Vol. 21: #39 • September Observances • (9-21-2025) Tidbits of Coachella Valley
TIDBITS CELEBRATES
by Kathy Wolfe
The month of September is jam-packed with observances, some official and others a little quirky. This week Tidbits salutes these commemorative days with a bit more info on their origins and festivities.
• September 26 is Johnny Appleseed Day, commemorating the birthday of the American pioneer folk hero known for planting apple seeds throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana.
• He was born John Chapman in 1774. The eccentric nurseryman, known for his unusual clothing of worn, cast-off garments, gunny sack shirts and often unmatched shoes, traveled throughout the Midwest planting trees. He carefully fenced them in as protection from livestock and wildlife, returning every year or so to tend to them. It’s not well-known that he bought many of the parcels of land he planted, and owned about 1,200 acres of valuable land at the time of his death.
• National Centenarian’s Day is observed annually
TRIV
(Answers on page 16)
1. MOVIES: What was the name of Ron Burgundy’s dog in “Anchorman”?
2. LITERATURE: The middle school student Greg Heffley is the protagonist of which book series?
3. SCIENCE: What is the Abyssal Zone in the ocean?
4. GEOGRAPHY: Where is the island of Aruba located?
5. TELEVISION: Which city is the setting for the series “Breaking Bad”?
6. PSYCHOLOGY: What is the fear of colors called?
7. ANATOMY: What connects muscles to bones?
8. U.S. STATES: Which state is home to the Badlands National Park?
9. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who was the sixth president of the United States?
10. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is September’s traditional birthstone?
hacky sack
The 1970s brought the Hacky Sack craze, although the concept of the game is centuries old. Follow along as Tidbits searches the origins of this popular sport.
• The goal of Hacky Sack is to kick a small bag repeatedly into the air, keeping it off the ground for as long as possible. The modern game was introduced by Oregon resident Mike Marshall who showed the idea that he had learned from a Native American acquaintance to his friend John Stalberger. Stalberger was recovering from a knee surgery, and saw the potential for using the game as a rehabilitation method for speeding his recovery.
• In 1971, Marshall and Stalberger used a squareshaped denim bag filled with rice to play what they called “footbag,” later referring it to “hack a sack.”
• They honed their skills and six months later, Stalberger’s knee was completely healed. Thinking this little game might actually have commercial possibilities as an actual sport, the pair decided to pursue the idea. They modified the sack into a rounded shape, switching the cover to cowhide for durability, and began honing their playing techniques to improve their skills.
• Once they were satisfied that they had achieved a marketable product, they filed for a patent for their “Hacky Sack” game in 1974. Their initial bags were hand-sewn and filled with rice or glass buttons.
• As far back as 476 BC, a game similar to modernday hacky sack was being played in China. The Chinese emperor instituted it as training for military forces, using a hair-filled leather bag in a war game called “cuju.”
• Tragically, in 1975, just a year after launching their new product, Mike Marshall suffered a fatal heart attack, passing away at age 28. Stalberger continued promoting the hacky sack, developing more durable bags and advertising their creation. Within a few years, the sport was popular across the nation, and in 1983, Stalberger sold the patent to the Wham-O toy company.
• Today’s bags come in several styles, made from ultrasuede or artificial leather (although a crocheted bag is also common), filled with plastic pellets, sand, BB’s, or steel shot. Weight is typically between 40 and 65 grams.
• Hacky sack can be played by a single person, two people, or a group standing in a circle. In circle kicking, players keep the bag moving around the circle, often calling for the players to kick the sack to themselves a certain number of times before passing to another player. All that’s required is to keep the sack off the ground without using the arms or hands.
• Players have established techniques, such as the inside kick, which is the use of the inside curve of the foot to kick the ball straight upward. The outside kick does the same with the outside of the foot, while the toe kick involves a hook. It’s legal to bounce the ball off the chest, head, or back. Seasoned players perform various tricks, such as kicks, flips, stalls and aerial maneuvers
• If every player kicks the sack before it hits the ground, it’s called a “hack,” two touches are deemed a “double-hack” and so forth.
• First held in 2006, there are hacky sack world championships held every year, with professional players choreographing freestyle routines, performing complex moves synchronized to music. The record holder for the most kicks as a single was set in 1997, with 63,326 consecutive kicks over 8 hours, 50 minutes, and 42 seconds. The doubles record was set in 1998, with 132,011 kicks with a time of 20 hours, 36 minutes, 17 seconds.
Sept. Observances (from page one)
on September 22, a day to celebrate all those individuals who have reached the age of 100.
• The number of these folks has dramatically increased over the years. In 1950, there were about 33,900 centenarians. In today’s era of more abundant food selections and modern medicine, the estimate of those who reach 100 and above tops 574,000. Those who live to at least 110 are classified as supercentenarians, with an estimated number of them worldwide between 700 and 1,000.
• In 1933, Cleo and Joseph McVicker created a product to cleanse wallpaper from soot and smoke generated from coal-burning furnaces. It was successful until gas furnaces entered the world in the 1950s, resulting in declining sales.
• Joseph’s sister-in-law, a nursery school teacher, conceived the idea that her students could use the product as modeling clay to make Christmas ornaments and brought it to school. Two years later the McVickers launched the clay commercially as a children’s toy they called Play-Doh, available in off-white, followed soon by red, yellow, and blue. It’s now sold in more than 80 countries. We honor this clever invention on September 20 as Play-Doh Day.
• In 1978, the American Tolkien Society proclaimed September 22 as National Hobbit Day, commemorating the birthdays of hobbits Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, J.R.R. Tolkien’s fictional characters.
• Occasionally in his writings, Tolkien referred to hobbits as Halflings, since they were about half the average human height. Tolkien gave them an underground home which he called Bag End. He described it in the novel’s opening lines: “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell…it was a hobbit-hole,
and that means comfort.”
• Can you imagine Scooby-Doo instead having the name “Too Much?” That was the name planned for the beloved cartoon dog in the early stages. Instead, TV executive Fred Silverman opted for the well-known name after hearing Frank Sinatra’s 1966 song “Strangers in the Night,” which contained the phrase “dooby-dooby-do.”
