Vol. 6 #44 "HALLOWEEN" (10/24/10) Tidbits of Coachella Valley by Tidbits of Coachella Valley

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200 9/28/10 • No Rotting 5:00 p.m. DUE: Tuesday, Final Changes SAVINGS • Halloween is believed to have its roots in ancientPlease review Peeling • Nocheck: Chipping • No  Spelling Number(s)  Phoneon Double carefully. Solid  Prices  H Lattice or • No Termites Roof Cover Celtic culture. The Celts were a group of people • No Maintenance! that lived several thousand years ago in what is present day Ireland. They were farmers, and their original Halloween festivals were a celebration Call or email today for a FREE Estimate! of summer harvest and a preparation for the 760-534-4634 email: valleypatios@gmail.com www.valleypatios.com difficult, cold winter ahead. $

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HALLOWEEN: Tues., July 14 Turn to page 3

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• The Celts believed that during this time of year the division between the known world and the spirit world became very thin, and departed souls might visit them. Huge bonfires were built to scare away any evil spirits. Interestingly, the word “bonfire” comes from the old word “bone-fire,” representing the bodies of sacrificial animals that were thrown into the fire. Special places were set at mealtime and friends. of deceased relatives in remembrance ADVERTISING PROOF

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We all know that Halloween is an annual fall event looked forward to by many (especially candy manufacturers), but how did this autumn observance really begin? What were some of the ancient customs and traditions that have influenced our present day celebrations? This week, Tidbits reaches into our bag of tricks and treats you to some interesting explanations.

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TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

Vol. VI Issue 44

Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p • Today over 40 million Americans claim Irish

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ancestry! St. Patrick’s Day is a prominent holiday in the United States, celebrated with numerous festivities, parades and merriment. Many famous poets and writers that we enjoy were Irish. William Butler Yeats, James Joyce and Culbertson George Moore wrote Flower about Irish John - Plumeria Treeslife in works gained BZ BWthat 13x rate international acclaim. Other distinguished Irish writers Oct. 3, 2010 Vol. 6 - No. 41 include Jonathan

1. What halloween color has no rhyming words in the dictionary?

E WOR

2. What holiday does Mexico observe in place of halloween? 3. What candy bar is said to be the favorite treat for halloween? 4. What is the psychological term for a fear of halloween? 5. What nationality consumes the most candy each year? (Answers on page 16)

Ireland

IRELAND: Turn to page 4

Most people are aware that Ireland is an island in the Atlantic Ocean west of Britain. But did you know that the “emerald isle” is the home to two separate countries, and also reputed to be birthplace of halloween?

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• The Republic of Ireland is an independent country made up of 26 counties and occupies most of the island of Ireland. Northern Ireland is a country comprised of six northern counties that remains part of the United Kingdom. The capital city of the Republic of Ireland is Dublin. Belfast is the capital of the northern region. The entire island is slightly larger than the state of West Virginia. Ireland is the third largest island in Europe and the 26th largest island in the world.

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1. U.S. STATES: Which of the United States has the nickname “Equality State”? 2. MOVIES: What kind of creature is Pumbaa in “The Lion King”? 3. ART: What movement was American painter Roy Lichtenstein associated with? 4. LANGUAGE: What does the Greek prefix “macro” mean? 5. TELEVISION: Who was the star of “The Rockford Files”? 6. HISTORY: How long did the Spanish Civil War last? 7. INVENTIONS: When were pay telephones invented? 8. GAMES: In which game did Nintendo’s Mario make his appearance? 9. GEOGRAPHY: What is the capital of Turkey? 10. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What was the original name of Rutgers University? Answers (Trivia Test answers page 16) 1. Wyoming 2. Warthog 3. Pop Art 4. Large or great 5. James Garner 6. Three years, 1936-39 7. 1889 8. Donkey Kong 9. Ankara 10. Queen’s College

people. Ireland’s average of 102 phones for every 100 people is lower than the European ADVERTISING PROOF Union average of 107TUES., phones per 100 28 people. SEPT.

• Ireland was home to the Celts several millennia Proof created Property of by: ago and is the supposed birthplace of of what we know today as halloween. St. Patrick spread Fax: 760.320.1630 Christianity to thescored islandtheand, according towon more Little League760.320.0997 1. Which Jackson sibling 1. Who has valleybits@msn.com legend, beat the snakes from the area and into — U.S. teams or inter- All Rights Reserved most Top 40 hits? World Series 2. Which of Madonna’s No.Today 1 hits Ireland national surrounding oceans. doesteams? not stayed athave the top of the chart the lon2. Who was the last hitter before snakes, but some knowledgeable sources gest? Bonus for knowing how many Oakland’s Jack Cust (2007-09) to say that it never was a home to the reptiles. No. 1 songs she’s had. lead the American League in strikeCenturies holds that 3. Name the artist old whoIrish had anfolklore album alsoouts three consecutive seasons? Leprechauns inhabit the island, hiding pots of FREE entitled “If I Could Only Remember 3. Name the only place-kicker to   QUOTES   gold and playing tricks on unwarywin citizens.  My Name.”  the NFL’s regular-season MVP 4. What do U2’s 1991 album “Ach Award. • Throughout the years, many people from Ireland tung Baby,” Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 What the was the first men’s bashave migrated theSimon’s United States.4.When album “Rumours” and to Paul ketball team to play in the NCAA potato “Graceland” crops were have decimated inand theNIT potato 1986 album in postseason tournaments in famine of the 1840s, More than 1.2 million common? the same season and win the NCAA 5. What wasmen, the name of ZZ Irish women andTop’s children crown? left to seek first album? When was it released? 5. When was the last time before their fortune in Britain or the USA. This pattern 6. Which band released “Hey Nine2010 that the Philadelphia Flyers of migration continued until the 1990s. In spite teen,” and when? reached the Stanley Cup Finals? of a recent baby boom and the return of many 6. Name the NASCAR Cup driver Answers: emigrants, Ireland’s population iswho stillwon not the as Coca-Cola Need600 New or Replacement Screens? three 1. It was Janet, not Michael. She netlarge today beginning times during the 1990s.Windows or Doors • Reasonable Pricing ted 30 hits to his 29. as it was in 1841, at the of the potatostayed famine. 7. Who are the two tennis players 2. “Take a Bow” at the top Serving the Coachella Valley & High Desert who have won Wimbledon’s men’s for seven weeks in 1994, one of 12 • There are now more cell phones in Ireland than (760) 625-5623 • www.SmithUnlimited.com singles titles seven times each? Madonna chart toppers. 3. It was David Crosby’s solo debut Answers album. The 1971 album reached No. 1. They are tied at 32 wins apiece 12 on the charts. through 2010. 4. They’re all on the Vatican’s Top 10 2. Minnesota’s Bobby Darwin, Pop Albums list reported this year by 1972-74. official paper L’Osservatore Romano. 3. Mark Moseley of the Washington No kidding. The paper is said to be Redskins, in 1982. attempting to be less stuffy. 4. The University of Utah, in 1944. All rights reserved. Property of: 5. Oddly enough, it’s called “ZZ 5. It was 1997. Top’s First Album.” It debuted in 6. Jeff Gordon (1994, ‘97, ‘98). 1971. 7. Pete Sampras and William Ren�� 6. Steely Dan in 1980. The song shaw. P.O. Box 2207 reached No. 10 on the charts. © 2010 King Features Synd., Inc. Readers Weekly

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Week of October 24, 2010

HALLOWEEN (from page one) Candles were lit and treats were left at the side of the road to assist their departed loved ones on their journeys. This harvest celebration was called Samhain (pronounced “sow-ween”), which meant “summer’s end.” It was truly a time of magic and superstition. • As time went by and Christianity spread throughout Europe, customs evolved, and people in Ireland and other European countries developed their own unique ways of celebrating the end of summer and preparing for winter. Many old traditions focused on matchmaking techniques that were believed to assist eligible bachelors and bachelorettes.

