Vol. 21: #18 • Problem Solved • (4-27-2025) Tidbits of Coachella Valley
house calls for home-bound patients.
by Janet Spencer
“If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself!” This is the motto of many inventive people who tired of waiting for someone to “do something about it!” and ended up just doing it themselves. Follow along as we look at some of these creative individuals who rolled up their sleeves, met the challenge head-on -- and got the job done!
MEDICINE
• Werner Forssmann was a German cardiologist. He thought it would be possible to thread a catheter through the body’s main veins directly into the heart to allow doctors to deliver drugs directly to the heart. But his superiors forbade him from performing any such foolish experiment, certain it would be too dangerous and likely deadly.
• But Forssmann remained committed to his idea, until late one night in 1929 he went to the X-ray lab with a colleague, determined to see if this procedure would actually work. His co-worker insisted that she be the test subject, to which Forssmann agreed. However, he tricked her by strapping her to the table Ingenious Folks Who Got
Rupi Mann, MD / Laura Padron, NP
TRIVIA NEWSFRONT
(Answers on page 16)
• Barry Bonds received 1,870 unintentional walks and 688 intentional walks over the course of his 22-year baseball career. The total distance he walked equals 43.6 miles (70 km).
• Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry was a great pitcher but a lousy batter. He once declared, “They’ll put a man on the Moon before I hit a home run!” This was in 1963. Six years later, a few hours after Neil Armstrong stepped onto the Moon, Perry hit the first- and only- home run of his career.
• The longest a Major League Baseball player has stood at-bat was back in 2018 when Brandon Belt of the San Francisco Giants waited through the course of 21 pitches from Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jaime Barria. The exchange finally ended with a fly ball out.
was flashing to his teammates. To prevent this, he invented “the huddle” which proved to be so effective that it became a fundamental part of football strategy.
• Muggsy Bogues was the shortest person to ever play on a NBA team. He stood only 5′ 3″ (160 cm) and was a point guard throughout his 14-year basketball career. At one point, he even played on the same team as the tallest NBA player in history. Sudanese-American player Manute Bol stood 7′ 7″ (231 cm) making him the tallest NBA player in history. Together, they played for the Washington Bullets in the late 1980s.
• In 1972, Olympic swimmer Mark Spitz was accused of product placement during the medal ceremony. During the Munich Olympics, Spitz won 7 gold medals, setting a world record for the most gold medals won by an athlete in a single Olympic Games. After his victory in the 200-meter freestyle, Spitz carried his Germanmade track shoes and arrived barefoot to obtain his gold medal. He put them down as the American national anthem was played. After the anthem, he picked up his shoes and waved to the crowd. The Soviet officials viewed this as product placement and complained to the International Olympic Committee. When questioned, Spitz explained that he had simply been too busy signing autographs to put the shoes on, the shoes were old, and he was not paid. He was cleared of any wrongdoing.
1. MOVIES: Which animated movie was the first to be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award?
2. GEOGRAPHY: Interior and exterior film shots of Alnwick Castle in England are featured in the first two movies of which film series?
3. TELEVISION: What was the last name of the family in the sitcom “Married ... With Children”?
4. LITERATURE: For which category is the Caldecott Medal awarded?
5. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Also known as a double eagle, what is the golf term for scoring three under par on a hole?
6. ANATOMY: What is the protein that carries oxygen in the blood?
7. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president was the first to name a woman as a Cabinet member?
8. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a baby toad called?
9. FOOD & DRINK: Which fastfood chain’s secret ingredient is 11 herbs and spices?
10. ASTRONOMY: How many moons does Mars have?
(Trivia Test answers page 16)
• In 1962, Major League Baseball catcher Harry Chiti was traded from the Cleveland Indians to the New York Mets for a player “to be named later.” After a poor performance, Chiti became that “player to be named later”, making him the first player ever to be traded for himself.
• The first baseball team to wear numbered jerseys was the New York Yankees, in 1929. The numbers represented their batting order.
• In 1943, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles both lost so many football players who were serving as soldiers in WWII that they joined together to become the “Steagles” for the season.
• Paul D. Hubbard was a deaf American football player serving as quarterback for Gallaudet University football team in the late 1890s. Gallaudet is a college that caters to deaf students. Hubbard was afraid members of opposing teams would read the sign language hand signals he
• In golf, the odds of hitting a hole-in-one are estimated to be around 1 in 12,500. Given that most courses have four par 3 holes, that comes out at around 3,125 rounds. The odds of a tour pro getting a hole in one is significantly lower at 1 in 2,500.
• Known as the “King of Aces”, pro golfer Mancil Davis holds the PGA world record for hitting the greatest number of holes-in-one. His first one came in 1967. His 51st – and final - was tallied in 2007 during a celebrity golf tournament. For all 51, there was at least one witness to the event. Today Mancil is retired from the game he loved so much.
1. “Beauty and the Beast.”
“Harry Potter.”
Bundy.
Problem Solved: (from page one)
for “stability,” although it was only a measure to prevent her possible interference. He then carefully cut open the main vein in his own arm and slowly threaded a sterilized plastic urinary catheter into it. Once inserted, he then released his colleague so she could operate the X-ray machine. He slowly threaded the catheter the 23 inch distance (60 cm) to the right ventricle of his heart. It was a success, and Forssmann had experienced no discomfort during the entire process.
• When shown X-ray proof that his procedure was successful, the senior head of the medical staff was outraged and angry that he had disobeyed his direct orders and, despite his proven success, Forssmann was immediately fired.
• But within days, the first emergency heart catheterization procedure was needed and used to save the life of a critical heart patient. After numerous objections by his colleagues, Forssmann's position was soon reinstated. He was later awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1956. By the time he died in 1979, his catheterization method had been officially established as a safe, effective and routine medical procedure.
