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As symbols of comfort, love, and friendship, teddy bears have for years captured the hearts of children and adults alike. For kids, the teddy bear can become a trusted friend providing comfort and companionship, while grown-ups often regard them as fond memories of theirADVERTISING PROOF Monday,6/8/2026 childhood. Nearly everyone has a teddy bear Final story toChanges DUE: 5:0 tell, but how did this popular plush toyPlease originate in the review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  first place? This week Tidbits pieces together several your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or c seemingly-unrelated events that all needed Contact to happen Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 7 before the teddy bear could be born. THE START: A BORDER DISPUTE

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on theirFax: INSIDE: first visit 760-320 Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com with ad . Exp. 9-15-26 Celebrity Extra............................. Page 6 Dogs • Cats • Birds • Exotics Good Housekeeping Recipes ..... Page 7 Reptiles • Pocket Pets • More! Comics & Puzzles........................ 8-9 Pet Column.................................. 9 Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 WE WE CARE! CARE! Full-service valleybits@msn.com Your Social Security.................... 11 vet care, wellness, Doctor's Advice .......................... 12 Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s) 14 Spelling  Prices  Hours All Rights Reserved The Savvy Senior ........................ X-ray, surgery Golf Tips & Instruction............... Owner doctors: MON., DEC. 3115 Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. and dentistry. David & Rachael Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone  Spelling  Prices  Hours ... And LOTSNumber(s) more! Jeffrey Please review carefully. check:  PhoneFax: Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours Office:Double 760-320-0997 760-320-1630 Property of Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. Serving the Coachella Welcome to the team, AdVenture Media, Inc. Valley for 10+ years. Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. Dr. Giorgia Bardini Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630

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miniature crossbow about three inches long, but despite its tiny size it was amazingly effective. It could launch toothpicks with enough force to penetrate an apple, a Styrofoam cup, a banana -- or an eyeball. Thousands of crossbows were sold, but when the manufacturer learned that inventive kids had found the crossbows could also effectively fire needles and nails, they were immediately banned in 2017 and quietly removed from store shelves.

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TOY IDEAS

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Everyone has off days and bad ideas, and toy manufacturers are certainly no exception. Here are a few examples of some unplanned outcomes involving children’s toys that should never have made it to store shelves in the first place.

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was 1962, and the Cold War was in full ADVERTISING PROOF • Itswing. To satisfy a demand that never existed, Changes DUE: MON., AUG 24 12:00 the NOON Sears catalog included a new version of a arefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours The Blueberry Lane Colonial Metal dollhouse. Handyman Services House included a built-in nuclear fallout shelter, PROFESSIONAL  Reliable  Expert

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• The dollhouse came complete with everything you’d ever need to survive a nuclear holocaust. Painted in meticulous detail on the walls were shelves stuffed with canned foods, first aid supplies, water jugs and even army cots. • While sales of these dollhouses by Louis Marx and Company were a complete disaster in themselves, it was only later that they became rare and soughtafter items on the collectors market.

TUBULAR TRAUMA

• The Zulu Dart Game was on the market in various forms for nearly 40 years before safety regulations caught up with it. The game consisted of long, straw-like plastic tubes, one for each child. A set of slender metal-tipped darts was included with each blow gun. • Children were instructed to load the dart into the end of the tube, take a deep breath, and then blow the dart towards the target. The issue was not so much that the darts were aimed at siblings, neighbor kids and pets; the problem arose when kids would already have their lips snugly pursed around the end of the tube when they inhaled the deep breath. This caused them to suck the projectile into their throat and lungs. In 1969, the National Commission on Product Safety promptly yanked the toy off the market. PET PROPULSION

• It’s well known that hamster wheels provide good exercise for these popular pets. A company called Habitrail produced a variety of these wheels, but in 1976 they got a new idea: Why not use the hamsterʼs energy to power toy race cars?

BANISHED BALZ • They created the Speed Streak, a miniature • Then there were the Monster Science Colossal plastic race car about a foot long. “Your pet is Water Balz. These were small, squishy balls or the driver,” read the box. “It runs on one hamster beads, ranging in size from a jelly bean to the power!” When placed into the enclosed bubble size of a ping-pong ball. But through the magic cab, ADVERTISING there was nothing for the PROOF hamster to do but ADVERTISING PROOF of polymer technology, when soaked in water Final Mon. 7/27/26 Changes DUE: which, 5:00the p.m.. run on the treadmill in turn, caused Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours the balls greatly expanded up to the size of a wheels to spin. Kids were encouraged to have nal Changes DUE: 12:00 NOON Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. tennis ball or baseball. hamster speed races, requiring two hamsters and ew carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 two cars. • Being small, bright, and colorful, to a small child act your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. FREE they also looked just like candy. The human • Inevitably, hamsters wildly drove themselves to : 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 body is around 60 percent water. When placed bumping down staircases, onto busy streets, into in the mouth, it set up the perfect conditions for the jaws of playful dogs, or under beds where the ball to rapidly expand. This quickly created they were sometimes forgotten. the situation where the child could either choke Property of • After numerous complaints, Toys ‘R Us, then or cause intestinal blockage if swallowed. This 1/12th page, Full Color, 26x Discount Rate AdVenture Media, Inc. the country’s largest toy store chain, announced was further complicated by the fact that ingested August 9, 2026 • Vol. 22: #33 it would be removing it from all of its 233 balls do not show up on X-rays, meaning locations. Habitrail sold it in pet shops instead. removal would likely require surgery. The popularity of the hamster car dwindled, Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 1. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is • After receiving complaints from concerned until it eventually disappeared.  valleybits@msn.com the only mammal that can’t jump? parents and child protection groups, the manu2. MOVIES: Which movie has the All Rights Reserved T R facturer, Be Amazing! Toys, quickly yanked the tagline, “They’re young, they’re in OS LA M entire line of Jelly Beads, Jumbo Beads, and love, and they kill people”? PU O 3. HISTORY: When is Labor Day P Magic Growing Fruity Fun Beads, and quietly celebrated every year in the United Property of trashed the products in August 2013. AdVenture Media, Inc. Property of AdVenture Media, Inc.

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States? 4. LANGUAGE: What’s the name of a punctuation mark that combines a question mark and an exclamation point? 5. GEOGRAPHY: Which country was called Kampuchea from 1975 to 1979? 6. ASTRONOMY: What are the names of the twin stars in the Gemini constellation? 7. MYTHOLOGY: What is the only thing left in Pandora’s box after it was opened? 8. FOOD & DRINK: Which country is associated with the fermented cabbage dish kimchi? 9. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who is the first president to die in office? 10. TELEVISION: What are the Halloween episodes of “The Simpsons” called? Trivia answers (Trivia Test answers page 16) 1. Elephant. 2. “Bonnie and Clyde,” 1967. 3. The first Monday in September.

