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valleybits@msn.com • Chocolate is derived from the cacao bean grown on a tree from the evergreen All Rights Reservedfamily. Each cacao pod holds between 20 and 60 beans surrounded by a sweet white pulp that farmers scoop out by hand. The beans are fermented for up to a week to develop the flavor and reduce bitterness before being dried, cleaned, and roasted.

• Cacao beans were cultivated as early as 1400 B.C. in Mexico, Central America, and South America. In 2007, anthropologists discovered cacao residue on pottery from that period during an excavation in Honduras. • The Aztecs believed that cacao was bestowed upon Chocolate: Turn to page 3 INSIDE: Celebrity Extra............................. Page 6 Good Houskeeping Recipes ........ Page 7 Comics & Puzzles........................ 8-9 Pet Column.................................. 9 Your Social Security.................... 11 Doctor's Advice .......................... 12 Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours The Savvy Senior ........................ 13 Golf Tips & Instruction............... 15 MON., DEC. 31 Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. Please review carefully. Double check:... Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours And LOTS more! Please review carefully. check:  PhoneFax: Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours Office:Double 760-320-0997 760-320-1630 Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630

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Some Facts About

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

MANHATTAN Although there are more than three dozen islands situated in the waters of New York City, Manhattan is the one we hear the most about. Here are some facts about the smallest of the city’s five boroughs. • About 1.6 million people live in Manhattan, about 70,500 people per square mile.

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• Manhattan was originally inhabited by the Lenape Indians. It’s believed that explorer Giovanni da Verrazano was the first European to visit the island, but the area was not mapped until after the exploration of Englishman Henry Hudson in 1609. • A Dutch fur trading settlement on neighboring Governors Island was founded in 1624, and the following year, the Dutch began construction of a fort on Manhattan, an island they called New Amsterdam. This 1625 completion is recognized as the birthdate of New York City. • In 1626, the Dutch colonists purchased Manhattan from the Native Americans with cheap jewelry and other trade goods valued at about $24. In modern currency, this would be about $10,000. • The 778-acre Central Park, nestled in the center of Manhattan opened in 1857. Today the park is 840 acres and receives about 35 million visitors every year. • The opening of the Brooklyn Bridge across the East River in 1883 and the launch of the New York subway system in 1904 revolutionized travel in and out of Manhattan. • In the midst of the Great Depression, New York City was building some of the world’s tallest skyscrapers. The Empire State Building was completed in 1931, the Chrysler Building in 1930, and the G.E. Building in 1933.

• How does the ground surface in Manhattan support the enormous weight of its massive buildings and skyscrapers in such a relatively small space? It wouldn't be possible were it not for the fact that the island sits atop a subsurface of solid bedrock. Without this firm foundation to safely support the weight of these structures, the iconic skyline we know today would never

Vol. XXII Issue No. 1

be possible. Portions of the bedrock are visible today in the southern area of Central Park. • From 1890 to 1973, Manhattan was home to the tallest building in the world, with nine different buildings owning the title, including the Singer Building, MetLife, the Woolworth and Chrysler buildings, the Empire State Building and the Twin Towers. The new World Trade Center stands an intentional height of 1,776 feet and is the tallest structure in the U.S. • Fifth Avenue is lined with prestigious stores, such as Tiffany, Saks Fifth Avenue, Cartier, and Lord & Taylor, and is ranked as one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it was flanked by extravagant mansions of the rich and famous, including Andrew Carnegie, William A. Clark, and Cornelius Vanderbilt. • Vanderbilt’s home on the corner of Fifth Avenue and West 57th was six stories tall; it was and remains the largest private residence ever built in New York City. It was demolished in 1927 and is the current site of the Bergdorf Goodman department store. • William A. Clark’s 121-room home cost $7 million to build in 1907 (about $245 million in today’s money), and only stood for 20 years. Only a very few mansions have survived, including Carnegie’s home, which is now the Cooper Hewitt Museum. • The annual New Year’s Eve ball drop took place in Manhattanʼs Times Square for the first time in 1907, and the celebration has been held there every year since. The two largest gatherings in Times Square have been the August 1945 celebration marking the end of World War II, and the millennial celebration on December 31, 1999. About two million crowded downtown Manhattan to welcome the new century. • There were no restroom facilities or porta-potties available for public use at this event. Restaurants and hotels strictly limited their facilities for the use of paying customers only. • The rule is now enforced for every Times Square New Year's eve gathering, and city officials strongly advise celebrants to either wear adult diapers or limit their liquid intake to a minimum before arriving - or both. 

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Chocolate (from page one) them by their gods and loved chocolate so much, they used the beans as currency. A turkey hen could be purchased for 100 cacao beans. The Aztec emperor Montezuma II, who ruled from 1503 to 1520, supposedly drank 10 to 20 cups of cocoa a day as an energy booster. • Although cacao trees are native to the Americas, today nearly 70% of cacao trees are grown in Africa. The bulk of those are in the Ivory Coast, where warm and tropical conditions are ideal for the trees. • It takes about 400 cacao beans to produce one pound of chocolate. CHOCOLATE VARIETIES

• Dark chocolate consists of cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar. It doesn’t contain the milk that milk chocolate does, with that variety being a mixture of milk powder or condensed milk, sugar, and 20% to 40% cocoa. A higher percentage of cocoa makes dark chocolate less sweet with a more intense flavor. Dark chocolate has a high content of antioxidants and is known to fight inflammation and to reduce the risk of heart disease. • White chocolate contains no cocoa solids, and is a combination of cocoa butter, sugar, and milk, which produce its creamy texture. The purer the cocoa butter, the better the quality of white chocolate.Cocoa butter is the pale yellow creamy fat contained in the bean that makes chocolate’s smooth melt possible. OTHER USES

• It’s not just for the manufacture of chocolate – cocoa butter is also used in beauty products and pharmaceuticals, including products for antiaging, skin hydration, relief of eczema, and hair conditioners that reduce frizz. Its high Vitamins E and K content contributes to cocoa butter’s skin-repairing properties. • Although the term is cocoa “butter,” it’s a

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

vegetable fat. It does not contain butter, and is completely dairy-free. If you see the words “theobroma oil” on a food or beauty label, that just means cocoa butter! • Theobromine is a bitter compound in the cacao seeds that is similar to caffeine. Its stimulating effects include speeding up heart rate and widening blood vessels, often increasing alertness and even improving mood. • Humans may benefit from theobromine’s effects, but it can be very harmful to dogs. Dogs metabolize this compound more slowly than humans, leading to the toxic effects of vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing and heart rate, and seizures. Just a small amount of chocolate can be very dangerous for dogs.

