Vol. 20: #3 • City Names • (1-14-2024) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

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TIDBITS RESEARCHES A FEW TIDBITS ADMIRES

CITY NAMES DETROIT

KALAMAZOO

by Kathy Wolfe

Ever studied a map and wondered how certain cities or towns ever happened to be called by such weird names? Tidbits shares your curiosity, so this week we're picking out a few such cities to learn the stories behind some of these rather strange monikers.

• The southwest Michigan city of Kalamazoo started out as Bronson in 1831. After founder Titus Bronson was run out of town for allegedly stealing a cherry tree in 1836, the village was renamed Kalamazoo.

The name comes from the Native American Potawatomi word “Ki-ka-ma-sung,” which means “place of where the water boils.” This originates from a foot race that was held every autumn by the tribe, in which runners had to sprint to the river and back before a pot of hot water came to a boil.

• The first Europeans to visit the Tallahassee, Florida, area arrived in 1528, explorers who claimed the land for Spain. A Spanish Franciscan mission was built there in 1656. The indigenous tribes of the area, the City Names: Turn to page 3 INSIDE: Celebrity Extra............................. Page 6 Good Houskeeping Recipes ........ Page 7 Comics & Puzzles........................

8-9 Pet Column..................................

9 Your Social Security....................

11 Doctor's Advice ..........................

12 Please review carefully. Double  Phone Number(s) 14  Spelling  Prices  Hours Antiquecheck: or Junque........................

Golf Tips & Advice.....................

15 MON., DEC. 31changes Contact your Tidbits representative or corrections.

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your body

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

"Fearfully and wonderfully made" One in a series

EYES This week Tidbits focuses on a few facts about the incredible complexity and design of the organs that give us the amazing ability of sight.

• There are more than two million working parts in the human eye. It weighs just under an ounce and is about an inch across. Just over 16.5% of (Answers on page 16) eyeball is exposed. The eyes begin to develop ADVERTISING PROOF the in the womb just two weeks after conception.

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• Eye color is the result of a variety of pigments in the iris, a two-layer tissue that allows light into the eye and controls the size of your pupil.

There are three main pigments in the iris – melanin, pheomelanin, and eumelanin. Melanin is a yellow-brown pigment, pheomelanin is red-orange, and eumelanin, a black-brown hue.

• Those with brown eyes have melanin in both layers of the iris, while people with lighter eyes have it in just the back layer. Pheomelanin is the source of color for green and hazel eyes, most common in those of Irish and Scottish descent.

The darkest pigment, eumelanin, is found in the eyes of Africans, Asians, and South Americans.

• Brown is the most common eye color, with more than half of the world’s population having brown eyes. Green eyes are the rarest, just 2% of the world. In the U.S., brown eyes account for 45%, blue eyes for 27%, hazel for 18%, and green eyes at 9%. Another 1% have another color, such as amber or violet. A rare condition known as heterochromia occurs in people who have two different eyeMON., colors. JAN. 1

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the back of the eye, and the retina converts the Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling because their eyes don’t have as much melanin light into electrical impulses. Behind the retina, Mike Pendley Construction to representative block out UV rays. the optic nerve carries the impulses to the your brain,Tidbits Contact immediately with changes or 16th pg, BW, 6x which interprets what is being Office: seen and760-320-0997 brings • Approximately in ten men are color blind,Fax: email: one valleybits@msn.com July 30, 2023 • Vol. 19 - No. 31 it into a clear image. When an image reaches having trouble distinguishing between red the retina, it’s upside-down and backward. The and green tones. Some can’t tell blues and brain reorients the image. yellows apart. The more correct term is “color deficiency,” since with true color blindness, the • Situated on the retina are seven million cone SUPER BOX,sees Inc.onlyProperty person shades of of black and white, a cells, nerve cells that enable us to see at least AdVenture Media, Inc. c/o Marcus Goldsworthy much rarer condition. a million colors when they send signals to the I do it ALL. 1/16 pg 4C 13x Disc. Rate brain. Tubular-shaped rods on the outside area • The eyes’ corneas are the body’s only tissues No job too January 7, 2024 Vol. 20 - No. 2 l. al of the retina provide black and white vision. sm that don’t contain blood.  Since 2002 There are more than 100 million rod cells, Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 Curbless Shower Specialist which are up to 1,000 times more responsive to valleybits@msn.com CLIP AND SAVE ADVERTISING PROOF Vanities5:00 • Countertops light than the cone cells. It’s the rod cells that Final Changes DUE: p.m..

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Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Week of January 14, 2024

City Names (from page one) Apalachee, and later the Creek and Seminole tribes, gave the area its name from a Muskogean Indian word for “old fields” or “old town.” The community became Florida’s territorial capital in 1824, with three log cabins serving as the official capitol buildings. There was some argument as to how to spell the new capital’s name, a dispute settled by the governor’s wife, Octavia Walton, who determined the final spelling.

• We might call it the “Windy City,” but the Algonquian people’s name for the settlement was Shikaakwa, which became Chicago. Their word translated “the place of smelly wild onions” for the plants that grew near what is now the Chicago River. It’s likely the city derived its name from the name of a chief named Shecaugo who drowned in the river, a name that means “playful waters.” In the 1830s, the time when the city was first referred to as Chicago, the population was around 100. It’s now the nation’s third largest city wih 8.9 million residents, and the world’s third largest metropolitan area.

Page 3

fork of the river.” The first European settlement was in 1666 when a colonist built a sawmill there.

• The name of Akron, Ohio comes from the Greek word meaning “summit.” The city grew from its location near the summit of the Ohio and Erie Canal, under construction in 1825. Akron is the county seat of Summit County. During the 1910s, Akron was known as the Rubber Capital of the World, and was home to four major tire companies, making it the nation’s fastest-growing city. Today, Akron’s population is around 190,000, and is still home to the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.

• A Chippewa word, “passadina,” meaning “there is a valley,” gave Pasadena, California, its name.

Ten miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena was officially incorporated in 1886, and was in the heart of orange groves country.

The city’s nickname was amended to Crown of2. the Valley. The Tournament of Roses was first City Names: Turn to page 15

• Louisiana’s capital city, Baton Rouge, was founded in 1721 on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River. The city’s name translates from the French language for “red pole.” As French explorers navigated up the Mississippi River in 1699, they saw a 30-foot-tall red pole embellished with fish bones. They later learned that the post marked the boundary line between two Native American nations, the Bayagoulas and the Oumas. The French established a military post there in 1721, naming it after the pole. Today, a red pole monument sits on the site, in the heart of the Southern University campus in Baton Rouge.

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QUIZ BITS 1. What musical group recorded the song, "Little Old Lady from Pasadena"?

• The city of Tucson was founded in 1775, although 2. What American city takes the spelling and pronunciations were quite its name from the French different from our modern ones. A Franciscan • Pensacola, Florida, started out as Panzacola, for "the trees"? named for a Native American tribe who lived priest spelled it Tuqison. The Pima Indians (Answers page 16) in the western part of the Florida Panhandle. called it Ts-iuk-shan, which translatesPROOF “village ADVERTISING PROOFThe tribe’s name translated from their language of ADVERTISING the dark spring at the foot of the mountain,” Mon.,10/4/21 Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m.. meaning “hairy people.” A village was Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m.. referring to nearby Sentinel Mountain.

