Vol. 19: #6 • Volcanoes • (2-5-2023) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

by Janet Spencer

At any given moment, about 20 volcanoes are exploding somewhere around the world. Approximately 350 million people live within “danger range” of an active volcano, the high-risk area for human casualties in the event of an eruption. Follow along as Tidbits peers into these ruptures in the Earth's crust to see what we can learn.

VOLCANO FACTS

• Did you know that one of the most potentially dangerous volcanoes on Earth lies in the northwest corner of Wyoming, just beneath the surface of Yellowstone National Park? In fact, the park itself is actually located in the caldera of an ancient -- but still active -- supervolcano. After Yellowstone last erupted many millennia past, it left a crater on the surface larger than the state of Rhode Island. The entire area is rising steadily at the rate of a half-inch per year, as activity continues directly belowground. Yellowstone is one of about 30 “hot spots” in the Earth’s crust with supervolcano potential.

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

• Martin Couney was born in 1869 in Poland. He was interested in medicine, and studied under Dr. Pierre Budin, who was France’s only expert in saving premature babies. Budin promoted the use of the world’s first incubators, and asked Couney to display them at the 1896 World’s Fair in Berlin. Couney told Budin that they would attract more attention if the incubators contained actual premature babies.

• The display, called “Kinderbrutanstalt,” meaning “child hatchery,” drew great interest, allowing Couney to earn enough to pay for his passage to the U.S. and bring the incubators with him. He was in his mid-twenties at the time.

• In America, he displayed the incubators with babies at Expos and Fairs before settling permanently at Coney Island, amid the roller coasters and hot dog stands. While definitely not a clinical setting, Couney knew it was a high-traffic area producing thousands of curious visitors each day, and there he stayed.

• For 25¢ people got a tour of his immaculate miniature hospital. A guide explained that coils heated from a boiler kept each incubator at the desired temperature using a thermostat, and the air was purified and exchanged every five seconds. Nurses on duty were encouraged to pick the babies up and cuddle them as often as possible, contrary to modern hospital rules which thought that touching babies might lead to infection. Couney believed that breast milk was superior and hired a number of wet nurses, as well as chefs to keep everyone healthy. He searched area hospitals for “preemie” babies to fill his incubators, sending his own ambulance to collect and transport them.

• Couney set up a second exhibit at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1933. Here he met wellknown pediatrician Dr. Hess, convincing him of the value of incubators. Hess helped turn the tide by endorsing the incubators. Pediatricians soon began collaborating with Couney.

• During the World’s Fair, some 1,250,000 people visited the incubator exhibition. When the police arrested fan dancer Sally Rand, whose show was next to Couney’s display, she complained that the babies wore fewer clothes than she did.

• Because of the sideshow setting in which he operated, Couney’s career was controversial. The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children repeatedly accused Couney of exploiting and endangering the babies. None of the complaints was sustained, and by the 1930s, Couney was finally being taken seriously as a medical pioneer.

• The smallest baby Couney handled weighed a pound and a half (.7 kg). At one point, he had four infants weighing less than two pounds (.9 kg); all of which lived. Over the course of his nearly 50-year career, Couney took in around 8,000 babies, of whom about 85 percent survived.

• When Dr. Couney’s own wife, who had previously been one of his nurses, bore their daughter prematurely, the three-pound (1.4 kg) infant spent the first three months of her life on exhibit in an incubator. She grew up to become a nurse assisting her father.

• When Cornell’s New York Hospital opened the first center for premature infant care in the city, Couney shut down his exhibition forever, retiring in 1943. He died seven years later at the age of 80. Couney himself never attained a medical degree, but was nontheless equally commited to his work. □

1. GEOGRAPHY: Where is Mount Fuji located?

2. MOVIES: What is the material used in Captain America’s shield?

3. MUSIC: Who wrote the lyrics to the 1961 “West Side Story” movie?

4. SCIENCE: Which color has the longest wavelength?

5. HISTORY: When did the United States outlaw child labor?

6. TELEVISION: Who played the leading role in the legal series “Ally McBeal”?

7. AD SLOGANS: Which fast-food chain tells customers that “We have the meats”?

8. LITERATURE: What is the setting for the “Divergent” novel series?

9. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which animal represents the 2023 Chinese zodiac year?

10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of butterflies called?

Answers

1. Japan.

2. Vibranium.

3. Stephen Sondheim.

• Incubators were basically unheard of at hospitals back then. The prevailing belief was that there was no way to save the babies, so it was best to simply let them die. Monitors and IVs did not yet exist. Couney collected all the preemies he could find, regardless of race or economic background. He charged their mothers nothing for their care, financing expenses through the admission fees.

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• Couney hired barkers to stand outside his exhibit to draw customers in. One of the barkers, Archibald Leach, later went into show business under the stage name of Cary Grant.

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Call to schedule an appointment or for a free consultation:

Volcanoes: (from page one)

• The reason potatoes grow so well in Idaho today is because Mt. Mazama erupted 6,600 years ago, spreading mineral-rich ash over the entire area. Today Mt. Mazama is known as Crater Lake. When the volcano was exhausted, the empty magma chambers collapsed upon themselves, and the deep volcanic crater filled with water.

• “Magma” is molten rock that’s still underground, while “lava” is molten rock that’s been expelled and is above the surface.

CATACLYSMIC ERUPTIONS

• On April 5, 1815, the Lieutenant Governor of Java in Indonesia heard what he thought was loud, booming cannon fire coming across the ocean. Thinking a ship might be in distress, he immediately dispatched two ships to search the Java Sea to find out what could have happened. He also ordered a detachment of troops to march into the city just in case rebels were attacking a nearby outpost. The ships found nothing during their search and no rebels appeared in town. Days later news reached Java that the volcanic mountain of Tambora, on an island 750 miles away, had exploded and destroyed itself. The enormous sound had traveled that far.

• The gas and dust from the Tambora explosion soon circled the entire globe, causing extreme weather and unusual cold worldwide. A 19-yearold woman named Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was vacationing in Switzerland that summer. Since the sunshine was blocked making it too cold to go outside to enjoy the mountains, she stayed inside instead and began writing a novel she called “Frankenstein.”

