TIDBITS IS TICKLED WITH
FEATHERS FACTS ABOUT
Birds are among the most prolific vertebrates on earth. There are about 6,500 species of mammals, 32,000 species of fish, 8,800 species of amphibians, 10,000 species of reptiles, and around 11,000 species of birds. All birds have several things in common: wings, beaks, eggs, and feathers. Each species of bird has its own unique feather pattern, shape, and color. Come along as we take a closer look at feathers and the amazing creatures that proudly wear them!
THE BASIC FACTS
• Feathers serve many purposes: insulation, mating, camouflage, nesting material, and maneuverability for flight. Think of the bird’s plumage as an allpurpose shield, serving as a raincoat, winter jacket, body armor, sunscreen, and even an identity statement.
• Every feather on a bird’s body is controlled by a network of muscles located in the feather’s follicles. The muscles can pull the feathers into a tight matting to protect against rain and cold, fluff
TRIVIA NEWSFRONT
(Answers on page 16)
Our sports story this week is about the highest scoring game in soccer history, which ended with the incredible score of 149-0. But before we tell the tale, let’s add some perspective.
• First, most professional soccer games experience two or three goals during the entire game. Occasionally, a team may score up to five goals, but the average number is two or three. This is why soccer games sometimes end in a draw if the score is tied; it’s too tedious and time consuming to play “sudden death” because scoring a goal is never quick.
• Furthermore, when teams are ranked while working towards a playoff qualification, the final score of a match doesn’t matter. What matters is if the game was a win, a loss, or a draw. A win earns the winning team 3 points; a loss means the loser gets 0 points; and in a draw, both teams get 1 point.
1. TELEVISION: Who had a 1980s workout video series called “Sweatin’ to the Oldies”?
1. ANATOMY: What is heterochromia?
3. GEOGRAPHY: What is a chain of islands called?
4. FOOD & DRINK: What is Canada’s national dish?
5. HISTORY: When was Facebook launched?
6. MEASUREMENTS: What is the shortest wavelength in the visible light spectrum?
7. U.S. STATES: Which state has the most miles of interstate highway?
8. MOVIES: What type of fish is Nemo in the animated film “Finding Nemo”?
9. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which month is designated as National Ice Cream Month in the United States?
10. SCIENCE: How long does it take for the International Space Station to orbit the Earth?
Answers
(Trivia Test answers page 16)
1. Richard Simmons.
2. When the colored part of the eyes (irises) are two different colors.
• Now, to add more perspective let’s consider what had previously been the world’s worst soccer match.
• Back in 1885, Arbroath (a Scottish team from Angus) was up against Bon Accord (from Aberdeen) in the Scottish Cup. Arbroath had been founded 7 years earlier. Bon Accord had been formed only a few months earlier. In fact, several rounds of the Scottish Cup had already been played by the time Bon Accord had formed a team.
• Bon Accord arrived for their match against Arbroath without having any of the standard kit. It’s claimed that the Arbroath goalkeeper never touched the ball during the entire game but stood under a nearby umbrella, sheltering from the rain. The score at halftime was 15-0 and the final score was 36-0. This high score set a record that was not broken for the next 117 years-- until Madagascar.
• In 2002, the Madagascar soccer league was
in its second to last game. Stade Olympique l’Emyrne (“SOE”) was up against Atsimondrano (“DSA”). Scant minutes were left in play, and the score was 2-1 in favor of SOE. Just then, the referee called a stinker of a foul and awarded DSA a penalty kick. The successful kick tied the game at 2-2, with not enough time left to change that score. It was now a draw.
• This meant that SOE was awarded only a single point towards the total league score instead of the needed three points. At the time, they were down by five points against their next rival, Adema. The three points they were expecting for a win would have made it possible for them to win against Adema. But the single point meant that even if they won against Adema, they would still lose the championship.
• The SOE’s coach and the team members loudly protested the bad call, but to no avail.
• In protest, when they went up against Adema the following day, they kicked the ball into their own goal time and time again. The Adema team stood by aghast; the referees were beside themselves; the fans were incensed and demanded a refund for the price of their tickets. The defiant SOE team repeatedly put the ball into their own net at a rate of one goal every 36 seconds. Adema won the game 149-0 without ever even touching the ball.
• As a result, the SOE coach and four players were suspended. Adema went on to win the next three championships, while SOE has never won a championship since.
• However, SOE managed to get themselves not only into Guinness World Records but also into the history books with the highest score ever achieved in the history of soccer, where their story of injustice through a bad call is permanently written for all to see.
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Week of April 13, 2025
Feathers: (from page one)
them for better insulation, spread them for a display to attract a mate, or fan them out for more wing surface and better flight.
• Feathers are made of keratin, a fibrous protein. Hair, horns, hooves, claws, fingernails, beaks, porcupine quills, and whale baleen are also made of keratin.
• Feathers, like hair and fingernails, are dead structures that have no nerves and cannot repair themselves when damaged. Hair and fingernails grow continuously, but feathers grow to completion and then stop, and must be replaced when worn out. When feathers are first growing in they have a blood supply, but mature feathers do not.
