Vol. 21: #33 • Elephants • (8-10-2025) Tidbits of Coachella Valley by Tidbits of Coachella Valley

TIDBITS UNLOADS

A TON OF FACTS ABOUT

ELEPHANTS

by Kathy Wolfe

Join Tidbits in celebrating World Elephant Day on August 12 with these hefty facts about the world’s largest and most unique land animals.

• The word “elephant” has its origins in the Greek language, translating “ivory,” referring to the tusks of these majestic creatures.

• You may have heard of an elephant referred to as a pachyderm, a term that comes from the classification order of Pachydermata, which translates “thick skin.” However, the term isn’t just for elephants as the order also contains rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, and tapirs. An elephant’s highly-sensitive skin, loaded with nerve endings, is more than an inch thick.

ELEPHANT TYPES

• There are only three species of elephants: The African Savanna, the African Forest, and the Asian elephant. A male Savanna stands up to 10 feet (3 m) high, and weighs an average of 14,000 lbs.

TRIV

(Answers on page 16)

If you think you’ve heard of every weird competition sport there is, you might want to add this one to your list. This week Tidbits investigates the outdoor game of extreme ironing, a bizarre competitive sport created in 1997.

• For most of us, extreme ironing means a pile of shirts to be ironed for the upcoming week, but for enthusiasts of this unusual sport, it means danger and thrills. It’s been advertised as “the latest danger sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt.”

• Simply put, it’s a sport where people “take ironing boards to remote locations and iron items of clothing under extreme and often dangerous conditions.”

1. U.S. STATES: Which is the only state named after a president?

2. MYTHOLOGY: Which goddess is queen of the Roman gods?

3. LITERATURE: Who wrote the poem “Paradise Lost”?

4. HISTORY: Which monarch was known as the Sun King?

5. MOVIES: How many movies did Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers make together?

6. GEOGRAPHY: The country of Malta is on which continent?

7. CHEMISTRY: What is a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction?

8. FOOD & DRINK: What is tzatziki?

9. TELEVISION: What is the name of the family in the sitcom “Arrested Development”?

10. ANATOMY: What part of the brain converts short-term memory into long-term memory?

• In 1997 Leicester, England resident Phil Shaw had just put in a hard day at a local factory, but had a long list of chores ahead, including a pile of ironing. Shaw really wanted to spend the summer evening enjoying his favorite hobby, rock climbing, and decided to combine the two activities into a new sport.

• Participants expanded the sport way beyond rock climbing, incorporating skiing, snowboarding, water skiing, scuba diving, running, canoeing, cycling, being tied to the back of a car, and even sky diving and parachuting. True daredevils even engage in ironing while bungee jumping.

• The formation of the group “Extreme Ironing International” brought strict rules and regulations for the sport. Competitors must use an ironing board with sturdy legs that must be made of metal. Boards are required to be at least one meter (3.28 feet) long and 30 cm (11.8 inches) wide. Portable irons that do not need to be plugged in are used, but plastic irons are prohibited. Items to be ironed must be larger than a common tea towel.

• There are five main sections of extreme ironing: urban, water, forest, lauda, and freestyle. The

freestyle section is for anyone, anywhere, and therefore is not as extreme as the others, making it the most popular of the sections.

• The first official competition was held in Germany in 2002, with 80 teams competing. The contest was an obstacle course with participants ironing articles of clothing in several dangerous locales, including hanging from a tree, climbing a wall, and ironing under the hood of a car.

• The following year, a team from England ironed a United Kingdom Union Jack flag just above the Mt. Everest base camp, setting the world altitude record for the sport at 17,850 feet (5,440 m) above sea level.

• New Zealand resident Matthew Battley has climbed that country’s highest peak Mount Ruapehu to engage in the sport. Battley hauled his ironing board up this active volcano using a pulley mechanism. Once he reached the summit, Battley ironed a button-down shirt while battling 80 mph (129 km/hr) winds and rocks hot enough to warm his iron on them.

• Extreme ironing is even done underwater! In 2009, a team of 86 divers ironed underwater for 10 minutes. The record was broken two years later when a group of 173 divers from the Netherlands did their pressing in an indoor swimming pool.

Wed., 7/16/25

• In 2012, extreme ironing’s pioneer, Phil “Steam” Shaw came out of retirement to participate in the inaugural Extreme Ironing Half Marathon, wearing an ironing board, pressing garments along the route.

• You might think that scoring would be based on how dangerous the setting is, but 50% of the score is based on the quality of the ironing, incorporating how many wrinkles are left on the clothing and the speed of completing the pressing task.

• The governing body of extreme ironing that promotes and regulates the sport is now the Extreme Ironing Bureau, a group with the nickname “Team Steam.”  All Trades c/o David Smith 1/16 pg 4C 6x Disc. • $149/wk July 27, 2025 • Vol. 21: #31

Week of August 10, 2025

Elephants: (from page one)

(6,350 kg). Males don’t reach their full size until they are 35 to 40 years old. The heaviest documented elephant weighed a hefty 26,000 lbs. (11,793 kg).

• The African Forest species live in the dense rainforests of western and central Africa. They’re a little smaller than their Savanna cousins.

• Asian elephants are even smaller, at about 9 feet (2.7 m) in height and weighing an average of between 6,000 and 8,000 lbs. (2,720 to 3,630 kg).

TUSKS

• Both male and female African elephants have tusks, but just the males in the Asian species do. It’s estimated that 30,000 elephants are killed illegally by poachers every year for their tusk value, accounting for 90% of all African elephant deaths. Prior to the stricter laws that are now in place, that number was 100,000 during the 1970s.

• About 90% of African elephants have been killed in the last 100 years, mostly due to the ivory trade. An estimated 415,000 wild African elephants exist in the wild today. With a pair of male tusks weighing upwards of 200 lbs. (90 kg) and the price of black market ivory at about $1,500 a pound, greedy poachers are killing thousands of African elephants every year.

