please don’t take products designed for other animals. The dosing that is healthy for some animals can be toxic for others. I looked up the product -- it contains vitamins and minerals that are important for humans, but the dosing isn’t right. Supplements are not an effective treatment for diabetes or high blood pressure. Strong data show that people who eat well don’t benefit much, or at all, from vitamin and mineral supplementation, but if you choose to do so, choose one designed for humans, not horses.

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

(c) 2024 North America Synd., Inc.

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

Healthcare Scams

It takes a lot of nerve to cook up a scheme to steal large amounts of money from government agencies such as the VA, especially since in the end the criminals get caught.

One thief tried to convince the VA that he couldn’t use his feet anymore. The scam got him a 100% disability rating (as well as the monthly benefits that went along with it), plus a specially adapted car. He was ratted out by several witnesses who saw him drive to a VA medical center, get out and walk around and sit in a wheelchair before rolling into the center. He was also seen by several others (who had known him a long time) walking around in a mall. Not only did he get sent to prison, but he has to pay back a large amount of money.

And what about the eye doctor who took kickbacks for ordering unnecessary brain scans? His partner in crime was a medical diagnostics company. Not only did they generate fake diagnoses, but they pulled this on hundreds of patients and then sent out the bills. The money he stole ran into the millions, although he only made $100 or so for each fake diagnosis and brain scan he ordered.

What would make a doctor, who’d been in practice for 40 years, think he could get away with a scheme like this? He’ll have plenty of time to think about that in prison.

The bigger the scam and the more moving parts, the more likely the criminals are to be caught. Such was the case with a guy who had his fingers in several types of health care fraud: offering and paying kickbacks to doctors who wrote fake test orders, compounded medicines and genetic cancer screenings (costing $10,000 each). The players included not only the doctors but pharmacies, labs and durable medical equipment companies.

The perp’s share of the $51 million cash haul for all these schemes was $10 million. He won’t get to spend that in prison. *

Freddy Groves regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@gmail.com.

M.D.

-- by Jim Miller

Long-Term Care Benefits for Veterans and Surviving Spouses

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: I understand that the Veterans Administration has a benefit that can help veterans and spouses with long-term care costs. We recently had to move my elderly father into an assisted living memory care facility, and my mother will probably need care too in the near future. What can you tell me? --Searching for Aid

Dear Searching: The Veterans Administration (VA) does indeed have an underutilized benefit that can help wartime veterans and their surviving spouses pay for a variety of long-term care costs.

This benefit, called “Aid and Attendance,” is a special pension that’s paid on top of existing VA pensions for eligible veterans and surviving spouses. In 2024, it pays a maximum of $2,727 a month to married veterans; $2,300 a month to single veterans; or $1,478 a month to a surviving spouse.

The money is tax free, and can be used to pay for assisted living, memory care, nursing home or in-home care services.

Currently, around 156,000 veterans and survivors are receiving the Aid and Attendance benefit, but many thousands more are eligible who either don’t know about it or don’t think they qualify.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify, your dad must have served at least 90 days of active military service with at least one day of service during a period of war, and have received an honorable discharge. Single surviving spouses of wartime vets are eligible if their marriage ended due to death.

In addition, your dad will also have to meet certain thresholds for medical and financial need to be eligible.

To qualify medically he must be either disabled, or over the age of 65 and need help performing basic everyday living tasks such as eating, bathing, dressing or using the bathroom. Being blind or in a nursing home due to disability or receiving Social Security Disability or SSI also qualifies him. Single surviving spouses have no age restrictions, but they must require help with basic everyday living tasks to be eligible.

To qualify financially your parents “net worth,” which includes assets and annual income combined, must be below $155,356 in 2024.

To calculate this, add up your parent’s assets, which includes their personal property (like investments, real estate, etc.) excluding their primary home and vehicles. And tally up their income over the past year (including Social Security, pensions, interest income from investments, annuities, etc.), minus any out-of-pocket medical expenses, prescription drugs, insurance premiums and long-term care costs over that same period

The VA also has a three-year lookback to determine if your parents transferred any assets to ensure they would qualify for benefits. If so, they may be subject to a penalty period of up to 5 years.

