Vol. 19: #14 • Libraries • (4-2-2023) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

TIDBITS CHECKS OUT THE

While the internet in today’s digital world is an everexpanding resource for myriad facts and data, most of us are, or should be aware that the web can be filled with questionable and sometimes deliberately misleading information presented to us as fact. And while Tidbits is certainly not trying to discredit the internet, we're taking time this week for an historic look at the age-old and trusted institutions still relied upon by millions for dependable reference and knowledge... our libraries.

LIBRARIES THROUGH HISTORY

• The word library comes from the Latin “liber” meaning the inner bark of trees, one of the earliest known materials used for written words.

• The oldest known library was the Royal Library of Ashurbanipal, named after the last great king of the Assyrian Empire, and located near what is now Mosul, Iraq. Established around 650 B.C.,

back

answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.”

-- Neil Gaiman

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

PEOPLE WORTH REMEMBERING

RONALD McNAIR

• Ronald McNair was born in Lake City, South Carolina, in 1950. Even as a youngster he was a voracious reader with a passion for airplanes and dreams of becoming a pilot.

• In 1959, he walked a mile from his home to the Lake City Public Library. He chose the books he wanted, which included books about airplanes, science, and math, and got in line to check them out. The librarian looked him over and informed him that the library was for whites only. Blacks were allowed to read books in the library but were prohibited from checking them out. Little 9-year-old Ronald insisted he should be allowed to check out these books. The librarian threatened to call the police if he did not leave immediately. Ronald McNair defiantly took a seat on top of the check-out counter and said, “I’ll wait.” The librarian called not only the police but also Ronald’s mother, Pearl.

• Two police officers showed up and asked what the disturbance was. The librarian pointed at the young boy and his books. The nonplussed cops encouraged the librarian to just let the kid have the books. Ron’s mother pledged to pay for any books Ronald might damage. Thus chastened, the librarian reluctantly issued little Ronald McNair a library card and checked out his books.

• Ronald graduated as valedictorian of his high school class in 1967. At the time, “Star Trek” was all the rage, with black actress Nichelle Nichols playing Lieutenant Uhura. Ronald McNair took inspiration from the show.

• In 1971, McNair graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. Next, he earned a PhD in physics from MIT in 1976, and became nationally recognized for his work with lasers. He then became a staff physicist at the Hughes Research Lab in Malibu, California.

1. GEOGRAPHY: Which U.S. states share a border with Mexico?

2. MOVIES: Which movie was the first sports film to win the Best Picture award?

3. U.S. PRESIDENTS: How many former first ladies are still living?

4. TELEVISION: What is the name of Bart’s teacher on “The Simpsons”?

5. LANGUAGE: What does the Japanese phrase “domo arigato” mean in English?

6. CHEMISTRY: What is the lightest element?

7. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Who is Marie Laveau of New Orleans?

8. AD SLOGANS: Which product was advertised with the slogan, “Great taste, less filling”?

9. U.S. CITIES: In which city would you find Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello?

10. LITERATURE: Who wrote the autobiography “Dreams From My Father”?

Answers

1. Four: California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

2. “Rocky” (1976).

• Also in 1976, McNair won the AAU Karate gold medal. He subsequently went on to win five regional championships and earned a 5th degree black belt in karate.

• In 1978, McNair was selected as one of 35 applicants from a pool of ten thousand for the NASA astronaut program. As a result of this

training, he flew as a mission specialist aboard Challenger space shuttle from February 3 to 11, 1984. Ronald McNair became the second African American to fly in space, after aerospace engineer Guion Bluford flew aboard the Orbiter Challenger in 1983.

• Following that mission, McNair was selected as one of three mission specialists in a crew of seven for the next space shuttle launch.

• McNair was also a talented saxophone player. He worked with the composer Jean-Michel Jarre on a piece of music for Jarre’s then-upcoming album “Rendez-Vous”. McNaire intended to record his saxophone solo on the space shuttle, which would have made it the first original piece of music to have been recorded in space. He was then scheduled to take part in Jarre’s concert in Houston via a live feed from the space shuttle.

• None of that happened. The space shuttle Challenger launched on January 28, 1986. It tragically exploded nine miles over the Atlantic Ocean 73 seconds later. All seven astronauts on board were killed.

• Sixteen years later, the library that refused to loan him books was remodeled and reopened as the Dr. Ronald E. McNair Life History Center. It pays tribute to McNair through photographs, artifacts, and exhibits. There is a mural of the space shuttle on a wall. McNair is buried in a park next door, which is also named for him, as is the adjacent school.

• Jean-Michel Jarre’s album includes the track “Last Rendez-Vous” subtitled “Ron’s Piece.” □

Libraries: (from page one)

it included more than 30,000 clay tablets with cuneiform writing. The library was uncovered during an archaeological excavation of the royal palace in 1849. It contained records of transactions, historical accounts of wars, and religious documents, which were stamped as belonging to the king. It also included the “Epic of Gilgamesh,” one of the oldest pieces of literature ever discovered. It was originally written around 2100 B.C., though other clay copies were created as recently as 700 B.C.

• The library at Saint Catherine’s Monastery, at the foot of Mount Sinai in Egypt, is the oldest continuously operating library in the world. It houses the world’s second largest collection of ancient manuscripts, with only Vatican City having a larger collection. It was established in the year 565 A.D. Its collection includes the oldest known complete Bible dating to around 345 A.D.

• The Great Library of Alexandria in Egypt was one of the largest and most significant libraries of the ancient world. Beginning around 300 B.C., various rulers were aggressive about collecting all the books they could, which were written on papyrus scrolls at the time. They even searched all incoming ships for any written material, which was confiscated, copied, and then returned – with the original remaining in the library. At its height, the Great Library of Alexandria had as many as 400,000 scrolls.