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right now. Take seats apart from one another and then get out a Page 3 pencil and a piece of paper.”

“Jack of the Lantern”, later shortened to Jackbed on Halloween night. It was thought that the waited for them to sit down, She O-Lantern. young woman who did this would dream of her then began. “Question One: future mate. Some may consider it alarmingly and • As an alternative to celebrating ghoulish flat?” the car prophetic that the magical meal consisted Which churches Christian manywas goblins, andon ghoststire primarily of nuts. today choose instead to observe Halloween by inviting church members and the public to an • A somewhat precarious practice was to walk annual “Harvest Festival” event. Families can backwards down the staircase to the darkened their children for an evening of fun rides, bring basement of a house while holding a mirror and supervised games and candy hunts. Usually following the reflected image. At the bottom of on secured church grounds, parents can held the stairs the likeness of their future husband or keep a watchful eye as the costumed kids wife was supposed to appear in the mirror. run excitedly from one attraction to the next, leave with their bags fully loaded with and The word Halloween can be traced back to Kara by goodies.Kovalchik & Sandy Wood the 16th century Scottish “All-Hallows-Even”,

QUIZ BITS

the night before All Hallows Day. The spelling “Hallowe’en” was later used, dropping the “v”, until the apostrophe was eliminated entirely.

1. • On Halloween in 18th-century Scotland, an PROOF ADVERTISING to young woman was encouraged unattached • In old England, men and women in search of a 21 Sept. Tues., write the names DUE:of prospective husbands on 5:00 Final Changes would count the number of puffs it took matep.m.. a hazelnuts into theNumber(s) then threw She hazelnuts. Hoursout a candle while wearing a Pricestoblow them Spelling Phone check: Double view carefully. fire. The nuts that burned rather than popped blindfold. This number foretold the number of or exploded identified the young woman’s it would be before they were wed. years husband to be. No mention is made of what • On Halloween, young women sometimes would2. happened if more than one nut burned. peel apples and toss the long peel over their • Another matchmaking technique in old in hopes that the fallen peels would shoulder Giftsof a combination of Sewing C-Sharp eating the & Scotland- was form the initials of their husbands-to-be. BW 13x BZ walnuts and nutmeg before going to hazelnuts, Sept. 19, 2010 Vol. 6 - No. 39 • When did the custom of trick or treating begin? Trick or Treating is thought to have begun during All Souls’ Day celebrations several �� hundred years ago in England. All Souls’ Day was a religious holiday in Pre-Reformation that honored the lives of those who England • Handcrafted Gifts • Custom Quilting had died. The poor would go from house to Kids’ Sewing QUILTING FABRIC Classes house offering to pray for the dead in exchange (Adults, too!) HOURS: for money or “soul cakes,” which were a type Tues.-Fri. 10-6 Sat. 10-4 760 -568-3634 of hot cross bun.

• Barnbrack is a kind of Irish fruitcake that is eaten on Halloween today. Small treats are wrapped What’s the cake before baking. insideproper and placed the

theto page 15 for Turn scientific name HALLOWEEN: moment that the spring season begins? QUIZ BITS is to be the What1. flower What is considered pumpkin capital of the world? traditionally the much did the How aslargest bloom first 2.topumpkin on record weigh? spring ��

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sure to show up in Trick or Treat bags All Rights Reserved Candy Corn, of course! this Halloween? These tasty little orange and yellow morsels are almost synonymous with the autumn season. Candy Corn first appeared in the 1880s and quickly became a big hit. Other candy companies tried to compete with various fruity shapes including apple, watermelon and bananas, but Candy Corn has easily survived as the all-time favorite!

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• When we think of a Jack-O-Lantern today, we Calif. Seasons Designs usually think of a carved pumpkin. However, 1/16th pg BW 13x disc hundreds of years ago in Scotland and Ireland, 1. VERNAL EQUINOX Oct. 3, 2010 children would make them out of turnips, 2. CROCUS which were a major food crop in the region. The children would hollow out the vegetables, carve faces on them and place a candle inside. Years later when many Europeans migrated Permanent Makeup to the United States, they discovered an FULL LIP COLOR abundance of large, easy-to-carve pumpkins, Permanent Makeup from and the present day Jack-O-Lantern was born. Only $199

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• Jack of Jack-O-Lantern fame was supposedly a very wicked man named Stingy Jack. This individual was said to be so bad that he was refused entrance to both heaven and hell. The devil didn’t want him but gave him a hollowed out turnip with a lump of glowing coal inside. Jack was doomed to roam the earth for eternity with his turnip to light his way. He was called

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Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Vol. VI Issue 44

IRELAND (from page 2) Swift, George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett. • Ireland is currently the world’s largest exporter of software. That is largely because it’s the place where big American technology companies such as Microsoft and IBM send their software to be routed and exported to the rest of Europe and the Middle East.

By Samantha Weaver

• One is able to learn a lot about the culture of a people by reading their literature. The following is a random collection of old Irish sayings and proverbs that give much insight into the humor, wisdom and heritage of the Irish men and women of today:

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• It was British mathematician, historian, • Burger Time • 78365 Varner Rd, Palm Desert, 92211 There’s no fireside like your own fireside. logician and philosopher Bertrand Russell TUES., AUG. 17 Corina Noriega Anne Salerno No Fee Never bolt the door with a boiled carrot. who made the following sage observation: 760.831.4916 No Obligation Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices 760.799.1540  Hours “Boredom is a vital problem for the Good luck beats early rising. Lic. #00669576 Lic. #01263743 No Nonsense! moralist, since at least half of the sins of Everyone praises his native land. All rights reserved. Property of: mankind are caused by the fear of it.” EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

A lie travels further than the truth.

• Statistics on sporting events show that 17 of the 20 sporting events with the most attendees every year are NASCAR races. • Though coffee has been around for about 700 years, instant coffee was invented just more than 100 years ago, in 1906. By George Washington. Of course not that George Washington. The man who made coffee more convenient was from Belgium. • Albert Einstein’s theories of relativity suggest that the passage of time is affected not only by acceleration (a person traveling at the speed of light, for instance, will age more slowly than someone who is stationary), but also by gravity. Scientists using ultra-precise atomic clocks have proved that people who experience a stronger gravitational pull age more quickly. What does this mean for you? If you spend your life precisely at sea level and your twin lives at 1 foot above sea level, over the course of a 79-year lifespan a difference of 90 billionths of a second will develop between your ages.