A NEW CAR BRAND
• In 1948 an Italian mechanic named Ferruccio Lamborghini opened a factory in Italy to manufacture agricultural equipment, particularly tractors. In 1958 he bought a Ferrari, the first of several. However, the cars had recurring issues with the clutch, requiring many trips back to the factory to be repaired. He grew so frustrated with this flaw that he complained to the company founder, Enzo Ferrari, and suggested improvements. Ferrari brushed him off curtly with “What does some tractor guy know about sports cars?” and ignored his concerns.
• The next time a clutch went out, Lamborghini had enough and decided to repair it himself. He was surprised to find that the identical clutch he used
for his tractors was also used in the Ferrari. With money, manpower, and facilities at his disposal, Lamborghini decided to build his own sports car, a better, high-performance touring car, and give Ferrari a run for his money.
• The Lamborghini 350GT was subsequently introduced at the Geneva Auto Show in 1964. The rest, as they say, is history.
DIRECT DIALING
• Almon Strowger was an undertaker in 1886 in Kansas City, who suspected he was losing business to a rival. His competitor’s wife worked as a switchboard operator for the local phone company, and he suspected she was diverting incoming funeral calls straight to her husbandʼs office. One day his suspicions were confirmed when he heard the news that his close friend had passed away and been buried by his rival before Strowger even knew he had died.
• Convinced that the initial phone call from his friendʼs survivors had been diverted to his competitor, he decided that the use of human switchboard operators needed to be stopped. He invented the Strowger Automatic Telephone System, called the “girl-less, cuss-less, out-oforder-less, wait-less telephone.” By using his method of direct number dialing, he finally made the job of switchboard operator obsolete, and his competitorʼs wife lost her job.
ONE WOMAN'S WIPER
newly pattened invention, but sadly failed to generate any interest. At a time when the world of business was primarily run by men, a single woman with no husband unfortunately had the odds stacked against her.
• Her 17-year patent later ran out, but the nowgrowing auto industry eventually developed a windshield wiping device quite similar to Mary’s invention. In 1922, Cadillac became the first car manufacturer to adopt them as standard equipment.
• According to the National Inventors Hall of Fame, her invention was simply ahead of its time. “She was persistent, she was forward-thinking, and
out to the battlefields after being told nothing could be done to save more injured soldiers from death?
2. What happened to the death rate after her contingent showed up?
ADVERTISING PROOF
• In 1902, Mary Anderson, an umarried woman, was visiting New York City. She was riding in a trolley car and it was snowing. She observed that the streetcar driver had to get out and continually clean off the windshield causing constant delays. This got Anderson wondering: What if there were some sort of blade that could be used to wipe off the windshield without making the driver have to keep getting out of the streetcar?
• Fascinated with the idea of solving the problem, she returned to her Alabama home and began making sketches of a device that could do this. She finally settled on one that satisfied her, made a final drawing, and wrote up a detailed explanation describing how a moving blade could be operated by the driver from a handle inside.
• She filed her application on June 18, 1903, and was thrilled when the U.S. Patent Office awarded patent number 743,801 for her “Window Cleaning Device.”
• Bourgeoned by this success, she approached the then-emerging motorcar industry with her
By Lucie Winborne
* Over the course of her 63-year reign, Britain’s Queen Victoria survived no fewer than eight assassination attempts.
* Like humans, male kangaroos flex their biceps to impress females.
* The word “sock” comes from the Latin word “soccus” -- a loose-fitting slipper worn by Roman comic actors.
* In Europe, nickel is banned in all alloys for widespread allergy reasons.
* Studies have suggested that gifted people often have bad handwriting because their brains work faster than their hands.
* Alexandre Dumas used a particular shade of blue paper on which to write his fiction. For poetry, he used yellow paper, and his articles were penned on pink paper. Once, he ran out of blue paper and had to use a cream-colored pad instead, which he believed had a negative impact on that work of fiction.
* The first American alarm clock was invented in Concord, New Hampshire, in 1787 by Levi Hutchins. It was never patented and rang only at one time, 4 a.m., to rouse him for work.
* Raspberries are a member of the rose family.
* Despite creating some of the most legendary guitars in the world, LEO Fender, the founder of Fender, Music Man and G&L Guitars, couldn’t actually play the instrument.
* The pressure in a champagne bottle is three times higher than that of a car tire.
* When in danger, a hairy frog will break its own bones in order to create claws that it pushes through its skin to scratch a predator. ***
Thought for the Day: “The service you do for others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” -- Muhammad Ali
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
Debt and That Squished Feeling
Dear Ron: I don’t have enough information to begin to advise you on this because it depends on your age, the total amount in your retirement account and how you have those funds invested currently. But I can give you some ideas to consider.
Like all investments, money in a 401(k) is money at risk. Even if you have selected low-risk investments, you could lose it.
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
DEAR MARY: We would like to enlarge our small two-bedroom bungalow. Our kids are reaching the teen years, and we need more space.
by Mary Hunt
We have always budgeted our money. We have $6,000 in our emergency fund and drive two paid-for cars, and our only debt is our mortgage. We have college savings accounts for our kids and tithe to our church. Our annual income is about $140,000. We have five different bids, and they all came in about the same at $160,000 to add three rooms upstairs, plus a stairway. Even though I know adding 900 square feet will increase the value of our home, I feel queasy about increasing our mortgage debt. What is your advice for us? -- Sam and Edie
Dear Sam and Edie: I can understand that you are nervous about taking on a big new monthly payment, one that could well double what you are paying now -- plus increased property taxes. Here’s a good way to find out if you can reasonably afford to do this:
Figure out your new monthly payment, including taxes and insurance, using any online mortgage calculator. Starting now -- this month -- live as if you have already taken on this new expense. Start making this payment to yourselves, on time and without fail. Every month. How does that feel? Can you sleep? Stressed out of your mind? You’ll know in a few months if you can handle this.
It seems to me that you are in a fairly good financial situation. You have no unsecured debt; you are preparing well for the future; and you have a substantial income. I am concerned, however, that your emergency fund is on the thin side. You need at least six months of living expenses in that account.
