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Texting a gateway to scams

Text messaging began with engineering that started in the early 1980s. You may find it useful to know what the differences are among the types of text messages. At least one major cellular company is now asking customers to select the type of text they prefer to use, so you might as well know ...

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Anesthesia options for surgery on the eyes are offered

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m 78 years old and in pretty good health. I walk 3 miles four times a week, bike 8 miles once a week, and lift weights twice a week. Besides eye drops for glaucoma, the only medication I take is 20 mg of lovastatin each day. Due to corneal edema, I’ll be having a partial cornea transplant. My surgeon has asked me to decide which anesthesia I want: MAC or LMA. Can you explain the difference between them? Any advice or insights regarding these two forms of anesthesia would be helpful. — C.W.S. ANSWER: MAC is monitored anesthesia care, which is used with a ...

HINTS FROM HELOISE: What to do if you find stray cats

DEAR HELOISE: We live out in the country, and I’m sad to say that too many people dump unwanted pets out this way. Last winter, we found two pregnant cats who were in bad shape. We took them inside and did our best to save them, but one died; the other lived and gave birth to three adorable kittens. What should we do when a cat is suffering from hypothermia? No doubt we’ll see more animals this winter with hypothermia, and we’d like to help them. Our vet is nearly 30 miles away. — Rudy and JoAnna, in Wyoming Rudy and JoAnna, using an electric blanket or a heating pad, ...

How to avoid a Social Security cut

WASHINGTON — With the few months they have left as senators, Democrat Dick Durbin and Republican Bill Cassidy have embarked on a mission to save tens of millions of Social Security beneficiaries from a projected 22% cut in their benefits, starting in just six years. It is one of the most perilous political efforts that a member of Congress can undertake, so it is telling that the push is being led by two lawmakers who have little to lose at this stage of their careers. “We’ve been at this six years, eight years. It’s incredible how long I’ve been at it,” Cassidy said. ...

Hints from Heloise: Tips for freezing your corn

DEAR HELOISE: My mother froze a lot of corn, and she used these two easy tricks: After she blanched the corn, she would set the ear of corn on an angel food cake pan and use an electric knife to cut off the kernels. This made cutting off the kernels quicker and easier. And the pan caught the kernels, so there was less mess. — Michelle R., via email DEAR HELOISE: I read Casey’s concern about faded laundry in a recent edition of the Press-Enterprise. As a lifelong clothesline user, I’ll share my hint: I do laundry in the evening when electricity is less expensive and leave it ...