• Many people erroneously believe that the library was destroyed by a single catastrophic fire. There were several accidental small fires through the centuries, including the blaze intentionally set on the wharves by Caesar in 48 B.C. to prevent the fleet belonging to Cleopatra’s brother from docking. That fire spread and some of the library was lost, but the true demise of the library was due to lack of funding, ending its use around 250 A.D.

• One of the oldest public libraries in the U.S. opened in 1790 in Franklin, Massachusetts, where residents circulated books donated by Benjamin Franklin following his death. Franklin had earlier started his own lending library in Philadelphia in 1731, requiring an annual subscription fee of 40 shillings.

• The Town Library in Peterborough, New Hampshire, which opened in 1833, was the first free public library funded by a municipality with the purpose of making books available to the general community.

• British philanthropist George Moore funded the first-ever bookmobile in Great Britain in 1857. The horse-drawn wagon served books from bookshelves mounted on the outside and traveled between eight villages in northern England in order to “diffuse good literature among the rural population” as per Moore’s bequest.

• Andrew Carnegie became one of the wealthiest men in history by developing the steel industry into a massive monopoly that exploited workers. Yet, before he died in 1919, he gave away about 90% of his fortune, equal to about $5.5 billion in today’s dollars. He founded charities, contributed to universities, established institutes for the arts, and built over 2,500 libraries throughout the Englishspeaking world: the U.S., Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. In the U.S., Carnegie built 1,679 libraries that were totally free for the public to use.

• Many early libraries were built with apartments attached so the library’s custodians would have living quarters allowing them to keep shoveling coal into furnaces at all hours of the day and night to control the climate needed to protect the books.

EXTRAORDINARILY OVERDUE

• A collection of verses called “Days and Deeds” was checked out of Kewanee, Illinois Public Library in April of 1955 by Emily CanellosSimms. It was due on April 19, 1955. In 2002, some 47 years later, Emily found the book in her mother’s house and gave it back, with an overdue fine of over $345 having accrued at the rate of 2 cents per day.

• In 2016, the granddaughter of a man who had checked out “The Microscope and Its Revelations” from Hereford Cathedral School in Britain returned the title 120 years late.

• In 2011, the Camden School of Arts lending library in Australia had a first edition of Charles

Darwin’s “Insectivorous Plants” returned to them. The book had been checked out in 1889 and had lain among the book collection of a retired veterinarian before the library stamp was noticed and the book returned, some 122 years overdue.

• At Marsh’s Library in Dublin, Ireland, visitors reading rare books were locked in cages until they were done, to prevent theft.

UNSUAL LIBRARIES

• The McAllen Public Library in Texas is housed in a converted Walmart. It opened in December 2011, and is the largest single-floor library in the United States, occupying 125,000 square feet

Libraries: Turn to page 15

QUIZ BITS

1. What library is the largest in the world?

2. How many miles of bookshelves does this library contain?

(Answers page 16)

1.What’s 2.What

NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE

Warsaw, Poland, is the city with the most libraries per capita, with an average of 11.5 libraries per 100,000 citizens. Seoul, South Korea and Brussels, Belgium follow close behind, with 11 and 10 libraries per 100,000 inhabitants on average

By Lucie Winborne

* There is an art form called Assquatch that consists of faces made from deer posteriors.

* Renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci designed plans for a “mechanized knight,” a robot-like creation that relied on a pulley system. When the plans were discovered nearly five centuries later and built according to his specifications, the design worked perfectly.

* In 2012, a Manchester, U.K., couple jokingly invited Queen Elizabeth to their wedding. Her Royal Highness not only showed up, but brought Prince Philip.

* Speedy Gonzales was banned by the Cartoon Network for being an offensive stereotype, only to be returned after mass protest by the Hispanic-American community.

* The lowest sounding instrument in an orchestra is the contrabassoon. Only a few soloists in the world play it.

* After winning an Oscar, Daniel DayLewis retired to become a cobbler in Italy. Fortunately for the theatrical world, he returned to acting after Martin Scorsese convinced him to star in “Gangs of New York.”

* The first Troll doll was created by a Danish fisherman who could not afford a Christmas gift for his daughter. While it wouldn’t have won any beauty contests, when other children saw it they all wanted one of their own.

* In 1877, a monkey named Jimmy was charged with assault after biting the finger of one Mary Shea. When a judge said he couldn’t legally commit a monkey, Jimmy respectfully removed his velvet hat, climbed on the judge’s desk, and attempted to shake his hand.

* There’s actually a website that tells you the best time to use the restroom during a movie in a theater so you don’t miss anything important.

Thought for the Day: “A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.”

-- John Barrymore

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

by Mary Hunt

Should You Be Worried About Your Money in the Bank?

the rules are the same no matter what bank you select.

WHAT’S THE ALTERNATIVE?

Where would you put it if you succumb to worry and pull all of your money from the bank? Under the mattress doesn’t seem like a very good idea, as there it is subject to both thievery and fire.

Another idea would be to bury it in the backyard. And how safe is that? You’re overcome with worry now, so just imagine leaving home wondering who might have seen you dig that hole? This, too, is not a good idea.

by Mary Hunt

On the off chance you haven’t been paying attention to world news, several banks in the U.S. collapsed (gone broke, busted, washed up, taken down, bankrupt) in recent days. Now, others here and abroad appear to be threatening to follow suit.

IN A NUTSHELL

What this means is that these failed banks accepted customers’ deposits, then lent and invested some of that money (which is what all banks do). However, due to inept management and lack of oversight, things went flying off the rails, and I’m not talking about East Palestine, Ohio (another disaster on its own).

