Comment on Odds and ends: Birds on Twitter, Scurvy Awareness Day and a $23 million book on bugs

Feeling alone and adrift, an aging widower goes undercover to work as a spy who infiltrates a retirement community in the Netflix comedy “A Man on the Inside.” Played by Ted Danson, Charles is an elegant, charmingly awkward ex-professor whose days have become too empty. When his daughter suggests he find something to do, he answers a want ad from a private investigator.

Whether or not you’re a classical music enthusiast, you’ll likely recognize the title of “The Magic Flute,” the final operatic work by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart before his death in 1791 at age 35. Or maybe you will recall the captivating melody of the Queen of the Night’s aria, an ubiquitous piece in operatic history. It premiered just two months before Mozart’s death, at Vienna’s Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden, and the whimsical musical fable (the libretto written by Emanuel Schikaneder and divided into two acts) remains more than a plain parable of the struggle between good and evil, the simple and the sublime, with a touch of Masonic rituals.

By Gretchen McKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS) PITTSBURGH — Pie crust looks like it should be the easy part of making a homemade pie. All you need to create a flaky foundation for your favorite filling is a handful of basic ingredients most home cooks already have on hand: all-purpose flour, a bit of fat to give it texture, salt and a little liquid to bind it all together.

Michelle Goth There is always that one dish on the Thanksgiving table – overlooked while the mashed potatoes and gravy steal the spotlight. Surprisingly, this much-maligned side dish has been a part of American tradition for centuries and holds endless possibilities beyond its original purpose, perfectly suited to be reinvented in unexpected ways. Despite its deep roots in Thanksgiving history, this dish remains one of the most polarizing items on the table today.

By The Minnesota Star Tribune (TNS) For being the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal, turkey doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. So we asked the pros from Ferndale Market in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, for some tips to set us up for turkey success. The Peterson family knows turkeys; their farm has been supplying its heritage turkeys to hungry diners for three generations and more than 80 years.

By TOM MURPHY, AP Health Writer Everyone likes a good deal, and health insurance bargains abound this time of year. But buyers should look beyond price when searching for a plan. Shoppers also should consider doctor networks and coverage limits to avoid getting stuck with big bills after care. Millions of Americans are looking for 2025 coverage now during annual enrollment windows for Medicare Advantage plans and individual insurance.