Vol 21: #11 • Memorable Concerts • (3-9-2025) Tidbits of Coachella Valley by Tidbits of Coachella Valley

by Kathy Wolfe

Calling all music lovers! This week Tidbits recalls a few concert events in the world of musical performance that, for one notable reason or another, need to be filed in the category of unusual - or at least certainly memorable! Follow along and see why.

TICKET TRAUMA

• The Moondog Coronation Ball is considered to be the first rock concert ever held. Opening in a Cleveland, Ohio, arena in 1952, it featured headliners Paul Williams and his Hucklebuckers, along with Tiny Grimes and the Rocking Highlanders. All 10,000 seats sold out on the first day of advance sales, but on concert day, counterfeiting and printing errors led to upwards of 20,000 spectators showing up! When all seats were filled and the gates closed, the remaining 10,000 angry fans broke through the doors, streamed in, and bedlam ensued. Riot police shut the concert down after the first song.

PLATFORM PERILS

• There’s nothing rare about a musical artist falling either on or off the stage during a concert. Some

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

(Answers on page 16)

If climbing on the back of a 290-pound bird sounds like a good time, maybe ostrich racing is for you! This week, Tidbits heads to the track to investigate this unusual sport.

• If you’ve never even heard of ostrich racing, you might be surprised to learn that it’s been an event in the U.S. since the late 1800s. Before that, it was widespread in South Africa in an area known as the ostrich capital of the world because of the large number of farms that raised the huge birds.

• The flightless ostrich is the largest bird in the world, and is the only bird that has been successfully mounted and ridden. With the fastest land speed of any bird, they can reach speeds up to 45 mph (70 km/hr), covering up to 16 feet (4.9 m) in a single stride. A fully-grown bird can reach a height of nearly nine feet (2.75 m).

• A jockey’s weight cannot exceed 198 lbs. (86 kg), and his/her only protective gear is a helmet. While most ride directly on the ostrich’s back, gripping its feathers tightly, others use a wagon, special saddles, or reins and bits.

• While a racehorse is domesticated and responsive to their rider’s and trainer’s commands, an ostrich jockey has no idea what the impulsive and unpredictable bird is going to do next. They might run in a straight line, swerve to the sidelines, intentionally collide with another ostrich, or refuse to run at all. If they don’t like a rider on their back, they wiggle, shake, or jump in an attempt to rid themselves of the person on their back.

1. LITERATURE: Who lives at 4 Privet Drive?

2. TELEVISION: Which 1980s sitcom featured the Keaton family?

3. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who was the first American-born president?

4. COMICS: What is Deadpool’s profession?

5. AD SLOGANS: Which makeup company’s slogan is “Maybe she’s born with it”?

6. HISTORY: Which battles marked the beginning of the American Revolution?

7. INVENTIONS: The 1904 World’s Fair introduced which fluffy confection?

8. MOVIES: In which year were the first Oscars awarded?

9. MEASUREMENTS: What does 1 gallon of water weigh?

10. GEOGRAPHY: What are the colors of the Italian flag? Answers

1. Harry Potter and the Dursley family.

• Although the ostriches are capable of faster speeds, racers typically run at a steady speed of about 30 mph (50 km/hr).

• Ostrich racing got its start in the U.S. in Jacksonville, Florida, where an ostrich farm

opened as a tourist attraction in 1898. It wasn’t long before it was one of Florida’s most-visited attractions.

• In 1920, the technique included pulling a sock over the bird’s head as it was being mounted, since ostriches feel safer in the dark. The sock was pulled off, and the bird leaped forward. Riders had a 150-lb. (68-kg) weight limit and were charged 50 cents for the privilege of racing. An added attraction at the ranch were performances of sharpshooter Annie Oakley’s abilities.

• Every year, Altoona, Iowa, hosts the Prairie Meadows Ostrich Races, but it’s not just for ostriches! The event hosts camel and zebra racing as well, with one of the organizers the owner of 70 camels, 40 zebras, and 60 ostriches. The race track’s motto is “Things are going to get wild.”

• We might think of the state of Kentucky as the home of thoroughbred horse racing, but Henderson, Kentucky, holds its annual Ellis Park competition, with both ostriches and camels, but with an added twist – this event also adds wiener dog racing.

• There can certainly be dangerous drawbacks to ostrich racing. Male ostriches experience severe mood swings when the females lay eggs, or when they feel threatened, and can thrash about aggressively, striking those nearby with their large two-toed, 4-inch claws, an action that has caused serious injuries, and in several cases human fatalities.

• The Chandler Ostrich Chariot Races in Arizona began in 1989 as a popular attraction for both locals and visitors. However, the annual event was ultimately discontinued in 2023 after objections by animal rights groups who claimed the unnatural stress was harmful to the birds.

