Vol. 19: #34 • Tidbits Takes Flight • (8-20-2023) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Coachella Valley's Best Loved and Most

by Janet Spencer

As the world continues to shrink with modern travelers reaching almost any destination on the planet in a matter of hours, Tidbits thought it would be interesting and timely to learn a few things about the method they use to get there. About 2,900,000 people fly in and out of airports in the U.S. each day, including commercial and private flights. So buckle in as we take to the skies to see how all this happens!

FANTASTIC FLIGHTS

• The longest commercial air flight in the world travels between New York City and Singapore, flying 9,537 miles nonstop to the destination. This trip takes approximately 19 hours and requires some 100 tons of onboard fuel and four pilots, with time alotted for each crew of two to rest in private sleeping quarters during the long flight.

• The world’s shortest commercial air flight is just 1.7 miles long (3 km), hopping from one island to another in the Orkney Archipelago off the coast of Scotland. The flight lasts less than two minutes in an 8-seater plane, and tickets cost $20. The trip is made three times a day, ferrying local residents as well as tourists.

ADVERTISING PROOF

(Answers on page 16)

• Algene and Frederick Key were brothers who lived in Meridian, Mississippi, just when flight was becoming popular. In the 1920s they were barnstormers, performing their air stunts to the delight of the local townfolk. Together they served as the managers for the Meridian City Airport.

• During the Great Depression, the city council was discussing ways of tightening up the town budget, when the subject of closing down the Meridian Airport was raised. Al and Fred Key immediately spoke out against that idea at town meetings. For one thing, they would lose their aviation livelihood if it passed. They decided that the best way to ensure the airport stayed open was to do something spectacular that the public could witness, and also cause their little town to go down in aviation history.

• Their stunt was to stay aloft in an airplane longer than anyone else ever had. To accomplish this, they borrowed a two-seater, single-winged airplane, which they renamed Ole Miss, and made some modifications. First they cut a sliding top-hatch window so supplies could be lowered in from above. Next they built a catwalk around the engine to service it without landing. Then they installed a 125-gallon gas tank.

• Finally, they created a way to refuel. At the time, refueling while airborne was dangerous and tricky. Any spilled fuel would immediately catch fire if any hit the hot exhaust pipes. A local mechanic, A.D. Hunter, designed a valve that would stop the flow of gas unless a probe was firmly inserted into the receiving tank.

stories and reader interest kept growing.

• When they landed 27 days later on July 1st, a crowd of over 30,000 cheering spectators was on hand to greet them. They had stayed aloft for 653 hours and 34 minutes. The plane had flown for 52,320 miles, enough to circle the Earth twice. The plane consumed 6,000 gallons of gas and 300 gallons of oil, and maintained an average air speed of 80 mph. They had been refueled and resupplied 432 times without incident. Their achievement made headlines around the globe, and put their little town and its airport on the map. It also boosted the public’s confidence in the safety of aviation.

• As a result of the wide publicity, their nowfamous Meridian City Airport was renamed Key Field, and within a few months it received much-needed upgrades. Today, it is the location of Key Field Air National Guard Base.

• Army Air Corps engineers modified the refueling valve they designed, which is still in use today. The plane, Ole Miss, is now on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

• Both Al and Fred served as pilots during World War II. After the war, Fred ran a flying school and Al joined the Air Force. Years later, Al Key served as Meridianʼs mayor.

• The Key’s record for sustained flight wasn’t broken until the Apollo moon missions of the 1960s, and then again in 1973 by the spaceflight of Skylab II, which lasted for 28 days. But the Keyʼs record has never been beaten by a conventional airplane. □

1. GEOGRAPHY: What South American country lies between Colombia and Peru?

2. MEDICAL TERMS: What is the more common name for a contusion?

3. CHEMISTRY: What is the chemical element symbol for tungsten?

4. MATH: What is the Arabic equivalent of the Roman numerals DXC?

5. U.S. STATES: What is the state capital of Michigan?

6. LANGUAGE: What does the Greek suffix “gamy” mean in English?

7. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of domesticated turkeys called?

8. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who was the first president to fly in an airplane (while in office)?

9. TELEVISION: What is the name of the dog on “Family Guy” animated series?

10. AD SLOGANS: “The dogs kids love to bite” are made by which company?

• On June 4, 1935, “The Flying Keys” took off. The world flight endurance record stood at 23 days. Could they beat that? They flew a flight pattern that looped endlessly around the county and over the town. People flocked to see the spectacle. They coped with an electrical fire and weathered thunderstorms. Their quarters were tight, they were cramped and dirty, and they both suffered from sleep deprivation.

• Several times a day, another plane would fly above them, lowering supplies through the hatch using a long rope, including oil for the engine and meals cooked by their wives. They refueled using a long hose with the newly designed valve.

• As the days wore on, newspapers ran progress

3. W.

Week of August 20, 2023

• Because the air is much thinner at higher altitudes, planes need extra distance for take off and must also land at higher speeds. Generally speaking, for every 2,000 feet in elevation, commercial airliners need an additional 800 feet of runway for safe operation.

• The Daocheng Yading Airport in China is the world’s highest civilian airport, at an elevation of 14,472 feet above sea level. By comparison, the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States is Mount Whitney in California, standing at 14,494 feet. The runway length at Daocheng Yading is 13,780 feet, over two and a half miles long, and flights are weather dependent.

• In 1991, a Boeing 747 took off during an evacuation from Ethiopia with 1,084 people crowded on board. Three births occurred during the flight which landed in Tel Aviv, but now with 1,087 souls on board. This flight still holds the record for the greatest number of people ever carried on a single flight.

• The largest commercial passenger aircraft is the Airbus A380, which normally holds 544 passengers. However, if all the seats were arranged together more snugly as in economy class, it could carry up to 853 passengers.

• The wingspan of the Airbus A380, at 262 feet from tip to tip, is longer than the length of the aircraft itself, at 238 feet. The longer wingspan is needed to produce more lift for the aircraftʼs weight.

• The busiest airport in the world, as measured by passenger traffic, is Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, with the most recent count at 93,699,630 travelers recorded in 2022.

