Vol. 20: #42 • Penicillin • (10-13-2024) Tidbits of Coachella Valley
by Janet Spencer
Before penicillin there was no effective treatment for infections such as pneumonia, gonorrhea or rheumatic fever. Hospitals were full of people with blood poisoning contracted from an infected cut or scratch, and doctors could do little for them but wait and hope for recovery. Read on to learn how the introduction of penicillin heralded the dawn of the antibiotic age and changed the course of modern medicine, and about the man who made it happen.
AN ACCIDENTAL DISCOVERY
• Alexander Fleming was a Scottish medical researcher working at St. Mary’s Hospital in London. His project was to grow as much Staphylococcal microbes as possible, so that experiments could be run on how to kill staphylococcus infections. Fleming was growing the infectious microbes in petri dishes using a seaweed extract called agar.
• In 1928 he left for a long weekend trip. When he returned to his lab, he found that one of the petri dishes had been knocked askew so the lid was
TRIVIA NEWSFRONT
(Answers on page 16)
1. MOVIES: Where was “The Lord of the Rings” filmed?
2. TELEVISION: What is the setting for the animated series “South Park”?
3. SCIENCE: What is the most abundant element in the Earth’s crust?
4. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president proclaimed June 14 to be Flag Day?
5. MATH: Which letter is contained in every odd number when it is spelled out?
6. GEOGRAPHY: Both the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn pass through which country?
7. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of porcupines called?
8. MUSIC: Which British singer/ songwriter helped create many songs on “The Lion King” soundtrack?
9. FAMOUS QUOTES: Who wrote the line about fall, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers”?
10. LITERATURE: Which children’s book features a fictional world where it is always winter but never Christmas? Answers
(Trivia Test answers page 16)
your body
Hereʼs another rapid-fire barrage of little known factoids about your body that we'll bet you never knew. Read on and learn!
• The teeth last longer than any other feature on the face. Tooth enamel is not only the hardest substance in the human body but also the hardest biological substance known. Braces are the most common repairs made to the face.
• Teeth are the only part of the body that cannot repair themselves when damaged.
• You swallow about nine times a minute when eating and once a minute when not eating.
• Cutting your hair or shaving does not make it grow back thicker or faster.
• The average hair on the head lives 3 to 7 years.
• Your DNA is basically an instruction manual for making more of you. If all DNA in your body was stretched out into a (very thin) strand, it would reach from Earth to Pluto.
• Lips look red because of the capillaries close to the skin’s surface.
• The wrinkles in the brain give it more surface area. Each person’s pattern of grooves and mounds is as unique as a fingerprint.
• You think about 20,000 thoughts per day.
• Humans choke to death more easily than any other animal.
• Left-handed people are more likely to stutter.
• A newborn has about 8 ounces of blood, but a full-grown man has about five quarts.
• White blood cells responsible for fighting infections are far less common in the blood than red blood cells. There are 700 times more red blood cells than white blood cells in the bloodstream.
• The fastest muscles in the body control the eyelids.
• Each molecule of insulin manufactured by the pancreas lasts 5 to 15 minutes before expiring. Insulin cannot be taken by mouth because it
dissolves in the gastric acids of the stomach.
• A typical adult of reasonable size is composed of 40% muscle (slightly less for a woman), and that muscle mass uses up about 40% of the body’s available energy.
• The coordination of 200 muscles is required to take a single step forward.
• Human thigh bones are four times stronger than concrete.
• Bones lose mass at a steady rate of 1% per year, starting in middle age.
• When your stomach growls because you’re hungry, it is actually coming from your large intestine rather than your tummy.
• The human skull is composed of 22 different bones.
• The lungs can hold about 6 quarts of air, but we usually only inhale half a quart at a time. The world record for holding the breath is 24 minutes, 3 seconds, by a man who breathed in pure oxygen prior to lying completely still at the bottom of a pool. Most people can hold their breath for a minute, max.
• The brain cannot feel pain.
• The brain is 60% fat and runs at a power level of 20 watts.
• One study involved hiring people to do nothing except stare at other people. College kids in libraries would get up and leave the room when stared at; pedestrians would turn their backs; drivers would hit the gas to move away.
• There are 206 bones in the adult body; 25% of them are located in the feet, and another 25% are in the hands.
New Zealand.
Colorado.
partially open. This had allowed mold spores floating in the air to descend upon the agar, contaminating his staphylococcus culture. But he was surprised to see that the invading mold had killed the staphylococcus culture wherever it grew. Examining it, he found it was a common strain of mold from the genus Penicillium.
• Flemming isolated the mold, grew more of it, then experimented to see how many other species of bacteria it could kill. He was amazed to find the answer was lots of it.
• Fleming excitedly wrote a paper about his accidental discovery in 1929 and distributed samples of the Penicillium mold widely to other researchers, hoping someone could take his discovery further. The problem was that extracting the anti-microbial substances from the mold was very difficult.
• A few years later, researcher Earnest Chain at Oxford, England, happened upon Fleming’s paper and began his own experiments with the penicillin mold. His superior, a biochemist named Howard Florey, helped him refine techniques to extract tiny amounts of penicillin from the mold. Their colleague, biochemist Norman Heatley, discovered still better ways of purifying penicillin.
MEDICAL RECOGNITION
• On May 25, 1939, the team injected 8 mice with a virulent strain of Streptococcus. Four of the mice were then injected with a dose of penicillin while the other four were not. The following day, all four control mice were dead, while all four treated mice were alive. Chain declared this to be “a miracle,” which was true.
• An article in “The Lancet” published in August of 1940 described their process and the results.
• By 1941, they had accumulated enough penicillin to treat one person. It needed to be a person who would otherwise die, because they had no idea if large doses of penicillin would kill a human or not. A British policeman named Albert Alexander had a raging infection that was spreading quickly. He was delirious, already close to death, and had nothing to lose.