RISKY BUSINESS

See where this is going? These banks made too many risky investments and loans to the point their debts outweighed their assets. Word got out, then depositors panicked, sending them flying to the bank to withdraw all of their cash. And that caused what is known as a “run on the bank” cue the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

SORRY, OUT OF CASH

When everyone shows up to withdraw money at the same time, and the bank doesn’t have that much reserve cash sitting in its vault to comply, the bank goes belly up, otherwise known as insolvent.

IS IT CONTAGIOUS?

Is this situation catching? Might your bank be in similar trouble? Should you take your money and run? That’s a tough question. You’re the only one who can make that decision. However, experts I have consulted would not necessarily give us that advice.

THERE ARE LIMITS

Nearly all national and regional banks in the U.S. carry insurance issued by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to cover this very thing. When an insured bank (or credit union) goes under, depositors are made whole even if the bank runs out of cash. But only to a limit. Both the FDIC and National Credit Union Administration standard limit is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category.

If your balances are less than $250,000, you need not panic. Or even be concerned. If your total balance exceeds $250,000, you need to spread it around in more than one bank to make sure you remain 100% covered.

There is a calculator called “EDIE” at the FDIC’s website (https://edie.fdic.gov/calculator.html) that works well for determining your FDIC or NCUA insurance coverage.

For those who cringe at giving away personal information, if you use this calculator, just know that when it asks you to enter your bank’s name, you can actually enter any bank

That leaves investing it in the stock market or responding to a late-night TV commercial to buy silver (or gold). You’ve probably already taken that route if you possess the smarts and education that kind of move requires. So let’s take that option out of the picture, too.

TRUST BUT VERIFY

Provided that your bank is FDIC insured (NCUA for credit unions) -- look for signs all over the lobby, ATMs, front door and website indicating this coverage -- and you have not deposited more than a quarter of a million bucks, you can relax. Your money is as safe today as it was last month and for years before.

That being said, wisdom dictates that you keep an eye on things. Check your balances every day using the bank’s app or online service. Balance your statements monthly. Do not assume anything. Always verify.

INSTEAD, WORRY ABOUT THIS

A situation could happen any day for which the FDIC would not come to your rescue. Sure, your money is safe in the bank, but what if your access to your money is cut off? This will happen if there is a power outage caused by any number of disasters.

Everything in a bank, including the locks on the doors and access to the vault, is controlled electronically. Without power, the manager might be able to open the front door with a key, but that’s about it.

ATMs will be down. Credit cards won’t work because that little credit card machine will go down, and there will be no way for retailers to accept your card for payment.

Grocery store checkout computers and cash registers will go dark. There may be personnel available to accept cash, but will they be prepared with sufficient currency and coins to give you change if all you have are big bills?

CASH ON HAND

You need to take money out of the bank -- enough cash to fund your basic living expenses should there be a power outage. Start with enough for a week, then add to it from there as you are able.

Don’t make it a stack of $100s. Small denominations make more sense for all the reasons above. And make sure you have coins as well. Should the need arise that a seller cannot make change, you can make a purchase with the exact amount.

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

THE PACIFIC OCEAN

• The Pacific Ocean takes up 30% of the surface of Earth, and accounts for 46% of the total water surface. It is twice as big and has twice as much water as the Atlantic. Half of all the world’s oceanic water is in the Pacific.

• The Pacific is rimmed by the Ring of Fire where Earth's tectonic plates meet. About 90% of all earthquakes and 75% of the planet’s volcanoes, amounting to over 450 of them, are found along the Ring of Fire.

• Due to movement of the tectonic plates, the Pacific Ocean is shrinking. Three tectonic plates squeeze inward by about an inch per year (2.5 cm), meaning the Pacific Ocean grows smaller by about a fifth of a square mile annually (.52 sq km). Meanwhile the Atlantic Ocean expands in size at exactly the same rate.

• The Pacific stretches more than half way around the world. There are places where, if you went to the bottom of the Pacific and drilled a hole straight down, you’d come out on the other side of the world and still be in the Pacific Ocean. You could fit all seven continents in the Pacific and still have room left over. It’s larger than the surface area of Mars.

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• The widest stretch spans the globe from Indonesia to the coast of South America, a distance of over 12,300 miles (19,800 km).

• The deepest part of the Pacific, the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, is over 36,000 feet deep (11,000 m). There are other canyons that are nearly as deep. The average depth of the entire ocean is 13,000 feet (4,000 m).

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Abraham Ortelius drew the first relatively accurate map of the Pacific Ocean in 1589.

• Today, there are satellite technologies that allow us to map the floor of the Pacific and other oceans. Thus far, however, only around 13.8% of the Pacific Ocean floor has been mapped. □

• In 1507, German mapmaker Martin Waldseemuller was the first to illustrate that North and South America sat between two oceans.

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• There are over 25,000 islands spread out over the Pacific Ocean. Beginning about 3,000 B.C., the Polynesian people, starting from Taiwan, found nearly all of these 25,000 islands using nothing but canoes with sails, expanding into what are now Indonesia, Madagascar, and the Philippines.

• In 1512, Portuguese explorers Antonio de Abreu and Francisco Serrao traversed the Pacific as far as Indonesia.

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• In 1513, Spanish conquistador Vasco Nunez de Balboa sailed the Atlantic, hacked his way across Panama, and waded knee-deep into the Pacific, naming it “Mal del Sur” (“south sea”) and claiming the entire ocean for Spain.

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• Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his Spanish crew were the first Europeans to cross the Pacific Ocean during their circumnavigation of the globe, and Magellan named it the Pacific (“peaceful”) Ocean in 1521.

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• About a third of the islands are inhabitable. Most are south of the Equator. Indonesia is the world’s largest island state, composed of a large cluster of more than 17,500 islands.

