Thursday October 3, 2019 Volume 65 | Number 6
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CELEBRATING THE RESIDENTIAL PARK COMMUNITIES FOR 65 YEARS
Teach Me: Medicare 101
Free workshop held at the Palm Springs Public Library Friday, October 4
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t’s open enrollment for Medicare. Come to this presentation to learn more about who can apply, when one can apply, Special Needs Plans and the four parts of Medicare. Presented by Musia Witkes, an AHIP (America’s Health Insurance Plans) certified representative. The lecture will be from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in The Learning Center. For 2020 Medicare coverage, open enrollment will run from October 15, 2019 to December 7, 2019. During the annual enrollment period you can make changes to various aspects of your coverage. Come learn more about your options and ask questions.
The Palm Springs Public Library is located at 300 South Sunrise Way in Palm Springs. For more information visit palmspringslibrary.org or call 760-322-7323.
Using Google for Genealogy Research with guest speaker Gena Philibert-Ortega
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resented by the Palm Springs Genealogical Society with guest speaker Gena Philibert-Ortega followed by roundtable sharing. This FREE program will be from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in The Learning Center on Saturday, October 5. Gena Philibert-Ortega is an author, researcher, and instructor whose focus is genealogy, social and women’s history. She holds a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Psychology and Women’s Studies) and a Master’s degree in Religion. Her published works include two books, numerous articles published in magazines and online, two volumes of Tracing Female Ancestors , Tracing Your Ancestors: Hispanic Research (Moorshead Publishing) and a QuickGuide from Legacy Family Tree. She is the editor of the Utah Genealogical Association’s magazine, Crossroads. Her writings can be found on her blogs, Gena’s Genealogy and Food, Family, Ephemera as well as the GenealogyBank blog. She is a course instructor for The Nation-
al Institute for Genealogical Studies. She has presented to diverse groups worldwide including the National Genealogical Society Conference, the Alberta Genealogical Society Conference, the Geo-Literary Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Legacy Family Tree Webinar series. Her research projects include Sowerby’s British Mineralogy: Its Influence on Martha Proby and Others in the Scientific Community during the 19th Century for the Gemological Institute of America, as well as genealogical research for the first season of PBS’s Genealogy Roadshow and the Travel Channel’s Follow Your Past. Her current research includes women’s repatriation and citizenship in the 20th century, foodways and community in fundraising cookbooks, and women’s material culture. The Palm Springs Public Library is located at 300 South Sunrise Way in Palm Springs. For more information visit palmspringslibrary.org or call 760-322-7323.
ANSWER ON PAGE 9
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WORD SEARCH Estimated Increase in Social Security
ANSWER TO WORD SEARCH ON PAGE 9
AUTUMN
FALLOW
HAY
BUSHEL
FARM
HUSK
COMMODITY
FEED
MANURE
CORN
FLAIL
MILL
CRADLE
FORAGE
ORCHARD
CROPS
GRANGE
PICK
CULTIVATE
GRASS
SOWING
EROSION
HARVEST
TILLING
No Good Deed Goes Unrewarded It started out as a joke, says the Association of Mature American Citizens. But it ended up as a gesture of kindness when 24-year-old Carson King managed to get his poster on TV during an Iowa State football game. It asked viewers to use their Venmo digital payment apps to send him beer money and they did just that. It wasn’t long before the “unexpected” happened and he found that $400 had been deposited into his account. The sum quickly grew to $20,000. In the meantime, King said he had a change of heart. Instead of beer he would donate his newfound
wealth to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. His request for beer money went viral and days later, the New York Post reported that the amount of King’s contribution had risen to over a million dollars and counting -- a worthy donation for the children’s hospital. The Busch Brewery took care of King for his generosity; they’re providing him with a year’s worth of beer.
Grab your calculator. Those in the know are making an educated guess about the amount of our Social Security increase for 2020. The Senior Citizens League estimates that the increase will be 1.6%, below the raise we got last year. This will mean an average net gain of $23.40 per month for those receiving the average $1,460 per month benefit. In 2019, that benefit amount netted an increase of $40.90 per month. The Social Security Administration will come out later with the final number, but the Senior Citizens League has used the Consumer Price Index for 2019 up to the end of the third quarter for its calculations. At the same time, says the Senior Citizens League, our Medi-
The Association of Mature American Citizens provides the Filler Files as a service on issues of concern to Americans over 50.