• When Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines erupted in 1991, global temperatures fell by

an average of half a degree Fahrenheit. The volcano released some 30 million metric tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere. The highly reflective particles bounced sunlight back into space. The sulfates circulated for about a year before eventually dissipating.

• On August 26, 1883, Mt. Krakatoa erupted in a massive explosion on the coast of Indonesia. It’s thought that an earthquake opened a rift in the side of the volcano which allowed cold sea water to rush into the hot magma chambers. This resulted in a series of cataclysmic eruptions and catastrophes that lasted all day, all night, and into the next day. The blast was equal to 10,000 Hiroshima-size atom bombs, and some 20 times more powerful than the 1981 Mount Saint Helens blast. Sailors at sea more than 60 miles away suffered permanent hearing damage from the intense concussion. It’s said to have been the loudest sound ever heard on Earth in human history.

• In El Salvador, the mountain called Volcan Izalco had been erupting almost constantly for years. The government decided money could be made by opening the place to tourists. So they declared it a national park, paved a road, built a hotel, a bar, and a restaurant, and announced the grand opening. As the ribbons were being cut, the volcano stopped erupting. It has been dormant ever since.

FIRE AND ICE

• In 1973, the Helgafell volcano off the coast of Iceland began erupting. The 5,300 residents of the island were evacuated, but 300 determined people stayed to try to save the town from the slowly advancing lava. The huge 120-foottall, 1,000-foot-wide wall of creeping lava threatened to completely seal off the town’s only harbor, ruining many industries that depended on access to the ocean, and destroying the town’s commercial value.

• In desperation, their fire engines pumped water on the advancing flow. Small tongues of lava solidified under the steady barrage of water, and a small dam built up, slowing the flow. Then a sand dredger with Iceland’s most powerful pumps started spewing tons of sea water onto the flow. Workers found that by piping the water to a point behind the flow’s front, a series of small dams formed internal barriers in the flow. Plastic pipes laid on top of the hot rock would not melt as long as the cold seawater

continued to flow through them.

• 19 miles of pipes and 43 pumps were used to continuously pump water for nearly four months straight. Finally the volcano settled

Volcanoes: Turn to page 15

QUIZ BITS

1. On average, how many volcanic explosions occur worldwide in a year?

2. How many people have been killed by volcanoes in Hawaii, which has the most active volcanoes in the world?

(Answers page 16)

2.What

NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE

On April Fool's Day in 1980, as reports were in the news that an eruption of Mt. St. Helens was immanent, a TV reporter in Massachussetts thought it would be funny to air the report that a local non-volcanic ski hill was also about to erupt. Police were innundated with panicked phone calls from frightened citizens. The station apologized for the prank and the reporter was fired.

1.VERNALEQUINOX

2.CROCUS

By Lucie Winborne

* In the 1800s, popcorn was often eaten as a cereal with milk and sugar.

* The longest surgical procedure in history, in which doctors separated a pair of Nepalese conjoined twins who were born with a shared brain cavity, took place in Singapore in 2001 and lasted 103 hours.

* Valentine’s Day weddings are apparently 18-36% more likely to end in divorce.

* A Harvard study found that a person’s IQ can drop by as much as 13 points when they are under financial stress, due in part to the amount of brain power used to think about the stressful burden, causing distraction.

* Alexander the Great loved his horse, Bucephalus, so much that when it died in 326 B.C., he named the town of Bucephala for it.

* “Guerrilla grafting” is the illegal process of turning city-maintained sterile fruit trees into fruit producers by splicing compatible branches onto the sterile trees with branches from the fruiting trees.

* When police in India caught a thief who allegedly stole a gold chain from a woman on the street in Mumbai, the miscreant swallowed the object. An enema was subsequently administered at a hospital, but no results were achieved, until the man was force-fed over 40 bananas -- one of the best digestive food aids -- after which he was made to clean and disinfect the chain himself before relinquishing it. ***

Thought for the Day: “Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.” -- Danny Kaye

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc

by Mary Hunt

Should You Fix It or Nix It?

ered by a warranty or service contract, repairing is the way you should go. If it’s under warranty, call a factory-authorized repair shop. If not, an independent contractor is likely to offer better service at a lower cost.

The costs for diagnosing problems and making repairs on home appliances have gone up considerably in recent years, which has made replacing with a new model more common.

A word to the wise: Home appliances have built-in obsolescence. By design, life expectancy has gone down slowly over the years. Refrigerators used to last for 30 years or longer by design. These days you’ll be lucky to get 10 years, and that’s with excellent maintenance and timely repairs.

by Mary Hunt

You’re worried that the washing machine is on its last spin cycle. It makes a horrible screeching sound and needs a lot of coaxing to make it all the way through a full cycle. It’s not like it’s still under warranty. You’ve had it for four years, and it wasn’t new when you got it. You got an estimate for repair and discovered it will cost $319 to get it back into tip-top shape.

Should you give this old, inefficient machine the heave-ho in favor of a new model that will use less electricity and water?

A new name-brand front-loader is on sale for $999 plus tax and delivery. Should you basically throw away $319 now for a temporary fix or bite the bullet and buy the new one?

Here are some basic guidelines and suggestions to help you decide, based on costs for replacement and repairs, and the advantages of new models:

IF YOU CANNOT PAY CASH FOR THE NEW REPLACEMENT

You should get it repaired to buy yourself time to save up for the replacement. Even if the repairs will only keep this appliance going for a year or two, you’re far better off repairing and then saving for a new machine than financing a new one then and paying double-digit interest for the next three to five years.

IF THE APPLIANCE IS EIGHT YEARS OR OLDER

Once an appliance becomes elderly, usually it makes sense to replace it with a newer model.

IF REPAIRS ARE REALLY EXPENSIVE

If the repair bill is more than half the price of a new product, you are probably better advised to buy a new one. But again, the deciding factor will be whether or not you will have to go into debt to buy new.

IF THE APPLIANCE IS UNDER WARRANTY

Even if repairs will be only partially cov-

Anticipate so you are not caught off guard. Setting aside a small amount of money every month to anticipate the cost of repairs and eventual replacement of major home appliances will give you cash options to make wise decisions.