Hugo se review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours established there in 1657 as part of the Franciscan e reviewO’Conor, carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours who is considered the founding father ADVERTISING PROOF Contact your Tidbits representative immediately withwas changes corrections. mission of San Juan De Aspalaga, with the first ADVERTISING PROOF the city, representative spelled it Toixon.

O’Conor a oror Contact of your Tidbits immediately with changes corrections. nal Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m..

Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 recorded use of the name Panzacola. The change colonel inDUE: the Spanish Army, having fled5:00 toFax: p.m.. al Changes ffice: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com 760-320-1630 ew carefully.

Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours probably occurred in the 1760s Spain fromcheck: Ireland at ageNumber(s) 16 to avoid religious w carefully.

Double  Phone  Spelling  Pricesto Pensacola Hours when the area came under British rule.

He established Elwith Presidio act yourpersecution.

Tidbits representative immediately changes del or corrections. t your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections.

Toixon in August ofvalleybits@msn.com 1775. In the mid-1800s,Fax: the 760-320-1630 LDR Construction : 760-320-0997 email:Svcs.

760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 The 14-syllable word "ChargoggagoggmanchaugMexicans pronounced the village Took-shon, 1/16 pg. 4C 26x disc.

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1870s, the pronunciation had changed 1/16 pg.but 4Cby26x ster, MA, was named in the 1700s by the AlgonMonday, 10/16/23 March 18, 2018 Vol. 14 - No. 12 to Tu-sawn.

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• Rhode Island is home to the town of Woonsocket.

There are several explanations for the origin O.R.D. General Contractors of this community’s moniker. Some say it 1/12 pg., Full Color takes its name from a nearby hill, which has its October 22, 2023 • Volume 19: #43 origin in the Native American Nipmuc tribe’s word “Niswasocket,” which translates “place of steep descent.” Others say it’s from another Native word “Woonksechocksett,” meaning “fox country,” while still others claim it’s from the A)word “Wannashowatuckqut,” translating “at the B)

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man who explored and surveyed what is now the state of Wyoming while befriending several Native tribes. He disappeared in the mountins in 1920 and was never seen again. Several sites in Wyoming are named for him, including the city of Laramie, the Laramie River, Fort Laramie, and Laramie County.

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the lake, we'll fish on our side of the lake, and no Please review carefully.

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Enjoy Enjoy the the Outdoors Outdoors

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• There are actually two Woonsockets in the United States. The second one is in South b Dakota, incorporated in 1888. It was named by the superintendent of the railroads there, who named it after his own home town of Woonsocket, 1.

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Page 4

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

No. 5: According to California law, gift cards cannot expire, nor can the retailer charge handling fees for inactivity, but the same is not true of other states. A gift card is subject to the state laws where it was purchased. Do you know what that state’s laws are regarding that gift card? You could get a big surprise.

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● Fireflies are the most efficient producers of light in the world. ● Tong Aonan solved 840 Rubik’s cubes, then used them to create a portrait of his crush and declare his love for her. Sadly, she rejected him ● A runaway tortoise in Putnam County, Florida, covered a span of five miles in three and a half years before ending up at Florida’s Wildest Animal Rescue, where a staff member was able to determine its identity and reunite it with its owners. ● Snake Venom, the world’s strongest beer, has an alcohol level of 67.5%. ● Anuptaphobia is the fear of being single forever. ● Sixteen-year-old Titanic survivor Katherine Gilnagh didn’t understand the ship’s dire situation until she made it safely to New York, but thought that being put into lifeboats and picked up by the Carpathia was part of the voyage. ● Asian hair grows 30% faster than Caucasian hair. ● The soft drink Mountain Dew was created in Tennessee in the 1940s as a mixer for whiskey, hence its name (a slang term for moonshine). ● If, like many Americans, you have trouble getting to sleep, you might try the advice of researchers and go low-tech camping for at least a week. The lack of electronics helps reset the body clock and synchronize melatonin hormones with sunrise and sunset. ● A bookstore in Australia wraps its volumes in paper with short descriptions attached so potential buyers won’t “judge a book by its cover.” *** Thought for the Day: “How wonderful is it that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” -- Anne Frank (c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

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by Mary Hunt

I can hear all of you Starbucks card lovers screaming in horror. You adore the Starbucks gift cards (or Target or Bloomies) you get from students, parents and co-workers. You are a regular customer; you combine your cards; you see them as more precious than cash. You are These days, you can buy gift cards (the more likely to lose your youngest child than your modern replacement for the gift certificate) from gift cards. Your gift cards give you permission to ® just about every store imaginable.

They are be frivolous and buy something for yourself you convenient, and for many people, gift cards apwould never buy with cash.

by Mary Huntgift solution. They’re not. I pear to be the perfect OK, OK. I’m not saying there are no exam so opposed to gift cards that I’m this close to ceptions here. declaring an all-out boycott. Why? Oh, please let This is a compromise I can live with: me count the ways.

Give a gift card because that is at the top of your But first, let me define “gift card.” This is recipient’s wish list, not because it’s an easy a card with the name of a retailer on it, such as default for you.

Target, Walmart, Kohl’s or Honey Baked Ham. Some people believe there is an unwritI am not referring to a prepaid debit or gift card ten rule that giving cash is impersonal and inapwith Visa or Mastercard. Here’s why I don’t recpropriate. But that is not true. There is nothing ommend them as gifts: wrong with giving cash. Fold it into an imaginative origami animal. Take a stack of $1 or $5 bills No. 1: It’s impossible to spend a gift card and have them “padded” at a local copy shop. exactly. Either you lose the difference because Get creative. Cash is cool. they leave that last amount on the card, or you When you give MON., cash, youOCT. give your 9 have to dig into your pocket to supplement the recipient many options -- to spend it anywhere Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Pr cost of your gift. Try to tell that toPlease a child.review carefully. or to save part or all of it. And if he or she uses it Contact your Tidbits with changes to buy representative food or to pay immediately the utilities, so what?

A giftor corre No. 2: We don’t give plastic the same reshould have no strings attached.

Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760spect as cash. The fact that millions of gift cards And for the record, let me state that I are never redeemed is proof. But do you think have never lost a gift card. I prefer to think of it millions of $20 bills are lost or go mysteriously as indefinitely misplaced. missing? Kids don’t lose cash the way they lose OK, now I feel better. gift cards.

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carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s) “Ask Spelling  Prices www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, Mary.”

This Hours No. 3: You may assume that, while it isPlease review Oct. 15, 2023 Vol. 19 No. 42 column will answer questions of general interest, but letters Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. unsafe to send cash through the mail, a gift card cannot be answered individually.

Mary Hunt is the760-320-1630 founder Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: is OK to mail. No way. Gift cards are stolen all of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the the time, and unless you have been careful to author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.” keep the receipt and the card’s identification COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM CLIP AND SAVE number, you are out of luck. Even then, you or CARL MOORE your recipient loses if the thief has spent the balance or the store decides to not honor your documentation. They don’t have to.