The Mars family started its chocolate company in 1911 in Tacoma, Washington, and introduced the Milky Way bar in 1923. The Snickers bar, with its 1930 debut, was named after a favorite horse belonging to the Mars family.

combined chocolate sponge cake, cherry filling, and whipped cream infused with Kirschwasser, a cherry brandy made from the cherries in the Black Forest area. Devotees of this dessert assert that a genuine Black Forest cake must incorporate the cherries from the Schwarzwald2. Chocolate: Turn to page 15 ��

QUIZ BITS 1. What country produces Lindt and Toblerone chocolates? 2. What chocolate bar is advertised with the phrase "Gimme a break"? Answers page 16

It's been shown that chocolate can lift our spirits and provide psychological comfort through difficult times. Studies indicate that depressed people will consume about 55% more chocolate than others to help gain a mentally soothing effect.

• Chocolate, mixed with milk or water, was just a beverage until 1847 when a British chocolate company combined cocoa butter, sugar, and chocolate liquor to create the first molded hard chocolate bar. BAKERʼS CHOCOLATE

• Nearly every baker has used Baker’s chocolate when concocting special desserts, but this essential ingredient wasn’t named as such because bakers use it. In 1780, American physician Dr. James Baker purchased a chocolate company and named it the Baker Chocolate Company, which was passed on to his descendants. • Until 1852, the company produced just one kind of chocolate, until an employee concocted a chocolate with a higher sugar content. The employee, Samuel German, named his creation “German’s Sweet Chocolate.” • About 100 years later, in 1957, a newspaper in Dallas, Texas printed a recipe that utilized German’s product, and dubbed it “German’s Chocolate Cake.” It wasn’t too long before the recipe became German chocolate cake, a confection that had absolutely nothing to do with Germany. • One sweet chocolate treat that does have its origins in Germany is the Black Forest Cake, known as “Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte,” and named for southwest Germany’s Black Forest region. In 1915, German pastry chef Josef Keller

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Everyday CHEAPSKATE

by Mary Hunt

By Lucie Winborne

* In 1997, a woman from Louisville, Kentucky, left actor Charles Bronson all of her money, a total of about $300,000, in a handwritten will. She didn’t know him, but it can be deduced that she was a fan. * The Woolsey Hall auditorium at Yale contains an extra-wide seat built to fit alumnus and former professor William Howard Taft. * Adults typically produce about two pints of gas each day, in an average of 14 episodes of flatulence. However, it’s apparently quite normal to pass gas up to 21 times per day. * At his inauguration, Teddy Roosevelt wore a ring with a lock of Abraham Lincoln’s hair. * In 1866, Cathay Williams became the first African American woman to serve in the U.S. Army. Women were barred from joining the military at the time, so she enlisted as a man under the pseudonym William Cathay. * Crime novelist James Patterson co-wrote the famous “I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us Kid” jingle. * Because Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is home to a large Amish population, Costco constructed a livestock parking stall for customers arriving via horse and buggy, with a rail for the animals and a roof to shield them from bad weather. * Sometimes it snows on Mars, but the snowflakes are made out of carbon dioxide rather than water. The flakes don’t fall, but create a fog-like effect. *** Thought for the Day: “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” -- Aristotle (c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.

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What To Do If You Don’t Have Enough Money to Pay All of Your Bills Everyday

It might be the rising cost of groceries, CHEAPSKATE or perhaps you’ve lost your job or have already by Mary Hunt been living paycheck-to-paycheck with no cushy emergency fund to fall back on. For whatever reason, suddenly this month you can’t pay all your bills. You’re scared, angry, worried and overwhelmed. What are you supposed to do right now? Which bills should you pay first and which ones can slide for a while? This is not easy. As bleak as things may look right now, you will come through this if you are diligent in following a few simple rules:

Vol. XXII Issue No.1

Utilities

Next, you should pay the minimum required to keep the heat, lights and water utility services. Your cable and internet bills are not essential utilities. You should probably cancel them for now. Temporarily use the computers at your local library if you need to be online. Car payments If a car is necessary to keep your job, making the loan or lease payment is the next priority.

ESSENTIAL EXPENSES Here’s a basic rule of thumb according to the Boston-based National Consumer Law Center in its book, “Surviving Debt”: Always pay essential expenses first. If any money is left, you can decide how to allocate that to nonessential obligations. An essential expense represents a serious obligation that if not paid could produce immediate, severe, even life-threatening consequences. Do not make payments on nonessential expenses and debt when you have not paid essential expenses even if your nonessential creditors are breathing down your neck with phone calls and threatening messages. I am not suggesting that you should just walk away from your financial obligations. You must pay your creditors; you must pay your bills. It is not ideal to let some of your bills slide, but your situation is what it is. Your resources are severely limited. For now, you need to know how to get through this month. Basic food You need food. The consequences of not eating are severe! However, even though essential, keep your food expenses to the absolute, bare-bones minimum. You don’t eat steak three times a week when you can’t pay the water bill. Now is the time to pull in every tactic to feed your family on a shoestring. Unavoidable medications You may be able to forgo nonessential “medications” like food supplements, vitamins, etc. for now. But that blood pressure medication? Think severe consequences if you stop taking those life-preserving meds. You must cover the expense for essential medications. Child support Paying court-ordered child support is absolutely essential. Not paying can land you in jail. You have no options here that allow for this expense to slide or to go unpaid. Health insurance Keeping your health insurance active is essential. Not keeping your premiums current will result in cancellation. You dare not live without basic health insurance. Rent or mortgage Always assume that your landlord or mortgage lender will immediately proceed to evict or foreclose if you are late with a payment. You must exercise extreme wisdom here.

Other secured loans Beyond your home and car, debts on furniture, boats, RVs and expensive electronic gear are likely to be secured -- that means the lender can repossess for nonpayment. While you are in the process of selling these items to get out from under the heavy debt load, you must keep current on all payments. Unpaid taxes If the IRS is about to take your current or future paycheck, bank account, house or other property, you need to set up a repayment plan immediately. NONESSENTIAL EXPENSES A nonessential expense represents an obligation that if not paid right now might harm your credit score or require you to make a phone call making you feel embarrassed but will not result in a serious consequence right now. To delay paying on these gives a short period of time while you figure out what to do. It’s not a pass. Student loans Call your federal student loan administrator right away to discover any special deferments or waivers for which you may qualify. If yours are private loans, call that lender immediately! Perhaps you will have a similar kind of forbearance or deferment opportunity. Credit cards If you fall behind on these debts you will trash your credit score, lose credit privileges, pay horrendous late fees and, if the debt is unusually high, you may be sued. But you won’t lose your home. You can recover. The consequences will not be immediate. Personal loans from friends and family You should feel a moral obligation to pay, but these creditors will likely be the most understanding of your situation. Don’t hide. Do the right thing and contact this person immediately to set up a face-to-face meeting. Medical, legal and accounting bills While these debts are real and will be paid eventually, they are rarely essential unless you are still receiving treatment. During this devastating time, don’t allow your emotions to dictate how you distribute the money you have. Do not let your creditors set the agenda. Be courteous and respectful yet assertive. Do not make promises you cannot keep. Do not hide; do not lie. Above all, do not take your situation personally. And when your situation turns around (it will!), keep the promises you have made to your creditors, your family and yourself. * * * 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 2025 CREATORS.COM

Week of December 28, 2025

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Tidbits of Coachella Valley

between 140 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

CELSIUS SCALE

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT

THERMOMETERS This week, Tidbits is checking the temperature with a few facts about thermometers. • Think of all the ways we use a thermometer – for medical purposes, to check the weather, to test if the turkey is done, and for scientific research. • Thermometers work by measuring the expansion or contraction of materials when the temperature changes. The change in volume is then measured on a scale indicator that enables us to determine heat or cold.