• The bones of most birds are hollow, making them lightweight to assist in flying. Therefore, the feathers generally weigh more than the bones. A frigate bird has a 7-foot (2.1 m) wingspan, yet its skeleton weighs less than its feathers. When measured, one eagle was found to have feathers that comprised 17 percent of its body weight, while its skeleton accounted for only seven percent.
FEATHER FUNCTIONS
• Most birds condition their feathers by distributing an oily wax from a gland near the base of their tail, using their beak to preen. The wax keeps the feathers waterproof and inhibits bacteria and pests. Other birds, such as owls and pigeons, don’t have this gland but rely instead on specialized downy feathers that gradually disintegrate into a fine powder that sifts and spreads throughout the feather coat.
• Birds replace their old and damaged feathers by molting, usually once a year. Some birds, such as puffins, drop all of their feathers at once. They are unable to fly and can only swim until
the new feathers grow in several weeks later. Other birds molt in stages, staggering the loss of feathers to prevent the bird from becoming completely unprotected and vulnerable to predators.
• When ptarmigans molt, the coloring of their feathers changes according to the season. This is designed to offer the bird maximum camouflage, changing from all white in winter to all brown in summer.
• A parrot has green feathers to blend in with the jungle’s foliage. An owl’s drab plumage looks exactly like tree bark. A penguin’s tuxedo coloring, with white on the belly and black on the back, hides them from predators when swimming.
• Feathers are used for communication, though different birds have different languages, even for identical gestures. Birds such as blue jays and cardinals use their trademark pointy crests when communicating with other birds. They raise their head feathers to intimidate intruders or to indicate agitation. The crest lays flat when the bird is calm.
• Although they have the least number of feathers, tiny hummingbirds have the greatest ratio of feathers to body size of any
• Penguin feathers are short but extremely dense, with between 60 and 100 feathers per square inch, providing maximum insulation from their harsh antarctic environment in the southern hemisphere.
FEATHER SPECIALIZATION
• Owls have specialized feathers that protrude more than unusual. This design dissipates
• During courtship, a male wood duck raises its colorful crest in order to attract a mate. California quails have a top knot protruding from their forehead made of a cluster of six feathers. When males fight for dominance, the winner raises his top knot and the loser flattens his.
• The longest feathers on a species of wild bird belong to the Reeve's pheasant, found in the mountains of China. The tail feathers often reach 8 feet (2.4 m) in length, and allow the bird to suddenly brake in mid-flight and drop like a rock to the safety of the forest cover when pursued by a predatory bird.
FEATHER DENSITY
• The number of feathers on a bird varies by species. A hummingbird has the least, with around 1,000 feathers; a small songbird, 1,500–3,000; a turkey has about 3,500; a bird of prey, 5,000–8,000; and a swan, up to 25,000. An emperor penguin has the most with about 80,000 feathers.
By Lucie Winborne
* There are more trees on earth than stars in our galaxy.
* The Roman Empire didn’t have a Foreign Office, but they did boast a “Bureau of Barbarians.”
* Canada has a strategic maple syrup reserve to ensure global supply in case of emergency.
* Actress Angelina Jolie once attempted to hire a hitman to kill her, instead of committing suicide. Fortunately, the would-be assassin successfully talked her out of it by asking her to wait a month.
* In 2008, the Municipality of Florence officially apologized for expelling Dante Alighieri seven centuries earlier.
* A cat’s ability to see well at night is due to its tapetum lucidum, a structure that reflects visible light back through the cat’s retina. It’s also what causes the eyes’ weird “glowing” effect in the dark.
* Records suggest that between 1529 and 1532, King Henry VIII gambled away nearly a million pounds, by modern standards.
* Retired Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt was offered the position of wide receiver in the NFL but declined it due to the hits that NFL players typically take.
* “Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychw-yrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch” is the world’s longest train station name. Located in Wales, the moniker has no historical significance, but was created in the 1880s as a marketing ploy to attract tourists!
* More germs are transferred by shaking hands than kissing.
* Fearing someone would murder him at Alcatraz, Al Capone practiced his banjo in the shower room.
***
Thought for the Day: “Wars and elections are both too big and too small to matter in the long run. The daily work -that goes on, it adds up.”
-- Barbara Kingsolver
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
Must-Follow Steps When You’re Out of a Job
These days, it’s practically inevitable that you or someone close to you will face a period of unemployment. Consider these practical tips while dealing with the financial and emotional toll of leaving one job and searching for another.
and leave. Ask for help with finding a new job. Can you set up shop in a spare office for the next few weeks while you job-hunt? This gives you the use of phones, computers and other equipment. Be sure to ask for a letter of recommendation, too.
HOARD THE CASH
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
DON’T TAKE IT PERSONALLY
Losing a job can cause shame, humiliation and embarrassment. You may feel depressed and lose your confidence. Yes, it’s a very stressful time, but don’t take it personally. Thousands and thousands of people lost their jobs, especially during the pandemic. Don’t hibernate; be good to yourself. If you need it, seek emotional counseling. Let your friends and family be there for you.
Remember time heals. This, too, will pass.
ADVERTISING PROOF
COLLECT YOUR BENEFITS
You may have unemployment benefits, a lump-sum payout from your ex-employer, a severance package and options regarding health insurance. Find out exactly what you qualify for and the limitations and rules regarding each benefit.