• The effects of the first dose of penicillin was miraculous. He immediately showed signs of improvement, and was soon nearly back to normal health.
• Unfortunately, the limited supply of penicillin ran out on the fourth day. Albert’s infection quickly flared up again, ultimately taking his life. Still, the experimental treatment had proved the effectiveness of penicillin as an effective antidote to infection.
• Later, with the raging onset of World War II, the use of penicillin was needed more than ever. Britain was so preoccupied with their war effort and the loss of facilities from the German bombing raids that there were very few functional places left to conduct research. Instead, efforts were shifted to the U.S. where Peoria, Illinois, had one of the nation’s largest facilities suited for fermenting molds.
• Florey and Heatley hurried to Illinois in June of 1941 with precious samples of the penicillin mold. Fearing their cultures could be lost, stolen, or confiscated, they secretly covered their coats with mold spores so they could grow new mold if their samples disappeared. With the help of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, huge vats soon nourished the flourishing growth of the penicillin mold.
• There are many members in the Penicillin family, and researchers hoped to find a strain that would yield a greater amount of the bacteriakilling substance. They asked the government to have soil samples sent to them from every place in the world where U.S. soldiers were stationed. All of these new penicillin strains were tested, but none proved worthy.
• Then a lab assistant brought in a cantaloupe she’d found at a local market right there in Peoria. It was about to be thrown out by the owner because it had begun to spoil. It had a golden mold visibly growing on it and she wondered if it would be helpful to the researchers. The owner gave it to her for free.
• After scraping off the mold, the people in the
NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE
When a bacterium reproduces by splitting itself in half, it leaves small holes in the cell walls of both halves. The bacteria then build a "scaffold" that covers the holes and uses that scaffold to seal the holes closed. Penicillin works by preventing bacteria from forming that scaffold. The holes cannot be closed, the bacteria cannot reproduce, and thus die.
lab ate the melon, and then tested the mold. To their astonishment, it yielded 200 times more penicillin than other strains had! To this day, every bit of penicillin ever administered has sprung from that moldy cantaloupe.
MASS PRODUCTION
• On March 14, 1942, the first American patient was successfully cured with penicillin, which was provided by the U.S. pharmaceutical company Merck. Half of the total available supply was used to cure Anne Miller of Connecticut of sepsis. By June of 1942, there was enough penicillin in the U.S. to treat ten patients.
• After much experimentation, an injectable, mass-produced form of penicillin was soon ready for use. American pharmaceutical companies were churning out massive amounts of penicillin within a year.
1. What percent of people are allergic to penicillin?
2. What is the only medical advance that has saved more lives than penicillin?
Penicillin: Turn to page 15
and residue. -- Janet M.
By Lucie Winborne
* Alcohol is considered a performanceenhancing drug in most shooting sports, as it calms your body down and allows you to shoot straighter.
* The universe has a color, but it’s not what you might think. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University took the average of light from over 200,000 galaxies. It turns out the universe is, on average, kind of beige. They named the shade “cosmic latte.”
* In a 2008 survey of British teens, 58% of the respondents believed Sherlock Holmes was a real person, while 20% said that Winston Churchill was not.
* When asked if her husband Abe had any hobbies, Mary Todd Lincoln responded, “Cats.”
* Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt once sneaked out of a White House event, commandeered an airplane, and went on a joyride to Baltimore.
* The Karni Mata Temple in Deshnoke, India, is home to 20,000 rats who are believed to be descended from an incarnation of the Hindu goddess Durga.
* According to NASA, it possibly rains glass on the planet known as HD 189733b.
* The first baseball caps were made from straws and worn by the New York Knickerbockers in 1849. A few years afterward, the first merino wool baseball caps were put into circulation.
* Some traditions hold that walking backward while wearing your clothes inside out will allow you to see a witch on Halloween.
* In ancient Rome, lemons were used as an antidote to all poisons.
* One of the world’s largest stockpiles of nuclear weapons is located at a U.S. Navy base near Seattle, which is partially defended by trained dolphins.
* The highest mileage on a single car is over 3 million miles.
***
Tell them you saw their ad in Tidbits! patronize advertisers,
Thought for the Day: “History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.” -- Maya Angelou
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
Frozen Assets, Stand-Up Chicken and More Great Reader Tips
SLIPPERY CHICKEN: Pulling the skin off chicken can be tough when it’s slippery because it’s difficult to get a good grip. Solution: Dip your fingers in flour first. It gives you a grip and the skin will pull right off. -- Gloria Z.
NO MORE WATER SPOTS: I have found that Rain-X Wipes are great for more than just your windshield. I use them on the exterior side of my house windows, my stainless steel sink and my shower walls and patio doors. This keeps them all spot-free for weeks. -- Angela R.
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
I am always entertained and often educated by the tips readers mail in. Today is no exception. Read on and I’m pretty sure you will agree with me.
SAFELY FROZEN: I am on a waiting list to get a safe deposit box at my bank. While I wait, I am keeping my important papers in a heavy freezer bag in the deep freeze. I hear that, in a fire, the inside of the freezer doesn’t burn easily. -- Jill N.
STAND THE BIRD: To roast a whole chicken evenly and more quickly, set your Bundt pan on a cookie sheet. Now, stand that chicken over the center cone of the Bundt pan. Roast as you usually do or at 375 F until done. A standing chicken browns more evenly and cooks faster. -- Priscilla G
SPRING CLEAN: Use shaving foam to clean the rubber webbing on outdoor furniture. Just spray it once, let it stand for a bit and then wash off. It cleans all the spots and gunk left on over the winter. Made my furniture look like new. -- Bobbie H.
ACCESSORIZE THE KITCHEN: Wish you had the funds to update your kitchen? Instead of installing brand-new cabinets, save some money by switching out the old hardware for some brand-new handles or knobs. They’ll give the whole room a new look. -- Grace M.