• Chicago’s O’Hare Airport averages about 2,500 aircraft movements daily, more than any other airport worldwide. However, when ranked by the number of passengers, O’Hare is the fourth

busiest airport in the world. O’Hare boasts nonstop flights to 214 destinations worldwide and has 213 gates.

• Because of the rise of Chicago-based meat packing plants such as Oscar Mayer and Armour, Chicago has become a hot dog hub. O’Hare Airport sells about two million hot dogs per year, more than any other location in the country.

• About 4.27 billion pieces of luggage are checked each year worldwide. About six or seven of every 1,000 bags don’t make it to the destination on time. Of those, 77% are only delayed for a few days; 18% are damaged, and 5% are lost.

five or six hours, depending on the direction and speed of the high altitude jet stream.

Flight (from page one) by

• In 1947, Chuck Yeager was the first pilot to break the sound barrier. Many people thought that traveling faster than the speed of sound would cause an aircraft to disintegrate. But on October 14, 1947, Yeager’s X-1 aircraft, nicknamed “Glamorous Glennis” after his wife, was carried to an altitude of 25,000 feet by a B-29 bomber before being released from the bomb bay. The X-1 shot to 40,000 feet and broke the sound barrier at 662 mph over Southern California for the first time in history.

1.What’s

NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE

In comparison, the construction of the Panama Canal required 330 million cubic yards of dirt to be removed.

• Between 2009 and 2021, the FAA reports that 146 passengers were injured by in-flight turbulence badly enough to require medical attention. Of those, 30 were passengers and 116 were crew. Nearly all were injured while they were either out of their seats, or seated but not buckled in. Turbulence can occur in clear weather as well as stormy, and cannot be detected by radar.

• The Wright brothers’ first flight lasted 59 seconds. It was the longest flight of four they took that

Flight: Turn to page 15

Final

• Worldwide, in 2022, there were 12 commercial airline accidents resulting in 229 fatalities. It’s estimated that 3,781,000,000 passengers flew safely on commercial air flights globally in 2022.

• It takes about 48,000 gallons of aviation fuel to fill up a Boeing 747. The plane burns about one gallon of fuel every second, or 60 gallons every minute, averaging 0.16 miles per gallon. However, because it carries around 200 passengers, it’s getting three times better gas mileage per passenger than a typical SUV.

The first airplane toilets for use during commercial flight were operated by a flush handle that simply opened a flap and dumped the contents from the fuselage. Modern systems draw the contents by vacuum force into a holding tank, which is emptied by a sanitation truck on the tarmac.

• On February 7, 1996, the Concorde set a world record for the fastest transatlantic trip in history. It flew from New York City to London, a journey of 3,440 miles in only two hours, 52 minutes. The supersonic jet traveled at an average speed of 1,250 mph. They broke the world record for fastest transatlantic flight by taking advantage of the tailwind that day. Generally, the Concorde trips took over three and a half hours.

• The Concorde was permanently retired from service in 2003 following a devastating crash in France in 2000. Today, the average trip from New York to London on a typical aircraft takes

QUIZ BITS

1. How often does the average airliner experience a lightning strike while airborne?

2. When was the last time an airliner crashed due to a lightning strike?

(Answers page 16)

2.What

1.VERNALEQUINOX

2.CROCUS

the Construction of the Denver International Airport, 110 million cubic yards of dirt needed to be moved to create a level surface for the mammoth airfield's runways and terminals.

By Lucie Winborne

* Throughout the average sofa’s life, it will hold roughly 782 visitors.

* While it was believed for a long time that ancient Greek sculptures made of white marble were originally colorless, scientific studies confirmed the theory that they were actually painted in a wide range of shades that eventually wore away under the longterm effects of light and air.

* The lollipop, invented in 1908 by George Smith, was named after a racehorse known as Lolly Pop.

* Researchers have found that octopuses occasionally punch fish, sometimes for obvious reasons, such as directing them away from intended prey, and other times for no apparent reason at all -- unless, perhaps, they’re merely having a bad day.

* A flight data recorder, aka black box, isn’t black at all, but bright orange. The heat-resistant paint hue makes it easier to spot in the event of an accident.

* The most expensive guitar ever sold, a Martin 1959 D-18 acoustic, changed hands at auction for a staggering $6 million. Formerly owned by Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, it was used by the singer-musician during the band’s 1993 MTV Unplugged performance.

* Including television, theater, film and radio, Charles Dickens is the most adapted author of all time.

* Oh, my aching feet! In an average day of walking, those appendages at the ends of our legs experience forces totaling hundreds of tons -- the equivalent of a fully loaded cement truck! ***

Thought for the Day: “The question isn’t who’s going to let me, it’s who’s going to stop me.” -- Ayn Rand

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

by Mary Hunt

Back to School Brings Out Shopping Lists and Fundraisers, Too

I missing here? Is it really that expensive to get kids back to school?

And while we’re on the subject, let’s throw fundraisers into the discussion.

Every year about this time I get a flood of messages that are some variation of, “I am so sick of my kids bringing home catalogs full of cheap, overpriced stuff that the school expects us to sell. How can we deal with this? I’d love some advice and insight on how other parents do it.”

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

Have I been sleeping in a cave for 100 years? It sure feels like it.

by Mary Hunt

I just read that as a nation, we will spend $41.5 billion getting our kids outfitted to go back to school this fall. And by outfitted I mean with all the “proper” electronic gear, shoes with all the bells and whistles (I would like a pair of those sneakers with little wheels embedded in the soles), backpacks, instruments and of course the ever-popular school supplies.

Yikes! That’s a buncha money.

Granted, I don’t have school-aged children anymore, but come on! The average elementary schooler’s must-haves in school supplies, extracurricular fees and technology this year comes in at $1,017. For middle school students, it’s $1,277, and for high school kids, $1,668 each, according to the 13th annual Backpack Index survey from Huntington Bank in Columbus, Ohio.

Look, I’m open to being convinced that I’m wrong, but is this anywhere close to reasonable? Perhaps if you feel you must purchase an entire school year’s worth of pencils, pens, crayons, paper, notebooks, binders, calculators, laptop, printer cartridges, shoes, sneakers, jeans, slacks, sweaters, blouses, shirts, sweaters, socks, undies, sports outfits and paraphernalia. But I would find that to be a little ridiculous in that kids do grow, styles do change and, quite frankly, who wants to do all that laundry?