• The cartoon premiered in 1969, featuring a team of teenage mystery solvers, Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Shaggy and Shaggy’s Great Dane Scooby. Don Messick was the voice of Scooby, and is also remembered as the voice of “The Jetsons” dog Astro, Boo-Boo Bear in “The Yogi Bear Show,” Papa Smurf, and Jonny Quest’s father, Dr. Benton Quest. September 13 has been named Scooby-Doo Day since that was the day the program premiered in 1969
rhinos left and less than 6,500 black ones in the wild.
• Prized for their ivory horns, rhinos are extremely valuable to poachers who kill an average of ten rhinos a week. Recovery from excessive hunting is slow because rhinos have a gestation period of 16 months and give birth just once every two to three years.
byKaraKovalchik&SandyWood
• Two Albany, Oregon men came up with the idea of Talk Like A Pirate Day, observed every September 19. In 1995, John Baur and Mark Summers were playing racquetball, when one of them was injured, crying “Aarrgh!” in pain. After that, the pair began spontaneously using pirate lingo, and the idea of a day set aside for
• National Guacamole Day is celebrated on September 16 in honor of Mexican Independence Day. The word “guacamole” has its origins in the Nahuati language spoken by the Aztecs, with the avocado itself known as “ahuacatl,” and “molli,” translating sauce. The two words were combined into “ahuacamolli,” literally “avocado sauce.”
• The Mayan calendar’s 14th month is represented by an avocado hieroglyphic character, and one of their famous leaders was buried in a sarcophagus adorned with images of avocado trees.
• Guacamole frequently turns brown when left out due to the presence of the enzyme polyphenol oxidase in avocados, which, when exposed to oxygen in the air, produces an enzymatic reaction developing a melanoidin pigment, resulting in the brown color.
In 2022, five hundred people from the community of Municipo de Periban, Mexico worked together to set the world record for the largest serving of guacamole, celebrating their first annual Avocado Expo. Over 10 tons of local avocados, along with onions, tomatoes, cilantro, lime, and serrano peppers were used to complete their collective project.
• World Rhino Day has been celebrated every September 22 since 2011. It’s a day to raise awareness of these critically endangered animals, and ranger teams’ efforts to protect them from poachers.
• There are five species of rhinos remaining in the world – black, white, Sumatran, Javan, and Greater One-horned rhinos. The western black became extinct in 2011. Africa is home to white and black rhinos, with only about 16,800 white
1. What fruit was frequently called the "alligator pear"?
2. What country did Hitler invade on September 1, 1939 starting WWII?
By Lucie Winborne
* The U.S. postmaster general was in the line of succession to the presidency until 1971.
* There are more mobile phones than people alive.
* In the late 18th century, Sweden’s King Gustav III tried to prove that coffee was a deadly substance by making one twin drink coffee and the second one tea on a daily basis, while betting on which would be the first to succumb. Both twins survived and outlived both the king and the doctors conducting the experiment.
* The longest English word that generally appears in dictionaries is “pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis,” the name of a lung disease.
* Watermelons were often used as canteens by early explorers and travelers.
* Black holes aren’t black. They glow slightly, giving off light across the whole spectrum.
* The world’s largest playable guitar is 43.5 feet long.
* Before an NHL game, hockey pucks are frozen to make them glide more smoothly and reduce bouncing.
* The ancient Greeks believed that amethysts could ward off intoxication and hangovers, so they often drank wine from cups carved from the gemstone.
* Seven percent of Americans steal toilet paper rolls in hotels or motels.
* About 70-75% of the world’s population does not even use toilet paper.
* In 2009 a pigeon named Winston raced Telkom, South Africa’s largest ISP, to see which one could deliver 4GB of data to a location 60 miles away the fastest. By the time Winston arrived with the 4GB flash drive, Telkom had transmitted only 4% of the data. ***
Thought for the Day: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born ... and the day you find out why.” -- Mark Twain c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
REQUIRE COLLATERAL
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
Should You Lend Money to Family
and Friends? Read This First.
You can require that your borrower “secure” this loan by pledging something of value that he or she owns, which has a perceived value by the borrower of at least the amount of the loan. That could be a Nintendo Switch 2, watch, phone or a TV. Whatever it is, take possession of it. Hold it in lieu of repayment.
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
Over the years, I’ve heard from dozens of readers who have lent money to friends and family members, only to have become outraged when the deal goes sour. The problem is, they write to me after they’ve made the loan. By now, they’ve been waiting months, even years, for repayment, without success, hoping I can wave a magic wand to get their money back.
I tell these readers that I wish they’d written to me before they lent the money. Doing things right from the start makes all the difference in the end. Here’s how:
ACCEPT REALITY
Lend only the amount of money you can afford to give as a gift. Don’t tell your potential borrower this but know in your heart that if you just hand over the money, the chances of being repaid in full are fairly slim. That’s a fact of life. There’s a reason this borrower is coming to you and not to a bank, conventional lender or credit card to borrow money.
PROMISSORY
NOTE
This is a legally binding document that when signed by both parties creates a contract. A promissory note lays out the details of repayment, including the total amount to be repaid, due dates and penalties if the terms and conditions are violated. It sets the stage for you, the lender, to express your expectations. It puts the borrower on notice of these expectations and puts this arrangement on a business level with a tone of legality.
Search for “free promissory note” online to find a form you can simply print out and fill in the blanks. Look for Word and PDF templates; eForms.com promissory note templates are a good option.
REASONABLE INTEREST
It is right for you and the borrower that you charge a fair rate of interest. If your borrower balks at being charged interest, blame it on the IRS, which says you, the lender, will be assumed to have earned an interest rate that is at least as high as the IRS applicable federal rate, which is set monthly. As I write this, that rate is 3.65%.
Include the fact of this collateral in your documentation with a clear statement that once the loan is repaid, the collateral returns to the borrower. And should the borrower default, the collateral becomes yours at your discretion, to liquidate for repayment of the loan.
