Vol. 20: #23 • Unusual Firsts • (6-2-2024) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

"The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read"

by Kathy Wolfe

We all know the name of the first U.S. President and the first man to walk on the moon, but how about some of the more unusual firsts that never made headlines? This week Tidbits focuses on some of these lesser-known but still significant firsts and gives them the attention they deserve!

• A Manhattan sidewalk was the site of the world’s first cell phone call, placed on April 3, 1973. Motorola engineer Martin Cooper called his counterpart at Motorola’s main competitor, Bell Labs, saying, “I’m ringing you just to see if my call sounds good at your end. I’m calling you from a cell phone. A real cell phone. A personal, handheld, portable cell phone!”

• Drawing inspiration from cartoon character Dick Tracy’s wrist radio, Cooper made it his goal in 1972 to create a functional mobile phone that would provide wireless voice communication. Cooper, who had served as a submarine officer during the Korean War, spent 29 years with Motorola, amassing 11 patents in the field of radio Unusual Firsts: Turn to page 3

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

(Answers on page 16)

1. TELEVISION: What is the name of the community college in the sitcom “Community”?

2. GEOGRAPHY: Which two countries in South America are landlocked?

3. HISTORY: Where did the effective end of the Civil War take place?

4. U.S. STATES: Which state comes first alphabetically?

5. FOOD & DRINK: What is an affogato?

6. MOVIES: Which movie features the character Inigo Montoya?

7. ENTERTAINERS: What is singer/songwriter Taylor Swift’s middle name?

8. ANATOMY: What is the smallest organ in the human body?

9. LITERATURE: Which fantasy novel (later made into an HBO series called “Game of Thrones”) features a place called Winterfell?

10. GEOLOGY: What is the most malleable metal?

THE STOMACH

your body

• The J-shaped stomach sits in the body’s upper abdomen on the left side of the body, connected at the top to a muscle at the end of the esophagus and connected to the small intestine at the bottom. It’s just a temporary storehouse for food before the food is passed into the small intestine.

• Food arrives in the stomach from the esophagus, and the stomach begins producing acids and digestive enzymes to break down the food into smaller particles. Food remains in the stomach for two to four hours while it’s being broken down and prepared for digestion.

• The cardia is the top part of the stomach where the food from esophagus empties into the stomach. It contains a valve that prevents the food from traveling back up. Undigested food is stored in the fundus before it passes to the middle part of the stomach, called the corpus, where food is processed and digested.

• Just below the corpus lies the antrum where the food is held until the stomach is ready to send it off to the small intestine. The pylorus at the bottom controls when and how the stomach’s contents move to the intestine.

• The hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach is strong enough to burn skin, and to dissolve bones and even some metals. So how does the stomach manage to survive? The lining of the stomach is protected by the gastric mucosa, a thick layer of mucus secreted by the stomach. The mucus coats the stomach walls, acting as a protective barrier to keep gastric acid from damaging the tissue.

• The cells in the stomach lining are constantly being replaced, and the lining is completely renewed every few days. Occasionally, the acid can leak out into the esophagus, which has no protective mucus layer, resulting in that burning feeling we call heartburn.

• Occasionally, gastric acid eats away at the stomach’s protective mucous lining, producing open sores, or ulcers, that can cause internal bleeding. A bacterial infection can cause the ulcer as it eats into the stomach lining.

• Severe physiological stress, such as illness or injury, can change the body’s PH balance, which will increase stomach acid, increasing the chance of ulcers.

• Up to 50% of ulcers are caused by the overuse of NSAIDs, “non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,” such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. These medications irritate the stomach lining and inhibit the chemicals that protect and repair the protective mucous lining. About 30% of those who regularly take NSAIDs develop ulcers.

• However, the stomach’s acidity is a good thing as it's necessary for breaking down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates for better absorption by the body. The acidity also protects the entire body, sterilizing what’s been eaten, killing off bacteria and food toxins.

• The stomach tells you when you’re hungry by releasing a hormone known as ghrelin, which stimulates hunger by sending a signal to the brain to trigger the sensation.

• The size of the stomach is different for each person. An empty stomach is typically about 12 inches (30.5 cm) long and about 6 inches (15.2 cm) across. The capacity for an adult stomach is about 2.5 oz when empty, and expands to hold about a quart (1.06 l) of food.

• If a person continues to eat after the stomach is full, it stretches like a balloon to make room. A folded inner surface known as rugae allows the stomach to expand to accommodate the extra food without rupturing. The stomach returns to its regular size once food is digested, but consistent overeating can make the stomach stretch much easier.

Week of June 2, 2024

Firsts: (from page one)

spectrum management. Cooper led a ten-year journey that finally brought the cell phone to market for public use.

• The first text message was sent in December 1992 from a telecommunications company researcher to one of their customers. Neil Papworth, who had been working on developing the method, sent the text “Merry Christmas!” to a man who was attending an office Christmas party. The message indeed came through, and a new function of cell phone communication was born.

• Chicago’s Home Insurance Building, constructed in 1885, is considered the first official skyscraper. Towering ten stories at a height of 138 feet, it was revolutionary in its construction, using a cast iron frame skeleton that bore the weight of the building, allowing for the stability of its height. In 1891, two additional floors were added, topping the building’s finished height at 180 feet. The building stood in the Windy City for 46 years, when it was demolished to make way for the 45-story offices of the Marshall Field’s department stores.

• The name of Margaret Gorman has faded into obscurity, but her legacy lives on as the first beauty queen to capture the title of Miss America. After the 16-year-old high school junior won the title of Miss Washington, D.C. in 1921, she was invited to the White House to meet President Warren G. Harding before moving on to the Atlantic City competition. Her win was based on her “athletic ability, past accomplishments, and outgoing personality.”