Spreading the cost over the school year seems more reasonable to me, unless it’s notebooks, pens and paper. Those are so cheap right now at office supply stores, you really should stock up for the entire year.

So, am I missing something here? I’d love to go head-on with any school-aged family to prove to them that I could get the kids looking mighty fine, and with all the stuff they need in their backpacks for a lot less than this projected per child average.

OK, all of you parents, students, teachers, administrators and grandparents ... What am

I remember those days. Of course I wanted my kids to win all the prizes for being the best little fundraisers, which multiplied the pressure we already felt from the school and Little League. I pity all of my co-workers, neighbors, relatives and friends who got caught up in my web of obligation.

Personally, I’m married to a guy who is a big old softy when it comes to children bearing boxes of anything that they’re selling to raise money for their schools and teams. I think we still have a supply of The World’s Finest Chocolate bars left in the refrigerator from last season. And probably a tub or two of cookie dough in the freezer, too. Oh, and gift wrap and candles.

Now that I think about it, maybe I haven’t moved beyond the fundraiser pressure cooker season of my life, after all.

So, how do you deal with school supplies, outfits and fundraisers? I can’t think of a better place to unload, share, question or even plead your case for your particular fundraiser of choice than by using the comments feature at EverydayCheapskate.com/its-ridiculous

Mary invites questions and comments at https:// www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”

COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

• Knife fish live in tropical waters, growing up to a foot long. They emit electrical signals to communicate with each other and to identify prey. The six-foot electric eel lives in the same waters, and eavesdrops on the electrical signals given off by knife fish in order to home in on their location and get an easy meal. The knife fish customarily communicated in very low electrical frequencies, which the larger eel could easily hear, but have now adapted their pitch to communicate in higher frequencies that are beyond the electric eel’s ability to sense.

BOBTAIL SQUID

• The bobtail squid lives in shallow coastal waters off Hawaii. It spends the day covered in sand, coming out at night to feed. The problem is that it generally feeds not far beneath the surface, while its predators are hunting in deeper waters. The predators are able to look up at the surface and clearly see their din-din outlined against the sky. To protect itself, the squid harbors a colony of bacteria capable of producing light. The bacteria multiply inside the squid during the day. At night when the squid goes out to hunt, the bacteria sense how much moonlight is filtering through the water, and determine how brightly the squid’s body should glow to

be perfectly camouflaged against predators that lurk below, who think they're simply seeing the familiar glow of the moon.

SINGING FISH

• Marine biologists were studying a specific species of fish off the coast of Washington state. The fish is called the midshipman because its coloring resembles the uniform of a naval midshipman’s dress coat. They were interested in the way it communicates as the male hums to attract a female. It sounds like the drone of an airplane engine, the thrum of a motorboat, or a foghorn in the distance.

• Using his tail fin, the male excavates a cavelike nest in a tidal pool near shore, then hums to invite a female to come and lay her eggs so that he can fertilize them. The low-frequency drone carries for long distances through the water, attracting potential mates from more than a mile away.

• The mating ritual always happens after nightfall during high tide. The females gather a short distance away from the humming males, then choose their preferred mate, laying up to 200 eggs in his cave, which he then fertilizes. When she leaves, he continues to hum, attracting mate after mate, until he has up to 3,000 eggs in his cave, laid by perhaps 15 different females.

• Only the best singers get mates. The biologists wanted to figure out what constituted the best sounds. They recorded the songs of 30 different midshipman and played back the recordings in their lab. They remixed the songs and played the synthesized sounds to the females with an underwater hydrophone. The females flocked to some tones but not others. The researchers found that the females were attracted to a hum of a particular pitch; that they liked the loudest hums; and the longer a song carried on, the better: “low, loud, and long.”

• Some male midshipman who are not the biggest fish or the best singers will disguise themselves as females, allowing them to get close enough to nests of eggs and fertilize them before being discovered and driven off by the other males.

GLOWING SHARKS

• Sharks boast some enviable and terrifying features, like their sleek design and razor-sharp teeth. And while glow-in-the-dark sharks sound like something you’d see in a sci-fi film, they’re totally real, as noted in a 2019 marine life study. Researchers were already aware that some shark species produce a glow that only other sharks can see, but now they have discovered

that “previously unknown small-molecule metabolites are the cause of the green glow,” according to findings. This glow helps sharks identify each other and even fight against infection on a microbial level. □

by Dana Jackson

Q: When is “Chicago Med” returning with new episodes? How much will the strikes in Hollywood delay it? -- L.E.

A: All three “Chicago” dramas have been renewed another season, but won’t be returning with new episodes until sometime in 2024. The ongoing WGA (Writer’s Guild of America) and SAG (Screen Actors Guild) strikes have put a freeze on filming, and that includes season nine of “Chicago Med,” season 12 of “Chicago Fire” and season 11 of “Chicago P.D.”

NBC’s Wednesday night schedule for the upcoming fall season will start off with a rerun of one of the “Chicago” series, perhaps on a rotating basis, followed by new episodes of both “Quantum Leap” at 9 p.m. ET and “Magnum P.I.” at 10 p.m. ET starting on Oct. 4.

The competitive singing show “The Voice” will return for its new season on Sept. 25, while “America’s Got Talent” airs its season finale on Sept. 27. While the strike presumably goes on, NBC has two brand-new drama series that are ready to air. “The Irrational” premieres on Sept. 25, and “Found” will debut on Oct. 3.

According to People magazine, “The Irrational” stars Jesse L. Martin (“The Flash”) as

a “world-renowned professor of behavioral science” who lends his expertise on government and corporate cases. “Found” stars Shanola Hampton (“Shameless”) as a “public relations specialist” who has a “chilling secret” to hide while looking out for the “forgotten who have gone missing.”

Be sure to check back with NBC.com for updates on when your favorite shows will resume.

***

Q: Will Marvel ever make a vampire movie with Count Dracula and his daughter, Lilith? -- R.S.

A: While there doesn’t appear to be a movie in the works yet about Dracula and his daughter, Lilith, the latter of the pair is rumored to be a character in the upcoming “Blade” remake.