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Teddy Bear (from page one) President Theodore Roosevelt was consulted. • In 1902 the governor of Mississippi invited Roosevelt to visit. Knowing Roosevelt was an avid hunter, he suggested a bear hunt. On the day of the hunt, while Roosevelt’s companions successfully bagged bears, he did not. Wanting to assist, the hunting guide went ahead to scout. His hounds treed a 235-lb black bear, which was then lassoed and pulled down, suffering injuries in the fall. The bear was tied to a willow as the guide hurried to fetch the President so he could shoot it and count it as a kill. • When presented with the injured, frightened bear, Roosevelt made the decision not to shoot, describing this as “unsportsman-like.” • The bear did not get a happy ending after Roosevelt left. Instead, the guide put it out of its misery. History does not mention if Roosevelt ever found a fair-game bear to shoot on that trip. • The story soon hit the newspapers and was trumpeted as a fine example of the president’s fine character and sportsmanship. A political cartoonist drew a sketch depicting Roosevelt refusing to shoot the tethered bear, calling it, “Drawing the line in Mississippi,” a double entendre meaning Roosevelt was in Mississippi to draw the line between states, and he also drew the line by refusing to shoot a helpless bear. MEANWHILE IN EUROPE

of them and selling them to her clients as surprise gifts for their kids. • In 1890, she mailed the first Steiff catalogue, featuring not only her dresses but also small stuffed elephants, monkeys, donkeys, horses, camels, pigs, mice, dogs, cats, rabbits, and giraffes. Bears were not included because Margarete felt they were too scary. Customers could purchase the finished product or buy a pattern to make their own. Surprisingly, the stuffed toys quickly became more popular than the dresses. By 1893 Margarete had set up a factory just to produce tiny stuffed animals. By 1895 her creations were being sold in Harrods in London.

Page 3

Steiff bear at a toy fair in 1903. He ordered 3,000 to be sent to the U.S. Soon, visitors who flocked to the boardwalks in New Jersey’s seaside resorts were taking home teddy bears as prizes. Children bought them as souvenirs. Women’s magazines featured ads for bear accessories and printed patterns for sewing bear clothes. In 1906, a single Manhattan store sold more than 60,000 teddy bears.

• In 1907 Steiff produced 974,000 bears and still Teddy Bear Turn to page 15 ��

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1. About how many styles • In 1897 her nephew, Richard Steiff, joined the and designs of teddy company and began working on new designs. bears are on the market After visiting a zoo in 1902, he was inspired to at any given time? design a bear. He invented a system where the 2. What percent of all bear’s limbs were attached to revolving disks so teddy bears are made that they moved freely, allowing the bear to be ADVERTISING PROOF in China? posed.

Mon., June 29

12:0 • To make the bears less scary, MargareteFinal designedChanges DUE: review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  P them with button eyes, smilingPlease mouths, and cute CLIP AND SAVE little noses. This innovative bear quickly became Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corr their best-selling product. Answers page 16

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BACK IN THE U.S.

• Russian immigrants Rose and Morris Michtom owned a candy shop in Brooklyn, New York. They saw the news about Roosevelt’s bear encounter and the cartoon sweeping the nation. Seeing an opportunity, Rose, who had already sewn a few stuffed bears for their children, put them in the front window with a price tag and a sign: “Teddy’s Bears.” The toys sold out. She made more, and again they sold out. Soon, she could not keep up with the demand.

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• To address this, Morris sent one of the bears to President Roosevelt along with a letter, asking permission to name the toys after him. Roosevelt replied that it was fine with him, though he ADVERTISING PROOF doubted the venture would amount to Final much. Changes DUE: 12 Nevertheless, he kept the bearPlease prominently review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  GC Development displayed for the rest of his presidency.

• While this story was unfolding in the U.S., another story was taking shape across the Atlantic. In Germany, a woman named Margarete Steiff set up her own dress shop in 1877, making and selling her own designs. She constantly needed pin cushions, so she fashioned one shaped like a tiny elephant. Children were delighted by the whimsical creation, so she started making more

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The Billy Possum was a plush toy created after William Howard Taft won the 1908 presidential election. Intended to replace the teddy bear, the possum was chosen because of Taft's love for "possum and taters", a symbol of Southern pride. However, the Billy Possum toy didn't catch on and never received the popularity or enduring legacy as the Teddy Bear.

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• With the sudden popularity of teddy bears, a buyer for a New York-based toy importer noticed the

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Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or c • Building on their success, Rose and Morris quit Jan. 25, 2026 • Vol. 22 - No. 5 Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 7 the candy business and set up a factory to massproduce the bears, naming their new enterprise the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company.

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Vol. XXII Issue No. 36

You don’t need fancy containers or elaborate labels. A little common sense and a few extra minutes can make the sorting process far easier for the people receiving your donation. by Mary Hunt Then there’s the matter of recalls. Children’s products, especially cribs, car By Lucie Winborne seats and certain toys, may have been recalled for safety reasons. Before donating those items, it’s worth taking a minute to check whether * Women lie more than men in their they’re still legally considered safe to use. Passonline dating profiles. ing along a recalled product doesn’t help the Dropping off a box of donations always Everyday * Many quilts made by military soldiers next family -- it simply passes the problem along. feels good. You clean out a closet, gather up CHEAPSKATE were known as “convalescent quilts,” Electronics deserve a second look as things you no longer use, and drive away with by Mary Hunt since they made them while recuperating well. that wonderful sense of accomplishment. The from wounds received in the line of duty. Some thrift stores gladly accept working house is less cluttered, someone else may benelectronics, while others don’t have the ability efit from your generosity, and everybody wins. * The word LEGO comes from the first to test or resell them. If you’re unsure, a quick Well ... almost everybody. two letters of the Danish words “leg” and phone call or visit to the organization’s website The people who sort donations at thrift “godt,” or “play well.” can save everyone time and prevent unnecesstores will tell you there are times when wellsary hauling. meaning donors accidentally create more work * Egyptian butchers wore elevated sanOne thing I’ve learned over the years is than help. That’s because not everything left at dals to keep their feet free of blood and that generosity isn’t measured by volume. the donation door is actually suitable for resale. greasy scraps on the floor. A dozen carefully selected, clean, usable It turns out that being a thoughtful donor items often accomplish far more than five over* Early in her career, model Gisele isn’t all that different from being a thoughtful Bundchen was told she’d never achieve houseguest. You don’t leave a mess for someone flowing boxes filled with things nobody wants. success without cosmetic surgery to Donating isn’t about finding a new home for our else to clean up. decrease her nose size. She refused and junk. It’s about finding someone who can genuOne of the biggest misconceptions is that later had the last laugh by becoming one inely use what we’re giving. That’s a subtle but thrift stores can use everything. In reality, many of the most highly paid models in history. important difference. donated items that are stained, broken, moldy When we think about donations from or beyond repair end up in the trash bin. That * It is thought that 80% of the world’s the recipient’s perspective, our choices become means volunteers or employees must spend gold is still in the ground. much clearer. We naturally wash the sweater, valuable time sorting through things that were match the shoes, tape the puzzle box closed, never likely to make it onto the sales floor in the * While screening around 2 million airand wipe down the coffee maker. first place. line passengers per day, TSA officers are Those small acts communicate someA good rule of thumb is surprisingly accustomed to confiscating items such as thing bigger. They say, “I respect the person who full water bottles and too-large toiletries, simple: If you wouldn’t happily give the item to will receive this.” but their more astonishing finds include a friend or neighbor, it probably doesn’t belong grenades, cannonballs and even a samuAnd perhaps that’s the finest form of thrift Please review carefully. Double check:  PhoneinNumber(s) Spelling  Pricesshould  Hours the donation box either. Clothing be rai sword. there is -- not simply passing things along, but freshly washed. Kitchen items should be clean. MON., AUG. 31 Toys should have all their essential parts. A quick passing them along with consideration and care. Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections. * Actor Daniel Craig, as a reward for The best donations just clear Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone don’t Number(s)  space Spelling  inspection at home saves someone else from playing James Bond, can choose any in our homes. They create opportunities for making that decision Fax: later. 760-320-1630 Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Aston Martin from the factory for the rest Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or co someone else’s. Timing matters too. of his life. * * * Office:outside 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 76 It’s tempting to leave donations Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapafter hours if the donation center is closed. Unfor* All organ donations will inevitably fail, skate.com, where this column is archived complete with tunately, rain, snow, wind and curious critters since transplanted organs “scar” over links and resources for all recommended products and don’t respect business hours. Boxes left overtime, which eventually renders them unservices. Mary invites questions and comments at https:// night can become soaked or damaged, turnusable. www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This Property of ing perfectly useful donations into trash before column will answer questions of general interest, but letters AdVenture Media, Inc. cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder * In 2019, Forbes named Kylie Jenner anyone even opens the door. MON., MAY 18 Catherine Marcy - Real Estate of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the the world’s youngest self-made billionaire Always donate during operating hours so author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.” Please review Number(s)  Prices  Hours at age 21. carefully. Double check:  Phoneyour 1/12 pg 4C - - items can beSpelling brought inside promptly. COPYRIGHT 2026 CREATORS.COM also changes helps to think about how youSept. pack 6, 2026 Vol.22 - No. 37 Contact your Tidbits representative immediatelyItwith or corrections. * Around 400 B.C., the Greek inventor your donations. Office: of760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 Archytas Tarentum built an early “robot” Imagine opening a tightly knotted garbage ED! -- a wooden pigeon that flew on760.320.0997 a steamC Phone: Fax: 760.320.1630 U bag filled with loose glassware, tangled cords, powered arm. RED valleybits@msn.com South and clothing that’s been stuffed in every available *** corner. 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GLASS We find glass virtually everywhere around us in our everyday lives; in windows, mirrors, eyeglasses, bottles and a multitude of other useful things. Although our world today would just not be the same without glass, very few of us know how it's made or where it even comes from. Read on for a quick short course that answers these questions. INGREDIENTS