• New Guinea is the Pacific Ocean’s largest island, and is the second largest island in the world, after Greenland in the North Atlantic.

• Easter Island is the most remote inhabited island in the world, over 1,243 miles away (2,000 km) from the nearest other piece of land, which is Pitcairn Island, and 2,175 miles away (3,500 km) from the west coast of South America.

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by Dana Jackson

Q: I want to see the new film “Jesus Revolution,” but I just don’t like going to movie theaters. Can I watch it at home on my TV? -- H.W.

A: ”Jesus Revolution” is the term Time magazine called an evangelical Christian revival that began on the West Coast in the 1960s and 1970s. The movie of the same name is based on that published article as well as on a real pastor, who is played by Kelsey Grammer (“Frasier”) in the film.

Jonathan

Roumie co-stars in “Jesus Revolution” as Lonnie Frisbee, a charismatic street preacher who bears a physical resemblance to Jesus. The actor started out doing guest roles in primetime shows like “Chicago Med” and “NCIS: Los Angeles,” but he seems to have found his calling of starring in faith-based projects in recent years. He’s played Jesus in three seasons of Angel Studios’ “The Chosen,” which can be streamed on Peacock.

At the time of this writing, “Jesus Revolution” is only available in theaters, where it’s gained remarkable success, already generating more than $45 million at the box office.

It will eventually be available for rent and/ or purchase on the Vudu/Fandango streaming app (and perhaps someday a streaming platform like Prime Video and one of the network or cable channels). However, if you don’t want to take a chance

on missing it, I’d venture out to your local theater very soon.

***

Q: What is Kiefer Sutherland’s new show about? It looks like he’s playing Jack Bauer again. -- L.J.

A: While actor Kiefer Sutherland is best known for playing Jack Bauer on the hit Fox action series “24,” his new show “Rabbit Hole” is a completely different project and character for him altogether. It definitely caters to Kiefer’s fan base,

though, but instead of playing a federal agent fighting terrorism, he’s a private espionage agent framed for murder.

“Rabbit Hole” comes from the creative minds of Emmy-winning producers John Requa and Glenn Ficarra (“This Is Us”), and the show co-stars Charles Dance (“The Crown”) and Rob Yang (“Succession”). The first season consists of only eight episodes, and the first two will premiere on March 26. It’s available exclusively on the Paramount+ streaming service.

Sutherland had another successful series after “24” called “Designated Survivor,” where he becomes president of the free world after everyone above him in rank is killed in a catastrophic attack. It aired for two seasons on ABC before airing the third season on Netflix. He also recently played President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the Showtime original series “The First Lady.” Now, whether we’ll see him in a silly comedy anytime soon remains to be seen.

***

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

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

1. Shazam! Fury of the Gods (PG-13) Zachary Levi, Asher Angel

1. Split (PG-13) James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy

2. Scream VI (R) Courteney Cox, Melissa Barrera

2. Rings ............................... (PG-13) Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Alex Roe

3. A Dog’s Purpose ..................(PG)

Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid

3. Creed III (PG-13) Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson

4. Hidden Figures ....................(PG)

Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer

4. 65 (PG-13) Adam Driver, Ariana Greenblatt

5. La La Land (PG-13) Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone

5. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (PG-13) Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly

6. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (R) Milla Jovovich, Iain Glen

6. Cocaine Bear (R) Keri Russell, Alden Ehrenreich

7. Jesus Revolution (PG-13) Kelsey Grammer, Kimberly Williams-Paisley

7. Sing (PG) animated

8. Lion (PG-13) Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman

8. Champions (PG-13) Woody Harrelson, Kaitlin Olson

9. The Space Between Us (PG-13) Gary Oldman, Asa Butterfield

9. Avatar: The Way of Water (PG-13) Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana

10. xXx: Return of Xander Cage (PG-13) Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen

© 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.

10. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (PG) Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek

© 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Jonathan Roumie (“Jesus Revolution”)

Depositphotos

Good Recipes from Passover Leek and Olive Bites

Take advantage of leeks, in season in spring, with these Passover-appropriate appetizers.

3 leeks, each preferably 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, white and pale green parts only, trimmed

1 tablespoon margarine or butter, cut up 1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Salt

Pepper

15 pitted Kalamata olives, cut in half

30 kosher-for-Passover crackers, such as Tam Tams

1. Cut each leek crosswise into 1/2-inchthick rounds; keep rounds intact. Place in large bowl and cover with water. Gently swish to remove any grit. Lift out leeks into colander. Repeat with fresh water at least once or until leeks are clean. Drain in colander. Pat dry.

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back of teaspoon. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes or until warm room temperature.

3. Top each cracker with 1 leek slice and 1 olive half. Serve immediately. Makes 30 bites (2 bites per serving).

 Each serving: About 55 calories, 2g total fat (1g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 100mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate, 1g dietary fiber, 1g protein.

* * *

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

(c) 2019 Hearst Communications, Inc.

Final Changes DUE: 5:00

2. In 12-inch skillet, melt margarine on medium. Add leeks in single layer. Cook 5 minutes or until browned. Turn carefully and add water, thyme, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Heat to boiling. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until leeks are tender. Uncover and, if necessary, cook 2 minutes longer or until water evaporates. Center rings of leeks will rise; gently press back into place with

The future looks bright

Donald Duck by Walt

By John Allen

Brett Koth

Cody’s

Corner

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis Creators News Service

Knowing Aggression

I got another one of those phone calls the other day. I pick up, and the guy on the other end tells me he has a 2-year-old dog who is “sometimes” aggressive.

I tell him he has a “sometimes” problem. But the problem with a sometimes problem is that it’s easy to forget you have a real problem -- or to pretend you don’t. And you do.