All things considered, provided you are comfortable with the added expense and can quickly beef that emergency fund, this sounds like a reasonable risk that will improve your lives and increase your net worth too. This is exciting!
DEAR MARY: I am retired and have a mortgage of $89,000 at 5% interest. I have enough money in my 401(k) to pay off the mortgage. Would I be wise to do this, or keep my money where it is? -- Ron
Your debt, on the other hand, is a sure thing, and investing in it will give you a guaranteed return of 5% (the exact rate you are now paying). This is how that works:
Let’s say you are currently paying $4,000 a year in interest on your mortgage. If you take $89,000 from your account and pay it off, you get to keep that $4,000 every year going forward. That is your return on the $89,000 investment you made in your debt. It’s a sure thing, regardless of what happens to the market or real estate values, and a wise move if you have sufficient money to do that, which it appears that you do.
Knowing your home is paid for offers a certain amount of security in the face of a changing economy.
However, if doing this would deplete your retirement account and you have many years ahead of you, it may not be wise for you to invest your money in this way at this time. Especially in retirement, you need the security of readily available cash. I recommend you get sound advice from a fee-only financial planner. Hope that helps!
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Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https:// www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book Debt-Proof Living. COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
• Mars is the only planet in our solar system that is inhabited entirely by robots.
• There have been ten successful missions to Mars ending with a craft on the surface of the planet. Of those, the most successful were NASA’s Spirit and Opportunity rovers.
• Spirit and Opportunity were identical twin robots that rewrote our understanding of the geological history of Mars. They were each the size of a golf cart, traveling on six wheels, while carrying a variety of scientific equipment. They served in the role of robotic field geologists.
• The two craft were launched a month apart, on June 10 and July 8, 2003. Spirit landed on Mars on January 4, 2004, and Opportunity followed on January 25. They landed on opposite sides of the planet, with each landing in a location that appeared to have a history of water in the area.
Spirit landed in a crater that may have once held a lake at its bottom. Opportunity landed where mineral deposits indicated the area had seen incursions of water over time.
• Both rovers provided data indicating that Mars may have had a history of water in its past.
• Each of these Rovers was expected to operate for 90 days. Both far exceeded expectations.
• Spirit functioned until it got stuck in soft sand in 2009. It expended much of its energy struggling to get free. By 2010, it no longer had enough energy to communicate with Earth. Its mission was declared over in 2011, having lasted 20 times longer than expected. It had sent back over 100,000 pictures and traveled 4.8 miles (7.7 km) on the Mars surface.
• Because of a planet-wide dust storm in 2018, Opportunity’s solar-powered batteries lost much of their charge as the panels were covered with dust.
• On June 12, 2018, Opportunity entered hibernation. The storm on Mars lasted from June through October. Scientists hoped that wind storms would clear the panels, allowing the rover to recharge, but it didn’t happen.
• Opportunity was operational on Mars for the equivalent of 14 years and 138 days, which was 57 times longer than expected.
• By June 10, 2018, when it last contacted NASA, Opportunity had sent back over 200,000 pictures. It had traveled a record-setting surface distance of 28.06 miles (45.16 km). Its mission is one of NASA’s most successful ventures.
• On February 13, 2019, NASA officials declared
that the Opportunity mission was complete, after the spacecraft had failed to respond to over 1,000 signals sent since August of 2018.
• One journalist, Jacob Margolis, tweeted his interpretation of the last data transmission sent by Opportunity on June 10, 2018, as “My battery is low and it’s getting dark.” The personalized phrase plucked the heart strings of the public, who mourned the loss of the lonely little robot. However, Margolis had romanticized what amounted to bits of data sent by the craft: “Battery power: low. Current temperature: Dropping.”
• Still, however, as NASA ended their attempts to contact the rover, the last data sent was the song “I’ll Be Seeing You” as performed by noted blues singer Billie Holiday.
• Since the launch of Opportunity, there have been more successful missions to Mars. The Phoenix Mars Lander touched down in 2008, Curiosity landed in 2012, and InSight landed in 2018. Yet the accomplishments of Opportunity, the little rover with the big attitude, will never be forgotten.
by Dana Jackson
Q: What is Josh Holloway from “Lost” doing these days? I haven’t seen him in anything since the show ended. -- D.I.
He’ll follow this with the film “Flint,” which is based on the classic Western novel by Louis L’Amour that is set in the 1860s. Holloway has long been trying to bring the late author’s famed book to the big screen, and it looks like it’s finally happening.
***
Q: I saw that singer Jelly Roll has lost a lot of weight and is planning on running a marathon. How has he accomplished his goal? -- S.T.
cantly bigger audience than “The Talk,” which was the daytime talk show that it replaced. As for whether there will be more afternoon stories developed by television networks in the future, we’ll just have to wait and see!
* * *
Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
A: While Sawyer on “Lost” is probably Josh Holloway’s most memorable role, he’s far from retired. CBS had high hopes that “Intelligence,” his first series after “Lost” ended, would be a surefire fit, but it was canceled after one season. He followed it with the sci-fi drama “Colony” on the USA Network, which was a modest hit with three seasons’ worth of episodes. But he wouldn’t have another hit until “Yellowstone,” where he’d play a hedge-fund manager in season three. Holloway currently has two upcoming projects. First up is the series “Duster” from “Lost” creator J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan (“Shameless”), where he plays a “gutsy getaway driver for a growing crime syndicate.” Set in the 1970s, it costars Rachel Hilson (“This Is Us”) and premieres on Max on May 15.
A: Born Jason Bradley DeFord, Jelly Roll was given his nickname by his mother as a kid, but he actually prefers his friends to just call him “Jelly.” He’s overcome a troubled time in his life where he was addicted to drugs and served time in prison. He’s now clean and living a healthy lifestyle, and he boasts an almost 200-pound weight loss. He hopes to lose another 100 pounds so that he can join his wife in a skydiving adventure next year. He’s also training for a half-marathon. He hasn’t publicly attributed his weight loss to surgery or GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, but he does have a personal chef and a nutrition coach. The charismatic singer is currently serving as “American Idol’s” first Artist in Residence, where his infectious enthusiasm is put to great use by mentoring young talent.