FORMAL REPAYMENT PLAN
Because you do not want to become a debt collector and deadbeat chaser, agree on a repayment plan upfront before you hand over the money to your borrower. Do this while everyone is friendly and eager to make this work. Let the borrower come up with a plan to which you can agree.
A great idea is for the borrower to arrange automatic deductions from his or her bank account to yours. Now, you won’t have to wonder if the check is in the mail or if you’ll need to make yet another awkward phone call.
Is there’s an app for that? Well, of course there is! These days, isn’t there an app for just about everything?
Zirtue is a free mobile app (available on the Apple App Store and Google Play) and is perfect for this kind of transaction. Zirtue is a relationship-based lending mobile platform that allows you to securely lend and borrow money with friends and family. It is perfect for trusted relationships -- people who want to help not take advantage of one another.
Zirtue lets the two of you set up a formal repayment situation. The borrower pays you 5% interest on the loan and makes the automatic monthly payments you agreed upon from his or her bank account, directly into yours. You, the lender, do not pay any fees at all. However, the borrower must pay a small monthly fee. And isn’t that right? The borrower needs to learn about how the real world operates! Borrowing money is not free. A formal lending situation between the two of you will be good for both of you.
Check out Zirtue before you make your decision on whether to lend money to this friend or relative. Knowing ahead how it works will help you make a good decision for whether to move forward with making that loan. *
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.”” COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
Tidbits commemorates National Teddy Bear Day on September 9 with this offering of little known facts about one of our favorite toys, and the interesting history that goes with it.
• American legend has it that our love of teddy bears began in 1902 with a hunting trip. Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, was coming up short on bagging himself a kill on the outing. His companions captured a bear and tied it to a tree, affording Roosevelt the opportunity to shoot it. But Roosevelt walked away, declaring that it would be unsportsmanlike to kill a helpless animal while it was in captivity.
• Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, Clifford Berryman, heard of the incident and created a cartoon of “Teddy” Roosevelt’s compassion toward the bear. The cartoon, which illustrated the event, appeared in “The Washington Post” in November 1902. It featured a cuddly bear cub when in fact, the actual bear was an old and injured bear, making it an easy capture. Berryman then used the bear in several other political cartoons throughout Roosevelt’s term.
• After the appearance of the 1902 cartoon, a Russian-born businessman, Morris Michtom, conceived the idea of a stuffed bear cub toy. He sent one to Roosevelt and also displayed one in the window of his candy shop with a sign reading “Teddy’s bear.” Michtom’s wife fashioned the first bear out of velvet and stuffed it with wood
shavings. It immeditely gained attention from the public, and soon hundreds were coming into his store asking where they could get one like it.
• Seeing an opportunity for some quick profit, Michtom immediately set himself up to produce quantities of the novelty to sell as a sideline business. He named his new venture the Ideal Toy Company, little knowing it would eventually grow to become the world’s largest toy manufacturer.
• Around the same time Michtom was succeeding in America, German toymaker Margarete Steiff and her nephew were visiting a Berlin zoo, where the youngster was fascinated with the bears. He asked Margarete if she could design a stuffed bear for him to have as his very own. She quickly went to work and created a cute little bear with movable arms and legs, button eyes, and stitched a mouth and nose. By 1907, one million Steiff teddy bears had been produced.
• In 1912, following the sinking of the Titanic, the Steiff company produced 500 teddy bears to honor the victims. These black mohair “mourning” bears included red felt threads stitched behind the eyes to signify eyes red-rimmed from crying. Years later in 2000, a mourning bear sold at auction for more than $250,000.
• In 1907, American composer John Bratton composed “The Teddy Bear Two-Step,” a song that sold well and could be heard regularly accompanying circus acts. In 1930, an Irish songwriter, Jimmy Kennedy, added lyrics and the song was renamed “The Teddy Bears Picnic.” Very popular over the decades, the song has been recorded by many, including Bing
Crosby, Rosemary, Clooney, Jerry Garcia, and Anne Murray.
• During World War I, a Canadian soldier stationed in Ontario bought a live bear cub for $20, naming the cub Winnipeg Bear after the town he grew up in. The bear quickly became his infantry troop’s mascot. When the brigade headed overseas, the bear came along, where he stayed until the unit was deployed to France. Winnipeg was then loaned to the London Zoo, where the extremely tame bear, nicknamed Winnie, was one of the zoo’s most popular animals.
• Frequent visitors to the zoo were A.A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin. Christopher named his own stuffed bear Winnie, adding “Pooh” after the name of a friend’s pet swan. A.A. Milne published his first book about the “silly old bear” he named “Winnie-the-Pooh” in 1926.
• Teddy bear collectors are known as arctophiles.
Tidbits of Coachella Valley
by Dana Jackson
Q: I recently saw an old black-andwhite episode of “Tales of Wells Fargo” from 1957. In it, Michael Landon had his six-shooter in his right hand and also had his holster on the right. A year later, he’s a star on “Bonzana” and a complete lefty. What happened? Was he ambidextrous? -- D.M.
A:Michael Landon, best known for shows like “Bonanza” and “Little House on the Prairie,” was, indeed, left-handed. For whatever reason, they asked him to shoot right-handed when he appeared on “Tales of Wells Fargo.” But fortunately, during his entire 14-year run on “Bonanza,” they let him do what came naturally -- shooting off his left hip.
Apparently it was common practice in production and staging to film an actor firing with his right hand. The reason is thought to be because traditional blocking of a scene places the camera to the right of the actor as they face it. If they then hold the pistol with their right hand, they can point their weapon across their body and still keep their face fully in view of the camera.
1. The Conjuring: Last Rites (R) Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga
2. Hamilton (PG-13) Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phillipa Soo
3. Weapons (R) Julia Garner, Josh Brolin
4. Freakier Friday (PG) Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan
5. Caught Stealing (R) Austin Butler, Regina King
6. The Fantastic Four: First Steps (PG-13) Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby
7. The Roses (R) Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch
8. The Bad Guys 2 (PG) Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron
9. Light of the World (PG) Ian Hanlin, Benjamin Jacobson
10. Superman (PG-13) David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan
Some famous lefties include Bruce Willis, who shot with his dominant hand in the “Die Hard” movies, and Paul Newman, who was perfect to play Billy the Kid in “The Left Handed Gun.” Keanu Reeves, a lefty who actually trains with both hands for his action movies, is able to shoot with either hand on command.