* * *

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

COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

Cher Ami

• During World War I, nearly 200 soldiers of New York’s 77th Infantry Division joined with 300 other troops and pushed through the Argonne Forest in France, which was held by the German army. They laid down an assault on the German troops that surrounded them, believing that French forces and American units were following on their flanks.

• But they broke through the German lines so easily and advanced so rapidly that their backup battalions could not keep up with them. They became “lost” not in the sense that they did not know where they were, but in the sense that their support system did not know where they were. They became the Lost Battalion.

• Led by Major Charles Whittlesey, they found themselves trapped on a steep and heavily wooded slope as the Germans regrouped and surrounded them. For the next six days, as they ran short of ammunition, food, and other supplies, Whittlesey spurred their courage and kept them fighting.

• Unfortunately, the French and American units who were supposed to provide support lost track of where they were and assumed they were German forces. They began opening fire on their own allies. Now the Lost Battalion was under fire not only from the enemy, but also from friendly fire. There was only a single spring available as a source of water, and German sharpshooters killed anyone who came near it.

• Communication was severely limited. Human messengers ended up captured or killed by the Germans. The best way to make contact was by carrier pigeon. They had three on hand. One after another, the pigeons were released with messages tied to their legs. One after another, the birds were shot down by German troops.

• Finally they were down to their last bird, a homing pigeon named Cher Ami, meaning “dear friend” in French.

• Cher Ami was a registered Black Check cock carrier pigeon, one of 600 birds owned and flown by the U.S. Army Signal Corps in France during WW I. Many of these birds had been donated by the pigeon fanciers of Britain and had been trained by American pigeoners.

• He had previously delivered twelve important messages for the American sector at the Battle

of Verdun in France, so he was well-seasoned.

• The message, written on onion paper and placed in a tiny canister tied to the bird’s leg, gave their exact position and stated “Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heavens sake stop it.” The bird was released on October 4, 1918.

• As Cher Ami took flight, the Germans took aim and fired at the bird, who dropped to the ground, gravely wounded. But he got up and took flight a second time, this time making it back to his loft located at division headquarters 25 miles away. He made the trip in less than an hour. The message was received and the friendly fire ceased. The 194 survivors were saved.

• Army medics found that Cher Ami had been shot

through the breast, blinded in one eye, and had a leg dangling by a single tendon. He was nursed back to relative health. When he recovered enough to travel, the now one-legged bird was put on a boat to the United States, with General John J. Pershing seeing him off. Cher Ami died on June 13, 1919 as a result of his wounds.

• Cher Ami was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross from the U.S. Army, as well as the Croix de Guerre by the French. He was inducted into the Racing Pigeon Hall of Fame in 1931, and received a gold medal from the Organized Bodies of American Pigeon Fanciers in recognition of his extraordinary service during World War I. His remains are on display at the Smithsonian. □

and the lost batallion

by Dana Jackson

Q: I read somewhere that “The Good Doctor” is going to have a spin-off series. I hope this doesn’t mean that this series is ending anytime soon. Who will be in the spin-off? -- A.P.

A: ”The Good Doctor,” which stars Freddie Highmore as a young autistic surgeon, is currently in its sixth season on ABC. It’s based on a series out of South Korea with the same title. Actor Daniel Dae Kim (“Lost,” “Hawaii Five-O”) bought the rights to the series and sold it to ABC here in the U.S. The show has been a hit for ABC, so I don’t see it going anywhere, unless Highmore and/ or the show’s creators decide not to continue.

“The Good Lawyer,” the upcoming spin-off series, will premiere on March 6 on ABC. It stars Felicity Huffman (“Desperate Housewives”), Kennedy McMann (“Nancy Drew”) and Bethlehem Million (“Sick”).

According to TVLine.com, Highmore’s character will appear in the first episode, as he “seeks legal representation to help him win a case and puts his faith in a promising young lawyer [played by McMann] who has obsessive compulsive disorder.”

Some wondered if Huffman’s acting career would ever recover after her involvement in the college admissions scandal, resulting in her serving a short jail sentence in 2019. That appears to

be behind her, as it looks like she’ll soon be adding another hit show to her resume.

***

Q: I thought “Criminal Minds” was returning, but I can’t find it anywhere in my channel guide. Is it not coming out for another year? -- L.J.

A: In 2020, after 15 seasons, the violent crime procedural ended its run on CBS in what was assumed to be its series finale. Two years later, it was announced that a reboot was in the works for CBS’s subscription streaming service, Paramount+. Returning cast members include Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster and Aisha Tyler, but fan-favorite Mathew Gray Gubler as Dr. Spencer Reid was absent due to a scheduling conflict.

The show now has a new title, “Criminal Minds: Evolutions,” and is one of Paramount+’s top streamed programs. It’s also been given the green light for a second season.

***

Q: How is Michael J. Fox doing lately, and how many years has it been since he was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease? -- B.B.

A: In a new documentary for AppleTV+,

Michael J. Fox discusses with filmmaker Davis Guggenheim that he first noticed symptoms in 1991 but kept his diagnosis hidden until 1998. Two of the biggest roles of his career came his way by luck, even though he was blessed with talent. First, when Matthew Broderick backed out of the sitcom “Family Ties,” Fox was cast as Alex P. Keaton, the role that ended up launching his career. Then, when Meredith Baxter-Birney, who played his onscreen mom, went on maternity leave, Fox was able to play Marty McFly in the blockbuster film “Back to the Future.”

His last major acting role was a two-episode guest appearance in “The Good Fight” as the character he portrayed for a recurring basis on “The Good Wife.”

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.

(Go Figure solution page 14)

2.Accordingtotheproverb,whatis“the

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

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

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

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

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

3. M3GAN (PG-13) Allison Williams, Violet McGraw

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

4. Missing (PG-13) Tim Griffin, Ava Zaria Lee

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

5. A Man Called Otto (PG-13) Tom Hanks, John Higgins

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

6. Plane (R) Gerard Butler, Daniella Pineda

7. House Party (R) Andrew Santino, Tosin Cole

7. Sing (PG) animated

8. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Scarlet Bond (PG-13) Tia Lynn Ballard, Ben Balmaceda

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

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

9. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (PG-13) Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o

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

10. The Whale (R) Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink

© 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.