WARNING: Reading Tidbits is habit forming

Memorable Concerts: (from page one)

have even done this more than once. In 2008, Katy Perry jumped on top of a giant cake, and slipped on the frosting that covered her. She tried to stand up several more times, each time resulting in another fall. Justin Bieber limped off the stage after falling in the midst of stunts, and a few years later fell backwards into a trapdoor opening on the stage floor.

• Beyonce suffered a major fall at an Orlando concert when the tail of her long coat got caught under the heel of her shoe, sending her headfirst down a flight of stairs leading to the stage. She fell again a few years later during a concert in Brazil.

• Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler incurred serious injuries to his head and neck, along with a broken shoulder, when he fell off the stage while performing at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, forcing the remainder of the band’s tour to be cancelled. The following year, Tyler tumbled again, this time in Toronto, coincidentally while performing the same song, "Love In An Elevator", he had been singing when he plunged off the stage in Sturgis.

TRAGIC TIMES

• Tragedy struck during a Rolling Stones concert at the Altamont Speedway Free Festival in 1969, resulting in the deaths of four attendees. Two fans were killed by a car that ran into a group huddled near a campfire next to the road. Another died when he slipped and fell on a slippery slide down an irrigation canal.

• Violence erupted when a drunken 18-year-old spectator was killed during this concert. The combative youth was stabbed by one of the onehundred Hells Angels members who had been hired as security for the event. He grabbed the young man and stabbed him several times when he attempted to run away after injuring several

NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE

In 1969, a man rushed onto the stage at a "The Who" concert, and attempted to grab the microphone. He was promptly punched and kicked by two band members. It was revealed shortly afterward that there was a large fire next to the venue and the man was a plain-clothes policeman sent to warn the concert-goers.

people. The killer was later acquitted. Several other disruptive people were roughed up and injured by the Angels, and artist Stephen Stills was stabbed in the leg with a sharpened bicycle spoke.

• The show must go on! That was the mentality of performer Weird Al Yankovic on April 9, 2004 when he was scheduled to appear at an Appleton, Wisconsin, venue. That afternoon, Al had received word that his elderly parents had perished in their home from carbon monoxide poisoning, the result of a closed fireplace flue. Yankovic chose to take the stage, saying, “Since my music had helped many of my fans through tough times, maybe it will work for me as well.”

VENUE RECORDS

• The record for the largest outdoor concert was set in 1997 by French musician Jean-Michel Jarre, an artist known for his impressive light and laser shows. The concert took place at the State University of Moscow in celebration of the 850th Anniversary of Moscow, Russia. More than 3.5 million people attended the event. Jarre broke his own record with the Moscow concert, having set the record for largest attendance in Paris in 1990, with a draw of 2.5 million fans.

The record for the world's largest free rock concert belongs to singer-songwriter Rod Stewart. when he performed at the Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janiero, Brazil on New Year's Eve, 1994. Attendance estimates were from 3.5 to 4.2 million people.

• In August 1965, The Beatles performed a packed concert at Shea Stadium, home of baseball’s New York Mets. They sang on the stadium’s infield before 55,000 wild and screaming fans using the same P.A. system used to announce baseball games. They played just 12 songs in a brief 27 minutes, receiving $160,000 for their brief appearance. One year later, the Fab Four returned to the Queens stadium, taking home $189,000 from that show.

• The group’s final public performance, known as the Beatles’ Rooftop Concert, was performed on the rooftop of their London Apple Corps headquarters in January 1969. The idea was conceived just a few days before the performance and was unannounced to the public.

• The event began at 12:30 PM, playing before “an audience of chimneys” until pedestrians and office workers in the area on their lunch break began to gather in the streets and on nearby rooftops. The 42-minute set was filmed and

•

Desert Garden Tour

By Lucie Winborne

* A Spanish civil servant went unnoticed for six years after he stopped showing up for work until someone tried to give him an award for his long service.

* The Spangler Candy Company named their famous lollipops “Dum Dums” because it was a word that was easy for any kid to say.

* In the 1960s, the Goodyear tire company tested the bright idea of lighted tires, to be available in a range of colors. They looked pretty cool in the dark, but their unfortunate tendency to melt under heavy braking and poor performance in wet conditions doomed the concept to the dustbin.

* National Donut Day originally started as a way to honor Salvation Army volunteers who served donuts to soldiers in World War I.

* When a man allegedly found a dead mouse in his can of Mountain Dew and tried to sue Pepsi, a chemical expert claimed in an affidavit that the drink was so acidic it would have dissolved the mouse after 30 days.

* The Hubble Space Telescope is so powerful that it can spot the glow of a firefly from some 7,000 miles away.

* Professional wrestler and mixed martial arts champion Ronda Rousey confessed on the “Jim Rome on Showtime” TV show that she tries to have as much sex as possible before a match because it boosts her testosterone levels.

* During his inauguration, Teddy Roosevelt wore a ring that contained a lock of Abraham Lincoln’s hair.

* The mayor of Bogotá, Colombia, once hired 420 mimes to make fun of traffic violators, believing his fellow countrymen feared ridicule more than fines. ***

Thought for the Day: “My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.” -- Henry Ford

Inc.