• The Celsius scale was invented in 1742 by a • To a meteorologist, a thermometer supplies Swedish astronomer named Anders Celsius. His not only the outside temperature, but also vital temperature scale is based on the freezing pointADVERTISING PROOF information about the climate, weather patterns, of water (0 degrees C) and the boiling point (100 and the DUE: effects on MON., the environment OCT. 9 through5:00 Final Changes degrees C) at sea level air pressure. changing temperatures.  Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Pr • An alcohol thermometer is similar to the mercury Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corre style, gauging the temperature when liquid CLIP AND SAVE 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760expands in a narrow glass tube as Office: temperature varies. It uses ethanol, toluene, or kerosene, making it safer than the toxic mercury. Because the alcohol is transparent, red or blue dye is added for visibility. ADVERTISING PROOF Carl Moore Locksmithing MODERN METHODS Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m.. • Number(s) BW • 26x disc. Prices  Hours Please review carefully. Business Double check:Card  Phone  Spelling • Digital thermometers use electronic sensors to 15, 2023 Vol. 19 No. 42or corrections. Contact your TidbitsOct. representative immediately with-changes detect and measure changes in temperature, thenOffice: ADVERTISING PROOF 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 convert that data to electrical signals, processing FRI., DEC. 19 Final Changes DUE: 12:0 them to a digital readout, providing exceptionally Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  P accurate readings in seconds. CLIP AND SAVE

ving the Valley or unable to leave home nline! • The word “thermometer” is derived from the Ancient Greek language, with “thermos” meaning “warmth,” and “metron” translating “measure.”

O -11-2013 • In 1603, Galileo developed a device to determine

temperature based on the principle of buoyancy. This thermometer consisted of an air-filled glass Property&ofServiced Key Pad Deadbolts Installed • This device is extremely useful in industrial, Palm Springs Presbyterian Church AdVenture Media, Inc. 24/7 SPECIALIZING IN: bulb, connected to a tube that was partially EMERGEN medical, and scientific settings because it is ablec/o Dirk Voerman / Removable Cores Interchangeable CY filled with water. As the air warmed or cooled, SERVICE Serving All Desert Cities • Over 30 yrs. experience 1/16 pg BW NP Rate to detect hot spots in electrical and mechanical L TOTA Call me the water volume in the tube would either grow CLIP THIS AD! DOOR 760-774-2837 TODAY! Dec. 28, 2025 Vol. 22 - No. 1 equipment such as heaters and oven temps. $10 on any or shrink. This demonstrated the principle that ADVERTISING PROOFREPAIR www.CarlMooreLocksmithing.com SAVE regular priced service call. Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630  BONDED Certified Locksmith #LC05617 In the medicalDUE: field, the infrared thermometer MON., NOV. 24 can 12:00 NOON the density of a liquid is altered by variations in •Changes valleybits@msn.com Final check a patient’s temperature without touching temperature. Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours All Rights Reserved Property of them. The infrared is also used in fire-fighting Property of to join us for You are welcome AdVenture Media, Inc. AdVenture Media, Inc. FAHRENHEIT SCALE Contact yourtoTidbits representative withmeasure changes or corrections. ascertain hot spots immediately and can even • Because mercury expands and contracts as the760-320-0997 Sunday Morning Worship FREE 10:00 am the temperature variations in volcanoes. TheFax: 760-320-1630 Office: email: valleybits@msn.com temperature changes, it was widely used in temperature of stars and planets is established FREE Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 of Coachella Valley 11:00 am valleybits@msn.com Bible Study Wednesday thermometers as early as 1714. Twenty-eightby reading the infrared radiations they emit. The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read Phone: 760.320.0997 All Rights ReservedFax: 760.320.1630 year-old Dutch physicist and engineer Daniel Thursdayvalleybits@msn.com morning Coffee Hour • A food thermometer measures the internal Fahrenheit invented the first sealed thermometer Property of temperature of foods to ensure that a temperature 10:00 am Reserved to noon All Rights AdVenture Media, Inc. that year, using mercury. Ten years later, he has been reached that will have killed harmful We are here for the community devised the measurement of temperature that we Cars in Need microorganisms like salmonella and eColi. BZ BW 6x know today as the Fahrenheit scale. Most pathogens are destroyed ADVERTISING PROOF Nov. 30, disease-causing 2025 Vol. 21 - No. 49 ALL ARE WELCOME • Fahrenheit died in 1736, very possibly from Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630Final Changes DUE: 12:0 what may have been mercury poisoning. valleybits@msn.com Palm Springs Presbyterian Church Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  P PROMO - 08-2015 [updated] Although once wildly used, mercury, also known Covenant Network of Presbyterians All Rights Reserved as quicksilver, is declining due to its hazardous immediately with92264 changes or cor WE COME TO YOU! Contact your Tidbits 915representative El Camino Real, Palm Springs properties. Itʼs now known that exposure to All types of automotive services work Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760 done on-site at your home or business mercury can induce hypertension, tachycardia, ● Insurance Work ● Body Repair Leavingandthe Valley Up to skin discoloration, memory impairment. ● Paint Matching 

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immediately with changes or co CARL MOORE • An infrared thermometer requires noContact contactyour Tidbits representative email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 76 to measure temperature, making itOffice: able 760-320-0997 to provide readings from a distance. It does this Residential  Commercial by determining the infrared energy, or thermal Re-Key Re-Pin Keys Made Masterradiation, emitted by the object being measured. Keying Deadbolts Installed Fix or Replace

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Page 6

A: Two series that hit it big in their first

by Dana Jackson King Features News Syndicate

Q: I just saw the new Leonardo DiCaprio movie “One Battle After Another,” which also stars a young actress named Chase Infiniti. Is this her real name? -- K.K. A: Yes and no. Chase Infiniti’s full name is

Depositphotos

Chase Infiniti Payne, but she dropped her surname probably because the first two names look really cool on a movie poster. Her parents named her Chase after Nicole Kidman’s character in “Batman Forever” and Infiniti after the “Toy Story” character Buzz Lightyear’s catchphrase “to infinity and beyond!” Chase Infiniti Starring op(“One Battle After Another”) posite Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn is a hard act to follow, but her next project will also likely be a hit: “The Testaments,” which is a spin-off of Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.” *** Q: I just finished watching “Paradise” on Hulu and loved it. When does season two come out? -- T.G.

season are returning earlier than expected. When “Paradise” concluded its thrilling debut season in March of this past year, series creator Dan Fogelman promised fans that they wouldn’t have to wait too long for more. He further stated to The Hollywood Reporter: “We have this very precise threeyear plan. ... That’s bigger than what people think it is right now, and it’s going to span a couple of genres.” The first three episodes of “Paradise’s” sophomore season will debut on Hulu on Feb. 23, 2026. Emmy-nominated stars Sterling K. Brown, Julianne Nicholson and James Marsden are all set to return, along with new cast members Shailene Woodley (“Big Little Lies”) and Thomas Doherty (“Tell Me Lies”). Another Emmy darling “The Pitt” will be back on HBO Max with new episodes beginning on Jan. 8, 2026. Like season one, all the episodes will take place over a single day in the ER at a hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsyvlania. Alas, fan favorite Tracy Ifeachor will not be returning as Dr. Collins, but new staff members include Sepideh Moafi (“The L Word: Generation Q”) as an attending physician. *** Q: Why hasn’t Jill Hennessy ever returned to “Law & Order”? Is her character still alive? I know it’s been decades, but she was one of my favorites on there. -- D.W.

