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VETERANS POST

by Freddy Groves

VA Tells Health Staff They Must Get Vaccine

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The Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced that they will require their frontline medical staff to get the COVID vaccine. Specifically, they listed "physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, registered nurses, physician assistants, expanded-function dental auxiliaries and chiropractors who work in Veterans Health Administration facilities, visit VHA facilities or provide direct care to those the VA serves."

In other words, anyone who touches you in a VA medical setting, breathes on you or handles something they're about to put in your mouth has to get the vaccine.

Thank you, VA.

It was unnerving going to the VA and asking whatever medical person was about to touch me or breathe on me, "So, which vaccine did you get?" only to be told they hadn't had the vaccine and didn't intend to get it.

Even waiting for the vaccine was difficult. When my age group finally came along, I ended up at a civilian pharmacy because it was faster. Nobody there had gotten the vaccine either.

And now, unfortunately, we discover that the vaccines don't work as we thought they would. There are breakthrough cases where fully vaccinated people are still getting the virus, the variants have gained strength, and we're likely going back to Step One, complete with masks.

If you need to go to a VA facility for health care, call ahead or use the VA health appointment app. You'll no doubt be met at the door, asked COVID screening questions and have your temperature taken. Have your vaccination card with you and wear a mask. You also might be able to get a telehealth appointment.

Meanwhile, if you've gotten lax about safety, get smart again. Do one full minute scrubbing your hands under warm water with an antibacterial soap, including your nails. Hang a mask on the front doorknob so you'll see it each time you go out.

(c) 2021 King Features Synd., Inc.

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STRANGE BUT TRUE

By Lucie Winborne

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* Autism is more common than childhood cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined.

* A bizarre dream in which cannibals surrounded him and prepared to cook him as they waved spears helped inspire Elias Howe's invention of the sewing machine. When he awoke, he remembered that the spears had holes in their shafts and moved up and down.

* "Bhang lassi" is an Indian milkshake whose main ingredient is marijuana.

* According to British law, any unclaimed swan swimming in the open waters of England and Wales belongs to the queen. The law originated in medieval times when swans were a delicacy for the wealthy.

* "Gingerphobia" is a fear of redheads.

* The Russians arrived 12 days late to the 1908 Olympics because they were using the wrong (i.e., Julian) calendar.

* In 1995 a woman in Sweden lost her wedding ring while cooking for Christmas. Understandably distraught, she looked everywhere for it and even pulled up her kitchen floor, but didn't see it again until 16 years later, when, while gardening, she discovered it encircling a carrot that had sprouted in the middle of it.

* The amount of copper on the Arizona capitol building roof is equivalent to nearly 5 million pennies.

* Bumblebees can fly higher than Mt. Everest.

* Because he got a 25% profit share of merchandise, Elvis Presley manager Colonel Tom Parker was always in search of new ways to get fans to lay down some cash. One of the most notable was marketing to Presley's haters with badges that read "I Hate Elvis" and "Elvis is a Jerk."

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Thought for the Day: "The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one." -- J.D. Salinger

(c) 2021 King Features Synd., Inc.

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CONTRACT BRIDGE

by Steve Becker

THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC

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West dealer.

East-West vulnerable.

NORTH

[S] A 8

[H] 6 3 2

[D] A K Q

[C] 8 7 6 5 2

WEST

[S] J 9 7

[H] 9 7 5 4

[D] 8

[C] A K J 10 9

EAST

[S] K 10 6 5 4 3

[H] 8

[D] 10 9 4 3 2

[C] 3

SOUTH

[S] Q 2

[H] A K Q J 10

[D] J 7 6 5

[C] Q 4

The bidding:

West North East South

Pass 1 [C] Pass 1 [H]

Pass 1 NT Pass 3 [H]

Pass 4 [H]

Opening lead -- king of clubs.

There are times -- albeit few and far between -- when a declarer is called upon to make a play that could very appropriately be termed fancy.

Take this case where South gets to four hearts and West starts off with the K-A-J of clubs. Declarer ruffs and would collect 10 tricks as easy as pie with a normal 3-2 trump division. But when he cashes the A-K of hearts, East shows out, and South is faced with a challenging problem.

He sees that if he continues to draw trump, he will be unable to score the jack of diamonds as his 10th trick, while if he abandons further trump leads in order to first cash the A-K-Q of diamonds, he subjects himself to a ruff by West and would still have to lose a spade.

There seems to be no solution to this dilemma, but declarer can accomplish his mission by making a very unusual (but entirely reasonable) play. Since West passed originally and has already shown up with the A-K-J-10-9 of clubs, it is unlikely he will also have the king of spades.

Accordingly, South draws West's two remaining trumps with the Q-J, following suit from dummy to the queen but discarding the ace of spades from dummy on the jack!

This extraordinary play works like a charm when declarer next cashes the A-K-Q of diamonds and then leads the nine of spades from dummy. Regardless of which three cards East has in his hand at this point, South, holding the Q-2 of spades and jack of diamonds, is sure to score two of the last three tricks.

Fancy? Of course! But certainly the right play under the circumstances.

(c)2021 King Features Syndicate Inc.