CHEAPSKATE®

by Mary Hunt

The Most Overlooked Type of Insurance

sive than term life insurance. In fact, it rivals the more-expensive whole life insurance but does not offer the dubious advantage of cash values. No wonder so many people overlook this most important of all insurances.

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

Insurance is a funny thing. You learn all you can, shop diligently, scrape together the money to pay for it and then hope you’ll never have to use it.

by Mary Hunt

In addition to health and automobile coverage, most people insure their lives so that in the event of their death, those who depend on their income will not be left high and dry.

Term life insurance, the insurance of choice for all us cheapskates, is relatively cheap because so many people pay for it who never use it. The insurance companies invest all of those premiums, make an obscene fortune doing so and end up paying out far less than they take in.

Face it, folks: These days, with medical technology what it is, the odds increase every day that a disease or accident that would have killed you a decade ago will now leave you disabled -- alive but unable to work.

ADVERTISING PROOF

Unfortunately, many of us will need disability income protection sometime before we die. One out of every four of today’s 20-year-olds will be incapacitated for at least a year before they reach age 65. Without insurance, a disability could spell financial disaster.

A recent study reported in the American Journal of Public Health found that 66.5% of all bankruptcies in the U.S. (approximately 530,000 households per year) were due to medical issues -- either because of high costs of medical care, time out of work or both.

WHY IT’S SO EXPENSIVE

Disability insurance is far more expen-

Disability insurance is relatively expensive because there’s a much higher probability you will use it. With life insurance, most people underestimate their life span, so they end up buying insurance they will never use. Or they buy ridiculously expensive insurance. such as whole life or universal life, and then drop it the minute they go through financial hard times.

But when it comes to disabilities, people of all ages have equal risks, which means it is more likely you will need it at some time. If you are in a two-breadwinner household, it is likely you need disability insurance more than life insurance, given how expensive it can be to care for a disabled person.

HOW IT WORKS

Standard disability insurance is fairly straightforward. If you are unable to work and are found disabled as defined by the policy, the insurance company replaces a specific percentage of the income you would have earned had you not been disabled.

In the same way that health, auto and life insurance policies have unique provisions, exclusions and stipulations, there are all kinds of provisions in a disability policy that you should consider carefully. Generally speaking, the lower the premium, the greater the number of exclusions and stipulations. Consider them carefully, and never consider anything you do not fully understand.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

1. Guaranteed and noncancelable. This type of policy will have a fixed premium and will stay in effect as long as your payments are kept current, regardless of health issues or other variables.

2. Insures for your occupation. Make sure your policy protects you against your inability to work in your own occupation; otherwise, your insurer will not pay you unless you can’t work at all.

3. Payment increases. You want a rider on your policy that provides for payment increases to keep up with inflation and also in sync with your income. If you bought the policy when you made $25,000 and make $85,000 when you suffer a disability, you want to make sure you are covered at the $85,000 level.

4. Pays until retirement. Some disability policies pay for only a specific period of time, say, five or 10 years. The best policy is openended and continues as long as you are disabled, until retirement age.

Even if you feel you are not in a position to take on another expense at this time, think about it. Do yourself a favor and find out what it would cost. Ask friends or relatives for a referral to an agent or disability insurance carrier. Query your current insurance carrier. It will cost you nothing to do the homework.

Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate. com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”\

King Features Synd.,

MOOD RINGS

Can you really tell your frame of mind by indications from a piece of jewelry? Lots of folks in 1975 wanted to believe you could, and said so by purchasing millions of the latest craze -known as mood rings. If you're not of a certain age to recall what was popular back then, read on while Tidbits fills you in.

• The stories differ a bit as to the invention of the mood ring. Some say that in 1975, an American jeweler named Marvin Wernick came up with the idea of using liquid crystal elements that changed color in pendants and rings. He claimed that the color of the jewelry was an indication of the wearer’s particular frame of mind.

• But Wernick failed to patent his invention, and that same year, a 33-year-old Wall Street executive named Joshua Reynolds and his colleague Maris Ambats saw a golden opportunity, and quickly stepped in.

• Reynolds was burned out on his stressful New York City brokerage career and began studying biofeedback as a means of relaxation. Using

Mernik's idea, he devised what he called a “mood ring”, featuring a stone that could indicate an individual’s changing emotional states and help them identify and control their anxieties.

• The ring’s “stone” was simply a hollow shell made of clear glass or quartz and filled with thermotropic liquid crystals. The crystals responded to changes in the wearer’s body temperature, which in turn altered their molecular structure, thus changing their color.

• A person’s normal peripheral (skin level) temperature is 82 degrees F (28 C). At this temperature, the liquid crystals are a pleasing green color, reflecting “average” mood. When peripheral temperature increases in response to calm and happiness, the crystals turn a deep violet blue. When a body is stressed, blood flow moves toward the internal organs, which cools the fingers. When this occurs, the crystals turn yellow or amber. Being nervous or anxious can cause the stone to turn brown or gray. Cold fingers bring about a black color, as also occurs when removing the ring from your hand.