A: Spoiler alert(!) for anyone who hasn’t seen season six of “Law & Order,” but assistant district attorney Claire Kincaid was killed by a drunk driver. Fans were extremely upset, but Jill Hen-

1. Zootopia 2 (PG) Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman 2. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (PG-13) Josh Hutcherson, Piper Rubio 3. Wicked: For Good (PG) Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande 4. Dhurandhar (NR) Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt 5. Now You See Me: Now You Don’t (PG-13) Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson 6. Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution (R) Jun’ya Enoki, Yuma Uchida 7. Ella McCay (PG-13) Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis 8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (PG) Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen 9. Eternity (PG-13) Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen 10. The Shining (R) Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall © 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Vol. XXII Issue No. 1

nessy, the actress who played her, is alive and well with several successful shows under her belt. She went on to star in “Crossing Jordan,” which was another popular NBC crime drama. She later had short-term roles on “Madame Secretary” and “City on a Hill.” Next up, she joins the Hallmark family in a prequel series to the much-loved “When Calls the Heart.” “Hope Valley: 1874” will also star Bethany Joy Lenz (“One Tree Hill”) and Benjamin Ayers (“Saving Hope”), with Hennessy playing a “tenacious pioneer woman” named Hattie. According to TVLine, production is set to begin in the very chilly Vancouver, Canada, on Dec. 15 with a projected premiere date sometime in March 2026. * * * Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com. (c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.

Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or correc Week of December 28, 2025

Good Recipes from

Striped Bass with Lemons and Capers Elegant enough for a dinner party, this light fish dish is fast and flavorful. Tart lemon and tangy capers create balance when paired with the tarragon-infused striped bass. 1 large lemon 1 whole (about 3 pounds) striped bass or sea bass, cleaned 3 cloves garlic, sliced 1/4 cup dry white wine 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons capers, drained 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon dried or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves plus additional for garnish Ground black pepper 1. Heat oven to 425 F. Cut lemon in half; cut 1 half into 4 slices. Set aside remaining half. Rinse fish inside and out with cold running water; pat dry with paper towels. Make 3 diagonal slashes on each side of fish, cutting almost to bone.

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slices in fish cavity. Squeeze remaining lemon over fish. 3. In small bowl, whisk wine, olive oil, capers, Dijon, tarragon and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until blended. Drizzle half of wine mixture into fish cavity; drizzle remaining wine mixture over fish, rubbing mixture into skin and slashes.

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1/2 cup olive oil 1. In medium bowl, with wire whisk, mix vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper until blended.

2. In thin, steady stream,PROOF whisk in oil ADVERTISING until blended. Cover and refrigerate dressing up to 1 DUE: week. Makes about 3/4 cup. Enrique Braunschw Final Changes 5:0

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4. Place second sheet of foil on top of  Each serving: About 82 calories, 0g Oct. 5, 2025 • immediately Vol. 21: fish. Crimp edges all around to seal completely. protein, 0g carbohydrate, 9g #41 total fat (1g satuContact your Tidbits representative with changes or co Bake fish 25 to 30 minutes. rated), 0mg cholesterol, 175mg sodium.

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5. Before serving, with kitchen shears, cut opening in packet to let steam escape, then carefully pull back foil. With 2 wide spatulas, transfer fish to platter. Pour juices in foil over fish. Garnish with fresh tarragon. Serves 4.  Each serving: About 215 calories, 11g total fat (2g saturated), 117mg cholesterol, 250mg sodium, 2g total carbohydrate, 27g protein.

Classic French Vinaigrette Dijon mustard makes this vinaigrette dressing smooth and delicious.

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Donald Duck

by Walt Disney

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NEST HEADS

By John Allen

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NEXT WEEK in

Cody’s

UNFORTUNATE FOLKS HAVING A REALLY

BAD DAY

Corner

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty By Matthew Margolis Creators News Service

Stealing a Taste of Holiday Cheer

3. The Weekly “Brain Breaker”

Holidays & Observances This Week

The holiday season brings the spirit of giving, love and peace for all mankind. It also brings food. And for your dog, it brings countless opportunities to steal food. To his credit, your dog is basically a wolf brought in from the wild to sleep in your house, ride in your car and wear the sweaters you knit for him. In the wild, wolves catch their prey less than 10 percent of the time and have been known to endure more than 17 days without a meal -- which explains why they will consume between nine and 20 pounds of food in one sitting. “Get it while you can” is the DNA-embedded philosophy. Considering this, no canine with the slightest survival instinct can be trusted around the dessert tray unless he has been specifically trained to stay away from it. Even then it’s not a good idea to leave him alone in a room with the turkey. He is genetically programmed to snatch food when the opportunity presents itself, and it is difficult, sometimes impossible, to train that instinct out of him. But there are things you can do to avoid having to order last-minute takeout for your New Year’s Eve blowout: -- Don’t make food available to the dog. Keep garbage cans covered and out of reach. And keep the dog out of any room where food is either being eaten or waiting to be eaten. -- Don’t feed the dog from the table. The tendency people have to treat the dog to samplings from their plate gives the dog the idea that he’s welcome to feast at the table with the rest of the pack -- or even without them. -- No leftovers. If you don’t want your dog to steal human food, the best way to prevent the habit from forming is to never give him a taste of it in the first place. When you feed your dog human food, you teach him to like it and want more. Once that has set in, good luck convincing him that dog food is his stomach’s true desire. -- Establish a feeding place for your dog, where he will enjoy each and every meal from start to finish. This will reinforce the idea that he is not to eat from the table.