You may remember Wesley Snipes played the title role in the “Blade” trilogy of films beginning in 1998. Marvel is rebooting the vampire slayer in a new film featuring

Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali (“Green Book”) in Snipes’ role, which is scheduled to hit theaters in February 2025. It will be the final film in the fifth phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Mia Goth (“Pearl”) has also been cast for “Blade,” in what is rumored to be the role of Lilith, daughter of the infamous Dracula; however, the identity of her character hasn’t been officially announced. ***

Q: Is the “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” going to return now that Jen Shah is in federal prison? Who will replace her? -- K.K.

A: Jen Shah is currently in a federal prison in Texas until 2028, but “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” are gearing up for a new season without her. Returning cast members include the entire set of squabbling moms from season three, plus the return of Mary Cosby, who left the show after two seasons. She was the one at the center of the drama when Shah wasn’t, so she will likely make up for Shah’s absence in the years to come

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

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

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

2. Meg 2: The Trench (PG-13) Jason Statham, Jing Wu

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

3. Oppenheimer (R) Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt

4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (PG) Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr.

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

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

5. Haunted Mansion (PG13) LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson

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

6. Sound of Freedom (PG13) Jim Caviezel, Mira Sorvino

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

7. Sing (PG) animated

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

8. Talk to Me (R) Ari McCarthy, Hamish Phillips

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

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

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

Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen

10. Elemental (PG) Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie

© 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.

© 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Jesse L. Martin stars in “The Irrational” on NBC

Photo Credit: Courtesy of NBC

Good Recipes from Grilled Flank Steak with Garden Salad

Simple grilled steak and a salad of sweet corn and juicy tomatoes make an easy and delicious summer meal.

2 teaspoons hot paprika

2 teaspoons dried tarragon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 pounds flank steak

Cooking spray

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 ears corn

12 ounces cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup torn basil leaves

1/2 cup crumbled garlic-herb cheese

1. Prepare grill for covered direct grilling on high.

2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix hot paprika, dried tarragon, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; rub all over flank steak. Spray each side of steak with cooking spray.

3. Grill steak, covered, 10 to 12 minutes for medium (140 F) or until desired doneness, turning over once.

4. While steak cooks, whisk olive oil, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in large bowl. Cut kernels off ears of corn; stir into dressing with cherry tomatoes and basil leaves.

5. Top steak with crumbled garlic-herb cheese. Serve with tomato-corn salad. Serves 4.

Pecan Lace Cookies

These perfect special-occasion cookies are very delicate and elegant. If you like, they can be given a graceful shape by quickly molding them, while still warm, over a rolling pin. Store, layered between waxed paper, in a large shallow container. They’re heavenly with ice

cream or sorbet.

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces (do not use margarine)

1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 375 F. Grease large cookie sheet.

2. In 2-quart saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup and butter; heat to simmering over medium heat, stirring, until butter has melted and mixture is smooth. Remove saucepan from heat. With wooden spoon, stir in pecans, flour and vanilla.

3. Drop batter by level teaspoons, 3 inches apart, on prepared cookie sheet to make 6 to 8 cookies (depending on size of cookie sheet). Bake until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet on wire rack about 1 minute to set slightly; with wide spatula, quickly transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

4. Repeat with remaining batter. Makes about 36 cookies.

Each cookie: About 39 calories, 2g total fat (1g saturated), 0g protein, 4g carbohydrate, 3mg cholesterol, 13mg sodium.

John Allen

Brett Koth

NEXT WEEK in TIDBITS TAKES A TOUR OF SOME MOTORING FACTS

Cody’s

Corner

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis Creators News Service

Dog Petting Etiquette

From a reader:

“I was taught as a toddler: When around a new dog, hold still and present your hand palm down for the dog to sniff. Recently, I had a vet tech breeze up to my dog, Ruby, and lower her hand down over Ruby’s head. Ruby jumped up and “air bit” at the vet tech’s hand.

“Also, when I walk Ruby, people encourage their kids to come up and pet her whether or not I say it’s OK, including toddlers who want to grab her to steady themselves. I was taught to ask permission to approach someone’s dog. What is wrong with people?”

My advice:

Don’t reach out to pet a strange dog, even with the owner’s permission. Dog owners do not always provide the most accurate assessment of their dog’s temperament. This is sometimes a byproduct of denial, but by and large, it’s ignorance.

A dog owner who does not grasp the importance of socialization won’t understand that Fido’s good manners and sweet disposition at home aren’t guaranteed to hold true out on the streets with the rest of us. When a stranger asks for permission to pet Fido, his owner might give the go-ahead -- not realizing Fido’s inner Cujo hasn’t been tamed when it comes to strangers.

And the strangest of the strangers to a pooch? Children.

Children are awkward and impulsive. They walk funny, fall over, flail their arms, shriek, clap, and their heads wobble all over the place. To a dog that hasn’t been raised around children, any of this may feel threatening. I have four fantastic dogs at home. One of them has never been around children, and one of them gets nervous around quick, jerky movements. When my small nephew visits, I keep those dogs away from him. This is not about aggression; it’s about the dogʼs fear. And it’s the kind of “better safe than sorry” judgment call responsible dog owners should be equipped to make.

(CryptoQuip Solution on page 14)

If you must pet a strange dog, make a loose knuckle sandwich. This will protect your fingers. And don’t approach head-on, arm-extended. For

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

3. The Weekly “Brain Breaker”

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles

Getting Through the Drug Shortages

In the spring of this year, the U.S. saw a larger prescription drug shortage than we’ve seen in over ten years. And we haven’t recovered yet.

The problem is serious and only getting worse. Part of the dilema is that 78% of our drugs (or at least a crucial ingredient in each one) are made in foreign countries including China, where our diplomatic relations seem to be getting more strained each day. So many of them are in short supply right now, including chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics, mental health drugs, and, alarmingly, a long list of others.

As of this writing, cisplatin, a critical and commonly used cancer drug, is on the shortages list, and has been since February.

It doesn’t help that a drug manufacturer filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors. If this isn’t bad enough, a major drug facility was recently destroyed by a tornado. Hospitals all over the country saw the writing on the wall and immediately tried to overbuy and get as much in

The Art of DESIGN

by Joseph Publillones

Sun-Praising Mirrors

You must be living under a rock if you haven’t seen the avalanche of starburst and sunburst mirrors in home decor stores, antique shops and magazines. Why, you may ask? Well, they are considered classic and iconic in the design world and fit in with most styles of decor, from traditional to contemporary and in between.