***
Q: How is the new daytime soap “Beyond the Gates” doing with its ratings? Do you think this could pave the way for more soaps in the future? -- K.W.
A: ”Beyond the Gates” is CBS’s first new daytime drama to debut in 25 years, and it’s done surprisingly well. The newbie is neck-and-neck with its time-slot competitor, ABC’s “General Hospital,” in the ratings race since it premiered, but it is far from achieving the numbers that CBS’s “The Young and the Restless” achieves week after week. Most importantly, “BTG” draws a signifi-
Courtesy of Paramount
Josh Holloway as Roarke Morris in “Yellowstone”
Good Recipes from
Split Pea Soup with Ham
This hearty old-fashioned favorite is a perfect pick-me-up for any season.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 (6 ounces each) white turnips (optional), peeled and chopped
1 package (16 ounces) dry split peas, rinsed and picked through
2 (1 1/2 pounds) smoked ham hocks
8 cups water
2 bay leafs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1. In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. Add turnips, if using, carrots, celery and onion; cook, stirring frequently, until carrots are tender-crisp, about 10 minutes. Add split peas, ham hocks, water, bay leaves, salt and allspice; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 45 minutes.
2. Transfer ham hocks to cutting board; discard skin and bones. Finely chop meat. Return meat to soup. Heat through. Makes 11 cups or 6 main-dish servings.
Each serving: About 343 calories,
7g total fat (1g saturated), 3mg cholesterol, 1,174mg sodium, 52g total carbohydrate, 21g protein.
Herbed Potatoes Au Gratin
“This rich, creamy side is incredibly versatile. At Easter I add thyme and parsley, and at Christmas I use rosemary and serve it with prime rib. I like the chunky potatoes better than the traditional thinly sliced ones, plus they’re easier to prep.” -- Ree Drummond
3 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion
1/2 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
Pepper
8 ounces cream cheese
3 ounces Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
3 pounds russet potatoes, sliced thin or cut into chunks
Chopped fresh chives
1. Heat oven to 350 F. Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the milk, cream, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a bare simmer. Add the cream cheese and cook, stirring, until melted, about 3 minutes; stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and thyme.
4. Place the potatoes in the prepared baking dish and pour the milk mixture over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and cover tightly with nonstick foil.
5. Place the baking dish on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes more. Let rest
Tidbits is in need of independent contractor help distributing our newspapers to businesses in the Coachella Valley. A retired husband/wife team is preferred, who wish to supplement their monthly income by driving and distributing to a specified delivery route in the Palm Desert area. Requires year-round commitment of one day per week, either Thursday or Friday, during regular business hours. One person needed to drive; the other to place copies at delivery locations.
Interested parties must posess a responsible work ethic, furnish their own vehicle and auto insurance, and have a friendly demeanor when dealing with the public. Interested couples call Erik at 760-320-0997 for more details.
By John Allen
DIAMOND LIL
by Brett Koth
Holidays & Observances This Week
4/27 Morse Code Day
4/28 Pay It Forward Day
4/29 Zipper Day
4/30 Adopt a Rescue Dog Day
5/1 National Day of Prayer
5/2 U.S. Capitol Police Day
5/3 Kentucky Derby Day
Dog Talk with Uncle Matty
By Matthew Margolis
If You Build It...
In 2005, the American Film Institute debuted its 100 Series, part of which heralded the Top 100 quotations from American cinema. The words “If you build it, he will come,” from the 1989 film “Field of Dreams,” made the cut.
Most of us know the quote as, “If you build it, they will come.” But in both the film and the novel it is based on, W.P. Kinsella’s “Shoeless Joe,” it is “he” and not “they” who will be coming. And its altered form suits human nature just fine, particularly human dog owner nature.
If you love them, they will obey.
If you feed them, they will listen.
If you bring them into your home, they will do whatever it is you ask of them, even if you ask them in a language they don’t understand.
These are statements of blind faith. Dedicated dog lovers seemingly extend this benefit of the doubt to any and every dog, making the collective “they” more reflective of our faith in the species than the singular “he.”
Either way, it’s just not true.
Frustrated dog owners lament, “He wants to do what he wants to do!”
Well, yeah.
Good-hearted people truly believe that if you love a dog and feed a dog and offer a dog a comfy place next to you in the “big person” bed, the dog will crumble, will cave in regard to his own instincts, will knock it off with the chewing and the digging and the fence jumping and the puddles.
But alas, a dog is a dog -- and thank goodness for that! Understanding your dog’s inherent dogness, knowing that his view of the world from two or three feet off the ground is much different from ours, is, to quote another from AFI’s Top 100, “the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
Humphrey Bogart, who famously delivered the line above in the final scene of “Casablanca,” knew a little something about the benefits of dog training. In the 1941 film “High Sierra,” Bogie’s character’s dog, “Pard,” is played by Bogie’s reallife dog, Zero. Who among us could call on our dogs to perform on command amid the chaos of a film set?
The answer: Sylvester Stallone. “Butkus,” Rocky Balboa’s dog in the 1976 Oscar-winning
It seems that there’s one recall after the other lately, mostly for our foods. To stay safe with what we eat, we need to keep an eye on those recalls and know what to look for.
Some of them have been scarily bizarre. The latest ones include pieces of plastic in sausages, wood in frozen meals, stones in chocolate bars, botulism in juice and tree nuts in cheesecake.
Then there are the undeclared allergens, like the milk that was in tortilla chips and chicken salad, which can affect people who are lactose intolerant or have another type of dairy allergy.
And then we have the hot sauce with undeclared sulfites, which can seriously affect people who have an allergic reaction to sulfites.