• A September 1975 issue of “People” magazine touted the ring’s benefits: “The mood stone you can trust…Mood Stone reveals all.”

• First-year sales immediately took off, exceeded $20 million as the public hurried to have one. Reynolds’ sales would have been higher if other manufacturers hadn’t flooded the market with cheaper versions of his product. Although most of the rings were cheap, low quality, and onesize-fits-all, some fine jewelers jumped into the market, producing rings out of precious metals, such as sterling silver and 14k gold. Pendants, chokers, and bracelets were also created. Many were purchased as gifts. Some rings sold as low as $2, but upscale Neiman-Marcus had fancy styles that retailed for as much as $250.

• By the end of 1977, the market was saturated and the demand for mood rings fell. Within two years, the fad was over. Joshua Reynolds made a small fortune in a short period of time, but when the mood ring hoopla concluded, he went on to invent the Thigh Master exercise machine.

• How accurate were mood rings in detecting emotional sensitivity? Truth be told, the rings were more sensitive to outside variables and exterior temperatures than any changes in the wearer’s mood. Taking the ring off, sitting on it, or running it under hot or cold water would create a color shift much more quickly and effectively than any changes in emotions. Never mind that finger temperature is not a reliable gauge of mood. Additionally, mood rings had a

limited life span. The liquid crystals would only create color changes for about two years before settling permanently into dark gray or black.

• The mood ring experienced a brief revival in 1991 when two young women established a business that sold 100,000 of the rings in less than three months to buyers that included Walt Disney World. 

by Dana Jackson

Q: I’m so happy to see so many cast members on Reba McEntire’s new sitcom. Are there any other cast members from the original “Reba” series set to appear in the future? -- M.W.

A: Christopher Rich, who starred on the WB sitcom “Reba” from 2001-2007, recently gueststarred on McEntire’s new NBC sitcom “Happy’s Place.” Rich suffered a stroke in 2018 and was thrilled to reunite with his former co-stars in an episode where he plays a tattoo artist who was also dealing with the residual effects of a stroke. He was eager to incorporate this experience into the character and hopes to return for another guest spot next season.

JoAnna Garcia Swisher, who played Cheyenne on “Reba” and currently stars in the Netflix series “Sweet Magnolias,” told People magazine that she would 100% guest-star on “Happy’s Place” if and when she’s asked.

Q: Did the actress who played Eve on the Apple TV+ series “Bad Monkey” appear on a soap opera when she was younger? She looks like the actress who played Lizzie on “Guiding Light.” -- U.B.

A: If you’re thinking of Emme Rylan, who played Lizzie Spaulding on “Guiding Light” from 2006-2009, she does resemble her, but it’s not the same actress. Meredith Hagner, who recently starred opposite Vince Vaughn in “Bad Monkey,” did get her start on a CBS soap around the same time as Rylan. She was cast as young Liberty Ciccone on “As the World Turns” and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy award before the long-running soap was canceled in 2010.

Hagner most recently played one of the double-booked brides in the Amazon comedy film “You’re Cordially Invited,” opposite Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell. Off-screen, she’s married to actor Wyatt Russell (“Under the Banner of Heaven”), son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. “Bad Monkey,” which was filmed on location in Florida, will move its production to the West Coast next season after receiving a $20 million tax credit from the state of California. According to Colleen Bell, director of the California Film Commision, these incentives help encourage jobs in the state and drive economic growth. Bell stated, “The impact goes beyond the entertainment industry -- it supports families, local businesses and communities statewide.”

Q: Is it true that Kate Hudson was originally offered Anne Hathaway’s role in the movie “The Devil Wears Prada”? -- K.W.

A: Yes, Kate Hudson was offered the role of Andy Sachs in the 2006 hit movie “The Devil Wears Prada” (based on the best-selling novel of the same name), but she turned it down. The film’s director David Frankel told Entertainment Weekly that several big-name actresses were in the running for Hathaway’s role, including Rachel McAdams, Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman.

Hudson says that the timing wasn’t right for her to do the role, but she regrets her decision after seeing the movie.

Next up, Hudson stars in the sports-comedy series “Running Point,” which was co-created by Mindy Kaling for Netflix.

* * *

Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.

(Go Figure solution page 12)

Good Recipes from

Hearty Mushroom-Barley Soup

A real rib-sticker. Get a head start by cooking the barley the day before, then cool and refrigerate until needed.

3/4 cup pearl barley

8 cups water

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

1 large (12 ounces) onion, chopped

1 1/2 pounds mushrooms, trimmed and thickly sliced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

5 carrots, peeled and each cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/4-inch slices

2 cans (14 1/2 ounce each) beef broth

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1. In 3-quart saucepan, combine barley and 4 cups water; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, in 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add celery and onion; cook, stirring, until golden, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to high; add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Reduce heat to medium-high; add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add barley, carrots, broth, sherry, salt and remaining 4 cups water; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until carrots and barley are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Makes about 12 cups, or 10 first-course servings.

