Vol. 21: #20 • Extraordinary Names • (5-11-2025) Tidbits of Coachella Valley by Tidbits of Coachella Valley

EXTRAORDINARY NAMES

by Janet Spencer

All across North America, you’ll come across towns with names that are real head-scratchers; names that beg the question, “Why did they ever call it THAT?” But the truth of the matter is that the weirdest names often have really simple explanations behind them. So buckle up and ride along as we discover the ordinary stories behind some of these extraordinary names!

Soddy Daisy

• Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, is a town of 13,000 people just north of the city of Chattanooga. The odd name comes from the joining of two separate communities: Soddy comes from the owner of one of the area’s first trading posts, William Soddy. It was a small town until it expanded when the Soddy Coal Company set up operations in the area.

• Soddy grew until it bumped borders with the nearby berg of Daisy, named for the daughter of Thomas Parks, the vice president of a different coal

Extraordinary Names: (from page one)

company. The two towns were incorporated into a single city in 1969.

• Incidentally, the word “Chattanooga” is thought to originate with the Cherokee phrase meaning “rock comes to a point,” which refers to nearby Lookout Mountain.

Nanty Glo

• The city of Nanty Glo, Pennsylvania (pop. 2,734) derived its name from the Welsh phrase “nant y glo” meaning literally “stream of coal” referring to a nearby creek that ran past several coal seams. Because of the easy access to surface coal, mining became big business there in the late 1800s as the advent of railroads boosted demand.

• The first coal mine to open was dubbed the “Nant Y Glo #1.” By the 1940s, a tour guide to Pennsylvania described the town as, “a valley coal town wrapped in a mist of sulphurous gas.” Things in Nanty Glo have improved since then.

North, South Carolina

• When the railroad came through South Carolina in 1891, a landowner named John North donated 100 acres for a train depot and townsite. The town was subsequently named North, South Carolina. About 700 people live there today. Meanwhile, the town of Due West, South Carolina (pop. 1,200) is likely a mispronunciation of “Dewitts,” the name of an early local family. Oh, and North, South Carolina, is southeast of Due West, South Carolina.

Rough and Ready

• Zachary Taylor served as the 12th U.S. president from 1849 until his death in 1850 by fever and digestive upset, Millard Fillmore then became the 13th president. However, Taylor’s

nickname was “Old Rough and Ready,” a popular moniker bestowed upon him due to this determined and stoic demeanor as a military general during the Mexican-American war.

• The California gold rush, which began in 1849 during Taylor's brief term, resulted in the formation of many upstart towns, most of which lasted only a few years. One town that survived, however, was named “Rough and Ready” after President Taylor. Today it has a population of around 1,000 Rough-and-Ready citizens. Some of the original buildings from 1850 still stand, including the blacksmith shop, the town hall, and the toll house.

Why and Whynot

• In Arizona there’s a spot where State Routes 85 and 86 meet at a Y-intersection. The community that sprang up there was simply referred to as “the Y” and later shortened to simply “Y.” When the town of 120 wanted to incorporate, the Arizona Department of Transportation required that all towns had to have a name with at least three letters in it. And that is why there is now a town called Why.

• The small community of Whynot, North Carolina, is located exactly 7 miles (11 km) west of the town of Jugtown Pottery. It received its name when, during a long argument at a town hall meeting over what the town should be called, one exhausted resident shouted, “Why not just call it ‘Why Not’ so we can all go home?” At this, everyone threw up their hands and left -- and the name stuck.

Muscle Shoals

• Before we dig back through the etymology of the Muscle Shoals name, there are a few things you need to know. The word “muscle” stems from the Latin root meaning “little mouse” because the flexing of some muscles resembles a mouse moving under the skin.

• The homonym “mussel” refers to a clam-like marine bivalve mollusk that attaches itself to hard surfaces in intertidal areas. This word also springs from the same Latin word meaning “mouse” but the different spelling comes to us after being passed through the Dutch language.

• In the northwest corner of Alabama, a town was Week of May 11,

A businessman named George Reeves bought 1,000 acres of land in Michigan and set up a sawmill, distillery, gristmill, general store and a tavern. As the settlement there began to populate with newcomers, there were enough people to officially form a town. They asked George what he wanted to name the town he had built. His answer was, "I don't care, you can name it Hell for all I care." The town of Hell, Michigan was officially named Oct. 13, 1841.

founded on the banks of the Tennessee River. The river banks were loaded with mussels, which were a popular seafood for locals. The word shoal refers to shallow waters. Early settlers named the town “Muscle Shoals” simply because they were not good at spelling.