***
Q: I saw an ad pop up on my smart TV for what looked like a show or movie called “Tony & Ziva,” but I don’t get the channel it’s on. Is it based on the characters of the same name from “NCIS”? -- K.J.
A: “NCIS: Tony & Ziva” is the full title of a new show on Paramount+ featuring actors Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, who are reprising their characters from the original CBS procedural “NCIS.” Tony and Ziva, former agents who fell in love, are now a couple on the run in Europe after Tony’s security company is attacked. They’re also parents, so they’re trying to protect their daughter from danger.
“Tony & Ziva” is airing exclusively on Paramount+. It premiered three episodes on Sept. 4 and will roll out a new episode every Thursday until its 10-episode conclusion on Oct. 23.
***
Q: Is that Boz from “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” hosting a new show with Jimmy Fallon? -- D.E.
A: Yes, that is Bozoma Saint John, nicknamed “Boz,” who landed a co-hosting gig with Jimmy Fallon (“The Tonight Show”) on NBC’s upcoming competition reality show “On Brand with Jimmy Fallon.”
Before Saint John landed on Bravo’s “RHOBH” last season, she had built up quite an impressive career heading up the marketing depart-
ments at Netflix, Uber and PepsiCo. According to TVInsider, each week on “On Brand,” contestants will create and present a marketing campaign to real-life executives of companies like Southwest Airlines and Dunkin’.
* * *
Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
PonderBits
Why do they put Braille on the drive-through bank machines?
Nightly news is where they begin with "Good evening," and then proceed to tell you why it's not.
I think I'll invent a combination of laxitive and alphabet soup and call it Letter Rip.
"So, how are the kids?"
Courtesy of NBC
Michael Landon in “Bonzana”
Good Recipes from
Ciabatta
Try this flat Italian bread with any hearty soup or stew. We also like it with a simple green salad.
1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar 5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1. In cup, combine yeast, sugar and 1/4 cup warm water (105 F to 115 F). Let stand until yeast mixture foams, about 5 minutes.
2. Into bowl of heavy-duty mixer, measure flour and salt. With wooden spoon, stir in milk, olive oil, yeast mixture and 2 cups warm water (105 F to 115 F) until blended. With dough hook, mix on medium speed 15 minutes or until
dough becomes elastic. (Or, if you prefer to mix by hand, in very large bowl, combine ingredients as above and stir with wooden spoon 15 minutes or until dough becomes elastic.) This is a very sticky and moist dough; resist the urge to add more flour, and do not knead or stir for less than the suggested time.
3. Scrape dough into greased large bowl; with greased hand, pat top of dough to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let dough rise in warm place (80 F to 85 F) until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
4. Flour large cookie sheet. With floured hand, punch down dough and divide in half. Turn pieces of dough onto cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart; cover and let rest 15 minutes for easier shaping.
5. With hands, pull 1 piece of dough into 14 by 4-inch oval. Repeat with remaining piece, still keeping loaves 3 inches apart. With floured fingers, make deep indentations all over each loaf, making sure to press all the way down to cookie sheet. Sprinkle loaves lightly with flour. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.
6. Heat oven to 425 F. Place 12 ice cubes in 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan. Place pan in bottom of oven. Bake loaves on middle rack 25 to 30 minutes until golden, using spray bottle to spritz loaves with water 3 times during first 10 minutes of baking. Cool loaves on wire rack.
Fennel
Availability: September through April
Buying Tips: Fennel also is called finocchio. Buy firm, compact, unblemished bulbs. The fronds, if attached, should be bright green and sprightly.
To Store: Refrigerate in the crisper drawer up to three or four days.
To Prepare: Trim off the fronds, if attached. Rinse fennel under cold running water. Trim the root end and remove the stalks. Cut the bulb lengthwise into wedges or slices; trim the
By John Allen
DIAMOND LIL
by Brett Koth
Donald
Sleep dreams about
Holidays & Observances This Week
9/21 World Alzheimer's Day
9/22 Hobbit Day
9/23 First Day of Fall (Autumn Equinox)
9/24 Punctuation Day
9/25 World Pharmacists Day
9/26 Johnny Appleseed Day
9/27 National Day of Forgiveness
Dog Talk with Uncle Matty
By Matthew Margolis
Costly Follies
H.L. Mencken said, “The most costly of all follies is to believe passionately in the palpably not true. It is the chief occupation of mankind.”
The following letter from a reader demonstrates that it is certainly the chief occupation of those who champion the companionship of a particular canine at any cost.
“We recently got an 8-month-old yellow lab from a family with three small children. The lady said the dog could be aggressive and had nipped at her 2-year-old.
“She is a very nervous puppy -- jumps at the slightest movement or noise. She also jumps and twitches when she sleeps. We have experienced her aggression now, and it is quite scary. The second morning we had her, something spooked her and she would not let us near our truck. The doors were all open, and she sat in the driver’s seat growling and showing her teeth. I got a treat and put it on the ground near us. When I said “release,” she got out, snatched the treat and jumped right back in. She calmed down, but was nervous all day after that.
“She has showed her teeth a few times, and we’re not sure how to handle it. I read that it isn’t always good to approach or discipline her when she is showing her teeth and growling because it could initiate an attack. I know that she is scared and confused. Within one week she stayed in four different houses, with all new people. We’ve had her for a week, and we’d love to keep her. We have no children, but we have nieces and nephews around often. We need to break her of these aggressive behaviors or we will not be able to run the risk of her hurting a child.
“She is a good dog -- excellent when playing fetch, gives up the ball or toy every time. However, she gets aggressive with some of her toys when indoors. We gave her a pig’s ear last night and she got extremely aggressive. Every time we moved, she growled and showed her teeth -- even when we were nowhere near her. She came out of it, but again she was nervous for the rest of the night.”