• The first food to be successfully prepared in a microwave oven was popcorn! The feat was accomplished by Raytheon Company engineer Percy Spencer, who had been building and testing magnetrons. During his work in the company’s

lab in October 1945, Spencer discovered that the power of the device’s microwaves had somehow melted a chocolate bar in his pocket. Now curious, he began testing other foods in a metal box with an electromagnetic field, including the first experiment, an egg, which promptly exploded in his face. The following day he tried popcorn kernels. The microwave popped them all, confirming that he had just ventured into a revolutionary new method of cooking.

• The microwave oven wasn’t Spencer’s first or only invention. In fact, Spencer, who had worked as a U.S. Navy radio operator, was awarded more than 300 patents, including a military device, a detonator that enabled soldiers to trigger artillery shells.

• Brazilian soccer player Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele, was the first soccer pro to reach the 1,000-goal mark, accomplished in November 1969. Pele was raised in poverty, earning money by working in tea shops. At age 16 after playing on neighborhood soccer teams, he signed a professional contract with the Santos Football Club. By the end of his first year, he had risen to become the top scorer in the league.

• It was just the beginning of many firsts for Pele. He spent 19 seasons with Santos before retiring from Brazilian football. He spent 1975 to 1977 with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League. Pele had 1,281 career goals in 1,363 games, leading to being voted Athlete of the Century in 1999.

The first of two of the more than 58,000 American casualties of the VietNam War occured on July 8, 1959. U.S. Army Major Dale Buis, 37, and Master Sgt. Chester Ovnand, 44, were killed in an ambush near Saigon.

• Whatever happened to Virginia Dare? In April 1587, a fleet of ships carrying 150 men, women, and children had set sail from England with the hopes of establishing the first permanent English settlement in the New World.

• Although recorded as the first English child born in the Americas, Virginia Dare somehow vanished without a trace from the new Roanoke Island settlement.

• Twenty-seven days after their arrival in August of that year, Virginia was born to the daughter of the island’s governor, John White. But the colonists were critically short of supplies, so White returned to England just nine days after his granddaughter’s birth, resolving to return as quickly as possible. But war developed between Spain and the British, delaying the governorʼs return for several years.

• White finally arrived back on Roanoke in 1590

The first video ever uploaded to YouTube was called "Meet me at the zoo," consisting of 18 seconds explaining why elephants have long trunks. It was recorded by YouTube co-founderJawed Karim on April 23, 2005, and as of March 2024, it had been viewed more than 310 million times.

on Virginia’s third birthday, but he found the colonists had all mysteriously disappeared and the camp was long deserted. The only sign of their occupation was the word “Croatoan” carved on a fence post, and the letters “Cro” carved on a tree. It’s speculated that the Roanoke settlers had been taken in by friendly Croatoan tribesmen, but no trace of them was ever found, including any record of Virginia Dare. Whatever became of the first English child born in the Americas

1.

2. Who was the

By Lucie Winborne

* In 1925, a war between Greece and Bulgaria started after a stray dog crossed their border.

* During the 1917 siege of Jerusalem, the British, in an effort to capture the city from an entrenched Ottoman garrison, airdropped cigarettes filled with large doses of opium in the hope their opponents would be too stoned to fight. It worked.

* Holland, Michigan, has 168 miles of tubing coiled underneath its streets that circulates hot water in order to melt any snow on the ground.

* China's Three Gorges Dam is so huge that it's slowed the rotation of Earth.

* Hard-rocker Ozzy Osbourne once fell asleep during a driving test and woke up to find a note on the seat that said, "You have failed." But give him credit for persistence: After 19 attempts, he finally managed to pass the test in 2009 at the age of 60, and then purchased a Ferrari.

* In Wisconsin, it's legal for kids of any age to drink alcohol in a bar as long as they are with their legal guardian.

* Dwayne Johnson's beard in the movie "Hercules" was made of yak testicle hair.

* The Aztecs regarded childbirth as a form of battle. Women who didn't survive it were thought to rise to one of the highest heavens, the same one as for male warriors who died in battle.

* In 1986 a Soviet pilot made a bet with his co-pilot that he could land his airplane blind. He curtained all the cockpit windows and crashed the plane into the landing strip, killing 70 out of his 87 passengers. ***

Thought for the Day: "Life is like skiing. The goal is not to get to the bottom of the hill. It's to have a bunch of good runs before the sun sets." -- Seth Godin

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

by Mary Hunt

7 Clever Ways to Build a Cash Stash

CHECKING CUSHION. In my checkbook, instead of deducting or adding the exact amount of each transaction, I round up or round down. If a transaction was a debt of $13.06, I deduct $14. Because I use my checking account so much, this adds up quickly. I have managed to save hundreds of dollars this way. I keep a periodic running total of the actual amount in a separate area of my register. Currently, I have about a $350 cushion in my checking account because of this. -- Jannaya, email

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

While a lot of us believe we’re saving money when we buy things on sale, it’s not true unless we actually save the difference between the regular price and the sale price. That could be stopping at the bank on the way home from the store and actually depositing the amount of money we didn’t spend in a savings account -- or some other equally effective method to really, truly save money!

by Mary Hunt

When you buy things on sale, you aren’t really saving money, you’re just spending less than you might have. Hopefully, today’s selection of great reader tips will give you a few new ways to save money that you’ve not thought of before.

BUCK BANK. Every $1 bill is marked with a letter to the left of George Washington. I save bills that have either of my initials on them. I put away over $300 in $1 bills over the past year, and I used it as my spending money when I visited relatives in California recently. Thanks to my stash, I enjoyed my visit without using my credit card, and it was so satisfying! -- Elsie B., Ohio

FIVE SPOT. I save all $5 bills because there are fewer of them than $1 bills, but they add up to more money. I learned that from my friend, who saved $2,000 for a Florida vacation by hiding her $5 bills. -- Donna, Wisconsin

CHANGE JUG. My husband and I have a 5-gallon plastic water bottle in the bedroom. Every night, we empty our pockets into the jug. It is now one-quarter full. About four months ago, we emptied the full jug and took it to the bank. To our surprise, we had $2,134.42. We were able to pay down one of our credit cards with the money. With our next full jug, we are going to be planning a fun vacation. And we won’t need to empty our savings account to go on our getaway!