• The tusks may often weigh up to 200 lbs. (90.7 kg) and reach lengths of 10 feet (3 m). They’re used for for foraging, digging for water and roots, stripping bark off trees, and for defense from predators. During mating season, male elephants often battle with other males to

but because they are in regular use, they stay worn down to prevent growth that could hinder movement. Because they have a dominant tusk that they favor, much like humans who are lefthanded or right-handed, most elephants have one tusk shorter than the other.

• The longest tusk on record measured 11.5 feet (3.5 m). The heaviest weighed in at 264.5 lbs. (120 kg).

THE TRUNK

• An elephant’s trunk is a remarkable appendage. Also known as a proboscis, the trunk contains about 150,000 muscle units, making it the most sensitive organ found on any mammal. The trunk is used to suck up water to drink, and able to hold up to 8.5 quarts (8 liters) at a time. An elephant drinks up to 170 quarts (160 liters) a day. The trunk is also used as a snorkel when the elephant is swimming, and a shower when bathing

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• Over 750 lbs. (340 kg) can be lifted by the elephant with its trunk. The trunk is also used socially as a “handshake” as elephants often greet each other by twining their trunks together.

ELEPHANT DIET

• Eating can take up to 75% of an elephant’s day. About 350 lbs. (150 kg) of food is consumed every day. They’re herbivores, dining on leaves, bark, and fruit of many different types of trees and shrubs. Contrary to what we’ve all been told, elephants don’t like peanuts!

• Oddly enough, the ears of African elephants are shaped much like the content of Africa, while the Asian elephant’s ears are shaped like the

Elephants: Turn to page 15

1. What is the name given to a female elephant?

2. What is the softest part of an elephant's body?

• Since eating takes up so much of this animal’s day, an elephant only sleeps for 2 to 3 hours daily, usually standing up. That’s because it takes so much of its energy just to heave itself upright after its nap.

ELEPHANT EARS

• With an excellent sense of hearing, elephants can hear the call of another from 5 miles (8 km) away. But that’s just with their enormous ears. They can also “hear” up to 150 miles (241 km) with “underground messaging” through sensitive nerve endings in their feet, which detect vibrations in the ground. By stomping its feet, the animal can communicate warnings, mating calls, and greetings to other elephants.

The world's most expensive coffee is made from the droppings of elephants in Thailand. The animals are fed coffee beans mixed into a mash with fruit, and the beans are later picked out of the dung. The flavor and aroma of Black Ivory Coffee have hints of cacao, peach, tamarind, caramel, and monk fruit. The coffee yield for 2025 is expected to be just 495 lbs. A 1.4-oz. package, enough to make about two 8-oz. mugs of coffee, sells for $150.

• Their giant ears are capable of hearing sound waves far below a human’s hearing range, as the ears funnel sounds into the ear canal. Elephants’ ears are very sensitive to low-frequency sounds, as low as 9 Hz (the low end of the human range

“Didn'tItellyounottoeatthatfruit?”theFirstParentasked.

HispunishmentwasthatAdamandEve shouldhavechildrenoftheirown.

By Lucie Winborne

* While working as a weatherman in Indianapolis, late-night talk show host David Letterman once congratulated a tropical storm for graduating to hurricane status.

* The cash register, invented in 1870 by James Ritty, was originally dubbed “Ritty’s Incorruptible Cashier” and was designed to keep the employees of his saloon from stealing from him.

* Kids and adults with autism are immune to the urge to follow suit when observing someone else yawn.

* Since a Krispy Kreme donut contains 350 calories, and a 150-pound man can burn around 380 calories in 30 minutes, said fellow could burn off that quickie breakfast with a quarter-acre lawn mow -- unless he simply preferred going to the gym.

* Target will let customers breastfeed anywhere in the store.

* Besides being the final resting place for many Hollywood celebrities, Forest Lawn in Southern California features a museum with rotating exhibits and special art, music and educational events.

* It is possible to make actual cheese with bacteria from foot sweat.

* Cheese Is the most stolen food in the world.

* The previous record for the world’s longest train was broken by the BHP Iron Ore in 2001. Measuring 4.5 miles in length, it was made up of 682 wagons and required eight engines to run.

* Research has shown that throughout a sofa’s life, it will host roughly 782 visitors.

* Actress Megan Mullally was fired from her role in “Finding Nemo” for refusing to reprise her high-pitched Karen Walker voice from the TV series “Will and Grace.”

* Seventy percent of the dirt on your clothes is invisible. ***

Thought for the Day: “If you don’t have wrinkles, you haven’t laughed enough.” -- Phyllis Diller

by Mary Hunt

What Every Kid Needs to Know About Greed and Thankfulness

by Mary Hunt

If there is one thing that will ruin your kids’ lives, it’s greed. Teach them while they’re young how to pull the plug on greed and you will have prepared them in a very important way to not only survive but also thrive in the real world. You may want to start with this lesson:

LESSON: HOW TO DEFEAT THE ENEMY THAT IS GREED

As you get older, you are going to discover an enemy that everyone has to deal with at some time in his or her life.

This enemy isn’t like the bad guy in your video game or the bully at school who tries hard to make everyone scared and miserable. Even though you cannot see this enemy, you can defeat it by the way you live and the choices you make.

This enemy is “greed.”

What is greed?

The feeling of wanting everything you can think of is called greed. Greed is not a good thing. In fact, it’s like a very bad disease. It starts small and, if allowed to grow, it will take over your life.

Greed will make you a very miserable person.Greed causes temper tantrums and makes people self-centered and arrogant. Greed is very sneaky.