• When you mix the three ingredients of sand, lime, and soda ash, you get glass, but it's a bit more complicated than that. Here’s how it works. • The primary ingredient in glass is sand, but not just any sand. There are many kinds of sand: volcanic beaches are made of obsidian or basalt; tropical oceans have sand made of crushed shells; in New Mexico at White Sands National Park, the sand is made of gypsum. But glass can only be made of silicon dioxide, which is pure quartz. Silica sand is found in areas where granite, quartzite, or sandstone deteriorates, often collecting in vast deposits over time, near rivers, lakes, deserts, and along some coasts.

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Page 5

sprinkled into outhouse pits to kill odors, added to acidic soils to adjust the pH, and is a main ingredient in whitewash paint.

into the desired product. For example, glass bottles are made by putting the molten glass into molds, while flat glass for windows is produced using specialized manufacturing processes.

• The third ingredient is sodium carbonate, commonly called soda ash. This is collected in large deposits when shallow freshwater lakes evaporate, leaving their minerals behind. The alkali salts are called natrona, or just trona. There are large trona mines in Wyoming, Utah, and California, where vast ancient inland lakes once thrived. • When plants grow in sodium-rich alkaline soils and are burned to ash, the ash is rich in sodium carbonate. This is where the term soda ash comes from, and it’s one of the main ingredients in soap. When ordinary trees are burned to ash, they yield potash (“ash that was boiled in pots”), which is rich in potassium, with “potassium” springing from the word potash. Potassium is a good fertilizer, but it doesn’t make soap.

• After shaping, the glass is slowly cooled in a process called annealing. This removes internal stresses and helps prevent the glass from becoming brittle, cracking or breaking. • Finally, the glass may be cut, polished, colored, or treated to give it special properties. This process allows manufacturers to produce many different types of glass used in windows, bottles, dishes, screens, and other everyday products. 

• Sodium carbonate is a white, odorless, alkaline, water-soluble, inorganic salt that is used in many household and industrial applications. It’s poured into swimming pools to adjust the pH of the water, turned into laundry detergents and soaps, used in water softeners, as a fixative for tie-dying clothing, and processed into baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). PRODUCTION

• Glass is made by combining and mixing these materials together and placing them in a furnace • The next ingredient is lime. In the ocean, the that reaches temperatures of around 2,700°F seawater dissolves calcium. Sea creatures ADVERTISING (1,500°C). The intense heat melts the ingredients extract calcium to build their shells,PROOF coral, bones, into a thick, liquid material. eggshells, and pearls. WED., By doing this,22calcium is 5:00 MAR. al Changes DUE: p.m.. transformed into calcium carbonate (calcium • Once the mixture is melted, itʼs carefully shaped w carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours plus carbon). Calcium carbonate accumulates t your Tidbits immediately changes as sea representative animals die and drop to thewith ocean floor.or corrections.CLIP AND SAVE Given varying amounts of heat, pressure, and 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630 time, these deposits turn into chalk, limestone, dolomite, and marble. About 25% of sedimentary rock is one of these carbonate forms.

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ADVERTISING PROOF • When limestone result is a white Desert Jewelry Martis&burned, Loan the alkaline powder called lime. Lime has many 1/12 pg 4C 26x rate hanges DUE: 5:00 p.m.. industrial uses, including being a main ingredient March 26, 2017 Vol. 13 - No. 13 in mortar, plaster, cement, and concrete. It’s

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screenplay is in progress, but this sequel will center on a new female lead played by Margot Robbie and place Depp in more of a supporting role. *** Q: Isn’t Mar vel making a movie or TV series with Paul Bettany’s character called “VisionQuest”? Whatever happened with this? -- C.E.

by Dana Jackson King Features News Syndicate

Q: Is Johnny Depp making a comeback anytime soon? I haven’t seen him in anything since all the bad publicity he had with his ex-wife. -- S.T. A: It’s been four years since the defama-

Depositphotos

tion trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, but his career has never regained the heights that it achieved in the early 2000s. He portrayed King Louis XV in the French historical film “Jeanne du Barry” back in 2023, and his future has been looking brighter since. He’s starring in the action thriller “Day Drinker” with Oscar winJohnny Depp ner Penelope Cruz (Upcoming in “Day Drinker”) (“Vicky Cristina Barcelona”), which is set for a March 2027 release. This November, however, he’ll play the title character in the holiday film “Ebenezer.” Producer Jerry Bruckheimer did say at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event that he’s in talks with Depp about reprising the role of Captain Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean 6.” A

A: It’s understandable that one would think that Disney has abandoned the planned “WandaVision” spin-off “VisionQuest” because it’s been years in the making. The original series with Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany ended in 2021, and we were treated to the first “WV” spin-off -- “Agatha All Along” starring Kathryn Hahn -- in 2024. Disney recently released the trailer for the upcoming series “VisionQuest” at the recent D23 Disney event. In the preview, we see Bettany as “a humble guy working in a British pub,” according to TVLine, “[who] takes a trip inside his own mind and his own memories, admitting that ‘I was an Avenger, but I’m not a hero anymore.’” James Spader also stars as Ultron, who tries to convince Vision that his memories are indeed real and urges him, “Free us all and save your son.” The new series is expected to premiere on Disney+ on Wednesday, Oct. 14. In addition to Bettany and Spader, the cast includes Faran Tahir (“Iron Man”), Emily Hampshire (“Schitt’s Creek”), Todd Stashwick (“12 Monkeys”), and T’Nia Miller (“The Haunting of Bly Manor”). *** Q: Is Ryan Gosling starring in a new “Star Wars” movie? I thought they finished making them with this past trilogy. -- A.B.