Barbara V., New Jersey

MULTI-TASKER. I save all my change. After it accumulates, I count and roll it in the evenings when I watch TV. I could take it to the bank and put it through their change-counting machine, but the bank would get a percentage of it. This way, I’m doing something useful while watching TV, and I get to turn it in for cash when I need it. -- E., Ohio

GROCERY ROUTINE. My husband and I always shop for groceries with the sale flyer and coupons (both newspaper and digital). We rarely purchase items that aren’t on sale or don’t have a coupon for a discount. After each shopping trip, I collect the register tapes and clip them together. Then at the end of each month, I add up my total savings from sales and coupons, which are listed on every receipt. Then I write a check for that amount and deposit it into our savings account. By writing a check once a month, you can really see the savings you earn from all the grocery sales and coupons. If you just put those savings from each trip back in your pocket, it would just disappear and get spent on unnecessary things.

-- Elaine K., email

CREATE A HABIT. I know a habit is something you do without much thought. Saving money by setting up automatic transfers from my checking account to my savings has truly become a wonderful new habit. Once I set it up at my bank, I felt the “loss” from my checking account but only for a few weeks. Then it’s like I forgot about it! It’s so easy because there are no deposit slips to fill out, branches to visit or cash withdrawals required. I can just check my balance online from time to time and watch my money stash (emergency fund) grow.

-- Suzanne, Tennessee

Thanks to all my readers who share their best ideas for saving time and money. By following their basic steps, you’ll be able to put money into an emergency fund for when you need it!

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.”

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

Marie Curie was a woman of many firsts in the world of science. This week Tidbits pays tribute to this brilliant Polish-French physicist and chemist, who has rightly earned her distinction as the “Mother of Modern Physics.”

• Born in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, Marie Skłodowska studied at Warsaw's clandestine Flying University and began her practical scientific training there. At age 24, she began her studies at the Sorbonne in Paris. She married French physicist Pierre Curie in 1895 at age 28, and the pair began their life of research of elements and radioactivity, a term she herself coined.

• Marie was the first to discover the radioactive properties of uranium and thorium, accomplished in 1896. She and her husband were the first to discover radium in 1898.

• The Curies were the first married couple to win a Nobel Prize and Marie the first woman to win that honor when they were awarded the Physics prize in 1903 for their research in the field of radiation. Her 1903 dissertation on radium earned her a doctorate in science, the first ever for a woman in all of Europe.

• In 1904, Marie was awarded a professorship at the Sorbonne, the first woman to teach there. That same year, the Curies established the use of radiation therapy for cancer, having discovered that tumor-forming diseased cells were destroyed faster than healthy cells when exposed to radium.

• She refused to take out a patent for the process of making radium, believing that its benefits belonged to the world, “for the beauty of science” and for the “benefit of humanity.”

• Two years later, Pierre, who was already suffering the effects of radiation sickness, was killed by

a horse-drawn carriage, leaving 37-year-old Marie a widow with two young daughters. The Sorbonne awarded Pierre’s department chair position to Marie, and she became the first woman to hold a chair at the institute.

• Another first came in 1911, when Marie Curie received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the first person to ever win two Nobel Prizes.

• She was honored for being the first to isolate pure radium and for her discovery of the element polonium, named in honor of her native land. She accomplished this using techniques she invented for isolating radioactive isotopes. She remains the only woman to win the Nobel Prize in two different fields and received numerous other honors and tributes.

• Always the humanitarian, Marie donated her prize money toward equipping ambulances with portable X-ray machines, and launching 200 permanent X-ray stations during World War I.

• She founded the Curie Institute in Paris in 1920, and the Curie Institute in Warsaw in 1932; both of which remain major medical research centers today.

• Marie’s brilliant achievements did not come without a huge personal cost. Her extensive exposure to radiation while conducting research

resulted in sickness, advancing to aplastic anemia, a condition in which the body stops producing enough red and white blood cells and platelets, causing the immune system to attack itself.

• Marie was the first person to die of radiation poisoning. The radiation exposure was so intense that even today, all of the Curies’ laboratory books are too dangerous to be handled without protective clothing, and are stored in specialized lead boxes.

• Marie’s legacy lived on through her daughter Irene who, along with her husband Frederic, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935 for their discovery of man-made radioactivity, the second husband-wife team to win the prize. Tragically, both Irene and her husband also died from overexposure to radiation. 

HOA Communities Pros & Cons

Valley is a haven for many different HOA communities for every budget & level of social activity. There are Pros & Cons to owning a home in an HOA Community. This week we’ll look at the pros and next week we’ll consider the cons.

• Some HOA Communities cater to activities you might enjoy, like Golf, Tennis, Pickleball or Boating, & have different levels of Social life & involvement.

• HOA Communities have CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions) that regulate what property owners can or cannot do. These rules help maintain property values & protect the rights & interests of homeowners. It’s very important to review these thoroughly before purchasing your Dream Home.

Stay tuned for next week’s article on the cons to get a complete view before deciding if an HOA community is a Smart Move for you.

For personalized help with understanding local HOAs, call or email MJ & Marcanne today! ©

by Dana Jackson

Q: When is “Yellowstone” coming back for its final season? I don’t watch any of the spin-offs. I’m just waiting for the original show to return. -- A.W.

A: The wait is almost over for the second half of the final season of “Yellowstone,” which last graced our screens in January 2023. The delay can mostly be attributed to the writers’ and actors’ strikes, but there was also a major dispute between the show’s creator Taylor Sheridan and star Kevin Costner that most certainly was a factor. Fortunately, the Paramount Network has announced that production on the remainder of the season has begun and that you should expect to see those some time in November of this year.