Since the court of Louis XIV in France, the sun and the stars have been a source of design inspiration. It can be said that Louis XIV is the father of this style. Louis XIV was sometimes referred as the “Sun King.” These mirrors, whose design revolves around a round central mirror with spokes all around the perimeter, are called sunbursts when finished in gold, reminiscent of the sun, and starburst when finished in silver, but the names can essentially be used interchangeably.

Many historians believe that these mirrors’ design is a result of repurposed crowns from icons and saintly statuary. Another telltale sign of their religious past, a cloud, a dove or an eye may appear over the rays on older starburst mirrors. These starbursts were symbolic of God. A dramatic example is that at the end of the nave at Saint Peter’s in the Vatican. At its center, the starburst has a stained-glass window that faces west. Every day at sunset, the light streams make the starburst almost seem three-dimensional. It’s an extremely dramatic focal point.

During the 1940s, sunburst mirrors made their debut into the interior design world. Design-

stock as they could. The manufacturers stepped in and put a stop to that.

If you can’t get your drugs due to shortages, I suggest you take these steps:

Talk to your pharmacist. Inquire whether they can ask your doctor about changing the doseage. For example, can you have two half doses that would add up to the same amount?

Ask your doctor if they have samples on hand, or can get them from the sales rep.

Call the drug manufacturer and ask when they expect pharmacies in your area to be resupplied. Give them the name and address of your pharmacy and ask specifically that the drugs you need be sent there.

What you should NOT do is decrease your dosages to make them last longer. Call your health care team and ask for help. Is there a substitute or generic drug you can take?

One important thing you can do: Call your congressmen and let them know how critically important it is to be able to obtain the drugs you need. Demand to know what they’re doing about these shortages. Foreign countries should not be able to hold our drugs, and the American people, hostage in this way.

many people, a rolled-up newspaper remains the weapon of choice in their futile attempts to correct canine missteps. To a dog, your arm looks suspiciously similar to that rolled-up paper.

Body language is important when dealing with dogs. Towering over a dog is taking a dominant position. As is petting the dog on the head. When greeting a new dog, the point is to make friends, not to assert your authority.

Word to the wise: With dogs, it’s all about territory. Everything is territory: the owner, the leash, the bed, the yard, the food, the toys. So when you approach a strange dog, even in the public domain, you are invading what they perceive to be their territory. The significance of this invasion depends on the degree of the dog’s territorialism.

Remember, dogs are wolves. They may be wearing sweaters and booties with bows on their heads, but the instincts of wolves are embedded deep in their DNA. If a wolf were trotting by, would you reach out to pet it?

Woof!

COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

ers such as Gilbert Poillerat in France and Dorothy Draper in the USA helped popularize the mirrors by incorporating them into their projects. In more recent history, starburst and sunburst mirrors were all the rage during the 1960s. Streamlined and futuristic, these mirrors were inspired by mid-century architecture, aeronautical ideas and visions of what the future would look like.

It’s no surprise that this design icon is timeless and beloved by interior designers and architects.

These mirrors add radiance to a room, and their shape is so strong that when placed above a console, couch or bed, they become the focal point of any room. Originally, these mirrors were strategically placed to catch the light coming in from a window. Sometimes, the mirrors are flat, but some are convex to maximize the reflected light. A fine example of this can be seen in the 15th-century portrait of the Arnolfini family by Flemish painter Jan van Eyck.

Both sunburst and starburst mirrors are available in varied materials such as gilded wood, papier-mache, iron, bone, silver and brass. Finishes are generally shiny to reflect any light on them.

Today’s sunburst mirrors have taken center stage in decoration. Many of these mirrors have been produced in an overscale size as to even replace works of art. In cases where the mirrors are not so large, a grouping of them can give a “wow” and unexpected statement to a room.

* * *

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

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.

For full details and to apply, please call AMVETS Post 66 Commander

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)

* * *

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.

SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Commissioner Who?

For reasons that will become clear at the end of this column, I am updating another column I wrote about four years ago.

I am going to give you a series of names. I would give any reader a hundred bucks if he or she could tell me who they are and what they all have in common.

Here are the names. Stanford Ross. William Driver. John Svahn. Martha McSteen. Dorcas Hardy. Gwendolyn King. Shirley Chater. Kenneth Apfel. Michael Astrue. Kilolo Kijakazi.

So who are they? They are ten of the past 30 commissioners of Social Security. The Commissioner of Social Security is the top spot within the Social Security Administration. He or she is responsible for running one of the largest agencies in the federal government, in charge of maintaining Social Security number and earnings records for nearly every working American, and for paying retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to about 70 million people every month.

Yet, almost no one knows who these people are. Most folks can probably name the FBI director or the head of the CIA. But SSA is one of the many federal agencies whose top dog might as well be named “Underdog.” Who heads the VA? Who is the Commissioner of the IRS? Who runs the Federal Highway Administration? How about the Bureau of Labor Statistics? The heads of these and so many other federal agencies are almost always nameless political appointees. And therein lies a story I’d like to tell.

For part of my career with the SSA, I worked for several Social Security commissioners. Usually in the role of a speechwriter. Sometimes as the agency’s deputy press officer. By no means was I a major player on any commissioner’s staff. But I used to say that “at least I was in the room.” In other words, if the commissioner had a meeting with his or her top staff, I might be sitting in a chair in the corner of the room -- usually taking notes.

So I got to know a lot about the inner workings of the agency. I learned what the head of a big agency like the SSA really does. One of the commissioners I worked for (I won’t name names) was President Ronald Reagan’s pick to head Social Security. And one time, soon after she was appointed, she told me that Reagan told her this: “You really have only one job. Make sure those damn checks go out on time every month!”

But let’s be honest about that. The issuance of Social Security checks is pretty institutionalized. It’s built into the nature of the bureaucracy. Social Security checks have gone out on time every month for about 88 years now. Donald Duck could be the Commissioner of Social Security and the checks still would go out like clockwork each month. After all, commissioners come and go. It’s the dedicated civil servants who have been with the agency for decades who really keep the place humming along and make sure those checks always go out in a timely manner.