The U.S. Department of Labor website has a handy list of all unemployment offices in each state. Some states now allow you to apply online or over the phone. Generally, it takes two to three weeks from the time you file your claim to receive your first benefit check.
NEGOTIATE
Don’t be too quick to pack your things
You may be tempted to pay off debt with your severance check or savings. Don’t do it. While you’re unemployed, pay only the minimum payments required. If you’ve been prepaying your mortgage principal, pull back to only what’s required. This might be a good time to pare down and sell stuff to raise cash.
SLAM THE BRAKES ON SPENDING
If it’s not essential, forget it. Tell your family how and why things will be changing for a while, and outline ways everyone can participate in this time of transition. Make do. Look for every possible way you can avoid spending money.
FIGURE OUT HEALTH INSURANCE
Once you leave your job for any reason, you basically have five choices:
-- Continue on your current group plan, and pay the premiums yourself.
-- Enroll in your spouse’s plan.
-- Buy individual insurance.
-- Use a state-sponsored plan.
-- Go without (the worst of all worlds).
Many people take advantage of their employer’s COBRA, or Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, plan, in which you have 60 days from termination to decide whether or not to accept the benefit. If you accept it within those 60 days, you cannot be denied health insurance.
If the COBRA plan is too expensive, at least consider catastrophic-only coverage, which you can research on the internet. This will only cover the big, expensive stuff, but the premium is fairly low.
Every state also has a low-cost health insurance plan for children. If you have kids under 18, find out if you’re eligible. Insure Kids Now has a toll-free national number, 877-KIDS-NOW, which connects you with the program in your state.
3
TIPS TO MAKE YOU INDISPENSABLE
AT YOUR JOB
No. 1: Improve Your Value
Even if you believe it’s not particularly noticed or appreciated, find ways to do more than what’s expected and make yourself more available to your employer.
No. 2: Project Positivity
People who bring negativity to work and then use it to stir the rumor mill are more likely to wind up on the to-go list. Start thinking like your employer, and then become the employee asset they dream about having on their team.
No. 3: Be a Team Player
Commit yourself to be cooperative, flexible and willing to go the extra mile. If you are a joy to be around because you encourage others and make them feel good about who they are, your job security goes up.
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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.
Stupid Criminals
• 48-year-old Melissa Peters was preparing to take her 13-year-old son to school early on the morning of March 27, 2014, in Omaha, Nebraska. Just as she prepared to pull out of the driveway, a 17-year-old youth rushed up to her car, pointed a gun, and ordered her out of the vehicle. Peters and her son both jumped out of the car, standing dumbfounded in front of their home, expecting to see the thief speed away. But surprisingly, that didn't happen. The young thief was completely confused as he was confronted by his very first manual shift
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vehicle, with no idea about how to operate a stick shift. As Peters stood by calling 911 on her cell phone, the flustered boy turned the lights on and off, flipped on the windshield wipers, and tried grinding the gears to no avail. The police quickly arrived as he jumped out of the car and ran. After a brief footrace he was handcuffed and hauled to directly to jail.
• Matthew Allan McNelly and Joey Lee Miller decided to burglarize an apartment in Carroll, Iowa, in September of 2012. They agreed they needed disguises. However, they did not have any Halloween masks, or pantyhose to pull over their faces, or even a ski mask hat. They solved the problem with a Sharpie marker, using it to draw on their faces. McNelly gave himself a Batman mask, and Miller drew a full beard and mustache. They were captured running from the scene of the crime after someone reported an attempted break-in. Their mug shots went viral and continue to circulate through the internet.
• In December of 2019, 26-year-old Adam Valle took heavy-duty bolt cutters to the back entryway of the Gladstone Police Department in Oregon and began the process of stealing a bike that was chained and locked. Amused cops watched from the security monitors inside and remotely locked the doors behind him. With no escape, he was immediately apprehended, booked, and escorted directly to a jail cell.
• In January of 2007, an 18-year-old miscreant named Peter Addison and two of his buddies went on a drunken rampage. The trio stormed through a closed summer camp for underprivileged children. They smashed stuff, set off fire extinguishers, broke into a camp store, played baseball using a bat and some dishes, and plastered the place with graffiti including their gang affiliation. To make the binge complete, Addison used a Sharpie marker to write “PETER ADDISON WAS HERE” on various walls. When police used the evidence to quickly track him down, he was wearing a stolen T-shirt bearing the camp’s logo when he answered the door.
• In 2021, 19-year-old Hannah Sabata of Stromsburg, Nebraska, decided to rob a bank, feeling justified in doing so. First, she had student loans. Second, she needed a shopping spree. Third, she was mad at the government for various reasons, including losing custody of her baby. Finally, she needed fodder for her
YouTube channel. Wearing a hat and ski mask, Sabata boldly walked into the Cornerstone Bank in Waco, Nebraska and handed the teller a note demanding cash. She walked out with $6,000 in bills and drove off in a stolen car. She then hurried home to count her money.
• The next day she uploaded a video to her YouTube channel boasting about her exploits and waving the stack of cash at the camera. “This was the best day of my life!” she exclaimed. Her followers tipped off the police. She was arrested that same day, wearing the same clothes she wore during the robbery. Police recovered all but $30 of the stolen money, and the stolen car was parked nearby. She was sentenced to 11-22 years and is still serving her sentence at the Nebraska Correctional Center.
by Dana Jackson
Q: Is “Watson” going to be renewed for a new season? Morris Chestnut has been one of my favorite actors ever since “Nurse Jackie,” so I hope this new show lasts. -- R.C.
