The LOUVRE
by Kathy Wolfe
If you love history and art, the Louvre Museum is the place for you. This week, Tidbits travels to Paris to visit the world’s largest museum.
• Situated on the right bank of the Seine River in the city of Paris, the Louvre has an area of 652,300 square feet (60,600 sq. m). More than 10,000 people can fit comfortably in the museum at the same time without feeling crowded. In addition to being the world’s largest, it’s also the most-visited museum. The Louvre receives between nine and ten million every year, an average of 27,000 people every day.
• Although the Louvre is home to upwards of 380,000 objects, only about 35,000 are on display at one time. Even so, if a person were to spend three minutes admiring each piece, it would take about 100 days to see just what is on display.
• The Louvre got its start as a fortress in the late 1100s to protect Paris from invading English forces. King Philip II initiated the construction in 1190 to protect
TRIVIA NEWSFRONT
(Answers on page 16)
1. MOVIES: In the movie “The Shawshank Redemption,” what is Andy Dufresne’s occupation before he was imprisoned?
2. LITERATURE: Which of Shakespeare’s plays features the characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?
3. TELEVISION: Which 2000s TV drama starred a character named Jack Bauer?
4. U.S. PRESIDENTS: What was First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s maiden name?
5. HISTORY: Which dynasty built the Forbidden City in China?
6. MYTHOLOGY: What is the name of the mythical creature who is half man and half horse?
7. CHEMISTRY: What is aqua regia?
8. GEOGRAPHY: Where was the ancient region of Mesopotamia mostly located?
9. ANATOMY: Where are the alveoli located?
10. FOOD & DRINK: What is hummus mostly made of?
your body
"Fearfully
Your body produces between 15 and 30 gallons of tears every year, certainly not enough to “cry me a river,” but enough to warrant Tidbits looking into this natural process of the eyes!
• Tears contain water, oils, mucus, and salt. A tiny tear has three different layers, one that keeps the whole tear fastened to the eye, a middle layer that keeps the eye hydrated and repels bacteria, and an oily outer layer to keep the tear smooth enough to see through, while preventing the other layers from evaporating. Mucus, which contains antibodies for resistance to infection, spreads the tears evenly across the surface of the eyes when we blink. Tears also contain enzymes, lipids, metabolites, and electrolytes.
• Tears are produced by the lacrimal glands above each eye and spread across the eye’s surface by blinking. From there, tears drain into tiny openings in the inner corners of upper and lower eyelids known as puncta, passing through small canals in the lids, then down another duct, and finally emptying into the nose. That’s why crying causes your nose to run!
• There are three different types of tears produced in the body for different purposes. Basal tears are always present in the eyes, lubricating, nourishing, and protecting the cornea. They’re a shield for the eye, fighting against dirt and debris. Reflex tears wash away irritants, such as dust, dirt, smoke, foreign material, and onion fumes. They are produced in larger amounts than basal tears, and contain more antibodies to combat bacteria. Reflex tears are the type that spill out in response to a person’s allergies.
• Why do we cry when cutting up onions? As onions are sliced, they release syn-Propanethial S-oxide, a chemical that irritates the lacrimal glands, causing them to produce tears.
• Those tears that are a response to joy, sadness, fear, anger, or grief are aptly named emotional tears. These tears contain 24% more proteinbased hormones along with other hormones not present in basal or reflex tears. Crying for emotional reasons often makes a person feel better and releases tension. However, people are more likely to feel better after crying if they receive support from others during their tears. Those who cry in a non-supportive situation are less likely to feel better.
• Women cry about three to four times more frequently than men. Women’s crying is more intense, becoming sobbing 65% of the time compared to men’s 6%. A woman’s average cry lasts six minutes, while the man’s is about four minutes.
• Newborns cry in a request for care and assistance, but they don’t produce visible tears because their lacrimal glands are not yet fully developed.
• Older people often develop what’s called “dry eye.” This occurs because, as folks age and undergo hormonal changes, the production of basal tears slows down. Sometimes dry eye leads to a condition known as blepharitis, which produces inflammation, redness, and swelling.
• The phrase “crocodile tears” can refer to a person faking sadness and tears, but there is actually a condition known as “crocodile tear syndrome,” in which people shed tears when they salivate. It’s caused by a criss-crossing of the nerves leading to and from the salivary and lacrimal glands, and actually causes those affected to cry in anticipation of food.
• The expression “cry me a river” is said sarcastically to someone who is whining, complaining, and crying excessively in order to gain sympathy for a situation.
Week of November 7, 2024
The Louvre: (from page one)
the city. Remnants of the original fortress can still be seen in the basement today.
• During the reign of King Charles V, beginning in 1364, it was determined that the Louvre was no longer suitable as a fortress, and the king began to transform it into the royal residence, with significant expansion, adding rooms, hallways, towers, and moats. His great-great-grandson, King Francis I did further extensive renovations, rebuilding several sections during the 1500s.
• King Louis XIV doubled the size of several areas of the Louvre, but in 1682, he chose to move his household to the Palace of Versailles, about ten miles from Paris. Once the royal family lost interest in the Louvre and abandoned it, it fell into disrepair.
• It was the action of King Louis XVI that changed the Louvre from a palace to a museum in 1793. When the structure opened as a museum that year, it exhibited 537 paintings and 184 artifacts. Due to structural deficiencies, the Louvre was closed in 1796.
invasion of Europe, the director of French museums feared that France would be overtaken, with the probability that the Louvre’s artwork would be plundered by the Nazis. The Mona Lisa was #1 on Hitler’s list of masterpieces to be confiscated as a treasure of war.