WHAT GREED FEELS LIKE

You know that twinge of envy you felt when your best friend showed you her cool new phone? Or when another friend said really loudly at lunch how his dad is buying him a brand-new car for his 16th birthday?

How about the day you find the new Christmas catalog in the mail -- the one with every cool thing in the whole world -- and you want every single thing in it.

Multiply that feeling by 10 and you’ll have a good idea what full-blown greed feels like. It’s not good.

THE PROBLEM WITH GREED

The problem with greed is that it drives us to do things that are hazardous to our futures. Greed says it’s OK to have everything we want now and to figure out how to pay for it later. Greed whispers in our ears, telling us lies that make us unhappy with what we have, where we live or who we are.

Greed is something everyone has to deal with, and the sooner you can learn how to defeat that enemy, the better off, and happier, you will be.

THE ANTIDOTE FOR GREED

“Antidote” is another word for “solution” or “treatment.” The antidote for a terrible ear infection is antibiotics. The antidote for greed is to be thankful for what you have already, not always wishing and hoping for things you do not have.

You prove your gratitude when you are willing to give away part of the “3 Ts”: Your time, your talent and your treasure. Everyone, no matter how young or poor, has some or all three.

TIME

You get 24 hours every day: 1,440 minutes or 864,000 seconds every single day! No more; never less. You can’t save some of that time today so you’ll have more time tomorrow. How you use your time every day is a reflection of your character.

TALENT

This is what you can do. Everyone has special talents -- gifts that they are good at doing. There are things you can do easily that others have a difficult time achieving. It’s your talent, and you have been blessed with it. It doesn’t make you better than others, but it makes you unique. You are one of a kind.

TREASURE

This is what you have; your possessions. It’s your money, but also your toys, game systems, clothes, collections -- everything that you own.

BECOME A GIVER

If you have never been a giver, it may seem quite odd for me to suggest you should just give away any of your time, your talent or your stuff. But that is exactly what I mean. If you want to make sure you are never defeated by greed, learn to be a giver. When you give to others, it helps you to be grateful for what you have. Giving is the way to stop feeling sorry for yourself. Instead of misery, you feel joy. In place of dissatisfaction, you find contentment.

GIVE YOUR TIME

The way you give your time is to volunteer. There are lots of ways kids can volunteer to make their communities better.

GIVE YOUR TALENT

Think of ways you can do those things you’re really good at to make someone else’s life easier or more enjoyable. Perhaps it’s your church or school. It might be helping your grandparents understand their new smartphone, or washing windows for a neighbor in only the way you can. You are amazing!

GIVE YOUR TREASURE

Giving away part of your money and other possessions is quite simple. Observe a need, then do something about it. You can give to a homeless shelter, to a family going through difficult times, a friend in need, or to your church or other charitable organization.

Become a giver. You will be more satisfied with your life and yourself!

* * *

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.”

You've heard about the chemical Agent Orange, but how much do you really know about this controversial substance? Because August 10 has been designated as Agent Orange Awareness Day, Tidbits wants to enlighten you with some facts you likely never knew about this mix of chemicals that resulted in devastating consequences.

• In the midst of the Vietnam War, in 1961, the president of South Vietnam asked the United States to help defoliate the thick forests and heavy vegetation that provided cover for his North Vietnamese enemies by hiding their deadly ambush sites.

• Then-President John F. Kennedy approved Operation Ranch Hand, the code name for the herbicidal warfare program intended to expose the enemy and disrupt their food supply by destroying their crops.

• Botanists had been experimenting with herbicides since World War II, testing mixtures of the herbicides 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T. It was the United States’ intention to use the compound against Japan in 1946 had that war continued.

• Agent Orange was a mixture of 2,4-D and 2,4,5T, which contained the highly toxic carcinogenic compound dioxin. Agent Orange gained its name from the color-coded band around the drums in which it was stored. It was one of several herbicides used, which also included White, Purple, Blue, Pink, and Green, nicknamed the “Rainbow Herbicides.” Nine different chemical companies produced the herbicides.

• In 1962 the United States Air Force began spraying urban, agricultural, and forested areas in Vietnam, eastern Laos, and parts of Cambodia using helicopters and C-123 Provider aircraft fitted with sprayers and pump systems. Between 1962 and 1971, the U.S. military applied 20 million gallons of herbicides over the area.

(For perspective, consider that an Olympic-size swimming pool only holds a small fraction of that amout, about 660,000 gallons.)

• The concentration of the chemical was 13 times the percentage recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and 20 times the concentration advised by the manufacturer.

• By 1971, 12% of South Vietnam had been sprayed with the defoliating chemicals, destroying an estimated 39,000 square miles of agricultural land.

• Vietnam War veterans soon began reporting a wide range of afflictions upon their return to the U.S., including everything from rashes and skin irritations to Hodgkin’s disease, leukemia, respiratory and bladder cancers, miscarriages, birth defects, neurological problems, and psychological symptoms. Millions of Vietnamese people living in the areas reported serious illnesses, miscarriages, and abnormal fetal development.

• Because dioxin lasts for many years in the soil, lakes, and rivers, it accumulated in the bodies of fish, birds, and other animals, leading to vast exposure to Vietnam’s food chain. Large areas of soil contamination made land unsuitable for agriculture, and the water supply was also

contaminated.

• The country of Vietnam has reported that 400,000 people were killed or maimed from exposure to herbicides, and another 500,000 children were born with serious birth defects. It’s possible that as many as three million have suffered illness there because of their exposure.

• In 1979, U.S. veterans filed a class-action lawsuit against seven herbicide companies that produced Agent Orange. Upwards of 250,000 vets and their families settled out of court in 1984, as a $180 million fund was established for compensation. In addition, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs awarded compensation to 1,800 vets.

• Challenges to the settlement led to the U.S. Supreme Court adding another $60 million to the compensation.