There is a spin-off in the works that will continue to tell the Dutton family saga with current cast members Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser and none other than Academy-Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey (“Dallas Buyers Club”). The yet-tobe-named spin-off is expected to premiere on the Paramount channel in December and start streaming on Paramount+ soon after.

As for Costner, he knows who his audience is. He starred and directed the Oscar-winning film “Dances with Wolves” and has done the same for the upcoming two-part western film “Horizon: An American Saga,” which re-

cently earned a 7-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival. ***

Q: Since Steve Carell has said he won’t appear in the upcoming new version of “The Office,” is he going to keep acting in movies instead? -- J.S.

A: Like many versatile and talented actors in Hollywood today, Steve Carell seems to enjoy acting in a mix of series and films. Unfortunately, his last series with Greg Daniels, “Space Force,” just didn’t gel with audiences, and it was canceled after two seasons. Now Daniels is creating a new version of his hit series “The Office” with an all-new cast.

This leaves Carell available for more series work. First up, he’s reteaming with his “Date Night” co-star Tina Fey in the upcoming Netflix series “The Four Seasons.” He also just inked a deal to star in an upcoming HBO comedy series created by Bill Lawrence (“Scrubs”), which is “set on a college campus, centering on an author’s [presumably Carell’s character] complicated relationship with his daughter.”

Amy Gravitt, executive vice president of HBO & Max comedy programming, excitedly released the following statement: “The combination of Steve Carell and Bill Lawrence promises to be full of great laughs, warmth and charm. We’re thrilled to be the home for this long overdue collaboration.” ***

Q: Who is the actress playing Amy Winehouse in the new movie about her? Also, did she do her own singing, or did

she lip-sync over Amy’s vocals? -- K.S.

A: Marisa Abela (“Industry”) stars in the new Amy Winehouse biopic “Back to Black,” directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson (“Fifty Shades of Grey”), and yes, she did her own singing. The actress took singing lessons daily for four months in order to sound like the bluesy Brit.

“Back to Black” was released in theaters on May 17 and will be available for streaming at a later date.

* * *

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

(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

Matthew McConaughey Academy-Award-winning actor

Depositphotos

Good Recipes from

Shrimp and Scallop Kabobs

One word of advice: Don’t soak the shellfish in the soy and rice vinegar mixture. The vinegar will firm and “cook” the flesh.

1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined, leaving tail part of shell on, if preferred

12 ounces large sea scallops

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

2 tablespoons grated, peeled fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, crushed with garlic press

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 bunch green onions, cut on diagonal into 3-inch pieces

12 cherry tomatoes

6 long metal skewers

1. Prepare grill. Pull off and discard tough crescent-shaped muscle from each scallop. Pat shrimp and scallops dry with paper towels.

2. In large bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and brown sugar. Add shrimp and scallops, tossing to coat.

3. Alternately thread shrimp, scallops, green-onion pieces and cherry tomatoes onto skewers.

4. Grill over medium heat, turning skew ers occasionally and brushing shrimp and scal lops with any remaining soy-sauce mixture during first half of cooking, until shrimp and scal lops are just opaque throughout, 6 to 8 minutes. Serves 6.

 Each serving: 168 calories, 4g total fat (1g saturated), 9g total carbohydrate, 23g pro tein, 112mg cholesterol, 851mg sodium.

Pork Chops With Apple Pan Chutney

Any season is the perfect time to enjoy these sweet-and-sour apple pork chops. Accompanied by roasted potatoes, this dish becomes a comforting cool-weather meal.

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 (about 5 ounces each) 3/4-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops, trimmed Salt and ground black pepper

2 large (about 1 pound) Golden Delicious or Honey Crisp apples, cored, each cut into 12 wedges

1 medium yellow onion, sliced 1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 teaspoons peeled, grated fresh ginger 3/4 cups apple cider or apple juice

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1. In a nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add pork; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook pork about 8 minutes or until browned on the outside and still slightly pink on the inside, turning over once. Transfer pork to platter; cover with foil to keep warm.

2. Reduce heat to medium-low. To same skillet, add apples, onion, dried cranberries, ginger, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Cover skillet and cook mixture about 8 minutes or until apples and onion are tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove cover and add apple cider and vinegar; heat to boiling over medium-high heat and cook until juice reduces slightly, about 2 minutes. To serve, spoon apple chutney over pork.

 Each serving: About 320 calories, 10g total fat (3g saturated), 85mg cholesterol, 380mg sodium, 29g total carbohydrate, 4g dietary fiber, 30g protein.

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

By John Allen

DIAMOND LIL

by Brett Koth

Donald Duck by Walt

A FLEETING LOOK

NEXT WEEK in PASSENGER

PIGEONS

6/2 National Animal Rights

6/3 World Bicycle Day

6/4 International Hug Your Cat Day

6/5 Hot Air Balloon Day

6/6 D-Day Remembrance

6/7 World Food Safety Day

6/8 Knit and Crotchet in Public Day

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis

A Man Walks Into a Dog Park...

Two men were fighting in a bar. One of them threw a shrimp cocktail and yelled, “And that’s just for starters!”

That’s a joke -- but it’s only a hairsbreadth away from describing the real-life events that played out at an Auburn, Calif., dog park.

Officer James Dalton responded to a call at the local Auburn dog park and, after interviewing several witnesses, arrested 56-yearold David Cramer for assault with a deadly weapon.

The deadly weapon was a Chuck It. A Chuck It, for those who play fetch the oldfashioned way, is a long plastic ball-throwing device.

Cramer reportedly used his to whack a woman on the head during a disagreement. The two dog owners were arguing about the way their dogs were interacting.

That’s not a joke.

I’ve never been a fan of dog parks. For years, I’ve been warning against them in this space, harping on the fact that you know absolutely nothing about the other dogs with whom your dog is cavorting - whether they’re friendly, whether they’re fearful, whether they’re moody and persnickety, whether they’re hosting internal or external parasites you don’t want on your dog or in your home, whether they love to pick a fight.