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Preserves Beauty Don’t break your shin on a stool that is not in your way. BZIf 4C 26x you dig a grave for others, you might fall into it yourself. Aug. 22, 2010 Vol.6-No.35

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�� The idea of Go Figure!�� is to arrive at the ﬁgures given at the bottom and right-hand columns of the diagram P.O. Box 2207 by following the arithmetic signs in the order they are Palm Springs, CA 92263 given (that is, from left to right and top to bottom). Use Phone: 760.320.0997 only the numbers below the diagram to complete its Fax: 760.320.1630 blank squares and use each of the nine numbers only once.

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• The average coffee tree yields only enough beans every year to make one pound of coffee. • You might be surprised to learn that, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the car that was stolen the most in the United States in 2009 was the 1994 Honda Accord. *** Thought for the Day: “Only enemies speak the truth; friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty.” -Stephen King

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A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.

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• The next time you’re in South Dakota, you might want to make a side trip to the town of Rosalyn. Visitors there can take a look through the International Vinegar Museum.

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THE FARMER’S FRIEND Next time you’re driving on a country road, you may notice a raggety-looking figure standing in a farmer’s field with arms outstretched. If you have kids riding along, you’ll probably have to explain that it’s a scarecrow. It’s certainly not a new invention, but did you know that scarecrows have been used as a protection tactic by farmers for thousands of years? • Ever since people began planting crops in fields they have had to deal with the flocks of marauding birds that always arrive in great numbers to feast on the seeds and plants. Since the crops of those days were needed to feed the farmer’s family, the invading birds were much more than a mere nuisance. If they weren’t driven off they could destroy an entire planting of food needed to sustain the family through the cold and harsh winters. A device of some sort was needed to stand guard and keep the birds away. • In ancient Greece, farmers carved scarecrows out of wood. They made these figures to resemble Priapus, who according to Greek myth, was the son of their god Dionysus and his wife, Aphrodite. It was said that Priapus was very ugly, so ugly in fact, that when the boy played in the vineyards, the birds would flee. This left the grapes on the vines unharmed and assured a good harvest. The Greeks took it one step further and painted the statues of the unfortunate lad the color purple and placed a club in one hand to make him look menacing.

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Please carefully. Double check:  Phone arms to wave in the wind.Number(s)  Spelling  Prices and rich soil along the Nile helped toreview produce lush crops of wheat. Wheat was a major source • Many modern scarecrows don’t have a human of food for the early Egyptians. Flocks of quail shape. On California farmland, highly reflective would raid the crops of these ancient people, aluminized film ribbons are tied to the plants so clever farmers came up with a creative to create shimmers from the sun. Another solution to the problem. They built wooden �� approach is automatic noise guns powered by �� frames covered with netting and scattered them propane gas. The new methods are different, �� throughout the fields. Then farmers hid in the butAd the Proof: age-old problem remains the same. fields and scared the quail into the nets. The Unique Touch captured quail became a tasty meal for the 1/16th page, Color, 13x rate farmers and their families. ▄

Week of October 24, 2010

• Around 2,500 years ago, the Japanese developed a different kind of scarecrow to protect their rice fields from avian invaders. They hung fish bones, old rags or meat on bamboo poles in the rice paddies and then set them ablaze. These smouldering scarecrows smelled so putrid that even hungry birds couldn’t tolerate it. They were given the name “Kakashis,” which means “something that smells badly”.

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• Young boys were often used as live scarecrows in medieval Britain. Appropriately called “bird shoo-ers” or “bird scarers”, their duty was to roam the fields armed with bags of stones. The moment flocks of crows or starlings descended on the crops, the boys would run toward them yelling, waving their arms and throwing the stones to drive them off.

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Page 6

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Vol. VI

from the album, and I have to say that it is excellent. The 14-track CD is available in stores and online at omd.com.

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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. Ad Proof: and twitter.com/Celebrity_Extra. celebrityextraonline.com

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I really got sucked into “The Gates” this summer, and I was wondering if it will be back for a second season. With all the shows these days that have vampires and werewolves and the like, this one is truly unique, exciting and suspenseful. -- Theodore F., via e-mail

Issue 44

Corrections due by: 4pm Monday, 07/20/09

3. The weekly “Brain Breaker”

I have to agree with you -- I absolutely love “The Gates.” An ABC representative told me that there is no ofﬁcial word yet as to the show’s fate (as of this writing). I’m hoping it doesn’t go the way of “FlashForward,” another excellent ABC series that was canceled back in May. I just hate to get interested and invested in a series, only to have the rug pulled out from under me when it gets canceled because the network didn’t give it enough of a chance. This need for immediate ratings results really doesn’t do anything to help nourish and grow a new series. ***

I love Lifetime’s “Drop Dead Diva.” Has it been renewed for another season? -- Kelli J., St. Louis

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Linda Kelsey has guest-starred in many TV shows and movies, including “Day by Day,” “Matlock,” “ER” and “Touched By An Angel.” Most recently she co-starred in “Into Temptation” with Jeremy Sisto, Kristin Chenowith and Brian Baumgartner. Robert Walden has been steadily working since “Lou Grant,” starring in “Brothers” and guest-starring on “Melrose Place,” “Judging Amy,” “The West Wing” and “Law and Order: SVU,” among others. Daryl Anderson has done a myriad of different projects, from soaps (“Days of Our Lives” and “The Young and The Restless”) to TV series (“Flipper” and “The A-Team”) to movies (“The Kid” with Bruce Willis and “Human Nature” with Tim Robbins). ***

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Breathtaking views with Landscaped, graded walkway leading down to private beach & barbeque area.

This two bedroom, two bath condo features these ﬁne amenities and more:

◘ Spacious living room and dining area, and large balcony, all with panoramic views; TV, DVD, Stereo and high-speed internet ◘ Large, very private upstairs master bedroom with hallway setee, king size bed, private bath and dressing area ◘ Spacious private downstairs guest bedroom with large bath and king size bed ◘ Newly refurbished, fullly equipped kitchen and bar ◘ Washer / dryer ◘ Landscaped swimming pool and Jacuzzi with exquisite mountain views ◘ Full-menu restaurant and manager on premises ◘ Conveniently located shopping, grocery store, library and children’s playground ◘ Running & walking paths along golf course (This choice condo is also for sale by owner)

vacation rentals Negotiate directly with owner. Ask for Lucille: Tel: 310.749.1949 4712 Admiralty Way Suite 230, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 email: servicesunlimited@earthlink.com Rentals subject to availability: Minimum stay one week; Maximum stay 2 months. Property of