Aggression -- sometimes or all the time -- is a real problem.

The guy on the phone wasn’t done. He tells me he started bringing his dog to the office every day, hoping to use his employees to socialize his pooch.

Instead of a socialized dog, he ended up with a territorial dog. Territorial and aggressive. Within the United States Department of Labor lies a division called OSHA. Created in 1970 with the passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration exists “to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.”

“Safe conditions” includes not treating your employees like caged bait for the purpose of curing your dog’s aggression. There is a very real potential for liability here.

While dog aggression is a serious problem, dealing with it nevertheless boils down to the two steps involved in finding solutions to any problem:

1) Recognize it.

2) Do something about it.

But dog aggression is often complicated by our resistance as dog owners to step 1.

A woman called me recently saying her dog attacked another dog. I told her she has an aggressive dog. She said, “No, he’s my baby. He just didn’t like that other dog.”

Resistance.

If we can’t get to step 1, we’ll never get to step 2.

Having an aggressive dog isn’t the end of the world. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. It

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Most People Can’t Get the Maximum Benefit

If you read a recent USA Today article, you would have seen a story with this intriguing headline: “3 steps to claiming the $4,555 max monthly Social Security benefit.” And if you are pushing retirement age, you would of course want to read that story and get yourself locked into a heaping serving from the Social Security gravy train.

In a nutshell, the story says this. To get a maximum Social Security benefit, you’ve got to do these three things: 1) work for 35 years; 2) earn the maximum Social Security taxable salary every year; and 3) wait until you are 70 to claim Social Security.

But that promise of maximum benefits was very misleading. I mean, think about it. Who is going to read an article headlined “3 steps to claiming the $4,555 max monthly Social Security benefit?” It is very likely going to be someone pushing Social Security age. In other words, someone in their late 50s or early 60s. Well, if you’re already that age, there is absolutely nothing you can do to change step 2. (Most people earn far less than the Social Security maximum taxable base -- currently $160,200.) Obviously, you can’t go back 35 years and change your earnings history.

Or to put that another way, unless you happen to be that relatively rare person who has earned the maximum Social Security wage for the past 35 years, the article is totally meaningless to you.

Or to put that yet another way, the article only works if it is read by someone in their early 30s who would say: “Oh, gosh, if I want to get the maximum Social Security benefit, I better earn the maximum Social Security salary for the next 35 years and then wait until 70 to claim benefits.” And I will bet my next Social Security check that not very many people in their 30s are going to read any kind of article about Social Security.

So why did USA Today run such an article? I can just picture the editors of the newspaper sitting around saying something like this: “We know a high percentage of our readers are old folks. And what topic are old folks most interested in? Social Security of course. And what do they want from Social Security? More money. So, let’s do a story about how they can get the maximum Social Security check.”

But then they don’t think that through and realize that there is absolutely nothing an average wage earner who is now pushing Social Security age can do to claim “the $4,555 max monthly Social Security benefit.” Yet they run the story anyway and cause a whole lot of readers to rue the fact that they can’t get a ticket on that Social Security gravy train!

And that newspaper story just reminds me of a point I’ve made many times in this column. So many senior citizens are absolutely obsessed with the notion that there is some secret to getting more money from Social Security that they don’t know about.

So, assuming you are one of the many people who haven’t earned the maximum Social Security wages for the past 35 years, is there anything you can do to maximize your benefits? Well, that gets us to Step 3 in the USA Today column. Sup-

posedly, you should “wait until you are 70 to claim Social Security.” But as I’ve also discussed many times in this column, that may be good advice for some, but certainly not for everyone.

For example, if you’re not in the best of health, or if you were simply born with the wrong genes as I was (my dad and almost all my uncles died before age 60), then why wait until 70 to claim benefits? Chances are you simply aren’t going to live long enough to make up for the money you’d lose by not staring your benefits at your full retirement age, or even sooner.

Or even if you’re a senior who is fit as a fiddle, there is a rising chorus of financial planners who are now recommending that people are better off to take their benefits at full retirement age rather than delay them until 70.

In many ways, this maximizing obsession makes me pine for days gone by. Back when I was taking Social Security claims several decades ago, no one worried about this. Most senior citizens generally filed for their Social Security benefits at 62, and they didn’t bat an eye or fret one little whit about their decision. The term “maximizing your Social Security” wasn’t even part of the lexicon.

I’m not necessarily saying that was a good thing. Obviously, it makes sense to plan for your retirement, consider your Social Security options and make a decision about when to start your benefits based on the planning you’ve done.

But my point is this. Don’t obsess about it. For one thing, no one really knows when the best time is to start their Social Security is because no one really knows when they are going to die. For example, I knew an older guy just down the block from our house who was known around the neighborhood as a fitness fanatic. He was always out running every day, even in his 60s. And about a month ago, he died at age 71 of a massive heart attack.

And there is also this point. Almost all seniors who get in touch with me today fretting about their Social Security choices are not between a rock and a hard place, financially speaking. When it

comes to Social Security, they are between a pillow and a soft place. No matter which way they choose to go with their Social Security start date, they will generally come out OK. Here is a question I got not so long ago.

Q: I am 66 and 6 months. I would really like to start my Social Security benefits now. According to my latest estimates, I’d be due $3,110 per month. But my financial planner tells me I should maximize my benefits by waiting until I am 70. I just don’t know what to do. I’m so afraid I’ll make the wrong decision. Can you help?

A: I can help by telling you this. Don’t worry. Be happy. No matter which way you go, it sounds to me like you will be pretty comfortable -- Social Security speaking.