Fights at the dog park -- I’m talking about the canine variety now -- come with the territory. It’s an off-leash space where relative strangers -- both human and canine -- come together to socialize. But as the Auburn incident illustrates, even the most well-intentioned socializing can backfire when personalities clash.

In theory, dog parks are great. They’re all about play. What complicates matters is that

Wuzzles solution Page 16

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles © King Features Synd., Inc.

Saving the Memories

Many of us have created our family tree, hoping to leave something to the generations that will come after us. Having a list of the names of our ancestors and all their important dates is valuable, especially if you have a budding genealogist coming up through the ranks in your family.

But we can leave them more than that. We can leave them our personal history, our life story. We can leave precious facts about our family that our younger generations would never otherwise know. Don't you wish you knew more about your family history than you do? Wouldn't you find it interesting to learn about the lives of long-departed relatives whose decisions decades ago still influence your family todaywhere you live, and even your vocation?

If this is a project you’d like to consider, there are several ways to proceed.

You can acquire an old-school cassette tape recorder, a stack of cassette tapes, and start talking. Label them as to the date you made the recording and the general topics you covered on each one.

You can go more high-tech and use the recording feature on your cellphone. Be sure you know how to save and backup the file.

If you prefer to use a computer, you can type your information, save the files and make backup copies, even printing out the pages. With typed pages you can make a memory book, including photos pasted onto the pages.

The hard part for many of us will be what to talk or write about. What will future generations care to know about us and the life we’ve lived?

You might start by flipping through your photo albums and making a list of potential topics. Pull out your scrapbooks to jog your memory. Did your grandparents keep a diary?

A partial list of topics to consider: beloved pets, living through tough times, awards you’ve won, elderly relatives you remember, notable people you’ve met, your first car, where you met your spouse, fads from high school, the scariest moment of your life, best vacation, a childhood toy, inventions that have come in your lifetime, the first place you ever lived, the dumbest fashion you ever wore, the person who had the most influence on you, etc. The list is endless.

* * *

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.

we don’t all play the same way. It’s kind of like when parents from the “we’re just here to have fun” camp mingle with parents who are “in it to win it” -- and of course I mean whose kids are in it to win it. Wink.

Do you understand your eligibility enrollment options?

Do you understand your insurance eligibility enrollment options?

The parents and children from these opposing camps bring very different energy to the environment of play. A highly competitive approach brings aggressiveness, confidence, willfulness, dominance. A playful approach is lighter, open, friendly and relaxed. And while these attributes are more often associated with humans, it isn’t unheard of for a dog to absorb and even reflect the energy of his upright companion. In other words, it’s not blind coincidence that Cramer and his Chuck It victim clashed mightily over their dogs’ inability to get along.

Once you've started a rough outline of these things the rest will come easy. But the secret is to just get started! Do you understand your

The strange thing about this incident is that it’s usually the humans who are able to talk things out, agree to disagree or at least walk away. When trouble brews between dogs at a dog park, it’s easy for it to escalate for three reasons:

1. The relevant humans are usually too far away or distracted to do anything to defuse tension before it turns into a fight.

2. Humans and dogs tend to react to a dog fight with excited or frantic energy, which only makes the fighting dogs dig in deeper.

3. Dogs aren’t impeded by the threat of a lengthy prison sentence or the loss of everything that made life as they knew it good. Once fighting, they are acting on instincts that could drive them to kill. And that’s much worse -- and much more common -- than a bonk on the head from a Chuck It.

Woof! 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.

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Insist On Filing a Claim for Benefits

In a recent survey I conducted, my readers gave the Social Security Administration outstanding marks for the services they provide. Still, that doesn’t mean that no one encounters any problems dealing with them.

I bring this up again because, despite the survey results, I continue to hear from readers who tell me that they contacted the SSA with the intention of filing for Social Security benefits of one kind or another and then were either told they were not eligible for any benefits or were otherwise talked out of filing.

Of course, sometimes that is good advice. For example, if you are 62 years old and still working full time and making $75,000 per year, and you call the SSA to file for retirement benefits, the rep would be correct in telling you that you simply are not eligible for benefits until you retire or reach your full retirement age, whichever comes first.

Or if you are a 58-year-old woman whose husband has died, and you call the SSA to file for widow’s benefits, they should tell you that, unless you are disabled or have a minor child in your care, you must be at least 60 years old before you can get such benefits.

But sometimes the circumstances are not so cut and dried. So let me repeat something I’ve said in past columns: If you think you could be eligible for Social Security benefits, you have every right to file for them. Whenever there is any doubt about your eligibility, always insist on filing a claim.

By doing so, you accomplish two things.

No. 1: You will get a legal decision about your eligibility for benefits, and not just one Social Security clerk’s opinion (or for that matter, one Social Security columnist’s opinion).

And No. 2: You will have appeal rights. In other words, if your claim is denied, and you still are not satisfied, you can ask that your claim be reviewed.

In theory, you could even take it all the way to the Supreme Court if you wanted to! That’s a little far-fetched, but the basic point is valid. If a Social Security representative says “no” and you walk away and later learn you

were due benefits, you generally won’t be able to do anything about it but gripe -- and then file a claim with no retroactivity. But if you file a claim the first time, and it is denied, and you later prove your eligibility, you will get full retroactive benefits to the date you filed the claim. The overall message is: Always demand to file a claim for benefits if you think you might be due them -- no matter what a Social Security agent tells you. And especially do so if you get different answers from different SSA representatives. (Sadly, I hear the latter complaint far too often from far too many of my readers.) Now here are some questions from readers that illustrate what I am talking about.

Q: I am 68 years old and get a small Social Security retirement check. My first husband and I were married for 30 years. But it was an abusive relationship and I divorced him about five years ago. Three years ago, I married a wonderful man. But sadly, he died last month. When I called the Social Security office to file for widow’s benefits, the clerk told me we had to be married at least 10 years, so she said I wasn’t due anything. She helped me file for the $255 death benefit, and that’s all I got. But something I read in one of your recent columns leads me to think I should be getting widow’s benefits. What should I do?