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s,

Week of January 14, 2024

BIRTHDAYS Is this your birthday month? Tidbits hopes you enjoy these facts about this special celebration.

• The ancient Romans and Egyptians were the first to celebrate birthdays. Egyptian pharaohs or other powerful wealthy people were the only ones honored. The earliest written mention of a birthday celebration is in the Bible, when the Pharaoh served by Joseph was honored on his birthday. The Romans were the first to celebrate the birthday of the commoners, calling the celebration “Name Day.” • The Greeks were responsible for adding candles to cakes. These ancients baked round-shaped honey cakes, which they offered in tribute to Artemis, the goddess of the moon. Candles were added to make the cake shine like the moon, as well as to ward off dark forces. The Greeks counted on the smoke from the blownout candles to carry their prayers and wishes to their gods at the top of Mount Olympus.

• The three most common birth months are July, August and September. The month with the least amount of birthdays is February. December 25, Christmas Day, is the least common birth date.

• A person’s “golden” birthday occurs on the year that a person turns the age of his/her birth date. For example, a person born on the 25th of the month would celebrate the golden birthday when he/she turns 25.

• In the U.S. the “Sweet Sixteen” birthday is an important milestone, indicating the shift into young adulthood. In the Latin American cultures, a girl’s 15th birthday, called Quinceañera, is a momentous occasion, marking the passage from girlhood to young womanhood.

• Have you heard of the Birthday Paradox? It’s the unusual phenomenon that in a group of 23 people, there is a 50 percent chance that two people will share the same birthday.

• Kentucky sisters Patty and Mildred Hill were Tell them kindergarten andyou Sunday school teachers who saw their ad enjoyed teaching music, as well as composing in Tidbits! and performing. In 1893, the pair created a classroom greeting song for teachers to sing to students entitled “Good Morning to All.” In 1912, the melody appeared in print with the lyrics “Happy Birthday to You.” Although the

DON’T FORGET!!

Remember: Tell theto Remember advertisers TELL OUR you saw their ADVERTISERS ad in YOU SAW THEIR Tidbits!

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(You(Tidbits wouldn’t wouldn't be have Tidbits possible without without them) them)

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Page 5

sisters didn’t write the different lyrics, they are credited as the composers of the birthday song.

• Birthstones associated with each month can trace their origin to biblical times. In the Bible’s Book of Exodus, Aaron, the first high priest of the Israelites, under God's direction created a breastplate with 12 gemstones, to be worn by future high priests. Called an ephod, each stone represented one of the 12 tribes of Israel, and was said to have great power and the ability to reveal messages from God to to the priests.

The gems included carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, jacinth, agate, amethyst, jasper, topaz, ruby, turquoise, sapphire, and diamond.

• Jewish historians cited a connection between the stones, the 12 months of the year, and the 12 zodiac signs. In the 8th and 9th centuries, Christians assigned the 12 stones to symbolize the 12 apostles and began wearing one stone each month. The tradition of assigning a particular stone for a month of birth appeared in the 16th century.

• A popular birthday meal in China consists of long noodles called longevity noodles, served to symbolize long life. The Chinese don’t gift watches or clocks on birthdays, as they are considered bad luck. Seaweed soup is served for birthdays in Korea, symbolic of honor and gratitude toward one’s parents.

• In 2005, the city of Las Vegas called upon 1,000 volunteers to create the biggest birthday cake in the world to commemorate the city’s 100th anniversary. The vanilla sponge cake weighed 130,000 pounds, was 34 yards long

and 17 yards wide, and about two feet high.

Its retail value was estimated at $250,000 and it contained 23 million calories. After the celebratory indulgence, the unconsumed cake remains were donated to a local pig farm. 

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Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Page 6

by Dana Jackson King Features News Syndicate

Q: How is Jeremy Renner doing since

his terrible leg injur y? Is he going to continue acting soon? -- D.N.

A: Fortunately, two-time Oscar-nominated

Courtesy of Paramount+

Sony claimed that the decision to fire her was to “maintain continuity” for viewers by only having one host -- Ken Jennings. However, rumor has it that Sony wasn’t happy with her when she refused to host the show during the writers’ and actors’ strikes.

Hopefully, she’ll be returning to our screens soon. She’s reportedly been working on a reboot of “Blossom,” the sitcom that launched her career in the ‘90s.

* * * 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.

A: Mayim Bialik was dealt a double blow this past year. Her latest sitcom, “Call Me Kat,” was canceled by Fox after three seasons, and she also lost her job as co-host of the popular syndicated game show “Jeopardy.” According to TV Insider,

February 13, 2017

actor Jeremy Renner will be able to work again after nearly losing his life this past year after being run over by a snowplow on his property. He suffered injuries to his chest and limbs, but has since made a substantial recovery.

He recently appeared on CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live” show and told hosts Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper that he’s due back on the set of his Paramount+ series “Mayor of Kingstown.”

He said that he had a lot of loved ones Jeremy Renner in “Mayor of Kingstown” to live for, including his ten-year-old daughter and the nephew he saved from being hit by the snowplow in his driveway. In addition to acting, Renner is releasing a song called “Wait” that is dedicated to his daughter. It’s the first single from his upcoming EP, “Love and Titanium,” which will be released on Jan. 19. *** Q: When is the “Game of Thrones” spinoff about Jon Snow coming out? I read a while back that Kit Harington will once again be playing the character. Is this still happening? -- A.P.

a series based on Jon Snow starring Kit Harington is one of those projects “in the works.”

Meanwhile, “House of the Dragon,” a “GoT” prequel series, will be back on HBO for its second season this summer. One of the characters from that show is being given his own series -- Corlys Velaryon, played by Steve Toussaint. Titled “Nine Voyages,” the series was originally going to be liveaction, but will now be animated due to the “budgetary constraints” involved in filming a show that takes place at sea with “different ports each week.”

“GoT” author and “House of the Dragon” creator George R.R. Martin says that there are actually three additional animated series in the works. He added: “There’s a whole world out there.

And we have a lot better chance of showing it all with animation.” *** Q: Why did “Jeopardy” get rid of Mayim Bialik as one of the hosts? She was my favorite. -- Y.T.

Vol. XX Issue No. 3

A: According to Casey Bloys, CEO and chairman of HBO, there are several “GoT” spinoff series in development, but none is “close to a green light or anything ... but we are always working on different scripts and ideas.” That doesn’t sound too promising, but an article on TVLine assures us that

1. Wonka

CE,

1. Split ................................

(PG-13) (PG) Timothée Chalamet, Gustave Die McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy James 2. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom 2. Rings ...............................

(PG-13) (PG-13) Jason Momoa, Patrick Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Alex Roe Wilson 3. A Dog’s Purpose ..................(PG) 3.

Josh Migration Gad, Dennis Quaid (PG) Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth 4. Hidden Banks Figures ....................(PG) Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer 4. The Color Purple 5. La La Land ....................

(PG-13) (PG-13) Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone Henson 6. Resident The Final 5. Anyone Evil: But You (R) Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell (R) Chapter ......................................

6. The Boys inIain the Boat Milla Jovovich, Glen (PG-13) Joel Edgerton, Callum 7. Sing .......................................(PG) Turner animated 7. The................................