© 2023 King Features Synd.,

Felicity Huffman (“Desperate Housewives”)

Depositphotos

Good Recipes from Jerk Pork Chops with Pineapple

We love this shortcut Jamaican jerk -made with thick, juicy pork and succulent fruit. For another savory treat try our jerk rub on chicken pieces or salmon steaks too.

1 baby pineapple or 1/2 regular pineapple

1 lime

2 tablespoons jerk seasoning (see note)

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 pork loin chops, 3/4 inch thick (about 8 ounces each with bone)

Lime wedges and cilantro sprigs for garnish

1. With sharp knife, cut pineapple lengthwise through crown to stem end in 4 wedges, leaving on leafy crown.

2. From lime, grate 1/2 teaspoon peel and squeeze 1 tablespoon juice. In small bowl, mix lime peel and juice with jerk seasoning and oil. Rub both sides of pork chops with jerk mixture.

3. Place pork chops on hot grill rack over medium heat; cook 10 to 12 minutes, turning chops over once, until browned on the outside and still slightly pink on the inside. While chops are cooking, add pineapple wedges, cut sides down, to same grill; cook 5 minutes, turning wedges over once.

4. Transfer chops and pineapple to same platter. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs. Makes 4 servings.

Note: Seasoning mixes vary among manufacturers, especially with regard to salt content. Add salt to taste if necessary.

 Each serving: About 400 calories, 22g total fat (7g saturated), 41g protein, 8g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 116mg cholesterol, 535mg sodium.

Cocoa Brownies

We like to cool the brownies completely before serving, because they are sometimes just too soft to cut when warm. But if the kids (and you!) are swooning from the aroma and can’t wait to dig in, then go ahead and enjoy -- after a brief cooling-off period.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease 8- by 8-inch metal baking pan. On waxed paper, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

2. In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter on low.

Remove saucepan from heat; with spatula, stir in sugar, then eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla until well-blended. Stir in flour mixture. Spread batter in prepared pan; sprinkle with chocolate chips, if using.

3. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in brownies 2 inches from center comes out almost clean. Cool brownies completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours.

4. When cool, cut brownies into 4 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 4 squares. Makes 16 brownies.

 Each brownie: About 120 calories, 6g total fat (3g saturated), 2g protein, 17g carbohydrates, 1g dietary fiber, 39mg cholesterol, 100mg sodium.

* * *

For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our website at www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/.

(c) 2023 Hearst Communications, Inc.

All rights reserved

The future looks bright

Donald Duck by Walt

By John Allen

Brett

NEXT WEEK in

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis

Some

Things We

Just

Don’t Want To Hear

There are some things we just don’t want to hear: The disease is incurable. The relationship is over. The economy won’t rebound anytime soon. The dog is aggressive is a big one in my business.

A firefighter back east called last week with a real head-scratcher. He has a 3-year-old Cane Corso, which is an intelligent and powerful Italian mastiff breed. He discovered the dog in an abandoned warehouse a couple of years ago and decided to give it a home. When he relocated eight months ago, the dog suddenly took to growling. And, no, the story doesn’t end at that.

The fireman took his Cane Corso to the dog wash in his new hometown, where a woman oohed and aahed and asked for permission to pet him. Initially the man kept her at arm’s length, explaining it really wasn’t safe. But she persisted and asked him why he had the dog in a public place if it wasn’t safe.

Logical question.

The story ends with this: The man acquiesced, and the dog bit the woman.

If you follow this column regularly, you aren’t surprised. It happens all the time. People let love cloud their sanity: women go back for beating after beating; men live with belittlement and emasculation; dog owners tolerate the snarling, snapping, biting objects of their affection.

I asked the firefighter, “Is the dog trained?”

“Yes, I’m a trainer.”

“I thought you were a firefighter.”

“Yeah, but I’ve had a couple of dogs, and I trained them, no problem.”

These days, it seems everyone’s a critic, everyone’s an economist and everyone’s a dog trainer. But in reality, most of us are amateur experts in almost everything. Most people don’t know how to cure cancer, the economy or canine aggression -- much less all three.

What’s the difference between an expert and an amateur?

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles

Ways to Train Your Brain

No doubt there's a lot of us in the senior category who would like to re-hone the mental sharpness we once had. And rather than simply yield to the tendency to let our brains go lazy on us, there are ways we can fight back!

Several “brain support” online programs are out there to help us do this.While some may cost more than others, it pays to shop around.

Lumosity (lumosity.com) comes in seven languages and has games that promote memory, attention, flexibility, problem-solving and more. After you sign up, you’ll get three free games per day, and the Brain Performance Index monitors your progress. There is a subscription plan, of course, if you want access to more areas of the site, and you can pay by the month or the year. Test the free version first to see if you like it.

BrainHQ (brainhq.com) is another cognitive training program that you can access online. Their exercises explore brain speed, memory, attention and more. And you can design your own program. Their goals are to help you think faster,

focus better and remember more. You can try it out by subscribing to their email newsletters, which have free daily exercises to sample.

As for me, I’ve found books that don’t cost much and are good at putting my brain through its paces on a daily basis. The New York Times series of puzzle books begins with the Monday editions, which are the easiest of the week (the crossword puzzles get increasingly difficult as the week progresses). I found the whole series of spiral-bound puzzle books (50 to a book) on Amazon.com

Then there are the online jigsaw puzzles at TheJigsawPuzzles.com. The puzzles (a new one every day) can be set in any number of ways, including the number of pieces in a puzzle. I’ve found that the 100-pieces level is plenty challenging when viewed on a computer monitor.

And then there is online chess, for those of us who used to play back in the day but would be embarrassed to lose to a small child now without serious brushing up of our skills. Try this for free at www.chess.com and play against their computer.

There are lots of ways you can sharpen your thinking skills and improve your memory. You just need to put your mind to it!

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

areas together in some regard. Mirrored screens can be a great option, as are glass walls in spaces that lack sources of natural light.

Cody’s Corner (from page 9)

Dictionaries will tell you money. I say credentials.

Countless people have paid good money to noncredentialed, untrained dog or animal behaviorists, only to be left with the same problems and more of them.