1. Spider-Man: Brand New Day (PG-13) Tom Holland, Zendaya 2. The Odyssey (R) Matt Damon, Tom Holland 3. The End of Oak Street (PG-13) Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor 4. PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie (PG) Carter Young, Mckenna Grace 5. Katseye: Wild Hearts (NR) Abhinav Singh, Daniela Avanzini 6. Six: The Musical Live! (PG-13) Aimie Atkinson, Alexia McIntosh 7. The Brink of War (PG) Jeff Daniels, Jared Harris 8. Toy Story 5 (PG) Tom Hanks, Tim Allen 9. One Night Only (R) Monica Barbaro, Callum Turner 10. Vishwanath and Sons (NR) Suriya, Mamitha Baiju © 2026 King Features Synd., Inc.

Vol. XXII Issue No. 36

A: Yes, there’s another “Star Wars” mov-

ie in the works, but it’s an entirely original story that, according to director Shawn Levy, is neither a prequel nor a sequel. In “Star Wars: Starfighter,” Ryan Gosling (“Project Hail Mary”) plays a rogue pilot named Kade Auberon. Aubeoron, according to Entertainment Weekly, has a decommissioned G17 starfighter in his possession that he claims is “the fastest ever built.” Levy, who directed “Deadpool & Wolverine,” is excited to team up with novelist and screenwriter Jonathan Tropper (“The Adam Project,” “Your Friends & Neighbors”) and Gosling, of course. Look for what’s sure to be another blockbuster hit for the “Star Wars” franchise in theaters on May 28, 2027. * * * Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com. (c) 2026 King Features Synd., Inc.

PonderBits I didn't sleep well last night so I made my coffee this morning with Red Bull instead of water. I got half way to work before I realized I forgot my car.

(Go Figure solution page 14)

Yesterday was a bit of a strange day. First I found a hat full of money. Then I was chased by an angry man with a guitar.

Week of August 30, 2026

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Good Recipes from Steamed Broccoli with Gremolata Crumbs We dress steamed broccoli with a mixture of breadcrumbs and gremolata, an Italian garnish of lemon, parsley and garlic that is served as a topping on anything from stews to vegetables. 1 lemon 1 bag (12-ounce) broccoli florets 2 tablespoons water 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 clove garlic, crushed with press 1 slice firm white bread, toasted and crumbled 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 1. From lemon, grate 1/2 teaspoon peel and squeeze 1 tablespoon juice. 2. In microwave-safe bowl, place broccoli and water. Cover with vented plastic wrap and cook in microwave on High 4 to 5 minutes or until tender-crisp. 3. Meanwhile, in small skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in lemon peel, breadcrumbs and salt, and toss to combine; remove skillet from heat and stir in parsley. 4. Drain broccoli if necessary; transfer to serving bowl and toss with lemon juice. Sprinkle crumb mixture over broccoli to serve. Serves 4.

le Paper

test Litt

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Enjoy Tidbits Every Week

ONLINE!

Issuu.com/Valleybits

Page 7

 Each serving: About 55 calories, 2g total fat, 205mg sodium, 8g total carbohydrate, 3g dietary fiber, 3g protein.

Carrot, Radish and Grapefruit Salad

Southern-Style Biscuits

Keep your healthy-eating resolution with this simple low-fat side dish.

3 cups self-rising cake flour*, unsifted 1/3 cup shortening 1 cup milk 1. Heat oven to 450 F. Into large bowl, measure self-rising cake flour. With pastry blender or two knives used scissor-fashion, cut in shortening until evenly combined. *Note: If not using self-rising cake flour in step 1, substitute 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt; place in large bowl, then cut in shortening. Continue as in steps 2 through 4. 2. Stir milk into flour mixture just until ingredients are blended. 3. Scoop dough by scant 1/4 cups onto ungreased large cookie sheet. If you like, with floured hands, lightly pat scoops of dough to smooth slightly. 4. Bake biscuits about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve biscuits warm. Or, cool on wire rack; reheat if desired. Makes 12 biscuits.

2 1/2 cups shredded carrots 6 radishes, thinly sliced 2 red grapefruits, peeled and cut into segments (without white pith and membrane) 2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1. Combine all ingredients along with the juice squeezed from the leftover grapefruit membranes. Serves 4.  Each serving: About 73 calories, 18g total carbohydrate, 2g protein.

Vol. XXII Issue No. 36

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Page 8

(Solution on page 16)

Donald Duck

by Walt Disney

Crossword Answers on page 16

NEST HEADS

By John Allen

Tidbits® of Coachella Valley Published and distributed weekly by AdVenture Media, Inc. P.O. Box 4308 Palm Springs, CA 92263-4308 Phone: 760-320-0997 Fax: 760-320-1630 Email: valleybits@msn.com www.TidbitsPalmSprings.com All rights reserved. Publisher: Erik D. Long Editor: David L. Long Distribution By:

Ed and Judy Brown, Brittany Brown Adventure Media Resources

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“In business as in life, we practice the Golden Rule” News content in the Tidbit s® Paper is provided by both Tidbits Media, Inc. and other news sources con sidered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information published cannot be guaranteed.

•

Tidbits® of Coachella Valley does not accept political advertising or news matter of any nature submitted for publication. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising from any business, individual or group for any reason deemed inappropriate or not in the Publisher’s best interest. Published news matter and advertising content does not necessarily reflect the views of the Publisher or of AdVenture Media, Inc. Tidbits® of Coachella Valley is not an adjudicated publication and therefore cannot accept official legal notices for publication. All copy, photos and graphic illustrations submitted for advertising publication are subject to publisher’s prior approval. We do not offer mail subscription service. So there.

Week of August 30, 2026

Page 9

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

NEXT WEEK in

Cody’s

TIDBITS ASKS

Corner

WHERE IN THE WORLD??

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty By Matthew Margolis Creators News Service

The Truth About Aggressive Dogs

3. The Weekly “Brain Breaker”

Holidays & Observances This Week Print Your Answers Here:

8/30

Pony Express Day

8/31

National Matchmaker Day

9/1

Random Acts of Kindness Day

9/2

V-J Day

9/3

National Cinema Day

9/4

Newspaper Carrier Appreciation Day

9/5

National Play Outside Day

Remember that classic scene from “A Few Good Men,” the one that featured Jack Nicholson, decked out in full military regalia, on the witness stand, puffing his chest and bellowing, “You can’t handle the truth”? Well, there are times when I can relate. Take the following letter from a reader: “I have two dogs: a lab-pit mix I raised from 8 weeks old who has no problems with other dogs or people, and Augie, a German shepherd I picked up at 4 months of age who I believe was subjected to some abuse before I got him. “Augie weighs 95 pounds and has an aggressive personality. I’ve studied and tried all of the aggressive dog tests on your website, and he does not seem to fit any of them. He is not objector food-possessive. The closest would be dominantaggressive. However, he does not challenge or fear me in any way I can measure using your tests. “He can be aggressive with strangers, but will back off at the command ‘no’ from me or even from them. I can put him on his side in a park full of active strangers, and as long as no one gets too close, he will stay down until I give him the command to get up. “I once dog-sat a friend’s small dog, and Augie was very aggressive in his reaction to the other dog the first day. After 24 hours, I was able to let the two dogs meet and interact. By the end of that day, they were fast friends playing like puppies. Augie isn’t mean; he’s just not socialized and may be fear-aggressive with other dogs. “At home, there are no problems. Both of my dogs walk without pulling and heel on leash. We walk through the park for about 40 minutes nearly every day. When walking in the park, both dogs are fine except when another dog appears. If the strange dog is closer than 50 feet, Augie goes into aggressive bark mode. I’ve tried a couple of the ‘wrong’ methods to resolve this problem and failed due to his complete focus on the other dogs. “Based on an Uncle Matty PBS segment, I’ve lately been using a mister bottle with plain water to distract him and get his focus off the other