Iron Claw 8. Lion (PG-13) (R) Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White Dev 8. Patel, FerrariNicole Kidman 9. The Space Between Us Woodley .. (PG-13) (R) Adam Driver, Shailene Gary Oldman, Asa Butterfield 9. The Hunger Games: The Ballad 10.ofxXx: Return Xander Songbirds & of Snakes Cage ....................................

(PG-13) (PG-13) Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth The Boy and the Vin10.Diesel, Donnie YenHeron

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(PG-13) Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda © 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.

(Go Figure solution page 14)

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

Q: Is there a city in Ohio called

"Engagement"?

A: Sure, it's somewhere between Dayton and Marion.

Week of January 14, 2024

Good Recipes from

Risotto Milanese This luscious rice dish always pleases a crowd, but rarely pleases the chef. Classically made, risotto requires laboring over a steamy stove without pause for up to 55 minutes, as you stir each ladleful of hot broth into the rice mixture only after the previous one has been absorbed.

Our much simpler strategy puts the microwave to work, shaving a whopping 45 minutes off your active time and reducing the constant stirring to just a few little strokes.

4 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads 1 tablespoon margarine or butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion 2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice (shortgrain Italian rice) 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Salt Pepper For Mushroom Risotto: 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme boiling.

1. In saucepan, heat first 4 ingredients to

2. Meanwhile, in microwave-safe 4-quart bowl, combine margarine, oil and onion. Cook, uncovered, in microwave on High 2 minutes or until onion softens. Add rice and stir to coat; cook,

Page 7

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

uncovered, on High 1 minute.

3. Stir hot broth mixture into rice mixture.

Cover bowl with vented plastic wrap, and cook in microwave on Medium (50 percent power) 16 to 18 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed and rice is tender but still firm, stirring halfway through cooking. Do not overcook; mixture will look loose but will thicken to the proper creamy consistency after cooking.

4. Stir in 1/3 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve with Parmesan. Makes 6 first-course servings or 4 main-course servings.

ries for garnish. In large bowl, with potato masher or fork, mash half of strawberries. Slice remaining strawberries. Toss sliced strawberries and mashed strawberries together with 3 tablespoons sugar. Thinly slice 2 bananas; gently stir into strawberry mixture.

4. With serrated knife, slice shortcake horizontally in half. Place bottom half of shortcake on platter; top with strawberry-banana mixture.

Spread with 2 cups whipped topping; replace top of shortcake.

5. Spread remaining whipped topping over top of shortcake to within 1 1/2 inches of edge.

5. For Mushroom Risotto: Prepare Risotto Slice remaining banana; use to garnish top of ADVERTISING PROOF reserved whole strawberMilanese but in step 1, use only 1 cup water; omit shortcake along withMon., 10/23/17 Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m.. ries. saffron. In step 2, omit oil. In step 3, while rice Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours cooks, in 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil on Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections.

6. To serve, with serrated knife, cut shortemail: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 medium. Add mushrooms, and cook 8 minutes or Office: 760-320-0997 cake into 8 pieces. until tender, stirring occasionally. After rice has cooked 8 minutes, stir in mushrooms; cook 8 min EachLarry’s serving: About 400 calories, 11g utes longer. In step 4, add thyme.

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Berry-Banana Shortcake We lightened up America’s beloved strawberry shortcake with some help from reduced-fat baking mix and light whipped topping. We also used strawberries and bananas to liven it up and add potassium. This is a winner!

3 cups reduced-fat baking and pancake mix with buttermilk 1 cup low-fat milk 4 tablespoons light corn-oil spread Sugar 3 pints strawberries 3 small bananas 1 container (9-ounces) light frozen whipped topping, thawed 1. Heat oven to 425 F. Spray 11-by-7-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In medium bowl, with fork, mix baking mix with milk, light corn-oil spread and 1/3 cup sugar just until blended; spoon batter into pan; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake shortcake 15 to 20 minutes until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of shortcake comes out clean. Cool shortcake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on rack.

• October 29 *- December 3, 2017 * *

For thousands triple-tested • Volumeof13: #44 - 49 recipes, visit our Web site at www.goodhousekeeping.com/reci finder4. (c) 2024 Hearst Communications, Inc.

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3. Meanwhile, reserve several strawber-

PonderBits I didn't make it to the gym today. That makes five years in a row.

My sister-in-law met a guy online who said he lived in a gated community. Turns out it was a prison.

Vol. XX Issue No. 3

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Page 8

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Donald Duck

by Walt Disney

© 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Crossword Answers on page 16

NEST HEADS

By John Allen

ANSWER: TWO AND SIX

Tidbits® of Coachella Valley Published and distributed weekly by AdVenture Media, Inc. P.O. Box 4308 Palm Springs, CA 92263-4308 Phone: 760-320-0997 Fax: 760-320-1630 Email: valleybits@msn.com www.TidbitsPalmSprings.com All rights reserved.

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Martin Lipson, Ed and Judy Brown, Adventure Media Resources For advertising information call 760-320-0997 Member:

“In business as in life, we practice the Golden Rule” News content in the Tidbit s® Paper is provided by both Tidbits Media, Inc. and other news sources con sidered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information published cannot be guaranteed.

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

Week of January 14, 2024

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

NEXT WEEK in

TIDBITS BARKS UP A FEW

TREES

2.

1.

Page 9

Cody’s Corner

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis Creators News Service

Choose Your Relatives Wisely

3. The Weekly “Brain Breaker”

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To my great joy, I was recently charged with the task of selecting a puppy for a 23-year-old kindergarten teacher friend of mine. She told me exactly what she was looking for in terms of energy and personality, and she described for me her dayto-day lifestyle -- both personal and professional -and the kinds of activities she’d like to do with her dog.

She had done her research and given a lot of thought to the breed of dog she wanted. Her tastes fall squarely in the middle of the size spectrum -- ruling out any breeds that are excessively big or small. She wasn’t looking for a guard dog or a show dog or a couch potato. She knew she wanted a companion dog -- playful, smart and energetic.

After weighing all her options, she discovered the Labradoodle. Deemed a “designer breed,” these Labrador-poodle mixes are wonderful dogs.

But breed is not a surefire path to personality.

Within the scope of any breed of dog lies an array of personality types. In fact, within a single litter of dogs is an array of personality types.

My friend located a Labradoodle breeder who had a litter of five puppies, all 7 weeks old.

This is where I come in.

As I arrived at the breeder’s house prepared to give an assortment of personality tests to five pups, I found myself laughing. I sure hope these tests work!

The tests involve observing the dogs’ reactions to a number of things: my presence, my voice, the sound of foreign objects (in this case, keys being tossed to the ground), my touch (varying pressure to different parts of the body, including sensitive parts like the paws, the tail and the back, to determine pain tolerance) and my hand moving toward and around the face and head.

Each of the five dogs -- same breed, same litter -- had his own individual reaction to each test.

This just confirmed what I already knew: Every dog has his own personality.