• Any further use of Agent Orange was officially banned in 1971, and all remaining inventory was destroyed soon afterward. 

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

by Dana Jackson

Q: When is “Landman” coming back? At least I assume it is. It’s a great show, and I love anything Billy Bob Thornton does. -- A.M.

A: “Landman” is a Taylor Sheridan (“Yellowstone”) creation, and he’s on a hot streak! It was easily renewed by Paramount+ for a second season and is currently shooting in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, area. According to Entertainment Weekly, the series’ pilot “has seen a whopping 35 million global streaming viewers since its debut in November 2024.”

Demi Moore (“The Substance”) is also returning and should have a bigger role after Thornton’s character appointed her to the board of his oil company. Ali Larter (“The Rookie”) is also returning as Thornton’s ex-wife, despite the show being accused of sexism for how her character was

1. The Fantastic Four: First Steps (PG-13) Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby

2. Superman (PG-13) David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan

3. Jurassic World: Rebirth (PG-13) Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali

4. F1: The Movie (PG-13) Brad Pitt, Damson Idris

5. Smurfs

(PG) Rihanna, James Corden

6. I Know What You Did Last Summer (R) Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders

7. How to Train Your Dragon (PG) Mason Thames, Nico Parker

8. Eddington (R) Joaquin Phoenix, Deirdre O’Connell

9. Oh, Hi!

(R) Molly Gordon, Logan Lerman

written. Larter disagrees, stating she loves that “Taylor writes for older women -- women in their prime [who] were still allowed to be alive!”

Joining the cast is Sam Elliott, who appeared in Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” spin-off “1883.” Andy Garcia (“Expend4bles”), who debuted as a cartel boss on the season finale, will return to continue his story in season two. ***

Q: I just read that Holly Hunter is hearing-impaired. I never knew this about her. Was she born with the impairment? -- Y.C

A: You might have noticed that AcademyAward-winning actress Holly Hunter (“The Piano”) tends to speak more out of the right side of her mouth, and this is because she lost her hearing in her left ear after contracting mumps as a child. In fact, the animators at Pixar made her character, Elastigirl, in “The Incredibles” and its sequel have the same way of speaking, drawing her mouth more to the side of her hearing ear when she speaks.

Hunter’s next big role is a starring one in “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy,” which is currently in production and will air on Paramount+ in early 2026. The series will also feature another fabulous actor -- Paul Giamatti (“Billions”) -- and the chameleon-like actress Tatiana Maslany (“Orphan Black”).

***

Q: I was watching the animated “Predator” series on Hulu recently. When was the last “Predator” movie, and will there be any more? -- B.E.

A: The original scary sci-fi movie “Preda-

tor” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger (“The Terminator”) debuted in theaters in 1987 with its sequel, “Predator 2,” releasing three years later. “Predators” came along in 2010 and starred Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”), and it was followed up by “The Predator” with Boyd Holbrook (“The Sandman”) in 2018. We also shouldn’t overlook “Alien vs. Predator” from 2004, which starred Sanaa Lathan (“Succession”). Clearly it’s a popular franchise, and there’s more on the horizon.

Coming to theaters this November is “Predator: Badlands,” starring Elle Fanning (“A Complete Unknown”). Dan Trachtenberg, the film’s director, just announced at Comic-Con that he recently met with Schwarzenegger about doing another “Predator” installment. The former Governor of California did lend his voice to the new animated series but hasn’t appeared in a live-action “Predator” since the original from almost 40 years ago.

* *

Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com.

byKaraKovalchik&SandyWood

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Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris in “Landman” Courtesy of Paramount

Good Recipes from

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna

We substituted veggie crumbles for greasy ground beef to cut the fat without losing the protein in this super-easy vegetarian lasagna.

1 jar (25- to 26-ounce) marinara sauce

1 can (14 1/2-ounce) diced tomatoes

1 package (8- to 9-ounce) oven-ready (no-boil) lasagna noodles

1 container (15-ounce) part-skim ricotta cheese

1 package (8-ounce) shredded Italian cheese blend or shredded mozzarella cheese

1 package (10-ounce) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 cup frozen veggie crumbles*

1. In medium bowl, combine marinara sauce and tomatoes with their juice.

2. Spray 4 1/2- to 6-quart slow-cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon 1 cup tomato-sauce mixture into bowl. Arrange one-fourth of noodles over sauce, overlapping noodles and breaking into large pieces to cover as much sauce as possible. Spoon about 3/4 cup sauce over noodles, then top with one third of ricotta (about 1/2 cup), and 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Spread half of spinach over cheese.

3. Repeat layering 2 more times beginning with noodles, but in middle layer, replace spinach with frozen crumbles. Place remaining noodles over spinach, then top with remaining sauce and shredded cheese.

4. Cover slow cooker with lid and cook as manufacturer directs on low setting 2 1/2 to 3 hours or on high setting 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours or until noodles are very tender. Makes 8 main-dish servings

*Veggie crumbles are a heat-andserve vegetarian meat substitute found in your grocer’s freezer. If you prefer, you can substitute 8 ounces ground beef, browned, for the crumbles.

 Each serving: About 415 calories, 17g total fat (8g saturated), 37mg cholesterol, 1,120mg sodium, 41g total carbohydrate, 6g dietary fiber, 24g protein.

Basil, Mozzarella and Tomato Pizza for One

1/2 package (8 ounce) Italian bread shells

1 plum tomato, very thinly sliced 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

2 tablespoons sliced pitted ripe olives 1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Heat oven to 450 F. Place one 4-ounce Italian bread shell on ungreased cookie sheet. Arrange plum tomato slices over bread; sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with chopped fresh basil,

sliced

 Each serving: About 510 calories, 14g total

By John Allen DIAMOND LIL

by Brett Koth

Holidays & Observances This Week

8/10 Agent Orange Awareness Day

8/11 Enjoy a Popsicle Day

8/12 World Elephant Day

8/13 International Lefthander's Day

8/14 National Navajo Code Talkers Day

8/15 Kool-Aid Day

8/16 National Homeless Animals Day

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis

Make Your Passion Your Profession

Every so often, we forge an impact. We connect. We make a difference in the life of another person -- or animal.