 Each serving: About 133 calories, 4g total fat (1g saturated), 1mg cholesterol, 684mg sodium, 21g total carbohydrate, 5g protein.

Butternut Squash and White Bean Soup

Cozy up with this sweet squash soup, a hearty warmer-upper for a wintry day.

1 large butternut squash

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

6 sprigs fresh thyme

1 (15-ounce) can white beans, rinsed

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed

1/2 cup couscous

1/4 cup roasted pistachios, finely chopped

1/4 cup dried apricots, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 scallion, sliced

1. Cut neck off butternut squash (reserve base for another use). Peel and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in nonstick skillet on medium. Add the squash and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in Dutch oven on medium. Add onion and cook, covered,

stirring occasionally, 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger, and cook 1 minute.

3. Add broth, thyme and butternut squash, and bring to a boil. Using a fork, mash white beans and add to soup along with chickpeas.

4. Cook couscous as label directs; fluff with fork and fold in pistachios, apricots, cilantro and scallion. Serve soup topped with couscous mixture. Makes 4 servings.

 Each serving: About 560 calories, 15.5g fat (2g saturated), 26g protein, 385mg sodium, 88g carb, 19g fiber.

By John Allen

DIAMOND LIL

by Brett Koth

Donald Duck by Walt

Holidays & Observances This Week

3/9 Daylight Savings Time

3/10 Salvation Army

3/11 Johnny Appleseed Day

3/12 Working Moms Day

3/13 Purim (begins at sundown)

3/14 Pi Day

2/15 Ides of March

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis

New Dog on the Block

“The neighbor directly behind me got a new dog, a beagle, about 18 months old. Our backyards are not very large. My neighbor is a man in his early 80s. He takes off for a few hours two or three times daily and leaves the dog outside in his backyard -- where she barks, howls and bays the whole time.

“I figured out real quick that my neighbor is afraid to leave the dog in the house because he does not want her damaging the inside of his home. He was, however, concerned about the noise she was making.

“My husband and I politely advised him that his dog barks the whole time he is gone. We understand the dog is in a new territory, but the barking is bad. I asked him why he is not leaving the dog in the house, and he flat-out told me he does not trust the dog to be in the home alone. He seemed overwhelmed and confided that he had wanted a lap dog, but his daughter got him this dog.

“We want to be good neighbors and told him we would call if the dog continues to bark excessively. We want to give him some time to work with his new dog.

“Last Saturday, we were sitting in the backyard talking quietly, and the dog barked for an hour and a half. We peeked across the fence and saw that she was sitting by the back door barking to be let in. I spoke in a soft tone using the dog’s name to try to quiet her, but it did not work. My neighbor’s next-door neighbor also tried speaking softly to the dog, to no avail. My husband called our neighbor and spoke to him politely to let him know what happened.

“On Sunday, our doorbell rang and I answered it. My neighbor’s daughter was at the door with the dog on a leash. I told her the dog barks continually when her ‘father’ is gone and asked why she is not kept inside when he leaves. She did not give me a straight answer. Instead, she told me that her father has early-stage dementia and she got the dog as a companion for him. She said she is going to train the dog, but in the meantime, when the dog

(CryptoQuip Solution on page 12)

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles

Getting Through the Winter

The top five items tonight on my local New England news channel were automobile crashes caused by slick road surfaces. And these weren’t just little fender benders, although there was one of those that happened in a store parking lot. These five crashes produced crushed cars, twisted metal, serious injuries and yes, in one case, the death of a vehicle passenger ... all because of the dangerous condition of the roads and people not slowing down to a speed suitable for the slick conditions.

And while I hate to think of myself as a coward, more and more there are things I just don’t want to risk.

I check the weather news for the temperature before I venture out by car. If it’s too cold (or will be by the time I get home), the roads could be slick. Black ice is hard to see but once your vehicle is on it, there’s no steering. In short, too cold and I just stay home.

During a recent storm we had yet another power outage. I keep thermometers in the fridge to keep track of how warm its temperature gets. For iffy items, I just don’t take the chance that they might have gone bad. While several sources say to be sure the foods have stayed below 40 degrees in the fridge, the CDC puts a specific time limit on it: four hours in a refrigerator without

power. After that, when in doubt -- throw it out. Instead of waiting for a warm day (which isn’t going to happen here anytime soon) to melt the ice and snow on my walk and driveway, I hire someone to clear it, and I just pay the cost, even though it’s not a welcome expense.

And in case you’ve never looked it up, it appears that over the age of 45 is when we’re advised not to shovel heavy snow because of the risk of heart attack! For me, 45 was a very long time ago!

* * *

Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@ gmail.com.

Cody’s Corner (from page 9)

is barking, we should spray her with a hose.