All five pups are adorable, and each will

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1/14

International Kite Day

1/15

Martin Luther King Day

1/16

Civil Service Day

1/17

Kid Inventors Day

1/18

Winnie the Pooh Day

1/19

Bald Eagle Appreciation Day

1/20

National Use Your Gift Card Day

Wuzzles solution Page 16

Tidbits® Word Search

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www.WordSearchMaker.com 

� ALTOONA ALTOONA � CLIMAX CLIMAX � FRENCH LICK FRENCHLICK � HACKENSACK � HIALEAH HACKENSACK � HOT COFFEE HIALEAH � KALAMAZOO HOTCOFFEE � KENNEBUNKPORT KALAMAZOO

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� KITTY HAWK KITTYHAWK � MYSTIC MYSTIC � THIBODAUX THIBODAUX � TUSKEGEE � TUXEDO TUSKEGEE � WOODS TUXEDOHOLE � WOONSOCKET WOODSHOLE � WOONSOCKET YPSILANTI

(Word (Word Search Search solution solution page page 16) 16) YPSILANTI KENNEBUNKPORT

● Mega Maze solution Page 14

ADVERTISING PROOF Cody’s Corner MON., OCT. 1 Final Changes 12:00 NOON SENIOR NEWS LINE DUE: Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Page 10

Vol. XX

Issue No. 3

(from page 9)

I came home catless.

make a great pet for the right person. The first pup A week later I’m still undecided.

Can I hanwas outgoing but cautious. The second was apby Matilda Charles Please review carefully.

Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours © King Features Synd., Inc. dle the potential expensive vet care for two older proachable but aloof. Puppy No. 3 was playful and cats? And the possible need for pricey specialty extremely outgoing. No. 4 was shy but sweet. And Contact your Tidbits representative with orfifth corrections. cat food as immediately they get older? And what changes about the the and final pup was shy and scrappy, the runt possibility of expensive veterenary bills for sick- of the litter.

Office: 760-320-0997 email: ness, furvalleybits@msn.com ball blockage and who knows what elseFax: 760-320-1630 I congratulated the breeder on a lovely litOne of my easy-to-accomplish resolutions as they age even more. ter of puppies. And I gave her a tip: Give them each for 2024 was to adopt a kitten, maybe 2-3 months individual attention. This will give the less confiin age. After consulting the local humane I’ve been lax lately in terms of mysociety’s health.

That made me shudder, especially with the dent dogs a chance to blossom -- out of the shadwebsite seeing dozens ofattiny catsconcerts listed, I I admit it.and While I haven’t been music realization that I am basically living on my Social of their more confident and sometimes pushy Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling ows  Prices  Hours paid a visit to the shelter’s group kittenpacked room. among thousands of people or riding Security checks. and the annual increase for 2024 siblings. subway cars, I have been going to stores during is Tidbits a Thomas mereProperty 3.2%, while care has increased by or corrections.

Contact your representative immediately with changes c/o Melanie of vet Ultimately, I selected Puppy No. 3. He is Of course they were cute, swinging from the daytime when the aisles are full. ThisOffice: is es- 760-320-0997 nearly 15%. email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 AdVenture Media, Inc. exactly what my friend was looking for, and she’s the chandeliers, racing, climbing and BZ tumbling.

BW 26x pecially true during the holiday shopping season. thrilled.

And of course they were completely uninterested Owning a 19 pet -brings down our blood presIt’s time for me to stop that -- again -- and start October 8, 2023 Vol. No. 41 in the humans in the room who were smiling and Getting a dog is a big decision. It’s the only sure, reduces stress and keeps us active. It would staying home, again. enjoying the chaos. time you get to pick your relative. When you do seem that a senior human owning a senior pet Property of would be a perfect matchMedia, -- except when it isn’t your homework and plan ahead, you avoid making Respiratory syncytial virus (also known AdVenture Inc. Giving the kittens time to wind down forBgreen, Inc. a purely emotional decision -- which rarely leads because the tradeoff can be the high cost. as RSV) is onmy theway risetowhere live,adult and cat likely naps, I made one ofI the group to the best choice. Know what you want. Narrow Phone: 760.320.0997 c/o Melanie Ashe Fax:

* * 760.320.1630 * elsewhere. rooms ... wherein I was approached by not one, the field of options. Then make your final selection Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personBZ valleybits@msn.com BW 26x but two beautiful adult cats. I sat on the floor pet- ally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them either with the help of a professional or with the 12, Vol. 19 - No. 46 Fax: Phone: 760.320.0997 760.320.1630 It was onlymilled a few around monthsme, agobumping that the meNov. into her2023 column whenever possible.

Send email to columting them as they knowledge and tools of one. valleybits@msn.com All Rights Reserved CDCtheir was foreheads, advising pediatricians thereach- nreply2@gmail.com. with purring, onetoofkeep them For more information on personality tests standard RSV shotpaw theytousually children All Rights Reserved ing out with a soft get mygive attention ... and for dogs, visit unclematty.com. andI save it forthe the purring? babies that most vulnerdid mention Thewere intention of both Woof! able because supplies were limited.

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I consulted the list of their information de“WOOF! It’s a Dog’s Life!” Read all of Uncle Matty’s columns tails posted on the wall. One was a boy, one was at www.creators.com, and visit him at www.unclematty.com. a girl. Both had been found on the streets, both Please unclaimed. And they were both 12 years old. review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours

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ADVERTISING PROOF ADVERTISING PROOF Final Changes DUE: MON., DEC. 11 12 DESIGN Final Changes DUE: 12:00 NOON Office: 760-320-0997

email: valleybits@msn.com

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rest against them.

Living rooms and dining rooms are the The Art of rooms where art is center stage. In your living Please room, rather than place a painting abovereview the carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Property of couch as expected,AdVenture notMedia, restInc. two paintings your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or c Please carefully. Double check:  Phonewhy Number(s) Contact Spelling  Prices  Hours

by Josephreview Publillones on a ledge behind the sofa? This is not only chic Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: but also offers a very relaxed attitude about living Contact your Tidbits representative immediately or corrections. and can be changed at whim towith allow changes the room Phone:a760.320.0997 760.320.1630 to always have fresh feeling.Fax: Similarly, a symvalleybits@msn.com Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com metrical play of mirrors and art can act almost as Fax: 760-320-1630 No design project is quite finished without windows to a room. This optical composition adds J Arthur Law Firm Property of All Rights Reserved art. It’s the final touch, like putting on jewelry. The AdVenture Media, Inc. sophistication.

12th pg 4C 13x selection of art is truly personal. Much like beauty, Dining rooms can offer the best place for a Dec. 17, 2023 Vol. 19 - No. 5` it is the eye of the beholder that qualifies art as captive audience to admire your collected works meaningful or valuable. of art.

A single large painting can offer a very Are there correct ways to hang art? Well, Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 sumptuous background, valleybits@msn.com yes and no. Some think there are rules to be folProperty of but up the ante and do a wall. Create a mix with perlowed, while others who feel rules AdVenturegallery Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved sonality by hanging works of difare to be broken. Conventionally, ferent mediums, sizes and genres ● Wills art may be placed above a couch to entertain diners for hours and ● Trusts or at eye level. But so what? Ultihours. mately, placing your coveted works ● Power of Attorney In bedrooms, select art that of art is an art itself. It’s as much a ● Healthcare Directives is, above all else, unobtrusive and form of self-expression as the art. and Living Wills FILLER PAGE 2 Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 tranquil.