Firefighters and cops do it. Soldiers do it. Doctors do it.

Writers do it. Filmmakers do it. Musicians do it.

Postman Robert Sweeney did it, in the course of delivering the mail to those homes on his route in Sacramento, Calif. Without pause, he acted in service of another. He breathed life into a lifeless infant.

A couple of weeks later, teacher Millie Happoldt did it. She breathed life into her two 6th-grade classrooms.

And because of that, many of her students have now done it, as well.

Millie is a dog-training client of mine, who teaches at Antelope Crossing Middle School in Antelope, Calif., and at Creekview Ranch Middle School in Roseville, Calif. She had the idea to use dogs, dog training and my career as a dog trainer as a way to get her 11- and 12-year-old students thinking about their passion and beyond themselves.

On Millie’s invitation, I showed up for class a couple of weeks ago with her dog, Parker, a 1-year-old male lab, and my dog Idol, a 9-yearold German shepherd. As a group we discussed what obedience means; the positive impact of love, praise and affection versus the negative impact of fear and intimidation; and the potential that unfolds when you marry your passion and your profession.

Before leaving, I gave each kid a copy of my “Woof” video on dogs and dog training. Millie asked that they watch it and make note of what they learned both from the video and the discussion. As a result, I received some of the best reader mail of my life:

-- “A dog can be friendly and mean at the same time.”

-- “Never yell at a dog when he does something wrong. It’ll make the dog scared.”

-- “We learned the ‘P’ and ‘9’ collar trick.”

(Drawings included.)

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

(CryptoQuip Solution on page 14)

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles © King

Reasons to Smile

With all the negative, questionable and just plain bad news out there lately, I’ll take good news anywhere I can find it.

And one place is the website Good News Network (www.goodnewsnetwork.org). GNN, started in 1997, currently has 21,000 good news stories from around the world. Categories range from life, to gardening, to health, business, human interest stories and more.

There’s a free app for the phone, and if you don’t like to see ads, you can pay a yearly fee of $15 to get rid of them. Or click the “Subscribe” button to get a free bit of good news in your email each day.

There’s even a GNN book: “And Now, The Good News: 20 Years of Inspiring News Stories,” by Geri Weis-Corbley, available on Amazon in paperback. The reviews for the book are great, saying that the short stories are real mood-lifters. I’ll be ordering it. Here’s an example: The bank that lost 66 of its employees on 9/11 has paid to put all those employees’ kids through college. How great is that?!

Here’s another one from the book: Due to a series of weather-related crop failures, a multigenerational family farm was being sold by the lien holder at public auction. The entire communi-

ty attended, including about 200 bidders. Among them was a young relative of the farm family, hoping to possibly win back the property. By whispered mutual agreement, all the other 200 farmer-bidders quietly remained silent, leaving the young family member as the sole contender. He made a one-time bid in the only amount they could afford. With no competing bids, the auctioneer banged his gavel and hollered "Sold!" The family won back their farm, and the entire communtiy rejoiced with them!

The Good News Network isn’t the only bright spot. Positive News (www.positive.news) will send a good news email once a week. The categories range from society to science to economics and more. It’s British, which makes it even more interesting.

If you’d rather look around on your own, do an online search for good news, positive world news or even good news for seniors. It's uplifting and you’re sure to find some heartwarming news to smile about!

* * *

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)

-- “Never leave a dog and a baby alone together.”

-- “A dog will be shy or back away if hit or yelled at.”

-- “When you give your dog a command, you do it softly, but still mean it.”

And one little girl, after watching “Woof,” recognized that her neighbors needed guidance on the proper way to train their dog and brought the video over for them to watch!

Once a person, big or small, understands the role humans play in dog training, they inevitably come to understand the positive effect they can have on the life of an animal. After that it’s just a quick leap to comprehending the vast impact one person can make in their neighborhood, their community, their town, their country, their world.

Dog training can be a wonderful career. For me, there could be no other. But whether or not these kids grow up to become dog trainers isn’t the point. The advice I gave Millie’s students is the advice I give my own child, my friends, my clients and anyone who asks: Take your passion and make it your profession. In doing so, you are guaranteed to make a difference.

Teachers do it. Dog trainers do it. Neighbors do it. Kids do it. And dogs do it, too. We all possess the power to impact our world.

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.

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Q: I am 62 and already retired. I was planning to wait until 67 to file for Social Security. But someone told me that I should file now because if I die before filing for benefits, my wife won’t get any widow’s benefits on my record. Is this true?

for only eight days of the month. Two: If John left a widow, she would get widow’s benefits for the whole month of August, even though she was a widow for only seven days of the month.

Q: We would like to talk to you personally about our Social Security situation. We’d be willing to pay you. Can we please call you to discuss this?

Questions I’m Asked Over

A: No, it is not true. Assuming your wife meets all the eligibility requirements, she will get widow’s benefits whether you were getting Social Security before you died.

and Over Again

In the 28 years I’ve been writing this column, I bet I’ve written 128 columns about the most common questions I get. However, I suppose not everyone is clipping those columns and pasting them into their Social Security scrapbook, because I keep getting the same questions repeatedly. Here comes column number 129, with answers to some of the questions I am most frequently asked.

Q: I’m 62. My husband is 67 and getting Social Security. Can I file for spousal benefits on his record now and save my own until I’m 70?