Readers Weekly

Week of October 24, 2010

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Everyday CHEAPSKATE

by Mary Hunt

Store Brands Often As Good or Better Than Name Brands If indeed confession is good for the soul, I’m about to be cleansed: I am prejudiced against supermarket store brands. I blame this condition solely on slick marketing, ® the kind that so subtly convinces consumers that for food items to be fresh and tasty, they need to be name brands. They by Mary Huntlead you to assume that if an item carries the store’s private label, it’s just a couple of notches above garbage, with the distinct likelihood that the packaging will be tastier than what’s inside. I am also happy to tell you that over the years, I have undergone a fairly remarkable conversion for two reasons: 1) I decided to actually taste store-brand items instead of assuming the worst, and 2) supermarkets have greatly expanded and improved their privately labeled repertoires. Now, it’s one thing to discover a store brand that’s reasonably comparable to its name-brand competitors, but when I find a store brand that’s superior and also cheaper, that’s definitely something worth sharing. Take cottage cheese. I totally love the stuff and consider myself pretty much a cottage cheese snob. No one was more surprised than I to discover

Everyday CHEAPSKATE

that not only are the private-label versions from Kroger, Safeway, Walmart and, believe it or not, Piggly Wiggly perfectly delicious but also, in my opinion, all four beat that big pricey national brand, Knudsen. A recent study by Deloitte shows store brands are gaining clear acceptance from a large majority of consumers. For example, 80 percent of consumers believe most store brands are manufactured by traditional national brands, and 74 percent are more open to trying private-label store brands than they were just two years ago. A recent Consumer Reports study on name brands versus private labels discovered that name brands don’t always guarantee wide reception among shoppers, citing a few results: Food Lion’s Lotsa’ Noodles soup beat out Campbell’s chicken noodle soup for having better flavor, texture and quality. Publix Premium orange juice won over Tropicana for superior taste. A&P’s America’s Choice beef hot dogs trumped Oscar Mayer for their juicy and flavorful taste. As for why store brands are so much cheaper than name-brand products, Consumer Reports determined that it’s not so much because of what’s in the package, but rather because of the high cost of developing the product and the major expense of the marketing and advertising it takes to give it a public image and develop it into a household name. And guess who winds up paying for all that expensive advertising and marketing? Let's see... why, that would be you! Even if you think you’ve cut all the fat from your grocery budget, there may be lots more you can do, without sacrificing quality or taste. Simply reach for the store brand option. And don’t worry. If, for any reason, you find the store brand to be

Page 7

unacceptable, simply return it for a refund. Do you have a favorite store-brand food item you’d like to tell us about? Head on over to my blog, at http://www.MoneyRulesDebtStinks.com. Tell us what it is, where to get it and why you enjoy it so much. We’ll work hard on this end to build an exhaustive list that we’ll make available to “Everyday Cheapskate” readers in a future column. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including her latest, “Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With a Credit Card?” You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. To find out more about Mary Hunt and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www. BECKY BROM creators.com. BZ 4C (special rate) ProofProperty created of by: Readers Weekly

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Page 8

Vol. VI Issue 44

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Tidbits of Coachella Valley

lifelong health

both. So what can we learn from this information? First, health care providers and the general public must become as educated as possible about the benefits and disadvantages of screening mammograms. Second, understand that once breast cancer is diagnosed, treatment by a highly skilled multidisciplinary team is critically important. There is merit to being treated at a breast center that may be affiliated with nationally funded cancer research groups. These centers practice in medical schools and many community hospitals and are uniquely suited to treat breast cancers. As more information becomes available, the recommendations of the task force become more rational. Mammograms in low-risk patients should begin at age 50 and should only be done every two years until age 75. High-risk patients should have the first mammogram at age 40 and have them annually until age 75. If a mammogram identifies a suspicious lesion that is proved not be cancerous, ask if the finding indicates an increased risk of cancer. Usually it does not, but if it does, screening mammograms may be needed more frequently. Confusion will likely continue to pervade almost every aspect of health care -- nothing is set in stone and medicine constantly changes. A rational and educated approach to health care is the key to assuring that every patient is treated appropriately. It is in our national interest to develop a health care system that practices the right care based on sound scientific evidence of benefit.

Vol. VI Issue 44

CASEY’S CORNER (from page 9)

amusing to see Fido tanked on booze or bouncing off the walls on a caffeine buzz, neither is good for his health. -- Xylitol: Ingestion of this sugar substitute (found in certain kinds of chewing gum, candy, chewable vitamins and baked goods) can lead to permanent Dr. David Lipschitz brain damage, liver failure and even death in dogs. In the garage and around street curbs, leaking anti-freeze is a serious hazard. Anti-freeze tastes sweet, so it’s tempting. But lapping at anti-freeze can induce kidney failure and lead to death -- often very quickly. What about plants? According to the ASPCA, “Common houseplants were the subject of 7,858 calls to APCC (Animal Poison Control Center) in 2009.” The plants the ASPCA suggests dog owners Last year, the U.S. Preventive Service Task beware of are: azalea, rhododendron, sago palm, Force released several new recommendations lilies, kalanchoe and schefﬂera. Considering we’re for mammograms, igniting a passionate national approaching the holiday season, add holly, poinsettia debate on the risk and benefit of this treatment. and mistletoe to that list. A panel of medical experts analyzed the data As always, keep human medications safely stored on mammograms and, based on their findings, in medicine cabinets. And ﬁnd a safe, out-of-reach recommended that mammograms be done less place for the storage of veterinary medication, as frequently for women at low risk of breast cancer. well. They advised that there was no evidence of benefit If you know or even suspect your dog has ingested for women over age 75, and that most women or otherwise been exposed to anything on this list should have their first mammogram at age 50 -- or anything you are not 100 percent sure is safe rather than age 40. -- contact your veterinarian or the 24-hour Animal Many saw this as a personal attack against Poison Control Center hotline (888-426-4435) one of the holy grails of breast cancer prevention immediately. Don’t wait. When combating toxicity, and, sadly, the argument was never truly resolved. Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010 early detection and proper treatment yield the best However, more information recently published Dr. David Lipschitz is the author of the books, “Breaking outcome. Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours in the New England Journal of Medicine further the Rules of Aging” and “Dr. David’s First Health Book of Woof! casts doubt on the benefits of population-wide More Not Less.” To find out more about Dr. David Lipschitz