“I told her I am not going to do that to her dog or any other dog. She then basically told me that this is the new dog on the block and we should deal with it.

“Could you please give us some advice as to how to deal with this?”

Dogs that are left outside all the time inevitably develop behavior problems that extend beyond excessive barking. As if that’s not bad enough.

This dog needs training. A housebreaking program and some solid obedience training would alleviate the man’s concerns about leaving the dog inside, where she belongs. It would also help him to better understand and fully experience the joys of dog ownership.

As it stands, this is the stuff lawsuits are made of. With dog ownership comes the responsibility of being a good neighbor. For the most part, this means confining your dog to your property, teaching him good manners and keeping the barking to a minimum. Anything less is asking for a visit from animal control or worse: finding yourself in court with someone you’re going to see every day until one of you moves.

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.

ity. There is information about how to do that later on in this column.

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Older People and Social Security Disability

I often feel guilty if I write a column that essentially repeats information I’ve given in past columns. But readers often remind me that I shouldn’t worry about that. For example, today I got an email that said something like this: “I know you’ve covered this topic before. But I’ve forgotten most of what you said, and now we are at the point where it applies to us, so could you repeat it?”

He was talking about senior citizens and Social Security disability benefits. Specifically, he said his wife has been getting disability benefits since her late 50s. As she is now reaching age 65, he asked when she should file for “real Social Security.”

Let me make a couple of points about that question. First of all, disability benefits are “real Social Security.” They are just as real as retirement benefits, widows benefits or any other kind of Social Security.

But of course, I knew what he meant. He was asking when his wife could file for Social Security retirement benefits. The answer is that she does not need to. Social Security disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits when a person reaches full retirement age.

This means a couple of months before this guy’s wife reaches her full retirement age, or FRA, she will receive a letter from the Social Security Administration telling her that she is being switched, at least on the SSA’s books, from the disability program to the retirement program. Other than that, the changeover will essentially be invisible to her, primarily due to the fact that her benefit amount remains the same. Why? Because a disability benefit pays the same rate as a full retirement age benefit.

Here is another lesson gleaned from this guy’s email. In his initial question, he told me that his wife was currently getting “SSI.” I was sure he was mixing up terms, so I wrote back and said, “I’ll bet your wife is getting Social Security disability benefits and not SSI.” He quickly responded and said that I was right.

People frequently confuse Social Security disability benefits with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, but there is a huge difference. SSI is a federal welfare program that pays a small monthly stipend to poor people who are over age 65 or disabled. On the other hand, Social Security disability benefits are paid to people, rich or poor, as long as they have worked and paid taxes for a sufficient amount of time.

One reason many people confuse these two programs has to do with their abbreviations. Social Security disability benefits are frequently referred to as SSDI, or Social Security Disability Insurance, whereas SSI disability benefits are referred to as SSID.

Other frequent questions I get from senior citizens have to do with their possible eligibility for Social Security disability benefits. Here are some ground rules that vary depending on your age.

If you are over your full retirement age, forget about it. Once you reach that age, disability benefits are no longer payable. To put that another way, the retirement benefit you are getting pays the same rate as any disability benefits you might be due.

If you are under age 62 and disabled, then you should definitely file for Social Security disabil-

If you are over 62 and not yet on Social Security, then you should file for retirement and disability benefits at the same time. The Social Security Administration can start your reduced retirement payments immediately. That way, if your disability claim is eventually approved, they will switch you to the higher disability rate.

But if you are between age 62 and your full retirement age and are already getting Social Security retirement benefits, you may or may not want to file for disability payments. The closer you are to your full retirement age, the smaller your disability boost will be. You may decide it’s just not worth all the hassle.

Why? Your disability rate (normally equal to your full retirement age benefit) must be reduced for every month you’ve already received a Social Security retirement check. You will eventually reach a point where you simply gain very little by filing for Social Security disability.

Here is a quick example. Sam filed for retirement benefits at age 62. His benefit was reduced by roughly one-half of 1% for each month he was under his full retirement age. He is getting 75% of his FRA rate. At 65, he had a heart attack. If he files for disability benefits and his claim is approved, his regular disability rate, again equal to his FRA benefit, must be reduced by about onehalf of 1% for each month he’s already received a retirement benefit. At age 65, he’s received 36 retirement checks, so his disability rate must be cut by about 18%. So instead of a 100% disability rate, he’d get about 82%. Sam would have to decide if it is worth all the hassle of filing for disability just to get bumped up from his current 75% rate to 82%.

What’s the hassle? First, you will fill out a bunch of paperwork. The primary piece is a form that asks you to describe your disability and how it prevents you from working.

That same form also asks you to list your medical providers. The government can’t make a decision about your case without having the evidence to back up your claim.