Then, in a potentially very dangerous mistake for those with heart and blood pressure problems, ground coffee was labeled as decaf-
Floored
Since the beginning of time, the history of civilization has been reflected in the type of flooring materials used for interior spaces. It has been a long time since floors were just composed of packed sod and sand, or the old adobe clay covered the floors of most housing. Today’s homes come in a variety of flooring materials.
In Ancient Rome, floors were adorned with inlays of ebony and fine woods or ornate mosaics utilizing the techniques and skilled labor of that era. Medieval Europe was accustomed to rustic floors that were damp pavements covered with rush and dried grass mats. Sand and roughhewn planks later replaced the pavement. Throughout the south, tile floors were the norm to keep homes as cool and as clean as possible.
France and England were at the forefront of developing the wood parquet floors in geometrics patterns and chevron patterns that are used even today. The random planks of pine that were used in early American homes have been refined into regular planks or a beautiful uniform finish.
feinated when it actually was caffeinated.
And when you thought you’d recover from an illness with some help from an over-the-counter medication, one of the well-advertised cough and cold medications was recalled for being contaminated with harmful ingredients.
Humans aren’t the only ones to be affected by the wrong ingredients in our foods. A recent recall was for a dog snack that was contaminated with salmonella.
Nobody likes extra email to wade through, but in the case of recalls, we really do need to pay attention. Signing up for email notifications is the best thing we can do right now, especially with the increase in the number of recalls. Go to www.recalls.gov/food.html, or www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls and www.foodsafety.gov to sign up for email alerts. Or if you really don’t want extra emails in your inbox, make a point of going to those sites once a week and scrolling through the list of new recalls.
Even if you think you probably don’t have a recalled item, if you’ve ever bought it in the past, check your freezer and cabinets. That item might still be there.
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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) KingFeaturesSyndicate2025
pre-engineered material to withstand changes in temperatures and humidity. Recent trends have wood-look floors made of ceramic and porcelain for a longer lasting product with ease of maintenance. These wood-look floors can be mopped or hosed down.
Another soft flooring material is cork. This is available in tile or in sheets. It’s great for areas that are dry and where one will be standing for a long time. These floors will periodically need to be replaced as because of their soft nature they wear easily.
The most important characteristic in choosing a floor is its durability and appropriateness for the location. Whichever material is selected, the subflooring and underlayment play a great role in its installation and maintenance over time.
Stone or marble flooring have always garnered the accolades of the best flooring with an air of grandeur and elegance, which is why so many times they are selected for entry halls and foyers of public buildings as well as living rooms of houses of a certain stature. These stone and marble floors can be finished from mirror-like polish to matte honed finishes, making them quite adaptable to most types of decor.
Wood floors have come a long way from the days of random planks to fine inlaid woods. Today, wood floors are produced in mass for almost every budget, from solid wood planks to
Clay products such as ceramic tiles, brick and mosaic tiles have been around since the beginning of time. Today’s products can emulate almost any material or pattern and print you like, thanks to the advances of digital printing. One can have tile that looks like a photographic image of water, of leaves or whatever one fancies under foot.
Laminate flooring is the latest product to hit the mass market. Many of these products are made from recycled materials or recyclable products. The surface can be made to look like wood planks, tiles or anything your imagination can dream up.
Avoid making decisions on flooring just based on looks. Think about the wear and tear over time. Things such as ladies high heel shoes, the dragging of chairs in and out of dining tables and exterior elements such as sand and grime will take a toll. Make an educated decision that takes everything into consideration.
* * * Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Fla. 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.
COPYRIGHT 2021 CREATORS.COM
“Rocky,” was played by Stallone’s real-life Butkus. You might question the name, but you can’t question the dedication to training.
And it’s all about training.
When a dog develops a problem behavior, the owner has three choices: do nothing, get rid of the dog, or get rid of the problem.
By my lights, the latter is the only way to go -- except in cases of dogs who are vicious or bite children and family members.
To get rid of the problem, one must:
-- Accept responsibility.
-- Stop blaming the dog for his inability to read the mind of a human.
-- Invest in appropriate training.
To those willing to make the effort, whether solo or under the guidance of a professional dog trainer, I say, “Bravo!” But when confronted with unrelenting denial and a litany of excuses to duck the responsibility of training, I am reminded of the quote that topped the AFI’s Top 100: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”
Woof!
Cody’s Corner (from page 9) * * *
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.
YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
by Tom Margenau
Explaining Little Quirks in Social Security Law in 1,000
Words
I doubt if any of you have ever bothered to count, but my average weekly column comes out to about 1,000 words. I bring this up because the other day, a national newspaper asked me to write a one-time Social Security column for them. They told me they wanted me to answer five questions (of their choosing) and that they would give me 500 words of space in their publication.
I politely turned them down. I mean -- I suppose I could have done it. But because there are so many “ifs, ands or buts” associated with Social Security rules, I just don’t think I could have done them justice limiting myself to so few words.
I was thinking about this today when I got what many might think is a simple question from a reader. I’m going to spend the rest of this column (way more than 100 words) answering it. Here goes.
Q: I will be turning 62 on June 1, 2025. I applied for Social Security to start on that day. I was told that I was eligible for benefits in May. Why? Anyway, I assumed my first check would come in June (because I know benefits come one month late). But I just got my “award letter” and it said my first check will come in July! Can you explain what is going on with this?
A: Yes, I can explain. The answers are actually kind of interesting.
First, we come to a little quirk, not in Social Security law, but in general knowledge: You actually attain your next birth year on the day before your actual birthday.
For example, I was born on June 22, 1949. So as you might guess, my parents celebrated my first birthday on June 22, 1950. But if you think about it, I actually had lived one whole year on June 21, 1950. So on my “birthday,” I was really one year and one day old.
Now normally, that is an interesting but useless tidbit of knowledge. Even for Social Security purposes, it usually means nothing. For example, I started my Social Security benefits at age 63 in June 2012. The fact that I actually turned 63 on June 21 instead of June 22 meant nothing to my Social Security eligibility. June 2012 was still my first month of eligibility.