This is akin to buying a car with no brakes because you like the ashtray and don’t smoke. With
Sometimes it takes watchful eyes to keep seniors safe. Whether it’s physical, emotional or financial abuse, or any other kind, those who come in contact with seniors can look for signs that all is not well.
In banking, if you spot a senior who seems distressed and who repeatedly takes large sums of money out of an account (or changes his or her routine), that senior might be a victim of abuse or a scam.
Seniors, do not use the drive-up teller window. Go inside so staff can get to know you. Sign a new signature card every six months so your handwriting sample is current.
If you spot personality changes in a senior, the cause might be physical -- or it might be a result of abuse. Ask what’s going on. If a senior who used to dress immaculately is now
Smaller Is Better
In the past decade, we have seen houses grow and grow and grow. These houses became so large that they were given their own name: McMansions. While some large families with multiple children and live-in in-laws require a lot of space, most families do not, and owning a large home is more of a status issue than a utilitarian one. Since the global economic crisis, however, an interesting phenomenon is happening. Families are embracing smaller, more practical homes.
Today the small home is the smart home. To many, they are considered earth-friendly homes. Some families are choosing to downsize to smaller houses, and those with smaller homes are improving and renovating their homes rather than selling in a down market. The benefits are many. With the economical changes we are experiencing, there is a great cry for smaller and more efficient and convenient houses.
wearing the same clothes for days in a row, ask. If a senior is no longer as sociable or doesn’t participate in previous activities, ask. If you spot bruises or injury, ask.
In a caregiver or hospital situation, you might see lack of care or physical abuse. A neighbor who’s had relatives move in might suddenly change his or her routines.
At home, the senior might be denied food or medicine or mail.
If you want more information to help seniors, go online to the National Center on Elder Abuse (ncea.acl.gov) or call 855-500-3537. Learn about the signs of abuse and what you can do when you suspect it’s taking place.
Check eldercare.gov, or call 800-6771116. You’ll find information on getting help for housing, in-home services, long-term care, nutrition ... and abuse.
Seniors, if you think you’re being abused in any way, call the police. You don’t have to put up with abusive treatment.
make decorating easier and more interesting. These homes are replete with crown molding, wainscoting and fireplaces, which add character and give the spaces inherent style. The proportions of the rooms in these homes are usually more intimate and better scaled. Without the double-height spaces and oversized windows, there is less of a need for yards and yards of fabric and bulky furniture on steroids.
Smaller homes must be carefully planned and designed for maximum comfort and convenience. With the many advances in technology, appliances are designed to be more compact and streamlined -- from dishwasher drawers to flatscreen televisions. This makes it possible for a small home to have all the bells and whistles of a larger home.
Here are some tips for decorating a smaller home:
-- Choose one type of flooring to use throughout the home.
-- Minimize window treatments.
That which is considered a small home varies greatly from region to region, but generally, smaller homes are between 1,000 and 2,000 square feet and contain no more than eight rooms. With this trend, you must sacrifice space, but you need not sacrifice style. Style is not a matter of money. Even those with modest means can achieve a stylish home. Style your home by paying attention to detail, and this means not only coordinating all items in every single room, but also editing and developing a discriminating attitude. Select only items you truly love and feel are suitable for the room and house.
Whether bungalows, beach cottages or townhouses, many smaller homes, and especially older ones, benefit from architectural details that
-- Use smaller frame sofas and chairs.
-- Avoid too many wall colors.
-- Stick to a gradient color palette.
-- Select bed size and frame according to room size.
-- Add built-in storage and seating wherever possible.
-- Recessed lighting minimizes the visual clutter of myriad lighting fixtures.
“Smaller is better” is the new mantra. Although this may take some getting used to, keep in mind that this will enable you to use better materials, finer furnishings and state-of-the-art equipment and to selectively indulge in the degree of quality that represents you and your lifestyle.
* * *
Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. 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 2024 CREATORS.COM
all the great dogs in shelters that need homes, why insist on the one you know is aggressive? It is one thing to root for the underdog and quite another to invite the snarling underdog to share your home. Did John Lennon do us all in when he wrote “All You Need is Love”? The decades that have transpired since that release have taught me that this, like so many other missives of the 1960s, does not literally apply to everyday life.
When it comes to aggressive dogs, you need more than love. You need an excess of time, an arsenal of experience and technique, and a backup plan for that moment when you realize some things can’t be fixed.
Now what?
This dog requires professional help and, as is, cannot be around children. Her aggression is trifold: She’s possessive, territorial and fearful. It’s like living with a three-headed rattlesnake, and, as the Roman satirist Horace put it, “as crazy as hauling timber into the woods.”
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.
Matilda Charles regrets
YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
by Tom Margenau
Little Green Spacemen and Social Security
Well, if I listen to news reports or review the emails I get from many readers, I guess I’d have to conclude that Social Security is doomed.
So that means it’s time to once again trot out my “little green men and Social Security” story. This story has to do with an intriguing newspaper headline I read about 20 years ago that went like this: “More people think they’ll see little green spacemen than a future Social Security check.”
The story that ran with that headline was based on a poll of young people that asked a question something like this: “Do you believe you will have a better chance of seeing a Social Security check someday or of seeing Martians land on Earth?” And guess what? Most people answered that they figured they’d be more likely to see little green men from outer space than their promised Social Security benefits.
I wasn’t surprised by those poll results then, and I’m not surprised by people’s pessimism now. That’s because I’ve been listening to Social Security skeptics for half a century. I remember way back in 1973 when I was sent out as a relatively new Social Security Administration spokesperson to deliver my first speech on the topic. And hardly before I had a chance to introduce myself, some guy in the audience who appeared to be around 40 years old jumped up and said, “I don’t know why we should listen to anything you have to say. We all know Social Security will go belly up long before we ever have a chance to collect a dime out of the system!”
