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TIDBITS® BRINGS

YOU THE BEST & THE WORST

by Kathy Wolfe

“Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.” This week, Tidbits is bringing some facts about just that – the best and the worst!

• Every fan will have his/her own opinion, but according to a list compiled by the Complex Sports organization, the best basketball player of all time is former Chicago Bull Michael Jordan. The #2 spot was awarded to LeBron James, followed up by Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille, LarryBird, and Wilt Chamberlain.

• Although written for Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra made the song “The Best is Yet to Come” famous in 1964. It was the last song that Old Blue Eyes sang in public, in February, 1995. The words “The Best is Yet to Come” were inscribed on Sinatra’s tombstone when he died in 1998, but for whatever reason, the stone was replaced in 2020 with a new inscription, “Sleep Warm, Poppa.”

• In 1976, Tennessee DJ Rick Dees wrote and recorded “Disco Duck,” which sold more than six million copies. This silly little song figures prominently on several “Worst Songs Ever” lists, along with “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” Bobby McFerrin’s cheery song from 1988. Also found in the surveys are 2000’s “Who Let the Dogs Out,” by the Baha Men, “Barbie Girl” by Aqua, and Billy Cyrus’ 1992 recording of “Achy Breaky Heart.”

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THE BEST & THE WORST

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• When we think of the role of the best man at a wedding, it’s usually for his obligation of throwing a bachelor party, keeping the wedding rings safe, and toasting the happy couple at the reception. However, in medieval times, the best man acted as the chief guardian of the bride, keeping her secure during the time preceding the wedding, and ensuring her safe and timely arrival to the ceremony. The best man and groomsmen were originally referred to as “the bride’s knights.” The term “best man” didn’t become the standard term until the 1780s.

• Two of the world’s worst prisons are famous for housing an inmate population several times capacity in severe overcrowded conditions. In Argentina’s Mendoza Prison, five inmates are crowded into cells as small as 43 square feet, with many sleeping on the floor with no mattress. There is no sewage system, and inmates use plastic bags and bottles for waste. Rwanda’s Muhanga Prison was built to house 2,720 inmates, but frequently accommodates more than 6,500. It’s been criticized for its inadequate food and water, lack of hygiene, and extreme brutality toward prisoners. The worst three U.S. prisons, located in New Mexico, Virginia, and Colorado, have all been criticized for overcrowding and keeping prisoners in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day.

• If you’re looking for additions to your bookshelf, several libraries and organizations have compiled lists of the world’s best books. Appearing on nearly every list are Leo Tolstoy’s classics Anna Karenina and War & Peace, as well as Pride & Prejudice, by Jane Austen, George Orwell’s classic 1984, Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Herman Melville’s epic novel Moby Dick, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

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THE BEST & THE WORST

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• According to medical sources, one of the worst things a person can pour into the body is energy drinks. The FDA cites 400 milligrams of caffeine a day as the maximum amount that should be consumed. That’s between two and three 12-oz. cups of coffee. Most energy drinks contain at least 160 mg per 16 ounces, although one particular brand delivers 300 mg of caffeine in its 16 ounces. The tiny 2-oz. energy booster bottles contain up to 230 mg. and have been cited in several death reports. It’s not just the caffeine that’s bad. The sugar content in some drinks of 63 grams is more than double the amount of 25 grams recommended by the American Heart Association. Throw in 370 mg of sodium and a person can see that an energy drink is not the best choice of beverage.

• The AirHelp organization ranked 132 airports around the world and came up with the best and worst. Qatar’s Hamad International Airport, Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, and the International Airport in Athens, Greece earned top marks for courtesy and friendliness, timely service, and clean, modern facilities with all the amenities. The survey declared the Kuwait International Airport and Lisbon, Portugal’s Portela Airport as the worst, as travelers wait for hours to go through the passport process and to acquire their checked bags. One U.S. airport made the worst list at #11, Newark, New Jersey’s Liberty International airport. Rude employees, lack of staff, inadequate seating, filthy restrooms, poor layout, and parking all contributed to the negative feedback.

THE BEST & THE WORST

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• “Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be!” These familiar lines are from an 1864 Robert Browning poem. Although it sounds like a verse of devotion to his love, Browning actually wrote the poem about the wisdom of a 12th-century Jewish poet and scholar Rabbi ben Ezra. In the poem, Browning explored the theme of growth and fulfillment in the face of aging, addressing life’s purpose, challenges, and spiritual growth, reasoning that youth is just a preparation for old age’s richness. The poem was the inspiration for “Grow Old with Me,” one of the final songs written byJohn Lennon

• We’ve all heard the phrase “the best-laid plans of mice and men can still go wrong.” The saying refers to something going awry and failing unexpectedly at any time, no matter how well we plan and prepare. You might think its origin was in John Steinbeck’s 1937 classic novella “Of Mice and Men,” but it is actually taken from a 1785 poem written by famous Scottish poet Robert Burns. Burns wrote of a mouse carefully building its nest in a field in preparation for winter based on his own experience of accidentally destroying a nest in a field he was plowing. Steinbeck used the same theme in his literary work, emphasizing the harshness of life and the impossibilityof attainingdreams