12/28 National Chocolate Day 12/29 YMCA Day 12/30 Bacon Lovers Day 12/31 Make Up Your Mind Day 1/1 New Years Day 1/2 National Buffet Day 1/3 J.R.R. Tolkien Day

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� AIRPLANE � AIRPLANE AUTOMOBILE � AUTOMOBILE COMPASS � COMPASS COMPUTER � COMPUTER GPS � GPS INTERNET � INTERNET LIGHTBULB � LIGHTBULB

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MICROWAVE � MICROWAVE PENICILLIN � PENICILLIN PRINTINGPRESS � SMARTPHONE SMARTPHONE � STEAM ENGINE STEAMENGINE � PRINTING PRESS TELEPHONE � TELEPHONE TELEVISION � TELEVISION THERMOMETER � THERMOMETER

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SENIOR NEWS LINE by Matilda Charles

AI-assisted Scams Against Seniors It’s not that scammers are getting smarter, but they have a new tool now: AI, artificial intelligence. For our own protection, we need to learn some things about AI and how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud. Here's some examples: If you’ve posted any pictures on social media, take them down. Make it your task for January to remove any photos you’ve put up, especially if -- heaven forbid -- there are snaps of your children and grandchildren. AI scammers can capture those photos and easily manipulate the images to create false, nefarius and embarrassing depictions. They then email these pictures to you and threaten to send them viral unless you comply with their demands. If you routinely attach photos in emails to friends and family, and if they tend to post those on their own social media, ask them to remove the pictures. If they don’t comply, stop sending them photos. I know, that’s harsh. But you have to protect yourself and those dear to you. Photos are the tip of the iceberg, however. Consider what scammers can do with

The Secrets of a Monochromatic Room Monochromatic rooms are rooms that are decorated in one color or in varying shades of one color. Some consider monochromatic rooms boring, but that needn’t be so. Most of us hear the word, and our minds immediately conjure visions of miles of neutral furnishings. The truth is that while they can be lackluster in the hands of the inexperienced, another truth is that some of the most elegant rooms in the world are monochromatic. Imagine that! Designing a scheme that uses only one color might seem dull, but pulling it off successfully is no easy task. When properly executed, monochromatic rooms can be sophisticated and dramatic. The color schemes are endless, and the effects can be varied: calm or loud, soothing or irritating, bold or subdued. Clearly, an all-red room in a library or an all-beige living room or even a hot pink teenager’s bedroom can work if some of the following tips are followed. In determining the exact color of your room, take into consideration your preference, of course, but the process of narrowing down the precise shade can benefit by answering some of these questions. First, where is your room located? Are you in a largely cold or hot climate zone? How much natural light does the room get? Will the room be used mostly during the day or the evening? Who will use the room: adults, children

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innocent information about a vacation you took. They can personalize their scam against you and pretend to have met you on that trip. If you’ve posted the names of family members, or even the name of your dog, they can pretend to actually know you. It will sound so innocent if they then ask for your home address or the correct spelling of your name so they can send you a souvenir. It gets worse: Scammers can clone voice samples they find online or record on the phone when you answer their call. From this they will produce vial statements in your own voice that you never said. If you’ve posted a video of a teen grandchild, scammers can convert that into a fake video call wherein the child appears to be upset and asks for your help, another version of the grandparent scam.They will ask you for money, usually in the form of a gift card that they can anonymously cash. One of the best sites I’ve found to learn about AI scams is McAfee’s Guide to Deepfake Scams and AI Voice Spoofing at www.mcafee. com/learn/a-guide-to-deepfake-scams-and-aivoice-spoofing. Also go online and search for “how scammers use AI against seniors.” If you suspect you’ve been a victim of fraud, report it to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Always stay alert! * * * 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) KingFeaturesSyndicate2025

or elderly occupants? Are there pets in the family? Your answers will help you select the perfect hue for your room. The transition from one room to the next is very important. Generally, the transition between rooms should carry some of the color from one room into the next. This transition should be gradual and subtle, unless of course your purpose is to shock. If, for example, your main room is an overall white room with royal blue accents, then perhaps your adjacent room should be a pale sky blue. The idea is to weave your colors. Although we are talking about monochromatic rooms, a way to highlight or accentuate the primary color is to add bits of another color. Flowers, a fruit bowl, pillows or a throw are all subtle ways to introduce complementary colors to enhance your one-color room. For example, an all-white room could be accentuated with pale yellow roses and pale yellow pillows, and still the room will read as white. It is advisable to repeat your accent color throughout the room to avoid a cluster of color in any one particular area. Finally, your best allies in creating interest in a monochromatic room will be textures and finishes. Textures and finishes capture and bounce light differently and change the way a color is perceived. The best tip here is to use as many textures of the same color as possible. Fabrics with a rough texture such as chenille and linen will absorb light rather than bouncing it around the room; whereas smooth fabrics such as silk and chintz will shimmer and reflect light and color back into the room. The more textures you use in your room the richer your colors and room will appear. * * * Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. 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 2025 CREATORS.COM

Vol. XXII

Issue No. 1

Cody’s Corner (from page 9) -- Get your dog on a regular feeding schedule based on his age. Your vet can assist with this, and it will help to differentiate your feeding time from his. If you’ve indulged your pooch with table scraps for a while now, you’ll have to orchestrate a little reconditioning mission. In other words, you’ll have to set your dog up. First, fasten a leash and slip collar on the dog. Then set some fresh-cooked meat on the table. He’ll go for it -- count on it. When he makes his move, jerk the leash to the right and say “no” in a loud, firm tone of voice. Finally and most importantly, praise him when he responds properly. Repeat as necessary. This is the Margolis Maneuver, and it can be used to effectively eliminate any number of problem behaviors if appropriately set up and applied. Remember: The key to success is to catch him in the act. For more information on this maneuver and other training techniques, read “When Good Dogs Do Bad Things” or visit www.unclematty.com. Finally, let’s not dismiss the obvious. There is always the possibility that your pooch steals food because he’s hungry. Consult a veterinarian to determine a proper diet based on your dog’s age, weight and health. And once your pup is housebroken, make fresh water available at all times Woof! * * * Dog trainer Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis is the co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and the host of the PBS series “WOOF! It’s a Dog’s Life!” Read all of Uncle Matty’s columns at www.creators.com, and visit him at www.unclematty.com. COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM

Week of December 28, 2025

YOUR

SOCIAL SECURITY by Tom Margenau

How Social Security Has Evolved I continually remind my readers that they shouldn’t worry too much when they read or hear reports of Social Security’s imminent collapse. Once Congress works up the nerve to deal with the issue (and once the American people accept the fact that the program needs reform), they will get around to passing amendments to the Social Security laws that will keep the program solvent for generations to come. (If you want to learn more about possible reforms to Social Security, spend 15 bucks and get my little guidebook called “Social Security: Simple and Smart.”) And here is something else you should know. Change is nothing new to Social Security. Almost every year since the Social Security Act was passed in 1935, there have been amendments to that original law. For many years, they have been simply minor technical adjustments. But some years, they include major changes to the program. Here is a brief summary of how the Social Security program has evolved over the years. The Social Security Act of 1935 The original law provided benefits only for a retired worker age 65 or older. The 1939 Social Security Amendments Even before the first monthly benefits were paid in 1940, these amendments added many provisions to the original law. They included benefits for a dependent wife 65 and older and for the minor children of a retiree. They also added the first survivor’s benefits: for a widow age 65 or older; for the minor children of a deceased worker; for a widowed mother of any age caring for those children; and for dependent parents of a deceased worker. The 1950 Social Security Amendments Congress must have realized the 1939 amendments were sexist because this year they added benefits for a dependent husband of a retired woman and for a dependent widower age 65 or older. They also provided benefits for a retiree’s