The fireman wanted my advice, and I gave it to him:

His dog suffers from fear-based aggression, for which there is no cure. He can and should go forward with a behavior modification plan with the understanding that his dog will never be 100 percent safe to unleash on the world. And under no circumstances should he take this dog into a public place knowing, as he does, that it is an enormous liability. The dog is dangerous and should be kept away from public places and muzzled when not secured at home.

But he didn’t want to hear it. “I can’t accept this.”

Are you surprised?

Truth be told, even if it meant I were forever out of business, doomed to begin again in another career, I do wish everyone were a dog trainer. That would mean a world full of happier people and happier dogs. It would mean close to 5 million fewer dog bites in this country every year. It would mean courts unclogged with the frivolous suits between neighbors and former friends, now at each other’s throats over the barking of a dog. It would mean more space in our nation’s crowded emergency rooms. It would mean more service dogs and fewer dogfights. It would mean safer kids, stronger families and better communities.

Besides, I’ve always wanted to be a firefighter. And I have put out a few flames in my day. Woof!

by Joseph Publillones

Difficult Houses

Our homes sometimes fight us -- or rather, we fight our houses -- in our quest to find the perfect decorative solutions. Walls with impossible angles, irregular beams that cross a room, dark spaces without any source of natural light, doors that occupy the best wall of the house and don’t permit you to hang a work of art, ceilings that are too high or too low, rooms too small or too narrow ... The problems can be innumerable. No house is ever 100% perfect, but you know what? Every quirky condition inside a home has an interior design solution.

When a room is very small, you can make it seem wider by placing the furniture diagonally, deceiving the senses. The smallest wall can be made to seem larger with elements such as shelves, pictures, large mirrors, works of art or even books arranged linearly. In the case of an odd-shaped room, combining two colors on the walls will give the room a lot of play. A longer wall in a light color will offer the sensation of going back in sight and visually expanding the room. The same applies if using a dark color such as chocolate, navy or dark gray.

When a room is extremely long, a good solution is to create two spaces: dining room and living room, bedroom and dressing room, kitchen and office. You get the idea? Differentiate the spaces visually and with their own color or decorative style, so long as there are elements to pull the

When ceilings are very low, you can visually ‘’raise” them with high and vertical elements such as bookshelves, floor-to-ceiling curtains, floor lamps or a tall indoor plant. If the ceilings are too high, decorating the ceiling using predominantly horizontal elements on the walls and layering elements such as ornate draperies will bring down the monumental scale to a more human scale. But if the ceilings are so high, why not take advantage of them? Add a mezzanine or hang a large chandelier or a light with a tasteful shade, or hang a mobile or ceiling fan to fill and visually enhance the otherwise large, empty space.

Attic spaces or dormer rooms can be quite challenging to decorate, with their multiple pitches and lower-than-usual ceilings. The challenge is to think outside the box -- or in this case, inside the small space -- for design solutions.

Taking time to inhabit the space can reveal what works best in a particular scenario. The best thing with a difficult space is to take your time so you grasp the best understanding of the problem before you set out to furnish it.

For every problem you encounter with a home, there are many, many solutions. Magazines offer many sources of inspiration, but the solutions to your design dilemmas need to be personal. You just need to make sure the idea is perfect for you and those that live with you. * * *

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.

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

The Art of DESIGN

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Columnist Turns a Molehill Into a Mountain

Several readers shared with me a story that ran in many newspapers around the country headlined: “Social Security Hell.” It relayed the story of the columnist’s ongoing efforts to correct the date of birth in his 98-year-old mother’s Social Security records.

On the surface, it seems like it should be something simple to do. But the columnist ran into all kinds of bureaucratic roadblocks when trying to deal with agents from both the Medicare and Social Security agencies. (The problem involved an incorrect date of birth in Medicare’s files, but those files are linked to Social Security Administration records, so the columnist ended up having to work with SSA reps).

I’m not going to detail all the problems he encountered here. But I can share what the crux of the issue turned out to be. The guy’s long saga of trying to help his mother boils down to a rather simple issue: the very strict rules about the privacy of each person’s Social Security records. So, in other words, what he called “Social Security hell” was just an issue of keeping his mother’s records private. If he would have been instructed to file to be her “representative payee” right from the start, this “hell” would never have happened. I wrote a column about this a couple years ago. I’m going to dust it off to finish today’s column.

Social Security rules have always been very strict about the privacy of someone’s records. For example, there is no way I could get any Social Security information about any one of my readers from the Social Security Administration. And you couldn’t get any information about me. In fact, I couldn’t even get information about my wife. If I called the SSA tomorrow and asked, “Can you tell me how much my wife is getting in monthly benefits?” -- they would correctly tell me, “Sorry, sir, that information is private, and we can’t disclose it to you.”

Those privacy laws are the premise behind the supposed “hell” the columnist ran into trying to help his mother change her date of birth. You just can’t make any changes to, or get any information about, someone’s Social Security records without his or her permission. It’s as simple as that.

I can hear many of you saying: “But come on, Tom; this guy is just trying to help his mother get her date of birth changed.” And I understand that point. But you’ve got to understand that the law is very clear on this. As long as people are mentally capable of handling their own Social Security affairs, they have that right to the privacy of their records.

And those two words, “mentally capable,” are the key to the columnist being able to help his mother with her Social Security affairs. Or to turn that around, if she is mentally incapable of handling her own business with Social Security, the columnist can be appointed what the SSA calls her “representative payee.”

When that happens, his mother’s Social Security checks will come in his name and be sent to her bank account, the columnist’s account or a joint account that he might set up. And once the columnist is named his mother’s representative payee, he can (and must) handle all her other Social Security affairs -- including changing her date of birth in Social Security and Medicare records.

However, if this guy’s mom is just having a hard time getting around but is still in a good mental state, then she (with whatever help someone can give her) is going to have to take care of her own Social

Security business. For example, with the columnist’s help, she can call the SSA at 800-772-1213 or go online at www.socialsecurity.gov to change her date of birth.

If the columnist becomes his mother’s representative payee, that designation comes with some important responsibilities. Primarily, he is going to have to periodically account for how he spent her Social Security money. The SSA will send him a form (usually once a year) asking him to show what he did with his mother’s Social Security money. Most of the time, that entails showing that he paid her rent, bought her groceries, paid her utility bills, etc.