• In August 1939, the director made the decision to remove everything and hide the artifacts around the French countryside. For the next four months, thousands of artifacts, sculptures, and 3,690 paintings were painstakingly wrapped and loaded onto 200 trucks that hauled them to various locations. The convoy carried 1,000 crates of antiquities and 268 crates of paintings, each carefully recorded with their identification and destination location.
museums, Jacques Jaujard, has been duly honored as “the man who saved the Louvre”.
• The Louvre is more than a museum – it’s also home to an institution of higher learning, the École du Louvre, which offers undergraduate, master’s, and doctorates in the fields of archaeology, art history, anthropology, and epigraphy (the study of inscriptions and epigraphs). The school was
1. The Louvre's Egyptian collection is from the conquests of _______.
2. The Louvre contains some of the furniture of the French Queen __________.
ADVERTISING PROOF
MON., NOV. 4
• In 1801, Napoleon reopened the museum and later changed the name to Napoleon Museum, adding artifacts and antiquities plundered through his conquests and military campaigns. When his reign came to an end, nearly 5,000 artworks were returned to their countries of origin, and once again, the structure became the Louvre.
• The priceless artwork was secretly sent to more than 70 different sites, most of them castles, and all in locations far away from the heart of the combat. The Chateau de Chambord in France’s Loire Valley, was to receive most of the art. Built as a hunting lodge for King Francis I in the 1500s, the castle’s 440 rooms, 282 fireplaces, and 84 staircases provided a home for thousands of antiquities, including the Mona Lisa.
your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections.
The Louvre is situated directly adjacent to the Seine, making the property vulnerable to annual flooding. As a result, some of the buildings experience water submersion in the basements, requiring some works of art to be evacuated. During these periods, the museum has to be closed until the facilities are safely dried out.
Inland Buyers
c/o Warren Priske
1/6 pg 4c 26x Nov. 10, 2024 Vol. 20 - No. 46
• Today the Louvre houses Egyptian antiquities, ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, the crown jewels of French nobles, Islamic art, and thousands of pieces that are centuries old. The oldest piece in the Louvre, the Ain Ghazal statue, a limestone sculpture that was uncovered at an archaeological site in Jordan during the 1980s, dates back some 9,000 years.
• During World War II, as the Nazis began their
PROOF
• For the security of the Mona Lisa, the painting was moved another five times during the war, including to a remote abbey that was home to nuns and monks. It was discreetly moved by ambulance, carefully strapped to a stretcher. Pilots of the Allied Forces were given the coordinates of the castles’ locations to protect the art from being bombed.
• When the Nazis arrived at the Louvre in 1940, they discovered a very large collection of empty picture frames and scores of empty rooms. They were thrilled to come across the statue of the Venus de Milo until they learned it was a plaster copy. The genuine Greek marble sculpture, which had been displayed at the Louvre since 1821, was safely stowed away in the darkened bowels of Chateau de Valencay.
• The Nazis may not have been able to plunder the Louvre, but because of Hitler’s order to confiscate private collections and “especially Jewish private property,” the Germans used three large rooms of the Louvre to store their looted bounty.
• Due to his elaboarate efforts to keep all of the priceless art safe, the director of France’s
NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE
Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com
The Louvre contains more than antiquities. In 2010 an American artist, Cy Twombley, painted a 3,750-square-foot ceiling mural in the Salon des Bronzes, a bright azure blue sky highlighted with the names of ancient Greek sculptures. There is also a ceiling triptych from 1953 painted by French painter Georges Braque, entitled The Two Birds.
The Louvre: Turn to page 15
By Lucie Winborne
* NASA’s first interplanetary CubeSats, a pair of briefcase-size spacecraft called Mars Cube One, or MarCO, which flew by Mars in 2018, were named for the Pixar characters Wall-E and EVE.
* Ice skating blades were originally made of animal bones.
* Dolphin calves are typically born tail first, so they don’t drown during the birthing process.
* Christian Louboutin manufactured a limited edition shoe for brides. They had baby-blue soles to give the bride “something blue,” but the company ceased production after copyright issues.
* It takes Pluto 248.09 Earth years to make one orbit around the sun.
* And speaking of shoes ... England’s Queen Elizabeth II had hers broken in for her by her personal assistant and senior dresser. The idea was that she couldn’t afford for her shoes to be uncomfortable or give her blisters while on official business.
* Jim Henson made his first Kermit puppet using his mother’s old coat and two halves of a ping pong ball.
* Bacon was used to make explosives during World War II.
* Peter Pan creator James Barrie used to act as if he were his dead brother, David, to cheer his mother by dressing in his brother’s clothes and whistling like his sibling used to do. On one such occasion, his mother thought for a moment that David had actually returned from the dead.
* Automobile tires were originally white.
* The Caesar salad was actually invented in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1927. Hotel Caesar owner Caesar Cardini wanted to make dinner for friends but didn’t have a lot of available options, so he tossed lettuce into a bowl with a dressing made from whatever he could find at the moment.
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Thought for the Day: “I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.” -- Lily Tomlin (c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
The Joys of Raising Financially Confident Teens
Even at her tender age, she will begin to build a good credit record by piggybacking onto your credit history.
Just beware that as an authorized user she could go crazy and charge up the account to the limit, without you knowing. She would have no legal obligation to repay the debt, and you would have no legal recourse to make her. Her potential downside is that your credit behavior as the account holder could take a dive, sending all kinds of negative information to her account.
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
Dear Cheapskate: As a teen, my daughter wanted name-brand jeans, clothing, shoes -whatever she thought all the “cool” kids had. She wouldn’t step into a thrift shop or discount store. It was a constant battle until I decided she would have a clothing/necessity allowance.
I gave her a set amount of money each month to cover those expenses. If there was an event coming up, she would need to save ahead to pay for whatever she needed, including her prom gown and all the accessories.