A: No, you can’t do that. Social Security law has a “deemed filing” rule. It essentially says this: If you file for a Social Security benefit, you are deemed to be filing for all other benefits you are due at the same time. So, in your case, if you did file for spousal benefits, you must file for your own benefits at the same time. You will be paid your own benefit first. Then, if you are due any extra benefits from your husband’s account, they will be tacked on to your monthly Social Security check.

Q: I am 60 and not working. My husband recently died. Can I file for widow’s benefits now and save my own until I am 70?

A: Yes, you can do that. That “deemed filing” rule I mentioned above does not apply to widows. So you can file for widow’s benefits now, and then switch to 100% of your own at full retirement age, or wait until 70 and get about 130%. Or, depending on the money amounts involved, you might be ahead to file for retirement benefits at age 62 (the earliest you can do that), and then at full retirement age, switch to 100% widow’s benefits. And FYI: widow’s claims cannot be done online. They must be filed in person by calling the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213.

Q: If I die, what will my wife get?

A: The answer depends on several factors. But assuming you die well after your full retirement age, and assuming your wife is over her full retirement age when you die, as a general rule, she will get what you were getting at the time of death. Quick example. You are 85 and getting $1,800 per month. Your wife is 82 and getting $1,200 per month. When you die, she will keep getting her $1,200, and then she will get an additional $600 in widow’s benefits.

Q: I took my benefits at 70, so I get an extra 32% added to my retirement rate. When I die, will my wife’s widow’s benefit be based on my augmented age 70 rate, or on my full retirement rate?

A: It will be based on your age 70 rate. And just to clarify a little further, a benefit paid to a spouse whose husband is still alive is based on his full retirement age rate. But as I just said, a widow’s benefit is based on the age 70 rate (assuming the husband waited until 70 to claim his benefits).

Q: I’m already getting my Social Security but I’m still working. Will my additional income and the taxes I’m paying increase my Social Security check?

A: It depends. Your original benefit was based on your average monthly wage using your highest 35 years of inflation-adjusted earnings. If the earnings you have now are higher than the lowest inflation-adjusted year used in your original computation, the SSA will drop out that lower year, add in the new higher year, and adjust your benefit accordingly. But don’t expect a windfall. Your benefit might go up by maybe $20 per month for a year of good earnings.

Q: When my father died, why did we have to return his last check?

A: Several rules come into play here. First, Social Security benefits have never been prorated. Second, benefits are always paid one month behind. And third, the law says you must live an entire month to be due a Social Security check for that month.

Here is a quick example. John dies on Aug. 24. The Social Security check that comes in September (the payment for August) must be returned.

That’s the downside to the lack of proration. But there are two upsides. One: Let’s say John started his benefits when he was 66 and that he turned 66 on June 22. He would get a check for the whole month of June, even though he was 66

A: I’m sorry, but because of the high volume of emails I get from my readers around the country, I simply don’t have the time to provide personal service or work on individual Social Security cases.

But for fifteen bucks, I can give you the kind of help that might even be better than a personal consultation. Buy my little Social Security guidebook called “Social Security - Simple and Smart.” In that book, you’ll find 10 fact sheets that cover just about any Social Security situation you might encounter. Another of my books you’d find interesting is called “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find either book at Amazon.com.

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.

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

2. From Luke 17, when Jesus healed the ten lepers, how many came back to thank him? a) None b) One c) Seven d) Nine

3. Who had seven sons who always celebrated their birthdays with a feast? a) Eli b) Saul c) Job d) Benjamin

4. From Genesis 32, whose thigh went out of joint while wrestling with an angel? a) Adam b) Jacob c) Abram d) Moses

5. The pool of Bethesda was/is near which gate? a) Sheep b) Camel c) People d) Water

6. Who was Caiaphas' father-in-law? a) Annanias b) Pilate c) Nicodemus d) Annas

(Answers on page 16)

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

Examining the Common and Available Treatments for Gallstones

DEAR DR. ROACH: What advice do you have for the treatment of gallstones? -- N.W.

ANSWER: Gallstones are common (6% of men and 9% of women will get one over a lifetime) and are mostly composed of bile salts and cholesterol. The goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms and the risk of complications. Depending on the size and composition of a person’s gallstones, there are different therapies available.

clothes, but nothing to this extent.

I’m not on any new medicines. What could be causing my hair to shed so much? This is the last thing I thought would be a problem for me. Is it something serious? Can it be treated and reversed? I hate to think that I am about to lose the only good asset I have. -- J.M.W.

ANSWER: The most common cause of hair loss I see in older women is female pattern hair loss, but your story sounds more like acute telogen effluvium, which means the loss of hair during the resting phase. This condition is sometimes but not always associated with a stressful event. There are other medical causes, but in a third of cases, no underlying cause can be identified.

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

The Dole Act: Benefits and Improvements

Have you wondered what exactly is included in the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act? There’s one way to find out: Scroll through it. There’s more to the Act than you might imagine, and all of it is to benefit you.

ADVERTISING PROOF

Please review carefully.

The good news about telogen effluvium is that the hair usually comes back, often around 6-12 months. However, I know how important hair can be to both men and women, so I always recommend a visit with a dermatologist, especially one who has expertise in hair disorders as they have additional tools to evaluate patients for other causes.

The most common treatment for symptomatic gallstones is surgery. Surgery is highly effective, although there are complications such as bleeding, infection and leaks. About 10% of people will develop diarrhea after surgery, which tends to get better over weeks to months but sometimes requires treatment with a bile-acidbinding drug like cholestyramine. Surgery is performed laparoscopically, which means faster healing times.

For people who are not good candidates for surgery (such as those with significant medical illnesses) or people who do not want surgery, there are other options. Medications given by mouth, such as ursodiol (Actigall), can dissolve gallstones, but this can take a long time, usually several years. People with smaller stones that are mostly made of cholesterol can be good candidates for this treatment. However, it is not 100% effective.