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and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers mammography, almost definitively showing that Dog trainer Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis is co-author of 18 and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at mammograms are of limited value in reducing books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, www.creators.com. More information is available at www. NATURAL ILLUSION deaths from breast cancer. and host of the PBS series “WOOF! It’s a Dog’s Life!” Read all of Uncle BZ BW 13x DrDavidHealth.com. Matty’s columns at the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators. This research was based on a study performed Oct. DogDay_Tidbits1(16).pdf 10/1/10 7:11:59 PM 3, 2010 Vol. 6 No. 41 COPYRIGHT 2010 CREATORS.COM com, and visit him at http://www.unclematty.com. Send your questions in Norway in the late 1990s. Norway rolled out a to dearuncle.gazette@unclematty.com or by mail to Uncle Matty at nationwide program for annual mammograms on P.O. Box 3300, Diamond Springs, CA 95619. women between the ages of 50 and 69. Because the program was implemented gradually it was �� TUES., OCT. 5 possible to compare death rates from breast • Brows • Eyeliner • Lipliner • Full LipsNumber(s) • Petite BodyTattoos cancer in two groups of women, halfPlease of whom had carefully. Double check:  �� review Phone Spelling  Prices  Hours • Scar Removal mammograms while the other half did not. Those 19 years experience - Member SPCP who did not have mammograms were carefully followed by a physician to detect cancer. �� C �� A highly skilled multidisciplinary team of �� Complimentary consultations & oncologists, radiotherapists and surgeons provided �� procedures by appointment onlyM CALLGARDEN BETTY TODAYCAFE ! ROCK �� cutting-edge therapy for breast cancer in both �� 1/8th pg. 4 Color Open Rate: $177.00 Y (760) 340-0887 73-661 Hwy. 111, Suite F • Palm Desert groups. The patients receiving mammograms �� Oct. 10, 2010 Vol. 6 - No. 42 �� had a reduction in deaths from breast cancer �� CM �� of 10 percent, while those who did not receive �� Property of the screening tests had a reduction in deaths of MY �� -- Now Featuring -8 percent. In other words, mammograms only CY contributed a disappointing 2 percent to the �� 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 reduction in deaths. valleybits@msn.com CMY Despite exhaustive research and numerous All Rights Reserved K clinical trials questioning the effectiveness of this breast cancer screening, mammograms remain �� a highly contentious issue among the medical community and the general public. Previous studies indicated that mammograms �� ©2010 Friends of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter. “Friends is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. may contribute a 15 percent to 23 percent reduction in deaths, but this new data seem to link MENU PRICES a greater cure rate to new treatments. The value of mammograms may be less today than it was 10 All Day - Every Day years ago. Through October October 17, 31, 2010 2010 If mammograms only contribute to a 2 Through percent reduction in death, the negative effects (Does not include Beverages, Daily Specials, or Buffet) of widespread screening become somewhat Complete Dinners include alarming. Mammograms would save less than one Homemade Soup, Potato life if 2,500 women between the ages of 50 and 60 Choice & Full Salad Bar. received a screening mammogram every year for 10 years. But of the 2,499 remaining women, more than 1,000 would identify a suspicious lesion that Also Featuring turned out be benign, and more than 500 would Delightful Patio Dining Authentic have a biopsy that proved to be negative. And Shaded, Misted, Pet Friendly GREEK there is also a suggestion that between five and Specialtie • Three Elegant Dining Rooms s 15 women would be overdiagnosed with breast • Full Service Cocktails John Polos Owner ■ Breakfast ■ Lunch ■ Dinner cancer and be needlessly treated with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or a combination of

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Week of October 24, 2010

YOUR

�� by Tom Margeneau

Another Cola Fizzles Out Good thing I’m not a betting man. A year ago, I would have wagered my next pension check that I would never be writing another column like this one. But it looks like for the second year in a row, there will be no cost of living increase for Social Security recipients. Annual increases to Social Security benefits, called cost-of-living-adjustments or COLAs, are tied to the rate of inflation. For example, if inflation goes up 5 percent in one year, Social Security recipients get a 5 percent increase in their Social Security checks the following year. But if there is no measurable inflation, the law says there can be no increase in old-age pension checks. Prior to the early 1970s, Social Security beneficiaries received increases in their monthly checks only when Congress felt good and ready (or politically pressured) to give them one. They were usually “catch-up COLAs” spaced several years apart. But in 1972, Congress passed a law that mandated automatic yearly Social Security cost of living increases tied to the consumer price index. For those of you who love the minutiae of government operations, the COLA is actually based on the Department of Labor’s inflation measuring stick called the “Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers,” known as the “CPIW” by Washington insiders. And to really get technical about it, the COLA is based on the CPI-W as measured from October of one year until September of the next year. So, for example, the 2009 COLA was based on the increase in CPI-W inflation from Oct. 1, 2008 through Sept.

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Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Page 11

30, 2009. That’s why you always read and hear about Social Security COLA announcements in October of each year. If you want to learn more about the CPI-W and what it measures, go to www.bls.gov. BLS stands for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a branch of the labor department. A year ago, I wrote the following in one of my columns: “A cost of living raise has been automatically added to Social Security checks every year since 1972. And that’s because we’ve had some degree of inflation every year since 1972. But for the first time in decades, we’ve actually experienced a year with no inflation. So the government has announced there will be no COLA increases added to Social Security benefits in 2010.” Ad Proof: Well, now it looks like we can ditto that Joseph Kretchet for 2011. Because the Department of Labor could BusinessnoCard, B&W, 6 week measure inflation for those “urbanrate wage earners and clerical workers” between October 2009 and Sept. 19 - Oct. 24 (Vol. 6: #39 - #44) September 2010, by law, there can be no Social Security increase next year. Corrections dueon! by:I 4wonder pm, Fri., But hold if 9/10/10 members of Congress will stumble over themselves to pass some kind of token one-time payment for Social Security beneficiaries. I assure you there will be lots of political pressure to do so. I feel just a small dose of that

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pressure this time each year when my e-mail inbox overflows with angry letters from senior citizens. And almost all the e-mails have essentially the same message: “I think we deserve more money!” And here’s an interesting sidelight to that phenomenon: I get those messages even in years when Social Security recipients receive generous COLAs. I remember back in the late 70s and early 80s, when seniors were getting annual COLAs in the 10 percent and higher range, I still got lots of mail from ticked-off seniors who said it wasn’t enough. So you can imagine what my mail (let alone Congress’s mail) looks like when there is no COLA! And what does Congress do when senior citizens bark? They frequently jump! Here’s an example that shows just how high (or is it low?) they can go. When the automatic COLA law was originally passed in 1972, it included a provision that said COLAs would not be granted if the annual inflation rate was less than 3 percent. At the time, inflation rates were running near double digits, so that seemed like a reasonable provision that would never need to be implemented. But a little more than a decade later, the country was in a period of sustained low inflation. And sure enough, in 1986, the CPI-W rate fell below 3 percent for the first time. So, Congress (and bear in mind, it was a conservative Congress) quickly passed a law that granted annual COLAs to Social Security recipients no matter how low the inflation rate might be. But even that generous law didn’t take into account what would happen if we had no measurable inflation. Assuming the country swings conservative in the upcoming midterm elections, I think this will be one of the first tests of their fiscal responsibility. Will they toe the line and say no to grandmas everywhere who will be demanding higher Social Security checks? Or will they wilt under pressure like a tea bag soaked in hot water? 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.

“My radio station? AM 1340, of course!”

A man goes into a restaurant for breakfast while in his hometown for the Christmas holidays. After looking over the menu he orders the Eggs Benedict. When his food arrives he’s surprised to see it’s served on an elaborate chrome dish. He asked

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4. From Proverbs 15, what does a soft answer turneth away? a) Wisdom b) Scorn c) Wrath d) Fear

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(Mega Maze solution on page 12 )

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Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Vol. VI Issue 44

Corrections due by: 6 pm, Mon., 9/27/10

lung specialist that I should get the pneumonia vaccine ever y year. I am 66. My sister-in-law told me that her doctor said pneumonia shots are not needed after age 65. Who is correct? 2. -- D.T.