It worked wonderfully. She learned to sit down and figure out what she really needed, then budget for it. She began shopping at thrift stores and discount stores to save money. She learned to make long-range plans. It was a valuable lesson that I wished I’d started earlier! -- Margaret, email
Dear Margaret: The longer I live the more convinced I am that the only way to train children to be financially confident in ways that will extend far into their adult years is to give them the ability to make their own independent financial decisions while they are still young -then requiring them to live with the consequences of those decisions, good or bad. I applaud your decision to give your daughter the opportunity and the mandate to manage money while she was still under your authority.
Dear Cheapskate: I am in a quandary. My daughter (age 14) has earned enough money to purchase her own e-reader. To use the device to download things, she must have a credit card on file. She is a responsible young lady and I have no fear she won’t abide by rules I set. Thanks for your advice on the best way to handle this situation. -- Kathline K., email
While these possibilities exist, I would say the chances of things turning sour would be slim to none for you and your daughter. Congratulations for having raised a young woman to be responsible enough to have earned your trust in this way. I wish you both the best.
POLICIES OF MAJOR CREDIT CARD ISSUERS:
American Express: Allows authorized users, referred to as “additional card members,” as young as 13. However, they report authorized user activity to credit bureaus only if the user is at least 18.
Bank of America: Permits authorized users without age restrictions and reports their activity to credit bureaus.
Barclays: Allows authorized users aged 16 and above, with their activity reported to credit bureaus.
Capital One: No minimum age requirement for authorized users; their activity is reported to credit bureaus.
Chase: Permits authorized users aged 18 and above, reporting their activity to credit bureaus.
Citi: No minimum age requirement for authorized users; their activity is reported to credit bureaus.
Discover: Requires authorized users to be at least 15 and reports their activity to credit bureaus.
ADVERTISING PROOF
U.S. Bank: Allows authorized users aged 16 and above, reporting their activity to credit bureaus unless the primary account is delinquent. Wells Fargo: Permits authorized users aged 18 and above, with their activity reported to credit bureaus.
* * *
Dear Kathline: I suggest you add your daughter to your existing credit card as an “authorized user.” This will give her the legal right to use the account in her name but without any legal responsibility for repaying the credit card balance.
As an authorized user, your good credit history will begin to show up in her credit file.
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
The Mona Lisa
More than 80 percent of Louvre visitors are there specifically to see the Mona Lisa. This week Tidbits focuses on the portrait of a woman with the mysterious smile captured in the most famous painting in the world.
• It’s believed that Mona Lisa was the wife of an Italian nobleman man and wealthy silk merchant from Florence, Francesco del Giocondo, who commissioned Leonardo da Vinci to paint a portrait of his dark-haired wife Lisa del Giocondo to commemorate the birth of their second son. Art scholars speculate that it was painted between 1503 and 1506, although da Vinci could have been working on it up until 1517.
• The painting was never given to the Giocondo family. After Da Vinci’s death in 1519, it was acquired by France’s King Francis I. It came to the Louvre in 1797, but because the Mona Lisa was beloved by Napoleon Bonaparte, it hung in his bedroom for much of his reign.
• The name Mona (Monna in Italian) is a polite
form address similar to “my lady” in English. Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa in oils on a panel of white poplar. It was one of the first portraits to feature a background of an imaginary landscape, that of a vast countryside that gives way to mountains, winding paths, and a far-off bridge.
• The Mona Lisa is small, just 21 x 30 inches (53 x 77 cm). It hangs in the Louvre’s largest room, a climate- controlled area, where it was moved in 1966. There is a pane of bullet-proof glass covering it, barricades to keep visitors from getting too close. It’s carefully guarded by sentinels for its protection. Visitors have just 30 seconds to view the painting before being moved on to accommodate the large number of viewers waiting in line.
• The painting was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian museum worker who had been hired to make protective glass cases for several pieces of artwork. Peruggia hid inside a closet until after the Louvre closed, and after hours he wrapped the masterpiece in his work smock, and walked out of the museum unnoticed the next morning.
• The painting’s absence went unnoticed for 26 hours. Peruggia hid the Mona Lisa in a trunk in his apartment for two years before returning to Italy, where it was kept in his Florence residence.
• The thief believed he had done a service to his country by returning the painting to its homeland, and expected a reward for it. He contacted the owner of an art gallery, where the painting was authenticated and kept for “safekeeping.” The owner contacted the police, and Peruggia was arrested.
• Because many hailed him as a “patriot,” his sentence was light – just one year and 15 days, of which he served seven months. After over two years of searching by more than 60 detectives, the Mona Lisa was returned to its permanent home in the Louvre.
• The Mona Lisa was damaged twice in the 1950s, once when a patron tried to cut it out of the
frame with a razor blade, and again when a rock was thrown at the glass case, dislodging a tiny piece of paint near her left elbow.
• This classic masterpiece was last assessed for value in 1962, when it was placed at $100 million, By today's monetary value it is equivalent to about $760 million.
CLIP AND SAVE
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by Dana Jackson
Q: Pete Davidson looked really healthy when he appeared in a sketch on “Saturday Night Live” recently. Did he have a bunch of his tattoos removed, or were they covered up with makeup? -- D.E.
A: Former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Pete Davidson used to have his torso and arms covered in tattoos but started having them removed about three years ago. He told Seth Meyers on his talk show in 2021 that he was starting the painstaking removal process so that he didn’t have to spend three hours in the makeup chair getting them covered during acting gigs.
As you may know, Davidson lost his father, a New York City firefighter, in the 9/11 terrorist attack, and he’s always been very proactive with his mental health issues. He suffers from borderline personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, and he recently finished a stint in rehab dealing with these issues. He put on some weight and looked healthier when he recently appeared in an “SNL” sketch on Nov. 2 with host John Mulaney.