It’s nice that this columnist is eager and willing to help his mother. But there are times when that doesn’t happen. Someone may need a payee, but no one is willingly coming forward to serve in that role. The SSA has a list of preferred payees, with close family members or those who have custody of the Social Security beneficiary at the top of the list. And sometimes if a person is in an institution, like a nursing home or other care facility, it’s just easiest to have the benefits sent directly to that institution.

There are also times when there can be a family squabble over who should be the payee for a mentally incompetent person. Different family members will each insist that the benefits be paid to themselves. Then the SSA has to investigate, usually using that aforementioned list of preferred payees, and decide who is the proper person for that role.

There are also times when one family member will accuse another family member of misusing the Social Security funds for an incapable Social Security beneficiary. Once again, the SSA must step into the middle of these family quarrels and figure out what is going on.

A lot of this can be avoided with what the SSA calls an “advance designation of representative payee.” If you are a Social Security beneficiary who is still in good mental health, you can contact your Social Security office and name someone you would prefer to be your payee if the need ever arises. This could avoid a lot of hassles later on.

Before I close, let me make one final point.

Many times, people will say, “I don’t need to be made my mother’s representative payee. I have been appointed to be her power of attorney. But power of attorney is essentially a meaningless designation for Social Security purposes. For example, you could be appointed power of attorney for someone who is mentally competent but just needs help with legal and other matters. So that power of attorney status gives you absolutely no right to violate the law that says the SSA has to keep everyone’s Social Security records private.

If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called “Social Security -- Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security.” The other is “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the books at Amazon.com or other book outlets. 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 Ruth is in the a) Old testament b) New testament c) Neither

2. From 2 Samuel, who commanded the rebel army when Absalom rebelled against David? a) Arioch b) Abner c) Abishai d) Amasa

3. In the Old Testament, who said, "Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth"? a) Noah b) Isaiah c) Samuel d) Saul

4. Who wrote most of the Proverbs? a) David b) Isaiah c) Solomon d) Lot

5. What is the Sea of Galilee called in John 6? a) Tiberias b) Dead Sea c) Jordan d) Geneva

6. Who was the mate of Zipporah? a) Hosea b) Moses c) Amos d) David

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.

Case of Hot Flashes Yet to Be Resolved Despite Therapy

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 78; I had a hysterectomy in 1976 due to excessive vaginal bleeding, but I still have my ovaries. I have had hot flashes since undergoing menopause -- they usually last three to five minutes, and I have them about every two hours around the clock (which obviously interferes with my sleep).

Over the last 28 years, I have tried Premarin (which gave me bad headaches), gabapentin, venlafaxine, Bellergal, melatonin, black cohosh, clonidine, DHEA, Pro-Gest cream (chamomile, hops and valerian root), progesterone and estrogen (together), avoiding caffeine, and eliminating dairy products.

TITLE: None of these has helped.

I would appreciate it if you could offer any suggestions. -- L.E.

ANSWER: I’m sorry to hear of your difficulties. You have certainly tried about all the available therapies.

There are two additional ones you might want to consider: Megesterol is a hormonal therapy that is helpful for some women, but the fact that you haven’t responded to estrogens and progestins is not promising. The other is called a stellate ganglion block. You can ask your physician about it. ***

DEAR DR. ROACH: After a patient has had megadoses of IV and oral antibiotics, is there anything they should do to restore the balance in their body, such as eating probiotics or yogurt? Or is that all nonsense? -- N.W.

It is annoying, and I wish you would stop asking. -- L.M.B.

ANSWER: Falls in older adults are a major cause of disability. Falls can lead to fractures, and fractures lead to poor movement, sometimes to a progressive decline.

A history of a fall is a major risk for future falls, so any person with a history of indoor falls should undergo a comprehensive evaluation as to why they fell and see what can be done to prevent future falls. This includes, of course, managing any chronic illness, but also correcting vision as much as possible; evaluating the home for risks such as poor lighting and area rugs; and evaluating gait and balance, with a referral to a physical therapist for exercises to improve these, and for assistive devices if necessary.

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

Get Your Free PACT Act Screening

As of the first week of 2023, the Department of Veterans Affairs had screened 1 million veterans for exposure to toxins. As part of the PACT Act, signed last summer, they pulled out all the stops to get this done.

Falls may also be the first indication of a significant medical or neurological condition that may benefit from treatment. I’m sorry you find it annoying, but it’s an important question.

* * *

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.

If you’re one of the million who stepped up to get your screening, well done. If you haven’t, don’t let this opportunity pass by.

The PACT Act expands benefits for veterans who were exposed to toxins from Agent Orange and other chemicals, as well as from burn pits, Camp Lejeune water, radiation and others. The damage from those can take years to surface in your health.

Final

ANSWER: The idea makes perfect sense: Antibiotics not only kill the bad bacteria that is infecting us, they also kill many of the healthy bacteria that help us with digestion and other functions. (The whole suite of healthy bacteria living in our gut is termed the “microbiome.”) Why not help the gut return to normal by giving it some healthy bacteria, such as those found in yogurt with live cultures, or specific probiotics, which are just the healthy bacteria?

The answer is that it has been very hard to prove that there is any benefit in doing so. In people with no symptoms after finishing an antibiotic course, there probably aren’t any benefits.

At least one study showed what researchers called a “very severe disturbance” in the person’s microbiome and actually slowed the return to a person’s normal microbiome, which they had prior to antibiotics. Worse still, very rarely, infections have been transmitted through probiotics.

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You might have been turned down in the past if you filed a claim, but the PACT Act opens a big new door: You no longer have to prove that your illness was caused by toxic chemicals. It will be assumed that it was based on your service in that location. The PACT Act adds to the list of presumed medical conditions, called “presumptives.”

ADVERTISING PROOF

If you’ve never received VA health care, you can still qualify for this screening. Call them. They’re doing screenings at VA facilities across the country, and it takes about 10 minutes. It’s better to get going with the VA now rather than wait until down the road when a health issue might crop up. Get the screening; get your information on file now. Benefits will be backdated to the time the bill was signed, so don’t delay.

Survivors of a veteran also might be eligible for the benefits -- either a monthly payment or a one-time payment -- for a surviving spouse, dependent child or dependent parents.

To learn more about the PACT Act, go to www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-yourva-benefits. At that link you can apply online for disability compensation with Form 21-526EZ.

ADVERTISING PROOF

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You can also call them at 800-698-2411. Or call 800-827-1000 for help applying online. Look for Form 10-10EZ to apply for VA health care or to check the status of an application you already submitted.

Don't delay. Get on this one now.

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Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections.

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ADVERTISING PROOF Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m.. Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. FREE The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read 4 Million Readers Weekly Nationwide! of Coachella Valley Published by: Advertising Call (760) 320-0997 valleybits@msn.com Property of AdVenture Media, Inc. Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com All Rights Reserved ADVERTISING PROOF Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m.. Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. FREE The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read 4 Million Readers Weekly Nationwide! of Coachella Valley Published by: Ad enture Media For Advertising Call (760) 320-0997 valleybits@msn.com Property of AdVenture Media, Inc. Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com All Rights Reserved Ray M. Smythe - Author Bsns Cd 4C 6x disc. November 20, 2022 Vol. 18 - No. 47 MON., NOV. 14 Thoughtful Gift Idea ADVERTISING PROOF Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m.. Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. FREE The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read 4 Million Readers Weekly Nationwide! of Coachella Valley Published by: AdVenture Media For Advertising Call (760) 320-0997 valleybits@msn.com Property of AdVenture Media, Inc. Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com All Rights Reserved ADVERTISING PROOF Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m.. Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. FREE The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read 4 Million Readers Weekly Nationwide! of Coachella Valley Published by: Advertising Call (760) 320-0997 valleybits@msn.com Property of AdVenture Media, Inc. Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com All Rights Reserved Carlsbad / San Diego / Desert Communities Call for In-Home service appointment Servicing Coachella Valley on Fri., Sat. or Mondays 760-729-5121 -or- Bob’s cell: 760-802-4071 Howard Miller • Ridgeway • Sligh • Antique 43 years experience We also repair Wall, Mantel, Ship’s and Cuckoo Clocks Grandfather CloCk repair Service, Repair and New Movements from Germany 1 30 BoB’s CloCk shop Grandfather CloCk Grandfather Bob’s Clock Shop BZ 4C 26x TF May 10, 2020 Vol. 16 - No. 20 MON., MAY 4

Symptoms after antibiotic therapy, especially diarrhea and fever, could indicate a very severe infection called Clostridioides difficile (“C. diff”), which does not respond to probiotics and usually needs powerful antibiotics to treat. Probiotics have not been found to prevent C. diff.

DEAR DR. ROACH: Why are older patients always asked, “Have you ever fallen?”

Volunteer drivers needed. Call Tom Hernandez: 760-324-5670

AMVETS POST 66 Palm Springs, California tomswannhernandez@earthlink.net

Call (909) 735-5065 for reservations

M.D.

-- by Jim Miller

How to Cover Dental Care in Retirement

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: I had dental insurance through my work for many years but lost it when I retired and joined Medicare. Can you tell me where retirees can find affordable dental care?

-- Uninsured Al

Dear Al: Unfortunately, about twothirds of U.S. retirees don’t have dental insurance today. Without coverage from traditional Medicare, and with private dental insurance typically costing too much to be feasible, most seniors are stuck paying full out-of-pocket prices every time they visit a dentist. While there’s no one simple solution to finding affordable dental care there are a variety of options that can help cut your costs. Here’s where to look:

Medicare Advantage:

While dental services are mostly excluded under original Medicare, many Medicare Advantage plans do provide coverage for dental care, but it’s usually very limited. Medicare Advantage plans are government approved health plans (usually HMOs and PPOs) sold by private insurance companies that you can choose in place of original Medicare. To shop and research Advantage plans in your area visit Medicare.gov/plan-

compare or call 800-633-4227.

Dental insurance:

If you have gum problems and need extensive dental care, a dental insurance plan may be worth the costs versus paying for care yourself. Monthly premiums for individual plans range from about $20 to $80. A typical plan includes two or three cleanings and checkups per year, but these plans will likely have a waiting period – anywhere from a few months to a few years – before coverage for more expensive procedures kicks in. To find dental plans in your area, see eHealthInsurance.com

Dental savings plans:

While savings plans aren’t as comprehensive as insurance, they are a good option for those who don’t have dental insurance. How this works is you pay an annual membership fee – around $80 to $200 a year – in exchange for 10 to 60 percent discounts on service and treatments from participating dentists. To find a savings plan, go to DentalPlans.com (or 888-632-5353) where you can search for plans and participating dentists, as well as get a breakdown of the discounts offered.

Veterans’ benefits:

If you’re a veteran enrolled in the VA health care program or are a beneficiary of the Civilian Health and Medical Program (CHAMPVA), the VA offers a dental insurance program that gives you the option to buy dental insurance through Delta Dental and MetLife at a reduced cost. The VA also provides free dental care to vets who have dental problems resulting from service. To learn more about these options, visit VA.gov/ dental or call 877-222-8387.

Cheaper dental care:

Because prices can vary by dentist, one way to ensure you get a good deal on your dental care is to call multiple provides and compare prices. To get an idea of what different dental procedures cost in your area, see FairHealthConsumer.org. If you’re paying cash, it’s also perfectly reasonable to ask your dentist for a discount.

There are also a number health centers and clinics that provide low-cost dental care to those in need. And all university dental schools and college dental hygiene programs offer dental care and cleanings for

less than half of what you would pay at an established dentist’s office. Students who are closely supervised by their professors provide the care. See TeethWisdom.org to search for a center, clinic or school near you.

by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

Cyclops Kept a Watchful Eye

Q: This thing sat next to the piano where I practiced scales, (UGH!) when I was a child in the 1940s. The pot and the pedestal are in two pieces, and both are unmarked. There are geese or swans at the very top. On the lower section is what looks like a Cyclops eye and at the base, there are heads of mythical creatures on two feet. I always felt the “eye” was watching me as I plodded through 60 minutes of daily practice.

