Vol. 19: #32 • Barbie Unpacked • (8-6-2023) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

TIDBITS UNPACKS

by Janet Spencer

With pink now all the rage as audiences flock to theaters to see their beloved Barbie doll sets brought to life on the big screen, Tidbits thought it only fitting this week to give you the story behind the story, and a look back at how it all began. Follow along as we go behind the scenes to see how this singular doll transformed the toy industry and gave fashion-conscious young girls a must-have treasure!

A SUCCESS STORY

• Ruth Handler came up with the concept of the Barbie doll on a trip to Europe in 1956. After seeing a German doll named Lilli that was anatomically correct and intended as a gag gift to bachelors, it sparked an idea. Her husband Elliot was already in the manufacturing business, so Ruth asked him to start making adult-looking dolls for their daughter, Barbara, who was too old for baby dolls but not too old for dolls altogether. Elliot was not completely sold on the idea, but, at her insistance, began manufacturing the doll using the design sketches she created.

a receiver in another room. It was history’s first transmitted television image.

• A year later, he demonstrated it for the press, transmitting an image of a dollar sign in order to satisfy his investors that profits were on the way. Later he produced a three-inch version of his wife, the first transmitted image of a human.

• Several other inventors had previously constructed electromechanical television systems, but Philo was the first to overcome their limitations by inventing the first all-electronic television.

(Answers on page 16)

760-320-1630

1. GEOGRAPHY: Which European city is home to the Prado Museum?

2. MOVIES: What is Forrest’s hometown in the movie “Forrest Gump”?

3. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is the only vowel that isn’t on the top row of letters on a keyboard?

4. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What breed of dog is the TV star Lassie?

5. CHEMISTRY: What is a common name for nitrous oxide?

6. MUSIC: Which musical instrument does the singer Lizzo play?

7. LITERATURE: What is a bildungsroman?

8. U.S. STATES: Which two states share the most borders with other states?

9. TELEVISION: What decade is represented in the TV sitcom “The Goldbergs”?

10. FOOD & DRINK: In which century was coffee introduced to Europe? Answers

1. Madrid, Spain.

2. Greenbow, Alabama. 3.

• Philo Farnsworth was born in Utah in 1906. In 1918 the family moved to Idaho, where 12-yearold Philo was fascinated by the electrical generator that provided power for their rented home. He was a curious child with a gift for electronics and machinery, often repairing the generator and repairing broken equipment discarded by previous tenants. After devouring every page of a stack of electronics magazines found in their attic, he found a way to motorize his mother’s hand-powered washing machine.

3:30PM

• In high school, he excelled in chemistry and physics. At the age of 14, he shared diagrams with his science teacher that would later form the entire basis of the television revolution.

• After graduating from high school in 1924, Farnsworth attended the U.S. Naval Academy in Maryland, scoring the second highest ever on their entrance exams. Within just a few months, however, he learned that anything he invented while in military service would automatically be relinquished to the Navy. Farnsworth was already working out the details of television and didn’t want to forfeit his ideas into the hands of the government. After an honorable military discharge he returned to his family in Utah.

• At Brigham Young University, he attended every science class, focusing on radio technology and using their labs for experiments. Here he met Elma Gardner, and married her in 1926.

• While living in Salt Lake City, Farnsworth met up with two philanthropists from San Francisco who agreed to underwrite Philo’s research, setting up a laboratory for him in California. They wisely advised him to patent everything he produced, and he had the foresight to work with a nationally prominent patent attorney who specialized in electrophysics.

• On September 7, 1927, Philo Farnsworth used his newly invented “image dissector camera tube” to transmit a single simple straight line to

• RCA had been working to accomplish this, but Philo beat them to it. Their top engineer visited Philo’s lab, took notes, copied the design, and then built his own model for RCA. In 1931, RCA tried to buy Farnsworth’s patents for $100,000 (worth $2 million today) and offered him a job, but Farnsworth declined.

• RCA subsequently sued Farnsworth for patent infringement, a court case that dragged on for ten years. Farnsworth prevailed, not only because of his top-notch patent attorney, but also because his high school science teacher was able to produce the diagrams Farnsworth had drawn as a teenager. RCA eventually licensed Farnsworth’s patents, paying him royalties.

• In 1936, his device was used to broadcast the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. By 1939, RCA was selling televisions to consumers coast to coast.

• Farnsworth died of pneumonia in 1971. By then he had seen his invention transform society. He had mixed emotions about it, until he watched the Apollo Moon landing, televised nationwide because of technology he invented.

• Farnsworth held 300 patents that contributed to infrared night vision goggles, the electron microscope, infant incubator, endoscope, and telescopes. He invented a way to sterilize milk using radio waves, a fog-penetrating beam for ships and planes, an early warning defense signal, submarine detection devices, and an improvement of radar technology that served as the basis for today’s air traffic control systems. □

Week of August 6, 2023

Barbie (from page one)

• She named the doll Barbie after their daughter, who was born in 1941. Their son Kenneth was born in 1944. The factory foreman’s name was Harold Matson. Matson and Elliot later combined their names and expertise to form the Mattel Corporation.

• In 1955 Mattel was already established in the toy business when they got the opportunity to sponsor a new TV show, “The Mickey Mouse Club.” As a result, Mattel’s ads turned toy sales from a once-a-year occurrence at Christmastime into a year-round event. Barbie officially went on the market in March of 1959.

BARBIE’S BUDDIES

• Barbie was the only adult female doll on the market until Mattel introduced her best friend Midge. Midge was a bit less glamorous than Barbie while still being perky. Later Midge got a boyfriend, Alan, and Barbie got a little sister, Skipper.

• One model of Skipper had budding breasts that would sprout when her arms were shoved backwards. Move her arms forward and once again she became flat-chested.

• Mattel was originally against the idea of producing a Ken doll because male dolls had never sold well. The Ken was finally released in 1961. It was a success because little girls knew that Barbie needed a boyfriend.

• Barbie’s cousin Francie appeared in 1966, followed by her black friends Christie and Julia. To make the afro hair look real, the doll’s heads were placed in an oven and heated, making the hair crinkle up. Jamaican Barbie and Nigerian Barbie followed later.

• Talking Stacey, Barbie’s English friend, was released in 1969.