Next up for Davidson are the films “Wizards!” with Naomi Scott and Orlando Bloom and “The Pickup” with Eva Longoria and Eddie Murphy. He’ll also voice the role of Petey the Cat in the upcoming animated movie “Dog Man,” based on the hit children’s book series.
Q: I’m enjoying “Doctor Odyssey” with Joshua Jackson. I was a huge fan of “Dawson’s Creek” when he was on it. What is James Van Der Beek up to lately? -- S.C.
A: James Van Der Beek, Joshua Jackson, Katie Holmes and Michelle Williams became huge stars practically overnight when the teen drama series “Dawson’s Creek” began airing in 1998. All four have been acting steadily with varying degrees of fame and awards for their work.
In recent years, Van Der Beek starred in the Ryan Murphy series “Pose” and the animated series “Vampirina.” Next up for him is the Tubi original film “Sidelined: The QB and Me,” which is based on the hugely popular young adult novel “The QB Bad Boy and Me” by Tay Marley.
Van Der Beek, who is 47, recently shared that he’s been privately battling colorectal cancer but remains optimistic about his prognosis. In December, he’ll appear in the two-hour live special on Fox “The Real Full Monty,” with Taye Diggs, to help raise awareness of prostate, testicular and colorectal cancers.
Q: When is the new season of “Big Little Lies” coming back to HBO? Will all of the original stars be in it? -- L.L.
A: The prospect of a third season of “Big Little Lies” is very promising, but it’s still in the very early stages. Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon have both confirmed that the series is moving “fast and forward” once author Liane Moriarty delivers another novel on which the third season will be based.
Laura Dern, Zoë Kravitz and Shailene Woodley have all contacted Witherspoon about the
status of the project, so it’s assumed that they’re eager to reprise their roles once a script is in place.
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.
Pete Davidson (“Saturday Night Live”) Courtesy of Peacock
Good Recipes from
Rigatoni with Sausage Sauce
Made with extra-lean ground beef and sausage spices, this main dish tastes great served with crusty Italian bread and a salad of tossed cucumbers with Buttermilk-Chive Dressing.
12 ounces (3/4 of a 16-ounce package) rigatoni or ziti macaroni
2 3/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) Italian-style stewed tomatoes
Chopped parsley, for garnish
1. Prepare rigatoni as label directs, using 2 teaspoons salt in water; drain and keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef, onion, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper and 3/4 teaspoon salt, stirring occasionally, until all pan juices evaporate and meat is well-browned.
3. Stir in stewed tomatoes; over high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Spoon sauce over rigatoni; sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serves 4.
Each serving: About 600 calories, 16g total fat (6g saturated), 57mg cholesterol, 1,120mg sodium, 79g total carbohydrate, 29g protein.
Spicy Southern Hash Browns
Our trick to preparing these hash browns for a crowd: individual patties that are baked
instead of fried. Make them up to 2 hours ahead and reheat in a 350 F oven for 10 minutes, or until warmed through.
2 pound russet potatoes
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 small sweet potato
3 green onions
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (ground red) pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a large cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, fold all the ingredients together. Divide evenly into 12 mounds on prepared cookie sheet; flatten into patties. Spray tops with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Bake the hash browns for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottoms. With thin spatula, turn the patties over. Bake an-
other 15 minutes, or until brown on the bottoms. Serve immediately, or make up to 2 hours ahead and reheat in a 350 F oven for 10 minutes. Makes 6 side-dish servings.
For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our website at www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/.
(c) 2024 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved
"Dagnabbit, Cookie, thanks to your fancy grub we can't start punchin'cattle until we've first had a steaming cup of your mango cherry cream latte!"
By John Allen
DIAMOND LIL
by Brett Koth
Donald Duck by Walt
Dog Talk with Uncle Matty
By Matthew Margolis
Responsible Dog Breeder Seeks Responsible Dog Owner
Last week, we highlighted the focused attention a responsible breeder brings to the first five weeks of a dog’s life. But the work doesn’t stop at week five, and the benefits of perseverance last a lifetime.
Cardigan Welsh Corgi breeders Steve and Kelly Porter believe that “from the moment puppies enter the world, they begin to learn and understand. We work to get newborn puppies to be confident and comfortable with their surroundings. The result is a firm foundation for training, which will ensure a happy, mentally healthy and eager-to learn-dog.”
The Porters spend upward of 12 weeks “exposing every pup to as many textures and sounds and experiences with people, animals and objects as possible -- all in an effort to increase each puppy’s self-awareness and confidence.”
The intelligence behind the Porters’ puppyrearing methods is born of their knowledge of the stages of a dog’s development. Equally important are their efforts to devote space and time to promote the individuality of each dog. This provides a gauge for how and when to introduce a pup to the many faces of the world at large.
Every nuance of this process ultimately serves both the dog and his future owner. Responsible breeders make every effort to raise healthy, confident dogs. For most, the reward is in the journey, which ends not with the sale of a puppy but with the making of a perfect match.
The créme de la créme of breeders don’t sell dogs; they interview people. They have more than a financial stake in their dogs. They have a heart investment. They have a bond. And they’re looking for an owner who will give “their” dog the love and attention he deserves -- and to which he’s become accustomed.
Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10
(CryptoQuip Solution on page 14)
SENIOR NEWS LINE
by Matilda Charles © King Features Synd., Inc.
Ready to Volunteer?
It may be a bit early, but have you considered what you’ll do with your spare time in 2025? The New Year will be upon us sooner than we think. Have you ever thought about volunteering? There are so many ways we can step up and not only help others, but gain a lot of needed satisfaction for ourselves.
AmeriCorps Seniors (americorps.gov/ serve/americorps-seniors) provides opportunities to over 200,000 seniors every year to go into the community and give back. If there’s an interest, there’s likely a place that needs help.
The Foster Grandparent Program hooks up seniors and children ranging from premature babies all the way to young teenage mothers. In the Seniors RSVP Program, seniors are matched with organizations that help others in the community.