• Today, Muscle Shoals (pop.15,000) is noted for its music studios which have turned out hits from Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Carrie Underwood, Rod Stewart, the Rolling Stones, George Michael, the Allman Brothers, Jimmy Buffet, and others.

No Name, Colorado

• In 1900 the state of Colorado wanted to formalize place names, so they distributed a

1. What name has the town of Poca, West Virginia, given to their high school sports team?

2. The town of Rabbit Hash has consistently elected a succession of "qualified" dogs as town mayor since the tradition began in 1998. What state is it in?

• In the town of Beatrice, Nebraska, members of the West Side Baptist Church were preparing to meet for choir practice. It was Wednesday, March 1, 1950. Choir practice always started Wednesday evenings at 7:20 pm on the dot.

• The weather had been quite cold that day, so Reverend Walter Klempel went to the church early to light the furnace, then returned home for dinner with his wife Eurnice.

• Just as they were leaving for choir practice, their 18-month-old daughter Marilyn Ruth soiled her outfit. She needed a clean dress. This made them all late.

• The choir director, Martha Paul, insisted on punctuality. However, that evening her daughter, who served as the pianist, was extra tired and lay down after dinner for a nap before choir practice. She overslept, so she and her mother were both late for choir.

• Choir member Herbert Kipf was in the middle of writing a letter, which he felt compelled to finish, and then drove down to the post office to mail it, making him late for choir practice.

• Ladona Vangergrift was working on her math homework and wanted to finish a particularly difficult geometry problem before going to

choir practice, so she was late as well.

• Royena and Sadie Estes could not get their car started. They called Ladona to ask for a ride, and Ladona said she would be there as soon as she finished her geometry homework. Because of this, all three of them were late.

• Lucille Jones was listening to a radio program about the life of ventriloquist Edgar Bergen. She wanted to hear the conclusion of the broadcast before joining the choir at the church, so she was late. She usually drove Dorothy Wood to practice, but Dorothy had to wait for Lucille to arrive to get her, so both of them were late.

• Harvey Ahl was taking care of his two sons while his wife was away. He intended to take them to practice with him but got busy getting their things ready, which made him late.

• Mrs. Leonard Schuster and her daughter Susan needed to stop by Mrs. Schuster’s mother’s house on the way to choir practice to help her get ready for a missionary’s meeting. The stop took longer than expected, causing them to be late for choir practice.

• Joyce Black lived directly across the street from the church. She could easily have been on time for choir practice that night. However, it was a cold night and she got involved looking for a missing button for her winter coat.

Baptist Church literally erupted. The walls blew outward, and the heavy wooden roof crashed straight down. The blast forced a nearby radio station off the air, cut power to half the town, and shattered windows all around.

• Later investigation revealed that the church exploded due to a natural gas leak from an underground pipeline that ignited when fumes filled the church and eventually reached the furnace. Yet, for the first time in the churchʼs history, every single choir member had been late to choir practice.

• One at a time, each one of the choir members arrived at the burning building in a panic, frantic to know who had been inside when the church blew up. Standing outside, as more and more church members arrived, they took a head count and realized the church had been completely empty. All of them had missed the explosion. All of them, for one reason or another, had been late to choir practice. They all knew this miracle was more than mere coincidence, and they all gratefully gathered round to thank the Lord for His protection! 

Bill Baker - The Solar Initiative 1/3 page “Box” 4C Non-Profit Disc. Rate May 4, 2025 • Volume 21: Issue #19

• The moment Joyce Black stepped out of her door, she froze on the front steps in shocked horror as the West Side Baptist Church across the street suddenly exploded into a massive fireball.

• It was 7:25 in the evening. With a roar heard in every corner of Beatrice, the West Side

Good Recipes from

Twice-Baked Potatoes Caesar

Try these yummy potatoes with your favorite steak dish.