WALK TO WORK: To achieve two of my New Year’s resolutions -- to get more exercise and do more volunteer work -- I’ve signed up to walk dogs at my local animal shelter. -- Lorna B.
ADVERTISING
FIRE ANT EXTINGUISHER: In many areas of the country, fire ants are a very serious problem. The hills they build are difficult to get rid of, they attack very quickly and their sting burns for a long time. Instead of spraying with poisonous, expensive pesticides, just pour enough uncooked grits over the hill to completely cover it and then water the hill very well. The ants eat the grits, and when the water is applied they “swell up” and die. It works great and leaves no toxins in the surrounding areas for your children and pets to be exposed to. -- Elaina M.
ART SHOW: I love to see the artwork that my young boys bring home from school, but we can’t keep all of it. Instead, I take photos of each piece of artwork with my digital camera and put the pictures on my digital photo frame at work. That way, I can see their artwork all the time and it doesn’t clutter my house. -- Erin J.
GREASE CUTTER: I keep white vinegar in a used detergent bottle by my kitchen sink. When I have something greasy to wash, I squirt a small amount of vinegar onto the dish. This works wonders in containers that have had tomato sauce or some other tomato product in them. The vinegar quickly cuts the film of grease
Remember: You read it in tidbits!
DON’T FORGET!
Tell the advertisers you saw their ad in Tidbits! Remember to TELL OUR ADVERTISERS YOU SAW THEIR AD IN TIDBITS!
CURL CONTROL: I have curly hair. Instead of buying gel for curly hair, I use regular conditioner and just leave it in. I don’t rinse it out; I just towel dry. I blow-dry my hair and then scrunch it without a brush. Some frizz may appear again, but I simply place a small amount of conditioner in my hand and work it through the frizzy areas. My hair stays soft and not at all sticky. -- Marianne R.
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 2024 CREATORS.COM
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In modern English we pluralize nouns by adding an “s” or an “-es” but there are many exceptions to this rule, which can be very confusing to people learning English. And this is not unique to only English. Follow along and learn how the pluralizing technique differes in many languages.
• The reason there are so many exceptions in English is because our language is a conglomeration of many languages stuck together. Many of our plurals come from the different ways of pluralizing things in other languages.
• In Old English, there were many ways to pluralize things. “Old English” is considered to be the language as it was spoken up until the 11th century, about a thousand years ago. One of the Old English ways to pluralize things was
to add an “-en” onto the end of a noun which is why you may own only one ox, but hope to one day own many oxen; have one child but many children.
• In German, the primary method of pluralizing words was to change the vowel sound in the word, turning man into men, mouse into mice, foot into feet, tooth into teeth, and goose into geese.
• In Old English, nouns were feminine, masculine, or neutral and there were different ways of pluralizing them according to their assigned gender. Most animal names fell into the “neutral” category and were pluralized by leaving them exactly the same, regardless of how many there are: sheep, deer, fish, moose. So the reason we have one goose and many geese, while also having one moose and many moose, is because “goose” is German and “moose” is Old English.
• In Old English, “scolu” meant “group” and gave us “a school of fish.” Meanwhile, the Greek “schole” meant “school” in the traditional sense of a place of learning. So “a school of fish” and “an elementary school” have entirely different origins, and fish are not necessarily smart.
• The Dutch took the Old English “scolu” and turned it into “shoal” indicating a shallow body of water where fish hang out.
• Why don’t we have a school of whales, dolphins, or porpoises? This is likely because those are mammals, set apart from cold-blooded fish, and therefore deserve their own pluralization: pods, to describe their collective term.
• In Old English, the “F” sounded like an F if it was at the beginning of the word (father) or at the end of the word (wife). But if it was in the middle of the word, it was pronounced as a “V.” Thus the original word “sefen” turned into “seven.” If a word that ended in an F was then pluralized, the F-sound transformed into a V-sound: wife, knife, calf, half, life, hoof, wolf, elf, etc. turned into wives, knives, calves, halves, lives, hooves, wolves, and elves. Other languages didn’t do this, so words ending in F that do not come from Old English do not change into Vs: roof, proof, huff, etc.
• In Latin, nouns ending in “-us” were pluralized by turning the “us” into an “-i” as in cacti and fungi. However, the word “octopus” is not Latin; it’s Greek, so you do not have two octopi, but instead have two octopodes.
• It’s Greek that turns our single crisis into many crises, one criterion into a bunch of criteria, and one phenomenon into a collection of phenomena.
A single point of reference is a “datum” while many points of reference are “data.” The word data is always plural.
• Greek is also responsible for transforming vortex and index into vortices and indices.
• The Norse Viking word “flokker” referred to a group of people, or “folk.” This word became “flocc” in English and referred not only to a group of people, but also a “flock” of birds, sheep, goats, or followers of any particular creed.
ADVERTISING PROOF
by Dana Jackson
Q: My wife and I really enjoyed the premiere of the new “Matlock” with Kathy Bates, but there have been no subsequent episodes. Did it change nights? -- K.L.
A: The new “Matlock” reboot recently debuted on CBS on a Sunday night at 8 p.m., but the next episode wasn’t slated to be broadcast until Thursday, Oct. 17, at 10 p.m. ET. It was a huge ratings hit, becoming CBS’s best premiere in over five years. It continues to generate big numbers on the streamer Paramount+ as well.
The question is, will fans follow the show to Thursday nights three weeks after the pilot episode aired? Granted, CBS will reair the pilot on Oct. 10 in the new time slot, so this should reignite interest in the show.