So what the commissioner really does, what the head of any large organization really does, is set the tone for how services will be provided and how staff will be allocated to provide those services.

And for many recent years, the Commissioner of Social Security has had to deal with the

problem of ballooning workloads (10,000 baby boomers retiring every day) and dwindling resources.

This is an issue that has always puzzled me. I mean, if any private business was growing by 10,000 new customers every day, they would be hiring lots of new staff to deal with the increased workloads.

But sadly, that’s not the way the public sector works. Because so many Americans keep clamoring for less government ... well, they’re getting it. The SSA’s administrative budget (along with the budgets of most federal agencies) frequently comes under the knife -- leading to severe staff shortages. So there is a reason why you have to wait on hold for a couple hours when you call the SSA’s 800 number. Or why there are huge backlogs in disability claim appeals.

So I’m sure the SSA’s newest commissioner (more about that in a minute) will be looking at these problems and trying to reallocate staff to improve service to the public.

Before I get to the new big boss at the SSA, I must make this point. A long time ago, a chief of staff for one of the Social Security commissioners told me this. “Tom, when a Democrat is president, you will get a good Commissioner of Social Security. When a Republican is president, you will get an ineffective Commissioner of Social Security.” This seemingly biased analysis carried a bit of weight with me because the chief of staff who told me this was himself a Republican political appointee!

His reasoning went like this. For years, Social Security has been known as a favorite of the Democratic party. So if a Democrat is president, and you are a potential Democratic political appointee, you would be pleased and honored to be named the Commissioner of Social Security. Some of the best and brightest people available got the job. On the other hand, if a Republican is president, and you are a potential Republican political appointee, almost the last job you want is to be the head of

Social Security. More desirable jobs were filled by the top people, and SSA got someone from near the bottom of the Republican political appointee barrel. (And again, remember, these sentiments were those of a Republican politico.)

Sadly, this proved true when Donald Trump was president. He named as his Commissioner of Social Security a guy named Andrew Saul. His critics charged that he was previously associated with some right-wing groups that advocated deep cuts in Social Security benefits. And surprise, surprise! His tenure at the agency didn’t go well. According to at least one government report, SSA employee’s job satisfaction declined during his reign -- citing lack of confidence in agency leadership as the main reason.

Now President Joe Biden has nominated Martin O’Malley as the next Social Security Commissioner. As a former mayor of Baltimore and governor of Maryland, at least he comes into the job with some administrative experience running large governmental organizations. And I’m going to hope that what my former Republican colleague told me is true: because he was appointed by a Democratic president, I hope he will be an effective leader and turn the SSA back into the proud and service-oriented agency it used to be.

* * *

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 Lamentations is in the a) Old Testament b) New Testament c) Neither

2. Which book may be summarized as "It really is true, Jesus Christ is God Himself"? a) Matthew b) John c) Acts d) Romans

3. In Esther 2:17, who was Esther crowned as queen instead of? a) Abigail b) Rahab c) Vashti d) Sapphira

4. Who provided Solomon all the cedar and fir he needed to build the temple? a) Hiram b) Chalcol c) Absolom d) David

5. From Ecclesiastes 3, there is a time to mourn and a time to ...? a) Laugh b) Sing c) Plan d) Dance

TRIVIANEWSFRONT

TRIVIANEWSFRONT

6. According to 1 John 4:8, God is..... ? a) Fair and just b) Full of grace c) Love d) Everlasting Father

1.Whohada#1hitin1961withthesardonic “Mother-in-Law”?

1.Whohada#1hitin1961withthesardonic “Mother-in-Law”?

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

2.Accordingtotheproverb,whatis“the motherofinvention”?

2.Accordingtotheproverb,whatis“the motherofinvention”?

(Answers on page 16)

3.WhatwastherealfirstnameofAfricanAmericancomedienneMomsMabley?

3.WhatwastherealfirstnameofAfricanAmericancomedienneMomsMabley?

For comments or more Bible Trivia go to www.TriviaGuy.com

© 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

© 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

4.Whatfilmactorwantedto in1987? ThrowMomma fromtheTrain

4.Whatfilmactorwantedto in1987? ThrowMomma fromtheTrain

Patient With Osteoarthritis Develops Hives After Taking Ibuprofen

DEAR DR. ROACH: I took ibuprofen for my osteoarthritis, but developed hives. Does this mean I’m allergic to all NSAIDs? What other therapeutic options do I have? --

J.B.

ANSWER: Anti-inflammatory drugs can have many allergic and allergic-type reactions, and ibuprofen is probably the most likely of all to do so.

For people with mild reactions (such as hives that go away) without swelling or shortness of breath, I recommend avoiding ibuprofen and similar medicines, such as naproxen (Aleve and Naprosyn, among others), as well as any other medication ending in “-profen,” such as ketoprofen or flurbiprofen.

Aspirin is safe for most people as far as allergies go, although it is a little more likely to cause side effects at higher doses. The prescription medicines meloxicam (Mobic), nabumetone (Relafen) and celecoxib (Celebrex) are among the least likely to have any cross reaction with ibuprofen. Anti-inflammatory gels like diclofenac cream (Voltaren) should also be safe for topical use.

People with more serious reactions need a referral to an allergist, who may consider desensitization. ***

DEAR DR. ROACH: We had to get a router attached to our computer to get Wi-Fi for our house. Is there any health risk by sitting or sleeping near the router from the radio waves it puts out? -- B.R.

ANSWER: The energy output from a typical Wi-Fi router is about 10 watts, and the energy is the low-frequency, non-ionizing type. Very powerful radio sources, such as AM radio towers, can actually cause injury by heating tissues, but these have a power output in the thousands, or even tens of thousands, of watts. There has never been evidence of health effects on humans by low-output radio waves, such as the waves from Wi-Fi or cellphones.

***

DEAR DR. ROACH: One time, I drove a friend to the airport for an international flight. We were running late, and she feared missing the flight. My friend did not yell or even say much, but she got so stressed that her lips turned blue. And I mean both lips turned a deep, dark blue -- nearly black.

That scared me then and still does now. I don’t think that’s normal. What could that have been, and could she possibly be in danger if she gets stressed like that again?

-- A.F.