3 (about 6 ounces each) small baking potatoes

2 tablespoons margarine, substitute butter

1 small garlic clove, crushed with press

1/2 cup sour cream

4 anchovy fillets, minced, substitute 1 teaspoon anchovy paste

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel

1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

1/2 cup (plus 2 tablespoons) grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. With fork, pierce potatoes in several places. Place potatoes on oven rack and bake 35 minutes or until forktender.

2. Cut each potato lengthwise in half.

With spoon, carefully scoop out potatoes, placing flesh in medium bowl and leaving potato-skin shells intact.

3. In small saucepan, melt margarine over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 15 seconds.

4. With potato masher, mash potatoes with margarine mixture, sour cream, anchovies, salt, lemon peel, pepper and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Spoon mixture into 4 reserved potato-skin shells, mounding slightly.

5. If you like, cover and refrigerate remaining 2 shells for use another day. Place potatoes in shallow baking pan; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan.

6. Return potatoes to oven and bake about 15 minutes or until hot on the inside and golden on top.

 Each serving: About 275 calories, 15g total fat (7g saturated), 24mg cholesterol, 620mg sodium, 27g total carbohydrate, 2g dietary fiber, 10g protein.

Pimiento-Studded Deviled Eggs

These appetizers are festive and colorful, and can easily be made the day ahead. Simply spoon the yolk mixture into the whites for a more casual look, or use a decorating bag with a large star tube for a more formal look.

12 large eggs, hard-cooked and shelled 1/4 cup sliced pimientos, chopped 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise dressing 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Fresh herb sprigs for garnish

1. Slice each egg lengthwise in half. Gently remove yolks and place in small bowl; with fork, finely mash yolks. Stir in pimientos, mayonnaise dressing, mustard, ground red pepper and salt until well mixed.

2. Place egg-white halves in 15 1/2-

By John Allen

DIAMOND LIL

by Brett Koth

Donald Duck by Walt

Holidays & Observances This Week

5/11 Mothers Day

5/12 Limerick Day

5/13 Frog Jumping Day

5/14 Civil Decency Day

5/15 Peace Officer Memorial Day

5/16 National BBQ Day

5/17 Syttende Mai

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis

Tiny Terrors

The island of Malta boasts the best weather in the world and some say the best dog: the Maltese. The Maltese is a toy breed and one of the most popular companion dogs, favored for its compact size and its affectionate and playful demeanor. But that doesn’t mean all Maltese pups play nice.

Just the other day, a woman called me to discuss her beloved Maltese, a wonderful dog whose teeth have found a resting place in the epidermis of her landlord, her neighbor, her best friend and a random stranger in a supermarket.

As if that weren’t enough, this woman has four children, ages 7, 5, 3 and 3 months.

She called me because she wanted to know what to do. And I told her:

1) Invest in a professional trainer.

2) Once the dog is trained, find him a home without children.

The question that follows is always: Why do I have to get rid of the dog if I go to the expense and trouble of having him trained?

The answer: You can’t train aggression out of a dog. You can teach the dog manners, establish boundaries and learn ways to modify his behavior, but a dog that has bitten four people can never be fully trusted around small children.

Which inevitably begs the question: Why should I bother training the dog if I’m going to have to give him up?

The answer: Who is going to knowingly adopt an aggressive dog? A dog in need of a home is at an extreme disadvantage if he has never been trained. If he’s never been trained and has a history of biting, it’s almost mission impossible. And if you aren’t forthright about the dog’s history and temperament, you aren’t doing the dog any favors because the next owner -- not having as deep a bond -- might just drop him at the local shelter at the first snarl.

There are some dogs that are just not suited for human companionship. But the vast, vast majority of dogs would be just fine with the right person or family. In the case of the Maltese Snapper, a pro-

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

(CryptoQuip Solution on page 14)

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles © King Features Synd., Inc.

Smart Devices

Convenience versus safety -- sometimes it’s impossible to have both when it comes to tech devices.

There are more smart devices than we could have imagined 10 years ago, and every day brings something new. We have smart door locks, thermostats, refrigerators, indoor and outdoor security cameras, televisions, cellphones, light bulbs, speakers and wall plugs.

Regardless of whether it’s data breaches, surveillance, intrusions, hijack of your device or outright cyber attacks and theft of your information, smart devices can make you vulnerable if they are hacked.

Take smart thermostats, for example. Those smart gadgets track all kinds of things about you. Scariest of all is that they keep track of when you leave home and when you come back. All of this is information that a cunning thief would like to have.