But this little birthday quirk means a whole lot if you happen to be born on the first day of the month, because it means you attain your age on the last day of the prior month. And that can give you an extra month of Social Security eligibility.
Let’s look at your case. You said you turn 62 on June 1, 2025. But you actually attain your 62nd complete year on May 31, 2025. May 2025 would normally be your first month of eligibility. So why will you be getting your first Social Security check in July? Well, that leads me to the next little quirk in the law.
To explain, I have to take you back to the early 1980s. Ronald Reagan was elected president. He and his advisers were sort of like the President Donald Trump and Elon Musk of their day in that they were looking for ways to cut wasteful gov-
ernment spending. And because Social Security makes up one-fourth of the entire federal budget, if you were looking for ways to cut federal spending, it would be a good place to start.
But Reagan and his people weren’t foolish enough to unilaterally cut everyone’s Social Security checks. Instead, they looked for little ways to nibble away at the edges of the program. One idea they came up with was a small cut in benefits for people who started their Social Security at age 62. The rule they put in place said that you had to be 62 for an entire month before could get your first Social Security check.
So back to your case. For Social Security purposes, you legally turn age 62 on May 31, 2025. But that is only one day of the month. The first month you are age 62 for the entire month is June. That makes June your first month of Social Security eligibility. So why won’t you get your first check until July?
Well, you mentioned another little quirk in the law in your question to me. You correctly pointed out that Social Security checks come one month behind. So your first payment, the June payment, will be sent to you in July.
Did you follow all of that? Your birthday is on June 1, 2025. But you actually attain your age on May 31, 2025. You aren’t 62 for a full calendar month until June 2025, meaning your first Social Security check will come in July 2025. Did I explain all of that in 100 words? Not even close!
Now I’m going to throw in one more piece of the puzzle. These rules can also come into play for people born on the second day of the month -- but only for those who start their benefits at age 62. I will use my wife as an example.
My wife was born on Sept. 2, 1944. (And please don’t remind me that I married a woman who is five years older than me! What was I thinking?)
Anyway, she started her Social Security benefits at age 62. So she was 62 on Sept. 2, 2006. But because of the Reagan law mentioned earlier, October 2006 would have been the first month she was 62 for the entire month, meaning her first ben-
1. The book of Bezalel is found in the a) Old Testament b) New Testament c) Neither
2. At the Last Supper, which disciple protested against having his feet washed by Jesus? a) Matthew b) Peter c) Judas d) Bartholomew
3. What golden graven image did the Israelites dance in front of? a) Lamb b) Lion c) Calf d) Oxen
4. Who primarily made the golden graven image they danced to? a) Priests b) Lot c) Aaron d) Joshua
5. From Revelation 13:18, what is the number of the beast? a) 7 b) 12 c) 300 d) 666
6. In John 18:38, who asked,"What is truth"? a) Pilate b) Pharasees c) Mary d) Judas
(Answers on page 16) For comments or more Bible Trivia go to www.TriviaGuy.com
efit would have been paid in November 2006. But she got her first check in October 2006. Why? Because of that birthday anomaly we talked about earlier. She legally attained age 62 on Sept. 1, 2006. And so that meant she was 62 for the entire month of September, making that her Social Security eligibility month and giving her an initial Social Security check in October.
One final point: Please note that the “must be of age an entire month” Reagan rule applies only to those starting benefits at age 62. So if you start benefits at 62½, or 66, or 70 or whatever, that little quirk in the law doesn’t come into play.
Phew! The “answer” part of this column was 1,045 words!
If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called “Social Security -- Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security.” The other is “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the books at Amazon.com or other book outlets. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net.
To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www. creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
Tilapia That Wasn’t Stored Properly Caused Scombroid Poisoning
DEAR DR. ROACH: I ate some tilapia at dinner recently, and within an hour, I had nausea and a headache, then vomiting a few hours later, and then diarrhea. What do you think was going on? -- V.P.
ANSWER: I would be interested if you felt any sensation of warmth on your face or neck or any flushing, as your symptoms are highly suggestive of a foodborne illness called scombroid poisoning. It most commonly happens after eating tuna, mackerel or bonito but can come on after eating other fish as well, including tilapia.
The fact that it began so soon after eating a compatible fish is suggestive of the diagnosis. Scombroid is the most common foodborne illness from seafood. Scombroid happens if the fish is not stored at a cold-enough temperature (at any time) after being caught. This is why you should refrigerate cans of tuna after opening them.
In addition to the flushing sensation, headaches, nausea, and vomiting, people with a scombroid toxicity can get rashes on their face, neck and upper chest. Sometimes they get burn ing or itching around their mouth.
If the symptoms aren’t gone before the condition is suspected, then an antihistamine tablet, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), can help relieve symptoms. If there are stomach or intestinal troubles, a different type of antihista mine, such as famotidine (Pepcid), can have an added benefit.
If the vomiting and diarrhea are severe, intravenous fluids may be necessary, although my experience is that most cases are milder than this.
Physicians who make the presumptive diagnosis of scombroid poisoning should contact their local public health authorities to identify where the contamination occurred and help pre vent other cases. Scombroid poisoning is vastly underreported.
charged with oxycodone. I’ve been taking it for about two weeks after stopping morphine in the hospital (the dosage being 2.5 mg twice daily), but I am worried about withdrawal. I know two people who got very ill after suddenly stopping pain medication. -- J.S.B.
ANSWER: Withdrawal from opiates happens when people who are physiologically dependent on opioids suddenly stop taking them. A person can become physiologically dependent in as little as three weeks, or even shorter if they had been taking opioids in the past. Opioid withdrawal is very unpleasant, with abdominal symptoms (nausea, cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, etc.) and agitation being the most common symptoms.