Another option is a tube placed into the gallbladder through the abdominal wall to drain bile, which is also sometimes done to remove stones, but I have seldom seen it done. Similarly, shock-wave treatment, which is commonly used for kidney stones, is rarely used but can be a reasonable option in people with only one or two stones. ***

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a soon-to-be 84-year-old woman with a question about excessive hair shedding. I’ve always had very thick, good hair, and in fact, I get a lot of compliments on my beautiful hair. I get my hair cut every four to five weeks, and my hairdresser always thins my hair at each visit.

Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections.

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.

Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com

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On my last visit, she asked me if I had been ill. While my hair was not coming out in clumps, she said it was shedding more than she has ever seen before with my hair. I, too, have noticed during the past month that there is more hair on my brush, shower drain and clothes. With my hair being so thick, I’ve always had some shedding that appears on my

Sec. 301 calls for burial benefits for veterans who were under hospice care at the time of their death. It concerns those veterans who pass away between July 1, 2025, and Oct. 1, 2026 and who are receiving VA medical or nursing care before receiving hospice care -- they will receive full VA burial allowance. That was not the case before, if a veteran went from VA medical care to home. To read all the details about VA burial benefits, see www.va.gov/ burials-memorials. Should you also wish to apply for pre-need eligibility to make it easier for family when the time comes, there is info on that page as well.

Sec. 143 addresses the reimbursement of ambulance cost for veterans in rural areas. This might be by ground ambulance or air ambulance, to the nearest hospital that can meet the needs of the veteran. Be sure of the details on this one if you might use this service. Read the definitions in the text because coverage varies by disability rating, distance to hospital and so on. This benefit is likely to change after September 30, 2026, and is worth paying attention to because the total accumulative benefit is $46,000 of coverage.

Sec. 208 concerns the payment of full monthly housing stipend for those who are in their final semester of education assistance under the Post-911/Educational Assistance Program. Read the details if this applies to you.

And in a topic that’s near and dear to the hearts of many of us, Sec. 304 ensures that only licensed health care professionals do the medical disability exams.

To get the most out of the 97 pages of the Act, start at the top and scroll through the Table of Contents (www.congress.gov/118/plaws/ publ210/PLAW-118publ210.pdf).

Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections.

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.

Does Medicare Cover Ambulance Rides?

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: A few months ago I took an ambulance to the hospital emergency room after a nasty fall at home. Now I've received a huge $1,050 billing statement from the ambulance company for their services. I expected this cost to be paid by Medicare. Doesn’t Medicare cover ambulance rides, or at least cover some of the cost? -- Frustrated Beneficiary

Dear Beneficiary: Yes, Medicare does cover emergency ambulance services and, in limited cases, nonemergency ambulance services too, but only when they’re deemed medically necessary and reasonable.

So, what does that mean?

First, it means that your medical condition must be serious enough that you need an ambulance to transport you safely to a hospital or other facility where you can receive care that Medicare covers.

If a car or taxi could transport you without endangering your health, Medicare won’t pay. For example, Medicare probably won’t pay for an ambulance to take someone with an arm fracture to a hospital. But if the patient goes into shock, or is prone to internal bleeding, ambulance transport may be medically necessary to ensure their safety on the way. The details make a difference.

Second, the ambulance must take you to the nearest appropriate medical facility. If you choose to be transported to a facility farther away because the doctor you prefer has staff privileges there, expect to pay a greater share of the bill. Medicare will only cover the cost of ambulance transport to the nearest appropriate facility and no more.

Medicare may also pay for an emergency flight by plane or helicopter to the nearest appropriate medical center if the trip would take too long on the ground and endanger your health.

Nonemergency Situations

Medicare may also cover ambulance transportation in some cases when you’re not facing a medical emergency. But to receive this coverage, your doctor needs to write an order

stating that an ambulance is medically necessary because other ways to get you to an appointment could endanger your health.

For example, if you’ve been diagnosed with end-stage renal disease, Medicare may pay if you have a doctor’s order stating that it is medically necessary for you to use an ambulance to take you to and from a dialysis center.

You also need to know that in nonemergency situations, ambulance companies are required to give you an Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage or ABN if they believe Medicare may not pay. This lets you know that you will be responsible for paying if Medicare doesn’t.

Ambulance Costs

Ambulance rides can vary from several hundred to several thousand dollars depending on where you live and how far you’re transported.

Medicare Part B pays 80 percent of the Medicare-approved ambulance rides after you’ve met your annual Part B deductible ($257 in 2025). You, or your Medicare supplemental policy (if you have one), are responsible for the remaining 20 percent.

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, it must cover the same services as original Medicare, and may offer some additional transportation services. You’ll need to check with your plan for details.

How to Appeal

If an ambulance company bills you for services after Medicare denies payment, but you think the ride was medically necessary, you can

appeal – see Medicare.gov, click on “Providers & Services” followed by “Claims, Appeals, and Complaints.” To help your case, ask the doctor who treated you for documentation that you needed an ambulance.

If you need some help, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), who can help you file an appeal. Go to ShipHelp.org or call 877-839-2675 for contact information.

* * *

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.

-- by Jim Miller

by Anne McCollam Creators

Ice Was a Luxury in Victorian Era

Q: Enclosed is a photo of a silver tankard that has been in our family for somewhere around 100 years. On the bottom are the words “Barbour Silver Co. -- Quadruple -- 50.”

What can you tell me about the history and value of my tankard?

A: You have a Victorian tilting ice pitcher with a matching goblet and stand. It was made around 1880 by Barbour Silver Co. in Connecticut. “Quadruple” means your pitcher is silver plate rather than sterling silver.