If you want a smart device, be sure you understand the downside and the risks. Keep the software updated, use strong passwords and understand the settings, especially on any device with a camera or microphone.

For example, your smart television speakers could work in the reverse and capture the conversations and other sounds in the room while you are completely unaware someone could be listening.

Before you buy a smart device, or to learn more about devices which you might already have, go online to search for “dangers of smart devices.”

If you want news about all things tech, you can do no better than Kim Komando (https:// www.komando.com). Sign up, and several times a week you’ll get an email newsletter from her packed with tech news that I promise you'll find interesting. A lot of what she has to say concerns safety, how to avoid scams and what tech items to buy, and which ones to avoid.

Check out her website to sign up. You can also catch her either on the radio or her podcast. She has two daily radio shows and one weekend radio show about consumer technology, plus a weekly call-in show where listeners call and ask questions. Look for local listings. You can Google her online to find what local stations in your area air her shows.

I’ve subscribed for many years and know that she honors privacy preference settings and doesn’t sell names or email addresses.

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.

REGAINING INDEPENDENCE AFTER A STROKE

•

fessionally trained version of this dog would surely work its way into the heart of an experienced adult dog owner. And then everyone would get their happily ever after.

To do nothing, though, would be the ultimate in irresponsibility. To do nothing would mean continuing to subject children to a dangerous situation. To do nothing would mean further diminishing the dog’s chances of a good life. To do nothing should not be an option.

My experience with dogs and their owners tells me that the big trouble is with the littlest dogs. Owners of big dogs tend to zero in on the importance of training. The impetus is the idea that with big dogs come big messes and big trouble. But the truth is that without proper training, trouble comes a knockin’ regardless of size.

Cody’s Corner (from page 9) * * *

Woof!

Dog trainer Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis is the co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and the host of the PBS series “WOOF! It’s a Dog’s Life!” Read all of Uncle Matty’s columns at www.creators.com, and visit him at www.unclematty.com.

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Time for Another Survey of SSA Services

Sadly, there has been more than a little bit of “government bashing” going on lately. In addition to general rants about alleged government inefficiency, government employees come in for more than their share of criticism. All I really know is Social Security and the services provided by the Social Security Administration. So that’s what I am going to write about today.

I hear about the issue all the time from readers. I’ve learned over the years that people are much more likely to complain to me about poor service than they are to send me an email praising good service.

That’s why I was a little surprised when I got about a half-dozen unsolicited emails this week from readers in various parts of the country telling me how pleased they were with the people they encountered at the Social Security Administration and with the services they got. Several told me that they filed for Social Security benefits online, found the process very simple and got their “award letter” notifying them of benefits they would be due in about a week. Several others told me that they called the agency’s national toll-free number (800772-1213), and that even though they waited on hold for a long time, they praised the help and efficient service they got once their call was answered.

Despite this recent spate of positive comments, as I said, I’ve learned over the years that more people tend to complain about poor service. I’ve always been intrigued by this. So, occasionally, I survey my readers’ opinions of the SSA’s services. The last one I did was about a year ago. Maybe it’s time for another one.

What I learned from past surveys is that when given the chance to voice their opinion, the folks who were very satisfied with the SSA’s servic-

es and employees come out of the woodwork and let me know what they think. In the last survey I did, I asked my readers to rate the service they got from the Social Security Administration in the form of stars: 5 stars for excellent service, down to 1 star for poor service. I got 254 responses from readers. The ratings broke down like this:

-- 5 stars: 191 ratings

-- 4.5 stars: 7 ratings

-- 4 stars: 31 ratings

-- 3 stars: 13 ratings

-- 2 stars: 4 ratings

-- 1 star: 8 ratings

If I’m doing my math right, that comes out to a 4.5-star average rating. I understand this is an unscientific survey. But I still think it’s a pretty good representation of what most people think about the service they get from the SSA.

And I did glean some points from the responses I got to that last survey. As I’ve reported on before, the SSA does routine work extremely well. And the good news is that when it comes to our involvement with the Social Security Administration, almost all of us have routine issues. We file for retirement benefits, or we want to change our address in the SSA’s records. These jobs are handled quickly and efficiently -- usually by the SSA’s website: www.socialsecurity.gov. Many readers who gave 5-star reviews specifically mentioned the ease of using the website.