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dependent wife of any age as long as she was caring for his minor child. And for the first time, Congress recognized that not all marriages last forever. They included benefits for a divorced or widowed mother caring for the minor child of a deceased worker, but only if she was married at least 20 years. The 1956 Social Security Amendments These amendments added a major new Social Security program: disability benefits. This first law offered monthly benefits only for disabled people over age 50. But in a few years, disability benefits were made available to people of all ages. Provisions were also added to pay monthly benefits to disabled adult children of retired, disabled and deceased workers. And for the first time, Congress recognized that not all senior citizens wanted to wait until age 65 to claim benefits. Initially, they offered earlier benefits only to women. They provided reduced retirement benefits for women between the ages of 62 and 64 and reduced spousal benefits for dependent wives and widows between the ages of 62 and 64. The 1961 Social Security Amendments Finally, Congress authorized reduced retirement benefits for men. These changes also provided for reduced benefits for dependent widowers between ages 62 and 64. The 1965 Social Security Amendments For the first time, benefits were offered to divorced wives if they were at least 62 years old and if they had been married for at least 20 years. (The 1950 amendments had provided benefits only for divorced widows.) The 1965 amendments also added the Medicare program. But Medicare is NOT a Social Security program and an entirely separate funding mechanism was established for these health care benefits, so I am not including Medicare changes in the rest of this column.) The 1972 Social Security Amendments The concept of a “delayed retirement bonus” was added for the first time to offer an incentive to workers who wait to file for retirement bene-

fits until beyond age 65. Over the years, this bonus has been liberalized. The 1977 Social Security Amendments Congress must have heard women complaining that having to be married to some philandering jerk for 20 years to get some of his Social Security was too long. So this year, they lowered the length of marriage requirement for divorced spouses to 10 years. 1983 Social Security Amendments When these changes were implemented, the Social Security system was much closer to insolvency than it is today. These amendments bumped up the retirement age from 65 to 67. A minor tax increase was implemented. And Social Security benefit, payments to children over age 18 were eliminated. Also, for the first time, Social Security benefits became taxable. 1996 Social Security Amendments The earnings penalty provisions were eliminated for anyone over full retirement age and were liberalized for people between the ages of 62 and the FRA. Provisions in these amendments also led to the “file and suspend” and “restricted application” loopholes in the law that allowed some retirees to get unintended benefits out of the program. Those loopholes were finally closed several years ago. * * * If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called “Social Security -- Simple and Smart: 10 Easyto-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security.” The other is “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the books at Amazon.com or other book outlets. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast. net. 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 2025 CREATORS.COM

1. The book of Benaiah is found in the a) Old Testament b) New Testament c) Neither 2. 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 2:20 are among the Bible's verses to focus on "what" in a new year? a) Blessings b) Tithing c) Justice d) Moving forward 3. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were unscathed after what king had them thrown into a fiery furnace? a) Darius b) Laban c) Nebuchadnezzar d) Belshazzar 4. Which book ends, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen"? a) Acts b) 1 John c) Jude d) 1 Corinthians 5. What "people of" had a fly god named Baal-zebub? a) Ekron b) Pergamos c) Ethiopia d) Gibeah 6. From Psalms 60:8, who is my washpot? a) Balaam b) Agamemnon c) Micah d) Moab (Answers on page 16) "Test Your BibleorKnowledge," a bookgo with For comments more Bible Trivia to 1,206 multiple-choice questions by Wilson Casey is www.TriviaGuy.com available in stores and online.

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Tidbits of Coachella Valley of gabapentin daily, which mostly controls the pain but does not help the tingling and numbness in the soles of my feet. Do you have any suggestions? -- P.S.V.

M.D.

Lynch Syndrome Patient Unsure Whether to Stop Colonoscopy DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 79-year-old female who is currently on biannual infusions for osteoporosis and high cholesterol. In 2018, I was diagnosed with Lynch syndrome with an MSH6 deviation. The genetic testing was done after I had breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and a colectomy for three years in a row. Yearly colonoscopies have been included in my preventive care. In 2022, during my colonoscopy, I experienced excessive vagal tone and needed atropine to restore my heart beat. Since this time, I have been given Robinul prior to the procedure, which has prevented another incident of bradycardia. My gastroenterologist isn’t recommending any more colonoscopies due to this cardiac issue and my age. I have always been told that colonoscopies are necessary to prevent cancerous polyps from occurring. Is the risk of a colonoscopy under these circumstances greater than the risk of my getting colon cancer due to Lynch syndrome? -- F.M. ANSWER: People with Lynch syndrome are at an increased risk for a variety of cancers, especially of the colon but also other parts of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, small intestine, pancreas and bile duct). People with Lynch syndrome are also at an increased risk for endometrial and ovarian cancer (in women), prostate cancer (in men), and other cancers including skin and brain cancer. Gastroenterologists know that cancer of the colon can arise without a polyp. For people with Lynch syndrome, a genetic analysis is recommended. The exact gene may help determine the optimal beginning time and frequency of a colonoscopy. The decision of when to discontinue screening via a colonoscopy is not agreed upon by experts, but clearly when the risk of performing a colonoscopy is greater than the expected benefit, it’s time to stop. This is less about reaching a certain age than it is about underlying medical conditions. You have a slow heart rate during sedation for the colonoscopy, and it sounds as though your doctors have found a way to do the colonoscopy safely. Your lifetime risk of colon cancer, given your MSH carrier status, is estimated to be 20%, but at age 79, you have outlived much of your risk. Most cases of colon cancer in Lynch syndrome occur before age 80. In my opinion, both the risks of a colonoscopy and the risk of developing colon cancer are low, which means that it is difficult to make a recommendation as to which way you should go. Stopping is reasonable, but if you feel strongly that you want to continue, this is also reasonable. *** DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 80-year-old female who had shingles 30 years ago for six weeks. It subsequently came back permanently (herpetic neuralgia). I take 2,500 mg

ANSWER: I am sorry that you had this complication, which is one of the most known painful conditions. Gabapentin is an effective treatment for many people with painful neuropathies of any kind. A dose of 2,500 mg is very high but is often needed to get control of the pain; however, many people cannot tolerate this dose due to the fatigue and sleepiness that it often causes. In my experience, some people can get pain relief from gabapentin without getting relief from the numbness and tingling. It is possible that even higher doses might help (the maximum dose is 3,600 mg), but before trying this, your doctor might consider a second type of treatment for neuropathy, such as a tricyclic agent or an SNRI. These drugs were developed for depression but can be used for neuropathy symptoms. Sometimes, multiple medicines allow for better symptom relief with less side effects than very high doses of just one medicine. * * * Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu. (c) 2025 North America Synd., Inc.