A: Unless I am missing some of the facts, you were given bum advice by the Social Security rep. The 10-year duration of marriage rule applies only to divorced spouses. So, assuming your second husband’s benefit rate was more than you are getting on your own, it sure sounds to me like you are due widow’s benefits. You should call the SSA back and immediately file a claim.

Q: I am 62 years old. I called So-

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

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3. From Proverbs 30, what will pluck out the eyes of anyone who scorns their parents? a) Demons b) Ravens c) Hawks d) All birds of the air

4. In 1 Timothy 6:10, who wrote, "For the love of money is the root of all evil"? a) Jude b) Isaiah c) Moses d) Paul

5. From Matthew 8, what Roman official asked Jesus to heal his servant? a) Zeus b) Marshall c) Centurion d) Governor

6. Who was the father of Hosea? a) Ahab b) Uzzah c) Beeri d) Joash

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cial Security’s 800 number and told them I wanted to file for my Social Security benefits. I run my own business, but I plan to turn it over to my wife and pay myself a salary of $22,000 per year so I will be under the Social Security earnings limit and thus eligible for my monthly checks. The telephone rep I talked to told me I was eligible for benefits, and she set me up for a phone interview with someone at my local Social Security office. But when the local office representative called me, he said I was not eligible for benefits and terminated the interview. Do I have any recourse?

A: Well, you are treading a fine Social Security eligibility line. In the past, the rules were pretty stringent. You would not have been able to simply turn the business over to your wife on paper and pay yourself a minimal salary and then expect to collect Social Security retirement benefits. But recently, SSA has eased up on these rules, and now you may be eligible. Again, the only way you will find out for sure is to file a claim and get a legal decision.

Q: I am 89 years old. My husband was 92 when he died several months ago. His benefit was higher than mine. So I thought when he died, I should get bumped up to his rate. But when I called and talked to a Social Security agent, he told me that because my benefit was more than half of my husband’s benefit, I was not due anything extra. Was he right?

A: It sure doesn’t sound right to me. If your husband was still alive, what the SSA rep told you might make sense. But now that you are a widow, it sure doesn’t. I suggest you call the SSA back and do what I’ve said over and over again in this column: Insist on filing a claim for widow’s benefits.

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* * *

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. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net.

COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM

Patient Unsure of ALS Diagnosis

DEAR DR. ROACH: My question is about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). I have been diagnosed with this horrible, debilitating disease, and I don’t know where I am headed. I went to a hospital for a second opinion and additional testing to rule out other possible causes of this numbness. Nary a test was done -- the neurologist looked at the electromyography (EMG) done by a neuromuscular doctor at another facility, and he just agreed with the diagnosis.

I wanted to get tests done to see if it was perhaps a concussion, if it was from using yard sprays or from COVID vaccines, or if it was due to my having a terrible bad back for years, but none of these were even considered. I am deteriorating rapidly. Would you please give me some suggestions? Am I wrong for seeking other causes? -- J.B.

ANSWER: I am very sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with ALS. I understand why you would like to believe there are other possibilities for this because there are no treatments for ALS that can stop the progression of this fatal disease.

The diagnosis of ALS is made after a thorough examination and history review. Electrodiagnostic studies, like an EMG or a nerve conduction test, can help support the diagnosis, but they do not make the diagnosis themselves.

The nerve conduction study is normal for ALS, while the EMG shows the nerves that are not connecting to the muscles. Other diseases of the muscles and muscle nerves should be considered. MRI scans are usually performed, as they can identify conditions that mimic ALS.

The terrible back you mention could include a condition called cervical myelopathy, which has some features that can be mistaken for ALS. Routine blood and urine testing should be done to exclude other conditions, such as Lyme disease, and the spinal fluid is sometimes analyzed if the neurologist suspects immunemedicated nerve disease.

However, none of the other possibilities that you mention is likely to be confused for ALS by an experienced neurologist who does a com-

plete exam.

I have three concerns: The first is that you are suggesting you may not have had a thorough evaluation so far. Second, the only symptom you mention is numbness, and although this can occasionally happen with ALS, you are much more likely to have weakness and muscle twitching without numbness. Third, ALS tends to progress slowly, not rapidly.

For all these reasons, and because you need to be sure of your condition, I recommend getting another opinion from a neurologist who doesn’t rely on someone else’s history review and exam.

***

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 94-year-old female who takes one 0.75-mg pill of levothyroxine per day since 1970. It was prescribed because of low energy. My doctor thinks the usual blood test is all that is required for proper diagnostics. Would I benefit from a more thorough test, and if so, what would you recommend, as my energy level is now very low? -- S.H.

ANSWER: For most people with low thyroid levels, a simple test of the thyroid level and/ or the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) level is all that is needed to be sure the dose of the replacement thyroid hormone, levothyroxine, is adequate. However, there are many causes for low energy. A low blood count and abnormalities of any critical organ can all cause fatigue.

The diagnosis starts with a careful history review and exam. Lab tests are important, but nothing is as likely to give the correct diagnosis as listening to the patient will.

* * *

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

(c) 2024 North America Synd., Inc.

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

Getting help when leaving the service

Those who leave the service can be in for quite a life change, not only for them but for their families. The transition can also be something of a challenge.

The VA knows this and has set aside $4 million to be used this year as grants to organizations that help with that transition. Additionally, the grant organizations are expected to match that amount, effectively doubling the money.

The services these organizations are to provide include employment placement, interview training, resume help and more. Just getting help with a resume can be a huge step. Trying to translate your military MOS to its civilian equivalent can be daunting.