• When the question arose of whether Barbie should have a baby, the problem was solved by issuing a Barbie doll that came with an infant and an apron with the word “Babysitter” clearly displayed in the front.

• In 1993 Mattel came out with an “Earring Magic Ken” complete with single earring, purple vest, and necklace.

• Ruth Handler at first decided not to make a doll-sized vacuum cleaner for Barbie because she didn’t feel Barbie should be thought of as someone who would do “rough housework.”

EVOLUTION OF A DOLL

• In 1967 Barbie acquired eyelashes and a twisting waist. Any girls who had an old Barbie were encouraged to trade it in for a discount on a new one. Each year afterwards a new version was released that would do something the previous dolls did not: tilt the head, kiss, blink eyes, grip objects, etc. Mattel's strategy was to ensure continuing sales by upgrading to new features every year -- and it worked.

Jack Ryan, who was married for a short time to celebrity Zsa Zsa Gabor, invented the joints that allowed Barbie to bend at the waist and the knee. Ryan made a fortune on his patents.

• In 1966 “Color Magic” Barbie was on the market. Her hair and clothes changed color when a “magic” potion was applied.

• Barbie’s gaze had always been downward to one side, making her appear a bit demure and submissive. But in 1971 she was given a more confident, straight forward look as the women’s liberation movement gathered force.

• In 1977 an 18-inch tall Barbie was introduced. She came with a pink Corvette, a motorhome, and a beauty boutique.

• In 1979 Barbie got a Fur and Jewels Safe that came complete with a security alarm.

• Even though Black Barbie and Hispanic Barbie came out in 1980, Blonde Barbie outsells all other dolls even in Latin America. In 1981 Barbie developed tan lines.

• In 1992 the expensive Empress Bride Barbie collector’s doll had a dress created by worldfamous dress designer Bob Mackie.

• Rather than to satisfy some impossible male ideal, Barbie's narrow waist is actually thin by necessity. When fitting a doll-sized waist for clothing, a band made of cloth results in folds

of cloth that are so bulky and cumbersome that it would make all but the skinniest doll look fat.

• Today Mattel is one of the biggest apparel manufacturers in the world due to Barbie’s expanding wardrobe, with over 100 new outfits added annually.

Barbie: Turn to page 15

QUIZ BITS

1. At what age does a young girl typically get her first Barbie?

2. How many Barbie dolls does the average American girl own?

2.What

by

1.VERNALEQUINOX

2.CROCUS

CLIP AND SAVE

8-31-23

CLIP AND SAVE

CLIP AND SAVE

8-30-23

By Lucie Winborne

* Banging your head against a wall for one hour will burn 150 calories. However, we generally recommend something safer and less painful, such as, say, walking your dog.

* The typewriter was first designed to print page numbers on books.

* Snakes can sense an approaching earthquake from as far as 75 miles away and five days before it occurs.

* “Omphalophobia” is the fear of belly buttons.

* In England, all property of suicide victims was once confiscated and Christian burial rites were denied, while those who attempted the act but failed were charged as felons. The penalties were intended as a deterrent, due to the superstition that anyone who took their own life would wander the streets of their town and haunt their homes.

* “Toy Story’s” character of Woody was originally intended to be a ventriloquist’s dummy.

* When Salvatore Ferragamo was unable to purchase steel for shoe heels due to economic sanctions against Italy in the 1940s, he inadvertently created the wedge design while experimenting with Sardinian cork -- gluing, trimming and fixing it to pieces of the sole.

* Wheat isn’t just a multipurpose food source. It is also used in paper, hair conditioner and even stamps.

* In Michigan and Connecticut, it’s illegal to kiss a woman in public on a Sunday.

* Traffic has become so bad in major American cities that there isn’t even a definitive “rush hour” anymore.

* The HBO comedy “Curb Your Enthusiasm” helped save a man from being falsely accused of the murder of 16-year-old Martha Puebla. Larry David’s acclaimed series was filming at Dodger Stadium the night the crime occurred, and its cameras fortunately picked up Juan Catalan, proving the truth of his alibi as well as his innocence.

Thought for the Day: “How others treat me is their path; how I react is mine.” -- Wayne Dyer (c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

by Mary Hunt

Sometimes You Need a Microscope to Get to the Truth

They failed to read the fine print that says, “square footage is approximate” and “appliances will be of similar quality.” Who would have thought that a room that clearly shows on the plans as being 11 feet, 2 inches by 12 feet, 8 inches would turn out to be an approximation?

OK, so my laundry detergent isn’t exactly a million-dollar-apartment, but wouldn’t any reasonable person be safe to assume that if the container declares “96 loads,” one could expect to have enough detergent to last for 8 months if one does 3 loads of laundry per week?

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

by Mary Hunt

I wouldn’t go so far as to say I am a fine print junkie -- but I could see that happening. This fascination I have with the fine print is not some weird quirk I’ve had from birth or even a learned behavior that I pursued. It’s the result of getting burned just one too many times because of what lurks in the fine print -- on credit card applications, sales flyers, even the label on a popular laundry detergent.

One of my most irritating lessons in small print had to do with the terms and conditions on a credit card application. Who could even read that? Talk about fine print. I signed the thing acknowledging that I’d read all of it, sent it in, got approved and used the account.

Now, mind you, this was back when we were working our way out of a horrible pit of debt. There was a reason for this particular account because it was a “fixed rate credit card,” not one of those variable interest rate deals. Fixed rate as in the interest rate will not change, right? It doesn’t take a genius to know what that means. And then it happened.

The company sent a letter informing that the interest rate on this account was changing. Going up, not down! What? In a flash I was on the phone with customer service only to be informed that fixed rates are always tied to an index. Should the index change, the fixed rate changes right along with it. Really? The agent read me the text of the application I’d signed and even emailed a copy. I swear this feature was disclosed in 2 pt. type -- that’s the teeniest of tiny, and right down there with itty-bitty.

Thankfully, my fine print surprises of late have been minor (I’ve learned the hard way) compared to a few trusting souls burned years ago during a New York City construction boom. It seems that these folks bought new Manhattan apartments before construction even began, subject to the detailed blueprints they reviewed and accepted. In writing. Legally.

Months later, they walked into their dream homes only to be met with rooms that are significantly smaller and ceilings that are lower than what is called out on the plans. And appliances that are not the brand names agreed to. What?? What happened?