I personally think they should keep “Matlock” on Sunday nights, as older audiences will likely stay tuned to CBS after “60 Minutes” is over. However, the Justin Hartley drama “Tracker” will air in this slot instead, but if Hartley doesn’t bring in the numbers that Kathy Bates did, I wouldn’t be surprised if “Matlock” is
back on Sundays. Interestingly, it was recently reported that Bates said “Matlock” will be her last hurrah and that she plans to retire, but CBS has said she’s changed her mind. In fact, her co-star Skye P. Marshall, who plays attorney Olympia Lawrence, said that she would “drag [Bates] out of her house kicking and screaming if she thinks America or the world is going to let her retire.”
***
Q: I was so saddened to hear about the death of Drake Hogestyn. Did he film any more episodes as John on “Days of Our Lives” that haven’t aired yet? --R.W.
A: Drake Hogestyn, a fan favorite as John Black on “Days of Our Lives” for a total of 38 years, passed away on Sept. 28 at the age of 71. His family says that he put up an “unbelievable fight” in his battle against pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, his appearance on “Days” had already aired on Sept. 9, as the show films six to seven months in advance of the airdate.
“Days” airs exclusively on NBC’s streaming service Peacock, so you can easily find the episode, as they are listed in date order. Also, according to TVLine, if you’re looking for Hogestyn’s final scene with Deidre Hall, who plays John’s soulmate Marlena, you’ll find it on the Sept. 5 episode.
***
Q: Is “Silo” coming back to Apple TV+ for another season? What about “Bad Sisters”? -- K.S.
A: Yes, both “Silo” and “Bad Sisters” will return to Apple TV+ for their second seasons. The dystopian sci-fi drama “Silo” returns on Nov. 15 with one episode. Subsequent episodes will drop weekly on Fridays through Jan. 17, 2025. Steve Zahn (“The White Lotus”) joins the cast.
“Bad Sisters,” a dark murder-mystery series, will be back beginning Nov. 13 with a two-ep-
isode premiere. The rest of the new episodes will air each Wednesday with eight episodes in total. * * *
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.
Kathy Bates in the CBS series “Matlock” Gaye Ann Bruno & Gail Schulman
Tomato Focaccia
The dough for this popular Italian bread is “dimpled” (indented) just before baking. The dimples catch some of the olive oil drizzled on at the end for added flavor.
1 package quick-rise yeast About 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1. In large bowl, combine yeast, 1 1/2 cups flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
2. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil and 1 1/3 cups water over medium heat, until very warm (120 F to 130 F).
3. With mixer at low speed, beat liquid into dry ingredients just until blended. Increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes, scraping bowl often with rubber spatula. Add 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes. With spoon, stir in 1 1/2 cups flour to make a soft dough.
4. On lightly floured surface, with floured hands, knead dough about 8 minutes, working in more flour (about 1/2 cup) while kneading. Cover dough and let rest 15 minutes.
5. Grease 15 1/2-by-10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan; sprinkle with cornmeal. Press dough evenly into pan; cover and let rise in warm place (80 F to 85 F) until doubled, about 30 minutes.
6. Heat oven to 400 F. Press fingers into dough almost to bottom of pan, making indentations 1 inch apart. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange sliced tomatoes over top; sprinkle with chopped rosemary, pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
7. Bake focaccia in top third of oven until top is lightly browned, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove to wire rack; drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cool slightly to serve warm. Makes 12 servings.
Each serving: About 225 calories, 7g total fat (1g saturated), 5g protein, 35g carbohydrates, 360mg sodium.
Ham and Cheese Pitas
The whole family will love these tasty sandwiches -- they make a nice meal with any hearty winter soup.
2 (6-inch diameter) pitas
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
8 slices (about 4 ounces) cooked ham, thin
2 ounces (1/2 cup) Jarlsberg light cheese
1. Heat oven to 475 F. Slice each pita horizontally in half, and place cut-side up on large cookie sheet.
2. Spread 1/2 teaspoon mustard on each pita half. Top each with 2 slices ham and 2 table-
spoons cheese. Bake 5 minutes or until cheese melts and pitas are toasted. Cut each sandwich in half to serve. Makes 4 servings.
Each serving: 150 calories, 5g total fat (2g saturated), 17mg cholesterol, 675mg sodium, 19g total carbohydrate, 11g protein.
1.ErnieK-Doe
2.necessity
1.ErnieK-Doe 2.necessity
3.Loretta
4.DannyDeVito
5.CandyLightner
3.Loretta 4.DannyDeVito 5.CandyLightner
By John Allen
DIAMOND LIL
by Brett Koth
Donald Duck by Walt
TIDBITS CHUCKLES AT SOME
Unintended
BBACKFIRES ACKFIRES
10/13 U.S. Navy Birthday
10/14 Be Bald and Be Free Day
10/15 National Grouch Day
10/16 National Credit Union Day
10/17 Mammography Day
10/18 Comic Strip Appreciation Day
10/19 Evaluate Your Life Day
Dog Talk with Uncle Matty
By Matthew Margolis
A Chance To Do Better
For the past few months, “Maggie,” our 2-and-a-half-year-old Shar Pei-Boxer mix, has been getting really aggressive toward my boyfriend, his mom, his 2-year-old nephew and me.
Lately, she’s been growling at our nephew when he tries to hug her and at our smaller puppy whenhe’smerelyplayingwithatoy.Lastnight,she jumped on the bed and woke me. When I sat up, she started snarling at me. I took her downstairs to the cage, and she was fine until it came time to actuallygointothecage.Atthatpoint,shesnapped at the smaller dog and then turned toward me and snarled.
Initially, I yelled at her, but then I tried to calmherdownbysayinginasoothingvoice,“Maggie,it’sOK.Maggie,calmdown.”Ireachedinslowly to pet her, and she bit me and drew blood for the third or fourth time now. Until today, I blamed her for acting that way. But I realize now that it is ourfault.The“punishmentaggression”description covers basically everything we have done to discipline her.