The Senior Companion Program pairs a volunteer with another senior who needs help with daily living activities.
So what do we seniors get out of volunteering? We gain new skills or improve the ones
DESIGN
by Joseph Publillones
Forever Architecture
The lasting beauty of a house resides, in large part, in the expressiveness of its materials. The honesty of its textures and its natural imperfections are an authentic treasure that gets better with time. Like the patina that develops over copper, that starts shiny and gradually dulls, then darkens and with each passing rain and element in the air oxidizes into brilliant green, each house goes through a life cycle. The love for material both new and old is what gives a house its soul.
When a design is pure and clean, the simplest of gestures and manipulations are what gives a design its beauty. It might be the shape of a sharp geometry, the clever positioning of a window, the color of a particular surface in natural light or the repetition of a pattern that provides the desired look.
we already have as we share our experience. We can earn a small stipend. We can lessen our isolation and feelings of loneliness as we interact with others. And we experience better health, including mental health with a decrease in anxiety and depression.
The only eligibility requirement is that volunteers must be age 55 and older.
If you’re interested in exploring volunteering opportunities, go online to the AmeriCorps website and click on the Pathfinder. Put your state or area of interest in the search box. You’ll be shown lists of agencies that can use your volunteer help as well as the email contact and website for those agencies.
You might end up teaching a child to read, or volunteering as an aide in a kindergarten class. You might help another senior with tasks he or she can no longer do, such as laundry or writing letters to family. You could work behind the counter at a recreation center signing out basketballs. You might sort vegetables in a food bank. The opportunities are nearly endless.
If you need inspiration, look at the National Service Reports for your state to see what others have been doing - and follow suit.
* * *
Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@ gmail.com.
(c) KingFeaturesSyndicate
machinery and installed in a matter of minutes. Drive by any shopping plaza or city center and you will see plenty of new buildings that harken to an architecture of a previous time, some that may be familiar to your hometown or another architecture that is altogether different. The buildings get done in record time, a few years pass and you see scaffolding around them in the name of maintenance. Upon closer inspection some of the architectural details that you thought were stone or wood, show cracks and peeling paint that reveal what lies underneath which is some form of molded Styrofoam or plastic.
How are we to create architecture that lasts and contribute to our history when in reality, they are nothing but paperthin structures not unlike a stage set façade to give the feeling of somewhere or some city you like but not built to withstand a decade, and often not a strong storm. Take, for example an old and neglected city like Havana. Do you think that any of its now decaying structures would have survived, if less than the best and appropriate materials of the time had been used?
Cody’s Corner (from page 9)
Some dog lovers have strong ideas of where a person should get their dog. Many people who turn to a breeder have a specific reason for doing so. There’s a reason farmers love collies. There’s a reason hunters have a proclivity toward retrievers. There’s a reason K-9 units are almost exclusively staffed with German shepherds and search-andrescue teams usually include a trusty hound dog.
Some people want dogs for protection. Others need dogs for physical or psychological reasons. There are even those people for whom a certain type of dog is literally prescribed.
The important thing is to know your options, and a good dog breeder is certainly one of them. So if you’re the proud owner of a golf course haunted by gophers, go out and find the best Jack Russell terrier breeder around. You won’t regret it, and now you know what to look for.
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.
Estate Planning Attorney
Regardless of style, whether considering a Neoclassical villa or a contemporary urban building, the considerations of appropriate and lasting materials is the same. The bottom line is better materials make for better buildings.
Commission an architect to do a drawing for a house for example, and the computer-aided drawings can be done relatively quickly. Today it seems that any building can be built much quicker than they were before in part to the advancement of construction techniques and new materials. The materials have also gone through a metamorphosis, and brackets and beams that were once carved by hand are now extruded by
Understanding that most decisions in building today are based on budgets, it is perhaps best to advocate building smaller but with better and time-tested materials. Sometimes this is a hard task for the architect, interior designer or builder to sell the clients, but one that is ultimately in the best interest of the client and everyone involved, including future owners. Our cities depend on design professionals to advocate for their future, even for a time when we are no longer here.
Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Fla. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones, or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www. creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2021 CREATORS.COM
The Art of
YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
by Tom Margenau
Seeing It in Black and White
Readers are always asking me to explain various Social Security rules and regulations. But sometimes they want more. They want to see something official -- something in “black and white.” In other words, they want me to give them a legal reference.
I sort of know where they are coming from. Frequently, they have heard one thing from a friend or from a supposed trusted source, such as a financial advisor or a Social Security representative. And then they read something different in my column or one of my books. I understand their confusion.
So why should they trust me? Well, I’ve been doing this Social Security stuff for more than 50 years now; most of the program’s rules and regulations are just burned into my brain. I will occasionally need to check something out in the Social Security Administration’s “program operations manual system,” which is the primary resource guide for all Social Security Administration employees. POMS takes all of the Social Security laws and turns them into practical instructions for carrying out those laws. Frankly, I haven’t looked at the actual laws for many years now.
Still, I understand that more than a few people would like to see something in writing. Because of the high volume of emails I get, I simply don’t have the time to look everything up for every person who demands to see it in black and white. But if you want to do your own research, I have some bits of advice.
First, I strongly recommend you start out looking in the “Social Security Handbook.” The Handbook is a much shorter version of the POMS. If you printed out the entire POMS, it would fill about 20 big three-ring binders. (I know this for a fact because when I worked for the SSA before an electronic version of POMS came along, I had those 20 binders lined up on booksheves behind my desk.)
Anyway, the Social Security Handbook is only about 700 pages and fills just one book on my desk. You can find a pdf version at www.socialsecurity.gov. If you’re an old-fashioned guy like me, you can get a hard copy of the book at any bookseller, such as Amazon.