Well, of course, if that guy is still alive, he’d be pushing 90 now and would have been collecting many millions of dimes in the form of Social Security checks, month in and month out, for about 30 years now. I’ve often wondered if he ever looked back and regretted his rude interruption of that neophyte Social Security rep’s maiden Social Security presentation. At least I hope he accepted the fact that he was wrong.
That story always reminds me of something I learned from one of my mentors when I started working for the Social Security Administration. He was a fairly high-placed official within the agency who started working for the SSA shortly after it was created in 1936. And he told me that way back then, many members of the public were telling him that the Social Security program was doomed to failure.
Well, those doomsayers in 1936 were wrong about the future of Social Security. And that rude audience member who interrupted me in 1973 was wrong about the future of Social Security. And those poll respondents from about 20 years ago who said they’d see Martians from space before they’d see Social Security benefits were also wrong about the future of Social Security. And so too are the people I still hear from today who tell me that Social Security is destined to fail.
I mean, come on, folks! The Social Security program is 90 years old now. It has been paying monthly benefits for many decades without fail to hundreds of millions of people. How long must the program be around before people accept the fact that it is here to stay?
But of course, I’m not naive. I know what
fuels people’s recent skepticism about the future of the program. You can hardly go a week without seeing some newspaper report or some internet story predicting Social Security’s demise.
Some of the headlines, like this one: “Social Security going broke in 2034” are just outright false. Some of the headlines, like this one: “Social Security benefits to be cut 20% in 2034,” are misleading. And of course, none of the headlines tell the whole story.
If you go beyond the headlines and read the rest of the story, you will see a statement similar to this one: “By 2034, Social Security will only have enough cash reserves to pay 80% of promised benefits IF NO CHANGES ARE MADE TO THE SYSTEM BY THEN.”
I added the emphasis to the “if no changes ... “ part of that sentence because it is the key. The Social Security program will never reach the point where future benefits will have to be cut by 20% because there is absolutely no question that the system will be reformed before we reach the 2034 crunch date.
How do I know that? Well, for one thing, it’s just common sense. No member of Congress, no president, no government official is going to let the Social Security program go belly up. You can be as cynical as you want about the state of politics and about the lack of bipartisanship in our country today. But I can assure you that no politician is going to say to their elderly constituents: “Sorry Grandma, because I’m bickering with my colleagues across the aisle and can’t get anything done, I’m going to just forget about reforming Social Security and cut your Social Security checks by 20%!” (OK, maybe there are a few rogue members of Congress out there who might say that, but certainly nowhere near a majority.)
How else do I know that Social Security will not go belly up by 2034? Well, history is on my side. Throughout its history, the program has been reformed many times to keep it relevant and to keep it financially secure. The last time that happened in a big way was the early 1980s. At that point, the Social Security system was about five years away from going in the red. Back then, President Reagan appointed the National Commission on Social
1. The book of Ezra is found in the a) Old Testament b) New Testament c) Neither
2. From Daniel 4, who had the vision of a tree growing higher and higher until it could be seen by everyone? a) Silas b) Darius c) Belshazzar d) Nebuchadnezzar
3. Which book could be summarized, "God, why don't you stop bad things from happening? a) Exodus b) Job c) Habakkuk d) Ezekiel
4. What hour in the Bible means the last possible moment something can be done? a) 1st b) 10th c) 11th d) 12th
5. From Judges 6, where did Gideon encounter an angel? a) Oak tree b) Well c) Prison d) Garden
6. What was Adam's occupation in Eden? a) Hunter b) Gardener c) Carpenter d) Not specified
Security Reform, made up of a bipartisan coalition of Senators and members of Congress and other experts. They proposed, and Congress eventually passed, a series of relatively modest tax increases and benefit cuts that have kept the system solvent for the next 50 years.
And that’s what’s going to happen again. I’m betting there will be another commission established that will suggest relatively modest reforms that will keep the program solvent for the next halfcentury.
Before I close, I must make this point. I get dozens of emails from readers who tell me that the aforementioned Social Security headlines scare them. So, they are choosing to take early (and reduced) benefits now so that they can get “grandfathered in” to the current system before the program goes bust. My advice to them is always the same. DO NOT make Social Security decisions based on politics. Make decisions based on your own personal economic situation. And I say that because I can guarantee that you will have a better chance of seeing little green men from outer space than you will of seeing the Social Security program go belly up now or anytime in the future.
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. (Answers on page 16)
Man Waiting for Hip Replacement Is Torn Between Surgeons
DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband is 72 years old and on a waiting list for a hip replacement due to severe osteoarthritis. The surgeon he was referred to is quite young, has been performing anterior minimally invasive hip replacements for five years, and does about 250 per year.
Originally we had asked to be referred to a different surgeon who has 30 years of experience, but we were told that older surgeons, although very experienced, do not do this procedure. Instead, they tend to do what they were initially trained to do, which includes cutting through muscle and tendon to access the hip. Apparently this causes a lengthier recovery period.
What are your thoughts on this? --
D.M.
ANSWER: In general, I do not recommending telling a surgeon which specific type of surgery to perform. You place yourself in the surgeon’s hands and expect to be treated to the best of their expertise. Depending on your particular issues, one type of surgery may be better than another, but only a surgeon can decide this.
I reviewed the published literature on minimally invasive surgery versus conventional surgery. Not everyone is a candidate for the minimally invasive procedure. There are some benefits to the minimally invasive surgery such as less postoperative pain, reduced hospital stay, and less blood loss. However, there has been no consistent benefit shown for infection rates and complications such as dislocation or fracture near the prosthesis. There also isn’t evidence of any revision of the procedure. Some studies have suggested a higher rate of nerve injury with the minimally invasive procedure. Since there are some short-term but no proven long-term benefits to the minimally invasive procedure, I advise you to find a surgeon you trust and listen to their recommendation for the right procedure in your husband’s case. ***
DEAR DR. ROACH: I have a couple issues with my bladder and a sleep aid. I am an 81-year-old male in fairly good health. I have a difficult time getting back to sleep after getting up to empty my bladder. My solution for this was to take a melatonin tablet after each trip back to bed. This seemed to help.