I never knew that my behavior could affect a dog so much. I grew up seeing my parents discipline our dogs that way. Now I have no idea what I can do for her since her aggression is our fault. Do you have any advice? I really, really want to try to fix the situation. But I just can’t keep her around if she is going to snap at our nephew.
There’s a lot to learn from a letter like this.
The letter writer demonstrates the importance of leading by example. She learned from her parents the only methods they knew of disciplining a dog -- outdated, uninformed punishing tactics that involve yelling, bullying and possibly worse. Minute by minute, her nephew was learning the same.
Her story illustrates the value of personality testing and training. Getting a feel for a dog’s personality before making him your dog empowers you to select the best fit for you, your family and your lifestyle -- and enables you to judge his ability to relate to children, if necessary. Your dog’s personality also determines the necessary method of
How long can you stand on one leg? This balance ability is apparently a good indicator of how we’re aging ... or so say several geriatric researchers.
Some researchers pay attention to this standing business because they think it indicates longevity. Others think a lack of that ability can point to a cognitive decline.
If you want to check your balance, stand up and keep your eyes open, don’t hold onto anything, and stand on one leg without any support, lifting one leg off the ground and bent at the knee. If you’re between 50 and 59, that standing time should be 37 seconds. From 60-69, aim for 30 seconds. Between 70 and 79, shoot for 19 seconds, and over 80, aim for a bit over 5 seconds.
Another source says in your 50s, aim for 40 seconds. In 60s, try for 20 seconds. In your 70s, the goal would be around 10 seconds. If you struggle with standing for those lengths of time, there are ways to improve your balance. You can practice standing but use something for support until you get the hang of it. You’ll
strengthen the muscles of your legs that way. Or try dancing and walking up stairs.
Take a look at the Mayo Clinic website for suggestions on how to improve your balance in general. At mayoclinic.org, do a search for “balance exercises,” where you’ll find dozens of articles. Pay attention to the ones that talk about strengthening your core muscles -- your lower back, hips, stomach and pelvis. With a stronger core, you’ll have better overall balance.
The good news about core exercises is that you can do them at home and don’t need to go to the gym.
For added ideas, check out YouTube videos (youtube.com) for senior exercises. With winter about to arrive, exercises we can do at home will help keep us in shape.
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.
Cody’s Corner (from page 9)
training and discipline. You don’t train or discipline a shy dog the same way you would a dominant dog. Everything is different, right down to the tone of your voice.
Many dog owners in similar situations never own up to their role. Instead, they deny a problem exists or dance around it with a litany of excuses. The writer of this letter has had a very important breakthrough. She now understands the extent that an owner’s behavior can affect a dog.
Anyone who reads this column regularly knows what’s coming: A 2-year-old cannot live safely under the same roof with a dog like Maggie. The first new household rule should be that Maggie has zero access to the nephew -- not even supervised access, because it only takes a second for something to go terribly wrong.
All of the adults involved in this situation have an equal and immediate obligation to Maggie to do two things: enlist the services of a professional trainer and find her a better home. She needs an adults-only home with people who understand the importance of boundaries and consistent training -- neither of which has anything to do with punishment. The training they provide starting now will increase Maggie’s chances of finding such a home exponentially.
With the writer’s realization comes a chance to do better -- to the benefit of everyone, including the child, the puppy and, hopefully, Maggie. Woof!
Dog trainer Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis is the co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and the host of the PBS series “WOOF! It’s a Dog’s Life!” Read all of Uncle Matty’s columns at www.creators.com, and visit him at www.unclematty.com.
COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM
tiply that by 32%. And you take any remainder and multiply it by 15%.
YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
by Tom Margenau
How Your Retirement Benefit Is Figured
I’ve learned over the years that when it comes to Social Security retirement benefit calculations, there are three kinds of people. There are those who just want to know what their benefit is going to be and don’t really care too much about how it’s calculated. Then there are those people who want a general idea of how their benefit will be figured, but they don’t need or want to know all the nitty-gritty details. (I think most seniors fall into that category.) And finally, there are more than a few senior citizens out there who want to know exactly how the government comes up with their retirement benefit calculation.
Because I’m going to spend the rest of this column explaining how Social Security retirement benefits are figured, people in that first category can stop reading right now.
For those of you in the second category, here is a relatively simple explanation: In a nutshell, a Social Security retirement benefit is a percentage of your average monthly income using your highest 35 years of inflation-adjusted earnings.
When you file for retirement benefits, the Social Security Administration will look at your earnings history and pull out your highest 35 years. They don’t have to be consecutive. If you don’t have 35 years of earnings, the SSA must plug in an annual salary of $0 for every year you did not work, until the 35-year base is reached.
However, before they add up those “high 35,” they index each year of past earnings for inflation. This is where the formula starts to get messy. That’s because there is a different adjustment factor for each year of earnings, AND each year’s adjustment factor is different based on your year of birth.
Here is a quick example. If you were born in 1962 and earned $20,000 in 1992, they would multiply those earnings by an inflation adjustment factor of 2.78, meaning they would actually use $55,600 as your 1992 earnings. But if you were born in 1961 and earned that same $20,000 in 1992, they would use an inflation factor of 2.64, resulting in $52,800 as the 1992 earnings used in your Social Security computation.
You can find a complete breakdown of those inflation adjustment factors for each year of birth (for folks nearing retirement age) at the Social Security Administration’s website.
The next step in the retirement computation formula is to add up your highest 35 years of inflation-adjusted earnings. Then you divide by 420 -- that’s the number of months in 35 years -- to get your average inflation-adjusted monthly income.
The final step brings us to the “social” part of Social Security. The percentage of your average monthly income that comes back to you in the form of a Social Security benefit depends on your income. In a nutshell, the lower your average wage, the higher percentage rate of return you get.
Once again, the actual formula is messy and varies depending on your year of birth. As an example, here is the formula for someone born in 1962: You take the first $1,174 of average monthly income and multiply it by 90%. You take the next $5,904 of your average monthly income and mul-
You can find a complete breakdown of those computation “bend points” at www.socialsecurity. gov.
Believe it or not, that was the simple explanation. If it were a college course, it would be Social Security Benefit Computation 101. But now I’m going to offer the slightly more advanced course for those who want to know every detail of the benefit computation formula.
I’ll start by introducing this term: the “primary insurance amount,” or PIA. The PIA is your basic retirement benefit upon which all future calculations will be based. The “raw PIA” is actually calculated at age 62. In other words, when the SSA pulls out your highest 35 years of earnings, they only use earnings up to age 62. Then that raw PIA gets “cooked,” or increased, to take into account any earnings you had after age 62 and to include any cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) that were authorized for Social Security benefits after the year you reached age 62.
But it gets a little tricky when SSA does the recomputation for any earnings you have after age 62. If you worked full time until age 67, for example, you would normally assume that those earnings between age 62 and 67 would increase your PIA. After all, you figure, they are some of your highest-earning years, so they will become part of that “high 35.”
But not necessarily. For reasons I can’t take the time to explain in this short column, earnings after age 60 are not indexed for inflation. They get calculated at current dollar value only. So, if your “raw PIA” was based on a full 35-year history of high inflation-adjusted earnings, your current earnings may not be high enough to become part of your “high 35,” in which case they won’t increase your benefit. Or they might bump up the PIA, but not by much.
1. The book of Jeremiah is found in the a) Old testament b) New testament c) Neither
2. In a vision that convinced Peter to share the gospel with the gentiles, what were the creatures let down to earth in? a) Scroll b) Sheet c) Cloud d) Angel's robe
3. Who was instructed to eat bread while he lay for 390 days on his side? a) Ezekiel b) Isaiah c) Elija d) Malachi
4. From Matthew 5, what did Jesus tell his disiples they were the salt of? a) His glory b) The earth c) Mankind d) The Gospel
5. Who survived the bite of a deadly viper as described in Acts 28? a) Paul b) Timothy c) Stephen d) John the Baptist
6. From Genesis 35, who died in giving birth to Benjamin? a) Anna b) Leah c) Martha d) Rachel
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
In fact, I hear from readers all the time who tell me that they are confused because the benefit estimate they are getting from the SSA now (at age 67, let’s say) is not much more than the estimate they got back at age 62. Their current benefit estimate includes the COLA increases, but either little or no bump for their post-62 earnings. The reason why is that lack of inflation indexing after age 60.
As you can see, the Social Security retirement benefit formula is pretty messy. And for most of you, I’d say, don’t worry about it. Just let the SSA do it for you. Go to www.socialsecurity.gov, and click on the “Plan for retirement” link on the homepage. It will walk you through the process of finding out what your Social Security benefit will be.
If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called “Social Security -- Simple and Smart: 10 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. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. 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.
Learn To Adjust Your Body to a New Sleeping Schedule
DEAR DR. ROACH: I just retired from working the graveyard shift for 40 years. I am hoping you can share some information on how to safely learn to sleep at night once again. -- E.H.
ANSWER: Changing your body’s circadian rhythm isn’t always easy, and after such a long time, it will take longer for you. But it shouldn’t be as difficult as you might fear. When people fly to the other part of the world, they need to get accustomed to a new sleep schedule, and it usually doesn’t take more than a week or two for them to get accustomed. For you, it will be difficult learning to be up during the day, which is more of a behavioral issue than a circadian-rhythm issue.
The first advice I give is to push your internal time clock forward, not backward. Try to stay up two hours or so later each day until you get to a bedtime that works with your family (if appropriate) and goals. Your body has an easier time moving forward than backward.
Bright light can be your friend or your enemy. You want bright light when you wake up, not right before bed. Computers, phones and tablets all put out light that signals your brain to wake up, so don’t use these before bed. Making sure that your bedroom is dark when you want to sleep is something you probably have already done, but it’s still worth mentioning.
Caffeine is very helpful to a lot of people, so if you partake, do so when you awaken, not before bedtime. Some people metabolize caffeine slowly, so if you do, don’t have any caffeine for at least 8 hours before planning to go to sleep.
DEAR DR. ROACH: Recently, I had COVID and was given Paxlovid. I am a 74-yearold woman with a 25-year history of a fibromyalgia-type disorder, along with rheumatoid arthritis and a few other problems. I was expecting to feel worse after taking Paxlovid, but I was quite surprised that I felt much better. The COVID symptoms were gone in 24 hours, and for the first time in years, I had energy. The fibromyalgia symptoms were gone, too.
This lasted for four days, then it was back to reality. Once I stopped Paxlovid, the symptom relief halted as well. Have you ever heard of this? -- F.P.
pressing other viruses, but this isn’t likely either. It seems that not only do people feel relatively better after being very sick with COVID, people report being able to do activities that they hadn’t been able to do before.
I’m sorry that I don’t have an answer as to why this happens. A diligent search doesn’t lead me to any great insight. Obviously, a better understanding of these types of conditions would be great if it could lead to more effective treatments.
* * *
Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer 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. All Rights Reserved
VETERANS POST
by Freddie Groves
Reaching out
The holidays will be here soon, and not all of us will do well with getting through that time of the year. Whether it’s the pressures of the social aspects of the season or financial worries or we’re just not feelin’ it, sometimes it’s all just a bit much. But we’re not alone.
ANSWER: Yes, this is well-reported among the fibromyalgia community. It’s not at all dissimilar to what I have heard from some patients about feeling better after getting antibiotics for an unrelated condition.
As far as I know, nobody has a definitive answer as to why this happens. I doubt very much that it is an effect of Paxlovid. Many people have tried using antivirals or antibiotics for fibromyalgia, but it does not seem to be helpful. Some authorities have speculated about it sup-
The Department of Veterans Affairs has a website loaded with resources to help with all kinds of concerns. Go to www.va.gov/REACH/ challenges and scroll down to view the categories, such as life transitions, health challenges, feelings of depression and many more. Select up to three statements that describe what you’re going through (examples are “I don’t care about the things I used to care about” and “I don’t have anyone I can ask for help”), then click the “All Done” button at the bottom.
ADVERTISING PROOF
What you get is a page of resources tailormade for you. Start working your way through all of them. The bottom line is that if you need support, the help is there. You’re not alone. Sometimes the VA does things perfectly, and this website of resources is one of those.
On the flip side of the coin, perhaps you’re doing extremely well and want to connect with fellow veterans who might need a bit of help. Buddy Check is a program that connects veterans. You’ll take some short peer-to-peer training (a 34-minute video) and then pledge to reach out to 10 veterans. Although there is an official Buddy Check Week, there is no reason you can’t reach out at other times of the year -- especially now with the holidays coming up.
Check out Together We Served, a.k.a. the Buddy Finder (www.togetherweserved.com), to hunt for veterans you served with, and reconnect with them. At this writing, the site has over 2 million veterans who’ve registered their profiles to make contact with other veterans. Together We Served also has a Facebook page, as well as an app on Google Play and the App Store.
* * *
American Veterans (AMVETS) Post 66 provides a van for free transportation for our veterans in the Coachella Valley to the VA Hospital in Loma Linda, California. The van operates with courteous volunteer drivers and is available Monday through Friday. The pick up locations are in Cathedral City and Palm Springs.
We request that you do not make a reservation if your medical appointment is after 12 Noon as the van must return to the desert at that time. You can ask your doctor to schedule you for an early morning appointment if you explain that your transportation must return by 12 Noon.
You must make your reservation in advance by calling the reservation dispatcher at: (760) 832-8712
Freddy Groves regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@gmail.com.
(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
Enjoy Tidbits
with a Friend!
-- by Jim Miller
How SSI Benefits Can Help Struggling Seniors and the Disabled
DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: What can you tell me about the SSI program and what are the eligibility requirements for seniors? I’m trying to help my elderly aunt who is very low-income. -- Searching Niece
Dear Searching: The SSI program that you’re enquiring about, which stands for Supplemental Security Income, is a program administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that provides monthly cash benefits to people that are disabled or over 65 based on financial need.
Currently, around 7.5 million people are receiving SSI benefits, but many more are now eligible as the SSA recently expanded access benefits by tweaking some of the rules. Here’s what you should know.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for SSI your aunt must be either age 65 or older, blind or disabled, and must be a U.S. citizen or lawful resident. She must also have limited income and assets.
Her income as an individual must generally be under $1,971 per monthly, or $2,915 for couples. Countable income includes wages or any other kind of money your aunt earned from working, plus money she gets from other sources like unemployment, Social Security retirement, or gifts from friends, but also, free shelter.
And her assets must also be less than $2,000 or $3,000 for couples. This includes cash, bank accounts, other personal property, and anything else that could potentially be converted to cash. Her home, household goods and one vehicle, along with life insurance policies and burial funds valued under $1,500, do not count towards countable assets.
In 2024, the maximum SSI payment is $943 a month for an individual or $1,415 a month for a couple. But, if eligible, the amount your aunt would receive may be lower based on her income, living situation and some other factors.
To help you determine if your aunt is eligible for SSI, help her take the Social Security Administration’s benefits screening test at SSAbest.benefits.gov. This online questionnaire takes approximately 5 minutes to complete and screens for a variety of benefits, not just SSI.
You should also know that most states – except Arizona, Arkansas, Mississippi, North Dakota, Tennessee and West Virginia – supplement the federal SSI payment with payments of their own. In some of the states that pay a supplement, your aunt may qualify for the state payment even if she doesn’t meet the federal SSI eligibility criteria.
How to Apply
If you think that your aunt is eligible for SSI, she (or you) can begin the application process and complete a large part of it online at SSA.gov/apply/ssi. If she’s disabled, she can apply for both SSI and Social Security Disability at SSA.gov/disability. Or, if she can’t apply online, call 800-772-1213 and set up an appointment with her local Social Security office.
To help make the application process go quickly and smoothly, your aunt will need her Social Security number; birth certificate or other proof of age; information about the home where she lives, such as her mortgage, or lease and the landlord’s name; payroll slips, bank books, insurance policies, burial fund records and other information about her income and the things she owns; her proof of U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen status; and if she is applying for SSI because she is disabled or blind, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of doctors, hospitals and clinics that have information related to her condition.
For more information visit SSA.gov/ ssi or see Social Security’s online SSI publication at SSA.gov/pubs/EN-05-11000.pdf
Other Assistance Programs
Depending on your aunt’s income,
there are other financial assistance programs that may be able to help her like Medicare Savings Programs, prescription drug assistance, food stamps and energy assistance. To locate these programs, and learn how to apply for them, go to BenefitsCheckUp.org
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
JUNQUE
by Anne McCollam Creators News Service
Cups Protected Victorian Mustaches
Q: I would appreciate any information you might have on the mustache cup seen in this photo. My husband, who is 79 years old, received it from his grandfather who was from Germany, so I think it is at least 100 years old.
It is porcelain and half the opening of the cup is covered with three holes. The cup is decorated with fruit and leaves, all against a white background. Marked on the bottom are the word “Germany” and number “168.” It is in perfect condition.
We would love to know more about it. Could you tell us something about its age and possible value?