A: According to TVLine, “Watson” is averaging 6.8 million total viewers, making the decision to renew it an easy one for CBS. It’s set six months after the death of Sherlock Holmes, Watson’s friend and protege, and stars Morris Chestnut in the titular role.
Chestnut became a household name after co-starring in the critically acclaimed John Singleton film “Boyz n the Hood.”
His stint on “Nurse Jackie” as Dr. Ike Prentiss was in 2013, and he followed this with recurring roles on several other series like “The Resident” and “Reasonable Doubt.” “Watson,” however, is arguably his biggest role yet. Interestingly, Amazon is developing a reboot of “Nurse Jackie” with star Edie Falco, but the premiere date has yet to be announced.
***
Q: When is the reality show “The Valley” coming back? I surprisingly enjoyed it last year and was happy it got renewed. -- M.O.
A: April 15 is the date that the suburban reality-show soap opera premieres on Bravo, and it reaires the following day on Peacock. If you’ve seen the trailer at BravoTV.com, you’ll know that it’s filled with even more drama than its debut season, with former “Vanderpump Rules” stars Britney and Jax separating, Jax going to rehab for an admitted drug addiction, and even the seemingly stable couples coping with rumors of infidelity.
Other former members of the “Vanderpump Rules” wait and bar staff are also expected to appear on “The Valley,” including Lala Kent, Sheana Shay and hubby Brock Davies, and Tom Schwartz. Lala and Sheana have also bought homes in the San Fernando Valley, so they’re most certainly hoping to end up being permanent cast members in the future.
As for “Vanderpump Rules,” the next season is expected to debut on Bravo with its all new Gen-Z cast this fall. Season two of the other “VR” spin-off, “Vanderpump Villa,” will launch on Hulu beginning April 24 and will take place in Italy inside a 12th-century castle, relocating from its original location in the south of France.
Q: I’ve been watching “Ally McBeal” on Hulu. I’ve seen most of the cast on other shows since then, but whatever happened to the guy who played Billy? -- W.W.
A: Actor Gil Bellows has actually worked quite steadily since playing Ally McBeal’s (Calista Flockhart) first love. After his character was killed off, he quickly landed another series, “The Agency,” on CBS and the Emmy-winning movie “Temple Grandin.” His most recent roles have been in the Neil Gaiman fantasy drama series “American Gods,” the Syfy horror series “Chucky,” and “Alert: Missing Persons Unit” on Fox. He also
guest-starred on “The Irrational,” a current NBC drama series starring Jesse L. Martin, another “Ally McBeal” alum.
* * *
Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
Citrus Scallops
Lemon and lime add a boost of vitamin C to this ultra-low-fat seafood entree. For hearthealthy fiber, serve with a side of whole-wheat couscous.
1 lemon
1 lime
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 pounds sea scallops, rinsed
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 bag (5- to 6-ounce) baby greens
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1. From lemon, grate 1/4 teaspoon peel
and squeeze 2 tablespoons juice. From lime, grate 1/4 teaspoon peel and squeeze 1 tablespoon juice. Set juices aside. In small bowl, combine peels, salt and pepper.
2. Place scallops on paper-towel-lined plate; pat dry. Sprinkle with citrus-peel mixture. 3. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil on medium for 1 minute. Add scallops; cook 6 to 8 minutes or until opaque throughout, turning once. Remove from pan; cover.
4. To skillet, add 1 teaspoon oil and shallot; cook 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in Dijon mustard and citrus juices, scraping up browned bits; cook 1 minute. Toss sauce with greens; place on plates. Top with scallops and chopped parsley, and serve with whole-wheat couscous (to make couscous, follow package directions). Makes 4 servings.
Each serving: About 275 calories, 5g total fat (1g saturated), 47mg cholesterol, 390mg sodium, 29g total carbohydrate, 4g dietary fiber, 29g protein.
African-Style Chicken
Peanut butter isn’t just for kids’ lunchboxes anymore! It adds protein and flavor to family meals from breakfast to dinner.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 cups roasted-garlic pasta sauce
1 can garbanzo beans
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro Rice
1 In 12-inch skillet, heat oil on mediumhigh. Add chicken and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often. Add curry and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Stir in sauce, beans, water and peanut butter and heat until boiling.
By John Allen
DIAMOND LIL
by Brett Koth
Donald Duck by Walt
Holidays & Observances This Week
4/13 Thomas Jefferson Day
4/14 National Dolphin Day
4/15 Tax Filing Deadline
4/16 Foursquare Day
4/17 Bat Appreciation Day
4/18 World Amateur Radio Day
4/19 Oklahoma Bombing Remembrance
Dog Talk with Uncle Matty
By Matthew Margolis
There are all sorts of wonderful things to be said for having more than one dog. They can be friends. They can keep each other company. They won’t get lonely. They’ll wear each other out.
Some of those things might even be true. But none of them trumps what Albert Einstein said: “The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.”
Notwithstanding Octomom, there’s a reason why women have only one child at a time. And there’s a reason why nature built in a healthy nine months between them.