• Three of history’s worst natural disasters occurred in China, with the highest disaster toll in July, 1931, with the flooding of the Yangtze and Huai Rivers. The floods covered an area about the size of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut combined. Some estimates of the death toll reach as high as 4,000,000, with the minority of deaths attributed to drowning. With millions of displaced people living in refugee communities, the spread of diseases including cholera, measles, dysentery, and malaria, was far and above the deadliest hazard. China’s 1887 Yellow River flood resulted in casualties of 2,000,000, and a devastating 1976 earthquake in China claimed more than 650,000 lives.

HENSLER’S

Grain Bowls Just Got a Green Goddess Makeover: A Perfect Meal Prep Duo

Everyone needs a solution to the neverending question: "What's for dinner?" If you want to streamline meals without sacrificing flavor or nutrition, meal prepping grain bowls is a game-changer. These versatile bowls feature healthy grains, fresh veggies and flavor-packed toppings for a satisfying lunch or dinner. Whether you're new to meal prep or looking for new ideas, grain bowls are an easy, healthy, budget-friendly way to stay on track with your eating goals. This pantry powerhouse is nutty, chewy and satisfying plus, it's cheap and easy to cook, making it perfect for meal prepping ahead.

In 1 cup of cooked pearl barley, you get 3.6 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber that's some serious staying power for a humble grain that cooks while you sip your iced tea.

SIMPLY PEARL BARLEY

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 30 minutes

1 cup barley (pearled)

3 cups water or vegetable broth

Pinch of salt

Rinse the barley under cold running water. In a medium saucepan, bring the water or broth to a boil. Add the rinsed barley and salt. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 25 minutes until tender but still slightly chewy. Remove from heat and rest, covered, for 5 minutes, then drain any excess liquid. Fluff with a fork and use immediately or cool and store in the

fridge for meal prep.

You know I love a good recipe mash-up, right? Well, hold on to your socks for this one! If you're a fan of grain bowls for their versatility and balance, and you love Green Goddess salads for their vibrant, nutrient-packed goodness, this one's for you.

Just like a grain bowl, the Green Goddess salad is a perfect base for customization. See where I'm going with this? Let's make a Green Goddess Grain Bowl!

You can't have a Green Goddess salad without the dressing, typically made with ingredients like avocado, herbs (like parsley, cilantro and chives), lemon or lime juice (I used lime here), and yogurt or sour cream, which gives the salad a fresh, herbaceous flavor that's both tangy and satisfying.

GREEN GODDESS SALAD DRESSING

Yield: 1 cup

Total Time: 10 minutes

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 avocado, diced

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 green onion, chopped

1 small clove garlic, smashed

1 lime, juice and zest

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Place all dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This dressing is potent! Add additional yogurt to taste, if desired.

To prep barley: Toss together the cooked barley with 1/3 cup dressing,

stir, taste and adjust seasonings. Refrigerate until needed. This is delicious. Try to leave some for the salad.

To assemble salad: For the salad itself, let's start with a bed of mixed greens with a serving of cooked barley. Toss 1/3 cup dressing with prepared salad greens (8 cups for 4 servings) in a large bowl. Divide evenly among serving bowls. Add barley. Then add an array of colorful vegetables like cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes, green and red onion, sliced carrots and avocado. Top with the remaining dressing.

For added protein, try topping your salad with cooked chicken or fish grilled salmon pairs particularly well with the herby dressing. This vibrant veggie and protein-packed combo delivers a satisfying, balanced meal that's perfect for any time of day. Enjoy! ***

Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the pennypinching, party-planning, recipe developer and content creator of the website Divas On A Dime Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! Visit Patti at www.divasonadime.com and join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom. Email Patti at divapatti@divasonadime.com (c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.

LOBSTERS

Tidbits celebrates National Lobster Day on June 15 by bringing you details about these backbone-less creatures.

• Lobsters are invertebrates, meaning they lack a backbone, but are protected by a hard exoskeleton that gives structure to their bodies. The body has 19 different parts, each covered by a section of the shell. Because lobster shells don’t grow, lobsters must shed its exoskeleton in order to get bigger. After this molting, a new shell is formed, about once a year for adult lobsters. Because the lobster’s body is very soft after shedding its shell, it is at greater risk from predators, and so retreats to a cave until the outer shell hardens once again, which takes a few months.

• We generally think of lobsters as clawed creatures, but not every lobster has claws. There are two main species, clawed and spiny lobsters. The clawed varieties have a pincer and crusher on either the left or right side. They’re generally found in cold waters, and are bottom dwellers that live on the ocean floor. The American lobster, the popular variety served in restaurants in New England, are part of the clawed species. The clawless spiny lobsters instead have long, strong antennae and a harder shell than the clawed variety. They can be found in warm waters, such as the Caribbean and the Mediterranean Sea.