Volunteering at a Shelter
Staff
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Serving 110 Mobile Manufactured Home and RV Parks in the Coachella, Morongo and Yucca Valley for 65 years. The Mobile Home News is a household tradition for the 55+ manufactured home park and RV Park population. Available at clubhouses and racks in manufactured home parks. Also available in many area businesses and senior centers.
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Dear Paw’s Corner I really want a pet, but our apartment doesn’t allow them. My mom told me that I could volunteer at a local animal shelter instead. What kind of work would I do as a volunteer? -- Amy in Bridgewater, Massachusetts Dear Amy There is always a variety of jobs for volunteers to do at animal shelters. These are usually assigned by the shelter manager or supervisor and are based on the tasks that need to be done and the age and ability of the volunteers. Now, keep in mind that not all volunteers get to work directly with animals in the shelter. That’s especially true if they’re brand-
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care Part B premium is expected to go from $135.50 to $144.30 per month. Doing the math, that nets the average benefit recipient an extra $14.60 per month. Some of us, however, are protected: If the Part B premium goes up more than the increased Social Security amount, the Part B premium will be adjusted to make sure there isn’t a net loss. What about our other expenses though? If we have a drug policy or a supplemental Medicare plan, chances are that the two of those will see increases that exceed the extra $14.60 per month. Then there’s the small matter of the price of fresh vegetables, beef, fish, eggs, dairy and cereal. Based on the Consumer Price Index, expect an increase in those prices, even before we get to 2020. Those of us who pay rent generally see an annual increase, too. Is there any chance the landlord will skip a year? To see all the things the SCL is doing for us, go online to seniorsleague.org. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
new or if they’re younger than 17. Instead, they may be assigned to handle tasks like cleaning, sorting through donated items or other jobs that don’t have direct contact with the animals. If you are assigned to work with animals, you may be socializing with kittens, walking dogs outside, or feeding the animals in their cages or kennels -- the list of needed tasks is long and never ends. That’s why most animal shelters require you to commit to a set number of hours per week or month. This isn’t a huge amount of time -- maybe two hours a week -– but they’ll rely on you to be there when you say you will. Look up nearby shelters online and contact them about volunteer opportunities. Many have web pages with instructions on how to volunteer, which will help you decide how you’d like to help. And of course, shelters take donations of blankets, toys, pet food and cash, so if you aren’t able to volunteer directly, consider a fundraising or toy collection drive instead. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
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DesertMobileHomeNews.com • The blue whale is the largest animal known to have ever existed. The marine mammal is so large, in fact, that a grown man could swim through its largest blood vessels.
1. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What kind of animal would be described as “leonine”? 2. THEATER: Which play features the song “The Impossible Dream”? 3. MYTHOLOGY: What was the Minotaur? 4. GEOGRAPHY: The nation of Ghana is located in what part of Africa? 5. LITERATURE: What kind of car was “Christine” in the Stephen King novel? 6. HISTORY: What was the code name for the site where the first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945?
• It was 19th-century American social reformer and statesman Frederick Douglass who made the following sage observation: “Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing the ground.” • If you use Listerine to freshen your breath, you might be interested to know that its original formula is 26.9% alcohol by volume -that comes out to 54-proof gargle.
7. MUSIC: Which rock band’s members included Frank Beard, Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill? 8. MOVIES: In “Field of Dreams,” what was the name of the baseball team for which Shoeless Joe Jackson played? 9. PSYCHOLOGY: Which fear is represented by the condition called “amaxophobia”? 10. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: On which Hawaiian island is Pearl Harbor located? © 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
ANSWER TO TRIVIA ON PAGE 9
• “If you have a beautiful planter that has no drainage holes, you can pot your plant in a second pot that will fit inside. Put a few pebbles in the bottom of the pretty planter, then put your pot• “My dresser came with a glass panel
• Next time you’re in Tinseltown, remember that it is unlawful to herd more than 3,000 sheep at a time down Hollywood Boulevard. • In the naming of American states, there some that never quite made it. It’s interesting to speculate about the possibilities, though. For instance, if you currently reside in the state of Kentucky or parts of Tennessee, but for the whimsy of fate, you could be a Transylvanian. Some people once wanted to take parts of Texas
that sits on top to protect the surface, but I didn’t like the look of it and just use a table runner across the top. Well, my daughter likes to play with slime (made from glue and other materials), and the glass is the perfect size when set on a table to make a protected, defined work surface. It’s easy to clean up after and very portable. Even though it’s glass, it’s very sturdy.” -- C.H. in Illinois • Flat paint will show fewer defects in a surface than glossier paint, experts say. When refinish-
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and Oklahoma to create the great state of Texlahoma (perhaps displaying a slight lack of imagination). When the Mormon church settled out west, Brigham Young petitioned to have the state of Deseret created, and the land he suggested make up the state included present-day Utah, almost all of Nevada and Arizona, a sizable chunk of California and bits of five other states. Long Island, in New York, even had designs on statehood at one time. • You might be surprised to learn that in the 19th century, ice accounted for more shipping than any other commodity except cotton. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
ing a piece of furniture or a wall that has seen better days, try to stay with a finish that’s less lightreflective. • “Puzzles are fun and rewarding, but you need a dedicated surface. Try using the back of a canvas. You can find one with a size big enough for your puzzle, and the frame keeps everything contained and portable from room to room.” -- B.B. in Florida (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
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Q: We are getting rid of cable soon, but my husband’s favorite show is “Seinfeld,” and he won’t be able to watch reruns anymore without it. Is “Seinfeld” available on Netflix? If not, I might just have to buy the DVDs. -- M.K. A: The hilarious hit comedy “about nothing” can be streamed through Hulu, which is similar to Netflix in that you pay a low monthly fee for access to various TV shows and movies. However, Hulu’s contract with “Seinfeld” ends in 2021 and after that Netflix will, in fact, have all the episodes available for viewing. The complete series also is available on DVD through Amazon and other retailers. Q: I was wondering if you could help me find these five made-forTV movies: “The Burning Bed,” “Small Sacrifices,” “Fatal Vision,” “Blind Faith” and “Cruel Doubt.” I’ve been trying to find a place to purchase these movies, but so far no luck. -- J.M. A: It was back in the day when the three major networks (ABC, CBS and NBC) broadcast original TV movies several nights a week. Most were based on true crime. Your first two films starred Farrah Fawcett, while a young Gwyneth Paltrow appeared with mother Blythe Danner in “Cruel Doubt.” Depending on whether you have a DVD or VHS player, go to either Amazon.com or eBay.com and, in the search box at the top, type in the name of the movie followed by either VHS or DVD. For example, on Amazon.com, type “The Burning Bed DVD,” and hit enter on your keyboard. I was able to find these movies to purchase either there or on eBay.
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Gwyneth Paltrow. Photo by Andrea Raffin.
Q: How is Cameron Mathison doing since his cancer diagnosis? Will he back to host “Home & Family”? -- A.A. A: Former soap star (ex-Ryan, “All My Children”) turned talk-show host is doing great since he had a tumor removed from one of his kidneys. He spent four days in the hospital, but fortunately the cancer had not spread to any other organs. Hopefully, Mathison will be back this fall on the Hallmark Channel set. Q: When we used to have Netflix, they would mail a movie disc to us that we could play on our TV. Now I hear they do it on the internet. Can I show those movies on my larger TV or just my puny computer monitor? -- J.K. A: Yes, you can “stream” movies and television shows on your big TV. If it’s not a “smart” TV that comes with the Netflix app, you’ll need to buy a streaming device or stick that plugs into your TV set. Your best bet is to visit your local electronics or big-box store and ask one of the employees to help you. Interestingly, Netflix still has an add-on DVD rental service through the mail. It’s not included in the regular subscription, but you can add it for a fee. Just visit www.netflix.com to learn more. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
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CROSSWORD
ACROSS 1. Google certification 4. Cloths spread over coffins 9. Disorderly 14. “Star Wars” hero Solo 15. Toward the rear 16. The order of frogs 17. Alternative pain treatment (abbr.) 18. “Wolf of Wall Street” star 20. Evoke 22. Units of metrical time 23. Helps to predict eclipses 24. Some say they attract 28. Pitching statistic 29. Baseball box score (abbr.)
9. Volcanic craters 10. Still outstanding 11. Takes responsibility for another 12. California think tank 13. Former Rocket Ming 19. A pigeon noise 21. Central part of 24. Academy Award statue 25. Distinct unit of sound 26. Relative on the female side of the family 27. Passover feast and ceremony 31. The brightest star in Virgo ANSWER TO PUZZLE ON PAGE 9 32. Made with oats 34. Subjects to 30. Force unit 65. Type of grass laser light common to the 31. Repaired shoe 35. Beloved Orient 33. English theologian Hollywood alien 66. Cosmic 37. Commercial 36. Neatly brief intelligence 38. Exchange money 40. The Great Lakes 67. No (Scottish) for goods or State (abbr.) 68. People who rely 41. Soon to be services on things 39. Give off released 69. Stairs have them 45. Swiss river 41. One from Utah 70. Mathematical 42. Computer 47. Become involved in term (abbr.) department 48. More dour 43. Begets 52. They’re on DOWN 44. English navigator floors 46. C C C 53. Boxing’s GOAT 1. Clarified butters 54. Swarms with 49. Of I 2. Primitive Himalayan 56. Quantum 50. Pouch people mechanics pioneer 51. Add notes to 3. Completely 57. Facilitated 55. A way to 4. Steep cliffs along 59. As fast as can fall into ruin the Hudson River be done (abbr.) 58. Cunning 5. Assist intelligence 6. Language spoken 60. Regional French wine Grand __ 59. Blood disorder in Laos 61. Owns 60. Disgraced CBS 7. Type of screen 62. Tell on newsman 8. An attempt to 63. Precedes two 64. Tax collector economize
SUDOKU
ANSWER TO SUDOKU ON PAGE 9
Brain Teaser Five add six is eleven, but six add seven is one. How is that possible?
SEE ANSWER ON PAGE 9
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Chicken Waldorf Supreme • 1/2 cup unpeeled, cored and diced Red Delicious apple • 1 teaspoon lemon juice • 1 cup sliced, cooked chicken breast • 2 tablespoons raisins • 3/4 cup diced celery • 1/4 cup chopped green onion • 2 tablespoons no-fat sour cream • 1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/8 teaspoon apple pie spice • Sugar substitute to equal 1 teaspoon sugar • 1 cup shredded lettuce 1. In a medium bowl, combine apple and lemon juice. Stir in chicken, raisins, celery and onion. Add sour cream, mayonnaise, vanilla extract, apple pie spice and sugar substitute. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 2. Gently stir just before serving. For each salad, place 1/2 cup shredded lettuce on a plate and spoon 1 cup chicken mixture over top. Serves 2. (c) 2019 King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Just How Safe Is Knee Replacement? Dear Dr. Roach I am thinking of having a total knee replacement done, as recommended by my doctor. I have bone on bone in my knee. What is your opinion? A friend of a friend had one done three months ago and has had nothing but trouble. He has had two manipulations because he cannot bend past 95 degrees. He goes to physical therapy, but has seen no results. Does this happen often with knee replacement? How about stiffness? How long before a patient is as good as new? Would you recommend the surgery, and what percentage of patients have the issues he is having? -- Anon. Answer Knee replacement (also called “total knee arthroplasty”) is one of the most effective surgeries performed, in terms of improving
quality of life. Studies have shown that about 80% of people are satisfied with the outcome of their knee replacement. The reasons that the remainder are dissatisfied generally have to do with complications of surgery, including infection, nerve injury, instability and stiffness (the inability to properly flex the knee), which is the issue for your friend of a friend. Only about 5% of people have stiffness, according to a 2006 paper, and these mostly improved with manipulation, although some needed a second operation. It is important to recognize the limitations of the surgery. You are never going to be as good as new -- that is, as good as before the arthritis in the knee developed. But most people are much better than where they started within three to six weeks of the surgery. Physical therapy after surgery is critical for success (but, as your friend shows, not a guarantee of success). My own patients’ experiences have been largely favorable. I have seen some bad complications, but most people are very satisfied, and the most common regret I hear is that they had not done the procedure earlier. Eighty to 90% of knee replacements are expected to last 15-20 years. (c) 2019 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved
The major “Golden Age of Hollywood” film studios (such as MGM and 20th Century Fox) declined in the 1960s because of television, which the movie studios hated until they started producing their own TV series. Now we have the marriage of movies and television (and computers) because of streaming platforms such as Netflix and HBO. Traditional filmmakers are at odds, pro and con. But Meryl Streep, Oscar’s most nominated actress (17 nominations and three wins), who stars in “The Laundromat,” now in limited release in theaters and available Oct. 8 for online viewing through Netflix, likes having both options. “If you want to see it on the big screen, you want to be first. A lot of people want to be the first, and so they’ll run out and do it,” she says. “Several thousand people in Manhattan, Boston and Los Angeles, who gravitate toward the material, would see it. But Netflix is in 133 million households globally. It’ll reach places it would not normally have been found.” Next up for Streep is Ryan Murphy’s “The Prom” for Netflix, along with an as-yet-untitled Martin Scorsese film, with Sha-
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Meryl Streep. Photo by courtesy of Depositphotos.
ron Stone, and the comedy “Let Them All Talk,” directed by Steven Soderbergh, with Lucas Hedges, Candice Bergen and Dianne Wiest for HBO Max. “Dark Shadows: Reincarnation” is what the CW is calling its planned “modern day continuation” reboot of the 1966-71 ABC soap opera “Dark Shadows.” It ran for 1,200 episodes and starred Joan Bennett, and led Kate Jackson to become one of “Charlie’s Angels.” The campy “Dark Shadows” movie (2012), which starred Johnny Depp, cost $150 million and earned $245 million. The original Barnabas Collins (Shakespearean actor Jonathan Frid) was biting necks before “The Walking Dead” ever walked. Bloody right! (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
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WordSearch Answer
Crossword Answer
Sudoku Answer
Hocus-Focus Answers Differences: 1. Catcher’s shirt has a stripe. 2. Batter has a hat. 3. Mom’s collar is different. 4. Sofa has no ruffle. 5. Picture is tilted differently. 6. There’s more glass on floor.
TRIVIA ANSWERS 1. A lion
4. West Africa
8. Chicago White Sox
2. “Man of La Mancha”
5. 1958 Plymouth Fury
9. Fear of riding in a car
3. A mythical creature that had the
6. Trinity
10. Oahu
body of a man and the head of a bull 7. ZZ Top
Drunk Pathologist Missed Illnesses A pathologist at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Arkansas has been charged with three counts of manslaughter after he altered lab results that showed he had misdiagnosed illnesses that led to the deaths of three veterans. A review of his work last summer revealed over 3,000 mistakes in his findings over the years. He was eventually fired after being suspended two
years in a row for being intoxicated at work. How on earth did someone like this continue to work at the VA? In 2015 it was reported that he was drunk at work and a test showed his blood alcohol level at was .396. He was suspended and went into a treatment program, where he apparently learned how to stay drunk and not have it show up on tests. He was rehired by the VA in 2016, then suspended again in 2017 for working while impaired. He managed to keep from having alcohol detected in his system by using a chemical that doesn’t show up in standard alcohol tests. It does show up, apparently, on a breathalyzer, as it did when he was picked up for drunk driving in 2018. Among other sins, he entered
Magic Maze Answer
© 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
false information into patient records that indicated another pathologist had agreed with his findings. In one case, the veteran had prostate cancer; the pathologist said he didn’t, and the veteran died. As many as 15 deaths could be the result of his errors. In addition to manslaughter, he faces charges of mail fraud, wire fraud and making false statements. Reviews of his work showed an error rate of 8.8% -the national average is 0.7%. The trial was to start October, but his attorneys requested an extension. It’s now set for September 2020. He could face 524 years in prison along with a $7.75 million fine. How dare he plead not guilty! (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
Brain Teaser Answer
When you are looking at a clock.
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