Wuzzles solution Page 16

Tidbits® Word Search

(CryptoQuip Solution on page 14)

“Teddy's Tale” H

W Q

O M

G M

R M

www.WordSearchMaker.com



BEARHUNT BEAR HUNT BORDERDISPUTE BORDER DISPUTE BUTTONEYES BUTTON EYES CUTENOSE CUTE NOSE GIFTS GIFTS MICHTOM MICHTOM PINCUSHIONS PIN CUSHIONS PLUSHTOY PLUSH TOY

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

● ●



POPULARITY POPULARITY ROOSEVELT ROOSEVELT SMILINGMOUTH SMILING MOUTH SMITHSONIAN SMITHSONIAN SOUVENIRS SOUVENIRS STEIFF STEIFF STUFFEDANIMAL STUFFED ANIMAL TEDDYBEAR TEDDY BEAR

(Word Search solution page 16)

Mega Maze solution Page 14

Page 10

SENIOR NEWS LINE by Matilda Charles

Getting Ready for Winter We might be having heat waves now, but before we know it the weather will turn and the problems of winter will be on their way - at least for those of us who happen to live in the northern latitudes. In my case, that's New England. For the rest of you fortunate enough to dwell in the southern states where the flowers keep blooming and the grass stays green, read on to appreciate what you'll be avoiding as the cruelty of winter descends on the rest of us. There are several steps we can take to get ahead and be ready before that bitterly cold weather arrives. Take care of draft control. Not only will we be more comfortable without cold air creeping into our homes, but our heating bills will be lower if the furnace isn’t working so hard. Windows can have caulking or weather stripping applied, or you can buy those insulation film kits. Buy your supplies now before everyone else has the same idea, and schedule someone to help

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

you. Right after Labor Day is a good time to get the windows sealed. Consider how many times you lost power last year and be ready for that. Bring in a supply of batteries for flashlights. Put them in your lights now so you’re ready the minute the power goes out the first time. Have someone help you put new batteries in your smoke detector, if it hasn’t been done in a while. Make your list of three to four days’ worth of food for emergencies such as storms when it’s just not safe to go out, and start shopping for those items now. Put a jug of ice melt or cat litter on your list if your area is likely to get snow and ice. Does your furnace need an annual inspection? Does your vehicle need antifreeze and new windshield wipers? But we can’t forget the fun stuff for those cold days! A stack of books for cold afternoons, a few small craft kits, ideas for a story to be written during the annual November novel writing month (nanowrimo2.com), several exercise videos for seniors on YouTube, recipes to try, new songs to learn on the piano or guitar ... the list is only limited by your imagination. Be prepared! * * * 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) KingFeaturesSyndicate2026

A Somewhat Smart House? Why Not? Imagine this scene. You are about to head out of your workplace, and you’ve downloaded a program onto either your mobile phone or your tablet that ensures when you get home the lights are just right, the temperature is nice and cool, your dishwasher is on its last cycle, and your dinner is nearly done. Sound like the Jetsons or some sci-fi movie? Well, those times are here, my friends. At any male grouping or cocktail party these days, the conversation goes the way of technology and what is the latest and greatest. Well, the Jones’s are all getting automated. You're probably thinking: But it’s a new technology, only for those who can afford it. Okay, part of that is true. But what if I don’t have that kind of wallet? Yes, it's new and innovative technology, but it is more affordable than you think. Systems are available that enable you to automate your home, bit by bit, with integrated lighting, infrared, security, irrigation, gas, air conditioning, energy-efficiency tracking and audio-visual systems -- all without a super-sophisticated computer or expensive wiring. There are smart remote controls and apps that give you the ability to create appropriate ambiance. By being able to turn on and off lights, you reduce the intensity of lamps, which helps you save energy, extends the lifespan of light bulbs and allows you to create the perfect atmosphere for reading, watching television or

having a romantic dinner. Likewise there are network thermostats such as Nest that allow you to adjust the temperature of your home from the comfort of anywhere in the world with your mobile phone or tablet via the Internet. Whether it's hot or cold outside upon arrival, your home should always be the right temperature. To get the best temperature, your thermostat should be approximately four feet from the floor and should be located away from any breezes for accurate temperature readings. Adjust your settings for daytime and nighttime. Setting your thermostat one degree lower in temperature could mean an expense of up to 7 percent more in energy consumption. Make sure you know who is at your front door. Installing a video doorbell is easy and allows you to see who is knocking. Both wired and wireless systems are available at most home improvement stores and rarely break $100. Multi-camera systems also are available for larger properties or homes with more than one entrance, and some with infrared lighting to allow you to see in the dark. Some of these systems even will record video for your protection and use in a court of law or by a legal team. Most of these systems can be used independently or as a small network via apps and software programs. Thanks to these systems, you are able to control your castle. Best of all, most of these gadgets and this equipment have been designed to go unnoticed, so your decor won’t suffer and, because of its affordability, will allow you another decorating indulgence. * * * Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones, or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Vol. XXII

Issue No. 36

Cody’s Corner (from page 9) dog. Once I get his focus on me, he almost always listens -- but not if the other dog is also aggressive. He understands and obeys the basic commands as long as there isn’t something significant distracting him. “I believe that with better training and the correct muzzle and halter I could eventually work with him in areas where lots of other dogs and people are active and get him successfully socialized. I’d like some advice on methods of training and the optimal tools for control when socializing him.” My response: The world is full of distractions, and this country alone is populated with millions of strangers. If Augie’s daily life is going to include walks in the park and exposure to other public places, professional training is a must. Right now, he’s a 95-pound ticking time bomb; not a bad dog, but an aggressive dog. And an inadequately trained aggressive dog is a dangerous dog, unfit for any public arena. The fact that Augie will only listen when there are no external distractions means he requires additional training. A trained dog listens and obeys. Period. A dog that will only listen under certain ideal circumstances determined by him is not a trained dog. Augie’s owner used the word “aggressive” to describe Augie seven times in as many paragraphs. But he wasn’t about to hear it from me. We spoke on the phone, and I hope he takes my advice to hire a professional trainer. His heart is in the right place, but sometimes too much heart is the problem. Right now, he’s in the emotionality business. And I, like Jack, am firmly rooted in the reality business. Woof! * * * Dog trainer Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis is the co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and the host of the PBS series “WOOF! It’s a Dog’s Life!” Read all of Uncle Matty’s columns at www.creators.com, and visit him at www.unclematty.com. COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM

 



Week of August 30, 2026

YOUR

SOCIAL SECURITY by Tom Margenau

Disability Means Inability to Work Q: I have a friend who has various dis-

abilities. She has hearing problems, chronic arthritis, high blood pressure, kidney trouble and other issues. You name it, this poor woman has had it! Yet despite her medical conditions, she has been working most of her life. She plans to retire when she turns 60 in two months and then file for Social Security disability benefits. I have several concerns and questions. Can she file for disability even though she is voluntarily leaving her job? If so, can she file ahead of time so her benefits are waiting for her when she retires? If her disability claim is denied, will she be eligible for regular Social Security when she is 62? Also, will the pension she will get from her employer offset any Social Security benefits she might be due?