A: Mustache cups were popular from around 1850 to 1900. It was fashionable during the Victorian Era for men to have full mustaches. Mustache cups with the half ledge kept mustaches neat, dry, and also kept the mustache wax from melting. Although many were porcelain, some were made of silver or silver plate. The designs were usually transfer prints and not hand-painted. The “168” is a design number. Several porcelain factories in
Puzzle Solutions
When Laurel came up with a scheme to flimflam his comedy partner, it was a fool-Hardy plan.
Germany produced a large amount of mustache cups.
Your late 1800s mustache cup would fetch $50 to $75 in an antiques shop. ***
Q: I have enclosed a photo of the mark that’s on each dish of a tea set that belonged to my mother. The set serves six, and each piece is decorated with gold bands against a white background.
Could you please tell me something about the set and what its value might be?
A: Noritake China was made in Japan and exported to the United States by the Morimura Brothers of New York City. Anything marked “Occupied Japan” was made after World War II, from 1947 to 1952. Noritake China continues to be exported to large department stores in the United States.
Your circa-1947 tea set would probably be worth $225 to $325.
Q: Can you tell me the value of a kerosene railroad lantern? It is marked with the words “Nier -- Made in Germany -- NR 275 -Reg. U.S. Pat Office -- Feuerhand Fire Hand.” The globe is clear and about 10 inches tall. The base is 4 inches wide. It was given to my grandpa when he was 8 years old and now, he is 84.
A: Bruno Nier and the Feuerhand Lantern Factory, located in Germany, made your lantern. Similar railroad lanterns to yours are selling in the range of $75 to $100.
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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.
* On Oct. 14, 1957, The Everly Brothers scored their first No. 1 hit on the Billboard charts with “Wake Up, Little Susie.” Though the lyrics described a perfectly innocent scenario, the song still managed to stir up enough controversy to get it banned in Boston for a time.
* On Oct. 15, 2004, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ruled that hearse manufacturers would no longer be required to install anchors for child-safety seats in their vehicles, though the rare models that contain rear seats are not technically “funeral coaches” and are therefore subject to the same child-restraint rules as other carmakers.
* On Oct. 16, 1991, George Jo Hennard drove his truck through a Luby’s Cafeteria window in Killeen, Texas, before opening fire on a lunch crowd of more than 100, killing 23 and injuring 20 more. He was shot several times by police before fatally turning the gun on himself. No clear reason for one of the deadliest shootings in U.S. history was ever determined.
* On Oct. 17, 1835, Texans approved a resolution to create the Texas Rangers, a corps of armed and mounted lawmen designed to “range and guard the frontier between the Brazos and Trinity Rivers.”
* On Oct. 18, 1977, New York Yankees outfielder Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in a row off of three consecutive pitches from three different pitchers -- a feat only Babe Ruth had ever previously pulled off -- in the sixth game of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
* On Oct. 19, 1796, an essay by a writer calling himself “Phocion” appeared in the Gazette of the United States, in which presidential candidate Thomas Jefferson was accused of carrying on an affair with one of his enslaved workers. Phocion turned out to be former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton.
* On Oct. 20, 1984, Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of the largest in the world, opened in California. Amongst its many firsts, the aquarium holds the distinction of being the only one in the world able to keep a great white shark captive for more than 16 days.
"You took down our family picture and replaced it with a photo of your golf instructor - and you're wondering why I'm upset??"
(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
Mustache cups were popular during the Victorian Era.
Noritake China has been imported to the United States from Japan since the late 1800s.
Penicillin: from page 3
• The speed at which penicillin became widely available was amazing. In 1941, the U.S. had not enough to treat a single person. At the end of 1942, enough penicillin was available to treat almost 100 patients. By September of 1943, there was enough to distribute among the Allied Armed Forces worldwide, including 2.3 million doses delivered in time for the invasion of Normandy in the spring of 1944.
• Bacterial pneumonia had killed 18% of fallen soldiers in World War I, but in World War II less than 1% of soldiers met that fate.
• Production of the drug in the U.S. jumped from 21 billion units in 1943, to 1,663 billion units in 1944, to over 6.8 trillion units in 1945. Manufacturing techniques improved, leaping from one-liter flasks with less than 1% yield to 10,000-gallon tanks at 80-90% yield between 1938 and 1945.
• By 1949, the price had dropped from $20 per 100,000 units in 1943 to less than ten cents.
• After the war, the American government removed all restrictions on its use, and as of March 15, 1945, penicillin was universally available to any citizen who needed it.
• Alexander Fleming received 189 honors during his lifetime for his serendipitous discovery and even has a crater on the Moon named after him. In 1945 he shared the Nobel Prize along with Ernst Chain and Howard Florey. In his acceptance speech, Fleming warned that over-use of this new antibiotic might have dangerous implications if microbes developed resistance. This prediction came true more quickly than Fleming imagined, as some hospital patients have developed resistance due to repeated treatments.
Changers
by Jason Jenkins
Not every greenside bunker shot is played the same, which implies that not every set up for these shots should be the same. Bunker shots can be divided into two basic categories: good lies and poor lies.
Good lie situations call for an open face wedge position, preferably the one lofted wedge with a high bounce. This orientation of the clubhead allows the club to glide through the sand without digging too deeply. Great for hitting the sand a few inches behind the ball when it’s resting in a good lie or soft sand.
But many times you’ll find your ball in a poor lie which should call you to make the one most critical adjustment: square the clubface at address! By simply squaring the clubhead, you’re creating a digging instrument that can excavate enough sand under and with the ball to send it out of the bunker. An open face from poor lies leads to a reflecting clubhead off the sand or simply puts the leading edge into the equator of the ball.
After you’ve squared the clubface, lean the bodyweight and the clubshaft toward the target slightly so that you can achieve a sharper strike into the sand. Try hitting closer to the ball with your new
face alignment as well.
Q: Why was Beethoven unable to locate his music teacher?