However, I researched melatonin online and found that some people, my wife included, can get nausea and stomach cramps from using it. While this does not happen with me, I’m wondering if taking 3 mg per night could be harmful to
me, given the reaction my wife gets. -- J.T.M.
ANSWER: Although melatonin is generally safe, it can cause some side effects. In addition to the stomach cramps, people have reported vivid dreams or nightmares, short-term depression, dizziness, and headaches. A few people find the medication helpful enough that they are willing to live with these side effects, but many people will give up and try a different treatment for sleep. If melatonin isn’t causing you any side effects, then it is likely safe for you. Many people use melatonin, and although longterm safety has not been proven in trials, it is increasingly unlikely that any long-term adverse effects haven’t been discovered.
Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.
(c) 2025 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved
VETERANS POST
by Freddie Groves
Unions Are Out at the VA
One wonders how this was allowed to happen in the first place: Last year the VA paid out $45 million to employees who were working for federal unions instead of being at their jobs.
But no more. Not only are most of them no longer employed at the VA, but the ones who are still employed have been directed to be on the job -- and that $45 million is going back into the VA coffers to be used on veteran services.
A month ago the VA terminated the union bargaining agreements for most of those employees, canceling the contracts that had kept VA managers in a stranglehold and unable to hire and fire as they wanted and needed.
To get an idea of how the unions operated (to the detriment of the VA), the VA was forced to pay out $134 million to former employees who had been fired for misconduct (which included harassment and patient abuse). Unions opposed the MISSION Act, which had a direct impact on veterans getting health care. And unions were strongly against whistleblower protections.
Nurses alone were paid $1.25 million for doing union business instead of taking care of patients. VA employees were paid for working 750,000 hours doing union business instead of doing their jobs at the VA. Others being paid for doing union business included attorneys and pharmacists.
Over 187,000 square feet of VA property had been used by the unions, for free, for union business, as well as over 2,000 pieces of equipment such as computers and phones. In one VA medical center alone the unions had used 7,500 square feet of office space, 3,500 square feet at another and over 2,000 square feet at nearly a dozen other VA facilities.
Following the VA’s example, several other government agencies have followed suit and terminated their contracts with unions. Those include the Health and Human Services, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Homeland Security.
Things are finally getting done.
* * *
Freddy Groves regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@gmail.com.
Top Pet Products for Seniors with Mobility Issues
DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: My animalloving mother has two cats and a dog, but her knee and back problems make caring for them increasingly difficult. Are there pet care products you can recommend that help elderly pet older owners with mobility problems? -- Searching Susan
Dear Susan: Great question! For older pet owners with limited mobility, daily tasks like feeding, walking or cleaning up after their pets can become physically challenging. Fortunately, there are a variety of products that are specifically designed to make pet care more manageable.
With the help of Next Avenue, a nonprofit, digital publication for older adults, here is a rundown on some top products that can help your mom care for her pets no matter her mobility restrictions:
Automatic Pet Feeder
Just like you, your pet needs to eat a few times a day. But lifting heavy food bags or bending to fill bowls can strain a bad back. An automatic pet feeder can help keep your mom’s pets well-fed without having to stoop or bend much.
The Petlibro Air Automatic Feeder (Chewy.com, $50) has a locking food tank to prevent between-meal snacking and can hold up to 16 portions. It runs on batteries that last 180 days, so you can put it anywhere you want. You'll have to refill it now and then, but this product means a lot less bending and lifting.
Age-Friendly Litter Boxes
Bending or stooping over to fill or clean out the kitty litter box can be challenging for many mobility-challenged cat owners. To alleviate this, LoftyLoo (LoftyLoo.com) sells an elevated litter box for $289. Compatible with stairs and ramps for older cats, LoftyLoo’s raised litter box furniture has options for anyone living with chronic pain or recovering from surgery. It’s also fully wheelchair accessible.
Another option that can make kitty litter clean up easier is the Litter-Robot 4 by Whisker (Litter-Robot.com, $699). This automatic, self-cleaning litter box eliminates scooping and reduces the odor and waste removal, which is definitely helpful for older cat owners.
Long-Handled Pooper Scooper
Stooping over to clean up after your dog can be challenging if you have back, hip or knee problems. Long-handled waste scoopers can make this cleanup task much more manageable.
The ShinyDew Pooper Scooper (Amazon.com, $24) is a foldable, 32-inch-long dog poop picker upper, so you don't have to bend to pick up your pet’s waste. You can use it with one hand and also attach waste bags to the scooper for even easier disposal.
Hands-Free Leash
Most dogs love their daily walk and need the exercise for their own optimal health. But for seniors that use a cane, walker, wheelchair or have pain in your upper body, using a traditional leash can be challenging. If walking a pet is difficult, hands-free leashes or harnesses can make the experience more manageable.
One option is the Hands-Free Dog Leash with Zipper Pouch (iYoShop.com, $22), which clips around your waist, has a reflective safety strip for visibility and includes two shock absorbers to prevent tugging. But note that this product should only be used if your pet cannot physically pull you down.
Pet Treadmill
If your mom can’t walk her dog any longer, she can still give them plenty of exercise by getting a pet treadmill. The PETSITE Dog Treadmill (Amazon.com, $286) has 12 preset programs and three incline options.
The large running belt measures 39 inches long by 14.5 inches wide with a slip resistant running surface and safety fences along the sides. It also comes with a remote to adjust speed and automatically turns off after 30 minutes.
Automatic Ball Launcher
Another way your mom can exercise her dog if walking isn’t an option, is with an automated ball launcher.
The Joyhound Electronic Ball Launcher (Petsmart.com, $120) comes with three tennis balls and can lob them 10 to 40 feet. Your mom can rest on her patio while her dog gets a challenging and entertaining workout.
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.
-- by Jim Miller
JUNQUE
by Anne McCollam Creators News Service
Toni Dolls Make Waves With Collectors
Q: Enclosed you will find a photo of a pair of Toni dolls. They were given to me when I was about 8 years old, and I am now 79. Toni was a home perm product, and the dolls were a promotion for the perms. If you saved box tops, you could send for the dolls. A set of little rollers and permanent wave solution came with the dolls so you could actually curl their hair. The dolls are in their original dresses and in excellent condition.