A: The answers to your specific questions

are: Yes; No; Yes; and No. But all those answers need to be qualified, so let me elaborate. The fact that she will be simply retiring from her job (as opposed to leaving for strictly medical reasons) does not really impact her potential eligibility for Social Security disability benefits. The only thing that matters is whether or not she meets the legal definition of disability for Social Security purposes. And that definition essentially says this: You qualify for Social Security disability benefits if you have a medical condition that is expected to last at least a year and that prevents you from working. In other words, the inability to work (not just the impairment itself) is the key to qualifying for benefits. So having said that, I will make this point. Back when I was 60 years old, I also had issues with high blood pressure, arthritis and kidney problems. But I was taking a variety of medications to help keep those problems in check. I doubt if I would have qualified for disability benefits because I was able to work despite my medical issues. But of course every person’s case is different. It may be that your friend’s problems are worse than mine were. Also, she should know that each separate condition may not be severe enough on its own to make her qualify for benefits. But the combination of all her impairments may push her over the line. Something she has going in her favor is her age. Disability evaluators might say that a younger person with conditions similar to hers could continue to work or be trained to do a less difficult job. But a 60-year-old woman will find it easier to qualify for benefits. But with that in mind, your friend cannot file for Social Security disability ahead of time. The reason why goes back to that basic definition of disability. Again, the inability to work is the key to qualifying for benefits. If she filed tomorrow, for example, her claim would be immediately denied because she is still working. According to Social Security law, if you’re working (especially full-time), you’re simply not disabled -- no matter how many medical problems you have. When your friend retires, she should make plans to file for So-

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cial Security disability benefits the very next day. If her disability claim is approved, she will start getting a monthly benefit that equals her full retirement rate. That’s essentially what a disability benefit is: your full retirement benefit. It’s just paid at an earlier age -- in your friend’s case, at age 60. If her claim is denied, she should appeal that decision. That’s simply a matter of filling out a few forms. But if even her appeals are denied, then she certainly can file for Social Security retirement benefits later on. She would just have to decide if she wants to wait until age 67 to get full retirement benefits or file anytime after age 62 and get reduced retirement benefits. Finally, the pension she gets from her employer will have no impact on her Social Security -- whether she gets disability benefits or retirement benefits.

A: You are already getting “real Social Security.” Social Security disability benefits are as “real” as Social Security retirement benefits. The only difference is that one is paid because you have some medical problems. And the other is paid because you are old. And you will officially turn “old” when you reach your full retirement age or 67 in your case. At that point, you will be automatically switched from the disability program to the retirement program. But because -- as mentioned in the answer to the first question -- a disability benefit equals a full retirement age benefit, your payment amount will remain the same. So the changeover from one program to the other will essentially be transparent to you. * * *

ADVERTISING PROOF MON., AUG. 3 Final Changes DUE: 12 If you have a Social Security question, Tom

Please review carefully. Phone Number(s)  Spelling  MargenauDouble has twocheck: books  with all the answers. One is called “Social Security -Simple and Smart: 10 EasyQ: I was injured on the job about a your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or c Contact to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your year ago. Shortly after that, I started getting Questions About email: Social Security.” The other is “SocialFax: Office: 760-320-0997 valleybits@msn.com disability compensation from the state. My Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the Social Security disability claim has just been books at Amazon.com or other book outlets. Or you approved and my benefits have started. But can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast. they are nowhere near what I was promised. net. To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read Property ofother Creators Syncolumns andFirm see features from Jpast Arthur Law Do you know what’s going on? AdVenture Media, Inc. dicatepgwriters 12th 4C and 13x cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. Aug. 9, 2026 Vol. 22 - No. 33

A: I can make a pretty good guess. There

is a law that says the combination of your workers’ compensation payments and your Social Security Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com disability checks cannot exceed 80% of your average monthly wage back when you were working. If All Rights Reserved the two benefits exceed that rate, one or the other has to be reduced. Which benefit gets offset varies from state to state. It sounds like in your state, it is ● Wills ● Trusts the Social Security disability check that gets cut. ● Power of Attorney The reason for that offset law should be ● Healthcare Directives pretty obvious. If a person could get more money and Living Wills from various disability programs than he or she ● New to California? was getting in salary, what would be the incentive MON., Update your existing to keep working? Estate Planning Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Pri

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c/o NewAmerica Funding  12th pg B&W 26x AdVenture Media, Inc. Office: 760-320-0997 Fax: 76 HOLD for runemail: dates valleybits@msn.com Phone: 760.320.0997 Fax: 760.320.1630 George Kouri - NewAmericaFunding 1. The book of Hebrews is found in the valleybits@msn.com 1/16 pg 4C 26x Rate a) Old Testament b) New Testament Rights21 Reserved November 9, 2025 Vol. - to No. 46 Isn’t itAlltime put your c) Neither

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6. Manasseh was the elder of whoseOffice: two kind. Terms and conditions apply. Subject to borrower and property qualiﬁcations. Not all 760-320-0997 email: Fax: 76 applicants will qualify. Rates and termsvalleybits@msn.com are subject to change without notice. All mortgage loan sons? a) Matthew b) Joseph c) Timothy products are subject to credit and property approval. 2025 New American Funding, LLC. NMLS #6606. nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Corporate oﬃce 14511 Myford Rd., Ste 100, Tustin, CA 92780. d) James www.newamericanfunding.com. Phone: (800) 450-2010. NMLS ID #6606.10/2025 (Answers on page 16)

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M.D.

Explaining the Significance of Z- and T-Scores in DEXA Scans DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a woman of 54 with somewhat limited mobility due to back pain. Perhaps for this reason, my primary care physician ordered a DEXA scan in 2023 and again in 2026. I was alarmed when the recent scan showed osteopenia in five of the six areas that were tested. I thought the 2023 scan was normal, but when I revisited it, I saw that I had osteopenia then as well. But in the 2023 report, they had only looked for a Z-score of less than -2 as an indicator of a problem, whereas in 2026 they used the T-score. Had I realized that I had osteopenia three years ago, I’d have started taking calcium (I get plenty in my diet and struggle with large pills) and weighed the risks of more vigorous exercise differently. (Perhaps I should be more willing to risk short-term flare-ups in the pursuit of longterm bone health.) I’m not sure if this reporting method is standard, but perhaps physicians and patients should look at the T-score for an indication of osteopenia if the radiologist doesn’t do so? -- J.F. ANSWER: There are three numbers I look for when reviewing a patient’s bone density scans. (DEXA, or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, is the standard screening and diagnostic test for bone loss.) The first is the T-score, which compares my patient to a person of the same sex at peak bone mass. A T-score of zero means the person who’s being scanned has the peak bone mass of a healthy young adult. (It’s very unusual to see a positive T-score.) If a person has peak bone density, their T-score will be zero. A T-score of -1.0 is one standard deviation below peak bone mass; -1.1 to -2.4 is considered low bone mass or osteopenia; and -2.5 or less is considered osteoporosis. The Z-score compares a person to the average score within their age group and sex. An older person might have a T-score in the osteopenia or even osteoporotic range, yet have a normal Z-score. The Z-score is most useful for alerting the clinician

if a patient’s bone density is lower than expected for their age. A very low Z-score suggests a secondary reason for osteoporosis. This can include medications such as prednisone or anti-epilepsy drugs; celiac or other malabsorptive diseases; or hormonal conditions like excess thyroid hormone, hyperparathyroidism, or low sex hormones. Finally, most DEXA scans now include the FRAX score, which is critical in communicating a person’s risk of fracture and deciding whether to start them on medication to prevent a fracture. *** DEAR DR. ROACH: Your column on hemicrania continua sounds a lot like cluster headaches, which are often described as the most excruciating headache. Are they the same? -- W.M. ANSWER: There are definite similarities between hemicrania continua and cluster headaches. Both affect one side of the face and are associated with eye tearing and nasal congestion. However, cluster headaches happen in clusters -- brief but intense pain that occurs multiple times, then disappears entirely for weeks, months or years. I’ve seen people literally bang their head into the wall during an episode. Breathing 100% oxygen will often make the pain go away and is a useful diagnostic test. Hemicrania continua is continuous. The pain is constant, although not usually as intense as with cluster headaches. The pain can wax and wane during the day but is never gone. Most people respond to indomethacin, but some people can’t tolerate it. One reader wrote in that with a relatively new medication called galcanezumab-gnlm (Emgality), they truly got their life back. * * * 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) 2026 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved

Vol. XXII Issue No. 36

VETERANS  POST  by Freddie Groves

Veterans on the Road Again The government is calling on veterans to consider careers in commercial trucking with the creation of the Freedom Haulers initiative, a new effort to help veterans move into civilian driving jobs. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), with its military driver program, is making it easy for experienced veteran drivers to get a commercial driver’s license (CDL). In many cases you can get a waiver on both the skills and knowledge tests. A few facts: Every state is part of the veteran skills-test waiver program and all have specific requirements. Seven additional states just joined the Even Exchange program, which allows qualified veterans with certain military driving experience to waive the knowledge test. Eligibility: If you had a military driver’s license for at least two years, with no suspensions or disqualifications, you can qualify if you apply within two years of leaving that position. (It used to be 12 months, but with the Freedom Haulers initiative, that’s been extended.) Benefits: Depending on the employer, jobs may offer travel, flexible hours, good pay, health and life insurance, and more. For more information, see www.fmcsa. dot.gov/militar ydriverprograms. Check out the Even Exchange program at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/even-exchange-program. There you’ll find a MOS list with the qualifying military occupations that can waive the knowledge test. What if you didn’t have a driving job during your active duty period and your MOS doesn’t cover you for an automatic CDL? The GI Bill may cover up to 100% of commercial driver’s license tuition at approved schools, depending on your eligibility and the program. In some cases that might include a housing allowance. If you’re starting from scratch (no military driving training) and want to go the GI Bill route, pick your school carefully. Federal regulators have recently removed or taken action against hundreds of CDL training providers that failed to meet requirements. Before enrolling, verify that the program is approved for your VA education benefits. Call the VA Education Call Center at 888-442-4551 (888-GIBILL-1) to verify a school’s eligibility. * * *

Freddie Groves regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@gmail.com.

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Behind every uniform is a family that serves. As a military spouse, you are the anchor — managing the moves, the solo parenting, the deployments, the endless stretches of holding it all together while someone you love serves far away.

At Karma TMS, you get more than treatment — you get a team that understands the military life you’re living.

You are not weak. And you are not alone. Military spouses experience depression and anxiety at two to three times the rate of the general population. Left untreated, it doesn’t stay contained. It becomes caregiver burnout. It takes away a child’s source of stability. It even reaches across the miles to affect an active-duty partner’s readiness. For years, many spouses just push through. They cycle through talk therapy and medication after medication — often trading one problem for a new set of side effects: weight gain, exhaustion, and that flat, emotionallynumb feeling that isn’t really better, just muted.

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Our clinic is led by Founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Keerthy Sunder, MD — a triple-board-certified physician and globally recognized pioneer in Integrated Psychiatry, who specializes in helping veterans and their spouses overcome PTSD, addiction, and treatment-resistant depression. Our military families have spent years putting everyone else first. My mission is simple: to give them real healing — not just fewer symptoms, but restful sleep, steady days, and the joy of feeling like themselves again.” - Dr. Keerthy Sunder, MD, Founder & Chief Medical Officer

We don’t settle for ‘not depressed.’ We aim for you to feel genuinely well.

with many getting off their medication altogether. Sheala’s story is exactly why we do this work, and why more and more military families are discovering there’s another way.

What Is TMS Therapy?

First, know this: TMS isn’t experimental, and it isn’t new. It’s been FDAcleared for depression since 2008, backed by years of clinical research and used to help hundreds of thousands of patients. It’s tried, tested, and trusted. Here’s how it works. Your brain runs on a network of electrical signals. In depression, activity in certain regions slows down and communication breaks down. TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) is a non-invasive treatment that uses gentle magnetic pulses to “wake up” those areas and restore healthy brain activity. Here’s what makes it different:  Pill-free. Instead of adding medication to your system, it heals the brain directly.  Zero downtime. You stay awake and alert. No anesthesia. No hospital stay.  Relaxing. Most describe a light, massage-like tapping. Some even doze off.  Fast relief. Many patients start feeling like themselves again within weeks — while keeping up their normal daily routine.

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Tidbits of Coachella Valley

The best time to get your flu shot is September or October, but it’s not too late if you miss that window. Even a flu shot in November or later can still provide valuable protection. -- by Jim Miller

Flu Shots for Seniors: What’s New This Fall DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: I always get my annual flu shot, but I never know whether I’m getting the right one. Can you explain which flu vaccine is best for seniors this fall and whether there are any other recommended vaccines I should get? -Trying to Stay Healthy Dear Trying: If you’re 65 or older, getting your annual flu shot is one of the most important precautions you can take to protect yourself during flu season. But with new vaccines and changing recommendations, many older adults aren’t sure which shots are the ones they need. The good news is that this fall’s advice for seniors is simple: Get an enhanced flu vaccine, and use the opportunity to make sure you are up to date on other important vaccines, including RSV, pneumonia, shingles and, depending on your health situation, Covid-19. Best flu shot for seniors Influenza can be especially dangerous for older adults. As we age, our immune systems don’t respond as well to infection, which is why people 65 and older account for most flu-related hospitalizations and deaths.

Medicare Part B covers one flu shot each flu season at no cost when it’s given by a Medicare-participating doctor, clinic or pharmacy. Other vaccines While you’re getting your flu shot, it’s also a good time to review your other vaccinations with your healthcare provider or pharmacist. The CDC recommends a one-time RSV vaccine for everyone age 75 and older, as well as adults ages 50 through 74 who are at increased risk for severe RSV illness. Medicare Part D covers RSV vaccines. Adults age 50 and older who have not received a pneumococcal vaccine should also consider getting protected against serious forms of pneumonia. The preferred options are Prevnar 20 (PCV20) or Capvaxive (PCV21). Most people need only one dose, and Medicare Part B covers these vaccines. If you have not received the Shingrix shingles vaccine, it is another important vaccine to consider. The two-dose vaccine is more than 90 percent effective at preventing shingles and the painful nerve problems that can follow. Medicare Part D covers both doses.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults 65 and older receive one of three enhanced flu vaccines instead of a standard-dose shot: Fluzone HighDose, Fluad or Flublok. Each of these vaccines is designed differently, but all produce a stronger immune response in older adults. Studies have not shown that one works better than the others, so there’s no need to wait for a specific brand. The important thing is to get one of these enhanced vaccines when it’s available. Also new for the 2026-27 flu season is Moderna’s mFLUSIVA, the first mRNA flu vaccine authorized in the United States. It is fully approved for adults ages 50 to 64 and has received accelerated approval for those 65 and older, pending additional study results. While mRNA technology could eventually allow flu vaccines to be updated more quickly to match circulating strains, adults 65 and older should continue to follow CDC guidelines and choose one of the three enhanced flu vaccines whenever possible.