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ANSWER: The “pneumonia” shot is for one kind of pneumonia, pneumococcal (NEW-moe-KOK-ul), the most common bacterial pneumonia, one that can Many family photos wind up tucked away people. The current be quite life threatening for older in old shoeboxes without names or dates, recommendations call for a single shot of the vaccine and future generations can’t identify them. for those over 65. If the vaccine was given before age •• Don’t let YOUR family’s unique history fade away • • 65, a second dose should be administered ﬁve years We help you tell your story... in your own words! later. If people have any illness that weakens their Our friendly & comfortable interview format makes immune system, they, too, need a booster shot of the it easy for you to cover information you want to vaccine. pass along to your future generations. ***

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Torn Rotator Cuff • Don’t let YOUR family’s unique history fade away • Causes Shoulder Pain We help you tell your story... in your own words!

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DVD professionally Dr. Donohue regrets Your that he is is unable to answer edited individual with your personal interview, family letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever photos, music & transitions. possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of Great Gift Call available newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, Desert Family Video FL Idea! health Barbara 32853-6475. (760) Today!

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ANSWER: The rotator cuff is a band made up of the tendons of four back muscles. The tendons wrap around the topmost part of the upper arm bone, the What's your humerus, to keep the bone in the shoulder socket. Tears of the rotator cuff are a common problem and one of the principal causes of shoulder pain. Small tears can heal on their own. Larger tears almost any family photos wind up tucked away always surgical correction. All surgical old shoeboxes withoutrequire names or dates, procedures demand respect. Something can always nd future generations can’t identify them. wrong. Most people whofade have had•• surgery to YOUR family’s unique history away • Don’t letgo correct a rotator cuff they had it. By We help you tell your story... in tear yourare ownglad words! most, I mean more than 95 percent. Our friendly & comfortable interview format makes I would not hesitate have this information surgery. you want to it easy forto you to cover

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with DR. your personal interview, family DEAR DONOHUE: Five years ago, my photos, music & transitions. left breast was removed because of cancer. Great Gift Call Desert Family Video ! a Some lymph nodes also were removed. The e Id Barbara (760) Today! 328-9921 surgeon told me never to have blood pressure taken in my left arm. I haven’t. Sometimes I get a funny look, but I will not allow my left arm to be used. Someone asked why I can’t have my pressure was taken there. I was abashed. I’m not When sure why. Please tell me. -- R.M.

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Have you ever consulted a nutritionist about your diet? It might not be a bad idea. I recently had an appointment with a nutritionist, and boy, was that an eye-opening experience for me. As we age, many of us experience changes in smell and taste, tend to eat mainly to kill hunger rather than for health, and we tend to lose interest in food in general. Many of us don’t get enough protein because we’re stuck with the belief that it requires a big portion of meat. Not so. One of the most potent protein sources is a combination of beans and rice. And then there’s the matter of food density. As we age, our appetites and capacity aren’t what they used to be. If we fill up on food that has less nutritional value, we’re robbing our bodies of what we need for health. Portion sizes can be confusing. They’re smaller than you’d think. In many cases, a half-cup constitutes a portion. If weight control is a problem, overestimating the size of a portion can add to the difficulty of controlling those pounds. Fruit is our friend, although many of us get away from it as we age. And it apparently doesn’t matter how we get the fruit -- fresh, frozen, dried, canned or pureed like applesauce -- because the nutrients are still present. Variety in foods, said the nutritionist, is one of the best ways of staying healthy. A consultation with a nutritionist might be one of the best things you can do for your health. He or she will be able to assess your age, activity level, diet limitations and weight and come up with a food plan to keep you in topTUES., shape. JULY 27

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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 32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com. ��

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Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Week of October 24, 2010

Page 13

humor with another person, according to intellectual wisdom. However, I will sometimes laugh at my thoughts even when I am alone (which can be a bit embarrassing sometimes). Most stand-up comics are male. Women show a  preference for males who make them laugh. Another Creators News Syndicate study indicates the laughter of a female reflects the health and well-being of their mate. Regardless of who laughs most, we all understand laughter is good medicine. Doing so helps us bond • On Oct. 25, 1861, the keel of the Union with family and friends. It improves our 26 attitude, TUES., JAN. ironclad Monitor is laid at Greenpoint, N.Y. mental and physical health, and keeps us in balance. Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  had Hours The ship an unusually low profile, rising There are those who think that’s funny! from the water only 18 inches, and had a draft According to Albert Schweitzer, “Happiness is Is it just me, or is it getting harder and of less than 11 feet so it could operate in the harder to find customer ser vice people who nothing more than good health and a bad memory.” shallow harbors and rivers of the South. really want to help you? If I’m fortunate enough Doug Mayberry makes the most of life in a Southern Calito call a number that lets me talk to a live person fornia retirement community. Contact him at deardoug@msn. • On Oct. 27, 1904, the New York City instead of a recording, they don’t even actBob’s like Clock Repair com. To find out more about Doug Mayberry and read features subway opens. The line traveled 9.1 miles they care. It is so frustrating! When a product other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the BZ 4C by 26x through 28 stations. The subway opened to or ser vice I have paid for doesn’t perform as Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. Jan. 31, 2010 V6-No.6 the general public that evening, and more advertised, I want to either get the issue settled than 100,000 people paid a nickel each to or get my money back. It seems all I get is the ADVERTISING PROOF take their first ride under Manhattan. runaround and rude representatives. 5:00 p.m.. Many friends in my complex have had theFinal Changes DUE: TUES., MAY 11 • Hours On Oct. 28, 1922, the first-ever crossDouble check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  same bad experience -- especially with Please retailreview carefully.�� country broadcast of a college football stores. It seems to be getting only worse. We also Service, Repair and New repair Wall, game is heard. Telephone lines carried a Whatever happened to "the customer is always Mantel, Movements from Germany Ship’s and play-by-play of the matchup -- the Chicago right" philosophy? 31 years Cuckoo

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A: In today's fast-paced business world, many

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• On Oct. 29, 1971, guitarist Duane Allman, leader of the Allman Brothers Band, is killed when he loses control of his motorcycle and drives into the side of a flatbed truck in Macon, Ga. One year later, the band’s bassist died in a very similar accident just a few blocks away. • On Oct. 26, 1984, at Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda, Calif., Dr. Leonard L. Bailey performs the first baboon-to-human heart transplant, replacing a 14-day-old infant girl’s defective heart with the healthy heart of a young 30 1 baboon. The infant, “Baby Fae,” survived the operation, but died of heart failure after 20 days. • On Oct. 30, 1991, the so-called perfect storm hits the North Atlantic. The fishing boat Andrea Gail and its six-member crew were lost in the storm. The disaster spawned the best-selling book “The Perfect Storm” by Sebastian Junger and a blockbuster Hollywood movie of the same name. (c) 2010 King Features Synd., Inc.

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admit that I don’t really have an answer for you. If I have to make a guess, I would have to assume that we both laugh equally as much. Both men and women often react to each other’s humorous comments and actions by adding a few of their own. Some experts believe most laughs occur when groups are enjoying each other’s company. The real stimulus for laughter is when you experience

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more than she does, but I think she laughs more than I do. Although she doesn’t think her friends and family feel that she is funny, I certainly do. I think she has a great sense of humor and she always keeps me smiling when we are together. We are both in our 70s and we really enjoy each other’s company. We had a debate recently about who laughs more, men or women. She thinks that men do, and I think it’s just the opposite. In fact, I am sure I read once that women generally laugh more than men. You probably think it’s silly to be wondering about this, but I am really tr ying to win this point. Do you have any insight on this subject?

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# 11

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Tidbits of Coachella Valley

ANTIQUE -- OR -JUNQUE

Vol. VI Issue 44

used this mark. They have produced porcelain in Limoges, France, since 1883. Based on your information, your set was painted by an amateur artist on china blanks made by Tressemanes and Vogt. China painting was a popular hobby around the turn of the 20th century. Your punch bowl set would probably be worth $3,000 to $3,500. Tressemanes and Vogt Porcelain Factory is located in Limoges, France.

�� by David Uffington

Health Care Changes Are Here ... Almost

In case your health insurance company hasn’t told you, there have been changes courtesy of the new insurance laws in the Affordable Care Act. ADVERTISING PROOF Some of these could save you money. MAY 31 FinalAddress Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m..of the changes to health care will be Many your questions to Anne McCollam, P.O. Box 247, during the next few years, ending in Please review carefully. check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling Prices in Hours Notre Dame, Double IN 46556. Items of a general interest will be  phased answered in this column. Due to the volume of inquiries, she 2014, but a number of them became final last cannot answer individual letters. To find out more about Anne month and will take effect when the next policy year McCollam and read features by other Creators Syndicate begins. writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website Insurers will no longer be able to: at www.creators.com. Victoria’s Attic ● Arbitrarily cancel a policy unless there is fraud. 1/16th page, 4C, 13x rate They also can’t cancel a policy retroactively. COPYRIGHT 2010 CREATORS.COM June 6, 2010 ● Deny or limit coverage to children under Enclosed is a photo of an item that the age of 19 who have pre-existing medical is in my possession. It is a glass flask in the conditions. shape of a potato. The measurements are �� ● Deny a claim without an appeal. An approximately 5 inches long by 3 inches wide. independent reviewer must examine the decision to This brown flask is embossed and has a screwdeny treatment or tests. on cap. One side says “World’s Fair,” while the ● Put a lifetime dollar cap on benefits when other side is labeled with “1893.” It’s in mint people have a serious condition. • American Antique condition. Browse hundreds of Furniture Multiple ● Have a waiting period that is more than 90 I would appreciate learning more about quality items from • Roseville & CaliDealers! days. fornia Pottery my flask. reputible dealers in our • Mid-Century Modern ● Discriminate against those who want to Furniture spacious 5,000 sq. ft. showroom. participate in clinical trials for serious conditions. You have a very nice souvenir from the • Vintage Jewelry    If you have a new policy: Chicago Columbian World’s Fair of 1892-1893. • Advertising Collectibles ● You’ll be able to keep children on your policy The Columbian Exposition was a celebration • Large Art Collection until they reach the age of 26 if they don’t have of Columbus and the 400th anniversary of his Antiques & Collectibles their own coverage at work. discovery of America. 67-777 Palm Canyon Dr., #9 • Cathedral City ● You must receive preventive services, like (Between Lumpy’s & Innovative Flooring. Across from Del Taco) Your potato flask is a hot collectible and would immunizations and screenings, without any cost to (760) 328-7999 probably be worth $150 to $175. Hours: Mon-Sat: 10-6 • Sun: 12-5 DOLLARS & SENSE: To page 15

World’s Fair Potato Flask is a Hot Collectible Q:

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Fax: 760.320.1630 760.320.0997 valleybits@msn.com

This potato flask is a souvenir from the 1893 Chicago Columbian World’s Fair.

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Q: I still have a tin, windup roller coaster

toy that was given to me for my birthday in the early 1950s. It has the original two cars and box. The frame is decorated with scenes of children playing arcade games. On the side of the roller coaster, there is a shield with the words: “J. Chein -- Made in U.S.A.” It is in excellent condition and the colors are bright. What can you tell me about my toy?

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J. Chein & Co. was located in Burlington, N.J., from 1900 to 1970. They were one of the leading manufacturers of tin windups, pull toys, banks and friction toys. The roller coaster was also available in a ski ride version. Your tin lithograph toy is extremely collectible and would probably sell in the range of $300 to $400.

This mark is on my porcelain punch bowl, which sits on a matching pedestal. It comes with 12 footed cups. Embellished with gold, each piece is decorated with green grapes, white grapes, green leaves and tendrils. The artist signed it as “Reed.” Because the set is a family heirloom, I would never sell it, but I would like to know what it is worth.

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Tressemanes and Vogt Porcelain Factory 10AD0044_Tidbits_1024.indd 1

10/7/10 3:27:14 PM

Week of October 24, 2010

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Ad Proof: Cast Stone Elements Premium “Golf Caddy” ad (2” x 6”) Finding a ring inside a piece of barnbrack Oct.a 3 - Dec. 26, 2010 (Vol. 6: #41 -Vol. 7: #1) indicates that the person finding it will have

Page 15

HALLOWEEN (from page page 3)

wedding in their future, while finding a straw means that a prosperous year is in store. Corrections due by: 10 am, Wed., 9/29/10 • Today in Ireland, where the Celts lived and celebrated centuries ago, bonfires are still CLIP AND SAVE burned, but now children dress up in costumes and trick or treat, and often attend parties PRE-SEASON with their families and friends. They play a game called “snap-apple,” which is a kind of bobbing for an apple on a string. An apple is tied to a string hanging from a doorframe and youngsters try to take a bite without using their hands. Families play a card game in which cards Increase the VALUE & BEAUTY of are placed face down on a table with candy or your home with Cast Stone Products coins underneath. A child chooses a card and All Fountains • Fire Pits Planters • Table Bases and receives the prize. Outdoor Furniture ON SALE! • Many in the United States look forward to Halloween each year for different reasons. SAVE HU NDREDS Manufacturers and retailers anticipate OF DOLLARS windfall sales of candies, costumes, party and lawn decorations; children look forward to transforming themselves into ghosts, goblins, princesses and pirates, and the excitement of COUPON GOOD FOR: filling their bags with candy. Neighbors get $400 OFF • Any Fireplace Surround their supply of goodies ready and prepare for $30 OFF • Any Fountain choruses of young voices crying “Trick or $50 OFF • Any Fire Pit Treat” at their front doors. $25 OFF • Any Planter (one only)

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DOLLARS & SENSE: From page 14 you. ● You’ll be able to choose your own doctor for primary care or a pediatrician as long as they’re in the provider’s network. ● In the event of an emergency, you’ll be able to go to the closest emergency room, even if it’s not in the plan’s network. The government has provided a website with all information in one place: www.healthcare.gov. Available plans are listed by state. Some of the companies, however, have chosen not to provide the correct links to plan benefits information or policy pricing. One stated that pricing wouldn’t be available until 2011. Still, the links to telephone numbers are handy. If you live in a state that’s been notorious for allowing insurance companies to raise rates, there’s something in this Act for you, too. It will give grants totaling $250 million over five years to help states hold insurance companies accountable for rate increases. If you want to wade through the whole Act document, go online and search for H.R. 3590 at thomas.loc.gov. 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.

�� TINA MICHELSON, PGA

Photo by Paul Nasri

PHOBIAS (continued): • Some phobias relate to what’s up above, such as the sun (heliophobia), the clouds (nephophobia), the moon (selenophobia), and the stars (siderophobia). Some folks are just afraid of looking up – they are called anablephobes. • Not all phobias seem that abnormal or uncommon. Lots of people might have a fear of death, known as necrophobia. But those with an extreme form might be terriﬁed of being buried alive. A nosocomephobe has a fear of hospitals, a verminophobe is afraid of germs, and a hydrophobe has an irrational fear of water. • Individuals suffering from extreme agoraphobia rarely leave their homes, due to their fear of public or open spaces and the inescapable �� situations that may occur there. Only home is 2 safe. HRS: MIN: �� phobias can be a learned behavior that • Some comes from listening to others describe a traumatic event. An individual in one’s life can trigger a phobia, such as peladophobia, the fear of bald people. Those with nosto-phobia, a fear of returning home, may be able to contribute their panic to a speciﬁc incident. • People who are afraid of looking into mirrors have cataptrophobia, while those with cyberphobia have a fear of working with computers. A person with an anxiety about memories is a mnemophobe. • Don’t confuse levophobia, the fear of objects to a person’s left, with dextrophobia, the fear of objects to the right. • Although some of us fear the possibility of cancer, an extreme carcinophobe will convince himself he has cancer because he touched someone who has it.

Play Better Golf with JACK NICKLAUS

Page 16

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Vol. VI Issue 44

KFWS • MindGym

October 18, 2010

Weekly SUDOKU

-Answer1. U.S. STATES: Which of the United States has the nickname “Equality 1. Which Jackson sibling scored the 1. Who has won more Little League State”? most Top 40 hits? World Series — U.S. teams or inter2. MOVIES: What kind of creature is 2. Which of Madonna’s No. 1 hits national teams? Pumbaa in “The Lion King”? stayed at the top of the chart the lon2. Who was the last hitter before 3. ART: What movement was Amerigest? Bonus for knowing how many Oakland’s Jack Cust (2007-09) to can painter Roy Lichtenstein associNo. 1 songs she’s had. lead the American League in strikeated with? 3. Name the artist who had an album outs three consecutive seasons? 4. LANGUAGE: What does the entitled “If I Could Only Remember 3. Name the only place-kicker to Greek prefix “macro” mean? © 2006 King Features Syndicate, Inc. My Name.” win the NFL’s regular-season MVP 5. TELEVISION: Who was the star 4. What do U2’s 1991 album “AchAward. of “The Rockford Files”? tung Baby,” Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 4. What was the first men’s bas6. HISTORY: How long did the album “Rumours” and Paul Simon’s ketball team to play in the NCAA Spanish Civil War last? 1986 album “Graceland” have in and NIT postseason tournaments in 7. INVENTIONS: When were pay common? the same season and win the NCAA telephones invented? 5. What was the name of ZZ Top’s crown? 8. GAMES: In which game did Ninfirst album? When was it released? 5. When was the last time before tendo’s Mario make his appearance? 6. Which band released “Hey Nine2010 that the Philadelphia Flyers 9. GEOGRAPHY: What is the capiteen,” and when? reached the Stanley Cup Finals? tal of Turkey? FILLER PAGE 2 6.GOName the NASCAR CupTidbits driver® Word Search Answers: 1Q09and - WEEK FIGURE! - Answers Scorn shame 13 heaped upon Sudoku cheaters. 10. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: TRIVIA NEWSFRONT TRIVIA MAR 22 - MAR 28 who won the Coca-Cola 600 three 1. It was Janet, not Michael. She netNEWSFRONT ANSWERS ANSWERS What was the TEST original name of RutTRIVIA times during the 1990s. ted 30 hits to his 29. 1. 1986 gers University? Weekly SUDOKU 2. NBC 7. Who are the two tennis players 2. “Take a Bow” stayed at the top ANSWERS PRESENTS 3. DuMont Answers who have won Wimbledon’s men’s -Answerfor seven weeks in 1994, one of 12 4. “Video Killed the Radio TRIVIA NEWSFRONT™ Star” by The Buggles 1. Wyoming singles titles seven times each? Madonna chart toppers. 5. Walter Cronkite 1. In what year did the Fox TV network premiere? 2. Warthog 3. It was David Crosby’s solo debut Answers 2. Which network used to boast that its program3. Pop Art ming was “brought to you in living color”? The 1971 album reached No. album. 1. They are tied at 32 wins apiece ALWAYS FREE first commer4. Large or great 3. What was the name of the world’s12 on the charts. BIBLE TRIVIA WUZZLES Answers through 2010. cial television network? 5. James Garner 4. What was the title of the very first video shown 4. They’re all on the Vatican’s 10 ALWAYS FUN AnswersTop 2. Minnesota’s Bobby Darwin, on MTV? 6. Three years, 1936-39 Pop Albums list reported this year by 1972-74. 5. What legendary CBS newsman was the first to 1. (A) Old 7. 1889 break the news of the 1963 assassination of paper L’Osservatore official Romano. 3. Mark Moseley of the Washington 2. (D) Sixth 8. Donkey Kong President John F. Kennedy? No kidding. The paper Quiz Bits 3. (B)isOne said to be Redskins, in 1982. 9. Ankara (C) Wrath attempting to be less4.stuffy. 4. The University of Utah, in 1944. (A) Paul 10. Queen’s College NUMBER PUZZLE 5.Syndicate, Oddly enough,5. it’s called “ZZ © 2006 King Features Inc. 5. It was 1997. 6. (D) Jesse Fill in the grid so©that every column, every row,Inc. 2010 King Features Synd., © 2010 King Features Synd., Inc. Top’s First and every 1 through 9. Album.” It debuted in © Inc. ©2010 2009King KingFeatures FeaturesSynd., Synd., Inc.3 x 3 box contains the digits 6. Jeff Gordon (1994, ‘97, ‘98). 1971. 7. Pete Sampras and William Ren1 6 6. Steely Dan in 1980. The song shaw. 2 7 reached No. 10 on the charts. NUMBER © 2010 King Features Synd., Inc. by Kara Kovalchik & Sandy Wood

ANSWERS