Vol. XXII Issue No. 1

VETERANS  POST  by Freddie Groves

Raising Puppies If you’re looking for a project for the new year that will provide big benefits to a disabled veteran, you can do no better than to raise a puppy. Yes, a puppy. A small, young dog. Puppies who end up as service dogs for disabled veterans aren’t born that way. They need a solid first year of socializing and basic obedience, and that’s where you come in, should you want to take on this worthwhile project. Take a look at www.guidedog.org/ puppy for an explanation of what is expected. If accepted as a puppy raiser, you would receive a very young puppy and spend the next year getting it socialized and used to different environments, with good house manners and basic obedience, and exposed to various situations to give it confidence. If you’re not sure you can commit to such a long project, see the link above for other possibilities: short-term fostering to provide socialization opportunities for the puppy, co-raising with another individual or family, and in some states there is a prison puppy program that has inmates raise and train the dogs during the week before handing them over to weekend volunteers who provide experiences outside of the prison walls. Your next step is to go online to search for groups near you that provide trained dogs to veterans in need. Contact them to ask about becoming a puppy raiser. (For more incentive, see www.vetdogs.org for the list of states where weekend volunteers are needed now.) If you love dogs, perhaps the hardest part of the whole project will be to give up the dog at the end of its time with you when it goes on to its official training to be a service dog for a specific veteran in need. But you’ll console yourself knowing just how valuable your efforts have been in giving a good start to a dog that will be a life-changer for a deserving veteran. * * *

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.

Week of December 28, 2025

-- by Jim Miller

Chair Yoga: Safe, Simple, and Beneficial for Older Adults DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: I’ve been hearing some talk about "chair yoga" lately. I am bothered by arthritis, and my New Year’s resolution is to improve my health and get moving again. However, I have trouble getting down on the floor and up again. What can you tell me about this type of exercise? -- Arthritic Abby Dear Abby: If you’re looking for a safe way to get active again but find traditional exercise routines difficult, chair yoga may be the perfect fit. This is a form of gentle exercising that’s done either sitting on a chair or using the chair for support, all while standing. It adapts traditional yoga poses so they’re accessible to people who may have limited mobility, balance issues or, like yourself, difficulty getting down on the floor. This method helps improve flexibility, strength, and balance, boosts circulation and mobility, and promotes relaxation while reducing stress. This makes it an effective and safe way to help your body stay flexible and active at any age. A typical session begins with simple seated postures, such as gentle twists,

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

stretches for the arms and legs, or movements that open the hips and shoulders. These gentle stretches loosen stiff joints, improve posture, and increase flexibility in areas of the body that often become stiff and tight with age. It can also include standing positions like modified lunges or gentle balance work, with the chair always nearby for stability. Breathing exercises are often incorporated throughout the practice, encouraging participants to slow down, deepen their breath, and cultivate a sense of calm. Sessions usually end with a short period of guided relaxation, leaving participants refreshed and relaxed.

Page 13

for support. Seated marches: Sit tall and straight and alternate lifting one knee at a time toward your chest. Seated bicep curls: With elbows tucked in, curl weights towards shoulders, then lower with control. Seated overhead press: Press weights overhead from shoulder height, then slowly lower. Seated leg extensions: Extend one leg straight out and hold forPROOF 2-3 seconds, ADVERTISING then lower and repeat. Final Changes DUE: Tues., 6/25/19 5:00 p.m..

Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours How to Get Started Contact your Tidbits immediately withoff changes corrections. Heelrepresentative raises: Lift heels theorfloor, To begin, you simply need a sturdy Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 pause, and lower back down. chair without wheels and preferably without arms, and some loose and comfortable For noticeable benefits, these exerclothes. The goal is to stretch, not cause cises should be performed at least three pain. So go only as far as feels comfortable days a week, doing three sets of 8 to12 and don’t push beyond your limits. repetitions. * * * If possible, consider joining a local Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443,Ultimate Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. Home Repairs chair yoga class. Many local senior centers, org. Jim Business Miller is a Card, contributor to the NBC Today show and 4c, 26x Discount Rate YMCAs, and community recreation centers author of “The Savvy Senior” book. June 30, 2019 • Volume 15: Issue #27 offer them as part of their wellness or fitness programs. Some gyms may offer gentle yoga CLIP AND SAVE or chair yoga too. And if you’re enrolled in a PROFESSIONAL  Reliable  Expert Medicare Advantage plan, you may be able Handyman Services to access classes for free through SilverRepa and home repair Hom20iringesyeaforDesers!overrt Sneakers.com.

If attending an in-person class isn’t an option, you can also practice chair yoga at home. There are chair yoga apps and many videos you can access on YouTube to guide you through a routine. Chair Exercise Options As an alternative to chair yoga, there are chair exercises you can add to your routine that can help improve strength and balance, reduce joint pain and prevent falls.

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To execute some of these exercises, you’ll need some resistance equipment like light dumbbells, water bottles, soup cans or resistance bands. Sit-to-stand: For this exercise, sit at the edge of the chair, feet hip-width apart. Stand up without using your hands, then slowly sit back down. Use hands lightly on the chair or use a walker or cane if needed

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Page 14

ANTIQUE -- OR -JUNQUE by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

Figural Napkin Rings Were a Victorian Innovation Q: Enclosed is a photo of a silver napkin ring that I bought while traveling through West Virginia. The hen is attached to the side of the ring. Marked on the bottom are the words “Rogers and BNQ Triple Plated 267” -- along with a clutched fist with 10 lightning bolts shooting out of the fist. Any information about its origin or potential value would be appreciated.

Roger and Brothers Silver Manufacturing Company was located in Waterbury, Connecticut.

A: Take another look at the mark on your silver plated napkin ring. The letters “BNQ” are actually “BRO.” Rogers and Brothers Manufacturing Company was located in Waterbury, Connecticut, from 1860 to 1976. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there was a plethora of silver manufacturers with the name Rogers. Some were family related, and some were not. Records show the companies were founded, and then later some merged with others, and eventually some changed connections. The mark you described was used during the late 1800s. Napkin rings often with attached figures of animals were very popular in the Victorian Era. In the pre-automatic washing machines, it was practical for each person to reuse his or her napkin.

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Each napkin was tucked in an individual’s napkin ring after a meal was served to be used another day. Your figural napkin ring would probably be worth $175 to $250. *** Q: Enclosed is the mark that is on the bottom of a matching sugar bowl and cream pitcher. Each piece is shaped like a head of cauliflower with pink interiors, and both are in perfect condition. It originally belonged to my great-greatgrandmother. She was married in 1888, and we think it was a wedding gift. It has been in the family ever since. I plan to pass it along to my daughter and would like more information about the set. Anything you can tell me about its maker and value will be appreciated.

Griffen, Smith and Hill made majolica in the late 1800s.

A: Your set is an example of Majolica. It was made by Griffen, Smith and Hill who were located in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, from 1879 to 1889. Majolica is a term for lead-glazed earthenware that was decorated in bright colors. Victorians found majolica ware extremely appealing. Pieces were inspired by shapes in nature and also the sea. Majolica ware was made by companies in both the United States and Europe. Along with sugar bowls and cream pitchers, there were coffee, tea and dinner sets made in the “Cauliflower” pattern. Your set was made first made in 1880. A family heirloom majolica set similar to yours would have an insurance value of $500 to $600.