To apply for Aid and Attendance, you’ll need to fill out VA Form 21-2680 and mail it to the Pension Management Center (PMC) for your dad’s state. You’ll need to have your dad’s doctor fill out the examination information section. Or you can also apply in person at a VA regional office near your parents.

For more information or to download application forms see VA.gov/pension/aidattendance-housebound. You can also call the VA at 800–827–1000 if you have ques-

If you need some help, you can appoint a Veteran Service Officer (VSO), a VA-accredited attorney or claims agent to represent your dad. See VA.gov/ogc/apps/ accreditation/index.asp to locate someone.

If your dad is eligible, it can take months for his application to be processed, so be patient.

You should also know that if your dad’s Aid and Attendance application is approved, the VA will send a lump sum retroactive payment covering the time from the day you filed the application until the day it was approved. After that, your dad receives monthly payments going forward.

A: Your friend is right on both counts. Your cream pitcher and covered sugar bowl were made by Gladding McBean and Company. The mark you provided is often referred to as Gladding McBean’s “TV screen” mark. They were founded in 1875 in Los Angles, where there were rich deposits of clay.

by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

by Anne McCollam Creators

Cabinet Is So Handy

Q: I have enclosed a photo of a sewing basket. My husband found it at the dump around 1972. I always used it as a sewing basket, but I’m not sure that is what it was intended for. It is in very good condition. What can you tell me about its vintage and value?

A: You have a wood sewing cabinet. Many were made in the early 1900s. They usually were made of wood, had handles for convenience, had turned legs and usually opened out to reveal shelves for storage. Seamstresses kept their sewing notions in the cabinets. They held threads, needles, scissors, tape measures, knitting and crocheting accessories. Sewing cabinets like yours were often placed next to a sewing chair or sewing rocker.

Similar circa 1920s-1930s sewing cabinets can be seen selling from $150 to $175 online.

Q: This mark is on the bottom of a cream pitcher and covered sugar bowl that I bought at a garage sale. I paid $10 for the set. Each piece is about 4 inches tall and in excellent condition. They are decorated with pink roses, green leaves and brown trim against a cream background.

A friend told me they are the “Desert Rose” pattern and might be worth more than what I paid. Is she right?

The set is an example of their “Desert Rose” pattern that was introduced in 1941. It is recognized by the embossed pattern of pink roses, green leaves, and brown branches. It is very similar to their “Apple” pattern that was introduced in 1940. Both patterns were embossed and hand-painted.

Gladding McBean made several other similar patterns, including “Ivy,” “Cafe” and “Fresh Fruit.” Both “Desert Rose” and “Apple” have been by far the most popular pattern. A plethora of pieces and accessories were available, from pitchers to cigarette holders. In 1979, the company was sold to Wedgwood in England, and all U.S. production ceased.

The “Desert Rose” pattern continues to be popular. Your cream pitcher and covered sugar bowl were made around 1960, and the set would probably be worth $60 to $85.

* * *

Antiques expert and columnist Anne McCollam has since retired and no longer receives inquiries nor answers reader letters. Due to the popularity of her column, this publication will continue to reprint previous columns of interest to our readers.

To find out more about Anne McCollam and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com

* On June 10, 1692, Bridget Bishop became the first person executed for witchcraft during the notorious Salem witch trials, after a trial lasting eight days. She had already been accused and declared innocent a decade prior to the hysteria.

* On June 11, 1509, England’s King Henry VIII married the first of his ill-fated wives, Catherine of Aragon. When she failed to produce a male heir, he divorced her against the will of the Roman Catholic Church, triggering the country’s Protestant Reformation. Catherine spent her last years in isolation and continued to consider herself England’s rightful queen until her death.

* On June 12, 2016, Omar Mateen forced his way into Pulse, one of Orlando’s biggest nightclubs, and opened fire with an assault rifle on the predominantly gay crowd. Fortynine people died and dozens more were injured in what was then the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history.

* On June 13, 1805, having hurried ahead of the main body of his expedition to the Pacific with fellow explorer William Clark, Meriwether Lewis and four other men arrived at the Great Falls of the Missouri River, confirming that the party was headed in the right direction.

* On June 14, 1922, at the dedication of a memorial site for Francis Scott Key, composer of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Warren G. Harding became the first American president to have his voice transmitted by radio while addressing a crowd. It was not until three years later, however, that a president (Calvin Coolidge) would deliver a radio-specific address.