The main way of avoiding withdrawal is to avoid staying on opioids too long. Changing from a long-acting opiate like oxycodone to a shorteracting one may help. Using non-opioid pain relievers to minimize the need for opioids can also help. I have sometimes tapered down the dose slowly to try to prevent withdrawal; however, the dose you are on is already quite low, so the likelihood of withdrawal is small.
I do want to emphasize that it’s important to get off these drugs. Recent studies have shown that 25% or more of people who start chronically taking opioids after a hip fracture continue to take them for months or years, but opioids are not good long-term pain medications for most people.
DEAR DR. ROACH: I was recently in the hospital for a hip fracture and was dis
VETERANS POST
QL
Means
by Freddie Groves
Quality of Life
Injured or disabled veterans have a friend in QL Plus, or more specifically, the engineering students and their mentors who create the QL Plus projects for veterans.
The purpose of QL Plus is to create the gear and adaptive devices that will make injured veterans more independent and mobile, able to manage their daily lives or participate in sports and hobbies.
The students come from 25 colleges and engineering schools across the country, and they work with mentors and experts to create the personalized devices that injured veterans need.
Some of the projects are ingenious -- wheelchair tire cleaners for a veteran’s garage, kayak and bike lifts and hiking prosthetics are just a few of the devices created by the students. Then there was the weightlifting hook so a veteran could complete his workout routine, and the one-handed bobsled for the U.S. Para Bobsled team. One veteran was able to play his guitar again after losing his arm when the QL Plus team created an adaptive guitar
-- by Jim Miller
How to Choose a Volunteer Vacation
DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: What can you tell me about "volunteer vactions"? I've recently heard about being able to tie-in a vacation trip while offering volunteer work at the same time. This sounds interesting. I’m a healthy, 60-year-old, single woman interested in doing some traveling, and I like the idea of combining my trips with something purposeful. -- Solo Susan
Dear Susan: If you’re looking to do more on your next vacation than relax in the sun or go sightseeing, volunteer vacations – also known as "voluntourism" – combine both travel and volunteer work. They are a unique alternative for solo travelers tired of the routine tourist traps and have become increasingly popular among older adults.
Volunteer Vacations
There are many organizations today that offer short-term volunteer vacation projects in the U.S. and abroad, lasting anywhere from a few days to a few months.
Common program themes include teaching English, working with children and teens, building and repairing homes and schools, assisting with community or environmental projects, and many other opportunities.
In addition, volunteer vacations also give travelers the opportunity to experience the culture more fully and connect with the local people – quite different from your run-of-the-mill sightseeing vacation and tourist trap routines.
Most volunteer vacation groups accept singles, couples and families and you don’t need to speak a foreign language. Costs usually range from around $1,000 to $3,000 per week, not including transportation to the country your site is in. Fees typically cover pre-trip orientation information, room and board, on-site training, and ground transportation once you get there. It
also covers the services of a project leader, and a contribution to the local community that covers material and services related to the project. And, if the organization running your trip is a nonprofit, the cost of your trip, including airfare, is likely tax-deductible.
Where to Look
While there are many organizations that offer volunteer vacations, here are some good options to look into.
Global Volunteers (globalvolunteers. org): A pioneer in global travel, this group tackles hunger, poverty and educational needs. It offers a variety of one, two and three-week service programs in 12 countries, including the U.S.
Earthwatch Institute (earthwatch.org): With an emphasis in environmental conservation and research, they offer dozens of one and twoweek expeditions in countries all over the world.
Conservation VIP (conservationvip.org): Provides environmental conservation volunteer projects to seven destinations abroad and three in the U.S.
Biosphere Expeditions (biosphere-expeditions.org): Offers wildlife conservation expeditions in six countries.
Habitat for Humanity (habitat.org): Offers international house-building trips through its Global Village Program in 16 countries.
Natucate (natucate.com): With a focus on nature and species conservation, they offer one-to-12-week trips in 32 different countries.
American Hiking Society (americanhiking.org): Targeting hikers and backpackers they offer weekend and week-long volunteer vacations in the U.S. that focus on building and maintaining trails.
International Volunteer HQ (volunteerhq. org): Offers a wide variety of one-to-24-week volunteer service projects in dozens of countries.
How to Choose
Tell them you saw their ad in Tidbits!
When you patronize Tidbits advertisers,
With so many different volunteer vacations to choose from, selecting one can be difficult. To help you decide, you need to think specifically about what you want. For example: Where you want to go and for how long? What types of work are you interested in doing? What kind of living situation and accommodations do you want? Do you want to volunteer alone or with a group? Do you want a rural or urban place-
ment? Also consider your age and health. Are you up to the task, or do you have any special needs that will need to be met?
Once you figure out what you want and spot a few volunteer vacations that interest you, ask the organization to send you information that describes the accommodations, the fees and what they cover including their refund policy, the work schedule and work details, and anything else you have questions about. Also, get a list of previous volunteers and call them.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
Tell the advertisers you saw their ad in Tidbits! Remember to TELL OUR ADVERTISERS YOU SAW THEIR AD IN TIDBITS!
(Tidbits wouldn't be possible without them)
You read it in tidbits!
ANTIQUE
by Anne McCollam Creators News Service
Sandwich Glass
would be appreciated.
A: Your doll was made by Simon and Halbig in Grafenhain, Germany. They were in business from 1869 to around 1930. They also made bisque heads for other German and French doll manufacturers.
Your doll is circa 1905 and would probably be worth $550 to $650. *
* On April 28, 1953, inventor Howard Ross received a patent for his “double coat,” which contained an outer layer extendable to cover two people. It was designed to protect sports fans in athletic stadiums during rain.
Q: I have sent a photo of a piece of Sandwich glass that was made around 1830. The dish measures 5 inches in diameter and is clear. It stands a quarter of an inch high. The edge is scalloped and has a garland pattern. It is in perfect condition. I paid $28 for it a few years ago at a shop that sells a lot of Sandwich glass.
Can you tell me if my dish worth more than I paid for it?