Please let me know if they are worth anything.
A: Toni Home Wave Company was one of the leading home permanent wave manufactures in the 1940s. They introduced the dolls in 1949, and they were available until 1953.
Toni dolls were made by the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company. Each doll was accompanied by accessories that included little rollers, “play permanent wave solution,” combs, brushes and instructions. The dolls were available in both blond and brunette nylon hair, they had sleepy eyes with lashes, rosy cheeks, bright red lips and jointed limbs. They were produced in height sizes from 14 inches to 23 inches. A bride doll and a walking doll were also made. When the walking doll walked, her head moved.
Home waves were popular in the mid-20th
century. They could be purchased at grocery stores and drugstores for about $2. A professional perm ran about $15 in those days. During hard times, a frugal consumer could save about $13. A refill was even sold for $1.
Toni competitors were Lift Waves and Rayve. Gillette Safety Razor Company eventually bought the Toni Company sometime in the 1940s. Toni perms are still being made.
Circa 1953 Toni dolls are selling online in the range of $125 to $200 each.
Q: This mark is on the back of an oval glass plaque that is a family treasured heirloom. It has been handed down through four generations and is in perfect condition. It is decorated with hand-painted flowers against a white background. The overall measurements are 9 by 13 inches, which includes the metal frame.
Could you please provide some information on its history and value?
A: Wave Crest glass was made by C.F. Monroe Company located in Meriden, Connecticut. It was in business from 1898 to around World War I.
Wave Crest is opaque blown-molded glass. Blanks were purchased from the Pairpoint Manufacturing Company located in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Monroe Company designers decorated the blanks using the names “Wave Crest,” “Kelva” and “Nakara.”
Your plaque was made around 1900, and an insurance value would probably be $3,500 to $6,500.
* * * Antiques expert and columnist Anne McCollam has recently 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.
* On Sept. 22, 1888, National Geographic magazine published its first issue, without photos. The publication had so few subscribers that its editor, Gilbert H. Grosvenor, addressed each copy and carried them to the post office himself.
* On Sept. 23, 1992, Manon Rheaume became the first woman to play in one of the four major men’s North American pro sports leagues when she stepped on the ice as goalie for the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning in a preseason game. Admitting to being “very nervous,” she also noted that part of her admission was “for publicity,” but added that it was “still a chance to play. That’s what I care about.”
* On Sept. 24, 1902, cookbook author Fannie Farmer, who changed the way Americans prepared food by advocating for the use of standardized measurements in recipes, opened Miss Farmer’s School of Cookery in Boston. Farmer not only taught women how to cook, but later instructed medical professionals on nutrition for the sick.
* On Sept. 25, 1890, religious leaders issued the “Mormon Manifesto,” which ordered all Latter-day Saints to uphold America’s anti-polygamy laws. The men were given little choice in the decision, as they faced federal confiscation of their temples and revocation of church members’ basic civil rights for failure to comply.
* On Sept. 26, 1996, biochemist and U.S. astronaut Shannon Lucid returned to Earth in the U.S. Space Shuttle Atlantis after six months in orbit aboard the Russian space station Mir. She was the first American woman to live in a space station.
* On Sept. 27, 622, the prophet Muhammad completed his Hegira, or “flight,” from Mecca to Medina to escape persecution. In Medina, he set about building the followers of his religion, Islam, into an organized community and Arabian power. The Hegira would later mark the beginning of the Muslim calendar.
* On Sept. 28, 1850, Congress voted to end flogging on both naval and merchant vessels. Until then, seamen were often punished by being stripped to the waist and subjected to lashes on their backs with whips called cat-o’-nine-tails.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
Wave Crest was made by C.F. Monroe Company.
Toni dolls were made from 1949 to 1953 and are collector items.
Sept. Observances (from page 3)
talking like a pirate was their idea.
• If you’re interested in participating in the Talk Like a Pirate practice, use phrases like “Shiver me timbers!”, “Ahoy, matey!”, “Arrgh!”, and “Shivver me timbers!” If you need to tell a friend to get a move on, use the words “Arrgh, weigh anchor, swabby!.”
• Skyscrapers have their own day on September 3. The meaning of the word “skyscraper” has changed over the years. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a building with ten floors was classified as a skyscraper. Today a building is considered a skyscraper if its height is at least 330 feet (100 m) to 490 feet (150 m), with around 40 floors.
• Yet many high-rise buildings are much taller, with the world’s tallest building, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa towering to 2,722 feet (829.8 m). China has the most buildings over 150 meters tall, with 3,285, and another 1,148 over 655 feet (200 m). The United States ranks second in number of skyscrapers, with 894 buildings over 150 meters and 244 topping 200 meters. The tallest building in the U.S., and seventh tallest in the world is One World Trade Center, with a height of 1,776 feet (541 m).
• On a more solemn note, September 11 is the National Day of Remembrance, honoring those who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Ceremonies at New York City’s Memorial Plaza observe six moments of silence, marking the times of six events – when each of the World Trade Center towers was struck, when each Tower fell, the attack on the Pentagon, and the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives and at least 102 different countries lost citizens in the terrorist attacks.
Game Changers
Every once in a while all golfers go through a stretch of poor putting from inside four feet. These “knee knockers” sometimes become more of a mental hurdle than a challenge on mechanics or green reading.
Rather than trying to stick to a rigid set of principles on your form, try experimenting with an old school type of “pop” stroke to change things up.
Many golfers error with short backswings and long follow throughs on short putts, so try reversing the image with a shorter follow through. In fact, try hitting these short putts with roughly an eight inch backstroke (minimally) and then stop the follow through immediately upon impact.
There may be a tightening of the arms and hands to hold this follow through from going too far forward. You’ll be feeling like the stroke “pops” at the ball, rather than releasing through. One of the advantages of the pop stroke is that it reduces the putter face’s rotation through impact, which causes the majority of missed short putts.