And since I mentioned Amazon, allow me to shamelessly plug my book. It’s an Amazon bestseller and is called “Social Security -- Simple and Smart.” It’s a collection of factsheets I have written for my readers over the years. These factsheets explain almost every facet of the Social Security program. It’s much shorter and simpler than the Social Security Handbook, and it is WAY easier to understand than the POMS. And it is so much more convenient to find what you are looking for in my book than to wade through all the Social Security laws.
Having plugged my book, I totally understand that it’s not good enough for some people. They want to see the actual rules and regulations. And it you are not satisfied with the Social Security Handbook, you are going to have to delve into the thousands and thousands of pages of POMS.
You can find POMS online at www.socialsecurity.gov. Scroll down to the bottom of the
homepage and click on “Research and policy.” On the page that pops up, scroll down until you see a link labeled “Program Rules,” and click on it. Once there, you will see four links. You will want to open the link labeled “Employee Operating Instructions.” Then click on “Program Operations Manual System -- POMS.” When you open it up, you will see the Table of Contents, which is divided into topics such as “Retirement and Survivors Insurance” and “Disability Insurance” and “Health Insurance” and so on.
And then all I can say is “good luck!” I’ve been using POMS for more than half a century now, and to be honest, I still have trouble finding exactly what I am looking for.
And for those of you who aren’t satisfied with my book, the Social Security Handbook or POMS, if you insist on seeing the actual law -- well, then, I wish you even more luck. In my 50 years of working on Social Security issues, I think I’ve tried to find an actual law reference only once or twice. But if you really want to, you can find the laws by following the same links I mentioned above for POMS. Once you click on “Program Rules,” you will find tabs for “The Law,” “The Regulations” and “The Rulings.”
I am not a lawyer, and I certainly am no expert on these matters, but I think in a nutshell, the “Law” is the law. The “Regulations” are subsets of the law. The “Rulings” are subsets of the regulations. And POMS turns all that legal mumbo jumbo into something at least sort of readable. (And to reiterate, my book turns all of that into something very readable and easy to understand.)
Having given you all these instructions for wading through the SSA website to find various laws and rules and regulations, I’ve found that a simple Google search can work just as well. Hint: Always start out your search with the words “Social Security.” For example, say you wanted information on the 10-year duration of marriage rule that applies to a divorced husband or wife trying to get benefits on an ex-spouse’s Social Security record.
When you do the Google search, don’t just type in “10-year marriage rule”; make sure you type in “Social Security 10-year marriage rule.” Lots of helpful links will pop up. But if you want a specific POMS reference, then add POMS to your search.
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.
COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM
1. The book of 2 Thessalonians is found in the a) Old testament b) New testament c) Neither
2. In Revelation 20, what is the eternal home for those whose names are not written in the Book of Life? a) Outer darkness b) Lake of fire c) Underworld d) Exile
3. Who did God not allow to build the temple as he had been a man of war? a) David b) Solomon c) Jesse d) Saul
4. In Proverbs 6:6, to what should lazy people look to for wisdom? a) Donkey b) Serpent c) Ant d) Oxen
5. What kind of place was Patmos, where John received his revelation? a) Cedar tree b) Island c) Desert d) Temple courtyard
6. Who was the father of Gershom? a) Adam b) Issac c) David d) Moses
Find expanded trivia online with Wilson Casey at www.patreon.com/triviaguy. FREE TRIAL.
(Answers on page 16) For comments or more Bible Trivia go to www.TriviaGuy.com
Blood Pressure Spikes
Could Denote Labile Hypertension
DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m 85 years old and in good health for my age. I am an active nonsmoker, eat healthy, practice tai chi, and enjoy having many friends. I have no reason to experience extreme anxiety. Yet, for months, I’ve had unexplained blood pressure spikes.
The highest I had was 243/127 mm Hg, and this is when I called local EMTs who took me to the emergency room. I was given meds to lower my blood pressure, two electrocardigorams, and an X-ray. I was discharged after three hours and was told that my heart seemed fine.
I am now taking losartan and propranolol. I tried triamterene after consulting with a cardiologist, but I couldn’t tolerate the side effects. I occasionally use lorazepam.
Today a blood pressure reading showed 197/100 mm Hg. Just the thought of checking my blood pressure spikes the reading. How long can I go on with these blood pressure levels? Can these readings be normal for some people? -- S.O.
ANSWER: No, these readings are not normal. Since you say that your blood pressure “spikes,” I think you mean that most of the time, your blood pressure is normal.
The biggest concern is a condition where the body intermittently secretes substances that raise the blood pressure. This may be caused by a tumor called a pheochromocytoma. They are exceedingly rare but must be looked for in a case like yours, with sudden and dramatic spikes in your blood pressure. Your regular doctor or cardiologist will know how to look for a pheochromocytoma.
If you have a spike, a blood test will be dramatically elevated for epinephrine and norepinephrine. But if your blood pressure is normal at the time of the visit, a 24-hour urine test is done. There are other rare causes, including blockages in the arteries to the kidneys and certain drug use, such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (very rarely used for depression) in combination with some foods. Cocaine use is another cause in a person on a beta blocker, like the propranolol you are on.
Even more likely is a condition called labile hypertension, where emotional stress leads to an increase in blood pressure levels. This is more likely for you because of the last thing you said: Just the thought of checking your blood pressure may cause it to spike.
Managing labile hypertension should be done by an expert. There are experts in hypertension who know how to manage very unusual cases of hypertension, whether they’re generalists, nephrologists or cardiologists. Your doctor may have already considered this diagnosis because lorazepam is often used for spikes, sometimes in combination with short-acting blood pressure medicines, like labetalol or clonidine.
DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 62-year-old woman in good health who has always been very active. When I was younger, I would hardly be sweaty after I worked out. My clothes would be dry. Now when I do a similar workout, I’m so sweaty that my clothes are wet. Why is there such a big difference? Is it hormone-related?
I also have hot flashes. -- M.C.
ANSWER: Yes, it’s very likely to be related to hormonal changes from menopause. When estrogen levels go down due to the ovaries ceasing production, temperature regulation at the level of the hypothalamus in the brain is changed. The brain causes heat-losing changes like skin flushing and sweating much more easily. This can happen for no particular reason, but it may be triggered by exercise. So much heat can be lost that a woman may get so cold, she shivers to rebuild heat.
If it’s bothering you, try less-intense exercise, exercising in air conditioning or near a fan, or swimming.
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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
VETERANS POST
by Freddie Groves
Homeless Programs and Services
Back in March, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced its goal of getting 41,000 homeless veterans into housing during this fiscal year. As of this time, they not only reached that goal, but exceeded it. Nearly 48,000 homeless veterans have permanent housing now.
The numbers are impressive. Not only did they exceed the intended number, but they surpassed their goal of keeping veterans in that housing, aiming for 95% who stayed. They reached 96% of that goal this year.
by Freddie Groves
(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc. * * *
The VA’s Housing First approach considers stable housing to be the first and most important in the whole menu of services and help that a veteran can receive. The model promotes the theory that getting veterans into stable housing should be first in the list of priorities, with other concerns -such as completing an alcohol program or beginning treatment for mental health issues -- to be addressed afterward and not as a requirement to receiving housing services.
The housing program has a number of services, including working with HUD to provide vouchers to get into privately owned housing. Additionally, there are case managers who connect veterans to support services such as mental health treatment, legal services, health care, job training, counseling for substance abuse and employment services. The Housing First approach seems to be working, because veteran homelessness has been reduced over 50% since the program started in 2010.
For low income veterans with families, the VA has support services and case management that includes preventing homelessness or finding other housing. Go online to www.va.gov/homeless/ ssvf/index.html for more information.
One additional form of help is available at the nearest VA medical center, where homeless coordinators can provide connection to all the homeless services.
If you are a homeless veteran, or are at risk of becoming homeless, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET (877424-3838) for help.
You can also go to the VA’s homeless services webpage at www.va.gov/HOMELESS/housing.asp. On that same page, scroll to the bottom for 24/7 chat and a link to the nearest VA medical center.
* * *
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 Know if You’re Getting Osteoporosis
DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: Can a person in their early fifties have osteoporosis? When I fell and broke my wrist last winter the doctor that treated me told me I might have osteoporosis. -- Surprised Susan
Dear Susan: While osteoporosis is much more common in adults over age 60, it can strike younger people too. In fact, according to the Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation half of women and up to 25 percent of men in the U.S. over age 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Here’s what you should know.
Osteoporosis, a disease that weakens your bones is also called a “silent” disease because there are no warning signs until a fracture occurs. Around 10 million Americans over age 50 currently have osteoporosis, and an additional 44 million have osteopenia (lower than normal bone density) – 80 percent of whom are women.
Most people, by the time they reach their late 30’s, gradually start losing some of their bone mass, but for women, the biggest decline happens in the five to seven years following menopause, when levels of estrogen, which helps to keep bone strong, plummets. Bone loss for men occurs much more gradually. However, by age 75, osteoporosis is as common in men as it is in women.
To help you determine your risk of osteo porosis, the International Osteoporosis Foun dation has a quick, online test you can take at RiskCheck.Osteoporosis.Foundation.
Bone Checkup
According to the BHOF all women over 65 and men over 70 should have a baseline dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan, which is a painless measurement of the calcium in your bones. But those at high risk should start around
age 50. Factors that make a good case for early screening include having a family history of osteoporosis, a broken bone after age 50, vitamin D deficiency, a smoking habit, medical conditions such as diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis or previous or current use of medications that can weaken bones, like steroid prednisone and certain antidepressants.
Most bone density tests are covered by health insurance companies including Medicare, and are done in hospital radiology departments, private radiology practices and stand-alone clinics.
Bone-Builders
If your bone scan finds that you have osteopenia but have a low to moderate 10-year fracture risk, lifestyle measures are usually the best course of action. Three important things you can do to boost your bone health include:
Get enough calcium and vitamin D: Calcium helps keep bones strong, and vitamin D helps us absorb calcium. Women older than 50 and men over 70 need at least 1,200 mg of calcium per day ideally from foods like dairy, canned sardines, kale, and fortified orange juice. Adults over 50 need 870 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D each day, but that’s hard to get from food. Have your levels checked to see if you need a supplement.
Exercise:
Low impact weight-bearing exercises like walking, and strength training with light weights or resistant bands several times a week can actually help build bone strength, as well as improve balance and muscle strength.
Osteoporosis Meds
If, however, your bone density test finds that you have osteoporosis your doctor will prob-
ably recommend medications. The first line of treatment is usually bisphosphonates such as alendronate (Binosto and Fosamax), risedronate (Actonel and Atelvia), and ibandronate (Boniva). These oral or injectable drugs slow the breakdown of bone but won’t build it back.
For severe osteoporosis your doctor may instead prescribe an anabolic: teriparatide (Forteo), abaloparatide (Tymlos), or romosozumab (Evenity). These are typically given as daily or monthly injections and they increase the amount and strength of bones.
ANTIQUE
JUNQUE
by Anne McCollam Creators News Service
Plate Piques Curiosity
Q: I have enclosed a photo of a dinner plate that was given to me by my aunt, and I am curious about it. She was very parsimonious. When she traveled, she would bring as a gift some soap from a hotel where she stayed or a few stones from a beach. When I married, she gave me this plate wrapped in newspaper. It didn’t surprise me because I knew how economical she was. So I thanked her and just put it away. This was over 50 years ago.