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Vol. XXII

Issue No. 36

Covid-19 recommendations have become more individualized in recent years, but older adults remain at higher risk for serious illness. Questions have also been raised by some who doubt their actual efficacy. Talk with your healthcare provider about whether an updated Covid vaccine may or may not be appropriate for you. Medicare Part B covers COVID vaccines. Vaccine timing Flu, RSV, COVID-19 and other recommended vaccines can generally be given during the same visit. But if you’re concerned about temporary side effects such as fatigue, muscle aches or a sore arm, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about spacing them out. To find pharmacies and other providers offering vaccines near you, visit vaccines.gov. * * * Send your questions or comments to questions@ savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

* On Aug. 31, 2005, the World Music Awards honored Destiny’s Child as the best-selling female group of all time, having sold more than 50 million records globally, including four No. 1 hits and 10 top-10 songs on the Billboard Top 100. * On Sept. 1, 1917, American soldier Stull Holt wrote a letter home in which he described some of his battlefield experiences on the Western Front in Verdun, France. The most arresting part of his missive recounted being struck by a shell containing poisonous gas, which he likened to “the extreme terror of the man who goes under in the water and will clutch at a straw.” * On Sept. 2, 1945, Vietnamese communist Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence from France hours after Japan’s surrender in World War II, though it would take another 30 years for his vision of a united communist Vietnam to become a reality. * On Sept. 3, 1935, professional bowler Andrew Varipapa, considered by many “the greatest one-man bowling show on Earth” for his trick shot artistry still emulated by modern bowlers, set a record of 2,652 points in 10 games. * On Sept. 4, 476 A.D., Romulus Augustulus, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, was deposed by Odoacer, a German barbarian who declared himself the king of Italy, presaging what many historians consider the fall of the Roman Empire. * On Sept. 5, 1957, New York Times writer Gilbert Millstein delivered a rave review for “On the Road,” the second novel by a Columbia University dropout Jack Kerouac. As his girlfriend, writer Joyce Johnson, quipped to a reporter, “Jack went to bed obscure and woke up famous.” Though he wrote a total of more than 25 books, “On the Road” remains his most noteworthy. * On Sept. 6, 1651, King Charles II of England, after losing the Battle of Worcester and his attempt to reclaim the British throne, disguised himself by cutting his hair, staining his skin with walnut oil, donning peasant clothes, and spending a day hiding in an oak tree while searchers passed beneath him, before eventually making a successful escape to France. (c) 2026 King Features Synd., Inc.

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Week of August 30, 2026

Page 15

Teddy Bear (from page 3) could not keep up with demand. Books, songs, and even a 1907 feature film marked the rising popularity of teddy bears. TROUBLE FOR TEDDY

• Yet, problems were brewing in the peaceful land of teddy bears. By 1907, the bear had become so popular that it sparked a brief but intense moral conundrum. The Reverend Michael G. Esper, a Catholic priest in Michigan, declared from his pulpit that teddy bears were “horrible monstrosities” which, by supplanting the “good old dolls” would distract little girls from their purpose, which was to birth and raise children. Childless marriages would sweep the nation! Birthrates would fall! The nation – if not the world – would fail because of the evil influence of the teddy bear leading little girls astray. • News of the fiery sermons made headlines coast to coast, sparking discussion. The nation paid attention to the objections but for a brief moment. Soon, the teddy bear tea party mindset returned. TRIUMPH FOR TEDDY

• Margarete Steiff died at 61 in 1909. Still thriving today from its headquarters in Germany, her nephew Richard then oversaw the Steiff company’s growth until it became the world’s biggest and most prestigious manufacturer of stuffed toys and baby items, • Benjamin Michtom, son of Rose and Morris, led the Ideal Toy Company to become America’s biggest doll manufacturer, expanding into toys and board games. They created hundreds of popular toys, including such classic items as Wetsy Betsy, Thumbelina, Mouse Trap, ViewMaster, Ker-Plunk, and Rubik’s Cube. • To mark the teddy bear’s 60th birthday, Michtom wanted to give an original bear designed by his mother to a Roosevelt descendant. But Roosevelt's eldest daughter, Alice, flippantly refused, saying, “What does a 79-year-old woman want with a 60-year-old doll?” But Rooseveltʼs second son, Kermit, allowed his children, Mark and Ann, to pose with it. The children were reluctant to part with the bear and tried to hide it. • But in 1964 the original teddy bear was presented to the Smithsonian by the Roosevelt family for safekeeping, where it remains today. 

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Shoulder’s Plane Truth Staying in posture, pivoting correctly, or keeping your body height in the swing are common mantras heard by pros and amateurs alike. The need for the body to turn and unturn in a simple, repeatable manner is often an overlooked part of consistent ball striking. Decades ago, Ben Hogan wrote about swing planes in the golf swing and related one of them to the shoulders. He felt like a plane of glass went through his neck down to the ball, and his shoulders would turn on that plane. While it’s a powerful image, it’s not a correct plane of movement for the shoulders.

When bent over with any club in hand, the body will turn so that the shoulders will turn on a slightly down tilted plane. This plane would bottom out ten to twelve feet in front of you. Try taking your golf posture with arms outstretched, then attempt to coil your body like the backswing. Your arms and shoulders would be tilted downward. ADVERTISING PROOF They would neither point to the ball nor be level the horizon, but be somewhere in between. Finalwith Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m.. Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling  Prices  Hours JasonJenkins Jenkinswas wasaa16-year 16-year member member of of the Jim Jason Jim McLean McLean Golf Golf Contact your Tidbits representative with changesTop or 100 corrections. staff.and He wasimmediately one of of GOLF GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 School teaching staff one Magazine’s 1999-2010 has been named the Teacher Nominees 1999-2010. and He Fax: was named one ofone theofGolf Office: 760-320-0997 760-320-1630 Golf Digest Top Teachers in California. Jason teaches at GOLFTEC Digest Top Teachers in California in 2011. CENTER Indio. Contact him at jjenkins@golftec.com ContactinJason at 760-485-2452 or devgolfinstr@gmail.com

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Vol. XXII

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Page 16

Issue No. 36

26DOHC10777_TB_BackCoverDueAug24.indd

CE, NY

T. 257

1. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is the only mammal that can’t jump? 2. MOVIES: Which movie has the tagline, “They’re young, they’re in love, and they kill people”? 3. HISTORY: When is Labor Day celebrated every year in the United States? 4. LANGUAGE: What’s the name of a punctuation mark that combines a question mark and an exclamation point? 5. GEOGRAPHY: Which country was called Kampuchea from 1975 to 1979? 6. ASTRONOMY: What are the names of the twin stars in the Gemini constellation? 7. MYTHOLOGY: What is the only thing left in Pandora’s box after it was opened? 8. FOOD & DRINK: Which country is associated with the fermented cabbage dish kimchi? 9. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who is the first president to die in office? 10. TELEVISION: What are the Thistle GHalloween O F episodes I G UofR“TheESimp! by Linda Answer peekers subject to sons” called? ambush paintball attacks. TEST The idea TRIVIA of Go Figure is to arrive at theAnswers figures given at Answers Trivia answers Weekly Weekly SUDOKU SUDOKU the bottom and right-hand Elephant. columns1.of the diagram by fol-Answerlowing 2. the arithmetic signs “Bonnie and Clyde,” 1967.in the order they are given (that 3. The first Monday in September. is, from left to right and top to Interrobang. bottom).4.Use only the numbers below the diagram to complete 5. Cambodia. its blank squares and use each 6. Pollux and Castor. of the nine numbers only once. 7. Hope. DIFFICULTY: 8. South Korea. � 9. William Henry Harrison. � Moderate �� Difficult �� GO FIGURE! 10. “Treehouse of Horror.” ©2022 2010King KingFeatures FeaturesSynd., Synd.,Inc. Inc. ©©2020 2026 © 2006 King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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1. (B) New Testament 2. (A) Jeremiah 3. (C) Forty years 4. (D) Churches 5. (B) Tentmaker 6. (B) Joseph

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