Having two dogs in the house can be richly rewarding -- if it’s done right. Going from no dogs to two dogs in one fell swoop is not doing it right. Bringing a dog into your house is a big responsibility. You have a new personality to get to know. You have things to learn about each other, things to teach each other, and you need time to bond. This is a one-on-one process. Having two dogs doesn’t change that. It just means you’ll have to devote more time in each day to doing it -- twice as much time.
Dogs, like people, are individuals. They have their own personalities, their own likes and dislikes, their own way of relating, their own needs. Having two dogs doesn’t mean having two dogs that are exactly the same. That’s impossible.
One of the problems that arise from getting more than one dog at the same time boils down to pecking order. Dogs are pack animals. It is the dog owner’s job to establish him or herself as the alpha. But many people fail to realize this or don’t know how to accomplish it. And if the dog owner doesn’t step up, one of the dogs will. Someone has to be the leader of the pack.
It is much easier for you, the dog owner, to secure that role if you only have to convince one dog at a time.
Another problem that comes with getting two dogs at once is fear-aggression. One of the dogs will inevitably develop a shy personality. When coupled with his more assertive, dominant “friend,” he’ll tend to withdraw. This, in turn, leads to a lesser degree of socialization for the shy dog,
Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10
(CryptoQuip Solution on page 12)
SENIOR NEWS LINE
by Matilda Charles © King
Social Security to Recover 0verpayments
Word is that Social Security is going to “claw back” any overpayment to the tune of 100% of the monthly benefit check until it’s all paid back, causing panic among some across the land.
But it’s not necessarily true.
The recovery of those benefits will only affect overpayments that began on March 27 of this year. Yes, they’ll take full payments until that overpayment is repaid. But any overpayments made prior to that date will be made at the rate that was in place before: 10% of the benefit check.
So, if your check is usually $1,000, the amount they’ll take out is $100, not your full check. It will be the same if you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). They’ll take 10%, not the full check.
Before you start to panic that you might
Curating Your Collection
My first collection or attempt at displaying items as a child was boxes. Made of any material: cardboard, wood or plastic, I would organizes them by sizes and stack them in all sorts of arrangements. Now looking back, I think this was probably my first foray into architecture and interior design.
Accessorizing is one of the most fun aspects of decorating. Accessories can change the mood of a room. It can also make a room feel complete or in some instances not quite finished. There is an art to what makes for an interesting vignette, shelf or table-scape.
First and foremost, let’s make a distinction between accessorizing and creating clutter. Accessorizing is creating artful arrangements for flowers, household items, collectibles and art in such a way that they almost seem to tell a story. Creating clutter is just plain old filling tabletop space. Most anyone can tell where there is clutter and when there has been little or no effort to arrange and control it.
get the dreaded “overpayment” letter from Social Security, here are a few facts, courtesy of a report by Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General: Overpayment (and even underpayment) doesn’t happen very often, in less than 1% of benefits paid.
There are two main reasons why an error can occur: People report the wrong information about their income or fail to make corrections if there are changes (especially those who are under full retirement age and still working), and there are problems with Social Security’s processing, specifically errors made when workers manually enter the data.
If you receive the overpayment letter, you might be able to waive the recovery of the amount owed, especially if the overpayment was not your fault. Go to the Social Security website and look for SSA form 632 (www.ssa.gov/ forms/ssa-632.html). If that doesn’t go well, you can appeal by using SSA form 561 (www.ssa. gov/forms/ssa-561.html).
You can also try calling them at 800772-1213. If that doesn’t work, look for a Social Security office in your area by going to secure. ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp and putting in your ZIP code.
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Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@ gmail.com.
(c) KingFeaturesSyndicate2025
such as a table full of decorative obelisks of every material imaginable. Likewise, a collection of cut glass objet d’art and other items of cut glass such as water pitchers, vases and candleholders make for a great group. These groupings start to let your guests know of your interests or hobbies. From an interior design point of view, this is a good thing.
Yet another type of grouping can be a selection of items sorted by a single color. A variety of items can be linked and have some common ground by displaying disparate items with a unifying color. Imagine, for example, a collection of cobalt blue turn of the century medicine bottles of all shapes and sizes. Let your mind run wild with what interests to you. Your visitors will be mesmerized by how interesting you are.
The scale of items can also be an intriguing element of a display. For example, a chair, a child’s chair, a doll’s chair and a dollhouse chair can be displayed side by side, or stacked to create an unusual composition and conversation piece.
Cody’s Corner (from page 9)
which often results in fear-aggressive behavior as the dog grows into his personality and his role in the household.
All of this is not to say people should not have more than one dog. But as Einstein implied, timing is everything.
For people who know they will always want a dog in their life, it’s a great idea to have more than one. It makes the eventual loss of a dog easier to bear if you have another to care for. The ongoing relationship can be a great comfort and will help heal the deep wound the loss of a longtime companion inflicts. The key is to space them out.
When should you get your second dog? About two to three years after getting your first. This gives you ample time to get to know and bond with your first dog and to establish yourself as the leader of your little pack. It also gives him time to develop his personality unfettered and learn the rules of the house. It’s much easier to train a second dog when you aren’t also trying to train a first.
And when the time comes, the second dog should be the opposite sex of the first. Bringing two female dogs home on the same day is a set-up for your very own double-dog day afternoon. But dogs of the opposite sex spaced out by a couple of years will make for a continually harmonious household. Woof!