Conversely, many people who gave lower ratings had messy situations. One guy had been trying for years to get disability benefits. And even though he eventually got those benefits, he gave the agency a 1-star review.

Two other readers gave a low rating because they said they got wrong answers from SSA reps. But when they described their situation to me, they actually got the correct information. I don’t think people should give a low rating based on what they think an answer is supposed to be. But still, they did.

Some people who gave lower ratings cited the long wait times when calling the agency’s tollfree number. One guy gave a 1-star rating for that

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

2. From Romans 11, which tribe did Paul describe himself as a member of? a) Gad b) Benjamin c) Tarsus d) Asher

3. What is the "Decalogue" another name for? a) Ark of Covenant b) Last Supper c) Holy Grail d) Ten Commandments

4. In which "Garden of" did Adam and Eve live? a) Paradise b) Eden c) Heaven d) Sanctuary

5. From Romans 5:6, Paul noted that Christ died for the .... a) Ungodly b) Believers c) Unbelievers d) Righteous

6. What did God create Adam from? a) His light b) Eve's rib c) Dust of the Earth d) His own flesh

reason. But interestingly, another person who said he waited for about an hour gave a 4-star rating because once his call was answered, he said he talked to a knowledgeable rep who gave him good advice. And this leads me to another observation I gleaned from readers’ responses to my last survey. I think happy and optimistic people tend to give good ratings, and grumpy and pessimistic people give low ratings. Here is a perfect example of that. Two people, one kind of grumpy and one kind of happy (I could just feel those vibes in the emails they sent), reported almost identical issues with the SSA’s in-office service they experienced. They each ended up sitting for about an hour in the waiting room of their respective local SSA office before being served. Mr. Grumpy gave the SSA a 1-star because of that. Mr. Happy still gave a 5-star review because he said he understood there had been staffing cutbacks, and once he was served, he got his issues taken care of in a professional way. By the way, I am not saying that all those who give low reviews are grumpy people. But I am saying that all grumpy people give low reviews.

Anyway, with the latest round of staffing cuts we’ve all heard about, I think it’s time to do another survey. If you’ve had to deal with the Social Security Administration lately, tell me what you think. Use the same star system I mentioned earlier: 5 stars for excellent service, down to 1 star for poor service. Send those ratings to my email address: thomas.margenau@comcast.net. All I need is the rating. But if you feel inclined to comment on your rating, go ahead. But please don’t make it a long, drawn-out critique. Due to the high volume of emails I get from my readers around the country, I simply don’t have time to digest them all. *

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

on page

Does Medicare Cover Vision Care and Eye Exams?

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: What all does Medicare cover when it comes to vision care? I currently have good vision insurance through my employer but will lose it when I retire. --Almost 65

Dear Almost: Many soon-to-be retirees are a bit blurry about what Medicare does and doesn’t cover when it comes to vision care. The good news is that Medicare covers most medical issues like cataract surgery, treatment of eye diseases and medical emergencies. But unfortunately, routine care like eye exams and eyeglasses are usually the beneficiary’s responsibility. Here’s a breakdown of what is and isn’t covered:

Eye exams and treatments:

Medicare does not cover routine eye exams that test for eyeglasses or contact lenses, but they do cover yearly medical eye exams if you have diabetes or are at high risk for glaucoma. They will also pay for exams to test and treat medical eye diseases if you’re having vision problems that indicate a serious eye problem like macular degeneration, dry eye syndrome, glaucoma, eye infections or if you get a foreign particle in your eye.

Eye surgeries:

Medicare will cover most eye surgeries that help repair the eye function, including cataract surgery to remove cataracts and insert standard intraocular lenses to replace your own. Medicare will not, however, pick up the extra cost if you choose a premium multifocal lens that restores full range of vision, thereby reducing your need for glasses after cataract surgery. The extra cost for a premium lens can run $1,500 to $4,000 per eye.

Eye surgeries that are usually not cov ered by Medicare include refractive (LASIK) surgery and cosmetic eye surgery that are not considered medically necessary.

Eyeglasses and contact lenses:

Medicare will not pay for eyeglasses or contact lenses, with one exception: If you have had a conventional intraocular lens in serted during cataract surgery, Medicare will pay for eyeglasses or contact lenses follow ing the operation.