* On June 15, 1300, poet Dante Alighieri was elected one of six Priors (magistrates) of Florence, Italy, his native city. His political activities, which included the banishment of several of his rivals, led to his exile from Florence and separation from his family for 15 years, during which time he wrote his most famous work, “The Divine Comedy.”

* On June 16, 2012, China launched the Shenzhou-9 space capsule on a mission that included the country’s first female astronaut, military pilot Liu Yang. The crew spent a week at the Tiangong space lab to test systems and conduct experiments. (c) 2024 King Features

Both of the royal court attendants are pretty spiteful, but that one is a cattier courtier.

"Your resumé, work record and personal history are so bad that not only are you not getting the job, l'm having you arrested!"

Wood sewing cabinet was made in the early 1900s.

“Desert Rose” pattern made by Gladding McBean and Company.

• One of the very last large nestings of passenger pigeons was near Petoskey, Michigan, in 1878. Here, hunters killed an estimated 50,000 birds a day, which continued daily for almost five months. Over a million birds were exterminated from that flock. Yet people believed that the pigeon supply was inexhaustible.

FINAL FLOCKS

• By the 1890s, the flocks had become noticeably depleted. Now, serious conservation legislation was passed in states like Michigan and Pennsylvania. But it was far too little and much too late. By now, passenger pigeon numbers were in freefall. There was a steady decline in their numbers between about 1800 and 1870, and a catastrophic decline between 1870 and 1900.

• By the 1890s, flock sizes numbered in the dozens rather than billions. The pigeons required large flocks in order to reproduce, but their numbers had fallen below that minimum threshold. Once the population reached a critical low point, the species was doomed, even though thousands of them remained. The birds were unable to adapt to living in small flocks.

• The last bird ever killed in the wild was shot by a boy with a BB gun in March of 1900 in Ohio. The last verified sighting of one in the wild was in Indiana in 1902.

• In 1900, the Cincinnati Zoo owned one of the last flocks of a few dozen passenger pigeons. They failed to produce any fertilized eggs, and died off one by one. By 1906, there were only five left. The last remaining pigeons were a mated pair named George and Martha Washington. When George died, a reward of $1,000 was offered to anyone who could bring in another live male passenger pigeon, but none was ever found. The American Ornithologists’ Union offered $1,500 to anyone finding a nest or nesting colony of passenger pigeons. It was futile.

• The end finally came on September 1, 1914, when Martha died in her cage at the Cincinnati Zoo. The passenger pigeon was no more. A memorial statue of Martha stands on the grounds of the Cincinnati Zoo. Her preserved body is on display at the Smithsonian Museum. 

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Game Changers

by Jason Jenkins

One of the common basics that any top level golfer learns early in their development is a consistency of how the club is aligned to themselves. The grip end of the golf club should be pointed somewhere between the zipper line and the crease (or middle) of the left leg. This zone is quite small, but it does allow for a little variance among players.

Poor set up positions usually favor the grip end pointing too centered, although it may be just as destructive to have the grip end pointing well left of the body. By keeping the clubface square to the target line and the grip end in its zone, you’ll gain more consistency with clubface control throughout your set of clubs. Interestingly, the clubshaft may appear to lean differently with irons and woods due to ball position changes. This will be normal from the golfer’s point of view.

1. TELEVISION: What subject does Walter White teach at the beginning of “Breaking Bad”?

2. GEOGRAPHY: Which three countries make up the Baltic states in Europe?

3. MUSIC: What is the title of The Beatles’ first album?

4. LITERATURE: Prince Edward Island is the inspiration for which novel series?

5. HISTORY: Which Roman emperor built a wall across northern England to deter invaders?

6. MOVIES: Which movie first featured the character Lisbeth Salander?

7. ASTRONOMY: The asteroid belt lies between which two planets in our solar system?

8. U.S. STATES: Which state’s coast was dubbed the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” because so many ships wrecked there?

9. FOOD & DRINK: What does the term “a la carte” mean?

10. SCIENCE: What is the process called when a gas changes into a liquid?

Answers

1. Chemistry.

2. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

3. “Please Please Me.”

4. “Anne of Green Gables.”

5. Hadrian.

6. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”

7. Jupiter and Mars.

8. North Carolina.

9. According to the menu.

10. Condensation.

Thistle