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Dog trainer Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis is the co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and the host of the PBS series “WOOF! It’s a Dog’s Life!” Read all of Uncle Matty’s columns at www.creators.com, and visit him at www.unclematty.com.
COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM
When it comes to accessorizing, an important thing to consider is the composition, which can be symmetrical, asymmetrical or seemingly haphazard. Everyone has their own preferences. The shape of the composition is really a personal choice and with the number of items you have to display, whether you have a single item, a pair or three items, they can all be assembled in myriad ways.
Another issue to contemplate for a vignette is groupings of a similar type of item,
Lastly, no place in your home should be off guards for a display. Any surface can serve to show off your things. A fireplace mantel, a windowsill, a nightstand, skirted table, a dresser or a display case can act as a collector for all your items. Organizing your collections is a bit like curating an exhibit. So make it enticing and thought-provoking, so your guest will be entertained.
YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
by Tom Margenau
Facebook Rant About
Social Security Is All Lies
There are so many Social Security-bashing screeds floating around on the internet that are not true I could spend every one of my weekly columns just trying to set the record straight.
These things usually get passed around from one gullible and naive nitwit to the next. Today I’m addressing one that has been polluting the online world for almost a quarter century now. I wrote my first column about it in 1997, and it’s still around spreading falsehoods. The only difference is the latest version that many readers have been asking me about is showing up on Facebook.
(By the way, I can give you a little clue about how to tell these diatribes are half-baked and splattered with lies. They are full of misspellings, run-on sentences, far too many capital letters and lots of exclamation points. You just know they are written by angry old goats sitting at a computer in their basements letting the government-hating venom ooze from their fingertips onto the keyboard!)
The Facebook version starts out with some babble (not worth repeating here) about the Social Security card. But then the real rants begin.
The author says that “Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, promised that participation in the program would be completely voluntary.” That’s not true. To make Social Security more palatable to Republicans in Congress, the original law excluded groups of traditional Republican voters, such as doctors, lawyers and other self-employed people. But they were all eventually brought into the fold. And just so you know, mandatory social insurance is not unique to the United States. There are 165 Social Security programs around the world. All of them are mandatory. That is the only way a nationwide social insurance system can work.
This half-baked harangue next alleges that FDR promised that “participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual incomes into the program.”
Once again, that’s just an outright lie. The Social Security bill that FDR signed in 1935 taxed income up to $3,000. That same law called for an incremental adjustment to the tax rate, climbing from 1% in 1936 to 3% by 1949. Roosevelt and all legislators knew that as the program grew in the future, its funding would also have to grow.
The wacky writer then falsely says that “the Social Security tax rate is now 7.65%.” That’s a common misperception. The Social Security tax rate is 6.2%. The other 1.45% is used to fund the completely separate Medicare program.
The last time the Social Security tax rate was increased was in 1983, during the administration of former President Ronald Reagan.
And speaking of Reagan, he gets a pass on something that the internet diatribe blames on former President Bill Clinton. Specifically, the angry old goat wrote this. “Which political party started taxing Social Security? Answer: Clinton and the Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the tiebreaking vote.”
In truth, Social Security benefits were first made taxable during Reagan’s administration in
1984. But I should point out here that the idea to tax Social Security benefits was one of the proposals of the 1982 National Commission on Social Security Reform. This was a bipartisan commission headed by Alan Greenspan that was charged with coming up with solutions to Social Security’s impending financial woes. In addition to taxing benefits, some of their other proposals included increasing payroll taxes and raising the retirement age from 65 to 67.
Next, the author of this garbage trots out the time-worn argument that former President Lyndon Baines Johnson was the first chief executive to misuse Social Security funds and spend it on other purposes. I have explained what LBJ did about a hundred times in this column. So now here comes explanation number one hundred and one!
Because of the massive spending needed to fund the Vietnam War, Johnson’s administration was racking up huge deficits in the 1960s. But LBJ came up with a clever way to hide some of those deficits from the American people. He noticed that the government kept a completely separate set of books for the Social Security Trust Funds, which were running big surpluses at the time. He decided to combine the Social Security accounts with the overall federal budget ledgers. This made the budget deficits appear much smaller. But it is important to note this was just a bookkeeping gimmick. He simply combined the accounts on paper. He did not take one nickel out of the Social Security Trust Funds and spend it for other purposes.
Back to this ridiculous rant. The author asks this question. “Which political party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants?” And he answers it this way. “That’s right. Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security payments. The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though they never paid a dime into it.”
Once again, that is just absolutely false. The implication is that illegal immigrants can collect Social Security benefits. And that is just not true. In truth, actuarial studies have shown that work-
ers living here illegally who manage to obtain false documents, including fake Social Security numbers, and who work “above the table,” pump about $2 billion per year into the Social Security system and never collect a dime in benefits.
Perhaps the author is talking about the fact that immigrants who have come to this country legally can obtain Supplemental Security Income benefits if they are poor and over the age of 65 or disabled. SSI is a federal welfare program that is funded out of general tax revenues, not Social Security taxes. The SSI program came about when Richard Nixon was president. And he was also not a Democrat!