Besides the grants to organizations, the VA takes its own steps. See benefits.va.gov/transition/transition-home.asp for more information. The Military to Civilian Readiness Pathway (M2C Ready) is a two-year effort: one year before you leave the service and one year afterward.

Part of M2C Ready is the Solid Start program, which helps veterans during the first year of leaving the service. They give you three calls during that first year (at the 90, 180 and 365 day marks) to make sure you know about the benefits you have. (A heads up ... take care that you’re not talking to a scammer. Veterans are often targeted, so beware what personal info you disclose on the phone.)

You can call Solid Start at 800-827-0611 or see benefits.va.gov/TRANSITION/solid-start. asp. The page has lists and links to resources you can use. Among others, the sources include employment help, housing assistance, pensions, education, life insurance and getting your records. Don’t miss the link to the VA Welcome Kit at the bottom of the page. Get one (it’s a download) and keep it with your important documents.

If you’re not actually leaving the service yet and are moving from one duty station to the next, hook up with TAP o the Transition Assistance Program. Check the “modules” at benefits.va.gov/ TRANSITION/VA-TAP-Course-Catalog.asp for videos on topics of your choice. These are actual training sessions with resource guides. * * *

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.

M.D.

-- by Jim Miller

How to Find Reliable Health Information Online

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: How can I tell if the health info on a website is trustworthy? I usually do a Google search on a symptom, drug or health condition when I want to research something, but with so much information out there I’m not sure what I can trust. What do you recommend? -- Skeptical Sal

Dear Sal: You’re indeed wise to be skeptical! There’s an overwhelming amount of health advice on the internet today and it can be hard to tell what’s truly credible. To help you sort through the online clutter and locate reliable, trustworthy health information, here are a few tips to follow, along with some top-rated sites you can turn to with confidence.

Savvy Searching

First, know that Google or Bing is not always the best place to start a search. You’ll increase your odds of finding reliable health information if you begin with websites run by government agencies (identified by URLs ending in .gov), medical associations (often .org) or academic institutions (.edu).

Commercial websites (usually ending in .com), such as drug or insurance companies who may be trying to sell you their products, are usually not the most trustworthy options. To find out who’s sponsoring a site and where the information came from, click on the “About Us” tab on the site’s home page.

Also note that good health and medical

information changes all the time so check the date that information was published to make sure it’s current.

Some other areas you need be wary of include online symptom checkers and artificial intelligence (AI) tools. While symptom checkers do offer potential diagnoses that could fit your set of symptoms, they are often general, inaccurate, and tend to err on the side of caution says Ateev Mehrotra, MD, professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School. AI tools, like ChatGPT, can also be wrong or generate false but scientific sounding information.

You also need to be cautious about using medical information from social media, online forums or YouTube. Comments in these places may sound authoritative and official even if the authors have no medical training or expertise whatsoever.

Top Health Sites

While there are many excellent websites that provide reliable health and medical information, one of the best all-purpose sites that’s recommended by Consumer Reports for researching symptoms and conditions is MedlinePlus (medlineplus.gov).

A service of the National Library of Medicine, the world’s largest medical library, and part of the National Institutes of Health, MedlinePlus provides high-quality, trustworthy health and wellness information that’s easy to understand and free of advertising.

Here are a few additional websites, recommended by the Medical Library Association and others, to help you find reliable information on specific diseases, conditions and treatments.

Cancer: National Cancer Institute (cancer.gov), American Cancer Society (cancer.org) and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (nccn.org).

Heart disease: American Heart Association (americanheart.org), National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (nhlbi.nih.gov).

Diabetes: American Diabetes Association (diabetes.org).

Alzheimer’s disease: Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) and Alzheimers.gov

Public health and vaccines: Center for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov).

Alternative medicine: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (nccih. nih.gov) and the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements (ods.od.nih.gov).

Any research you do online before seeing a doctor, be sure to save or print your findings out on paper, including the site you got your information from, so you can review it together.

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

ANTIQUE

Q: I took a photo of the mark that is on the bottom of my Roseville vase. It is a small jardiniere and is decorated with leaves and berries against a textured green background. It has small handles and is in mint condition. The diameter is approximately 4 inches, and the height is 3 inches.

The jardiniere was given to me by a friend who is an antiques collector, and I would be very interested in learning more about its age and possible value.

by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

by Anne McCollam Creators

Cast Iron Hatchet Commemorated Washington’s

Inauguration

Q: Enclosed is a photo of a memorial hatchet that is 12 inches long by 4 inches high. On the side are the words “Washington Inaugurated President 1789 of the US.” There is a date before “1789” that is no longer readable. The hatchet appears to be made of wrought iron and “braised” with copper.

It was passed down to me from my grandfather, Theodore Weber, who lived August 1870 to January 1966. He said it was made for the 100th anniversary of George Washington’s inauguration.

I have had the hatchet in my possession for approximately 25 years, and I know our family would love to learn the authenticity and value of the mainstay of my grandfather’s memorabilia.

A: You are correct. Your cast-iron hatchet was made in 1889 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Washington’s inauguration. The date that is illegible is “April 30.” Washington was inaugurated on April 30, 1789, in Federal Hall, New York City, the first national capitol. These hatchets were made in cast iron, copper, bronze and glass. The holes at the top are for hanging.

Your hatchet would probably be worth $100 to $150.

A: Your jardiniere is an example of Roseville’s “Bushberry” pattern. Roseville Pottery started out in 1892 in Roseville, Ohio, making flowerpots and cuspidors. Around 1898 they expanded their lines to include decorative pottery and moved to Zanesville, Ohio. The area was teeming with natural gas deposits and clay, making it a natural for potteries. Zanesville became known as “Clay City.”

“Bushberry” was introduced in 1941. It was decorated with three-section leaves with sawtoothed edges and clusters of small berries in relief. All pieces had ribbed textured backgrounds and were available in tan, green, blue and brown matte glazes. The number “657” on the bottom is the design number, and the “3” is the height.

Your jardiniere can be seen selling online from $75 to $125.