It now belongs to me, but I know nothing about it. I have become quite fond of it and would like to learn more about its history. Can you help?

colored background and is in mint condition. The overall measurements are 5 inches in diameter by 4 inches high.

Since I plan to pass it down to my daughter, I would like to be able to provide her with more information on its vintage and value.

A: C. F. Monroe Company located in Meriden, Conn., made your opal ware dresser box. “Nakara” is the trade name of the ware. They also produced “Kelva” and “Wave Crest” lines. They purchased blown-molded glass blanks that were opaque from several glassmakers, including the Pairpoint Manufacturing Company located in New Bedford, Mass. Some of their blanks were also made in Europe. C.F. Monroe was in business from 1898 until World War I.

Your dresser box was made around 1900 and can be seen selling around $600 to $800.

* On Feb. 6, 1952, England’s King George VI passed away, making his daughter, Princess Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth II. The sovereign received the news from her husband, Prince Philip, while on a trip to Kenya, which was immediately cut short as she prepared to assume her new role.

* On Feb. 7, 1964, the music world would never be quite the same after the Beatles arrived in New York for their first visit to the U.S., where thousands of near-hysterical fans waited to greet them at Kennedy Airport. During their appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” they whipped up an even greater frenzy, with 73 million viewers watching on their TVs at home.

* On Feb. 8, 2008, the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that the electric chair, which was the only execution method used in that state, represented a violation of human dignity and was consequently unconstitutional, adding that electrocution “has proven itself to be a dinosaur more befitting the laboratory of Baron Frankenstein than the death chamber.”

* * * 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

* On Feb. 10, 1535, notwithstanding the winter chill and in a form of protest that was, unsurprisingly, ridiculed by both Protestants and Catholics, a small group of Anabaptists ran stark naked through the streets of Amsterdam, shouting that they “had been sent from God to communicate the naked truth to the godless.”

* On Feb. 9, 1861, Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens were respectively elected to six-year terms as the Provisional President and Provisional Vice President of the Confederate States of America, after running without opposition.

A: A plethora of jardinieres and matching pedestals were made in the early 1900s in both the United States and Europe. Most were marked with the name of the manufacturer. Those that were not make it difficult to identify their origins. Many were made in Ohio by McCoy Pottery, Weller Pottery, Roseville Pottery and Roseville Ransbottom Pottery. Original factory catalogs and other reference books are sources to help solve the mystery.

Your jardiniere and pedestal would probably be worth $800 to $1400.

Q: This mark is on the bottom of a glass dish with a matching lid that belonged to my great-aunt. The lid and dish both have gold filigree bands and are hinged. It is decorated with blooming pink roses against a cream-

Puzzle Solutions

GO FIGURE

SOLUTION

Movie prophecy concerning the demise of an online money transfer service: "I see dead PayPal."

* On Feb. 11, 1916, American feminist and anarchist Emma Goldman was arrested and imprisoned for violating the Comstock Act just before she was scheduled to deliver a public lecture on birth control, which she argued was essential to women’s social, economic and sexual freedom.

* On Feb. 12, 2014, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, a sinkhole estimated at about 30 feet deep and 40 feet wide opened under the National Corvette Museum, swallowing eight of the rare sports cars. The building suffered no structural damage and remained open, and though damaged, the vehicles were returned to display and remain a popular attraction.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

"That's right, we're giving you 10,000 free golf balls with our company's name on them. Since you'll lose most of them it'll be good advertising for us."

Jardinieres and pedestals were popular in the early 1900s.

C. F. Monroe Company was located in Meriden, Conn., from 1898 to around World War I.

down. Many homes and businesses had been permantly lost, but the harbor -- and most of the town -- had been spared.

HAWAII FACTS

• There is a hot spot in the Earth’s crust that meanders beneath the islands of Hawaii. It periodically allows magma to escape, building new land. The hot spot remains in one place, but continental drift causes the plate of the earth’s crust to slowly float over it. Over many millennia this geologic phenomenon has resulted in the building up of Hawaii’s chain of islands, one at a time.

• The volcanic mountain named Mauna Loa in Hawaii is the tallest mountain in the world if you include its entire slope that continues down another 16,400 feet below the surface to the seabed. Mauna Loa is 30,080 feet tall from its base to the peak (that’s 5.7 miles), and it’s still growing. In comparison, Mt. Everest only rises to 29,032 feet.

• Kilauea Crater in Hawaii is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, erupting regularly about once a month. The sugar cane fields belonging to the Ola Sugar Co. were once being destroyed by a wall of advancing lava. Their New York insurance company refused to pay for damages, claiming that the crop was insured against fire, not lava. The Ola Sugar Co. insisted that a claims agent fly out to Hawaii to look at the situation firsthand. The agent, having never before seen a lava flow, was very nervous as he was driven closer and closer to the lava activity. It was explained to him as he became increasingly frightened that the heat from the advancing lava was so intense that it first burned the crop before covering it. As a fountain of lava suddenly burped up near the car, the agent agreed to pay the claim if only they would just get him out of that place!

PARTING FACTS

• “Volcano” comes from Vulcan, the Roman god of fire. “Crater” is Latin for “cup.”

• “Lava” comes from the Latin word meaning “to wash” which also gives us “lavage” and “lavatory.” The word originally meant a downpour of rain that washed the streets, but later came to mean a flow of melted rock that scoured the mountainside clean of plants and trees. □

STAN SMITH’S TENNIS CLASS

Game Changers

by Jason Jenkins

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

Pitching the ball around the green with any wedge requires consistent control of the hands and arms through impact. One of the simplest images for the average golfer is trying to keep the butt end of the club pointing to the center of the body on the finish. “Keeping the club in center” gives the image of a unified action of body turn, and passive forearm and wrist action.

Most pitches around the green can be hit with low to medium height finishes where one can check the alignment of the butt end of the club to the body. It should be aligned near the belt buckle or navel if everything works together. Avoid excessive positions where the grip end points too far outside the body on either side. If the body doesn’t turn thru to the target slightly, or the hands become too active, it’s nearly impossible to “keep the club in center”. This is a visual that can be rehearsed easily in preparation to hit those critical scrambling shots around the green.

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

It Under

Changers

Jenkins was a 16-year member of the Jim McLean Golf School teaching staff. He