ANSWER: Blue discoloration of skin or mucous membranes is called cyanosis. When the lips are affected, it’s considered “central” cyanosis. The leading cause of this is low oxygen levels. Why a person would get low oxygen levels due to stress, without any physical activity,

is a tough question -- and not normal or common.

The first thing that comes to mind is congenital heart disease, the type that allows unoxygenated blood to mix with oxygenated blood. However, having an adult with undiagnosed congenital heart disease is almost unheard of, and it would be likely that she would have many more symptoms. So, it’s hard for me to believe it.

Many of the other causes are potential emergencies, such as a blood clot in the lung. Some people, when they get very nervous, breathe very shallowly. It is possible to have oxygen levels drop from this. If she had some mild heart, lung or hemoglobin disease, it could cause the oxygen level to go very low. That’s probably my best guess, but I would be happy to hear from readers with other explanations.

* * *

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.

(c) 2023 North America Synd., Inc.

All Rights Reserved

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

New Presumptives Coming

Cross your fingers that we’ll see three new presumptives added to the list of medical conditions that the Department of Veterans Affairs uses to consider automatic service connection after toxic exposure.

Getting these new conditions added to the list is part of the PACT Act. The act itself added 20 presumptives to the list when it was signed and covers a wide variety of toxic exposures. There is the water at Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River, agent orange, radiation and much more.

Now they are considering adding acute leukemias, chronic leukemias and multiple myeloma outside of the head and neck to the list. The locations include deployment to Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Djibouti, Egypt, Afghanistan, Somalia, Lebanon, Uzbekistan and southeast Asia.

Inclusion on the list of presumptives won’t be immediate -- they never are. But scientific reviews have begun, and if they’re approved, we won’t need to prove that the cause of our medical condition was our service in those locations. The assumption will be automatic, as will the benefits. The current presumptives list includes cancers of the brain, head, kidney, neck, pancreas and many more. Less serious are allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis and others. Of the five conditions most frequently claimed via the PACT Act, hypertensive vascular disease tops the list, with 80% of claims granted.

If you have any of the three new conditions and served in any of those locations, apply for VA health care and benefits right now. Don’t wait until you hear that they’ve been approved. It’s possible you could be approved for care and benefits even before the three new conditions are declared presumptives.

To read more about the PACT Act, check online at www.accesstocare.va.gov/healthcare/ pactact. Or see VA.gov/pact for the full list of presumptives and eligible locations, or call them at 800-698-2411. Get Form 10-10EZ to apply for VA health care.

Ask about exposure screenings and get signed up. Get on the books so if you ever need the care, you will have saved several steps.

* * *

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.

Q: Do you think invisible airplanes will ever be a thing?

A: I just can't see them taking off!

-- by Jim Miller

Best Medical Alert Systems You Don’t Have to Wear

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: Are there any monitored medical alert devices that you know of that don’t require pushing a wearable help button? My 86-year-old father, who lives alone, has already fallen twice this year but doesn’t like his SOS pendant button and hardly ever wears it.

-- Concerned Daughter

Dear Concerned: Yes, there are actually several monitored medical alert systems and other technologies on the market today that have voice-activated capabilities. These devices let the user simply call for help using voice commands without pushing a wearable help button.

The new devices are very helpful for elderly seniors who live alone and forget, or prefer not to wear a help button, as well as for those who have physical challenges that makes using a help button difficult to acti vate.

By simply speaking the “wake words” these devices will connect your dad to a trained dispatcher at a 24/7 monitoring center who will find out what the problem is, and get him the help he needs, whether it’s calling emergency services, or contacting a family member, friend or neighbor to come and help him.

All of these technologies also offer family/caregiver smartphone apps that will help you keep tabs on your dad from afar and notify you know if a problem occurs.

Hands-Free Medical Alerts

Some of the best voice-focused medical alert systems available today are GetSafe, Aloe Care Health and HandsFree Health.

Rated by U.S. News & World Report as their No. 1 medical alert system for 2023, GetSafe (GetSafe.com) comes with a cellular base console, voice-activated and push wall buttons, an optional personal help button and fall detection sensors. To call for help your dad would simply say “Call 911” twice and he would be connected to GetSafe’s 24/7 monitoring service. Prices for GetSafe start at $79 plus a $30 monthly monitoring fee.

Another highly rated system is Aloe Care Health (AloeCare.com), which comes with a voice-activated Smart Hub and optional wearable help button with fall detection capabilities. This system would connect your dad to the Aloe Care 24/7 monitoring center by simply saying “Emergency” repeatedly until connected. It can also make voice command nonemergency calls to preassigned contacts. Prices start at $150 plus a monthly fee of $30.

The WellBe by HandsFree Health (HandsFreeHealth.com) is a nice third option to consider. This comes with the WellBe Medical Alert Speaker that would let your dad call for help by saying “OK WellBe Call Emergency.”

WellBe also offers hands-free calling and messaging to contacts. It will answer health questions, and provide reminders for medications and doctor appointments. It also offers a medical alert watch and pendant (sold separately) with fall detection capabilities. WellBe starts at $100 plus $20/month.

Smart Home Solution

Instead of a traditional medical alert system, another terrific hands-free way to call for help is to get your dad an Amazon Echo device (prices range from $50 to $250) and sign him up for Alexa Together (Amazon.com/AlexaTogether). This is a remote caregiving service that will turn his Echo into a medical alert system. To get help your dad would say “Alexa, call for help” to be immediately connected to their 24/7 Urgent Response center.

Alexa Together, which costs $20/ month, also works with compatible third-party fall detection devices like Vayyar and Al-

tumView. If a fall is detected, Alexa can ask your dad if he needs help, then connect him to the Urgent Response line and alert his emergency contacts.

Amazon Echo devices also provide a bevy of other features your dad may find useful. For example, Echo will let your dad make hands-free calls, receive reminders, set timers and alarms, control smart home devices, check the weather, play his favorite music, plus other features.

ANTIQUE -- OR -JUNQUE

by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

Special Box Holds Special Mementos

Q: My dad bought the metal box seen in this photo sometime in the early 1950s. He thought it was a cigar box. The lid and all four sides are decorated with raised scenes of people in an inn. The inside is lined with wood. Marked on the bottom are the words “Barbour -- S. P. -- Co -- International S. Co. -- 3297c.”

When my father died, my mother used this unique box to hold her precious mementos of him, including love notes and a picture he drew of her on a piece of cardboard.

My mother always kept the box beside her bed. She later moved in with me, and when I would pass her bedroom, I would see this beautiful box. My mother died this past May, and I still keep the box in her room.

Can you tell me where this box came from, how old it is and possibly its value?

A: You have a silver plated box that was made by Barbour Silver Company in Hartford, Conn. It was decorated with a Dutch scene. The number “3297c” is a design number. Barbour Silver Company was founded in the late 1800s and became International Silver Company. Your box was used for trinkets or cigars.

It was made around the turn of the 20th century. If the silver plate is in mint condition, it would probably be worth $125 to $175. ***

Q: I have a set of china that is a service for 12, and it includes all the serving pieces for a total of 112 pieces.

Enclosed is a drawing of the mark that

Puzzle Solutions

We only answer questions pertaining to wispy, highaltitude clouds. Cirrus inquiries only.

SOLUTION GO FIGURE

is on each dish. Included in the mark is the word “Bettina.”

I am thinking of giving it to my granddaughter who is getting married soon. Because I have other grandchildren, I would like to know the value of this set, so I can do equally well for the others. I bought the set in 1959 directly from the factory when we were living in France. The dishes are decorated with 1/8 inch gold bands.

Thank you for any help you can give me.

* On Aug. 21, 1888, American inventor and former bank clerk William Seward Burroughs patented the adding machine. Two years earlier, Burroughs had co-founded the American Arithmometer Company to produce and sell the device, but the early models had to be recalled since he was the only person who could actually operate them.

* On Aug. 22, 1849, the first-ever air raid took place when Austria launched 200 unpiloted hot-air balloons carrying timed-release bombs against enemy defenses in Venice, Italy. Few casualties resulted, however, due to the unpredictable wind currents.

A: Rosenthal Glass and Porcelain Company was founded in Selb, Bavaria, Germany, in 1879. They are still in business. Bettina was a line of porcelain that was decorated with a variety of designs. Your circa 1959 set for 12 dinnerware would probably be worth $1,500 to $1,600.

* * *

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

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

COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

* On Aug. 23, 1990, Chancellor Helmut Kohl decided to prosecute women seeking abortions in East Germany. While the procedure was only carried out if the mother’s life was endangered in West Germany, it had been considered a reproductive right in East Germany and could be performed on anyone after the 12th week of pregnancy.

* On Aug. 24, 2013, Broadway actress Julie Harris died at age 87. The winner of several Emmy Awards, Harris was also one of the record-holders for most Tony Awards and was known for her roles in movie and television productions, including “East of Eden” and the series “Knot’s Landing.”

* On Aug. 25, 1985, 13-year-old Samantha Smith, dubbed an “ambassador” to the Soviet Union, died in a plane crash. Samantha had achieved notoriety by penning a letter to Soviet leader Yuri Andropov in 1982 expressing her worry about the possibility of nuclear war between his country and the U.S., and by visiting the Soviet Union as his guest the following year.

* On Aug. 26, 1794, President George Washington decided it was necessary to subdue the Whiskey Rebellion, an insurrection of 6,000 men in a field near Pittsburgh that originated from the resentment of grain farmers after a federal tax was attached to their distillery products. While he originally led the responding procession of 13,000plus soldiers, mastermind Alexander Hamilton took over early on.

* On Aug. 27, 1934, thousands of Chicago teachers finally received their back pay after working with no wages for long periods because the city did not have the funds to compensate them. Many lined up outside the bank well before it opened, with most teachers receiving more than $1,000.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

"If I were you, I think I'd just head back to the clubhouse now. I don't think Fred quite appreciated your exploding golf ball gag."

Trinket box was made by Barbour Silver Company.

Rosenthal Glass and Porcelain Company was founded in 1879.

day. The wingspan of a Boeing 747 is longer than the first flight the Wright Brothers took. It was just 66 years after the first flight at Kitty Hawk that mankind first landed on the Moon.

FINAL FLIGHT FACTS

• Windows in air traffic control towers are tilted at the exact angle of 15° to reduce reflections.

• The F.A.A. handles about 45,000 flights every day across the U.S., and there may be up to 5,400 planes airborne at any given moment (visit www. FlightRadar24.com for an amazing live view of what this looks like).

• About 14,000 people are employed as air traffic controllers in the U.S.

• There are 19,633 airports in the U.S. with about two-thirds being public airports and one-third private.

• The airline industry in the U.S. employs about half a million full-time people as of 2023.

• Oxygen masks on planes last between 12 and 15 minutes, allowing enough time for the aircraft to descend to 10,000 feet or below, where supplemental oxygen is no longer needed.

• There are around 90,000 flight attendants currently employed in the U.S. About 80 percent are female, and 20 percent are male. The average age of a flight attendant is 49.

• Passengers often lose about one third of their taste bud efficiency in lengthy high altitude flights -- one reason airplane food has a poor reputation.

• The pilot and co-pilot are not permitted to eat the same meal served during a flight, a precaution taken to avoid the possiblilty of both pilots becoming ill from contaminated food.

• The long contrails seen behind high-flying jets are almost entirely composed of water vapor, and harmless to the environment.

• The chances of being killed in a plane crash are one in 4.7 million. The most dangerous part of a commercial flight is the drive to the airport. □

One of the most tempting issues in golf is peeking to see if that six footer you just hit is going to go in or not. If there is anything golfers are more anxious to see the results on, it’s those pesky short putts.

The problem with looking for the majority of amateurs is that the whole body takes part in the watching activity. By allowing the legs, hips, chest and head to all turn toward the target in the follow through, the putter’s movements can be erratic. One time the putterface will close over too quickly.

The next putt you’ll sense the need to keep the face open longer. Either way, it’s a poor way to be a great short putter.

Better players have built two main processes into their short putting mechanics. One is keeping the eyes and head facing the ground for that second past impact. The other is locking the hips in place so they won’t turn toward the target in the follow through.

Usually the head movement will create a cascading effect of faulty movements, so trust that you can watch the ground where the ball had been for that extra second.

GO FIGURE!

love to bite” are made by which company? Answers

by Linda Thistle

TRIVIA TEST Answers Answers

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:

1.

2.