If you wait until age 70, you will get about an extra 30% added to your benefits. So, you would get about $4,000 per month. That’s $890 more than you’d get if you start your benefits now. But of course, by waiting until 70, you would have lost out on 42 Social Security checks totaling $130,620. So, do you want the $130,620 pillow? Or do you want the soft place down the road with the extra $890 per month? Pick one and be happy. As I said, you really can’t go wrong. (Oh, and by the way, I am coming at this from a Social Security perspective only. You would also have to consider the tax implications to your decision.)

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 Easyto-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. 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 2023 CREATORS.COM

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

2. Who was David's oldest brother who picked on him for coming to the battle lines? a) Abner b) Omri c) Jesse d) Eliab

3. After Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, who lived in a cave with his daughters? a) Job b) Lot c) Abraham d) Levi

4. In Luke 3, who told Roman soldiers to avoid taking money by force? a) John the Baptist b) Peter c) Jesus d) Matthew

5. What Canaanite city was burned down by the men of Dan? a) Tarsus b) Cana c) Laish d) Antioch

6. In which book is the phrase, "Salt of the Earth? a) Luke b) Matthew c) Acts d) None

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

Longtime Cannabis User Still Tests Positive Weeks

After Quitting

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 68-year-old male who has used cannabis for 51 years. During that time span, I graduated from high school and college with two bachelor’s degrees and two master’s degrees, and I spent 35 years as an accomplished educator, motivational speaker and author. I have been married to the same person for 31 years and have a wide circle of friends. Twenty-five years ago, I had my thyroid removed due to cancer, and I currently take medication. I also inject testosterone and take medications for blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as Xanax. I retired to a life that involves little travel, choosing instead to spend my time reading, researching, writing and being active in my community. Once I began to notice a loss of motivation and diminished memory, I became proactive and decided to give up cannabis. I have had no trouble quitting cold turkey and have no desire to return to it. My memory has vastly improved, and I still enjoy all the things that made my retirement enjoyable before I made this decision. After 10 weeks of not using, I still test positive for the metabolites using THC testing strips. I have read that normal detoxing for a heavy user is anywhere from six weeks to two months.

To aid in the process, I drink half a glass of lemon juice in the morning, drink two gallons of water or detox tea a day, cut red meat and dairy from my diet, spend an hour a day on the treadmill, and spend 40 minutes in a steam bath.

How long should I expect to continue testing positive? Is there anything else I can do to speed up the passing of the metabolites?

-- Anon

ANSWER: The active form of THC, the primary chemical in cannabis that causes the psychoactive effects (i.e., the effects for people to feel “high”), accumulates in the fat cells, where it can be stored for long periods of time.

Research in laboratory animals confirms that losing weight over the long-term releases the stored THC from the fat, making it more likely that a urine test will be positive in people who are losing weight (which might be the case with you, given your exercise and diet). Heavy users have told me that they feel like they are “coming out of a fog” for up to six months after stopping the use of cannabis. However, I can’t give you any evidence-based answer on how long you will continue to show positive results.

I don’t think drinking water and tea, nor the steam bath, are significantly helping you get rid of the accumulated THC in the body, but the

diet and exercise changes probably are, if you are losing fat as I suspect. Even if you aren’t losing weight, you may be getting more muscular due to exercise and losing fat.

Dr.

(c) 2022 North America Synd., Inc.

* * *

FLAGS

VOLUNTEER DRIVERS NEEDED

American Veterans (AMVETS) Post 66 in Palm Springs is seeking volunteer drivers. The drivers will drive a 9 passenger van known as the “AMVETS Express” from Cathedral City and Palm Springs to the Loma Linda VA Hospital and then return to the desert. The driver will work one day per week. The van departs Cathedral City about 6:30 AM and returns to the desert in the afternoon of the same day. The van operates Monday through Friday.

Applicants for the position of driver do not have to be veterans. Applicants are required to study a training manual and pass a complete physical exam. The drivers cannot be over age 70. The drivers are volunteers and are not paid a salary.

full details and to apply, please call

by Freddie Groves

Masks at VA Facilities not Gone

The Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced that they were relaxing the requirement for masks to be worn at all VA medical facilities. But if you heard on the news that the mask requirement is gone, it’s not necessarily so.

There is now a three-tier safety system whereby each facility is rated as high, medium or low for Covid transmission problems, and each facility will be monitored weekly for any updates or changes.

So what does it mean if your facility ranks as high for Covid risk? I checked a half dozen VA facilities in my state, and all were ranked high. That means everyone has to wear a mask, they might screen for Covid at the door, only approved visitors can come in, physical distancing is required, and you should ask your care team about options for phone or video appointments instead of going in.

Sounds like nothing’s changed over the past few years.

So I picked another state. Most were at a high level, but I did see a few rated medium. For those, the facility itself will decide based on what’s going on in the area. Care partners will be welcome, but no other visitors.

Then there’s the Off-stage and On-stage middle-of-the-pack medium mask category. For “Off,” it’s any area where patient care is not being performed, like hallways and admin areas. For “On”areas, masks are required in patient rooms and anywhere patients are being provided care.

After much looking, I finally found a VA facility rated as low. The rule is simple: You must wear a mask if veterans are present. Read the signs when you go in so you’ll know.

Bottom line: A mask might be required no matter what level facility you enter. Tuck one into your pocket just to be sure you have it handy.

To check the Covid safety level at any VA medical facility you visit, look at their website for their rating. See www.va.gov/find-locations for the list of locations.