Here, let me do the math: 3 loads times 4 weeks equals 12 loads a month; 96 divided by 12 equals 8. Right? Now I wouldn’t quibble over a couple of weeks give or take. But when I ran out in less than half that time -- even though I’m careful to measure -- I figured that something’s not right! I decided to investigate.

Sure enough, right there on the back in very small print, the manufacturer discloses that “96 loads” refers to small loads -- the lowest line marked “1” on the measuring cup, not the line marked “3,” which I use and I bet everyone else who measures does, too.

Look, I have an extra-capacity machine. Why on earth would I run small loads? What I thought was a bargain turned out to be very expensive detergent. Once again, I was burned by the fine print.

I’ll admit that my angst over laundry detergent is nothing compared to getting burned on a real estate deal. And it just goes to prove once again that whether it’s laundry detergent, credit card applications or a fancy NYC apartment, what the big print giveth, the fine print taketh away!

* * *

This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate. com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”

COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

• During the early 1930s, the Union Pacific Railroad needed to drum up business. To get new passengers onboard, they built spur lines to scenic wonders, constructed hotels to accommodate tourists, then advertised these splendid destinations nationwide.

• The 1932 Winter Olympics held in Lake Placid, New York, spurred a new national interest in winter sports. Averell Harriman, Union Pacific Railroad chairman, was himself an avid skier and decided the railroad needed to establish a first-class ski resort as an exciting attraction to gain new and adventurous passengers.

• Harriman hired noted Austrian sportsman Count Felix von Schaffgotsch to scout the western U.S. for the perfect site to build a ski resort. In his searches, Schaffgotsch found that areas in Washington and California were too crowded. Oregon was too rainy, resulting in slush. Lake Tahoe got too many blizzards. Both Nevada and Utah didn’t get enough snow, and Colorado was either too cold, too windy, or was too heavily wooded. Jackson Hole, Wyoming, was perfect, but the state highway department refused to keep the road through the only pass open in the winter.

• Then a Union Pacific employee mentioned that the railroad spent more money removing snow from the spur leading to Ketchum, Idaho than any other portion of the tracks. Schaffgotsch decided to take a look.

• Ketchum had once been a thriving gold mining town, but the population dropped to less than 100 when the gold ran out. Schaffgotsch was delighted with the area: two large mountains, little wind, lots of sun, and plenty of snow.

• On a ski tour of the valley, Schaffgotsch skied up to a woman sitting on a splitrail corral fence on a ranch. He introduced himself and told her, “By this time next year, there will be a thousand people in this valley.” The woman was Roberta Brass, the daughter of the man who owned the 4300 acre ranch that encompassed the entire valley. The Union Pacific railroad bought that ranch for $4 per acre. The Sun Valley Ski Resort opened for business just eleven months later, on December 21, 1936.

• Sun Valley was billed as “Winter sports under a summer sun.” Railroad bridge designer James Curran remembered seeing conveyor belts lifting bales of bananas into cargo holds of ships using hooks. He redesigned the idea using seats for riders, creating the world’s first chairlift. Tickets cost 25 cents, equal to about $5.50 today.

• Schaffgotsch’s work wasn’t yet done. Harriman asked him to recruit Austria’s best ski instructors. Then he went to Hollywood to offer celebrities free vacations. Harriman knew the publicity it generated would be well worth it. Finally, he became a ski instructor at Sun Valley.

• But things went sideways when World War II broke out. Schaffgotsch, an avowed Nazi, joined the German army. Meanwhile, Harriman used his influence to pressure Congress into joining in the war to fight the Nazis. When

Schaffgotsch realized he was in over his head, he begged Harriman to hire him again at Sun Valley to get him out of the war. Harriman flatly refused, sending him a curt reply offering him a complimentary room for one month only – but no job. Meanwhile, three of the ski instructors Schaffgotsch had recruited were arrested for their Nazi affiliation.

• In 1942, Schaffgotsch, now a German First Lieutenant, was killed in the war at age 38. Sun Valley closed for four years until the war ended. A nearby mountain had been named for Schaffgotsch, but Harriman ordered that the name be permanently strickened from the records.

• Today Sun Valley sports 17 lifts with a capacity of 21,580 skiers per hour, accessing 120 ski runs. The valley receives about 220 inches of snow annually and operates the world’s largest automated snowmaking system. Over two million people visit each winter. Sun Valley’s name is appropriate because the area receives an average of 250 sunny days yearly. Lift tickets today cost a bit more than a quarter; they're now running between $100 and $200 daily. □

smart decisions. Make your advertising choice a wise one.

• An ad schedule in Tidbits means you reach a whole new audience that doesn’t see your advertising in the Desert Sun or in other valley publications. Plus, our lower Cost Per Thousand advertising rates save you money!

by Dana Jackson

Q: Whatever happened to actor Jamie Foxx? I read that he was in a coma, but came out of it. Is he OK? -- P.F.

A: Jamie Foxx was rushed to the hospital back in April after reportedly suffering some kind of medical emergency before heading to the set of his movie “Back in Action,” with Cameron Diaz.

There were rumors that he was near death, in a coma, possibly having suffered a stroke. While he hasn’t given details about what caused his collapse, he recently emerged in video form on social media looking very much alive and well. He issued a statement thanking everyone who prayed for him and sent him messages. He further stated, “I cannot even begin to tell you how far it took me and how it brought me back. I went through something that I thought I would never, ever go through.”

Foxx says he remained silent for so long because he didn’t want fans to see him with “tubes running out” of him, and thanked his sister and his daughter for protecting him from the media. He denied reports that he lost his vision or was paralyzed. It’s uncertain when he’ll finish shooting “Back in Action.”

Q: Didn’t the director of the new “Barbie” movie start out as an actress? I think I saw her in an indie movie years ago. When did she make the transition to directing? -- L.L.

A: Greta Gerwig has earned the multi-hyphenate title of actress-writer-director, but started out acting in independent films. She first gained the attention of critics when she starred opposite Ben Stiller in the indie film “Greenberg,” and later for “Frances Ha.” Both films were directed by her now longtime partner in love, Noah Baumbach. The two have partnered together in writing screenplays, including the current big-budget Hollywood pic “Barbie,” starring Margot Robbie.