* * *

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 June 3, 1943, a group of U.S. sailors marched through downtown Los Angeles with clubs and other weapons, attacking anyone wearing the “zoot suit” favored by many young men of color at that time. The Zoot Suit Riots spread throughout the city over the next week, marking the culmination of racial tensions against the backdrop of World War II.

* On June 4, 1876, an astonishing 83 hours after it left New York City, the Transcontinental Express train arrived in San Francisco. Many Americans could hardly imagine that a journey previously requiring months using horses could now be accomplished in under a week.

* On June 5, 1956, a young Elvis Presley performed “Hound Dog” on “The Milton Berle Show” with a gyrating enthusiasm that set off a scandal. Critical reaction was almost universally negative. In fact, one writer described Presley’s hip-swinging as “tinged with the kind of animalism that should be confined to dives and bordellos.”

* On June 6, 2013, Edward Snowden, a National Security Agency contractor, leaked documents to the press exposing a government-run surveillance program that monitored not just the communications records of criminals and potential terrorists, but law-abiding citizens as well. Facing multiple charges and prison time, Snowden fled to Hong Kong and later Russia to avoid extradition.

* On June 7, 1976, New York magazine published journalist Nik Cohn’s article “The Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night,” which would inspire the John Travolta cinema smash “Saturday Night Fever.” Nearly 20 years later, however, Cohn confessed that the allegedly real-life characters peopling the story were actually fictional.

* On June 8, 1632, the prophet Muhammad died, as a result of being poisoned, in the arms of Aisha, his third and favorite wife, in Medina, located in present-day Saudi Arabia.

* On June 9, 1945, while hosting the Philadelphia Phillies, Brooklyn Dodgers manager Leo Durocher struck mocking Phillies fan John Christian in the dugout with the help of a stadium security guard. The incident led to Durocher’s arrest on assault charges the following day, but he was released on bail, and actor Danny Kaye, a friend of his and acquaintance of Christian, brokered a $7,000 settlement that closed Christian’s civil suit.

(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

Hatchet commemorates George Washington’s inauguration.

“Bushberry” pattern introduced by Roseville in 1941.

Special computer memory units made up to be used by actress Read and skater Lipinski: Tara bytes

"Your sea bass dinner should be along shortly, sir. lt looks like Frank just had a nibble."

remains a mystery to this day.

• Notable firsts in the world of photography include the first photograph, the first color photograph, and the first selfie. Frenchman Joseph Niepce took the first photo, a grainy black and white of the view from his window in 1826, a task accomplished using asphalt and a pewter plate. During the 1830s, Niepce collaborated with Louis Daguerre to develop the first publicly available photographic process, using a copper plate coated with silver iodide exposed to light, then fumed with mercury vapor and made permanent with a solution of salt. The entire process was known as Daguerreotype.

• The first color photo was in 1861, a picture of a Scottish tartan ribbon of red, white, and green. A pair of Englishmen took three separate blackand-white photos of the ribbon, using separate filters of blue, green, and red, then superimposed the three together.

• Although the word “selfie” didn’t make it to dictionaries until 2002, in 1839, a Philadelphia photographer turned on his camera, ran into the frame, stood still for the necessary one-minute exposure time, then hurried back to close the camera lens.

• It didn’t take long after the introduction of automobiles for a pedestrian to be hit and killed by one. The Anglo-French Motor Carriage Company was giving demonstration rides at London’s Crystal Palace in August 1896, when 44-year-old Bridget Driscoll walked into the auto’s path and became the first fatality of its kind. A witness reported that the automobile was being driven at “a reckless pace, in fact, like a fire engine.” The car’s speed was about 4 mph.

• Earlier that year, another Englishman was the first in the world to receive a speeding ticket. Motorist Walter Arnold refused to be apprehended, leading police on a five-mile chase after they began pursuing him on bicycles. When Arnold finally pulled over, he was cited for going four times over the speed limit, racing along at speeds exceeding 8 mph. 

SMITH’S TENNIS CLASS

Game Changers

by Jason Jenkins

Three Right Hands

Ben Hogan had written in his Five Fundamentals book that he wished he had three right hands in his downswing, yet I see many amateurs fighting the right hand’s use in their own games. What did Hogan mean when he wanted to use his right hand so forcefully? The secret lies in the way the right hand moves from the top of the swing down into impact.

The right wrist should load into a flexed position by the top of the swing. When the forward swing starts, the right wrist may even go into a more flexed position as the right elbow goes into the side of the body.

The most challenging part is striking the ball with the right wrist still slightly bent. This implies the grip end is leading the clubhead into impact. When the right hand stays loaded like that, power is reserved and spent at the maximum time, thus Hogan wished he could apply the right hand’s influence three times over. He likened it’s action to throwing side arm like an infielder. Still great advice 60 years later!

Jenkins was a 16-year member of the Jim McLean Golf

1. TELEVISION: What is the name of the community college in the sitcom “Community”?

2. GEOGRAPHY: Which two countries in South America are landlocked?

3. HISTORY: Where did the effective end of the Civil War take place?

4. U.S. STATES: Which state comes first alphabetically?

5. FOOD & DRINK: What is an affogato?

6. MOVIES: Which movie features the character Inigo Montoya?

7. ENTERTAINERS: What is singer/songwriter Taylor Swift’s middle name?

8. ANATOMY: What is the smallest organ in the human body?

9. LITERATURE: Which fantasy novel (later made into an HBO series called “Game of Thrones”) features a place called Winterfell?

by Linda Thistle

10. GEOLOGY: What is the most malleable metal?

Answers

1. Greendale Community College.

2. Bolivia and Paraguay.

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.

3. Appomattox Court House, Virginia.

4. Alabama.

5. Dessert of ice cream and coffee.

6. “The Princess Bride.”

7. Alison.

DIFFICULTY:

8. Pineal gland.

9. “A Song of Ice and Fire.”

10. Gold.