A: The Sandwich Manufacturing Company made Sandwich glass. It was founded in 1824 by Deming Jarves in Sandwich, Mass. The name was changed to Boston and Sandwich Glass Company in 1826. It made pressed glass, blown three-mold and free-blown glass in both color and clear. It closed in 1888.
Similar Sandwich dishes can be seen selling in the range of $50 to $75.
Q: When I was a child, my great-aunt gave me her porcelain doll. She received it around 1900, and it is still in excellent condition. Marked on the back of the porcelain head are the words “Simon and Halbig -- 550.”
The doll has a composition body, balljointed limbs, long dark hair, brown sleepy eyes and an open mouth. Her clothes are the originals.
Anything you can tell me about my doll
The two weasellike mammals are inseparable. I think they're probably in a sable relationship.
Q: Enclosed is the mark that I have drawn that is on the bottom of a pottery vase that I bought at a flea market ten years ago. The vase is soft blue and stands 9 inches tall. It is a cornucopia horn shape, and there are handles on each side.
I paid $5 for it and would like to know if it has increased in value.
A: Your vase was made by Abingdon Pottery in Abingdon, Ill. The style was inspired by art deco designs. The factory began in 1908 and made porcelain-plumbing fixtures. It introduced an art pottery line in 1934. In 1947, Briggs Manufacturing Company took over operations, and by 1950, the art pottery line was discontinued.
Your cornucopia/horn of plenty vase was made around 1940 and today would probably be worth $35 to $50.
* * * Antiques expert and columnist Anne McCollam has since retired and no longer receives inquiries nor answers reader letters. Due to the popularity of her column, this publication will continue to reprint previous columns of interest to our readers.
To find out more about Anne McCollam and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com
* On April 29, 1945, Adolf Hitler, concerned that the cyanide capsules given to him and wife Eva Braun might be ineffective, tested one on his German shepherd, Blondi. The dog died and Braun took her dose the next day, while Hitler reportedly shot himself. The German public remained unaware of the couple’s relationship until after their deaths.
* On April 30, 2019, Emperor Akihito of Japan stepped down from the throne at the age of 85, becoming the first Japanese monarch to abdicate in more than two centuries, after having announced his desire to do so because of poor health a few years earlier.
* On May 1, 1955, golfer Babe Didrikson Zaharias won the Peach Blossom LPGA Tournament in Spartanburg, S.C., the 41st and final LPGA title of her career, even as she was battling the colon cancer that would end her life the following year.
* On May 2, 1963, more than a thousand Black schoolchildren marched through Birmingham, Alabama, in a protest against segregation that became known as the Children’s Crusade and Children’s March. Nearly 800 of them were arrested, including a 6-year-old girl, primarily for parading without a permit.
* On May 3, 1986, Willie Shoemaker, at age 54, beat 18:1 odds to become the oldest jockey to win the Kentucky Derby. After retiring in 1990, he returned to the track as a trainer for another seven years. Shoemaker also authored three best-selling murder mysteries featuring jockey-turned-sleuth Coley Killebrew.
* On May 4, 2002, an Executive Airline Services twin-engine plane crashed and exploded in a densely populated section of the Nigerian town of Kano, after shearing off the roofs of dozens of homes and two mosques, killing 149 people and destroying almost three full blocks of buildings. An investigation ruled the cause of the crash to be pilot error.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
Sandwich glass was made in Sandwich, Mass. during the 1800s.
The Abingdon Pottery company was formed in 1908.
Problem Solved: from page 3
she had the drive to follow up on an idea.”
• Although Mary didn’t make any money from her invention, at least she finally got some official credit. In 2011 she was officially inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame.
SIGHTLESS VISIONARY
• Joseph Jones worked for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) for his entire career. He later developed a problem with his eyes, and in 1947 ultimately went blind.
• He considered his options available for assistance, and concluded he needed a gentle and obedient dog companion to assist in his everyday living. He put in an application for a guide dog to every such service available, but every single agency them turned him down, claiming he was “too old.” Jones was 57.
• He turned to the IAMAW, advising them that the system needed new organization and rules, and the Executive Council listened. They contributed enough money to found International Guiding Eyes in 1948 and appointed Joseph Jones to lead it. In 1992 the name was changed to Guide Dogs of America. It’s still going strong, with continuing support from IAMAW. And because of Joseph Jones, there is now no upper age limit.
SIGNAGE SATISFACTION
• Richard Ankrom was a professional sign maker in Los Angeles. He, along with thousands of other confused motorists, had frequently missed a ramp off the 110 freeway because the exit to the northbound Interstate 5 was not even marked until drivers abruptly exited a tunnel with no time to change lanes. Despite years of complaints to the California State Department of Transportation, the problem still had not been corrected.
• Finally, Ankrom was disgusted enough to step in and fix the problem himself. He took 3 months to construct his own sign. The final product was identical in size and color to the large overhead highway signs already in use. In 2001 he installed it himself, and the California DOT never noticed. Eight months later, Ankrom alerted the media to his feat. The story blitzed around the country and Ankrom got his 15 minutes of fame via TV interviews and national news stories.
• Eight years later, the California State Department of Transportation finally got around to installing a “real” sign ahead of the exit to I-5 Northbound, exactly identical to Ankromʼs.
GOLF IN STYLE!
Game Changers
by Jason Jenkins
Stricker Stiff Wrists
Steve Stricker is known on tour as one of the most passive handed (or wristed) players around the green. From his chips to his pitches, even his partial wedge shots, Steve uses his wrists very minimally when it comes to hinging them in the backstroke. If you struggle from 20-30 yards off the green from the fairway or tight lies, give Steve’s method a try.
From a narrow stance and centered ball position, play this chip with your sand wedge or gap wedge.
The key is to make the arm swing go back to around 9 o’clock while the club points mildly upward. Your wrists may feel slightly tighter than normal, as if you’re restricting the hinging action. Keep your elbows wide as if you had a volleyball in between
Strike through to an equal length follow through, holding the wrists firm throughout the strike.