The other day, I was looking at the plate and noticed the seal on the back, which shows a man holding a sign with the words “Woods -- Burslem -- England” and above them, the words “Colonial -- Enoch 1784 -- Ralph 1750.” The plate is decorated with a country scene of cows, a stream, barn, gate and trees. It is purple with a beige background and in very good condition.
Can you tell me how much this plate might be worth? My aunt is deceased so I can’t ask her. I would be surprised if it is valuable, but it would be nice to know.
you
Sons Pottery was founded in 1865 in Burslem, Staffordshire, England. It was family-operated until around 2005.
“Colonial” is the name of the pattern. Your plate was decorated with a transfer print. Woods produced hotel china in this pattern. It may have been a souvenir from a hotel where your aunt stayed.
The value of your plate would probably be $35 to $50.
Q: I have enclosed a drawing of the mark that is on a porcelain demitasse set that I have. My husband purchased it in 1954 while serving in the U.S. Army in Germany. The set consists of six cups, six saucers, six dessert plates, a coffee pot, sugar bowl and cream pitcher.
I would appreciate any information you can provide for me.
A: Your set was made by Christian Seltmann in Weiden, Erbendorf, Bavaria, Germany. It has been in business since 1923.
Similar demitasse sets are selling in the range of $125 to $175.
* * *
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 2024 CREATORS.COM If two animated characters are drawn on the same cartoon frame, I'd call them cel mates.
* On Nov. 18, 1966, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax retired from baseball at age 30 due to chronic arthritis in his pitching arm and the fear that if he kept on playing he eventually would lose the use of his left hand. “In those days there was no surgery,” he said later. “The wisdom was if you went in there, it would only make things worse and your career would be over anyway.”
* On Nov. 19, 2003, an arrest warrant was issued for singer Michael Jackson on child molestation charges. Though he was acquitted two years later of each criminal count on which he was tried, the “King of Pop’s” reputation still suffered many additional blows.
* On Nov. 20, 1820, the American whaling ship Essex, out of Nantucket, Massachusetts, was attacked by an 80-ton sperm whale 2,000 miles off the coast of South America. The 20 crew members escaped in three open boats, but only eight survived. Herman Melville’s classic novel “Moby-Dick” was partially inspired by the tragedy.
* On Nov. 21, 2019, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.
* On Nov. 22, 1909, Clara Lemlich addressed a meeting at the Great Hall of New York City’s Cooper Union to consider a general strike in protest against poor working conditions across the garment industry. The ensuing months-long “Uprising of 20,000” eventually earned employees such concessions as a 52-hour workweek, four paid holidays a year and no fees for work-related materials.
* On Nov. 23, 2005, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected president of Liberia, becoming the first woman to lead an African nation.
* On Nov. 24, 1928, the Federal Industrial Institution for Women, the first women’s federal prison, opened in Alderson, West Virginia. One judge described it as a “fashionable boarding school,” as the institution’s main purpose was to reform rather than punish the inmates, most of whom were serving time for drug and alcohol charges. Prisoners farmed the land and performed office work in order to learn how to type and file, and also cooked and canned vegetables and fruits.
"Okay, cheap green fees or not, from now on I choose the course!"
(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
A: The mark
describe was used by Enoch and Ralph Woods around 1931. Woods and
Woods and Sons Pottery is located in Burslem, Staffordshire, England.
The Seltmann factory is located in Germany.
The Louvre: from page 3 founded in 1882, dedicated to archaeology, but expanded to art history, anthropology, and ancient languages in order to “train curators, missionaries, and excavators.”
• A massive renovation of the Louvre began in 1983, doubling the exhibition space. Part of the project was the construction of a gigantic glass and metal pyramid in the main courtyard, surrounded by three smaller pyramids, the Pyramidions. The structure, whose design was influenced by Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza, stands 71 feet (21.6 m) tall, with the length of each side at 115 feet (35 m). It consists of 19,375 sq. feet (1,800 sq. m) of glass, 673 panes of specially-developed glass resting on 6,000 metal bars. Enough of the unique glass was produced to build two pyramids in the event that any glass pieces break. After more than 35 years, not a single repair has ever been needed. It took more than two years to build the pyramid, which was unveiled in 1989.
• The pyramid and the underground lobby beneath it were created because of deficiencies with the Louvre's earlier layout, which could no longer handle the increasing number of visitors on an everyday basis. Visitors now enter through the pyramidʼs main entrance and descend into the spacious lobby, with its overhead glass acting as a skylight that floods the underground space with light. From there, visitors ascend into the main Louvre buildings.
• The Louvre is available for commercial music videos and films, hosting about 500 shoots a year. The 2006 blockbuster movie “The Da Vinci Code,” depicting a murder in the Louvre, was partially filmed there. Beyonce and JayZ rented it out to shoot a music video in 2018. Cost varies based on how big the production is, and whether filming is just outside or uses the inside as well. Using the indoor galleries is typically $17,500 a day. The cost of renting out the reception hall under the Glass Pyramid starts at $36,000.
Game Changers
by Jason Jenkins
When the majority of amateurs misshit iron shots, they’re often told, “You didn’t hit down on it!” The implication is that the clubhead did not travel on a descending angle of attack whereby the ball is struck first and the ground second.
Many new golfers have the impression that you have to “get under the ball” in order to create a decent shot. This will result in an attempt to hit the ground first or pick the ball off the turf without any ground contact.
or getting under, try the concept of swinging through. Since the objective of an iron strike is to hit the ground past the ball, many golfers need to focus on swinging through the ball, almost as if to let it get in the way.
ground just in front of the ball, low enough that the clubhead has to hit the ground to knock it out. Make the swing pass through the ball and the tee, with hopes to clip the tee and brush the grass.
Divots should be
Linda Thistle