* * *

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.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

The AMVETS Express has operated since 2004 and it is the only free van transportation from the desert to the VA Hospital. Drivers are not permitted to accept tips from the passengers. The AMVETS Express takes homeless veterans and veterans who are having a mental health crisis to the hospital. We also transport many disabled veterans who cannot drive a car. For many veterans the AMVETS Express is the only way for them to receive their medical care. We transport about 22 veterans per month. Because we only have three drivers right now on some days we cannot operate for lack of a driver. To apply please call

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

-- by Jim Miller

How to Choose an Assisted Living Facility

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: Can you tell me the best way to go about choosing an assisted living facility for my 86-yearold father? Since our mother died last year, his health has declined to the point that he should no longer be living alone at home. However, he's not to the point where he's ready for full care in a nursing home, but still needs daily assistance for certain needs. How do we start looking?

-- Concerned Daughter

Dear Concerned: If your dad needs help with things like bathing, dressing, preparing meals, managing his medications or just getting around, an assisted living facility is definitely a good option to consider.

Assisted living facilities are residential communities that offer different levels of health or personal care services for seniors who want or need help with daily living.

There are nearly 29,000 assisted living communities (also called board and care, supportive-care or residential-care facilities) in the U.S. today, some of which are part of a retirement community or nursing home. Most facilities have anywhere between 10 and 100 suites, varying in size from a single room to a full apartment. And some even offer special memory care units for residents with dementia.

To help you choose a good assisted living facility for your dad, here are some steps to follow.

Make a list: There are several sources you can turn to for referrals to top assisted living communities in your area including your dad’s doctor or nearby hospital discharge planner; friends or neighbors who’ve had a loved one in assisted living; or you can do an online search at Caring.com

Do some research: To research the communities on your list, put a call into your long-term care ombudsman. This is a government official who investigates long-term care facility complaints and advocates for residents and their families. This person can help you find the latest health inspection reports on specific assisted living facilities and can tell you which ones have had complaints or other problems in the past. To find your local ombudsman visit LTCombudsman.org

Final Changes DUE:

help pay for assisted living. Or, if he’s a veteran, he may be able to get funds through the VA’s Aid and Attendance benefit. To find out about these programs, ask the assisted living facility director, or contact his local Medicaid office (see Medicaid.gov) or the regional VA benefit office (800–827–1000).

Call the facilities: Once you’ve identified a few good assisted living facilities, call them to see if they have any vacancies, what they charge and if they provide the types of services your father needs.

Tour your top choices: During your visit, notice the cleanliness and smell of the facility. Is it homey and inviting? Does the staff seem responsive and kind to its residents? Also be sure to taste the food, and talk to the residents and their family members, if available. It’s also a good idea to visit several times at different times of the day and different days of the week to get a broader perspective.

Final

On your facility visit, get a copy of the admissions contract and the residence rules that outline the fees (and any extra charges), services and residents’ rights, and explanations for when a resident might be asked to leave because their condition has worsened, and they require more care than the facility can provide.

Also, find out their staff turnover rate, COVID infection-control procedures and if and when medical professionals are on site. To help you rate your visit, Caring.com offers a checklist of questions that you can download and print at Caring.com/static/ checklist-AL-tour.pdf

How to pay: Monthly costs for assisted living ranges anywhere from $2,500 to $6,000 or more, depending on where you live, the facility you choose, and the services provided. Since Medicare does not cover assisted living, most residents pay out-of-pocket from their own personal funds, and some have long-term care insurance policies.

If your dad has limited financial resources and can’t afford this, most states now have Medicaid waiver programs that

by Anne McCollam Creators

A Journey into the Next Life

Q: Enclosed is a photo of a Sick Call box that hung in my husband’s bedroom when he was a boy. It originally belonged to his grandmother.

The frame is wood, and there is a compartment at the bottom that contains a crucifix, tray, a cruet for holy oil, candles and a holy water bottle. At the top are painted figures of Mary and Jesus. Below there is a door that drops open to reveal a storage area. The outside of the door is decorated with a picture of the Last Supper. On the inside of the door is the word “VIATICUM.” The overall measurements are 24 inches high by 12 inches wide and 4 inches deep.

I would like to know anything you can tell me about my sick call box, especially its age and possible value.

A: You have a circa 1900 Religious Call shrine/shadow box. They were often found in Catholic homes in the late 1800s and early 1900s and used by a priest to administer the Sacrament of Last Rites to a seriously ill or dying person. They usually contained a bottle of holy water, a silver tray with the letters “IHS,” candles, candleholders, a crucifix and a cruet for holy oil. “IHS” are letters that stand for the Greek words for Jesus Christ and “Vaticum” is Latin for “provisions for a journey to the afterlife.”

Despite antique Religious Call boxes not

Puzzle Solutions

being in high demand, value for one in good condition can run from around $200 to $300.

Q: I will be 90 years old in May, and I have a service for 12 set of porcelain dishes that includes all the serving pieces. I have drawn the mark that is on back of each dish.

The dishes are decorated with big pink roses, green leaves and gold trim. They are around 50 to 60 years old, in absolutely perfect condition and have never been used.

My daughter wants the dishes when I’m gone, so please let me know the value of my set.

* On April 6, 1896, the first modern Olympic Games opened in Athens more than 1,500 years after the last Games, which originated in Olympia in southwestern Greece. Two hundred and forty-one athletes from 14 countries took part.

* On April 5, 1955, Winston Churchill, who was instrumental in initiating the alliance between the U.K., the U.S. and the Soviet Union against Nazi Germany, resigned as prime minister of the U.K. His political career spanned half a century.

A: Johann Haviland Porcelain Company has been located in Waldershot, Bavaria, Germany, since 1907. Johann was the son of Charles Haviland who produced porcelain in Limoges, France. They are now part of Rosenthal Glass and Porcelain Company in Bavaria, Germany.

Your mid-20th century dinnerware would probably be worth $1,000 to $1,500.