Ways to Save

Although original Medicare’s vision coverage is limited to medical issues, there are ways you can save on routine care. Here are several to check into.

Medicare Advantage plans:

between 10 and 50 percent – on eye exams and eyeglasses if you belong to a membership group like AARP, AMAC or AAA.

You can also save by shopping at discount retailers like Costco Optical, Sam’s Club Optical or Target Optical, which are all recommended by Consumer Reports. Or consider buying your glasses online at retailers like ZenniOptical.com, EyeBuyDirect. com or GlassesUSA.com which offer big savings.

To purchase glasses online, you’ll need a valid prescription from an eye doctor (no more than a year old), plus your pupillary distance number, which is the distance, measured in millimeters, between the centers of your pupils in each eye.

Look for assistance:

Many of these plans, which are alter natives to original Medicare and sold through private insurance companies, cover routine eye exams and eyeglasses, but coverage is limited, so be sure you understand the spe cifics.

While I don’t endorse enrolling in an Advantage plan just to get vision coverage it is an option you should know about. To locate Advantage plans in your area that pro vide vision coverage, go to Medicare.gov/ plan-compare or call 800-633-4227.

FILLERPAGE2

2Q08-WEEK19

Purchase vision insurance:

MAY4-MAY10

If you get routine eye exams and pur chase new eyeglasses annually, a vision in surance plan may be worth the costs. These policies typically range between $5 and $30 per month. Most plans will also have copays or deductibles you’ll be responsible for.

TRIVIANEWSFRONT PRESENTS

Check veterans’ benefits:

byKaraKovalchik&SandyWood

1.Whohada#1hitin1961withthesardonic “Mother-in-Law”?

2.Accordingtotheproverb,whatis“the motherofinvention”?

If you’re a veteran and qualify for VA health care benefits, you may be able to get some or all of your routine vision care through VA. Go to VA.gov/health-care/ about-va-health-benefits/vision-care learn more.

2.Accordingtotheproverb,whatis“the motherofinvention”?

3.WhatwastherealfirstnameofAfricanAmericancomedienneMomsMabley?

4.Whatfilmactorwantedto in1987? ThrowMomma fromtheTrain

-- by Jim Miller

ANTIQUE

by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

Vaseline Glass Was Made as Early as 1850

Q: Enclosed you will find a photo of a Vaseline glass dish. It measures approximately 5 inches by 5 inches and 1 inch deep. It is in mint condition.

What can you tell me about my dish?

A: You have a nice example of Early American Pattern Glass. Vaseline glass is popular with pattern glass collectors. The yellow-green color was achieved by adding uranium oxide to the formula. Large amounts were made from 1850 to around the1920s. The term “Vaseline,” used to describe the dish, is based on the yellow-green glass looking similar to petroleum jelly. The pattern is “Daisy and Button.”

Early American Pattern Glass was made from around the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. Your early 20th-century dish would probably be worth $35 to $60.

Q: I have a cedar hope chest that is decorated with a coat of arms on the front and flanked by carved crests in relief. It was made by the Edward Roos Company. I think it was located in St. Louis and went out of business in the 1950s. I paid $39 for it at an antique sale in 1971.

Is it worth anything?

A: Edward Roos Company Cedar Chest Factory was established in Forest Park, Ill., in 1918.

Its cedar hope chests were made in a wide variety of styles and wood. They were lined in cedar to help prevent moths.

One of the most popular designs was its art deco waterfall. Roos developed a successful magazine promotion directed toward young women who were planning on marrying. Even before a young woman was engaged to be married, they began gathering linens, towels and blankets that were stored in the hope chests, thus the name.

By in the late 1940s, the factory was in decline and soon closed. The building was purchased in the 1960s, and the owner planned to turn it into condos. The venture failed and the building was eventually torn down.

Similar cedar chests can be seen selling from $150 to $450.

Q: This mark is on the bottom of a porcelain figurine of a mother and small child that I have. It has been in my family since the early 1900s. It is 15 inches tall and in perfect condition.

I hope you can tell me something about its history and value.

A. W. Fr. Kister Porcelain Manufactory has been in business since 1838.

A: A. W. Fr. Kister Porcelain Manufactory made your porcelain figurine. It has produced porcelain in Scheibe-Alsbach, Thuringia, Germany, since 1838.

Your circa 1900 figurine would probably be worth $850 to $1,250.

* * *

Antiques expert and columnist Anne McCollam has since retired and no longer receives inquiries nor answers reader letters. Due to the popularity of her column, this publication will continue to reprint previous columns of interest to our readers. To find out more about Anne McCollam and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com

* On May 12, 1896, New York City passed America’s first anti-spitting law in an effort to combat tuberculosis, imposing fines and even jail time on unruly protesters who demonstrated their discontent by expectorating on anti-spitting signs. By 1910, more than 2,500 arrests had been made.

* On May 13, 1846, in response to a request by President James Polk, the U.S. Congress declared war on Mexico. The conflict, which ended two years later with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, eventually cost the lives of 11,300 American soldiers and resulted in the annexation of lands that became parts of Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah and Colorado.

* On May 14, 1998, legendary crooner, actor and show business icon Frank Sinatra died of a heart attack in Los Angeles at the age of 82. A heartthrob who married four times and divorced three, Sinatra’s career spanned more than five decades, including a notable comeback in the 1950s.

* On May 15, 1948, 3-year-old June Devaney of Blackburn, England, was abducted from the hospital where she was recuperating from pneumonia. After her body was found two hours later, the detective inspector assigned to the case ordered the fingerprinting of the more than 40,000 men residing in Blackburn, which took nearly three months but eventually led to the killer, who was convicted and executed later that year.

* On May 16, 1975, Junko Tabei of Japan became the first woman to summit Mount Everest. She later gained further fame as the first woman to scale all Seven Summits, the tallest mountains on each continent.

* On May 17, 2000, the final episode of “Beverly Hills, 90210” aired after 10 seasons.

* On May 18, 2012, Facebook held its initial public offering (IPO) and raised $16 billion. It was the largest technology IPO in American history at the time and thirdlargest IPO in the United States, after those of Visa and General Motors. When it went public, the social network was valued at $104 billion and boasted some 900 million registered users around the world.

Vaseline glass was made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

form to be filled out by every town in the state. One town hadn't yet agreed on a name, so they wrote "No Name" in the appropriate blank, meaning they would make that decision at a later time. But not knowing what name to use to make it official, the government clerk sent it through as they received it, and it's been No Name, Colorado ever since.

Flin Flon, Manitoba

• In 1905, an English writer named James Edward Preston Muddock published a dime novel. Inspired by a recent trip to the rough and wild western regions of the U.S., Muddock wrote a tale about a prospector who explores the bottom of a large lake in his submarine, making outlandish discoveries. Muddock was already a very popular and widely-read author, after publishing dozens of detective novels, true crime thrillers, horror stories, as well as numerous history books, guidebooks, and his autobiography.

• Muddock’s book about the prospector was very popular and circulated widely across not only England but also the U.S. and Canada. The title of the tome was “The Sunless City: From the Papers and Diaries of the Late Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin.”

• Meanwhile, in northern Manitoba, Canada, prospector Thomas Creighton, who had recently read the book, discovered a rich copper deposit under the waters of a lake. Jokingly, he suggested to his companions that the great Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin must have been prospecting nearby. He thought the new location should be named after the great fictional adventurer. Everyone agreed to the idea, though it was suggested that “Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin” should be shortened.

• Today, Flin Flon, Manitoba, is a thriving mining town with a population of about 5,000. A statue of the great Flintabbatey Flonatin himself stands on a local corner, designed by cartoonist Al Capp (“Lil Abner”), erected in 1962, standing nearly 25 feet tall, and constructed of the finest fiberglass that money can buy. 

by Jason Jenkins

It’s often discouraged to make a forward press with the hands and club in a full swing, but many great putters have done so with their stroke. A forward press is used to ignite movement without the jerkiness or tension of starting backwards from a static position. With putting, it can aid with rhythm and good impact mechanics at the same time.

The simple trick is to take your normal putting set up.

Next, move the hands and top end of the grip an inch toward the target first (without other body movement).

Finally, rebound into the backstroke as if the putter head was going back as the hands were still going forward. The hope is that the putter head makes a smooth move away from the ball on a neutral path.

Great putters like Ben Crenshaw were noticeable in their forward press, but it can be subtle with most golfers. Just get used to having a little move forward before going back.

Linda Thistle