Gerwig first added the title of director to her resume in 2008 with the film “Nights and Weekends,” in which she also starred. In 2017, she earned an Oscar nomination for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for her film “Lady Bird,” and then received another nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for “Little Women” two years later. She recently made history with “Barbie” after it generated the highest opening weekend at the box office for a film directed by a woman.

Her last acting role was in the 2022 film “White Noise,” opposite Adam Driver. ***

Q: Is “Ted Lasso” returning for a new season or some kind of spin-off? It’s hard to

believe that it’s done after just three seasons. -- K.I.

A: The series finale of the Emmy-Awardwinning comedy “Ted Lasso” aired in May, with what many fans felt like was a perfect ending. But they’re still wanting more, even though star Jason Sudeikis told Entertainment Weekly back in 2021 that he envisioned the series as a three-season arc. However, in March, Brendan Hunt, who played Coach Beard, hinted the third season would bring closure, but that it was “not necessarily the end.” Do with that statement what you will.

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.

Q: What comes with a Divorced Barbie set?

A: All of Ken's Stuff!

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

1. Barbie (PG-13) Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling

2. Oppenheimer (R) Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt 3. Sound of Freedom (PG13) Jim Caviezel, Mira Sorvino

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

3. A Dog’s Purpose (PG) Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid

4. Hidden Figures ....................(PG) Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer

4. Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One (PG-13) Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell

5. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (PG-13) Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge

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

6. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter ...................................... (R)

Milla Jovovich, Iain Glen

6. Insidious: The Red Door (PG-13) Ty Simpkins, Patrick Wilson

7. Elemental (PG) Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie

7. Sing (PG) animated

8. Lion (PG-13)

Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman

8. Spider-Man: Across the SpiderVerse (PG) Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld

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

10. xXx: Return of Xander Cage .................................... (PG-13)

9. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (PG-13) Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback

Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen

10. No Hard Feelings (R) Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman

© 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.

© 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Jamie Foxx

Depositphotos

Good Recipes from Spinach Salad with Bacon and Egg

Perfect for brunch, lunch and dinner, this spinach salad incorporates the saltiness of bacon and sweetness of sauteed onions to create a tasty and balanced meal.

8 slices thick-cut smoked bacon

1 package button mushrooms

1 medium red onion

4 large eggs

2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons honey Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

12 cups baby spinach

12 ounces mixed cherry tomatoes

1. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon; drain on a paper towel. Reserve 3 tablespoon of bacon drippings; discard remainder. Break up bacon into bite-size pieces when bacon is cool enough to handle.

2. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Add onion; cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl.

3. Make poached eggs: Fill a large saucepan with 3 inches of water. Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar (this helps whites coagulate). Bring to a gentle simmer. Crack each egg into a small cup, then slide eggs, one at a time, into water. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, adjusting heat accordingly to keep at a gentle simmer, until whites are set and yolks are slightly runny. Poach longer if you like firmer yolks.

4. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon. Transfer eggs to a paper towel.

5. In same skillet over medium heat, whisk red wine vinegar, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons bacon drippings, olive oil, mustard and salt until well-blended and warmed-through. Add spinach to mushroom mixture in bowl and pour

warm dressing over; toss to coat. Add tomatoes and reserved bacon pieces.

6. Divide salad into 4 servings. Top each with a poached egg; season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Honey-Mustard Salmon

Honey-Mustard Salmon takes about 10 minutes to broil, and while it cooks, there’s time to make a baby lettuce and apple salad to go with it.

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 pieces salmon fillet with skin (about 6 ounces each)

Baby Lettuce Salad

1 Gala or Red Delicious apple

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 bag (5 ounces) baby lettuces

Lemon slices for garnish

1. Prepare salmon: Heat broiler. In small

bowl, with fork, mix mustard, honey, salt and pep

per.

2. Place salmon, skin side down, on rack in broiling pan. Spoon the mustard glaze over the fillets. Place pan in broiler 5 to 7 inches from source of heat, and broil salmon 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork (do not turn salmon over).

3. Meanwhile, prepare salad: Core and cut apple into thin wedges. In large bowl, mix vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Add baby lettuces and apple wedges and toss to coat.

4. Arrange salmon and salad on 4 dinner plates. Garnish with lemon slices. Makes 4 maindish servings.

 Each serving: About 385 calories, 22g total fat (4g saturated), 33g protein, 14g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 89mg cholesterol, 585mg sodium.

TIP: Leave the skin on the salmon to protect bottoms of the fillets -- if anything sticks to the broiler rack, it will be the skin.

* * *

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

(c) 2023 Hearst Communications, Inc.

Cody’s

Corner

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis Creators News Service

Fences and Leashes Save Lives

For many of the same reasons you wouldn’t let your three-year-old toddle off to daycare alone, it’s also a bad idea to let your pooch roam the streets off-leash. Cars, dognappers, Animal Control... Unless you live on a large plat in Montana, your pup will undoubtedly benefit from a leash or a fence when cavorting off to the great outdoors.

“Off-leash” has become a common and questionable addition to the dog-owner’s vernacular. Off-leash parks, off-leash trails, off-leash beaches, off-leash walks... Why do I find “off-leash” so off-putting?

In short, it’s dangerous.

I once had a client express concern about a woman who frequently walked her dog in his neighborhood. This woman would drape the leash around her neck, and her dog would walk -- offleash -- beside her.

The dog was a large mixed breed, and my client had a dachshund with a bad habit of barking at the big guys. The problem was that my client wasn’t convinced this woman had any control over her very powerful dog. According to him, she would frantically try to hook the leash to its collar when she saw other dogs or people approaching. Even after she got her dog “on-leash,” the big guy would pull and lurch, all but dragging her along in his dust -- a canine disaster waiting to happen.

Question: Where do these potential disasters play out most often?

Answer: Wherever dogs gather ... off-leash. The best thing you can do for your pooch is be in control of his immediate environment. This means a leash or a fence when he isn’t inside. Frankly, I don’t get the hype about off-leash. I don’t know about your dog, but mine exhibit nothing short of joy when I bring out the leash. No fear, no hostility, no evidence of any long-harbored resentment at being consistently harnessed and shackled to me during most of our outdoor excursions. “Most” because there are exceptions. Again, those fences.

A fenced backyard is a great place for an

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 11

3. The Weekly “Brain Breaker”

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles

A Bad Air Summer

How is the air where you live?

At this writing, a large part of the country is under summer heat alerts with temperatures soaring above normal numbers and breaking longstanding records. Combine that with the wildfire smoke coming down from Canada, and parts of the country are hit with a double whammy when it comes to clean, breathable air. Nearly 100 million people are under air quality alerts.

We seniors need to be very cautious about both extreme heat and the wildfire smoke. Even short-term exposure can do physical damage. Here are a few smoke and heat cautions I’ve learned already this summer:

Keep the doors and windows closed and turn on the air conditioning (I'm sure you won't need much convincing to do that!). Even if your A/C is a single window unit, it will do a good job of helping to cool and clean the air in your home. If you’re blessed with central air, invest in sev-

The Art of DESIGN

by Joseph Publillones

I’ve Been Framed

You may have pondered before how best to create a gallery-style wall filled with different pieces of art, or even just select a singular work of art to display above your couch. Many consider hanging art to be a burden. Perhaps they consider the “where to start” as the hard part, or maybe they lack the correct tools. Nine out of ten times, the answer is a little bit of both. Another aspect that stumps most homeowners and art collectors is framing. Is there a correct way to frame art? Well, like most aesthetic decisions, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

But before you get carried away at a frame shop, let’s take a moment to consider visiting a museum or an art gallery. Every decision an artist makes with reference to a work of art is deliberate, and therefore, framing art should also be given careful thought. Frames are meant to enhance, highlight and protect works of art. In most instances, the frame should not be in competition with the art.

Frames, generally speaking, should keep in line with the period and style of the art. For example, an 18th-century Dutch oil painting of flowers should be in a traditional frame, perhaps a frame with some gilding that enhances the colors of the flowers. In the same manner, a contemporary abstract painting should be in a simple frame or liner that does not detract from the work.

Another important consideration when framing art is where you will eventually hang the work. I always ask my clients to take a few photos of the room in which the piece will be placed, measure the room dimensions and bring a swatch of the wall color. It’s important that the finished piece doesn’t fight with its surroundings.

Aside from the aesthetic consideration, I also ask where the work will be hung for its protection. If the work of art is being exhibited in a controlled environment, that is one thing. How-

eral new filters and put a new one in every few weeks until the wildfire smoke has finally cleared out.

They may cost you a bit more, but look for HEPA filters when you buy. These are the type that capture the microscopic particles (known as PM2.5) in the air, which the cheaper filters miss. Ask for help, if necessary, to determine if your HVAC unit has a fresh air intake (which can bring smoke in), or if it's the kind that recirculates the indoor air.

Stay hydrated! Sip on extra water, even if you are not thirsty. By the time you feel thirst, you’re already slightly dehydrated. Consult your doctor if you’ve been told to limit your liquids. Close the curtains and drapes against the sun.

If there’s just no getting away from the heat where you live, go to the library, a big-box store or any cooling station. Know your area’s AQI, or air quality index number, if you have to go out. Look at AirNow (airnow.gov) and type in your ZIP code. Watch the PM2.5 number as well as ozone levels, and follow their instructions.

off-leash romp. An unfenced or improperly fenced backyard, though?

Here’s a story that’ll break your heart.

“Our dog was hit by a car on Saturday, and I am overwhelmed with grief from the loss of her. I loved that dog so much.

“We recently bought a home and moved into it in early June. There is a hill in our backyard near the fence, and we were concerned that Lucy could jump over. We planned to have a new fence built, but after “testing” Lucy, we didn’t think she would jump it.

“On the 4th of July, we left the house, not even thinking about the fireworks. On the way home, we saw the fireworks and I panicked, wondering whether Lucy was scared. She was gone when we got home, but thank God someone had found her and picked her up and called us. She said she almost hit her.

“My husband stayed home from work the next day to be with her, and he boarded up the part of the fence that was the lowest. We went to the movies that night, and she was still there when we got home. We went to the beach during the day on Saturday, and she was still there when we got home. So we left again Saturday to go out.

“All night I had my cellphone out, waiting for a call that someone had picked her up. I made note of when it got dark at 8 p.m. and everything seemed fine. Then, I got a call at 10:30. Our beloved little Lucy had been hit by a car and killed.

ever, if it is in a space with doors or windows that are opened regularly, certain protective measures should be taken. This may involve adding a glass or plexiglass covering to your frame or making sure that the framing materials, such as backing and mat boards, are acid-free and mold resistant.

Tips for framing:

1. The selected frame should always be skinnier than the mat.

2. No paper mats should be used on canvases. If there is a need for expanding the dimension of the art, use a fabric-wrapped liner and then a frame.

3. Select a frame that works well with the work of art rather than try to match the frame of another piece that will hang close by. Your hanging location may change.

4. When grouping several art pieces, use different frames unless you are doing similar prints or a series of art in the same size.

5. It’s OK to use several tones or colors of frames, even though they may hang side by side.

6. Rules are meant to be broken. Don’t be afraid to frame a contemporary piece or a photograph with an ornate frame.

7. Some works, especially canvases, are OK to be left unframed. The edges may be unfinished and dappled with brushstrokes and paint, but there is a certain charm to it and an insight into how the artist works.

8. Matte black and matte white frames are very popular in galleries today. This look is great with photographic works.

9. Frames are expensive -- sometimes just as much as the work itself -- so choose to outlast any trend.

10. When in doubt about a mat, keep it simple and stick to a neutral color. White, offwhite, beige or light gray make for good choices.

* * *

Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. His website is www.josephpubillones.com. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2019 CREATORS.COM

“Now, all I can do is cry all day and all night. It should be a joyous time because we bought our new house, but I hate that house now. All I can see is Lucy. When I look in the backyard, I bawl. She really loved her new backyard. I am so overwhelmed with guilt. I keep saying, why did we leave? Why didn’t we leave her in the house or even in her crate? I am so miserable. I feel so lost, so empty and so guilty. She was just the best dog.”

Such a sad story. Such an unnecessary loss.

I wish there were something I could say to make this woman feel better. The only thing she can do now to feel better and honor the loss of her loved one is acknowledge her mistake and share her story. That’s why I included it. She shared it with me, and I’m sharing it with you. Please take it to heart. Build the new fence or fix the old one. And keep your dog on-leash when out and about. Woof!

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

COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

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

(c) KingFeaturesSyndicate

Cody’s Corner (from page 9)

SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Yes, Rich People Should Get Social Security

I get lots of emails from readers expressing sentiments similar to what these guys recently sent me: “Why should rich people get Social Security? I think it’s just morally wrong that wealthy people should be able to collect a Social Security check!” Here is another example: “Why all the fuss about Social Security going broke? We could save the system forever if we just take rich people off the program!”

I always respond to these people by making the following points. Social Security isn’t now, and never has been, a welfare program. One of the basic tenets of Social Security is that if you work and pay taxes for a required amount of time, you are going to get a Social Security benefit someday. And you get that benefit if you are poor or if you are rich. In other words, if you pay into the system, you’re going to get something out of the system. It’s as simple as that.

Or to put that yet another way. Social Security has never been means-tested. And if we ever were to do that, by decreeing that certain people are too wealthy to get Social Security, then you start turning Social Security into a welfare program. And I think that is a slippery slope we do not want to descend.

But if we were to do the unthinkable and means-test the program, especially as part of some package of reforms intended to “save Social Security,” then where do you draw the line? I mean, how rich is too rich to get Social Security? When I ask this question of guys like those who sent me the emails I included above, they will usually quickly say something like: “Billionaires shouldn’t get Social Security!”

Well, if you are doing that as part of a plan to keep Social Security solvent for future generations, it’s a totally worthless gesture. According to a Google search I did, the U.S. is home to about 770 billionaires. So, knocking 770 people off the program, out of the hundreds of millions of current and future beneficiaries, is absolutely meaningless.

And if you want them off the program because you think it is “morally wrong,” then I can only repeat the point I made earlier. These folks worked and paid Social Security taxes just like everyone else, so they should be able to get Social Security benefits just like everyone else.

And speaking of what rich people pay into the system, let me make some points about a related issue. Many people think that one of the Social Security reforms should be a plan to make rich people pay more into the system.

For the entire 86-year history of the program, there has been a cap on the wages subject to Social Security tax. That cap has certainly inched its way up over the years, from $3,000 in 1937 to $160,200 today. But some say the cap should be raised rather steeply, or even eliminated.

But here is what people don’t realize when they float such ideas. Social Security benefits are tied to a person’s taxable wages. In other words, the more you pay into the program, the more

you are going to get out of the program. So, if you sharply increase the wage base for wealthier people, you are concurrently going to sharply increase the benefits these wealthy people will someday get in return. And so, a lot of the extra money you think you are pumping into the Social Security pipeline as part of a reform package will simply pour out of the other end of the pipe in future benefits for the wellto-do.

In other words, if you dramatically raise or even eliminate the wage cap to help “save Social Security,” what you’d have to do is place a cap on the benefits paid out of the system to wealthier people to make that kind of reform work. And that would be a hard thing to pull off politically.

And before I wrap up my discussion of wealthy people and Social Security, there is one final point I need to make. Earlier, I said that Social Security is not a welfare program. But having said that, I must point out that there actually are certain “social welfare” characteristics that have been an intrinsic part of Social Security’s makeup from the very beginning. After all, the word “social” isn’t included in the name of the program just because it alliteratively looks good next to the word “security.”

To put that another way, there always have been social goals for American society built into the DNA of Social Security. And one of those goals is to raise the standard of living in retirement for lowerincome people.

So how does Social Security achieve that goal? With a benefit formula that is skewed to give lower-income people a better deal out of the system than that offered to wealthier folks. That doesn’t mean that low-income people get higher benefits than better-off people do. Warren Buffett, for example, certainly gets a significantly higher Social Security benefit than the maid who cleans his mansion will get someday when she retires. But as a percentage of what they kicked into the system (in the form of Social Security taxes), that maid will get a much better “rate of return” than Buffett gets.

I don’t have the space here today to get into the intricacies of the Social Security benefit formula, but that maid could potentially end up with a benefit that represents 90% of her pre-retirement income. On the other hand, Warren Buffett’s Social Security benefit might only be about 30% of his Social Security taxable income (and only a teeny-tiny fraction of his actual income).

And in case you’re wondering, the Social Security benefit formula is set up so that most of us (in other words, people with average incomes) end up with a Social Security benefit that is about 42% of our pre-retirement income.

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.

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

2. From Mark 10, James and who else asked to be seated at Jesus' right and left hand in heaven? a) Peter b) John c) Thomas d) James

3. Who said, "It is not meet (right) to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs"? a) Jesus b) Judas c) John d) Andrew

4. From James 4, what will happen if you resist the devil? He will ... a) Send demons b) Curse you c) Flee d) Intensify harm

5. Who proclaimed a fast at the river of Ahava? a) David b) Adonikam c) Ariel d) Ezra

6. Who succeeded to the throne after David's death? a) Adonijah b) Solomon c) Jeroboam d) Rehoboam

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. © 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Heart Attacks Occur After Treatment of Infections

DEAR DR. ROACH: My mom had a throat and palate infection that was treated in 2017, and about two weeks later, she had a heart attack. In 2023, she had pneumonia, and was briefly hospitalized and treated, but again about two weeks later, she had another heart attack.

We asked her cardiologist if there is a relationship between either the infections themselves or the treatment of infections and heart attacks, but he was not aware of any. This seems too unlikely to be a coincidence. What is your experience on this? -- A.C.S.

ANSWER: A heart attack happens when the demand for blood from the heart is greater than the ability of the blood vessels can provide. In practice, this almost always means that there are blockages in the blood vessels.

However, an increase in the workload of the heart, such as strenuous exercise or an infection (fever tends to increase heart rate, and the blood flow from the heart usually increases with serious infection), can be what leads a person to have a heart attack.

It’s possible that this is what happened with your mom. The timing of two weeks after the event is longer than expected, but it’s possible.

Whether from chronic infection or inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation in the blood increases the risk of heart disease in the long term, so if there is a connection, and it’s not just coincidental, that would be the most likely cause. ***

DEAR DR. ROACH: You wrote about the dangers of testosterone replacement in men over 70 in your column a few months ago. Could you please describe the dangers of this again?

My husband is 73 and injects testosterone every 10 days or so. He’s not feeling too well overall, but he doesn’t know why. He’s been to the cardiologist, but the studies came back fine. He says he feels nerves in his stomach and a bit of shortness of breath. He’s also tired and without much energy.

-- E.D.

ANSWER: There are clear dangers with excess testosterone use, especially in older men. Some men use very high doses of testosterone or other androgens for muscle building, and this can cause heart damage, blood clots and stroke. I strongly do not recommend doing this, but it is generally used illicitly.

By contrast, for men in whom testosterone therapy is given appropriately, the dangers are quite small, and in most men, the benefits outweigh the risks. Men should have a clear reason to receive testosterone therapy, such as having low bone density, low libido, loss of body hair, or development of breast tissue, in addition to repeatedly low testosterone levels (including a level taken between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. when testosterone levels are highest). In these men, the goal is to stabilize the testosterone level,

and the risks of the catastrophic outcomes listed above appear to be very small, or even zero. Testosterone levels should also be measured during therapy.

I can’t speculate on the cause behind your husband’s symptoms. Nonspecific symptoms, such as low energy, can be caused by low testosterone, but unless there are more specific symptoms of low testosterone, I generally do not recommend testosterone replacement.

* * *

Dr. 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.

W.O.W. - Widows or Widowers c/o Lynne Arnold • BZ BW 13x (N.P. Disc.) Dec. 4, 2022 Vol. 18 - No. 49

lynnea1717@aol.com

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

Funds for Homeless Veteran Services

The Department of Veterans Affairs recently handed out over $11 million to 79 organizations to cover legal services for veterans who are either homeless or about to be homeless.

The Legal Services for Veterans Grant Program, a component of the Veterans Justice Program, handles a wide variety of legal matters, and these funds will go a long way to keep veterans from being homeless. In a given year, at least 10% of funds must go to legal services for women veterans.

Whether it’s specific housing issues (dealing with landlords in eviction disputes, for example), criminal defense, family law (such as haggling over custody or child support) or discharge upgrade, any of those issues (and others) can keep a veteran from acquiring and keeping stable housing. The stats for one year (2022) show just how serious the housing problems can be: The VA put 40,000 homeless veterans into housing, kept 17,000 veterans from becoming homeless and helped 191,000 veterans avoid foreclosure and keep their homes.

An added bonus is that many of those legal service providers have set up shop in VA facilities doing pro bono (free) work on all types of legal matters. Check www.va.gov/HOMELESS/lsv/ MLP_LC_List.pdf for the list of the facilities and what services each provides. If you find services at a VA facility near you, read the fine print. Some have gone to remote appointments only, most have only certain days of the month that they’re open, and each has a list of which services you can get. While one might list criminal cases and IRS disputes, another only lists civil matters or bankruptcy and consumer debt. Some of them note that they prioritize homelessness. Still, each has a contact person noted. While most are legal aid organizations, a few are run as clinical programs for law schools.

To see a list of the newest grantees who’ve received grant funds for homeless veterans or veterans at risk for homelessness, go to www.va.gov/ HOMELESS/lsv/LSV-H_Award_list.pdf

Rule of thumb: If you suspect you’re about to become homeless, don’t delay getting help.

* * *

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.

-- by Jim Miller

How to Plan a Green Funeral

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: Now in my 80s, I am looking into options for preplanning my funeral and burial arrangements. I have heard about "green" funerals, and I would like to know what you can tell me about them. I would like to make mine as natural as is possible. --

Old Environmentalist

Dear Environmentalist: Great question! Green funeral options are becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. as more and more Americans are looking for environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional funerals. Here’s what you should know about “green burial” and “green cremation” options, along with some tips to help you locate services in your area.

Green Burial

If you wish to be buried, a green/natural burial will minimize the environmental impact by forgoing the embalming chemicals (which is not required by law), and the traditional casket and concrete vault. Instead, you’ll be buried in either a biodegradable container or shroud with no vault, and your remains won’t be embalmed. This allows the body to decompose naturally and become part of the earth.

If you want to temporarily preserve the body for viewing or a memorial service, instead of embalming, you can request dry ice or Techni ice, a refrigeration unit, or a nontoxic embalming agent.

You’ll also be happy to know that green burials are much cheaper than traditional fu nerals, which, in 2023, are averaging around $8,000. By eliminating the coffin, vault and em balming, which are expensive, you’ll save your

VOLUNTEER DRIVERS NEEDED

self several thousand dollars on your prepaid funeral costs.

To find green burial services in your area, a good first step is to see if there’s a certified green funeral home in your area and contact them. The Green Burial Council offers an online directory of providers and other resources at GreenBurialCouncil.org

If there isn’t one nearby, your next step is to contact several traditional funeral homes to see if they offer green funeral service options –many do.

You’ll also need to find a green cemetery. There are nearly 100 green cemeteries throughout the U.S., along with more than 300 traditional (hybrid) cemeteries that offer green burials as well. To find them, the New Hampshire Funeral Resources, Education and Advocacy website has a list at NHfuneral.org. Or, if you own rural property you may be able to have a home burial there, if your state and county allow it.

If, however, there are no green cemeteries nearby you can still make your burial more environmentally friendly by not being embalmed. And, if the cemetery allows, by using a biodegradable casket or shroud and skipping the vault. If a vault is required, ask to have holes drilled in the bottom, or use a concrete grave box with an open bottom so the body can naturally return to the earth.

Green Cremation

If you would prefer cremation, you have some green choices here too. While cremation has always been touted as being more ecofriendly than a typical burial, a traditional cremation, which uses high heat to incinerate the remains, does emit greenhouse gases into the air.

A green cremation, however, uses water and potassium hydroxide to reduce a deceased body to its basic element of bone ash within a few hours. This green technique, which is known as alkaline hydrolysis, is a little more expensive than traditional cremation but, unfortunately, it’s not legal in every state. Contact some local funeral providers to find out if this is available in your area, or Google “alkaline hydrolysis cremation” followed by your city and state.

Another green consideration is deciding what to do with the remains. Instead of scattering, which can be harmful to the environment, there are a wide variety of biodegradable urns that dissolve into the earth or water over time, and memorial urns that will grow a plant or tree in combination with your ashes.

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.