The SSA contracts out disability decisions

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

2. In 1 Kings 20:29, how many footmen (soldiers) of the Syrians were killed in one day? a) 5,000 b) 10,000 c) 50,000 d) 100,000

3. Who made the first "piggy bank" by placing a chest with a slot in its top near the entrance to the altar? a) Ezra b) Jehoiada c) Ahab d) Jethro

4. From Jeremiah 7:32, what did the Lord say that Tophet will be called? a) Valley of Slaughter b) Mount Zion c) Syria d) Galilee

5. Who was the father of Elisha? a) Zadok b) Hiram c) Elijah d) Shaphat

6. In Esther 1, how many provinces did Ahasuerus reign over? a) 77 b) 127 c) 147 d) 172

(Answers on page 16)

to an agency in each state that is staffed with doctors and other medically trained personnel. They are the folks who decide if you meet the legal definition of “disability” for Social Security purposes. In a nutshell, the rules say that your impairment must keep you from doing any kind of work for which you are suited for at least 12 months.

There is a pretty good chance you will be asked to go to a Social Security doctor for additional evaluation. Make sure you don’t miss that appointment.

Your disability claim will usually take about three to six months to process. If it’s approved, you’ll start getting disability checks six months after they say your disability began. That six-month waiting period is built into the law.

If your claim is denied, you will have to decide if it is worth it to appeal. If you decide to do that, the first appeal is usually just a review of your case by the state agency that made the first decision. If your claim is denied again, you can file for a hearing before a Social Security judge. Due to backlogs, those hearings can take about a year to set up.

If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called “Social Security -- Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security.” The other is “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the books at Amazon.com or other book outlets. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Bird Lover Troubled Over Possible Transmission

of Bird Flu

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have two bird feeders off my back deck. They hang from tall poles in a vain attempt to keep squirrels from eating all of the birdseed! But to refill them, I must take them down and handle them, and I recently wondered if I might be exposing myself to the new bird flu.

Is there any information about this possibility? Any possible transmission of the virus might have occurred to other bird lovers, too. --

J.F.

ANSWER: The songbirds you are attracting to your feeders, such as cardinals, sparrows and woodpeckers, are not likely to be infected with avian influenza (“bird flu”). It generally infects waterfowl such as gulls and ducks.

Most experts do not recommend taking down your feeders but do recommend a periodic cleaning of feeders and baths with a diluted bleach (10%) solution. You should wash your hands after refilling your feeders. Those who keep poultry such as chickens, ducks, geese or turkeys (which may also be infected by bird flu) should not use feeders or baths that attract wild birds. ***

DEAR DR. ROACH: I see commercials about different kinds of pillows, asserting that they are better for you medically in various ways, especially with enhancing your sleep experience. This implies to me that conventional pillows can be bad for you. Is any of this true? -- W.R.G.

ANSWER: No, I wouldn’t say that conventional pillows are bad for you. However, there is evidence that in people with chronic neck pain, pillows made with latex

or springs have been shown to reduce neck pain, waking symptoms and disability. They also enhance the satisfaction that people have with their pillows, but studies taken as an aggregate did not show an improvement in sleep quality. It does show that the height and composition of the pillow can affect the alignment of your neck bones. If you aren’t having any problems, there is no reason to change. But if you wake up with a sore neck or have chronic neck pain, a special pillow might help, although I doubt there is one pillow that is right for everybody.

Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

Holes in the Fiduciary Program

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Fiduciary Program is set up to help veterans take care of their finances and benefits if they can’t handle it themselves because they’re sick, injured or elderly. There is a lot of money at stake: $2.7 billion in a recent year. Each of the hundred thousand veterans who fall in the category of needing assistance are assigned a fiduciary; someone who protects the veterans and their finances.

The VA’s Pension and Fiduciary Service, which manages the fiduciaries, is tasked with ensuring the proper handling of veterans’ affairs through in-person examinations, fiduciary accountings and investigations into misuse. All goes well with this arrangement ... until it doesn’t.

A recent VA Office of Inspector General report details what they found when they investigated the Fiduciary Program.

Over 300 veterans and their financial affairs were not being monitored or supervised by the Fiduciary Program for three years and in some cases longer. The hole in the system was because the program had no way to identify veterans who were in need of fiduciary services or because their records did not move from one system to the other, the Veterans Benefits Management System--Fiduciary (VBMS-Fid), after need was determined. Which left a whole lot of money out there without oversight: in excess of $24 million.

A fiduciary is required to submit written reports about how the veteran’s money is being spent, and those reports are reviewed by program staff. In the event there’s a question, the fiduciary must clear it up. Failure to do that constitutes misuse, and an investigation is supposed to follow.

If a very tall Lego structure is toppling over, I suppose folks may encounter tumbling blocks.

Musicians to concert-goers: "If you have special requests, write them on a $20 bill and send them up to the stage. We'll see if we can work them in."

If you are a veteran who has a fiduciary managing your benefits and if you suspect that person is not acting in your best interests, let the VA know. Call them at 800-827-1000 to report possible fraud and misuse of your benefits. Or call the VAOIG hotline at 800-488-8244 to make a complaint. For a flyer about the VAOIG’s crime alert, put “Protect Vulnerable Veterans from Fiduciary Theft” in a search box online.