• Most lobsters have ten legs. Any leg, claw, or antennae that is lost will be replaced though regeneration.

• A lobster has reached adulthood when it weighs between 1.5 and 2 lbs. (680 and 907 grams). It takes an American lobster six to eight years to reach one pound. If a lobster escapes capture it can live 100 years, growing all the while. (Continued page #7)

LOBSTERS

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• The largest American lobster ever recorded was caught in 1977 off the coast of Nova Scotia. It set the record at 44 lbs, 6 oz. (20.1 kg), and measured 3 feet, 6 inches (2.9 m) in length. Its estimated age was 100 years. Yet one species of slipper lobsters reaches a maximum length of just 2.2 inches (55 mm), although that’s rare – they’re usually just 1.6 inches (40 mm) long.

• What color are lobsters? If you say “red,” you’re partially correct. Most lobsters are greenish-brown, but can also be yellow, white, and even bright blue. They only turn red when they are cooked. Usually when a lobster is thrown in a pot of boiling water, a sound resembling a scream can be heard. It’s not the creature screaming in pain, since lobsters don’t have vocal cords or any other way of producing noise. The sound is just air escaping from the lobster’s shell.

• Lobsters dine on clams, crabs, and starfish, but their prey is not chewed up in their mouths. Lobsters’ teeth are in their stomach, where food is digested by three molars in the “gastric mill.”

• Lobster is an expensive gourmet entrée at a restaurant. However, during the 18th and early-19th century, lobsters were so plentiful in New England, they were caught at the shore with a stick and a hook, unlike today’s deepwater traps. Lobsters were consumed primarily by poor people, prisoners, and even pigs, with the shells ground and used as fertilizer. Indentured servants in colonial Massachusetts were so sick of eating lobster every day that they filed a suit against their masters and a verdict was delivered that they would not have to eat it more than three times a week.

Treating pet sunburns and heat injuries

DEAR PAW'S CORNER:

I took my German Shepherd "Maximilian" for a walk at lunchtime today. Since we got back, he's been limping and whining. I don't see any debris on his paws, but the pads on his front paws feel hot. Did he burn them somehow? Greg B., Tampa

DEAR GREG: From his symptoms, it's very likely that he burned his pads on a hot sidewalk or street. You'll need to treat them quickly; first aid is straightforward for this injury.

Fill a shallow bowl with cold (but not icy) water. Gently submerge your dog's paws in the water you may need to do one at a time and give him treats throughout the process for 10 to 15 minutes. (If he doesn't tolerate the water bowl at all, wrap each paw in a cool cloth instead.)

Wash his paws with cool, soapy water or disinfect carefully, and pat them dry immediately.

Put clean socks on his paws so he doesn't lick them, and encourage him to rest. Check Maximilian's paw pads every few hours. If you see any sign of broken skin, blisters or infection, or if he is still limping tomorrow, take him to the vet for further evaluation and treatment.

Burnt pads can happen very quickly in the summertime, especially in southern states. Walk dogs in the early morning before sunrise or just after sunset to minimize this risk, or keep them on the grass and away from pavement during the day. Booties provide some protection, but can't always stop heat transfer to paws. After each walk, check their pads and wrap in a cool cloth for a few minutes, if they feel warm.

Send your tips, comments or questions to ask@pawscorner.com.

* Add a cinnamon stick or softener sheet to your vacuum bag when you change it. While you clean, you will distribute the good smell throughout your home.

* To ripen a green tomato, wrap it in a sheet of newspaper or place it in a paper bag. It can then be left on the counter for several days to ripen.

* "Need to remove fruit or food coloring stains on your hands or your countertop? White vinegar will clean it off. It's good for so manythings." R.N. in Washington

* "Instead of baking soda, I use three or four charcoal briquettes in a bowl to control odor and moisture in my refrigerator. I place the briquettes in a shallow dish, then cover the top of the bowl with a small piece of cheesecloth and secure it with a fat rubber band. The best thing is that I can still use these briquettes on the grill. In the summer, they get changed very regularly."

M.L. in Virginia

* When it comes to fruits and vegetables,

five a day is nice, but more matters. Try setting aside time after you come home from the grocery store for prepping fruits and vegetables. Pre-bag snack sizes of carrots, celery, strawberries, grapes, cantaloupe and apples. Pre-cut veggies for meals to make later in the week. Slice tomatoes and onions for sandwiches, and tear and separate lettuce for salads. They all make great, healthy treats, and it makes it easier to get your recommended servings!

* Have a stained coffee pot but don't want to use a harsh chemical cleanser to scrub that stain off? For gritty cleaning power, try using a tablespoon of milk and a tablespoon of salt. The salt gives you scrubbing power, and the milk's acids help gently dissolve the stains.