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 AMVETS Post 66 Commander Tom Swann Hernandez at (760) 324-5670. For full details and to apply, please call

ANTIQUE

by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

Figure Is a Stand Up Man

Q: I am enclosing a photo of a clock I received from an older relative. This information is on the clock: “Made June 14, 1881, New York, New York, USA -- Made by Ansonia Clock Co. -- Patented June 14, 1881, June 13, 1882.”

The clock is very ornate and decorated with carvings of images of women’s heads, handles on each side of the clock and the figure of a man holding a book and standing next to a stack of books. The clock is quite heavy and made of metal.

Does this clock have any value?

A: Ansonia Clock Company was founded by Anson G. Phelps in 1850. Your clock is a figural mantle clock and the metal is spelter. The figures were decorated with Japanese bronze finish. Collectors prefer clocks in the original finish. The value of those that have been repainted is considerably diminished. Ansonia went into receivership in 1929 and was sold to Soviet Russia.

Assuming the finish is original, it would probably be worth $700 to $1,000.

Q: I have a Saturday Evening Post Norman Rockwell Memory Album. It is dated 1979 and contains the best of Norman Rockwell art from the archives of the Curtis Publishing Company. It is in the form of a magazine, and I found it at a garage sale in Palm Springs,

Puzzle Solutions

Why do most cartoon and picture captions seem to be insured? Because they are underwritten.

GO FIGURE

California. I am wondering if it is valuable.

A: There are quite a few copies of the Rockwell Memory Album selling in the range of $15 to $35

Q: I have sent the mark that is on a set of porcelain dishes that I have. Each piece is signed “Remy.” The set includes a serving platter, 12 dinner plates and a matching sauce dish with under plate, and they are in perfect condition. They are all decorated with fish against a white background and trimmed in gold.

Could you please tell who made my set, where it was made and the vintage and value?

A: You have a fish set that was made by A. Klingenberg and Dwenger. They were located in Limoges, France, from the 1880s to the First World War. “Remy” is the name of the artist who hand

painted your set. Sets of porcelain dishes that were decorated with fish or game were very popular in the Victorian Era.

Your circa-1900 fish set would probably be worth $800 to $1500.

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

Haviland and Company is located in Limoges, France.

Ansonia Clock Company was founded in 1850.

CONTROVERSIAL CRITICISM

• When the National Organization for Women came out with a condemnation of the ten most sexist companies in 1971, Mattel was ranked high on the list. Their ads consistently showed boys playing only with educational toys while girls played only with dolls. Later, Mattel couldn’t resist taking a jab at NOW when the organization protested loudly against the Miss America pageant in 1972. Mattel promptly came out with a Miss America doll.

• In 1992 the talking Barbie got in big trouble with feminists for saying “Math class is tough.” In response to protests, Mattel changed the remark to “Science class is cool.” The controversy of the math class comment received publicity nationwide, and even made front page news in the Washington Post.

• In December of 1993 talking Barbies appeared in stores— but instead of saying “What should I wear to the prom?” they growled, “Eat lead, Cobra!” and “Vengeance is mine, you dirtbag!” At the same time G.I. Joe dolls showed up that were saying, “Oooh, let’s go shopping!” and “Will we ever have enough clothes?” A group called the Barbie Liberation Organization had secretly managed to swap hundreds of Barbie voice boxes with G.I. Joe’s in order to make a point.

• If Barbie were life-size, her measurements would be 39-23-33. In retaliation against Barbie’s unrealistic measurements, High Self Esteem Toys came out with a competing doll that was a bit fatter. They claimed Barbie dolls encouraged girls to become anorexic. Although the press embraced the new doll, little girls did not. It was introduced in 1991, but was off the shelves and out of production by 1994.

• While the Barbie doll helps young girls use their imaginations to see themselves aspiring to the role of doctor, scientist or successful businesswoman, the concept of this singular doll created a whole new level for toy industry marketing. The huge number of Barbie-related add-on accessories literally rocketed the Mattel coroporation to phenomenal success. □

Game Changers

Get The Toe Up

Many amateurs may struggle hitting high, soft wedge shots around the green due to improper concept. Severely opening the clubface, using a lot of “wrist action” or making a big, aggressive swing are all poor ways for most golfers to play a high lofted shot.

The backstroke hides one of the tour players’ top secrets in that they use the wrists, forearms, and set-up to create a “Toe Up” position with the clubhead. By minimizing the lean of the club at address, the clubface can rotate to a toe up position much easier with the hands and arms.

Still, the right arm must gently fold as the left arm makes an active rotation. Coupled with the left wrist staying bent (or cupped) as the wrist hinges, the clubhead can rotate away from the ball. This position can be checked when the clubhead is waist to shoulder high in the backstroke. Think “Toe Up” or vertically align the leading edge.

Excessive leaning of the club at address, closing in the clubface, or using the left wrist in a “knuckles down” manner in the backstroke will all tend to make the clubface appear closed in this same area.

1. GEOGRAPHY: Which European city is home to the Prado Museum?

2. MOVIES: What is Forrest’s hometown in the movie “Forrest Gump”?

3. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is the only vowel that isn’t on the top row of letters on a keyboard?

4. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What breed of dog is the TV star Lassie?

5. CHEMISTRY: What is a common name for nitrous oxide?

6. MUSIC: Which musical instrument does the singer Lizzo play?

7. LITERATURE: What is a bildungsroman?

8. U.S. STATES: Which two states share the most borders with other states?

9. TELEVISION: What decade is represented in the TV sitcom “The Goldbergs”?

GO FIGURE!

10. FOOD & DRINK: In which century was coffee introduced to Europe? Answers

TRIVIA TEST Answers Answers

by Linda Thistle

1. Madrid, Spain.

2. Greenbow, Alabama.

3. A.

4. Rough Collie.

5. Laughing gas.

6. Flute.

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: � � Moderate

7. Novel that focuses on the moral and psychological growth of a protagonist from childhood to adult.

8. Tennessee and Missouri, with eight bordering states each.

Difficult

9. The 1980s.

10. 16th.

1. Yes - Roberts

2. Yes - Millicent (first name is officially Barbara)

3. Andy Warhol

4. Over 15,000 Barbies

5. False: More babies born

1. (A) Old testament

2. (B) John

3. (A) Jesus (Matt. 15:26)

4. (C) Flee

5. (D) Ezra

6. (B) Solomon

1. Age three, although they were originally intended for preadolescence girls

2. Seven Barbie dolls