* * *

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.

-- by Jim Miller

When to Worry About Your Memory

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: At age 76, I find myself becoming more and more forgetful lately and am concerned about whether it may be an early sign of dementia. Are there any memory screening tools or services that you can recommend to help me gauge my problem, without going to a neurologist? --Forgetful Frank

Dear Frank: Many older adults, like yourself, worry about memory lapses as they get older fearing it may be the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease or some other type of dementia. To get some insight on the seriousness of your problem, here are some tips and resources you can turn to.

Warning Signs

As we grow older, some memory difficulties – such as forgetting names or misplacing items from time to time – are associ ated with normal aging. But the symptoms of dementia are much more than simple memory lapses.

While symptoms can vary greatly, people with dementia may have problems

with short-term memory, keeping track of a purse or wallet, paying bills, planning and preparing meals, remembering appointments or becoming lost when traveling out of a familiar neighborhood.

To help you recognize the difference between typical age-related memory loss and a more serious problem, the Alzheimer’s Association provides a list of 10 warning signs that you can assess at 10signs.org

They also provide information including the signs and symptoms on other conditions that can cause dementia like vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy and others – see ALZ.org/ dementia

Memory Screening

A great resource and first step to help you get a handle on your memory problem is the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, which offers a National Memory Screening Program. This is a free, confidential, faceto-face memory screening done virtually in real-time that takes about 10 to 15 minutes to complete and consists of questions and/or tasks to evaluate your memory status. Once

any other device with a webcam and Internet capability is all that’s needed. Appointments can be requested online at ALZFDN. org/memory-screening or by calling 866232-8484.

It’s also important to know that this screening is not a diagnosis of any particular condition but can indicate whether you should see your doctor for more extensive assessment.

See Your Doctor

If you find that you need further evaluation, make an appointment with your primary care doctor for a cognitive checkup and medical examination. Depending on what’s found, you may be referred to a geriatrician or neurologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating memory loss or Alzheimer’s disease.

Keep in mind that even if you are experiencing some memory problems, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have dementia. Many memory problems are brought on by other factors like stress, depression, thyroid disease, side effects of medications,

for accommodations. With attendance exceeding 250,000 during its two weekends, hotels across the Coachella Valley hike their rates by as much as 300%, with some luxury resorts requiring multi-night minimum stays costing thousands. Short-term rentals also skyrocket, with Airbnb and Vrbo listings often fetching over $1,000 per night for prime locations. Many homeowners take advantage of the room shortage by renting out their properties, including opening their yards for tent campers, turning high-priced festival weekends into a lucrative business opportunity.

• In December 2024, Taylor Swift concluded the Eras Tour, which set the record for the highestgrossing concert tour. Ticket sales grossed a record $2 billion, doubling that of any other tour in history, with more than 10.1 million people attending the 149 shows across six continents. Average ticket price was $204. She toppled the previous record of $1 billion set by Coldplay in 2024’s Music of the Spheres World Tour. The first tours to pass $100 million in revenue were Michael Jackson’s Bad World Tour and Pink Floyd’s A Momentary lapse of Reason Tour, both of which ran between 1987 and 1989.

• Milwaukee’s annual Summerfest music festival has been the scene of performances by hundreds of renowned artists, including Frank Sinatra, Prince, Whitney Houston, Fleetwood Mac, Maroon 5, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, and the Rolling Stones. First held in 1968, the event takes place downtown next to Lake Michigan. Attendance is about 800,000 each year, although it has topped one million on occasion. Six-hundred artists are slated to appear this year on 12 different stages over three different weekends.

FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS

• During 2023, a Maryland couple nabbed the Guinness World Record by attending 135 concerts that year, including Beyonce, Sam Smith, Billy Joel, and Stevie Nicks. Tijan and Matt Brown spent $18,407.24 throughout the year. Although they take pictures before the concert, as soon as the music begins, the couple puts their phones away and lives for the moment, engrossing themselves in the music. 

by Jason Jenkins

Handle Swinging

While there are many ways to communicate swinging the golf club around yourself and relative to the ball, thinking of how the grip end or “handle” of the club moves can be revolutionary. By swinging the handle correctly, the clubshaft and clubhead have no choice but to follow along. It also implies that the hands and wrists will move correctly without thinking of the complicated need for hinging, undocking, flexing, rotating or the like.

One of the best images in the downswing is creating a swinging of the handle like one would swing a broomstick forward. In order to overcome the weight of broomstick, your arm swing and weight shift would initiate the forward movement. You would be “swinging the handle” rather than trying to control the broom head.

Be sensitive of how your grip pressure and tension in your hands and wrists can influence swinging the handle. Lighter tension allows for more supple wrists and thus more speed. Swing the handle freely and aggressively to find that ex

yards

needing

Bill Baker,

Linda Thistle

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