* * *

Antiques expert and columnist Anne McCollam has recently 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

COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

* On April 3, 1973, Motorola employee Martin Cooper made the first public mobile telephone call, on a Manhattan sidewalk, to Joel Engel of Bell Labs. Cooper later told the BBC that his first words were, “Joel, I’m calling you from a ‘real’ cellular telephone. A portable handheld telephone.”

* On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron, aka “Hammerin’ Hank,” of the Atlanta Braves struck his 715th career home run, smashing Babe Ruth’s legendary record of 714 homers. Over the preceding winter, Aaron had endured death threats and hate mail from people who didn’t want to see that record broken by a Black man.

* On April 7, 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 6-3 to uphold a 50-year-old Virginia law making it a crime to burn a cross as an act of intimidation. The practice is widely associated with the Ku Klux Klan and is still protected by the First Amendment at Klan rallies.

* On April 9, 2009, the U.S. stopped running its global network of secret prisons used to detain and interrogate terrorism suspects, sometimes with “torturous” methods. CIA Director Leon Panetta added that any remaining sites would be decommissioned. President Barack Obama had promised to shut the facilities down shortly after taking office.

* On April 4, 2013, American film critic Roger Ebert died of cancer just two days after announcing he would write fewer reviews due to the disease’s recurrence. His thumbs up/thumbs down rating system with fellow critic Gene Siskel turned the pair into household names and became a popular part of American culture.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

I thought it was wonderful when Madeleine became secretary of state. She's Albright with me!

"Sorry, but the management has strictly forbidden us from selling you any T-shirt that says 'World's Greatest Golfter'."

Johann Haviland Porcelain Company was founded in Bavaria in 1907.

Sick Call boxes were popular around 1900

(11,600 m2), or two and a half times the area of a standard football playing field. It includes an art gallery, 16 public meeting spaces, 14 public study rooms, three computer labs, a used book store, a café, and a 180-seat auditorium.

• Vermont is home to a library that straddles the U.S. border to Canada. The Haskell Free Library and Opera House sits directly on the border. You can walk in from Stanstead, Quebec, and walk out into Derby Line, Vermont. You don’t need a passport to cross the (literal) line running through the building, but you do have to return to your country of origin or risk stiff fines.

• The Osmothèque is a library of odors in Versailles, France. Founded in 1990, it serves as a repository for perfumes, containing over 3,200 scents. The intention of the collection is to safeguard formulas, archive the history of individual scents, and track samples donated by the manufacturers.

• Manhattan is home to the Conjuring Arts Research Center established in 2003. It serves as a free public repository of books on magic, hypnosis, ventriloquism, juggling, and sleight of hand. It currently holds over 12,000 books including more than 500 rare books published before 1700.

• Some German cities have “art libraries” where members pay a small fee to borrow paintings and sculptures from local artists to put into their homes for specified periods of time.

• Some libraries allow you to check out seeds with the intention that gardeners will replace the seeds after their crop is harvested.

• The Oakland Library in California maintains a “tool lending library” of 3,500 tools ***

• Is the internet replacing the public's use of libraries? According to a 2022 study by the American Library Association (ALA), there are more American public libraries than Starbucks (more than 17,000). These libraries serve as community hubs that support and empower local community members' social, political, and personal well-being. They also provide other services to communities, such as free access to computer centers and Wi-Fi, story times to children, language classes to immigrants and technology training to everyone, all of which are services the internet can't provide. □

STAN SMITH’S TENNIS CLASS

TEE UP

Game Changers

by Jason Jenkins

Hip to Be Square

Not every greenside bunker shot is played the same, which implies that not every set up for these shots should be the same. Bunker shots can be divided into two basic categories: good lies and poor lies.

A good finish should have the left leg straight, the right thigh up close to the left leg, the right foot up on the toe, and the upper body arching back slightly. The trick is that the hips are now “tucked under” the upper body or the stomach is pushed forward. Many beginners, or players who don’t have good core strength, will finish with their hips pushed out behind their upper body. Learn to correct the finish by tucking the hips under or pushing your belt buckle forward in order to feel the correct position. Good leg work will assist in correct hip positioning as well.

Good lie situations call for an open face wedge position, preferably the one lofted wedge with a high bounce. This orientation of the clubhead allows the club to glide through the sand without digging too deeply. Great for hitting the sand a few inches behind the ball when it’s resting in a good lie or soft sand.

But many times you’ll find your ball in a poor lie which should call you to make the one most critical ad justment: square the club face at address!

When I work with a lot of beginning to intermediate players, the finish position requires extra attention. The body is contorting into an unusual position and needs to be balanced to be effective. Advanced players take the finish position for granted, especially when it comes to the small arch in the lower back.

By simply squaring the clubhead, you’re creating a digging instrument that can excavate enough sand under and with the ball to send it out of the bunker. An open face from poor lies leads to a reflecting clubhead off the sand or simply puts the leading edge into the equator of the ball.

Tuck It Under

After you’ve squared the clubface, lean the bodyweight and the clubshaft toward the target slightly so that you can achieve a sharper strike into the sand. Try hitting closer to the ball with your new square face alignment as well.

Game Changers

GO FIGURE!

by Linda Thistle

10. LITERATURE: Who wrote the autobiography “Dreams From My Father”? Answers

TRIVIA TEST Answers Answers

1. Four: California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

2. “Rocky” (1976).

3. Five: Rosalynn Carter, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama and Melania Trump.

4. Edna Krabappel.

5. Thank you.

6. Hydrogen.

The idea of Go Figure is to arrive at the figures given at the bottom and right-hand columns of the diagram by following the arithmetic signs in the order they are given (that is, from left to right and top to bottom). Use only the numbers below the diagram to complete its blank squares and use each of the nine numbers only once. DIFFICULTY:

7. Famous voodoo queen.

8. Miller Lite beer.

1. The Library of Congress with

2.