* * *

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.

Vol. XXII

Issue No. 1

* On Dec. 29, 1609 or 1610, Count Gyorgy Thurzo made an investigative visit ordered by King Matthias to Csejthe Castle in Hungary and made a horrifying discovery: Countess Elizabeth Bathory overseeing the torture of young girls. Already known for her abuse and murder of servants and peasants, her title and high-ranking relatives had previously given her impunity, but her atrocities eventually led to her being cited as one of history’s first vampires. * On Dec. 30, 1936, autoworkers occupied the General Motors Fisher Body Plant Number One in Flint, Michigan, in one of America’s first sit-down strikes, which lasted 44 days. Their aim: to win recognition of the United Auto Workers as the only bargaining agent for GM’s employees. An additional goal was for the company to stop outsourcing work to nonunion plants and to establish a fair minimum wage scale, a grievance system and a set of procedures to help protect assembly-line workers from injury. * On Dec. 31, 1879, inventor Thomas Edison delighted onlookers with the first public demonstration of his incandescent lightbulb in Menlo Park, New Jersey. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company even ran special trains to the city for the event. * On Jan. 1, 1995, the tales of giant rogue waves recounted by sailors for centuries were finally proved when a freak 85-foot-high wave was measured hitting the Draupner oil platform off the coast of Norway. * On Jan. 2, 2006, an explosion in the Sago Mine in Sago, West Virginia, trapped 13 coal miners. Tragically, all but one eventually succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning. The cave-in launched scrutiny and criticism of the media, the company that owned the mine and then-president George W. Bush’s administration. * On Jan. 3, 1993, backup quarterback Frank Reich led the Buffalo Bills to a 41-38 overtime victory over the Houston Oilers in an American Football Conference playoff game immortalized to football fans as “The Comeback.” * On Jan. 4, 2007, Nancy Pelosi, a Democratic representative from California, became the first woman to hold the Speaker of the House position. She would become Speaker again in 2018. (c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.

Puzzle Solutions

I can imagine somebody calling that profile of Abraham Lincoln on a penny a copper head.

GO FIGURE SOLUTION

"Okay, this does it. For the rest of this round we're all going to be standing 20 feet back when you're trying to tee off!"

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Week of December 28, 2025

Page 15

Chocolate: (from page 3) territory. GEOGRAPHIC CONSUMPTION

• Who eats the most chocolate? It’s no surprise that Switzerland residents consume more chocolate than any other country in the world, with each person eating nearly 22 lbs. (10 kg) a year. German folks devour almost 18 lbs. (8.1 kg) annually, and Ireland is in third place with 17.4 lbs. (7.9 kg).

TEE UP

• Although Switzerland eats the most, it’s not the top producer of the world’s chocolate. That honor belongs to Germany, with chocolate exports of $6.25 billion a year, 17% of the world’s total exports. • Belgium is the second-largest producer of chocolate, exporting $4.1 billion worth, about 11% of the total exports. The Brussels, Belgium airport sells more chocolate than anywhere else in the world, about 800 PROOF tons each year, which ADVERTISING to 3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) every 5:00 minute. Monday, 9/29/25 Final computes Changes DUE: p.m..

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• America’s largest and oldest chocolate company Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. was founded in Pennsylvania in 1894. Milton Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 Hershey opened his chocolate factory after having been in the caramel business since 1886. The Hershey Chocolate Company’s first products were chocolate coatings for caramels, baking chocolate, semi-sweet products, and cocoa powder.

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Game Changers by Jason Jenkins

Play Better Golf with JACK NICKLAUS

Karate-Like Chop Describing the downswing or approach to impact can be a difficult one to put into words. There are few images that adequately illustrate the feels that one sees with top players. One image that has caught my attention over the years is the comparison of the left arm’s approach to impact like that of a karate chop into a board. Martial artists will typically use a karate chop strike with the pinky pad side of the hand, not the back of the hand. Most blows are done downward, where the golf arm swing would be approaching from the side. Imagine the left arm swinging across the chest approaching the ball as if there were a board near impact. The pinky side pad leads the way with possible help from a leading elbow as well. Trying to “hit the board with the back of the hand” means an early squaring of the clubface and a weak impact. All top powerful strikes are lead by the karate like action and then followed by forearm rotation. I’ve never liked the phrase “pull the handle” at the ball, so I’ve preferred this imagery instead.

ADVERTISING PROOF Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m.. Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours JasonJenkins Jenkinswas wasaa 16-year 16-year member of the Jason the Jim JimMcLean McLeanGolf Golf Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changesTop or 100 corrections. School teaching staff.and He was was oneofofGOLF GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 School teaching staff one Magazine’s Teacher Nominees 1999-2010 and has named been named the Teacher Nominees 1999-2010. He Fax: was one ofone the of Golf Office: 760-320-0997 760-320-1630 Golf Digest Top Teachers in California. Jason teaches at GOLFTEC Digest Top Teachers in California in 2011. CENTER Indio. at Contact him at jjenkins@golftec.com ContactinJason 760-485-2452 or devgolfinstr@gmail.com

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1. HISTORY: What city is considered the birthplace of democracy? 2. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president had a pet raccoon named Rebecca? 3. MOVIES: What is the 2007 documentary “The 11th Hour” about? 4. GEOGRAPHY: How many countires lie along the equator? 5. ANATOMY: Which part of the eye controls how much light enters it? 6. TELEVISION: What is the name of the Tanners’ cat on the sitcom “ALF”? 7. LITERATURE: What are the names of the two families in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”? 8. CHEMISTRY: What kind of reaction produces heat? 9. U.S. STATES: Which state was the first to join the Union? 10. ASTRONOMY: Which is the by Linda Thistle Gonly O F inI G UR Ethat! planet our solar system New Year's resolution: Answer peeking verboten! TRIVIA TEST rotates on its side? The idea of Go Figure is to arrive at theAnswers figures Answers Answersgiven at Weekly Weekly SUDOKU SUDOKU the bottom and right-hand Athens, columns1.of the Greece. diagram by fol-Answer2. Calvin Coolidge. signs in lowing the arithmetic the order theycritical are state given (that 3. The of the Earth’s is, fromenvironment. left to right and top to bottom). Use only the numbers 4. 13. below the diagram to complete Iris. its blank5. squares and use each 6. Lucky. of the nine numbers only once. 7. Capulet and Montague. DIFFICULTY: 8. Exothermic. � 9. Delaware.�� Difficult � Moderate �� GO FIGURE! 10. Uranus. ©©2006 King Features Syndicate, 2010King King Features Synd.,Inc. Inc. ©©2020 2025 Features Synd., Inc. 2022 © 2025 2022King Features Synd., Inc.

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October 23-29, 2006

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1. (C) Neither 2. (D) Moving forward 3. (C) Nebuchadnezzar 4. (B) 1 John 5. (A) Ekron 6. (D) Moab

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Vol. 22: #1 • Chocolate • (12-28-2025) Tidbits of Coachella Valley