Let me make this final point. People should stop trying to blame their perceived Social Security transgressions on one political party or another. Almost all Social Security legislation over the years has been the result of bipartisan efforts to make the program better for all of us.
* * *
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.
COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
1. The book of Haggai is found in the a) Old Testament b) New Testament c) Neither
2. Which Gospel speaks of separating the sheep from the goats? a) Matthew b) Mark c) Luke d) John
3. Who warned Saul that rebellion was as bad as witchcraft? a) David b) Moloch c) Marduk d) Samuel
4. From Proverbs 18, "Whoso findeth a wife findeth ...." a) Lasting peace b) Life 16 c) A good thing d) His heritage
5. How old was Moses when he died? a) 80 b) 100 c) 120 d) 140
6. From Luke 10:1, in addition to his 12 disciples, how many others did Jesus send out ahead of him two by two? a) 24 b) 48 c) 66 d) 72
(Answers on page 16) For comments or more Bible Trivia go to www.TriviaGuy.com
Lobular Protrusion Causes Concern for a Spontaneous Rupture
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 80-yearold woman in good health with low blood pressure, and the only medication I take is levothyroxine. A 6-by-5.5-mm aneurysm was discovered in my brain, and the scan shows one lobular protrusion that may be of concern for rupture.
I am trying to decide if I should go through with a procedure, but I am not sure about the effectiveness, risks, and possible post-procedure adverse reactions. It is my understanding that these coils have been on the market for a while, and I was wondering which product is best if this information is available. I was informed that the coil is made of platinum.
Two last questions: Does the coil lead to clotting, causing the aneurysm to be occluded? What prevents blood clots from entering the vascular system in the brain and causing problems?
ANSWER: An aneurysm is a weakening in the wall of the artery, which causes part of the artery to enlarge. If the enlargement is big enough, a person is at risk for rupture, which causes a bleed inside the brain that can lead to a potentially devastating stroke, depending on the size and location of the aneurysm.
When the aneurysm is big enough to be concerned for rupture, they are considered for repair, which can be done through the surgical placement of a clip or by placing a platinum coil inside the aneurysm. This is done endovascularly, meaning that a catheter is placed in the affected artery. Under a fluoroscopy (a real-time X-ray), the coil is opened up. This causes a clot in the aneurysm, which protects the thinned wall from enlarging further and reduces the risk of rupture.
You are quite right that the clot can propagate and break off. A large study showed that
this can happen up to 9% of the time, but newer techniques and medications to prevent this complication have the potential to reduce it further. Your neurosurgeon needs to weigh the risk of a clot or rupture during the procedure against the benefit of preventing a spontaneous rupture of the aneurysm. This takes judgment, and only your doctor can make this call based on the precise characteristics of your aneurysm and your overall medical condition.
VETERANS POST
by Freddie Groves
Missing Inventory
* * *
Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.
(c) 2025 North America Synd., Inc.
I will note that the risk of rupture or a clot breaking off are lower when the aneurysm hasn’t ruptured, compared to when the procedure is done as an emergency. You also have to rely on your surgeon to choose the best product for you. Unfortunately, there aren’t studies to guide the decision, so it’s left to clinical judgment. With my own patients, I defer to the surgeon. Song the cattleman crooned as he put down rich soil to grow his pasture: "Loam on the Range."
If you’re getting care at a Department of Veterans Affairs facility and staff can’t find the equipment or supplies needed for your treatment, somebody has goofed up, likely somebody in inventory control.
One hospital alone, as investigated by the VA Office of Inspector General, was supposed to stock $203 million in equipment and $5.5 million in expendable supplies. In verifying the accuracy of the inventories, 82% of items in a random sample of surgical or medical items were found to be incorrect. That’s 49 of the 60 items checked. As an example, inventory records showed over 1,100 decontamination gowns. In reality, there was one gown.
Then there were the over 1,500 expired items, the 94% of items that were not in the locations where they should have been and the new supplies found in dumpsters.
Interestingly enough, the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) had conducted quality control reviews two years in a row, which meant they received documents and information from the facility. Their on-site reviews didn’t find the deficiencies -- the VAOIG did. They discovered missing data, expired supplies, inventory discrepancies, missing medicine cabinets, lack of correct use of the barcode system and more. Then there was the lack of training.
And the VISN reviewers -- because they lean heavily on data supplied to them -- apparently didn’t notice the unlocked bins of veteran files, containing private personal and health information, sitting outside the warehouse door.
The finger of blame for the expiration of biological and non-biological implant items can be pointed in several directions: Staff because they weren’t tracking the inventory; the various departments that used different methods to track their items; vendors that weren’t made responsible for monitoring the items they supplied. And when problems did surface (damage and loss, for example), no one investigated.
The end result of this VAOIG inspection was chilling: Patients were medically at risk because of expired implant items and financially at risk due to their personal and health information sitting in unlocked bins outside the warehouse door.
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.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
-- by Jim Miller
Where Solo Agers Can Find Help
DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: I’m a divorced 68-year-old childless cat lady and have been thinking a lot lately about who will look after me when I get older and my health falters. What resources are available to solo seniors like me, and where can I turn to find a reliable person to be my emergency contact, lookout for my health, financial matters and living arrangements in my elder years? Are there such services? -- Solo Ager
Dear Solo: This is actually a very common concern for the 22 million solo agers across the United States who don’t have adult children or other family they can depend on to watch out for their well-being. Here are some tips and resources that can help you plan ahead.