Available ice was a luxury in the Victorian era. Silver plate ice pitchers were a symbol of wealth and status. They are lined with metal, glass or porcelain to help keep ice from melting quickly. Few tilting ice pitchers have survived with their stands and goblets intact.

Similar pitchers that are in excellent condition and not in need of re-silvering are selling in the range of $400 to $750.

Q: This mark is on the bottom of a porcelain figurine that has been in my family for as long as I can remember. We think it was a wedding gift to our great-grandparents when they were married in 1913.

It is a young woman standing on a base and overall measures about 15 inches. She is wearing a bonnet, 17th-century clothes and high heels. She has blonde curls, rosy cheeks and is holding a basket filled with fruit. The figurine is in perfect condition.

Please tell me who made our figurine, how old it is and what it may possibly be worth.

A: Dux Porcelain Manufactory made your figurine. They were located in Dix, Bohemia, now Duchcov, Czech Republic. E. Eichler founded his firm in 1860.

The image of the acorn on the mark is attributed to the word “eichel,” which is similar to the name “Eichler” and means “acorn” in German. This mark was used from 1900 to 1918.

Your figurine was made in 1913 and would probably be worth $1000 to $1350.

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

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

* On Aug. 11, 1806, while hunting for elk along the Missouri River, Meriwether Lewis was accidentally shot by one of his own men, likely Private Pierre Cruzatte, though Cruzatte, who was blind in one eye and nearsighted in the other, denied it. Historians suspect he mistook the leather-clad Lewis for an elk. Lewis made a full recovery.

* On Aug. 12, 1994, Major League Baseball players went on a strike that lasted for 232 days and caused the cancellation of that year’s World Series for the first time in 90 years.

* On Aug. 13, 1941, Henry Ford displayed his “Soybean Car,” the plastic body of which was partially composed of the legumes. It weighed half as much as a steel-bodied car and Ford claimed it was safer, but the model never actually went into production.

* On Aug. 14, 1985, the “King of Pop,” Michael Jackson, bought the publishing rights to the vast majority of the Beatles’ catalog for a cool $47 million. After his death, Sony, one of his primary creditors, assumed full control of the catalog.

* On Aug. 15, 1950, Princess Anne, the second child and only daughter of England’s Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, was born. She has long been widely admired for her seemingly tireless work ethic (she does not plan to retire until she’s 90) and involvement with more than 300 charities, as well as her general practicality and reliability.

* On Aug. 16, 1987, a plane crash at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Michigan killed 156 people, including Nick Vanos, a center for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, and left just one survivor, 4-year-old Cecelia Cichan of Tempe, Arizona. The accident was determined to have been caused by pilot error, with speculation that the pilots might have been rushing their pre-flight checklist to avoid incoming bad weather.

* On Aug. 17, 1977, the day after Elvis Presley died, FTD delivered more than 3,100 floral arrangements, not only cleaning out Memphis-area florists, but setting a record for the most flowers sold in America in just one day.

"Of all the places on earth to have a romantic picnic, you have to choose a driving range!"

Dux Porcelain was located in Czechoslovia.

Barbour Silver Co. was located in Connecticut.

Elephants (from page 3)

OTHER FEATURES

• Elephants also have exceptional smell, but have small eyes and poor eyesight. Their average eye size of about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) keeps them from clearly locating anything beyond 20 feet (6.1 m). Their eyelashes can reach lengths of 5 inches (12.7 cm).

• A newborn elephant can weigh up to 260 lbs. (120 kg), yet it is able to stand within 20 minutes of birth and walk within an hour. Two days later, the baby is able to keep up with the herd. Babies are blind at birth, and depend on both their mother and sensitivities their trunk for help during the first few days.

• Have you heard the saying “elephants never forget”? It’s quite possibly true, since their brain’s temporal lobe, the area associated with memories, is larger and denser than that of humans. They are very intelligent animals with a brain weighing 11 lbs. (5 kg), with three times as many neurons as the human brain. It’s the largest brain of any land animal.

• It’s incredible that even with their size, elephants can run up to 25 miles per hour (40 km/hr). However, they are unable to jump or leave the ground, the only mammal with this characteristic.

• Mating season is anytime of the year. Elephants have the longest gestation period of all mammals, with the female carrying her baby between 18 and 22 months before giving birth. The female can can bear offspring from between 10 and 50 years of age, with a new one coming every 2.5 to 4 years.

• The average life span of an elephant living in the wild is 50 to 70 years, although elephants have been documented at 82 to 86 years old.

• Elephants will trumpet when excited, feeling aggressive, or are in distress. When bellowing this distinct sound they may be sending a warning, declaring their dominance, or calling for help.

• If you see elephants in the circus or at other public events, more than likely they are females. Males can be instinctively aggressive while females are easier to control. 

by Jason Jenkins

During the early years of golf instruction, turning in a barrel became a popular image as to how the legs and hips were to move in a confined, rotary type fashion. Players like Bobby Jones seemed to exemplify this over turning image, at least in the backswing.

Yet, Bobby and all the greats that followed him made one huge, significant change to that vivid barrel turning image….they broke through the barrel on the forward swing with demonstrative weight shift and footwork.

Turning in a barrel may not be a terrible poor backswing image, but it implies never really shifting the weight during the motion. Instead, picture turning back and brushing up against the side of the barrel going back, then busting through the other side with the left knee and hip in the forward swing.

By using an alignment stick in the ground along the left leg at address, you should notice the leg leave the stick in the backswing, and then knock into it on the forward swing. Trying to stay glued to the stick or not ever touching it results in poor pivot motion.

The idea of Go Figure is to arrive at the figures given at the bottom and right-hand columns of the diagram by following the arithmetic signs in the order they are given (that is, from left to right and top to bottom). Use only the numbers below the diagram to complete its blank squares and use each of the nine numbers only once.

DIFFICULTY:

by Linda Thistle