Generally, the expected So let loose! Here are a few ideas ● New to California? valleybits@msn.com place for art19 in the bedroom is the 2Q08 - WEEK to inspire you: Update your existing wall4 on which Framed photos in black TRIVIA MAY - MAY 10the bed rests, above IVIRT EstateA Planning the headboard.

It is OK to forgo All Rights Reserved and white on the walls of an allNEWSFRONT Documents!

SREWSNA TNANSWERS ORFSWEN that expected location in favor of white foyer can be quite dramatic Joshua Arthur, Esq. the side walls or the wall across “Don’t die 1. without it!” when there’s a black-and-white Ernie K-Doe e o D K einAttorney rE .1 at Law  from the bed beside -or in place floor underfoot. Add a splash of an of -- the ubiquitous tv screen. unexpected color in an upholstered 2. necessity ytissecen .2 Finally, bathrooms are also 777 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way bench or chair and it’ll be a winning room. Another a place for art.

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by Kara Kara Kovalchik Kovalchik && Sandy Sandy Wood Wood rors?

Hung on the wall in a gridlike manner, they’ll or maybe a silver or cut glass bowl. The style will Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  P Email: josh@jarthurlaw.com give that a sometimes 1. Who had aWOW #1 hit factor in 1961towith the sardonicboring 5.

Candy Lightner r e n t h g i L y d n a C .

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wall calls out: “Slow down! Look at me!” A mix of 2. According proverb, what isdesign “the firm based lones Interiors,toanthe award-winning interior art and mirrors in a cluster or geometric arrangein Palm Beach, Florida. His website is www.josephpubillones. mother of invention”? com. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones and read feament warrants attention and can sometimes entures by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, hance a space that’s void of architectural interest. 3. What the Syndicate real firstwebsite name atofwww.creators.com.

Africanvisit thewas Creators If your halls have tall walls, a pair of extra-large COPYRIGHT 2019 CREATORS.COM American comedienne Moms Mabley? framed artworks can either hang on the walls or

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Week of January 14, 2024

YOUR

SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Turning Full Retirement Age in 2024? Consider Filing for Benefits This Month I write a column similar to this one every January. But I don’t mind plagiarizing myself because it contains a very important message for people planning to retire in 2024.

January is a critical month for the hundreds of thousands of potential Social Security beneficiaries who are reaching their full retirement age in 2024. The important message: All of them should at least consider the possibility of filing for their benefits this month, even though they may not be reaching their retirement age until later in the year.

Please note that if you want to delay filing for your Social Security benefits until 70 to get the “delayed retirement credit” of about 30% added to your monthly benefits, then you should forgo the procedure discussed in this column. Also, if you’re one of those people who absolutely insists on waiting until your FRA to file for benefits, then forget this column’s message.

But if you are open to the possibility of increasing your benefit payout for 2024, you may want to consider filing for benefits in January.

The reason for this early filing time frame has to do with some quirky and complicated features of Social Security’s earnings penalty provisions. Those provisions generally keep seniors who are still working off Social Security’s rolls until they reach that magic full retirement age.

The law essentially says if you are over 62 but under your full retirement age and are still working full time, you are not eligible for Social Security. Specifically, the rules require that the Social Security Administration deduct $1 from any retirement benefits you might be due for every $2 you earn over $22,320 in 2024.

However, the rules say that once you reach your full retirement age, you are due full Social Security benefits even if you are still working, no matter how much money you are making.

Let’s follow an example. Let’s say Ed was born in December 1957, which means he’ll reach his full retirement age of 66 and six months in May 2024. And let’s further say Ed generally makes about $80,000 per year and he plans to continue working indefinitely. Based on the earnings penalty rules I briefly outlined above, Ed figures he must wait until May (his full retirement age) to begin collecting his Social Security benefits. As I said, at that magical point the earnings penalty rules no longer apply, and he can get his Social Security. And prior to that, he’s making way more than the $22,320 income threshold.

But here is why Ed should check into applying for Social Security in January. Congress set up a more lenient earnings threshold for the year you reach your full retirement age. Specifically, it says you can earn up to $59,520 between January and the month you reach your full retirement age and still get Social Security benefits. And even if you earn more than $59,520, you lose only $1 from your benefits for every $3 you exceed that threshold.

Let’s say Ed is going to make about $27,000

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Tidbits of Coachella Valley

between January and April (i.e., before he reaches the magic age of 66 and 6 months in May). That’s under the $59,520 threshold for 2024, which means Ed is due benefits beginning in January. He does NOT have to wait until May to apply for his Social Security checks.

But there is a bit of a catch. By starting his benefits in January, Ed will be accepting a slightly reduced amount. (Benefits are reduced roughly one-half of 1% for each month they are taken before full retirement age.)

If Ed’s Social Security benefit at full retirement age is $2,500 per month, let’s look at his options.

Ed’s first option is to wait until May to start his Social Security benefits. He’ll get $2,500 per month for seven months or $17,500 for the year 2024.

Ed’s second option is to file for Social Security in January. Starting his benefits slightly early, his monthly rate is reduced to about $2,450. That comes out to $29,400 in total benefits for the year 2024. The downside to option No. 2 is his ongoing monthly benefit rate will be $50 less than what he would have been getting in option one. But because he’d be getting about $11,900 less in 2024 benefits in option No. 1, it would take Ed a long time to make up that loss with his extra $50 per month in ongoing benefits.

Even if Ed was going to make more than the $59,520 income threshold between January and April, he only loses one dollar in Social Security benefits for each three dollars he exceeds that amount. So, he still might come out ahead by filing in January.

Here is a quick example using that scenario. Let’s say Ed will make $65,000 between January and April. That’s $5,480 over the $59,520 limit.

And one-third of that excess, or $1,827, must be deducted from his 2024 benefits. But he would still

get $27,573 in benefits for the year. That’s still way better than the $17,500 he would be due by waiting until May to file for his Social Security.

Please note that this strategy generally only works for those who turn full retirement age in early- to mid-2024 and whose earnings prior to reaching FRA are at least close to the $59,520 limit.

In other words, if you will make a lot more than $59,520 before your full retirement age, or if you reach your FRA later in the year, you should probably just wait until your FRA month to file for your Social Security benefits.

I know these rules are complicated and the math in the examples above might be difficult to follow. But my overall message is easy to follow: If you’re reaching your full retirement age in early- to mid-2024, you might want to talk to a Social Security representative sometime this month to find out if it’s to your advantage to file for your benefits to start in January.

One word of caution. Many readers in the past told me that when they tried to file in January, Social Security Administration representatives told them they could not do so. Sadly, far too many SSA agents are unfamiliar with how these rules work. If you run into the same problem, ask to speak to a supervisor.

* * * 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

1. The book of Noah is in the a) Old testament b) New Testament c) Neither 2. Who did Zachariah not believe on telling him his wife would conceive? a) Jesus b) Holy Spirit c) John the Baptist d) Gabriel 3. From Numbers 27, who became Moses' successor as leader of Israel? a) Aaron b) Joshua c) Agamon d) Caleb 4. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, "If anyone be in Christ, he/she is _______"? a) Saved b) Blessed c) Therefore a true believer d) A new creation 5. From Mark 11, who did Jesus cast out of the Temple? a) Unbelievers b) Harlots c) Money changers d) Pharasees 6. What king saw "the handwriting on the wall"? a) Belshazzar b) Nebuchedzzar c) Darius d) Ahasuerus 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 2019 King Features Synd., Inc. Inc. ©© 2024

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Tidbits of Coachella Valley hot flashes by 93% in a trial. My only patient on it so far has reported 100% cessation of her hot flashes.

There are other rare causes of hot flashes, including tumors that secrete substances, such as carcinoid tumors, and tumors that secrete adrenalin-like hormones (pheochromocytomas).

M.D.

Hot Flashes Persist Well Past Menopause and Thyroidectomy DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 81 and had a thyroidectomy in 2017. My whole thyroid gland was removed. I also had a little bit of cancer.

I have started to get hot flashes again.

I had originally been on thyroid medicine before and after surgery. Then I was put on levothyroxine and decided to try NP Thyroid.

I was doing better on NP Thyroid, then started getting the hot flashes again. At this point, for several reasons, I would rather stay on NP Thyroid for the time being.

I was wondering if there is anything I can take for hot flashes? Years ago, in my 50s, I took estrogen, which helped, but this is a different time. I have spoken with other people who are also having hot flashes again.

-- Anon.

ANSWER: Hot flashes are common -about 75% of women in North America will experience them around the time of menopause. It’s not uncommon for hot flashes to go away, then return, but I personally haven’t seen them recur after 30 or so years. I’d be concerned that there may be another cause for them, which brings me to your thyroid.

Elevated levels of thyroid hormone can cause sensations very similar to hot flashes. One reason that I, along with most endocrinologists, recommend against products like NP Thyroid is because most of those products come from pigs. There are two thyroid hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Humans have a different ratio of T3 and T4 than pigs do, with T4 getting converted into the active form, T3. T3 is then quickly broken down, so if it’s used, it needs to be dosed twice daily.

As a result, if a person takes NP Thyroid, their thyroid levels are too high during one part of the day and too low during another. This isn’t good for anyone; the “high times” not only cause hot flashes, but also predispose people to atrial fibrillation. But it’s particularly a problem in a person with a history of thyroid cancer, where we want the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH, the hormone in the pituitary gland that regulates the activity of the thyroid gland) to be on the lower side.

If the thyroid blood levels get low in the afternoon/evening when the T3 in NP Thyroid is gone, that can theoretically increase the risk of cancer recurrence as the TSH rises in response.

So, in my opinion, you should be on levothyroxine, not NP Thyroid. (I do have a handful of patients who take levothyroxine and also take T3 twice daily. Some people are unable to convert T4 to T3 efficiently.)

Estrogen is the most effective treatment for hot flashes, but it increases the risk of heart disease when used by women more than ten years away from menopause. I don’t normally prescribe it to a woman in her 80s. However, there is a new medication called fezolinetant (Veozah), which is highly effective and reduced

* * * Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer 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.

Vol. XX

Issue No. 3

VETERANS  POST 

by Freddie Groves

Here We Go Again I’m not the only one who has opted, once again, to stay home. Both the rec center and the senior center are cutting back on classes and hours because of the lack of participation, again, but mostly because of the sudden increase in cases of Covid, again. Of course this could include the flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), but no one is specifying. It’s just clear that more and more people here are getting sick.

At the rec center, the number of exercise classes has been halved, and so has the number of people who can sign up for them. They’re going back to spaces outlined in blue painter’s tape on the floor, giving a spot to each person to work out.

No more walking with pals in a group around the indoor track. Instead, they’re going back to single walkers staying a minimum of ten feet apart.

The senior center has been hit the hardest, I think, because so many of their classes involved sitting around a large table learning a new language, doing painting or fiber art or sharing a meal. The local weekly sightseeing events are stopped because they no longer want to fit 20 seniors into the bus. For some seniors, those social events were the highlight of their week. Now it looks like they may be back to Zoom meetings.

The good news is that the food bank is still up and running with no sign (yet) of slowing down what they do. Participants will pull up and stay in their vehicles, while volunteers bring out the bags and boxes.

And bless their hearts, the drivers are still out there, picking up seniors to take them to appointments. Rumor says they vowed, as a group, not to stop what they’re doing.

Have we really been doing this for four years? * * *

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.

Week of January 14, 2024

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

American, you need to get a comprehensive eye examination every 18 to 24 months. Or, if you notice some loss of peripheral vision, get to the eye doctor right away.

-- by Jim Miller

Are You at Risk of Developing Glaucoma?

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: What can you tell me about the eye disease glaucoma? My older brother was recently diagnosed with it and has lost some of his vision. He never had a clue anything was wrong. I've heard gaucoma can even result in blindness, and it has me worried.

Could I be at risk too? -- Stressed Sibling Dear Stressed: Yes, you are indeed at risk. Having an immediate family member with glaucoma significantly increases your risks of developing it, but there are other risk factors you need to be aware of too. Here’s what you should know.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can damage the optic nerve and cause vision loss and blindness if not treated. This typically happens because the fluids in the eye don’t drain properly, causing increased pressure in the eyeball.

But the scary thing about glaucoma is that with no early warning signs or pain, most people who have it don’t realize it at all until their vision begins to show signs of deterioration.

While there are two main types of glaucoma, the most common form that typically affects older adults is called open-angle glaucoma. This disease develops very slowly when the eye’s drainage canals become clogged over time, leading to blind spots in the peripheral or side vision. By the time you notice it, the permanent damage is already done.

Are You at Risk?

It’s estimated that more than three million Americans have glaucoma today, but that number is expected to surge to more than 6.3 million by 2050. If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, you’re at increased risk of developing it.

Are you African American, Hispanic/ Latino American or Asian American?

Are you over age 60?

Do you have an immediate family member with glaucoma?

Do you have diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, migraines or have extreme nearsightedness or farsightedness?

Have you had a past eye injury?

Have you used corticosteroids (for example, eye drops, pills, inhalers, and creams) for long periods of time?

What to Do Early detection is the key to guarding against glaucoma. So, if you’re age 40 or older and have any of the previously mentioned risk factors, especially if you’re African

If you’re a Medicare beneficiary, annual eye examinations are covered for those at high risk for glaucoma. Or if you don’t have vision coverage, contact EyeCare America, a national public service program that provides free glaucoma eye exams through a pool of more than 4,600 volunteer ophthalmologists.

Visit AAO.org/eyecare-america or call 877887-6327 to learn more.

While there’s currently no cure for glaucoma, most cases can be treated with prescription eye drops, which reduce eye pressure and can prevent further vision loss.

It cannot, however, restore vision already lost from glaucoma. If eye drops don’t work, your doctor may recommend oral medication, laser treatments, incisional surgery or a

Page 13

combination of these methods.

For more information on glaucoma, visit the National Eye Institute at NEI.nih. gov, and the Glaucoma Research Foundation at Glaucoma.org. * * *

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

CLIP AND SAVE

2-15-24

Coachella Valley Business Owners

Page 14

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

porcelain pedestal cake stand. It has been in our family for as long as I can remember. My mother told me it was a wedding gift to her great grandparents when they were married in 1900.

It is decorated with tiny pink and yellow flowers, green leaves and trimmed in gold.

The background is white and it is in mint condition.

I plan to pass my cake stand to my daughter and hope you can tell me about the maker and value.

ANTIQUE -- OR -JUNQUE

by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

Rockwell Plate Is a Classic Q: This is a photo of a 1983 Norman

Rockwell limited edition porcelain plate that I have. The title is “The Painter” and is part of the Heritage Collection.

Edwin Knowles China Company located in Newell, W. Va., made the plate. It is certified as a “True Rockwell Classics” by the Rockwell Society of America.

The plate is dinner size and shows a scene of a house painter all in white at work with a small girl in a blue dress looking over his shoulder.

I would appreciate any information you may have on my plate.

A: Carl Tielsch Company made your cake stand. His factory was located in Altwasser, Silesia, Germany, since 1845. They are now part of the Hutschenreuther Company.

Your circa 1900 cake stand would probably be worth $125 to $150.

Carl Tielsch Company was located in Germany.

*** Q: I have a porcelain plate and would like to know where and when it was made, and if it has any value. Marked on the back are the words “Ivor y -- Franklinware -- Made in USA.” The plate is decorated with a medallion of pink flowers and greener y in the center and trimmed with gold.

A: Your plate was made by the Sebring Pottery Company around 1930. The pottery was founded in 1887 in East Liverpool, Ohio, and moved to Sebring, Ohio, in 1898. It closed around 1940.

“Ivory” is the name of the pattern.

The value of your plate is in the range of $10 to $25.

* * * The Norman Rockwell Society plate is part of the Heritage Collection.

A: The Heritage Collection of Rockwell

plates was introduced in 1977 and continues to be made today. The plates featured scenes of Rockwell’s original paintings of the everyday lives of men and women in America.

There have been several series of Rockwell plates produced that include Heritage, the American dream, Christmas, Mother’s Day, the four seasons and the four freedoms. “The Painter” is the seventh issue of the Heritage series.

Your plate can be found selling in the range of $35 to $75, depending upon condition. * * * Q: This mark is on the bottom of a

Puzzle Solutions

GO FIGURE SOLUTION

If a drill sergeant commands soldiers to rise to their feet, I'd call that a standing order.

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

Vol. XX

Issue No. 3

* On Jan. 15, 1759, French philosopher Voltaire’s satire “Candide” was published anonymously in five editions and five countries. It was immediately and widely banned for its religious blasphemy, political sedition and (for the time) obscenity, but went on to become a bestseller and remains one of the most frequently taught works of French literature. * On Jan. 16, 1962, filming began on the first James Bond film, “Dr. No,” starring Sean Connery as the suave titular spy, in Kingston, Jamaica. While critical reception was mixed, the movie was financially successful and came to be considered one of the series’ best installments. * On Jan. 17, 2000, all 50 states of America celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The federal holiday was signed into law in 1983 and took effect three years later, with New Hampshire becoming the last state to name a holiday after the slain civil rights leader in 1999. * On Jan. 18, 1986, the song “That’s What Friends Are For” by Dionne & Friends, featuring Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder, hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Released to help support victims of AIDS and increase awareness about the disease, it helped earn $3 million for the cause. * On Jan. 19, 1977, President Gerald Ford pardoned Tokyo Rose, a JapaneseAmerican woman whose real name was Iva Toguri, shortly before leaving office. Acting on orders from the Japanese government, Toguri (along with other women) broadcast phony announcements regarding U.S. troop losses in an attempt to undermine the morale of Allied soldiers. * On Jan. 20, 1863, the four-day Mud March, initiated by Civil War Major General Ambrose Burnside, began. Burnside’s aim was to attack Robert E. Lee’s army, but winter rains had made the roads nearly impassable and the mission failed. * On Jan. 21, 1997, Newt Gingrich became the first speaker in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives to be given a formal reprimand for ethics violations after the House voted 395--28 in favor of the measure. (c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

Week of January 14, 2024

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Page 15

City Names from page 3 held in Pasadena in 1890, and the first Rose Bowl football game followed in 1902. It’s a parade rule that every inch of a float be “covered with flowers or other natural materials, such as leaves, seeds, or bark.” The average float has about 100,000 flowers along with greenery.

• So where did Pasadena, Texas, get its name?

It was named after Pasadena, California! The founder of the Texas community named it after the California town because he had read about the lush vegetation there and saw the Texas area as similar.

• Why would the folks of Tuxedo, New York, name their town after men’s formal wear? This community in New York’s Orange County, along the Ramapo River, actually takes its name from the language of the Native American LenniLenape tribe. Their word “tucseto” translates “place of the bear.” The name was modified by colonists, and in 1863, the city of Tuxedo was founded.

• When traveling through Covington County, Mississippi, make a stop in that county’s community of Hot Coffee. In the late 1800s, Mr. L. N. Davis built a store near the mid-point of the road from Natchez, Mississippi to Mobile, Alabama. There was also an inn at the site that provided lodging for merchants and farmers on their supply trips. Mr. Davis hung a coffee pot sign over his door advertising “the best hot coffee around,” brewed from local spring water, beans from New Orleans, and molasses as a sweetener. The Hot Coffee name stuck, and it is now a metro area boasting a population of some 9,700 residents. 

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Play Better Golf with JACK NICKLAUS

Game Changers

by Jason Jenkins

The Big Three Unfortunately this is not an article about the greatest trio of golfers ever to have played – Palmer, Nicklaus, and Player. It’s about the three tremendously important fingers of the left hand that influence much of the success of any golf shot. The middle finger down to the pinky establish the foundation of grip pressure and control of the hands with the full swing and especially the short game.

Learn to be aware of the control and pressure your bottom three fingers exert by holding the club without the other fingers. Yes, even without the left thumb and forefinger. Practice hinging the club up and down with just the left arm and wrist. You will typically exert more of a squeezing pressure to maintain a solid hold of the club with those fingers.

That’s where the majority of pressure should be felt in your normal grip, yet on a slightly lighter scale.

Many pros can be seen making little swings or hinges with just the left arm and hand while waiting to hit a shot. Watch closely to see the way in which ADVERTISING PROOF they use the arm and wrist. It simply cannot be Finaldone Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m.. effectively without the control of the big three

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Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours Jason Jenkins Jenkins was was a 16-year Jason 16-year member member of ofthe theJim JimMcLean McLeanGolf Golf Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changesTop or 100 corrections.

School teaching staff one Magazine’s School teaching staff.and Hewas was oneofofGOLF GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 Teacher Nominees 1999-2010 He andFax: has named been named the Teacher Nominees 1999-2010. was one ofone the of Golf Also on Office: 760-320-0997 760-320-1630 Golf Digest Top Teachers in California.

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CENTER Indio.atContact him at jjenkins@golftec.com ContactinJason 760-485-2452 or devgolfinstr@gmail.com

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