Choosing Helpers & Decision Makers
While older adults who have children or are married usually name offspring or spouses as proxies/decision makers, solo agers most often choose a sibling, niece or nephew, or rely on a trusted friend or neighbor. Whomever you choose, talk to them
first to make sure they’re up for the task. If, however, you don’t have anyone you feel comfortable with, or who is willing to take on that responsibility, you can hire someone.
One of the best resources for this is an aging life care manager. These are trained professionals in the area of geriatric care who often have backgrounds in nursing or social work and can serve as your emergency contact, oversee your care and even act as your executor. They can also connect you with professional legal and financial services in your area that can help you manage your affairs.
Aging life care managers typically charge anywhere from $100 to $300 an hour, depending on their location and experience. To search for an expert near you, visit aginglifecare.org.
If you can’t afford this, there are other reliable sources you can turn to for specific help. For example, if you haven’t already done so, you need to prepare a basic estate plan (including a power of attorney, advance directive and a will) to ensure your wishes are carried out if you become incapacitated and when you die.
To help you prepare these documents, your best option is to hire an experienced estate planning attorney, which can cost anywhere between $500 and $2,000. He or she may also be able to act as your power of attorney or executor, or help you locate a professional in your area that can.
To locate someone, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys ( and National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (naepc.org) have online directo ries to help you search.
If you need help with bill-paying there are services like SilverBills (silverbills.com
or you can work with a daily money manager (aadmm.com) who, in addition to paying bills, can handle tasks like balancing your checkbook and organizing tax information. And to help you navigate care and senior housing options there are certified senior advisors (csa.us).
It’s also a good idea to meet with a financial adviser to help figure out what services and living arrangements you can afford and what steps you can take to ensure that your financial resources last your lifetime. If you don’t have an adviser, you can find a fee-only, fiduciary financial planner trough the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors at napfa.org
Some other helpful resources you can turn to include Aging Alone Together (dorotusa.org/agingalonetogether), a program offered by DOROT, which is a nonprofit social services organization that provides practical ways to help solo agers prepare for the future. They are offering a free, six-session virtual workshop (offered weekly) via Zoom starting April 24th.
GARAGES • GARAGES •
airflow as it flies, giving owls the edge of complete silence as they glide stealthily through the forest in search of prey.
• Many arctic birds have black feathers, which absorb heat from the sun. If temperatures get too high, the bird can overheat.
• Several species of birds that live in New Guinea eat poisonous beetles without suffering ill effects. The neurotoxins they ingest collect in their feathers and skin, making the birds themselves poisonous. These are the only birds on the planet known to be poisonous.
• The male sand grouse, which inhabits desert areas in southwest Africa, fills its specialized belly feathers with water and transports it back to the nest for its chicks to drink.
• Down is composed of specialized feathers that lie against the bird’s skin and its outer feathers that retain heat. When eider ducks are ready to lay eggs, the female molts all of the down on her breast and uses it to line her nest. This helps keep the eggs warm through the Arctic spring.
• After the chicks fledge, local residents collect the eiderdown from the empty nests. Eiderdown is used for coats, pillows, and blankets. It is the lightest, warmest substance known, and is so efficient at retaining heat and repelling water that chemists have yet to create anything better. About 75% of the world’s supply comes from Iceland, where the birds are protected and down collection is carefully regulated.
FINAL FEATHER FACTS
• The words plume, plumage, and pluck all spring from the same root word “plumage,” meaning a bird's feathery covering. It originates from the Old French word “plumage,” which itself comes from the French word “plume” meaning “feather,” ultimately tracing back to the Latin word “pluma” meaning “feather, down”.
• Most birds have more feathers in winter than in summer.
• Peacock feathers are around 6 feet (1.8 m) long.
• The feather structure consists of a central shaft (rachis) with paired branches (barbs) that form a flattened surface (vane), with smaller barbules and hooks that interlock for strength.
• Vultures, marabou storks, and ostriches all lack feathers on their heads.
Jason Jenkins
While it’s easy to get down and out about your golf game, sometimes one simple reminder can bring your game back to a state of contentment and enjoyment. Usually a golfers’ posture or address position gets a little out of whack, and the golf swing suffers from what it had been months ago.
Many players get a little lazy allowing their chin to sink down toward their chest at address. This lowering of the head makes it difficult for the body to turn effectively, especially in the backswing. Even Jack Nicklaus had times in his career where he was reminded to lift his chin up a bit at address to improve his backswing. Picturing an orange or small grapefruit under your chin can be a great visual reminder that your posture includes your head position. When you attempt to raise your chin off your chest, you may effectively create a better bow from the waist to see the ball clearly.
STAN SMITH'S TENNIS CLASS
#1) FREE SOLAR EDUCATION SEMINAR
Presented by Bill Baker, founder of The Solar Initiative, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit Solar Educational Forum.
#3) FREE ALL DAY SPA PASS for 2
Rejuvenate • Relax • Escape Enjoy • Indulge • Breathe #2) FREE LUNCH for 2 at Capri Restaurant ~Miracle Springs
Bill Baker, Founder/Speaker
by 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:
